steve roberts

The question of Bob returning to Swindon prior to the 1975 season raised an issue with the then Swindon promotion as regards attempting to avoid paying a fee for his services. Initially Bob was allocated to Exeter in 1971 under the old Rider Control System that operated back then. However Bob riding for Oxford was far more complex. Oxford had paid a fee (£1000 or thereabouts I recall) for Hackney's Garry Middleton prior to the 1972 season. Garry didn't want to ride for 'The Rebels' in 1973 and was prepared to sit the season out. Oxford eventually agreed a swap with Tony Lomas (Coventry) who had really desired a move to Exeter but moved to Cowley as exchange. He never settled to be fair and struggled at Oxford. Ivan Mauger moved to Exeter in 1973 and this unsettled Bob and he ended up at Cowley with Tony going the opposite direction. It was a triangular movement involving Garry, Tony and Bob and Oxford felt aggrieved that they stood to loose out on a transfer fee when Bob moved back to Blunsden having invested in their initial transaction...said Garry. A complicated scenario but personally I felt that Oxford were hard done by in not receiving a fair fee for Bob as did the promoters at Cowley at the time.

I'm enjoying reading the book whilst on holiday in Whitby. There's a few errors but overall a great insight and helps clear up a few questions during his time at Cowley. Bob was of the old school...solid, dependable and a great advert for the sport.

Wasn't Olsen, together with Peter Adams, co-promoters of the 'Masters of Speedway' series during the late seventies? They weren't permitted to hold a round in Britain due to a BSPA's intervention denying them the right.

I did take in Milton Keynes's very first meeting that was run in very wet conditions. It has been suggested many times that it should have been cancelled but it was felt at the time that it would have turned many people off in the future. However it has also been suggested that running the meeting also put people off in returning...a no win situation really.

Dean I would be interested to know from an ex-rider what was the biggest problem experienced by a rider with a wet track. Is visibility the biggest issue or the fact that bikes sliding on a wet surface causing the problems?

Personally I don't think the present, or indeed past, economics would allow for strong teams indefinitely.

My initial comment was not really based on Oxford having to release a rider but more about that they were the only team to do so to support an incoming team to bring them up to an acceptable strength which was the essence of Bernard Crapper's comment at the time. Other promotions were less than willing despite the call for unity within the BSPA to assist for the overall benefit of the sport.

I understood where he was coming from in his initial post.

...way back in 1987 Oxford were the only team, if I recall, who released a 'star' rider (Simon Wigg) to assist the Hackey promotion who had taken the decision to enter Division One at a great cost. It would prove costly for both Hackney and Oxord. Hackney survived only the one year at that level and Oxford just avoided the wooden spoon (although their League Cup campaign was good). I remember Bernard Crapper saying that it had been a mistake but it was yet another example of not all promoters pulling together within the spirit of the sport.

....problem is with Clark Osbourne involved I wouldn't raise one's hopes too much.

If I recall they were hoping to get things ready for the 1974 season but what with the oil crisis and the three day week which threw a spanner in the works the licence was put on ice for a year. I was attempting to simplify orion's strange way of explaining the situation after I had deciphered what he had written!

...or to put it another way in simple terms...planning permission for a new stadium was only granted on the premise that new houses were part of the proposed development?

...ah but dinosaurs lived for many millions of years. The human race has a bit of catching up to do!

...yes when I think that I used to go regularly to Oxford, Reading, Coventry and Cradley...all tracks that have now gone and with question marks over Swindon one wonders where speedway will be in a few years down the road. ...to be honest Smallmead did always look to be a temporary stadium from the start but I guess the initial agenda was to get 'The Racers' operating again after a year out. I recall reading many times that the idea was to improve the facilities (Reg, again, talks about it in his book) but for one reason or another it never really materialised and over years the stadium began to deteriorate which was a shame as the potential was there to develop the stadium further.

Could be but to quote from his book... "My understanding of what was eventually to transpire was that in the late 1980s (Reg had sold his interests by then), Bill Dore was involved in discussions with Reading Borough Council. I know not whether Allied Presentations Ltd was in breach of the lease or if the council approached Bill Dore to sell back to them the 99 year lease I had negotiated. The outcome was that the 99 year lease was rescinded. A new lease was signed, which expired in October 2008...the lease was reduced to just 34 years in total"

I second that having watched Svein ride for 'The Rebels' before he was replaced and eventually signed for Glasgow. RIP

Having read Reg Fearman's book wasn't there an issue that the promoters (Pat Bliss & Bill Dore) had altered the lease expiry date of the site thus it's ultimate premature closure?

...I would agree however it does highlight the fact that stadiums such as Coventry and Oxford have been left vacant, which is nothing short of a disgrace in my opinion, instead of being put to good use.

I would agree...never quite understood people going on about the gaps between races etc as a part of the enjoyment for me was meeting and chatting with colleagues and pre-empting the Team Manager's next move. Used to annoy me when Frank Ebden was referee as there was never time to absorb the action and discuss between races as it was all done and dusted in quick time. When I went to watch American Football at Wembley and locally there was generally more 'out of action' interaction but it was/is accepted as part and parcel of the game.

Always liked John Dews. Struggled at first at Cowley (a replacement for the non-arrival Dave Hemus if I recall) but gradually got to master the track and improved his average year on year however never mastered Wood Lane in his short stint and retired from the sport. If I remember 'The Rebels' used Steve Weatherly as cover for the rest of the season doubling up with Eastbourne. I think Neil only rode in one meeting (Swindon?( failing to score.

I don't do twitter...any chance on here?

There was a feature, I recall, in a back edition of 'Backtrack' regarding 'The Aces' riding in Russia during the sixties...I may have had a programme in my collection before I sold it off!

I think it's just a one off publication...well worth the purchasing of same.

I remember saw dust being used at Cowley on more than one occasion. Recall John Davis and Neil Middleditch lighting, I think, petrol on damp patches (Weymouth) hoping to help dry the surface! Jet engines/cars were used prior to the 1974 World Final at Ullevi.

An exception was the 'Stewkesbury Plan' who was promoter of Poole at the time who operated in the lower league and I'm guessing he was chairman of he BSPA. I remember John Berry being somewhat critical of the plan at the time.