steve roberts

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!

I went to Norden in 1983 and was sworn to secrecy regarding Oxford's contractural negotiations with Hans Nielsen and had to refrain from cheering him on (although I couldn't resist giving him a cheer, however, when he was the only rider to lead Egon Muller before dropping a chain). I was kind of hoping for an English Champion but Kenny Carter flattered to decieve again instead of which Michael Lee became the highest place Englishman gaining a rostrum place.

Boiled and chewy sweets I'm afraid...not a chocolate bar in sight!

Quite bizzare! My brother works at a sweet packing factory in York and a similar scenario exists apparently.

Agreed. I did attend the 2003 Grand Prix at Cardiff but left feeling rather empty...just didn't give me the same buzz.

Yes...a proper speedway bike!

I had my issue delivered some weeks ago now? Main feature was on Jeremy Doncaster's career who also featured on the front cover.

I have the Bert Harkins book and the one on Bob Kilby written by son Lee...both good reads.