Grachan

I found my exercise book, entitled "Swindon Robins 1977 Results, Scorers, Averages etc (+ other big meetings)". I'm doing this from memory now! There's once match. I think it was May 26(?), Swindon 52 Sheffield 26. Swindon used R/R for Jan Andersson. Kevin Young was number 8. One ride - 2 points plus a bonus. Could be that one.

In general, I'd agree. But can you always clearly define 'country of origin'. Suppose you have an Irish mother, an Australian father, was born in India, lived in China for 5 years, then lived in England for the rest of your life. What is your country of origin? On the subject of Speedway riders, I remember Gordon Kennett once considered riding for Denmark because he kept being overlooked by England, though I don't believe he ever actually went through with it. I think he had a Danish wife.

A great climax to the meeting, which started poorly but gradually improved. The Poles definitely played for it in heat 24 too. I was wondering before that race if they would deliberately finish two places behind Rickardsson as it was their only chance, and I have no doubt at all that they did. So, Gollob is just amazing then is he? So how good does that make Leigh Adams? I did wonder, though, if Gollob was trying to keep the German in front for a bit in the early laps as they needed Sweden to come last, but maybe I was looking too much into it. That race either proves how stupid the Joker is, or proves it's a good idea. Not sure which. I hate the Joker idea, it's unfair and ridiculous, but without it we probably wouldn't have seen such a good race.

I think people will be looking at the GB team with a lot more trepidation than they were before. The original side held no real fears for the other sides, but suddenly I think they will be looking at us and seeing us as the team with the dynamic young guns to kep an eye on. In the past we've had to enviously watch, say, Kolodjiez or Lindback bursting onto the scene. Well now, maybe, it's our turn to scare the hell out of everyone with our exciting young riders, and about time too! Then again, maybe we'll get stuffed. But right decision anyway.

I really can't understand why some people are saying this. Watch the race again. Nicki made a couple of dodgy turns, but there was no way he was letting Lee past deliberately. I've seen people let riders past in World Champs qualifiers etc, and it looks nothing like that. It wasn't particularly in Denmark's interests to do so either at that point in the match.

It's because he has made complete fools of them - one person in particular - and they have no answer.

Oh Eastie, you do make me laugh. Can you not see that I am deliberately writing biased nonsense a a mickey take of your good self.

regarding reserves, I agree completely. It used to be that you had a reserve who could come in at any time whether others were injured or not. I think that was a better system. Jokers? Yeah, we might find them useful in Wroclaw, but it doesn't make them any less stupid. Even worse than the Tactical Ride in my opinion. In a a match like this where there are basically 2 teams fighting it out, it takes six victories over the opposition to build up a lead that can be wiped out in one race. That is unfair in the extreme, plus there is also the old argument of it being a complete embarassment to and ridiculous to be giving these double points away all over the place.

At least he had the bravery and the courage to ride despite being seriously - possibly even gravely - ill. The man is a hero to rise from his sickbed to produce a marvellous display of true British grit and courage. Let us not forget, the poor boy couldn't even finish the meeting at Eastbourne the night before due to his abject suffering yet still rode. Mr Floppy, however, was fit on Saturday but still couldn't muster the strength and courage to represent his country. Thank the Lord above there are some true patriots among our speedway riders that will put their country before their own health and come up with such a briliant display.

The first of which was scored at just 19 years of age! Brilliant achievement by PC.

The way England were going it was pretty certain that they would be six ahead at some point, so it would not have been in Denmarks interest to throw a race and use it at a relatively early stage - and with Hans Andersen as the rider. If that was a Danish tactic - and I must admit Pedersen's riding was a bit strange, but I put it down to going too wide and geting into deep dirt - then it was a damn bad one. It may be worth doing that in the closing stages of a meeting, but at that point it would have been a stupid thing to do.

In other words, doing ok but not quite fulfilling my predictions of World domination just yet!

Well done Rico indeed. Fanstastic stuff. Great to see one of Swindon's 3 major GP Stars showing the World what we're made of.

Don't be so daft. Why would their master plan be to use Hans Andersen as their Joker when he's been their worst rider up to that point? You're as potty as the bloke stood behind me who reckoned Pedersen had instructed Lukus Dryml to bring off Chris Harris, and went on about 'bloody Pedersen' because of it.

