steve roberts

...they stole the image from Oxford/White City! I maybe incorrect but did the first Somerset jacket look exactly like the White City version with a confederate soldier pulling a wheelie with the flag as a backdrop?

Not sure if they ended up in the Speedway Museum?

I saw him at that same meeting...Bradford stalwart if I recall.

I always thought it odd that they adopted the Confederate flag when the significance of "Rebels" in Somerset historically is very different?

Martin Rogers touched upon the subject in "Backtrack" when I put the question to him which proved interesting.

...had their chance with John Berry and fluffed it!

George was a brilliant skipper during his twilight years at Oxford in 1978 & 79. His team riding skills were beyond question and he could dictate a race to perfection. Remember a classic second half final when he and Mike Sampson put in some tremendous laps passing and re-passing each other.

Good one although the local community was heavily ethnic hence the action taken by the then promotion!

Do they generally partake in attending any spectator sport (other than cricket)? As I posted earlier do they attend football matches in any great numbers despite many of the players being of ethnic background? Was never really the case but has it improved over the years or are they just not interested in spectating generally? I really don't know.

Still wouldn't interest them. The promotion at White City tried all sorts of publicity to attract the basically West Indian community and it didn't work. As a matter of interest do many ethnic communities attend as spectators at football matches where there is a big influence of multi racial individuals taking part?

I've just re-watched the DVD showing King's Lynn vs. Belle Vue (1978) when Alan stormed up the ladder to confront the referee after he was deemed guilty of unfair riding after passing Ian Turner. A hard but honest competitor.

I'll look it up thanks!

I saw Ken ride for my local team during his last year in Division One (before dropping down to star for Scunthorpe) and despite not being anything like the force he once was he still caught my imagination with his immaculate black leathers and bobble hat and still favouring the JAP engine, His World Final record was certainly impressive and I personally think that he is often overloooked when talking about the "Stars of Yesteryear". I have the same book and as you say it's a joy to read....simple yet straight forward. Shame that it's never been updated.

Recall the time that Wilkie was excluded at Cowley on one occasion and proceeded to rip the tapes out of their sockets...and didn't he get a response from the fans! Great memories from a great man.

Very sad news...a hard but fair competitor. Always recall when the "Rebels" won at Belle Vue in 1977 Alan insisted that they take a victory parade. RIP.

We had "Kojak" at Oxford who used to wind up the away fans when selling "The Star" & "Mail".

I was no longer an attendee after re-locating some years previous and I have to say that the team in the last couple of years was pretty dire. and the whole Rickardsson thing left a sour taste in one's mouth.

I sincerely hope that some sort of action returns to Cowley as I spent many a happy year there but during these uncertain times, both externally and within speedway, I really wouldn't like to hazzard a guess what might be the future however I wish everyone success who is involved behind the scenes.

Depressing!

Funny but I had my first ever flu jab during this last winter...never felt the needle go in and was told that my arm would probably ache for a couple of days. No reaction at all...when I next saw the pharmacist she asked if I had had a reaction and I retorted whether she had infact injected me!

I re-collect the story when John Berry and Ron Bagley produced a tape measure and proceeded to measure the width of the Hull track in front of baying "Vikings" fans. The track was apparently a bit skinny and Ian Thomas used a shortened tape measure to get it passed by the Control Board?

Who could forget Tom Owen at Eastbourne? There was the time with the broken tea pot which is written in folklore!

Didn't Cyril once kick the stuffed Panthers mascot at Peterborough once in front of the Grandstand?

The occasion that Garry Middleton apparently tied two broomsticks to his handlebars to make his bike wider because he got fed up with Ole Olsen passing him? Surprisingly the referee wouldn't allow him to race before he removed the offending articles!! Remember when he rode down the entire straight at Plough Lane with his left leg stuck out to stop Ray Wilson from sneaking by up the inside!

...or Dick Barrie!