norbold

Tony Clarke spent quite a few years in the sport. I remember his team debut for West Ham at Wimbledon in the Knock-Out Cup quarter final replay on 14 August 1965, now immortalised as chapter 10 in that fine book, Speedway's Classic Meetings. For the rest of that year whenever he rode in the West Ham team, the Hammers never lost. He became a sort of lucky mascot. He moved to Oxford in 1966, returned to West Ham in 1967 where he stayed until 1970. He then moved to Wembley in 1971, Newport in 1972, Wimbledon for the start of 1972 before going on to Wolverhampton later in the season, remaining there until 1975. I'm not sure what happened to him after that, or where he is now.

Well, let's start at the beginning then... Frank Arthur

Of course Bluey Wilkinson's name was Arthur so I suppose he counts....

Do you mean all Australians who have ever ridden in British leagues? This could be a long thread.....

Ole Olsen rode for Wolverhampton in 1975 and went to Coventry in 1976. I don't think the old rider allocation was scientifically worked out on averages. As barrow boy says, it was more a case of just taking a top rider away from the top team(s) and allocating them to teams at the bottom. A number of riders refused to go to the teams they were allocated to. Sometimes they got away with, other times they didn't. I suppose it depended on how strong a character you were.

Jimmy Tannock? Tell me more... p.s. That reminds me...Dick Campbell

Yes. He rode for Belle Vue

The first New Zealander to ride in Britain was Stewie St George in 1928, but I don't think he ever actually rode for a league team.

Still not sure about it then, eh, Grachan?

I'm here...if you meant me. But I have nothing to add to Knowle. I would say he is right about the values, but then I am an historian not a valuer. At the BM we weren't allowed to give values!

There is a photo of the 1959 tractor trio in "Two Wimbledon Legends" and a photo of the 1960 tractor trio in "Norwich Speedway" - two highly recommended books.....I think I still have the originals. I'll look them out. Do you want me to scan them and send them if I have them?

There's a picture of him here in Australian colours.

Not really my area. Pre-War and wartime is covered in Trevor James and Barry Stephenson's "Speedway in Manchester 1927 - 1945" book. They might be the people to ask.

I think there was a rider from the era you're talking about called Ted Hubbard at Coventry on Saturday. Did you see him, Shazz?

Johnnie Chamberlain - Australian

I was there for that one, iris. Great meeting, eh?

I've put some of our photos up...Here

I'll be putting some up later...but, no Shazzy. Sorry.

I was on table 24 with Mr Clemens. Great to meet you Mr C. Also good to catch up with Shazzy, Steve, SS, Team Man, tmc, T2T and Tabby again.

Can't help much here, I'm afraid! The only ones I would be almost 100% certain of are 6 - Jack Parker 11 - Split Waterman and 14 - Bjorn Knutson...but Jim's already got those! I'll have to get my magnifying glass out....

It could upset a lot of Norwich supporters though! Seriously, it is a great site for a great team. One that has proved to be the backbone of the sport since the very beginning. Long may it continue and long may the site continue.

It seems to me that most supporters on here are very happy that speedway should continue as a minority sport and that as long as we are happy with our own little world then that's fine. For the already committed, of course Cardiff is a great day out but it's never going to attract the press or TV in a way that holding a GP at Wembley would. Maybe that's what most people want, not to be disturbed by the thousands more supporters we might attract. That's OK. But, let's not see on other threads these same people complaining about the lack of national media coverage of the sport.

Canada Jimmy Gibb Mike Tams Africa Doug Davies Neil Mortimer Trevor Blokdyk Cecil de la Porte (all South Africa)

Check this link to the Vintage Speedway Forum thread about Fay Taylour: Here