spin king

Great to hear that SS, I am fed up with people who shout for there own team riders who are foreign.

Just read through my copy, and I have to say it waqs an excellent read, the magazine just seems to get better and better.

It is not just the Lindback and the Hampel in there countries who get the encouragement , but I agree we need to encourage the special cases like Josh and Lewis, but there are many more who you could add to the list. The name I will give is Ben Hopwood, I say Ben as he is somebody who I have seen ride, but a plenty more, we need to start looking into getting them sponsors and backers so that we keep them in the sport.

Until we devote more time in developing a youngsters and encouraging them, that means promoters and fans alike, we are never going to develop future champs. This is going to take a long time and thones that are 15 and under are the ones that I think have the greatest chance, but I do get the feeling reading some threads that people will put them down at the nearest opportunity.

SDpot on Splatty, Elite Promoters are all too quick to replace young British riders with foreign imports.

We will get a World Champion, but I don't think it will be from the current crop, ie. Nicholls and Richardson, Nicholls is not very tactically aware, witnessed at the recent Grand Prix, when he fell he got straight back on his bike, instead of staying down, and seeing what happens. Before anybody gets upset, that is what Tony Rickardsson does, and I noticed that Hans Anderssen followed him. The best chance of a World Champion in my opinion is the current crop from the under 15's, this because they are been nurtured and given support, and they obviously have the talent, this is what they have been doing in Denmark and Swedan for many years. Yes we are behind these nations but we are and will catch up with them, as long as we are patient with these youngsters and don't put them under pressure. I also think that the promoters especially are to short sight in taking foreign imported riders instead of using youngster from this country, maybe I don't know the rules need to be change where each team must consist of a least 2 British riders.

I would like to know how Jan Zabik, who rode for Sheffield in the 80's, would be interesting as his son is now a top Polish rider.

Seems strange that this was not picked up at the meeting.

I agree entirely, we need to get behind these boys, but also to be patient, I know that I see young Ben Hopwood regularly at the Sheffield training track, and Josh Auty training after the meeting at Sheffield, and they both look excellent prospects. I will watch the rest when there is a leg of the Championship at Sheffield, I am sure that I will be impressed.

Yes the future looks bright does it not.

Well done to Josh and Ben Hopwood.

Iremeber Bernie turning out for Sheffield in his last season in Britain, he was a little past his best , but was still a class act.

Nasty looking incident, I hope he is soon back on the bike.

Yeah I think I heard that some where along the line they had a fallout.

Just browsing through one of my old speedway books, and there was an article about Ian Thomas and his Co Promoter at the time Brain Larner, does anybody know what became of the guy.

I was not around Pre 70's so I am going to enter my Dads favourite, Clive Featherby, who never gave anybody an inch when riding for Sheffield in the sixties.

Who could forget the great Gordon Glover, with absolute stupid comments,like the time Reg Wilson crash into the safety fence and obvious to everybody in the stadium that he was badly injured, what did Gordon say, " Reg will be okay, he will be up on his bike and riding in a minute.

I think you will all find that Zenon Plech was signed by Maurice Ducker, not Ray Glover.

I think he is retired, if you buy the last edition of the Backtrack magazine there was an article about him.

Brill, cannot wait for the next edition

I thought I recongnised it and looking at the line ups I would definatley say it is Doug Wyer.

Lets hope that they repeat the exercise next year.

No it was not unfair, gives them some decent publicity, and it was just a pity that Sky could not have shown them racing, as an armchair viewer I would have loved to have seen these boys ride.

Thanks Tiger Tom, its is great hear somebody giving these kids some encouragement, yes not all will make pro speedway riders, but as long as they enjoy it. My son started down at the training track, at the beginning of the year and the main thing is that he enjoys himself, which does if a career is made out of it is a bonus. As for flashy kevlars Jez, my lad wears a pair of old leathers, that are far from flashy.

Have to agree with everything said about Hyde Road, the place was rather special, also have to say if the likes of that The Shay at Halifax and the Boulevard were still around we would not get people complaining about Sheffield, there are too many liyyle tiddler tracks these days. Can you imagine the present World Champion blasting his way around Hyde Road, in a recent interview, JASON Crump says he misses riding is the Sheffield track and that there is too many little tracks.