van wolfswinkel

Yes I sell portaloos now

You Swindon fans are obsessed with buildings such as bog blocks(on back straights)huts and kiosks. Get a job associated with garden centres and portakabins.

Was a regular at Manzes in the 60s, shopping down Rye Lane, then pie n' mash, then walk back home to Nunhead. Dog and speedway racing at New Cross, cricket at The Oval, football at Dulwich Amlet and The Valley. There's still a few Londoners in the London overspill town of Swindon that get their pie n' mash delivered from Manzes.

I thought about having a speedway track at the Aldermaston Paices Hill Raceway when I drove past it on Friday. Think it's used for the occasional banger racing event, and other motor sports, has a dirt track, and very few houses around there opposite the massive AWE site.

Barry Briggs, Swindon -v- Martin Ashby, then Exeter, 1969...wheel to wheel for 4 laps, Crash won by a tyre width.

Supposed to be special grand final meeting with stadium construction starting soon(possibly,)about 50 yards from the present stadium. Local new estate has roads named after Holloway, Kilby and Richardson. Talking about Mad Wellie the last time I went to Smallmead in 2007 he was the Reading boss, was an easy win for Swindon, hundreds of Robins fans made up about half the crowd. Sad to see the remains now, I drive past once a month when working in Reading. Remember them at Tilehurst as well. Had some good crowds at Smallmead. Shows how speedway has become less and less popular.

The national paper coverage is poor/non-existent now, (snippets in the Mirror/Sun/Star), remember the tables and results 60s/70s. The local coverage in the Swindon Advertiser is very good, and speedway regularly hits the front page, BBC Wiltshire has live commentary on some meetings, also pretty good on BBCPoints West when Swindon and Somerset are in finals. Can remember the good coverage in London on the News/Standard, and the old man telling me of a massive crowd at Wembley post-war when his beloved Lions raced against New Cross. Although don't know why he supported the Lions when he lived in sarf-east London. He even had a white jumper with big red lion. The sport has had a few mentions on the excellent ITV quiz show The Chase. Wasn't The Sun previously the Daily Herald?

Very unlikely Swindon will finish bottom with Rosco in charge, with his superb play-off record. Will go Lynn Poole Cov Swindon BV Lakeside Leicester Wolves

They are the most common names in this fine Berkshire borough.

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Barry Briggs

Bloody pain in the bum at Swindon...handed out free Easter eggs/air-horns to loads of kids most were a nuisance.

And Scunthorpe

Mike Hunt the Swindon clerk of the course is probably too rude for this slightly rude thread..absolutely appalling depravity from some on here, on what used to be a family forum frequented by decent god-fearing folk. Disgusting nob-old

I remember you though, wearing a trilby and crombey coat, smoking a Woodbine, drinking a bottle of Watneys. I was wearing a cubs cap and a gabardine mac, greys socks and sandals, and one of those elasticated ties. The first record was Petula Clark, the last The Beatles.

At least we still have a team(just about) Rob...miss the derbies against Oxford and Reading. Drive past the old Smallmead stadium sad to see the old remnants of thye speedway. The work has yet to begin on the new Swindon stadium next to the current one.

Can remember the old London Riders Championship at Ackney 60-80s, won by the likes of Pratty, Broady, Hedgey, Rossy, Thomas, Petersen, Thomsen, Harrfeldt, Hunter, Moore, Jansson., Jessup, Kennett.....

Sverre Harrfeldt at West Am probably the best Norwegian I saw(did well in World Final), then Berg and Eide. Odegaard, Stangeland and Gramstad were decent riders for Swindon.

New Cross -Ackney in 1963 as a 7-year-old urchin from Peckham...Jimmy Squibb was my hero down the Ole Kent Road.

You forgot Leonard Raba!...cant argue with that team with Jimmy Nilsen as number 8. Matty Zagar was superb in his season at Blunsdon in 2009, fantastic team-rider with Adams, enabling Swindon to finish top of the league.

people over 60 shouldn't be funded, they should pay their own internet subscription from their meagre pensions income. I would say at least 25% of fans are female(at Swindon anyway)

Only watched London speedway in the 60s so Briggs, Knutson, Harrfeldt, Moore, Nordin, McKinlay, Nygren, Hedge, Jansson, Hunter, Luckhurst would be up there

Bruv text me the result from Gillman, shame Doyley and North didn't sign for Swindon again!

His brothers Billy and Bobby Butterworth were more worthy of a mention, far better riders IMO.

Time flies... without doubt one of the best riders I've ever seen, tearing around Wimbledon and Swindon in the 60s. Happy Birthday Briggo.