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At no time did Buster want to take over Belle Vue. Instead, as chairman, he brought two interested parties to the table and it was down to them to satisfy the Council and BSPA which one was the most suitable. You need to be extremely careful in how you are labelling individuals on here, especially when you clearly don't know the facts.

Honestly When were you last at Edinburgh? IMHO Riss will do well this year he is a quality rider and will only improve I can see him upping his average by at least a full point... Regards THJ

Funny, I was thinking the exact same thing yesterday! While speculation can be fun, people get so focused on the "what ifs?, which mean absolutely nothing. History and fact is based on what DID happen, not what COULD have happened. Sure : 1)What if Peter Craven, Kenny Carter, Billy Sanders, Tommy Jansson, and Erik Gundersen hadn't had their careers ended so abruptly? 2) What if Peter Collins, Sverre Harrfeldt, Ronnie Moore, and Torbjorn Harrysson hadn't suffered their serious injuries? 3) What if Dave Jessup (throw in Gundersen and Carter in 1981 too) had been able to keep his bikes going for five World Final races? The answer to all of those is, "WE DON'T KNOW! Itt is all conjecture. Let's try to answer some of those, though... Craven and Moore carry on through the 1960's - maybe Mauger wouldn't have been World Champion from 1968 to 1970. Collins didn't break his leg in 1977, and Mauger would lose another title. Let's look at some other "what ifs?", and far from me being flippant, change just one small historical fact, and it can throw the future into total chaos. 1) What if Edward Jancarz had come to England a few years earlier? 2) What if Bruce Penhall hadn't retired? 3) What if Freddie Williams hadn't ridden for Wembley? 4) What if Ronnie Moore hadn't quit speedway for a while in order to race on four wheels? 5) What if Ivan Mauger had broken his arm when he fell in the run-off against Szczakiel? 6) What if David Biles and David Tyler hadn't decided to walk out on speedway? Could they have been World Champions? Conjecture, and it is what it is... Steve

I think CHR meant the eight greatest of all time and then grade them as if they were in one team together. The point you make about Banger is what I meant and I agree. Malcolm Simmons started out as a reserve but worked his way up to heat leader with West Ham, but his best days came after he left the Hammers, so he is another in the Split/Banger category. Lofqvist was always a heat leader.

Pander for me is in a group with Harrefeldt, Harrysson, who were very unlucky with injuries which hindered there progress on the world stage.Pedersen as a rider i never took to and out of the five best riders of his generation Ricko, Crump, Gollob, Hancock all are ahead of him in my opinion.But you cannot take away what he has achieved in his chosen sport maybe debatable at times how he conducted himself but his achievements are terrific.I actually met Nicki once at Swindon and he was a really nice bloke down to earth and had time for people.

I'm not one of Buster's disciples who cant see no wrong in what he does, but to call him 'bent' is over the top and a insult to his character . Like him or loathe him, we have to remember if it wasn't for Buster we wouldn't have Premier league of Speedway . Remember when dishing out personal insults, Buster, of late, has done more for the sport then anybody..... And I'm no Buster lover.....

Better than S.Nicholls.I dont think so.

Good point. Yes, both Sanders and Carter had peaked. In the case of Carter, he peaked in 1982 at the age of 21. He could look quite ordinary by 1985. I remember him score just a point in an England v Denmark test match at Oxford.

I was there too, and I really can't argue with your assessment. In 50-plus years of watching speedway, I've seen some dominant performances, but Muller beats the lot... Steve

1. Hans Nielsen 2. Marvyn Cox 3. Simon Wigg 4. Ron How 5. Arne Pander 6. Todd Wiltshire 7. Ronnie Genz

I did go to that final and he absolutely romped it. I’ve no doubt he would have passed Nielsen should he needed in his final race too. Even now when you see it on YouTube, just watch the noticeable extra speed he has on the rest of the field. He’s leaving everyone for dead on the straights.

I heard it from someone who was in that World Final, seems it was common knowledge in the pits. Another 'world champion' reeled off four straight wins, changed to his second bike for his last ride, ran a last on that, and guess which engine got tested afterwards. Yep, the one that ran the last...

Give Pawel P a phone call.

At least three world finals in the 80's and 90's were won by riders using 'big' engines, fortunately that sort of thing can't happen now.

