chunky

Surprised nobody has mentioned Graham Miles!!! Or Newcastle's Harry Huntly (6'8")... Steve

In all seriousness, I don't really care WHERE tracks appear or reappear - as long as they do. Aside from geographical specifics, there are two things I would love to see. Firstly, to see tracks re-emerging in urban areas, and not being forced out into the country away from potential spectators. However, with the modern-day NIMBY population, I can't see that happening. Secondly, as much as I am a small-track fan (Plough Lane was my track, obviously), I would love to see some BIG tracks out there. It was the variety that made speedway so special, and I do long for the old Belle Vue, Halifax, and of course, Exeter. Oh, and West Ham. If we could just get some tracks like that again... Steve

I can't personally vouch for anything, but I have been led to believe that it was the West Ham Barry Lee who went on to find fame on four wheels, and not the later Barry Lee at Canterbury and Rayleigh. Steve

I remember him going straight through the pit bend fence at Plough Lane... Steve

Okay, this is meant to be fun, so... 1) Three Cocks, Powys 2) Ugley, Essex 3) Titty Hill, Sussex 4) Willey, Warks Just trying to work out what the team nicknames of these would be? No 4 could be the "Warmers", and No 2 could obviously be the Ugley "F...ers:... 5) Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch, Gwynedd Forget the team name, I'd love to hear a warcry; "Give us an L..." !!! Steve PS The forum wouldn't let me use one real place name in Dorset...

Of course they did; they were under the same promotion as Harrubgay! Steve

Of course, looking at the post-war situation, how many of the speedway tracks were actually controlled by the GRA? Obviously, the speedway decline has - certainly in some ways - mirrored the decline in dog racing... Steve

I can confirm prodons' post about the the two individuals being the driving force behind the revival... It's mentioned on another thread; some legal issue... Steve

My mum used to go FIVE nights a week - in London! Wimbledon (Monday), West Ham (Tuesday), New Cross (Wednesday), Wembley (Thursday), and Harringay (Friday). Sigh... Steve

When studying results from that time period, you have to remember that: 1) Formats were very different from today, and 2) Records may not be complete. Taking the meeting on Monday, June 16, what I would glean from the information given is that there were FOUR separate events; the Stadium Open Handicap (7 races, including two semis and a final), a Junior Knockout Scratch Race, two Star Match Races (between Ginger Lees and Harold Stevens), and the Stadium Scratch Races (7 heats including two semis and a final). The details of these events and heat numbers are self-explanatory, but may appear confusing as results are clearly incomplete. As far as Pat Biddle, he clearly rode in the Stadium Scratch Races, finishing second to Ginger Lees in his heat, and his semi-final, then finishing last in the final. It is quite possible that he rode in the Handicap event also, but did not make it out of his heat. Steve

He's probably thinking of Errol Brown of Hot Chocolate, norbold!!! Steve

Graham rode for Belle Vue in 1959 and 60, then came back to Sunderland in 64. He also rode for Newcastle, Glasgow, and finally Cradley. Steve

Um, that's why they were "unsung" heroes... Funny you should mention Steen Mastrup; I think he was a much better rider than most people would give him credit for. Of course, he wasn't around that long, and is undoubtedly forgotten by many. Steve

Seeing that most of the time, it was self-inflicted, I don't think that he could be classed as "unlucky"!!! Moggo is a mate, so he won't mind me saying that! Anyway, he had a long and fairly successful career, so I don't think he would complain. Steve

Well, listening to Briggo talking about dear old Billy, in New Zealand, "Sanders" is apparently pronounced "Saunders"... Steve PS Don't forget PC's Henrik "Gustafferson"...

Oh, I see; you were just looking at a terrible individual season, rather than a terrible British career! Of course, another rider who failed consistently was Wimbledon's own Patrick Pawson... Steve

Again, as I mentioned in another thread, Claes Jensen has perhaps (I haven't really checked) the worst record in British speedway; one point from 13 matches. I did see him at Plough Lane. Halifax's Adam Olkiewicz hasn't been mentioned yet, and he was poor. Sadly seems he passed away in 2008 at the young age of 54. Another was Norwegian Sigvart Pedersen. While he failed to reach the 2.00 figure in 16 matches, from what I saw of him, he did look better than that. Jiri Hnidak was one of the few real Czech failures (at King's Lynn in 1982). There were a lot who didn't really get a chance to shine, although it's doubtful that they would have impressed at all. These include Jan Puk, Jozef Kafel, Lars Ericsson, Rauli Makinen, Marek Kepa, Christoph Betzl, Uno Johansson, and Bernt Odermatt. Steve

Oops! I misread that! Okay, that's probably why it didn't ring a bell... Steve

Thanks for the confirmation. Strange thing is, I really don't remember THAT Finn, and I have yet to find any mention of him in the Poole team for that year, but I certainly don't doubt you! Now, Claes Jensen... One point from 13 matches/29 rides, I think? Could that be the WORST EVER record in British speedway? Perhaps a new thread? Steve

Yeah, I've found a couple of examples, and I would agree... Steve

Sorry for a late response, but are you sure that was "Finn" Jensen? I remember an extremely poor Claes Jensen... While there was the famous enigma Finn Jensen, the other Finn Jensen (at Arena, I think) wasn't too bad. Steve

You beat me to it!!! Steve

Not that I was there. but I remember that! Final score was 62-46, and the pair of them scored 40 out of 46! Steve

Something a little different, but worth a mention, I think... While riding for Hastings in 1948 and 49 (their only two seasons), Jock Grierson faced Poole in seven team matches. In those seven, he recorded SIX 12-point maximums, and one nine-point return (2, 2, 3, 2)... Yep, Poole must have hated him! Steve

I think you can add Alan Wilkinson to that group, with a 12-point max for Rochdale on 4th June, 1971, followed by a Silver Helmet defeat of George Barclay. While we're on the subject of Rochdale, Vaclav Verner made an appearance at the track on 9th August 1970, and top-scored for Young Czechoslovakia with an 18-point max. He never went back... Only a challenge, I know, but Willie Templeton posted a 15-pointer at Dunmore on 8th July, 1968, for Scotland against Belfast. Steve