steve roberts

Utterly brilliant! Speedway at its best!

I agree that Billy was the better rider on the international stage (Individual & Pairs) but rated Phil the better of the two at domestic level. Never saw Doyle or Holder ride and unfortunately I am only aware of Ward's off track 'activities'.

Fabulous stuff in a meeting that had many dramas!

A rider I would have much liked to have seen. Ivan Mauger gave him great credit as regards the help and advice he received from him when he based himself in Australia after his first attempt establishing himself in Britain was aborted.

Attended said meeting and witnessed White City's Gordon Kennett sneak thru' to his one and only World Final and going on and very nearly winning it (which I missed due to a pre-booked holiday to Jersey as my brother keeps reminding me!!)

Peter Collins could quite easily have won three titles on the trot if some idiot hadn't let loose with the hose pipe in 1975 and his cruel injury picked up just prior to the 1977 Final. We would now be contemplating Peter being perhaps England's greatest rider? Funny how fate can turn a cruel hand!

...and Sunderland came along and stuffed them in 1973 FA Cup Final! Yes I would agree that Leeds were packed full of talent unfortunately they often resorted to dirty tactics when on the pitch which was to their detriment.. Interesting reading Brian Clough's book and how he despised them (especially Don Revie) but ended up managing them albeit for a short while and walked away with a big fat cheque!

Always watched the FA Cup Final on BBC and "Match of the Day" on Saturday evenings. Would watch either "The Big Match" or "Star Soccer" (we managed to get both) but it got in the way of wanting to be outside emulating our heroes from watching the night before!

Blimey some names there Sid...Gerald Sinstadt remember well and had forgotten about. My particular favourite was Kenneth Wolstenholme...no gimmicks or shouting down the mic. Just informimg the viewer what was required allowing the action do the talking. Hugh Johns on "Star Soccer" and of course David Coleman.

Rememeber Alan Weeks commentating for the BBC when for some reason their only interest in speedway during the early/middle seventies was televising the Wills Internationale from Plough Lane! I think Tony Gubba used to commentate also?

I was there and will never forget it for many reasons!

The BBC commentator Alan Weeks also referred to Ivan as same I remember?

I think he used the term "Jerk" when interviewed in 'Backtrack' some years ago. To be fair to Bernie there was slight gap and Briggo admitted that he should have rode tighter and Persson went for it...how he wasn't excluded I don't know but I speak as one who was delighted that Hans didn't suffer an exclusion during the 1986 Final!

I'm intrugued Sid! Did Briggo easily beat Ivan or was it a close call?

Difficult one Sid...the ones you have listed (although I never saw Young ride) I would place as Crump (Jnr), Young, Sanders, Crump (Snr) and Adams...but would probably change that tomorrow!

Woman announcer and commentator?

You're having me on?

...and a great name to boot!

It was s night of great 'ifs'. Briggo having beaten Mauger...Olsen dropping it after doing all the hard work coming from last to nearly first...Olsen passing Mauger after Ivan had left a great hole after taking the Russian out...Lofqvist running a last and was only one ride away from being a potential champion...Michanek (one of the favourites) falling off in his first ride....John Louis almost grabbing a rostrum place during his first year in the top league...great 'shoulder to shoulder' race involving the two Eastern Bloc (of which there was still some mystery and/or suspicion attached) riders (Waloszek - Poland & Chlynovski - USSR)...Persson running into Briggo and the Russian high riding it...Persson being 'mugged' twice by Mauger...and, of course, the strange disappearance of some of the Russian bikes prior to the meeting to which it was later found that rider Tony Clarke had a part to play...a great night of drama and I'm glad I have the highlights on DVD (although the Briggo - Mauger race was never televised?) and I every so often dip into it. Great memories!

Remember watching it on ITV (National TV) later that same evening and being totally captivated by it all! Wish I had seen it live...pure theatre!

I still think that the 1972 and 1973 Finals took some beating for pure drama.

I saw Wayne Muddle's name appear recently on another thread. I remember him riding in second halves at Cowley but wondered what happened to him?

B*******S!

Must say...some great stuff on here! Keep it coming!

Great Stuff! Tremendous racing!