steve roberts

Just heard the news that former Workington and Oxford rider Wayne Jackson has died. Very sad indeed. Remember him well riding as a "Cheetah" and doubling up with Cradley on occasions. RIP

Got me thinking about the number of tracks still operating since my first year of attending in 1972. Of the 18 operating in the British League Division One only King's Lynn, Sheffield, Ipswich, Poole, Wolves and Swindon still operate with both Belle Vue and Leicester at different arenas. Of the 17 in Division Two only Peterborough, Eastbourne, Berwick operate with Birmingham and Scunthorpe at a diffferent arenas.

One track I didn't get to unfortunately.

Trouble with speedway stadia is that many were owned by other consortiums which made any investment difficult whereas, correct me if I'm wrong, football stadiums after the Bradford & Hillsborough disasters received generous grants and/or funding from central Government as well as a healthy input of SKY money...well those in the top leagues. However reports relatively recently suggest struggling clubs further down the hierarchy are suffering with financial difficulties...plus football's continual support at both local and national level thru' mass media hysteria which keeps it at the forefront of public awareness.

I remember a friend of mine who would stay at home and watch a match that was televised live at Cowley rather than walk the half mile to the track as was his normal want. Highlights I saw no problem with but live? Speedway's fan base was never going to be sustainable as attendances were already on the slide when live matches were introduced during the late (?) nineties. Whether speedway failed to capitalise is obviously a very good point and it seems that the sport missed an opportunity hence the current predicament that the sport apparently now finds itself in.

I couldn't agree more. I questioned the fact that live televised meetings would impact upon the sport at the time but was shouted down on numerous occasions and was 'informed' that live meetings would raise the profile of the sport and attract major sponsorship...neither of which has materialised down the years. I was never sure who the target audience was?

Yes he was caught by surprise during a Wimbledon pre-season practice I seem to remember.

He used to be the track photographer and was present at the stadium when Dag Lovaas made a fleeting visit last year?

You may possibly know my uncle Keith Lawson?

Yes he also referred to Jens Rasmussen as "Rambo" which I disliked. We preferred just plain 'Razzer!"

Brian Andersen was a rider who I felt could have gone further but was plagued with a troublesome shoulder (?) which unfortunately restricted his progress. I witnessed at close hand his last couple of years at Cowley and despite showing occasional brilliance he was a shadow of his former self. Another was his namesake Morton Andersen.

Yes I believe he is?

Good news indeed. Just needs someone to come forward and put some weight behind the regeneration of a once proud stadium.

I could sell the Rolls...if only!

I would dearly like to own a first edition of "On the Origin of Species" but seeing that one was sold at auction for £162,950 I may well have to set my ambitions somewhat lower!

A cool $948-05 on Amazon! Better hurry as there is only one available

Just read in the latest edition of "Classic Speedway" that Len Read would take in a 700 mile round trip from Norwich to Plymouth for home meetings taking him 9 hours to get there! He did this for four years before transferring to Liverpool where he 'only' did a 500 mile round trip!

...I thought about passing comment on bwitcher's references but had more important duties to perform!

Jens resided in the Canvey Island area when he married (?) and later moved to Peterborough but well observed anyway but I'll resist the temptation!

Jens Rasmussen married a local girl which, of course, added some strength to his case when he was signed by Rye House in 1988. Olle Nygren and Soren Sjosten married local girls which enable them to compete in Britain during 1974 when commuting Swedes were banned from the British League as they were both domiciled in the UK at the time.

Always remember when Eric wrote an article referring to Garry Middleton but spelling Garry with one 'r'. Garry was quick on the uptake and said to Eric just think of "Rolls Royce" when you refer to me again.

Remember when he stood in at Cowley during 1976 he started off with a war cry as "The Rebels" before realising his mistake and that Oxford were now operating under the name of "The Cheetahs"!

I agree and it was more accustomed back then for riders to spend a large chunk of their careers connected to a particular club.

There's a tribute to Eric in the latest edition of "Backtrack". He passed away in a Leicestershire care home in April aged 94.

Strewth! Didn't realise that Stoke was no longer? Remember when it was built (1973) and their first season when they rode under the name of Chesterton.