Why were you looking forward to seeing him ride when you didn't like him? Lee Richardson was brilliant and he stuffed it RIGHT UP all those who keep going on about him. Being at the match I never saw the TV, but if he was 'making excuses' then it must have been pure modesty, because he was far and away the best rider on display. Maybe you would have preferred it if he'd pointed at the camera and gone into a Muhammed Ali 'All my critics crawl... I told you I was the greatest of all time' style rant. Actually I would have preferred that, though I don't think it would have quite suited him somehow. And as for those who reckon he is scared of being on the outside of Nicki Pedersen. Well - nyah nyah nyah to all of you too.

I shall be interested to see how my favourite German, Christian Hefenbrock, does in this. How's he been going lately, Iris?

That depends how you look at it really. He did finish on the rostrum in 1982, and also won the Pairs title with Bobby Schwartz the same year. I don't think he did too badly as he was never someone I considered the best rider in the World, good as he was.

A bit of a surprising choice, but I guess he got the nod because of his Under-21 success. That makes 3 GP Stars in the Swindon team then!

Averages are still based on 4 rides per meeting nowadays. In fact it's probably harder to get a higher average now because of fixed gate positions and the top scorers race. 10.99 is still damn impressive though.

Great rider, but for some reason my main memories of Dennis seem to be of when he made a bit of an arse of himself. In a World Championship Qualifier at White City he reared up badly and snaked all over the track, causing Hans Nielsen to fall. Sigalos was excluded, but for some reasons refused to accept it was his fault, and even came out for the re-run giving 'V' signs to the ref before finally having to leave the track. You can understand riders getting frustrated from time to time when things go against them, but it was so obviously his own fault. Another time was in a World Team Cup final, when he was way ahead with one lap to go, but Michael Lee caught him up and passed him on the line. Being interviewed after the race he admitted he was so far in front that he gave up trying and went to sleep. 'It's just.. inexcusable...' he said. I think he also won the notorious race in the 1982 Overseas Final when Bruce Penhall didn't try and pulled wheelies at the back.

I can't actually remember it. I'll have to dig out my 'Swindon Robins 1977' exercise book again and have a look in there.

It certainly demonstrates what a lost art team riding has become, doesn't it. And from a guest too. I wonder what it is about today's speedway that makes it so rare now. Hmmmm. Now then, 'Classic Speedway Face Masks'. Chapter one. The Monkey Mask........

Of course. I'd forgotten about the 'Save Oxford Speedway' campaign in 1975. I still have a Speedway Mail front cover somewhere with a picture of Dag Lovaas, John Dews and others holding up a banner. 'Classic Speedway Face Masks'? Are you serious. I may be showing my total anorak-ness here, but that would fascinate me. There were so many, and the riders were so identifiable then. Which one is Ulf Lovaas? Is he the rider in the blue helmet, who appears just after John Dews in the footage?

Here is some old footage that I borrowed recently, which people might enjoy. It's been transferred from Cine film to video and the pictures have become very blurry in the process, but it's still worth looking at. 1973 - Swindon v Oxford Midland Cup This is the riders on parade before the meeting. Swindon won 51-27, not 40-38 as that was a league match. 1973 - Swindon v Oxford Midland Cup Hasse Holmqvist taking a tumble and walking back across the centre green. 1975 - Oxford v Wolves - Midland Cup Final First Leg Martin Ashby, guesting for Wolves, performs some brilliant team riding to help his partner (Finn Thomsen??) to a 5-1 over Gordon Kennett. What a rider. Oxford v Dag Lovaas Select - 1974 A short clip from this meeting featuring Dag Lovaas and Swindon legend Bob Kilby during his brief spell as skipper of the Oxford Rebels. More Oxford v Dag Lovaas Select 1974 Some more action from the same match with Dag again. I think I can spot John Dews in there too, because I remember he wore the same face mask as Martin Ashby. Swindon v Poole 1977 I think it's 1977 anyway. I kept my own little record from 1977 and Jan Andersson and Bobby McNeil scored a 5-1 over Colin Goody and Neil Middleditch in their first heat, so I'm going with that. You can see a brief glimpse of it here, although most of it is a bit jerky. There's also a quick of heat 1, with Martin Ashby, Malcolm Simmons, Soren Karlsson and Dickie May. Don't blink though! (Thanks Frigbo for some of the information and Steve Roberts for lending me the footage and letting me put the stuff online)

That's brilliant Frigbo, thanks. Pretty similar Swindon team to 1974 then. I've got some old footage from Cowley too, so I'll probably make some mpegs of bits of it and put them on line at some point if people are interested. I found it all fascinating anyway, even if the quality was a little blurry.