steve roberts

Thank for that! As I mentioned in an earlier post I'm basing my obserations on my memory...which fails all too regularly! I guess that Alan falls into that category of riders who commenced their careers in the upper league forgoing the less demanding route.

I remember Billy Wall being thrown in at the deep end on occasions and, of course, Martin Ashby's brother, David, rode for a number of years for Swindon with very limited Second Division experience (I think he had a run out at Peterborough?)

It was displayed with the usual PA announcement (I remember Coventry did the same) given out my Dave Hammond who was the best in the business in my view!

I may be wrong and my memory playing tricks but I think that Oxford tried to give results on the totaliser (Grade Listed apparently) but didn't last very long...and I certainly didn't bother referring to it if it did.

Of course Mark Loram started off in the upper league as Hackney's compulsory junior and did fairly well but dropped down a league to aid development. The compulsory junior ruling was an odd one in my opinion but it did generate a few worthwhile riders who made names for themselves in the lower league. Paul Fry instantly comes to mind.

I've always thought that whatever the era the standard of racing varied depending upon the track. People are sometimes critical of speedway past and that the racing is generally better nowadays but some of the tracks riders were expected to perform on in the past would create similar difficulties today...in my opinion. Poor old Somerton Park always gets its fair share of criticism but I would defy riders today managing any better round what was a technically challenging, almost, square, track...although Phil Crump had it mastered but even he admitted that it was a poor track due to constraints forced upon it surrounding a football pitch as it did and a retaining wall.

If memory serves that was the situation when they were first introduced (1995?) but of course the authorities succumbed and they found their way into the domestic programme.

Newport - Jim Brett

I had removed Martin Yeates from Eastbourne however the list is subjective and I'm going from memory which is not always reliable which is why I'm constantly re-editing my original lists. However most of the riders I listed rode at least one full season in the upper with a few exceptions. Derek Harrison for example moved up from Milton Keynes to ride full-time at King's Lynn but it only lasted for a few matches before he returned to the National League (my local team as it happens). Mike Sampson was another who moved up to Exeter full-time but reverted back to Eastbourne when things didn't work out plus Les Rumsey. Riders who made apearances as recognise number eights there are a bundle of examples which is an altogether different criteria. As regards riders who just made an appearance in the top divison that was a diversionary observation based on Sid's post. Of course many riders began/finished their careers in the upper league under the compulsory junior ruling which operated for three (?) seasons.

...and wasn't that just the case for many years. Tracks squeezed into some restricted stadiums...Somerton Park instantly come to mind! Trouble is that many tracks were not created in custom built stadiums (unlike many in Sweden) and had to share the space with other sports.

Yes Dave Perks (a very classy rider at Oxford for a couple of years) ignored the opportunity of plying his trade in the old Second Division (although I think that he had a few rides for Scunthorpe?) preferring to concentrate on riding in the Division One. Others who instantly come to mind were Jeremy Doncaster, Kelvin Tatum, Andy Smith, Joe Screen and Sean Wilson ( alhough he did replace Peter McNamara as Sheffield's compulsory junior in 1986 if I remember?)

Of course if you were to add riders who appeared as number eights or occasional cover the likes of Tom Owen, John Jackson & Steve Lawson would be included.

Oxford - Simon Cross (until he 'fell out' with Ashley Pullen), John Grahame Barrow - Joe Owen, Mark Courtenay Sunderland - Vic Harding Weymouth - Tony Lomas, Simon Wigg, Steve Schofield Stoke - Steve Bastable, Brian Woodward, Martin Yeates Scunthorpe - Phil White, Colin Cook Workington - Mitch Graham Reading - Mick Bell, Richard May, Bernie Leigh Plymouth - Mike Cake, Bob Coles Newcastle - Kenny Carter, Martin Scarisbrick Glasgow - the McKinna Brothers Romford - Mike Sampson, Kevin Holden Doncaster - Doug Wyer, Reg Wilson

Tragic. I gather there were issues as highlighted on the BSF. RIP

I tend to agree. I'm sure that speedway will survive and hopefully common sense will previal and expenses looked at...the days of super-charged bikes costing thousands to tune may well be at an end as it's unsustainable at the present level certainly in this country. If that means that "The Stars" look abroad for the mega bucks then so be it.

I'd certainly give Mauger a 10 for mental strength. John Berry in his book did suggest that he would probably change a few of his assessments on second reading. Personally I always find lists (especially the "best of") difficult as I would probably be changing my mind on a regular basis...I've tried playing the game with films and come up with a different list everytime with the occasional regular call!

I was hoping that he was coming to Oxford in 1985 (Andy Grahame came however after there were stories circulating that Kelvin Tatum had been approached)) but he went to King's Lynn...a move he regretted and explains fully the circumstances in this edition of "Backtrack". Apparently his first choice was Ipswich after it had been known that Eastbourne were to drop a league. He was a cracking white line rider round Arlington and would pass many opponents using that technique.

Eastbourne should have done so much better in 1982 with a top four of Kennett, Moran, Preston and Woods. By the next year only Woods was around!

...especially in partnership with Per Jonsson.

Yes you're right...I seem to remember he doubled up for a short while at Ipswich?

Crikey yes...another one.

Crumbs yes! I remember his formative years at Reading (1985?) when he used to double up.

Of course Sid you were able to see him ride during his last season (1992) at Swindon. His average for the season was very ordinary and I guess that the spark had gone but he has gone on record suggesting that Swindon's track wasn't to his particular liking. I last saw him ride at Cowley that year when he had a coming together with Morten Andersen and If I recall was excluded? His best years were during 1981 and 82 in my opinion when he rode for Eastbourne. I saw him plenty of times and he was a master at Arlington often challenging Gordon Kennett as "King Pin" round there.

My abiding memory of Kelly was watching him at Eastbourne when riding to the tapes he would ride along the fence shaking everybody's hand as he passed.

Yes there were certainly some interesting observations...I guess that he may well have been 'blinded' by Collins not being a master of the Ipswich track and basing his judgement accordingly?