steve roberts

I'm sure that he still gets a Christmas card from Hans!

Yes I recall now when Oxford re-joined the upper league it operated with six rider teams. Another example of speedway adopting different rules within the different leagues. If I remember the National League had a different race formula to the British League during the early eighties.

...thereby lies the dilemma.

Wasn't 1997 the year that the away team adopted the numbers 7 - 12?

...as long as the rules remain constant and not tinkered with as has often been the case in the past. Recall John Louis commenting in an interview when Promoter/Team Manager on speedway's ever-changing rulebook.

I'm guessing that it was introduced to save costs but only lasted the one (?) season if I recall.

...that's one I never get right! Like chose and choose.

Who knows...left school at seventeen and straight into work and I am more than happy with what I have achieved during my working life and a variety of interesting jobs and meeting many interesting people. The thought of going to University never crossed my mind.

...I'm in my fifties and don't regret for one minute not going to University. Having worked in a University Department for 17 years I saw the process first hand.

Just read a recent poll taken (2,000 students) that apparently one in four people regret having gone to University landing them with huge debts. Others said that University was a waste of time and had wished that they had chosen their degree more carefully. Two-thirds said their degrees were pointless and had not helped them land a job after graduating. One in three said prospective employers did not even ask about their degree in interviews. Fashion, drama and media studies were voted most pointless degrees. Just under 50 per cent of those who were working said they could have got the job without a university education by starting as a trainee or apprentice.

...I think that Simon Cross's sister took part in one of the Telford Meetings?

Remember the American Team declaring a rider's mechanic in their starting line up once...can't recall whether he was called to race or what his known ability was on a speedway bike.

...far better learning a trade than going to University picking up a degree on the bleeding obvious...or the dreaded media studies. I work with many who have degrees but barely earning more than the minimum wage...never mind living wage but as Steve Shovlar states on another thread they could always clean toilets (something I've done incidentally) as apparently there are plenty of those jobs available!

...yes but I get great satisfaction in talking, discussing, debating the sport with people and will meet up again with my uncle (who was track photographer at Cowley for a while) when he visits next week for a holiday.

..the dreaded average again!

Saint and Greavsie...thems were the days!

John Louis was a master of slowing down races and making room for his partner and he wasn't my favourite Brit at the time personally but you can't deny his team ethic.

Yes I saw Tommy ride at White City's opening meeting and he was involved in two classic races with Gordon Kennett.

I was also at that meeting and remember the Golden Helmet match race...may have been the last time I saw Tommy race?

Obviously six man teams have been tried before but judging by the observations above may well be the time to re-introduce the concept.

1. Simmons 2. Louis 3. Wilson 4. Carter 5. Morton

...and of course the money received during the one-off World Final era when held at Wembley/Bradford when the receipts were shared out amongst the tracks and kept many afloat. Of course this revenue was lost when the GP series kicked in something that the late John Berry always raised.

Excellent post!

Yes I would agree with some of that. Having left Oxford (I'll mention it again) I was so engrossed in doing up a property and finding work and exploring the surrounding countryside that speedway got pushed into the background. Other interests kicked in and took my attention and my other half had no interest whatsoever in the sport so I had to be diplomatic and concentrate on more pressing engagements. However one can not just ignore the fact that speedway was a big part of my life and I still hold an interest but not enough to travel a distance to watch somebody else's team. If a team started up in York who knows (a trial long track meeting apparently was held down the road at Green Hammerton once) but it's unlikely to happen. However I still talk and meet people (I spoke to a decorator who knew Andy Smith and his family) who either used to go or still go and the conversations always prove entertaining and informative. I've got to know Ian Cartwright and have spoken to his son Simon, on occasions, and it's aways educational viewing the sport from a riders' perspective. I am not interested in the GP Series...but I wasn't interested in that when I used to go and only saw the disruption it caused to the domestic programme.

I seem to recall a speedway rider (novice?) who took up wrestling during that period and would appear on WOS? I also recall Soren Sjosten being a one-time wrester.