steve roberts

I was fortunate at Oxford that during the middle late eighties we had a team that was chasing honours and that was reflected in good crowds at Cowley. However the winter of 1984/85 whereby Newcastle, Wimbledon, Eastbourne, Poole and Exeter dropped out of the British League decimated numbers operating although when travelling away with 'The Cheetahs' I didn't notice that crowds were necessarily down overall. However from the late eighties early nineties it started to become noticeable in my experience. Attendances fluctuated at Cowley during that period with highs and lows. Whenever Oxford operated in the lower league attendances were never very good whether it was during the seventies, eighties or nineties.

Briggo mentioned it in an interview he gave in 'Backtrack' some years ago.

Trouble was/is with 'fixed gates' is that they allowed an advantage to whatever team when gates didn't alternate (successive inside or outside gates) and as dirt moved outwards it proved advantageous or disadvantageous or those with successive early inside gates before the dirt moved out...whatever the scenario. I seem to recall that a team were programmed to ride three inside gates out of four and which obviously worked the other way.

...never like fixed gates. Took away a certain amount of tactical ploy. It was also a bit of a myth that top riders always took the best gate because when one reads accounts and/or interviews it wasn't always the case as many would have us believe.

The League Cup was a good competition in my opinion also...except some teams used it to manipulate their averages before the league campaign started. Oxford headed the League Cup table in 1987 but suffered once the league started...and I agree, why was final held during October? Oxford missed out on a clean sweep of trophies during 1986 because they ran out of dates and the weather closed in...although they morally won in my view having done the hard work at Cradley having drawn and won in the KO Cup and League Cup first legs!

...Personally I always felt that it was a bit of a Red Herring. In reality most fans realised that race 'manipulation' was always present going right back to probably when speedway first became known. 'The Sunday People' always used to thrive on gutter/smutty journalism and/or articles and then by writing an article supposing to be investigatory journalism they then assumed that we should all sit up and take notice and take the paper seriously. Ivan Mauger once said when asked what he thought about the stories (and some were quite laughable) by one of their journalists he replied "Who f**king cares...nobody reads your paper!" I guess those not familiar with speedway having read the stories saw the sport as being flawed but then many sports before and since have had uncomplimentary articles published regarding many issues (drugs in particular) and don't appear to have been damaged to any great degree within the public eye.

...nice to see 'Mad' Malc Ballard in your list Sid! Wonder whatever happened to him? Retired far too soon after a move to Leicester via Poole in 1974.

Interesting article in a recent edition of 'Backtrack' when one-time SRA Secretary, Colin Gear, referred to the rising drug problem in speedway. He invited a representative of the Sports Council to attend an SRA AGM to talk about drugs in sport and speedway in particular. It was met with negativity by some of those in attendance but Hans Nielsen said "About time". Colin quotes that "Hans actually had words with an American star over it, telling him: 'If you're not taking drugs, you won't have anything to worry about'. Of all the world class riders around in my time, I found Hans one of the most supportive".

...I would add the disappearance of speedway in the capitol generally which must have affected it's stature within the mass media outlets.

I have to base it riders I have seen Mauger, Olsen, Briggs, Fundin, Moore, Michanek, Collins, Lee, Nielsen, Gundersen...but tomorrow the list may be different!

Agree as an earlier post of mine also indicated.

...Remember it well!

Many systems have been tried. During 1979(?) no guests or R/R were allowed in the Knock-Out Cup competition if I recall. My personal option would be a guest for a missing number one or second heat leader (second averaged rider). Rider replacement for the third, fourth and fifth (with differing replacement criteria depended on the average within the team in question) and juniors and/or loanees (as in the old days) at reserve. Not worked out all of the implications as I'm sure there would be problems...and no doubt someone will highlight same!

...I would agree although Jens Rasmussen (one of Rye House's foreign signings) was a favourite of mine at Cowley but he was one of those middle order riders who were continually victimised and/or sacrificed because of varying points limits and found himself without a team place. The flood gates then opened and many mediocre foreign imports began to infiltrate the National League depriving opportunities to British riders which was one reason why the Old Second/National League was first implemented. That.of course, diminished over the years and one could argue that Mervyn Stewkesbury didn't help matters during his tenure.

