BWitcher

It isn't an exaggeration because it happened and riders who have been interviewed have said it happened. Not post war.. these were riders in the 70's which is the era Backtrack covers. Another poster (Kester) has collaborated my claim about it. Tatum and Doncaster are different as they would have been regular riders on the grasstrack scene I believe so they don't fall into the type of rider I mention. I made the point to illustrate that you simply would have no chance of doing that now at either Elite, Premier or National League level.

Thanks, like you I'm a semi-regular buyer, I was beginning to think I'd been reading a different magazine

I'll do some digging when I'm back home in England and try and find some out as that's where the old magazines are. Regardless, you wouldn't get a team place at almost any level now within a few weeks of first getting on a bike.

It's not an exaggeration as you've just admitted it happened . I didn't say it happened all the time, you've assumed that. Lewis Bridger didn't just show up at a training school, he'd been riding for years before it.. there have been a number of 'interviews' in Backtrack magazine with riders who within a month or two of ever getting on a bike were contending or in a team place. The riders who came from the grasstrack scene were of course very different, they were experienced riders and it wouldn't take them long to adapt and be race ready. I agree with everything else you say though.. the equipment is so vastly different now that you simply cannot say whether riders from yesteryear would be good now and vice versa. The top boys from each era I'm sure could adapt (although not a guarantee) but below that, who knows.

Of course you did, I'm not saying there wasn't great racing, especially at Hyde Road which was one of the best tracks for racing. However, across the country there would have been many, many poor strung out meetings.. just as there is today. I remember the early 1990's providing amazing racing at Wolves when Sam Ermolenko used to miss the gate on a regular basis. However, when I rewatch the matches on DVD (I have them all), yes those races are there but the majority are not great.

It's not a stretch, its been documented in Backtrack magazine on numerous occasions.

Ah the old "they were much better in the old days". Very simple to disprove. In the old days you could show up at a training school and within a few weeks you're in a team at the highest level! Not a cat in hells chance of that happening now. As for the racing, it wasn't all that much better, if at all. Again easily proved I simply have to pull out my DVD collection of meetings from the 80's and see just how strung out the racing was. However, I don't remember it that way, I remember it being brilliant back then because that's what your mind does, it remembers the great races, forgets the drivel. Back in the old days the same criticisms of speedway were present.. "The one who gates wins". Why would that be if there was so much passing? The answer is it's always been that way. What made speedway better in years gone by were the crowds. Bigger crowds = better atmosphere, which turns an average race into a good one, a good one into a great one, a poor one into an average one.

An amicable thread that appears to be about to be ruined again.... Starman, if Poole win it this year, that will be four in a row. Both Wembley and Wimbledon won it 5 in a row and also win it 7 years out of 8. Poole have not reached those levels yet, nor will they if they win it this year. As I said earlier, if they win it another 2 or 3 years in a row then they would be in the conversation.

Steve hasn't asked which team was 'the best'. Simply which were the most dominant in their era. Those two teams would be Wembley and Wimbledon giving their 7 titles in 8 years record. If Poole win 2 or 3 more in a row they would take the mantle.

We've never argued that, you've tried to claim Shawn was better overall. I'd argue strongly Sam was better in the 80's as well, considering he had only been riding speedway a couple of years when he debuted in England in 83 for just a few meets. Obviously Moran was better in 84 as he was an established heat leader at this point and Sam was having his first full season... after that though?? Sam reached a run-off for the World Title in 85 when only racing in the US... has that been achieved by any other US rider ever (maybe way back)? Moran however was very good that year winning the Overseas and InterContinental rounds. 86 Sam had higher average in the league, 7th in World Final... Moran didn't make World Final. Sam won the Overseas Final. 87 Sam had higher average in the league, 3rd in World Final... Moran didn't make World Final. 88 Moran actually edged the league averages 9.51 to 9.40.. but Sam was 4th in World Final... Moran didn't make World Final. 89 Sam had higher average in the league and only his terrible crash prevented an almost certain World Final appearance again.. Moran once again, didn't make the World Final. Sam won the Overseas Final. I checked BLRC records but Sam didn't actually ride in the event in the 80's (Preben Eriksen x 2 and Ronnie Correy representing Wolves in 86,87,88.. Sam injured in 89). To summarise, early to mid 80's Moran was obviously better as Sam was only just starting out.. after that Sam had the edge in my opinion.

The farce grows with each passing season..

Dear me you two. Sidney will be having fits! You do know he saw Ermolenko in 1983 and he was rubbish. What are you basing it on, roll of honor? Winning races? World Championship performance? Pah, rubbish. Moran beat Ermolenko in a race in 1984 and Sidney saw it.

Basically the usual crew are still running the show. Chapman is just a figurehead to take all the blame.

Good answer.. I should have clarified... after he began riding for Wolves.

Really? Who else has he rode for in the UK?

Sadly not, you're still here. Despite quitting the forum on multiple occasions because some people didn't agree with you. Interestingly, you mention in your post (that I've mainly edited out as it was full of poisonous venom) that we have 'names' riding round on their own, half a lap clear of the rest. I can only assume you are referring to Premier League? If it's the Elite League, please let me know who these 'names' are...

Of course he'll back... if and when OneSport secure the rights to the GP.

This is precisely why speedway finds itself in the mess it is.

Of course he doesn't, but I stand by the argument that 1991-93 Ermolenko was the dominant rider.. a period only ended due to another serious injury, which allowed Nielsen to reclaim it in 94/95. Jan O put it together on World Final night in 1991, but in the league he was 9.54.. Ermolenko 10.74. Nielsen 10.50. Ermolenko also won the BLRC in 91 of course, when the competition actually still meant something.

Once Sidney arrived any objective discussion goes out of the window I'm afraid Norbold. Excellent list by the way, I would also agree that it should be Tai from 2013 onwards. I'd also say that in the period 1991-93 Sam Ermolenko was the best in the world.

100% spot on. He was so dominant that year that another world title or two would have been possible.

Very likely. Basically showing once again that those in charge do NOT listen to fans and are completely and utterly out of touch with what the sport needs to do to have any credibility at all.

Yes it is an explanation, not an opinion. The Elite League running on different nights to the Premier League means no double up riders would be missing from either league. That is a fact, not an opinion. Less riders missing from teams in both leagues for matches is better for fans, better for riders, better for promotions, better for the credibility of the sport. Those are facts, not an opinion. You seem to be advocating carrying on as we are, with teams racing with multiple guests + R/R.... That is what fixed nights on the correct nights will solve.

How many times does it have to be explained to you? The biggest issue is the constantly missing riders when they are racing for another team in the same country! If it brings back some top riders as well without having to pay them MORE then that's a bonus too.

I wouldn't trust anything he says though!