steve roberts

...er yes I understand what you were implying with your initial post to which I added an observation that Ronnie could have chosen to ride for either his place of birth, and presumably parentage, Australia (which I understand he seriously considered way back when he started out on his long career) or New Zealand. I recall Mitch Shirra had a similar choice (and if I recall did actually turn out for Australia) before adopting New Zealand although, apparently, he could have ridden for Scotland as well! There's obviously a differential margin where one was born and where one was bred...some people chose either depending on the criteria under discussion whether it sport or other walks of life. PS Having visited Huddersfield I can well understand why your brother regards himself as a Kiwi!

Remember the 1972 World Final, in particular, whereby some riders were so far back from the tapes that they were getting enormous flyers and the referee letting it go much to the bemusement of some that were present.

Bernie (North) Leigh Keith Bloxham Arnold (Hailey) Haley Mark (Sutton Courtenay) Courtenay Nigel (Sparsholt) Sparshott Andrew Appleton Ian Westwell Carl (Brightwell) Baldwin Ray (Moreton) Morton

...Tasmania comes under the flag of Australia so Ronnie was actually born Australian and could have ridden for Australia but chose, instead, to ride for New Zealand...his adopted home.

During Nigel Wagstaff's tenue at Cowley he introduced a post meeting discussion with one or two riders in the bar after the meeting. It proved to be quite popular with the fans I seem to recall.

...because as I have often stated I personally no longer feel that speedway offers good value for money since the demise of second halves and after taking petrol and running costs into consideration a trip to Sheffield doesn't appeal. When I lived in Oxford the track was literally on my doorstop and I continued to attend because of the convenience of same...but during my last ten years attending I very rarely travelled to away matches only taking in Cowley.

I said this right back at the start of SKY transmissions when everyone was getting excited about live TV transmissions...it's fine if the world and his wife are watching from home but it's those who attend their local tracks that count but I was 'shouted down' at the time. I knew of someone who would watch a featured live match from Cowley and preferred to do that rather than walk the half mile to watch it live from the terraces and pay his £15 or whatever the admission was back then. I could sort of understand his logic (saving £15) but if everyone had decided to do that then there would be no speedway to view anyway. Bit like the Play-Offs which apparently attract huge attendances whereby the run of the mill league meetings appear to struggle attracting reasonable crowds?

Dave Clinkard at Oxford. Remember when we took the Oxford coach to the 1988 World Final held in Denmark Dave took an Aunt Sally set with him...should have seen the look on the Danes' faces at the hotel when it was decided to have a game!

...I was of the same view when I used to watch SKY televised matches at a friend's house. Call me old fashioned (and plenty do!) but I personally find it irritating when a woman presenter fronts a motor sport event but I'm not naive enough not to know reasons why!

Ivan Mauger suggested this many decades ago when he stated that those from the other side of the world gave up a lot (like home comforts) in an attempt to make a success of it in Britain. Generally they were more hungry (even in it's recognised sense) unlike many British riders who had a warm bed and hot meal to go back home to.

Conny Samuelsson...there was an enigma! Put in superlative performances at both Coventry and Swindon (?) but just couldn't master Cowley. Surprised he wasn't given another chance but perhaps his heart was in Ice Racing in which he excelled! (Fred)Rick Timmo married Tom Pricket's (Oxford Start Marshall) daughter during his time at Oxford...hence why Spencer is British born.

Thanks for the confirmation Sid regarding Rafal...I had relocated by then and ceased going to Cowley. Oxford used the R/R/R for Has during 1975...he rode in one official match against Hull plus a couple of challenge matches...one of my favourites! The Lomas/Kilby was a complexed issue. Garry Middleton no longer wanted to ride for Oxford (more's the pity in my view) and a swap was agreed with Coventry although Tony Lomas wasn't keen on a move to Cowley. When Ivan Mauger turned up at Exeter that unsettled Bob Kilby so a swap was involved between Oxford and Exeter. That wasn't the end of the affair, however, and it still gripes with me. Oxford paid a transfer fee for Middleton and when Kilby affectively replaced him he was seen as an Oxford asset but when Bob went back to Swindon in 1975 they refused to pay a fee claiming him to be one of theirs...which he technically was...but, as usual, speedway being speedway Oxford got a bum deal!

I know that Gene Woods rode for Birmingham and, I think, Wimbledon for a short while. Sid just beat me to it as I was typing this! Oxford tried to tempt Jeff Sexton to ride (whether it was just talk of not) during 1974 (?) but nothing came of it. Did he not ride for Oxford or am I thinking of someone else? I seem to recall that Wimbledon were discussing the possibility of Mike Bast riding for them in 1975 but, again, nothing came of it.

I think that Arena Essex (as they were then known) tried this on one occasion whereby admission was free for the one meeting. Apparently at the next meeting the attendance was back to it's usual level...which I guess suggests that potential punters didn't see the appeal in returning when it meant paying for the privilege.

Jerzy Sczakiel

Disliked those race card thingies...I think that Swindon ran with one one season?

I used to collect programmes from all over the UK and abroad and had quite an impressive selection...and than I sold them when I re-located and have regretted it ever since! I have a very small selection now that I have purchased either thru' ebay or visiting antique centres of all places! Haven't a clue what today's programmes offer in the way of content and/or quality. During my years following the sport they varied considerably and no doubt many wouldn't be acceptable today due to poor paper/editorial/content quality. However some my favourites (from memory!) would have included the following (seventies and eighties) 1. Ipswich...if only for John Berry's column which was often near the knuckle. 2. Birmingham...was a quality production during the middle seventies. 3. Eastbourne...Dave Lanning's editorial. 4. Wimbledon...quality paper. 5. King's Lynn. Plus many others if I really put my mind to it.

There was a Rod Fox (Oxford) who would write in the Oxford Programme...never found out who he really was?

...Johnson.

Brilliant post! However can't agree with Reg Trott...as an ex-rider he was totally off the ball in my view. I seem to recall he was barred at Eastbourne (despite being an ex-rider there) by Bob Dugard! Arthur Humphrey was of the old school but other than that, and without really giving the old brain cells a scratch, I'm struggling to come up with a name that I would put head of the list. Frank Ebdon an interesting choice...although I think that Hans would disagree with!

I missed the 1978 World Final at Wembley (I was in Jersey) but Ila beat one of my favourites Gordon Kennett when they met during the meeting and that point dropped by Gordon denied him the chance of a run-off for the title!

Forgotten about him...didn't he die in mysterious circumstances?

Remember Ila's younger brother, Pepe, if I recall gave up following a career in speedway after an injury (broken leg?) and went back to studying.

Eric Linden & John Chaplin.

Remember Walter when he rode for Exeter in one of their many national declared line-ups...of which there were a few!