steve roberts

...Colin Ackroyd! Now there's a blast from the past! Have spoken to Ian Cartwright a number of times when visiting 'The Mouseman' works in Kilburn and he mentioned how he felt confident beating most visiting riders at The Shay as he knew every inch of the track and its various lines and where best to attempt a pass.

...Colin Ackroyd! Now there's a blast from the past!

...visited Crayford on the one occasion but was difficult to make an accurate assessment of the racing because it was a very wet meeting (I went especially to see one of my heros Hasse Holmqvist) and really should have been cancelled although I'm glad it wasn't at it had required a huge effort to get there from Oxford (pre M25 days).

Never got to The Shay unfortunately but visited a few years back after the track was removed and no evidence that it ever existed. Having visited Exeter I understand that they rode very similar although I have videos taken from The Shay and it's one track that I wished that I had visited.

Ah! days gone by...the Easter 3TT involving Oxford, Swindon and Reading. Oxford on Good Friday, Swindon on the Saturday and Reading Easter Monday. Those were the days!

...I remember when the tape touching rule was introduced there were those who complained about slipping clutches drawing riders into the tapes until Pete Adams commented (tongue in cheek) that by replacing the tapes with barbed wire one would soon see how often riders would suffer with that particular problem!

...interesting that it's referred to as 'cinder track!'

...I think that one is Dent Oliver?

Brilliant Image!

The only over Meredith I'm aware of is Duncan who rode at Crewe and Ellesmere Port during the middle seventies.

...I certainly hope so. Barry holds so many memories from that glorious era!

...missed out on this one unfortunately. Tried to get a copy but had sold out!

Sad news indeed. RIP

Really great! Just emphasises how speedway was viewed back in the seventies and early eighties. Terrestrial TV and major sponsors.

I think that's the reference. He died I believe in 2002?

Many thanks for the update! Regards

What is the situation regarding Cowley Stadium? Is there any positive news?

...or indeed Custom House which unfortunately I never had the chance to visit.

...looks like Sandor Levai in the photo in the photo as well?

As a 'City 'Rebel' fan I used to enjoy encounters between the two clubs. Two great stadiums lost for ever!

Some great images of an iconic historic stadium.

Terrible news even when we knew it was coming...sad day indeed!

...as usual makes for interesting reading. An interview with Mick Handley who rode for my team, Oxford, for many years and a more than interesting interview with SRA Secretary Colin Gear who talks about Kenny Carter at length and the so called 'Sunday People' scandal as well as the drugs issue when Hans Nielsen was very supportive in an attempt to introduce drug testing to the sport. A great read!

Great to read an interview with one of my favourite riders, Mike Sampson, in the latest edition of 'Backtrack' A very under-rated rider in my opinion but in my view was very instrumental in helping 'The Rebels' to league success in 1977. Won numerous team honours not only with White City but for Eastbourne and his home town team Exeter of which he had a love/hate relationship. He comes across as a very modest man but without riders like Mike speedway would have been the the poorer.

...strewth having not clapped eyes on a rule book for donkey's years the wording and definition of same is just as confusing!