iris123

That is part of the problem with picking 'names' rather than their performance for a team.It would be the same as picking Mauger for Wimbledon

Would have Persson ahead of Wigg,King or any of the 'others'

Doubt it.But the thought of Scots wandering around Europe might be the reason why stringent restrictions were later brought into being

England fought long and hard against Scotland,Ireland and France.Countries that have a 'natural bond'(although most wouldn't like to include France of course )with England.We have a natural bond with Scandinavian and German people that goes way back before America and Australia were 'discovered'.There has been a centuries old bond with Poland,i think especially with Scotland.Think in one or two cities(Gdansk/Danzig might have been one) there was a large Scottish population and Wasio Wedrowniczek is a polish translation of Scottish wandering johnnie the scots who were wandering around the country trying to do business with the locals.Many people stayed and their names were made more polish.Not sure on this but maybe that is where Tusk gets a Christian name like Donald from.Couple of the last original William Wallace documents were asking for a trade agreement with the Hanseatic League

And I didn't agree with you and I don't think Norbold will either........so I agree with you

Surely Norbold would have Farndon in.I probably would as well. Wilkinson Young Briggs Moore Huxley Duggan or Farndon Lameroux or J.Milne

Just as strange that back then Denmark were so poor they had to have a combined Norway/Denmark team so they could include Olsen.And now?Same really with USA.It would have been hard to list a decent side without using pre-war riders.And now?Things change.The demise of Norway + New Zealand has seen them replaced by Denmark + USA(who now look to be going the way of Norway........

Said it was madness years ago and the fans wouldn't support it..........I ain't wrong so far.Only take off if some rich arab sheik takes an interest and I won't hold my breath on that.Monster raving loony,i say

Yes.I wanted to do an obscure team Not as obscure as the Isle of Dogs though,if they can manage a team.But I was thinking along the lines of East Germany then doing a north + south German team.It also puts some little known,but in some parts idolised riders in the spotlight for a few minutes.Some of these guys really are big heroes to lots of speedway fans who couldn't get to see many of the stars we had a chance to see.Tetzlaff is a big star in Güstrow.And in a combined team most wouldn't get a mention .I'd agree with your 4 plus Norbolds choice with maybe two Hamburg riders in there as well.Pre-war Rumrich and post war Dannmeyer

Pretty good shout Rob.Totally embarrassed to forget Jan O,but I was listing the riders off the top of my head rather than going through any records

"bubi" Hans-Jürgen Fritz I included. Thought one or two might have seen Uhlenbrock(I did) when he rode for Coventry.Not sure who got the story out that he came over to the west with his fmily smuggled in a sidecar.Might have been Ochiltree or even Dave Lanning,but it wasn't true,just a bit of publicity

Ok,so it seems no-one from the other side of the berlin wall would make it into a best ever East European team,so who would be the best of the German Democrats? My guess 1.Jürgen Hehlert 2. Bubi Fritz 3.Dieter Tetzlaff 4.Jochen Dinse 5.Diethelm Triemer 6.Clemens Bever and then Mike Ott,Gerhard Uhlenbrock,Werner + Jochen Mell,Peter Liebing,Günther Schelenz and who gives a damn

None of your nonsense with teams that pick themselves or can't seem to even make up a team without guests,there are more than enough candidates here. First 4 pick themselves,but then comes the trouble(for me) 1.Ole Olsen 2.Erik Gundersen 3.Hans Nielsen 4.Nicki Pedersen Then i would say Tommy Knudsen,Morian Hansen,Arne Pander,Brian Karger,Hans Andersen,Niels Kristian Iversen,Finn Thomsen,Preben Rosenkilde all could be considered.And i have probably left a couple out because i am just doing it from memory

Thing is some of these rumours come from longstanding riders.We had the suggestion from Stekkers that things aren't quite kosher in Poland from the SWC.I'd expect that he had some knowledge to back up this claim.We also had the suggestion from Mads that cheating was widespread.Again as an experienced rider i would expect he had some real knowledge to back this up.We have the Madsen affair.We had the claims that were even aired on Sky about Emil.These all come from within the sport and i would say there is no smoke without fire

Didn't the Russians have their bikes stolen after Wembley practice in the 70s?

Claudia Pechstein is hoping for over €4,000,000 in compensation for her ban that has been found to be wrong.Now she is female and a speed skater and we all know they are rubbish,so i wouldn't want to guess what innocent young Darcy will ask for!!!!

Exactly.Like i said "sounds easy,obviously isn't" If someone is going to the expense of hiring an indoor stadium(even an outdoor one like Berlin) it is very unlikely they will do it to host a quali meeting.They will want a world final round.And as i said before,it is unlikely the speed skating people will hand over their stadium during the season.I expect they get decent sports grants and there are conditions set by governing bodies as to how often the stadiums are used for the sport.For training,youth development and comps It is just like those that want to go back to the old one-off speedway world final and come up with ideas that every rider in the world will get to compete.........the trouble being they have no idea how many tracks want to host a quali round with national/premier league standard riders and so on. Generally these things don't happen because no-one wants to take the chance and pay out stadium hire and FIM fees etc Was you at the Finnish Final talking to Jouni? Easy win for Järf or did he have to work for it?And what about young Aakko?

If Ward had been born a couple of hundred years ago he would be sent to a penal colony and never be heard of again.Somewhere like Australia

Trying to get this back on topic ,there is a common denominator here.The "own worst enemy" scenario.Ward is his own worst enemy and isn't a victim.No-one is out to get him,he just drops himself in it time after time.If he wants to get the best out of his talent he shouldn't be out on the bevvy before an important meeting. Same with sid.He is his own worst enemy.This isn't a pub where the discussion goes back and forth instantly and things can get out of hand.This is a forum where you can read things and take time to consider your reply.If things seem to be getting out of hand you can turn the forum off and go and cool down.No excuses for threatening people.If you can't hack it,then this isn't for you,no matter how many good posts someone has made Same goes for gustix.He isn't a victim.He is his own worst enemy.I doubt anyone has anything personal against him.If he stopped posting in his moronic fashion and shared what must be some wonderful memories of the sport then i think he would be more than welcome here.I for one think he likes the role as victim and is looking for some soul mates .President Putin,Darcy Ward and Sidney for starters

Stellingwerf is only in because of nationality anyway.Klabo is shall we say a bit colourful in his riding and seems to be losing form over the past few seasons,but is a better rider.So that is an improvement,rider wise at least

I blame Marek the Pole Did they get an off duty Policeman to do all the checks?

Obviously going over your head,but it isn't relevant to the point being made

My take on this,and consider that i didn't see speedway in the 40s or 50s and was never editor of The Star or worked for the SLP,but do pride myself on being able to follow a conversation, is this.......Farndon died far too early and the other riders you and the bookseller mentioned rode more than a decade after Tom.That makes it more likely that people who saw New Cross,saw them.Those that saw Tom were/are few and far between.Same goes for the Milne brothers,Vic Huxley,Sprouts Elder and Billy Lamont.No mention of whether they did or didn't ride pre-war was made because it wasn't relevant........ There was no need to delay the hearing on this subject.Judgment made, case is closed

Dads Army,MASH etc were comedy programmes about war.........

I think the fact that Parker threatened to kill Ronnie Moore if he didn't keep out of his way,i.e let Parker win races,put a black mark on his "professionalism" for me.Farndon seems like a much nicer chap