steve roberts

I remember being all excited during my first year of speedway knowing that the reigning World Champion Ole Olsen would be riding that evening at Cowley. I recall getting off the bus from a day at school and couldn't get round to the stadium quickly enough. I obviously got to hear/read of his appearance beforehand.

As a matter of interest when did TSB first sponsor the "Lions?"

I know that team jackets are a thing of the past but I remember when team jackets were simple affairs with just the nickname featured more often than not. Not sure which team featured their first team sponsor but White City has to be one of the first in 1977? Initially it was to be "Capital Radio" (the riders wore them at the team practice I recall?) but they pulled out just before the season started and "LBC Radio" stepped in. Were there any teams prior to that season (not including the "Gulf" logo)?

Afraid not...first time I wentt to the speedway at Hyde Road was in 1984 and the surrounding area was rather depressing I recall.

Wish I'd seen the fairground and zoo...had all gone by the time I got up to Hyde Road in the middle eighties.

Quite so!

Yes that's right but I think TSB didn't sponsor the "Lions" until c1974 where the leathers had the TSB logo on the upper arm if I recall?

Fascinating stuff...just goes to demonstrate what's involved today and questions whether it's sustainable under the current climate?

That's the crux...highly tuned engines that are costing more to maintain and the only people making any money are the tuners? Riders then expect to be paid more to off-set the rising costs of maintenance which is then reflected in admission prices when attendances are falling dramatically...it's a vicious circle. Recall Terry Betts commenting that his two valve Jawa required very little attention between meetings and he only stripped the engine down after a good number of meetings. Now bikes are stripped down after every meeting.

Oxford had team suits in 1973 but from what I remember Hasse Holmqvist's were too small and only Bob Kilby, Gordon Kennett, John Dews and Rick Timmo wore them? Malcolm Ballard didn't wear his but "Mad Malc" as was his want wore them when he moved to Poole in 1974 before them moving to Leicester and then retiring (there has to be a story there somewhere?) Ulf Lovaas wore them in 1974 and Kelvin Mullarkey acquired a set (from whom?) when he rode for Weymouth in 1974.

I think that the TSB Team Leathers were worn c1974?

He was an out and out character...something that is missing in the sport nowadays.

...Ian Thomas was a past master!

To take the "analogy" further if "dead time" in football constitutes a degree of entertainment value then one could argue that the messing around before a race (digging of heels and toes etc) and the returning to the pits after a false start to have clutches cooled/adjusted would equally add to the tension etc but fans, of course, often decry that behaviour which amounts to not pleasing everyone all of the time.

I did a few presentations at schools during the Wagstaff era but it wasn't particularly well structured and having a bike would have improved things dramatically. Having since worked within the tourism industry I could have improved the presentations and recommended a better way of doing things.

Ole Olsen incorporated the "'Wolves" jacket on to his leathers in 1972. I recall that Sam Ermolenko adopted a similar approach?

I used to peer over the fence of the third bend at Cowley to view the pits which sometimes proved interesting. Perhaps more should be made of the pits? I Know that the late Peter Seaton suggesed that speedway should make the pits more visible (think he mentioned centre green?) so that fans if they wished could share the experience. Personally I had no problem with breaks between races as I used to chat to my mates pre-empting the next tactical move or what we had just witnesssed on track. I never got hung up over the adage of "15 minutes of racing" only that there should be more than just the 15 heats.

An interesting analogy. I went to two Wembley Bowls (American Football) and there were so many stoppages (Televised live back in the States so adverts were a priority) and although the players remained on the pitch and there was a continual "circus" being acted out on the off-field I grew tired of it all. Prefered to watch the edited highlights of a game.

Granted but that's the reality and the situation is unlikely to change unfortunately hence the current plight. When Hackney was upgraded and became a state of the art stadium it still didn't attract the punters in any great numbers and soon went into receivership and was eventually demolished like other well appointed stadiums like Wimbledon and Coventry for example for differing reasons.

I recall that Ice Hockey has/had the same approach?

As regards stadiums, in particular, is that many promotions don't own them and therefore have very little control over their general condition. I used to enjoy my visits to Berwick Speedway which was owned then/now by the football club but I don't recall it being "luxurious" by any means unless it's been upgraded? When Cowley Stadium was aquired by the GRA after the collapse of Northern Sports it was pretty much a state of the art facility. The GRA, however, allowed it to deteriorate and it's a question I put to one of their represenatives at the time who I was in communication with in that they were running it down with a view of selling it off which they strenously denied but was proved correct. Thankfully it was saved by the present consortium with massive support from the local council and the facility by all accounts is first class and a credit to all those involved.

...I would be interested to know how much "action" actually takes place during an average football match with all the time wasting, stoppages and "dead ball" situations?

As a matter of interest is there still a "cut-off" date for meetings to be completed before the "play-offs" kick in?

Recall the night that Carl Blackbird beat Hans three times at Cowley when presumeably all his "stars" were aligned and preparation spot on. Never looked like repeating that feat again at Cowley.

Looks to be an intriguing contest on the cards.