steve roberts

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!

I used to relish the thought of Ian Thomas visiting Cowley with his "Diamonds" or Cyril Crane with his "Barracudas" and the mayhem that would occasionally ensure. Would enliven many a dull meeting...and throw in Soldier Boy for good measure! Good old Bernard Crapper was another who would wind up the oppostion so as to get a reaction. I had a long chat to him once some years ago and he explained that he would sometimes phone the referee from the centre green waving his arms about but was only passing the time of day with him so as to get an otherwise dull meeting livened up!

Unfortunately the advent of four valves and lay downs, diamond frames, alloy wheels, linked forks, tyres etc pushed the costs up over time whereas attendances have dropped significantly which has helped create the present dilemma...certainly in this country.

Something that in an interview with Eric Monaghan in the latest edition of "Backtrack" touches upon whereby his great mate, Nigel Crabtree, comments upon modern young kids not working thinking that they're superstars. Eric also mentions the lack of characters within the sport nowadays and how referees don't appear to encourage a bit of a "bust-up or fracas".

Used to annoy me watching snooker and the number of people continually coughing in the audience.

I'd be very surprised if speedway returns this year?

I've just watched the race in question and personally I didn't see anything suspicious in it. Dave Lanning just adding his usual spin on things as was his wont...Stancl shaking hands with Penhall after the race but that's the norm when a rider wishes to be the first to congratulate a new champion.

I was there too Sid! Milton Keynes were our nearest rivals during our National League days and although not at the same level as Swindon & Reading we used to have some right humdingers with them! I got to see the best of both worlds...White City and Oxford.

The recently deceased Wayne Jackson - Manchester

David Shields was a revelation riding for Oxford in 1978. Scored a maximum in his first match for the "Cheetahs" in a challenge at Milton Keynes...I was there! Shame he didn't come back the following season. Together with John Hack made a formidable early season reserve pairing.

At Oxford we got see a 15 year old Michael Lee take on Colin Richardson in a series of interval match races.

In the British league it was 1984 (not sure about the National League). In 1985 a Junior League replaced the old second half set up which was an admirable idea producing a number of riders of differing talents. However I personally preferred the old tried and tested system which gave riders an opportunity to test their abilities against full team members. There is an opinion that some riders 'bunked off' riding in the second half and although that was sometimes true it wasn't as common as some would suggest...certainly not during my years of following speedway. When the old second half came to an end it also drew negative views from many riders (Phil Crump and Keith Bloxsome...two riders from opposite ends of the speedway hierarchy...for example) I did put the question to Martin Rogers a couple of years ago and his reply in "Backtrack" was most informative and generally he was in favour of the old system. I remember when Oxford Promoter, Chris Shears, re-intoduced an old fashion second half after one meeting in 1995 and it proved popular with the fans however he was ostrasised by fellow promoters and was forced to dis-continue the initiative.

Gutsy Gordon Kennett!

Yes a great side made up of local discoveries...very different to today and perhaps that's where speedway started to go wrong?

Yes I remember now. Dan McCormick was a bit of a "huff and puff" type manager (we had him at Oxford too) and despite changing Cradley's image he fell foul when he took on the "Brummies" and was forced to relinquish his position at Dudley Wood I seem to recall...and how Stevie B must have felt eventually moving to Swindon.

If I recall their collective team average was too high and they off loaded Bobby Schwartz to Reading prior to the 1980 season and complicated things when they signed Ila Teromaa and had to declare two juniors at reserve?

Great article in the latest "Backtrack" magazine listing the riders who rode in second halves at Cowley during the 70's & 80's. Some fabulous names to conjour with and I, for one, used to enjoy the second halves and the opportunities and experience gained by riders during that era.

Mark is an Essex lad born in Braintree but the family moved north which is why I guess he made his name with the likes of Barrow, Workington and Middlesborough before eventually joining Rye House which is obviously much nearer to his place of birth.

Just reading thru' mine...brilliant as usual. The Oxford featured second halves particularly of interest to me. The amount of talent that took part in second halves at Cowley during the period covered really highlights how second halves at Oxford were keenly contested. Great days!

Yes the days of individual identifiable leathers!