multiworc

Thanks for the info, Salty. However, according to the Express & Star dated 20th April: "...at Coventry tomorrow, Howard Cole makes his last appearance at reserve." It then goes on to say, "On Monday, when Cradley are at home to Swindon, Cole moves into the team proper with Pete Jarman slipping to reserve." So if Swindon at home wasn't one of his meetings at reserve, which was the sixth match he rode at reserve? What we need is someone with the copies of the Speedway Star for March and April 1973 which would give all results, plus his match average, which, according to that same article, was high enough to top the Cradley averages.

Howard's first meeting as reserve was in Cradley's draw at Swindon when he rode in heats 2, 6, 9, 10 and 13 to score 10 points: from a cutting from the Express & Star but with no date attached. He was also at reserve in the home win against Coventry (45 - 33) scoring 13 (paid 14), again E & S cutting and again no date. These matches would have been before the 21st April as that was the date of his last ride in the reserve berth. Does anyone know which were the other three meetings he rode as reserve?

Howard was allocated to Cradley from Kings Lynn at the start of the 73 season. Cradley was given special dispensation to use him as reserve for six matches to see if he had recovered from his accident at Leicester in the British semi-final in June 1972 as he had not ridden since that meeting. The league match at Coventry was on Saturday 21st April, 1973 with a writeup in the Express & Star on the 24th. Howard had 4 rides, won all four and thus scored 12 points which is a maximum: he won heats 2, 6, 8 and 9, and beat Nigel Boocock in heats 6 and 8. This was Cradley's first ever British League win at Coventry, the final score being Coventry 32, Cradley 46. This was Howard's sixth and final match at reserve, he rode at number 3 on Monday the 23rd and top scored with 9 (paid 10) in Cradley's win at home against Swindon. He rode the rest of the 1973 season at number 3, and continued to do so until his retirement at the end of 1974.