norbold

I'm not really sure how you can say that and miss out Ove Fundin!

Very sorry to hear that. He was a really nice man as well as a good rider.

Stan Stevens would be my unsung hero.

I've got to know Ove very well over the last 10 years or so and count him now as a good friend. I last met him at the Norwich dinner a few weeks ago. He still looks amazingly fit and is such a gentleman. Nothing like his on-track antics!!! To my mind, he is still the greatest rider I have ever seen.

You could get a second team out of Belle Vue better than many other first teams!

Belle Vue: Eric Langton, Jack Parker, Peter Craven, Ove Fundin, Ivan Mauger, Peter Collins, Jason Crump

Alan Cowland!

Well, we've had lots of families mentioned now, but you're right, Tigerblade, none to match the Collins brothers.

i just wrote out my top 10, then looked at your post, Sydney, and discovered they were exactly the same 10!

It is difficult to judge because, of course, Tom Farndon still had many years in front of him, so we'll never really know. Of the other two, personally I would put Wilkinson in front of Milne, if only for the reason that he was the rider that Farndon seemed to have the most problem with, but, as you say, Farndon and Milne's careers didn't overlap. The other rider who surprised me somewhat when I did some research was Lionel Van Praag. His win in the first World Championship has always been devalued and he seems to have been dismissed as a "great" firstly by the fact that Wilkinson got a maximum on the night and Van Praag only won by virtue of points carried forward, secondly because the final was at his home track, thirdly because he had a reputation of being a bit of a joker and not taking the sport seriously and finally because of the controversy surrounding the run-off with Eric Langton. However, when I was researching for my Wembley book, I discovered that for the last four seasons of the 1930s he was a 10+ man, and, I'd say, definitely one of the all time greats. I think most people know my view on Tom Farndon....if not, I can recommend a very good book on the subject! When I started going to speedway in 1960, I got talking to many "old-timers", who had been going to speedway for many years. I think, without exception, all of them expressed the opinion that Vic Duggan was the greatest rider they ever saw. Jack Young was generally reckoned their number two.

Vic Duggan? Jack Parker?

West Ham was a great track and a great stadium. Fortunately I went to their first meeting of the re-opening in 1964 and then went practically every week until the last meeting in 1971. I have very happy memories of Tuesday evenings in the East End. And, yes, Newham are to be applauded in their enterprise in remembering speedway and what it meant to the area.

I've just received my latest Pie 'n' Mash & Prefabs book sales totals. Between 1 Jan and 30 June this year, it sold 976 paperbacks and 3737 ebooks, making a grand total since publication on 5 March 2015 of 11,215 paperbacks and 6449 ebooks - 17,664 copies altogether. I have to say I think I'm quite pleased with that! Thank you to everyone who bought a copy. I hope you enjoyed it.

And the Kennetts as well of course.

Briggs as well. Barry, Wayne, Murray and Tony.

It's an absolutely brilliant piece of work. It covers everything. Well researched and very well put together. I found it fascinating. Thank you so much for taking the time to do it, Robbie.

When I named those four (including Loram), I was thinking more of riders noted for their ability to win from the back, so wouldn't be all over at the first bend, rather than just necessarily the best four.

I hope the draw puts Craven, Collins, Loram and Carter together in one heat. Now that would be worth seeing!

Craig Quinn, King's Lynn.

Yes, very sad news. Publicity officer and some time team manager at West Ham. He managed West Ham on the afternoon of their greatest ever victory at Wimbledon in 1965 in the best match I have ever seen and did much to bring on Malcolm Simmons from a reasonable second string to the world class rider he became. I spoke with him a number of times during his time at West Ham and later when researching for books. Always made time to talk and was very helpful. R.I.P. Dave

Really? Is that the best you can come up with? I think others have explained why above. Those elusive straws are getting further away than ever, Phil. Stop digging.

It is very sad seeing you defending the indefensible, Philip. Though I guess you have to defend the Speedway Star in public. Nevertheless it is still a poor day for speedway journalism that you find yourself in this position. But, honestly, making a big point about why would Greg Hancock gift his "team mate" a point after he had already made sure of the Championship when that point could have helped Holder get into a medal position shows a naiivety beyond belief....and actually I don't believe it. Clutching at non-existent straws springs to mind. It's just not worthy of you, Philip.

I agree with BL65 for the reasons given.

I can't see that that makes it any better. How many times have we seen riders excluded for incidents that weren't their fault? Or, at least, don't think it's their fault, and get on the phone to the ref? How many times have we seen riders "furious" with the decision? What do they do next? They get back on their bikes and carry on with the meeting. I suppose it's too much to expect that the World Champion should behave like a normal rider and pay the fans back for their support (and money) by carrying on.

All very interesting in light of the current Greg Hancock controversy!