Playing Devil's Advocate, you could have made a similar argument against Gundersen or Nielsen had their careers ended as abruptly in 84. Nielsen had yet to really contend in a World Final in four attempts, Gundersen had missed out on qualifying in 82. Both had yet to reach the rostrum. Whilst Sanders and Carter were also lost far too soon and they could have been contenders, I do think their best chances had passed them by. I can't say that for a 24 year old Sigalos.

have you not made your mind up yet as to what team to support from a distance ? will it be a Brexit decision and be made at the last hurdle or will it be made at the end of the 2019 season . just that its dragging on a bit and time is short to the start of the new season . maybe Brexit will be decided before you do . but good lick with her final outcome . LOL

I heard they tried to avoid problems by having 17 going one way round and 18 in other.

Yeah, I was there for Christer's debut in 1970, when he scored 7 points in the main body of the team (which wasn't too strong). He maintained that form all year, and ended with a near 8-point average. His worst season was his last, at Hackney, and still averaged over 7 1/2. Steve

Yes Error on my part to miss Freddie

Got there at 6 in the morning and the weather was horrendous i thought the meeting was a certainty to be called off.The track i loved the shape but the racing did not hit the great heights it should of done.I went believing Lee would win but things were set up for Egon and he was a deserved winner. For the last 3 months of the 83 season Lee for me was the best rider in the world and to say that in a mega era with Nielsen, Gundersen,Sanders, Carter, Sigalos takes some doing.

Over their whole career. If only during their Hammers spell or only riders I personally saw, I would have a different 8.

Terrific post and i can identify with everything you have said my youth was took up with speedway and i would not change a thing..The nicest thing as you said was taking your kids my wife used to drop me and the two boys off and they went from the age of seven until about 14 now they dont go but they still keep up with the sport.I hope the sport in the UK can hang in there but i have my doubts the sport can truely get back to prospering again fingers crossed it does.

I am a bit confused at how to put a team together.I am wondering if the riders actually have to have ridden in that position for a team,rather than just listing 7/8 best riders?For instance the inclusion of Banger troubles me,because I didn't think he was that great when he rode for the Hammers and developed into a top rider later.Simmo,i think did ride as reserve for West Ham,but did Löfqvist? That might explain the absence of better riders like McKinlay

I've always looked back on speedway with such affection. It seems to be an enjoyment that was always there. In my late teens a gang of us would first go to the meeting before hitting the drinks and dance floor, we use to plan our holiday around fixtures away, we even interrupted our honeymoon not to miss a meeting. When our 2 kiddies came along they joined in and went to most meetings, it just seemed the natural thing to do. Time moved on and your circumstances change, your children get married and the grand children arrive. They in turn are doctored into our beliefs in the hope they will continue our love for the sport. Its a wonderful experience seeing the complete family of 3 generations at places Cardiff and other big meetings. but it is unfortunate that the younger element don't appear to have the same enthusiasm as us old ones do. Please to report our son accompanies his ole man regularly, and both can be seen at most of the Stars meetings, Our grandson picks and chooses his meetings, but it gets harder to persuade the others to attend.... It appears the best days of the sport have long gone. The spectacle of seeing 4 men racing bike with no brakes is still the same but the environment has completely changed. Where once the terraces were packed enjoying a full nights entertainment, now there are just a few die-hard fans watching processional races that are over in no time at all.. I look back with envy of those wonderful times and am so pleased I was privileged to have been there...….

But as you said the system now is near to perfect as you can get a level playing field for everyone.

Looks a quality line up, looking forward to this... Be nice if a Scorpion won it, but happy to support such a fantastic cause

Well, you say that.... But he'd scored a maximum in the World Pairs, finished on a World Final rostrum, won the British Open in a run off v Nielsen (when it was a chunky £5k prize) and finished 1983 with a 10.75 average, second only to Nielsen. Beyond the achievements, he was a really classy stylish rider who looked at home on tracks big and small. Sad to think his career was done at 24. I think he had a heck of a lot more to give were it not for a knackered ankle.

I wouldn't necessarily say Tai is the best British rider ever... But I'd definitely put him in the Top One... (Apologies to Brian Clough)...

The car park only holds about 230 cars and is always full unless you get there really early. I did use my scooter for the last few matches but unfortunately it has gone wrong and the new one doesn't fit in the car. I know I can use the buggy and I have done, as long as the driver is dog friendly. I am not giving up without trying anyway as this is my 70th Speedway season.

Well done to the 'Masons' ! I love watching 'James' around Perry Barr....he attacks every bit of the track and never settles for 2nd best! The 'Entertainer' will be a legend before too long!