chunky

Sorry, my bad! You know what though; that moves Eric Hockaday up the table... Steve

That's the problem - there are "possibles". With the Reserve and Junior Leagues, I think they can justifiably be counted as separate, simply because they were involved in league action, quite often at the same time as the senior teams. Overall, there aren't going to be that many riders affected though. In the 50's, when we had Reserves Leagues, most riders failed to establish themselves in the sport, and coupled with good old "loyalty", we really didn't see that many "track-hopping". speedyguy wrote : There is no need to omit the pre-war clubs. If they were contracted to a bona fide team, then that should count. Steve

... and Chiswick Nomads, Southern Rovers, etc... Thinking about how deep we are getting in, you're right. This did start out as appearances in OFFICIAL fixtures, in which case non-league teams would be ruled out. Sorry Wal, looks as if Motherwell doesn't count... Forgotten about dear old Stan! Steve

I am working on the assumption that he did. Not at all. We've had other situations where clubs have been "resurrected" in this fashion, and I wouldn't count them either. However, teams like Motherwell, Buxton (a few years ago), and Castleford should be counted, unless it was a guest appearance. Just thinking (and I thought it best to edit this than delete, seeing as someone may have picked up on this already), we should be counting OFFICIAL fixtures (see post below). Therefore Motherwell, Buxton, and Castleford DON'T count. Steve

I do get your point about Bradford, and I will try and get some more information. However, to use the Lynn teams to try and validate your point here is way off. Sure, they rode at the same track, but they were two VERY DIFFERENT teams, racing in DIFFERENT LEAGUES at the SAME TIME. That is why they are separate. So, you don't think that Briggo or Ronnie Moore simply rode for Wimbledon? Or that Billy Sanders just rode for Ipswich? Steve

This is where it can start getting silly. As far as I'm concerned, Wimbledon was Wimbledon, pre-war, post-war or whatever. Belle Vue was ALWAYS Belle Vue (Hyde Road or Kirky Lane). Cradley was Cradley, whether they used Heath or United. Just because someone had two or three spells with a club under different promotions/contracts/whatever, doesn't necessarily mean that they should be classed as separate tracks. That would mean Gordon Kennett rode for several more tracks, even though they were mostly Eastbourne, with another Wimbledon thrown in! I'd like to hear what others have to say... Steve

Absolutely! Unfortunately, I don't have the book. Steve

Thanks, I'll update that now. As we said, the reserve teams etc were a separate entity, and the junior teams (King's Lynn II, Belle Vue Colts) and Conference League sides should be treated exactly the same. Steve

According to star ghost, he rode for Bristol in 1936. Before my time, I'm afraid... Steve

When I received further information about George Major, that's why I chose to include Norwich for him. Also (I don't know how nobody noticed), I inadvertantly left Bristol off of Wal Morton's tracks. That has been rectified, and now Wal proudly joins Moggo at the top of the list! Thanks for the Nigel Sparshott amendment; don't know how that one slipped by me... Steve PS We'll give "our Wal" an honourable mention for appearing for an Irish team!

I know exactly what you are saying! It is definitely neither of them, and although Andreasen was my first guess, judging by photos I've seen of him, that's not him either! What we are possibly looking for is someone who didn't actually appear for Oxford in an official fixture... Steve

I agree with you, Tony; it certainly doesn't look like John Poyser, but neither is it Colin Clark! Just compare that pic with the one you have of Colin in the Crayford gallery... Steve

My greatest memory was being there for Christer Lofqvist's debut, scoring 7 points against tmy beloved Dons... Steve

Dave hasn't been actively involved in speedway for several years now, His last real involvement was as announcer at Wimbledon when his son Russell was promoter at Wimbledon in the late 1980's. He's enjoying life in semi-retirement down in Dorset, but occasionally works for Sky TV as a commentator, most notably for darts. Steve

Hackney 68-1, and possibly 68-5 also, look like Des Lukehurst Middlesbrough unk. v Reading 68-1 is Terry Lee Middlesbrough unk. v Spittles 68-1 is Terry Lee Rayleigh unk. 68-1 is Dingle Brown Steve

Little typo there - should read 68-3 and 68-4. Steve

Okay Tony, after just a quick butcher's, we have... Berwick 68-1 Roy Williams Glasgow 68-1 Jim McMillan Hackney unk's 68-1 Colin Pratt inside Malcolm Brown King's Lynn 68-1 What he's doing, I don't know, but it's John Bishop Newport 68-1 Terry Shearer Newport 68-2 Jon Erskine Newport unk. at Oxford 68-1 Jon Erskine Newport unk. leading Nigel Boocock at Coventry 68-1 That man Erskine again Newport unk. v Oxford unk. 68-1 Jon Erskine and Rick Timmo Oxford unk. 68-3 looks like Eddie Reeves Oxford unk. 72-1 Rick Timmo Poole unk. with Trevor Hedge is Geoff Mudge Poole unk. 72-1 is Brian Collins leading Tom Leadbitter and Frank Shuter (what BobC said above) Swindon unk. 68-1 is none other than Briggo! West Ham unk's v Newport unk's is (from the inside) Jon Erskine, unknown, Norman Strachan, Ken McKinlay Wolves unk. outside Hasse Holmqvist is the redoubtable Jim Airey Steve

Don't know if any of you know about this, but there is a pretty cool nostalgia website dealing largely with Poole and Southampton. I've submitted quite a few pics, and I've heard that there are plenty more coming. It's www.classicspeedway.co.uk Steve

Exactly right. Anyway, Mark Loram was born in Malta, be we don't say he's Maltese. Steve

Thanks for the mention, Bobbath, although Cahokia is spelled with a 'C'! I do have to admit that Newport was one track I never ever managed to get to, but he story I remember most was when Simmo refused to ride at Somerton Park for one of his Grand Prix qualifiers in 1976. I do have some fond memories of great riders though, like Torbjorn Harrysson, Sandor Levai, and of course my dear departed old friend, Jim Tebby. Steve

I'd heard the rumours too, and even asked Dave Lanning if he knew anything, but we could never get anything confirmed. Steve

Yes he did. Also, Ali Stevens, Colin Ackroyd (1 match for Wimbledon in 1978), Garry Middleton, Gordon Kennett, Simon Wigg (1 match in 1981), Trevor Geer (who along with Steve Weatherley "transferred" to the Dons after White City's season had finished), Steve Weatherley (2 matches for Oxford in 1975), John Barker (1 match in 1978), Nigel Sparshott, Alan Johns (1 match for Oxford in 1974), Bob Dugard (Oxford 1960). Steve

If "Ian Clarke" is Ian Clark of Peterborough/MK etc fame, then it is December 23, 1958, in Sandon, Essex. Bev Compton was born on March 29, 1976, in Roodeport, South Africa. Scott Cook was born on May 1, 1965, in Musselburgh, Scotland. Graham Coombes was born in 1940 (no date) in Auckland, New Zealand. Steve

If he is still alive, he would have to be well in his sixties at least. Steve

I think you may be slightly misunderstanding the concept here. The same as my website, Speedway Researcher only lists riders who lost their lives during their career. With regard to frigbo's database, it is simply full details of of birth and death, even if they lived to 100, of ALL riders. Steve