mervjankefanclub

Ah thats the one I am thinking of, Bob. I do seem to remember reading about Julie Cross being a pretty good grasstracker when when both she and Simon were youngsters.

I believe Simons wife is called Andrea, Bob, so maybe that where the confusion is coming from. As for the others at Telford, wasnt the other girl who raced against Julie Cross, Madeline Fundin the Grandaughter of Ove

For me it was Friday 8th July 1977 and Glasgows first meeting at Blantyre One against Crayford and to be honest I remember very little about it except me and my Dad, and quite a few others, watched it for free from the old bing which stood alongside the back straight and Pogo Collins doing the cerimonial tape breaking.............oh and wee Merv Janke hitting the fence and careering across the centre green, scattering everyone in his path . That was me hooked on Merv the Swerve and speedway

Dont know if you have seen it chaps, but there is an article about him on this weeks speedway plus site http://www.speedwayplus.com

Had a wee check for you, as Bryn doesnt seem to be around. The meeting against Weymouth was held on Saturday 20th May, the reason probably being Weymouths regular race night was also a Tuesday and the Kestrels happened to be the visitors on Tuesday 16th May.

Too right, since Linlithgow closed the number of Scottish youngsters coming through or taking up the sport up here has dropped alarmingly When the place was still going there was always a good number of youngsters coming out in the second halves at Glagow and Edinburgh.

The same athletics track that was built for the 1970 Commonwealth games Bobbath. This was the reason the Monarchs were ousted from Old Meadowbank at the end of the 67 season, to allow the building of a new athletics stadium. It was also used by Scottish Football League club Meadowbank Thistle during the 70s and 80s and another games in 86. Its actually another track I would liked to have witnessed speedway at, as it had the reputation of being one of the best in the country, but at least there is something still there, go a few miles up the road to where Powderhall used to stand and all you will see is flats and offices a sad sight indeed, especially when you see the token gesture of a road named Powderhall Road.

Looks like an Inter continental Final from White City, Jim. I will go for 79, because I can just about see Kelly Moran behind Gordon Kennett, not sure who won it though DJ, PC or Lee

Hyde Road Even though I started watching speedway in 1977 I was never taken there I had been to places like Plough Lane, County Ground, Wimbourne Road, Dudley Wood(which I loved, as it had a special Saturday night atmosphere), Brandon etc, but never to the greatest speedway arena ever, unbelievable . Ironically enough, in 1988 as a young apprentice engineer I had an accident at work, where I lost part of my fingers and as a treat my old man took me the BLRC, and it had to be the year the Aces moved to Kirky Lane didnt it , pity I never crushed them off a year earlier .............that has always been my biggest regret in speedway - never seeing Hyde Road in all its glory as it just looked magical. A packed out Custom House is another I would liked to have witnessed aswell, incidently.

I remember reading about that a while back Sandie, cant recall if it was Kelly or Shawn though, but one of them fell from the gates of a big ranch they working on badly injuring their arm. It was an article with Kelly and he was talking of his alcoholism and how he had booked into some sort of rehab centre run by christians or something and how it had helped him get through it. Pretty sure it also said he was living in New York.

Hans Nielsen was indeed the Main Dane(copyright DICK Barrie ) http://www.dickbarrie.co.uk/speedway/toptenworld.htm I suppose they could all lay claim to the title Great Dane, but a rider who has been mentioned on this section before is Morian Hansen, who, it could be said was the original Great Dane. As for Erik, I remember the night the Heathens came to Blantyre on ILKO Cup duty and all the focus was on Bruce Penhall, rightly so I suppose, but it was wee Erik Gundersen who took my breath away and I became a huge fan of his from that night on

I do remember them Graham and I have spotted one or two of them around Ashfield, but they were actually from 1983 and were the Wulf Sports jacket of their day with most teams having them in club colours. For some reason when I think of them all I can picture is Stuart Bamforth in his Aces one Yes Ian Steels page was always interesting, particularly when Mildenhall came to town. I remember one particular piece not from the 70s though, where he claimed that Richard Knight was - "a rider I have never rated"......dont hold back Ian say what you really think What I do remember from the 70s was me and my Dad walking it to Blantyre from Burnbank and every Friday we would walk past this couple who also came from Burnbank and every week they were decked out in red and white. Wether it was trousers, jumpers, hat, jacket etc, absolutely everything was either red or white. Being a youngster I thought they were a right couple of space cadets

The white jobbies left by the greyhounds at the Blantyre dog track, something to do with calcium in their diet apparently

Tell you what I really miss, just being young and innocent and not giving a toss about the powers that be or any rules and regulations, even though they seem to have been a little more lenient back then. All I lived for was waking up for school on Friday morning and peeking out of the blinds to make sure it wasnt raining and then spending the day looking forward to seeing wee Swervin Mervin and the rest in action that evening, speedway at its best

Didnt Freddie Starr become a mate of his lookalike Reg Wilson at Sheffield after an appearance there

Do you want a big spoon

We never had any riders like that HT , thats why I had to use big Rob Grant as an example, although the young Kenny McKinna could be a bit wild and reckless

I believe FB was referering to the fact someone actually grabbed a hose pipe during a world final and watered the track with it, he obviously hadnt heard the story before. I dont think for a minute he was disputing the fact PC would have won if that hadnt happened.

You saddo None of my mates were into speedway, but I would still get them to race around the square(sounds familiar ) outside the library and I would fly up the inside of them and send them careering through the bushes, with Raleigh Choppers, Grifters, Tommahawks and bodies flying everywhere, the wooly bully must have been at Blantyre the night before , there were many a ripped pair of flares over at that library

So Chunky, you're the one who has been trying to punt that on ebay for the last couple of years with no success

Scratch cards with speedway riders on them(or was that the early 80s ) and yes the Angus Kix Glamour League at the back of the Speedway Star........PHWOOOAARRR!!!! .........you can shove yer Grattans catalogue

Thats another thing, although it seemed normal at the time, it is now hard to believe both the Tigers and Edinburgh rode on the same Friday night for so many years. It certainly wouldnt happen in this day and age.

Being just a kid back then I actually thought he was OK too Paul, it was only as I got a bit older I realised how much up his own arse he is. He was fine at dishing out the abuse but certainly didnt like any that came back at him.... "You lot pay to get in here, I dont, so who's the mug?"...........Indeed, baw sack I see you didnt take any chances tonight ..a wise move

I see people mentioning their tracks Speedway Star seller, at Blantyre we had Rab Bryceland in his white coat standing at the turnstiles shouting at the top of his voice......"Speedway Star!, Speedway Mail!....... programmes!!!" Then near the end of the season he would lay out all his old Stars on the ground for sale and all the kids would be rummaging around looking for the best front covers. Also remember buying old programmes for two pence from future Tigers team manager Ian Steel who ran the Tigers Den up at the fourth bend. The Scottish Best Pairs Championship Sunny Sunday afternoon meetings, although Friday nights were best and always will be. Walking to the Stadium in the wet, hoping the red and white striped flag was fluttering up the pole at the entrance, which meant the meeting was on. Riders wearing their sponsors body colours during the second half. Every visiting team having a support there. Kids running about with a coke can on their foot acting as a steel shoe. Going for a pee round the back of the small stand at Blantyre One and trying to negotiate all the corrugated steel piled up behind it. Watching meetings from the bookies stalls at the back of the stand. DICK Barrie................nah, on second thoughts

Merv Janke ............and walking with my Dad to the speedway at Blantyre One.