Sad news indeed. Was fortunate to see him ride in his last full season in Britain and he was still a major force. Get well soon.

...there lies the question? A real dilemma that the sport faces. Personally I think that youngsters (potential new fans) are too obsessed with technological innovations (sweeping generalisation I know) and it's a difficult process in trying to avert/engage within that scenario. I'm sure speedway could take on board certain initiatives as regards engaging with technology (as have often been highlighted on here) but my personal experience working within tourism I see the effects of trying to engage with people more and more challenging whilst attempting to grab their attention and concentration. Bikes going around in circles perhaps just doesn't grab them enough?

...Interesting views and I have watched speedway via you-tube and/or DVDs from the so-called Pioneer Years and it seemed so much rawer back then and less refined. Perhaps modern speedway is too clinical and less 'dirty' but I guess that would be a backward step in this modern age? I'm just glad that I followed the sport during it's last "Golden Era' which is commonly accepted as being the seventies but even then one could see changes taking place as the decade advanced towards the eighties and beyond.

...I think that it's more complex than that although Promoters and/or fans only have themselves to blame for part allowing that scenario developing with the demise of the second half depriving riders of extra income (something that Phil Crump commented upon at the time) and the fans reluctance to support traditional Individual/Best Pairs/4TT Meetings etc. Who could blame riders looking elsewhere for extra income to subsidise their British takings? Malcolm Simmons had been quoted as saying that riders didn't need to look abroad for rides because riding in Britain gave them a full programme of meetings and means of a pretty good level of income. Speedway's decline is commonly accepted as taking place during the middle/late eighties (well before the foreign leagues took hold) and started to gain momentum with attendances dropping off as we entered the new millennium. From a personal perspective I can only relate to where I used to stand on the pits bend at Cowley and with each passing year it was noticeable how the crowds dropped off with mini-revivals interrupting the general decline. The introduction of the GPs was always going to cause issues with the domestic programme with some riders prioritising their race commitments but more importantly clubs no longer benefitted from the 'lump sum' that a Wembley and/or Bradford Final would generate. There were many concerns made public at the time by observers within the sport how dramatically it would change the face of British Speedway and the BSPA just sat back despite it affecting their business and/or assets an/or race nights etc etc. allowing the GP to dictate it's own terms. The Play-Offs were introduced (SKY's insistence?) in an attempt to re-construct the league programme but the agenda was very different to other sports (football, in particular, as has been highlighted by a number of posts) of which many enjoyed far greater media interest to which speedway just could not compete with. The question that begs answering is where did all the SKY money go? There are assumptions and/or opinions but speedway's lack of re-investing should be questioned but I am not, obviously, aware of the facts behind the 'lost' money. Perhaps someone could enlighten? It's a real conundrum but the sport really needs to re-invent itself but where to start is the real problem. Does four riders encircling an oval track over four laps grab people's imagination now or would it be the case that race length's/number of riders per race/handicapping/deeper and/or slicker tracks...or indeed tarmaced tracks.../standardising engines and/or bikes solve any of the problems and re-ignite people's expectations? Is it viewed as being un-environmentally friendly by the population at large? Personally I doubt it but what do I know.

...cynic as I am it was because SKY insisted on having Play-Offs because Oxford spoilt the party in the last non Play-Off season by winning the league and SKY's cameras were not present to catch the moment! Seriously, however, I think that it is fair to say that speedway went along with SKY's insistence that Play-Offs would make a better package providing live coverage but as we all know that particular 'marriage made in heaven' ended in divorce without actually raising the profile of the sport in the best way possible...an increase in attendance figures. I can understand why there is a desire to have Play-Offs in one form or another (despite Oxford being 'robbed' of an opportunity in defending their crown for reasons beyond their control) but as I keep saying one has to look at the bigger picture as to why the sport has declined to such an extent that it is no longer the mighty force that it once was and introducing Play-Offs hasn't improved that situation. Speedway's problems lay much deeper than that. I speak to many people who use to go during my working day but for one reason or another they no longer attend. Reasons given are many and varied and many have been covered many times on this forum. I've now exhausted this particular line of discussion and leave others to debate...just hope that Sidney starts another thread 'The Best of'...or 'Do you remember'!

...The 1985 Knock Out Cup Final between Oxford and Ipswich drew fabulous crowds (I attended both) and both were full of atmosphere and incident. Some of those present said that it was the best meeting held at Cowley in many a long year...myself included. Why were they something special? Because both promotions treated it with respect and seriousness and that was reflected in the finished product which is how all meetings should be conducted. Wished I had witnessed the clash between Peter Collins and Anders Michanek (1973 KO Cup Final Second Leg) Many who witnessed it said that it was the best race they had ever seen. Personally I feel there is a place for the Knock Out Cup in one format or another...however I'm sure that there are those who would disagree!

...The Play-Offs should be the icing on the cake but when you have no cake... The reality is that although speedway has run with Play-Offs for 17 (?) years thru it's involvement with SKY TV it hasn't become the saviour of the sport as some may have predicted or had us believe and the decline has continued. There are many issues that need addressing but where to start is the big question. The BSPA at every post/pre season annual meeting come up with all sorts of initiatives but none apparently provide what the sport desperately needs...new fans. Perhaps speedway was of a past time and is beyond rescue?

...Good post! My point exactly and something I've commented upon many times over the years initially on the old Oxford Forum and those who I used to stand with on the pits turn at Cowley....many, if not all, that are now lost to the sport.

...that's the problem. There just aren't enough 'modern fans' and speedway has greater more pressing issues if it wishes to attract younger fans. Cutting rider's costs would be a step in the right direction but that would ultimately mean the 'stars' looking elsewhere to ride which may not be a bad thing. Perhaps going semi-amateur maybe the way forward but it's pure conjecture...question of what people now expect within any form of entertainment. Yes Play-Offs are one aspect but there's more to it than that regarding speedway's future...not sure why you keep bringing up oaps into the discussion? I certainly don't qualify. I don't have any answers (there are many better qualified than me on the forum) but sadly neither do the BSPA and/or the controlling authorities by all accounts judging by the lack of apathy on the terraces based on attendance levels.

...yes my comment was based on your initial comment about Play-Offs within other sports (to which football falls within) to which I, and others, made the comparison that in football (and apparently some other sports) teams that finish top of their respected leagues are crowned champions. Play-Offs are there to formalise promotion and regulation issues. Speedway set a different agenda. I wasn't specifically questioning the popularity of same just that Play-Offs constitute different agendas in other sports and if that attracts 'Joe Public' so be it but speedway has far greater issues within the bigger picture requiring more than tweaking rules and race formulas etc. As regards the 'so called' Golden Era speedway pretty well survived...it's not until things were messed around with to bring it supposedly 'up to date' and attract those missing fans (late 1980's if you like?) that it lost it's way and as I said with the introduction of the GPs speedway in this country was always going to suffer and no longer was the 'hot bed' that it once was for better or worse...down to one's own personal opinion and/or views of course.

Personally I feel that many youngsters are just not interested in attractions and/or sports (there was an interesting post earlier regarding younger fans and football) as previous generations once were. I work within tourism and unfortunately many museums have now had to 'dumb down' to accommodate the short attention spell of youngsters generally as well as their parents in some instances. If it's not about pressing buttons they're not interested and you sense the boredom and general apathy all around you. You'd be amazed the number of times I've attempted to grab the attention of school parties where many of them are plainly ignoring me whilst staring into their personal devices...despite it supposing to being an educational visit and of course their supervisors often do nothing to help matters! The price we have to pay unfortunately whereby technology rules over many other things in life. My motto is "I control technology and where I wish to engage but I don't allow it to control me"