steve roberts

..unfortunately I can't make comparisons with today as I'm not familiar with today's regulations.

As I've often commented when the British League Division Two was formed in 1968 teams often 'doubled up' with promotions competing in Division One. My team (Oxford) had promotional ties with both Eastbourne and Peterborough and would use riders from them when short handed. Riders who progressed thru' Eastbourne to Oxford/White City included Gordon Kennett, Malcolm Ballard, Trevor Geer, Steve Weatherley, Paul Gachet, Eric Dugard etc and from Peterborough John Davis and Richard Greer. Not perfect but at least the riders were familiar with the Cowley faithful and it's what initially Division Two was all about...generating youngsters for the future.

Both Marvyn Cox and Martin Dugard should have achieved greater things in my opinion. Marvyn began to mark time at Cowley and we saw the best of him as an Oxford rider in 1986 in my view. Martin, on the over hand, should have taken a winter or two tour to Australia (something Gordon Kennett also commented upon in an interview) so as to develop his all round ability on different tracks. Martin has also been quoted as saying that he should have gone to Cradley rather than Oxford but I disagree with that view...as I would being an Oxford fan! Personally I think that it was a mistake for him to go back to Eastbourne when Oxford dropped out of the British League.

I was a never a great fan of Chris Louis (can't quite put my finger on it) and, I'd agree, Neil Evitts underachieved but perhaps my views are biased due to his occasional run ins at Cowley! Used to tickle me whenever anybody talks about Mark Loram that his gating let him down. On numerous occasions when I saw him up against Hans Nielsen he was often first out of the gate!

Strange thread this one Sid but I guess that Kelvin Tatum would be high up on my list. However I don't agree with Rob re:Todd Wiltshire...too one paced, in my opinion, certainly during his latter years. Billy Hamill was another who didn't grab my enthusiasm and, funnily, neither did Tony Rickardsson whom I never saw team ride once (always a great attribute in my view) but perhaps I was just unlucky whenever I saw him ride? Gary 'Motormouth' Havelock was another who I never took too...especially amongst those who went on to become a World Champion.

Oh dear! The double-point T/S...one of the daftest rules in my view. It's been reported in the past that some riders were ordered to drop points so as to manipulate the overall team average.

Occasionally heard at Cowley!

As someone who hasn't been to a speedway meeting for over a decade I would be interested to know the views of present day fans whether they feel that the Guest Rider Facility (apparently first adopted in 1955) has run its' course and whether it's time to scrap it? Does it undermine the credibility of the sport or is it a necessary evil? My personal views, based on thirty years following the sport, was that it was a facility which served a purpose, in principle, but which over subsequent years has been abused and manipulated to suit as the rules governing it have been constantly changed.

I enjoy reading many of 'White Knight's' comments unlike some people on here who just 'bark and shout' at those who don't always agree with them.

...I certainly used to cheer on Hans Nielsen when he rode for the 'Cheetahs' and the same could have been said for many of the Cradley fans at the time who were there to support Erik Gundersen. Many speedway fans when I used to attend (and I travelled to many One-Off World Finals during the eighties) cheered on their club favourites and nationalism went by the wayside.

...as I believe Oxford will unless something drastic happens despite the full support of the local council.

Sadly those days have passed into history...unlikely to be resurrected more's the pity.

I'm afraid his posts often suffer with over generalisations on what ever the subject matter...however there are a few on here with the same inclinations!

When I first went I used to wear the scarf my Grandmother knitted together with a red coat with blue and white strips, appropriate rosette and a badge or two...oh and not forgetting the rattle!

Yes that's right...in fact I've met Simon in York when I greeted him and his family at the visitor attraction that I work at!

Remember having a quick chat with Peter Collins at Cowley (after he had finished riding) and he was most friendly. We got into a discussion about bikes being too fast for many tracks (this was during the late nineties early noughties). I talk to Ian Cartwright occasionally when I visit his establishment in Kilburn (Mouseman Furniture) and he also very friendly and keen to talk about the past.

Unfortunately many promoters traditionally only rent/rented the stadiums which are/were often required for other events which obviously limits race day options.

One of England's greats when there were so many quality English riders during the seventies and early eighties.

Scott did come third in the 'Master of Speedway' competition embracing tracks around Europe. A major contender in my view but of course the AMA knew better when he took a stand against their administration errors and/or knowledge of the sport in Europe. Sid that was my main gripe regarding a GP format in that a rider could ultimately win the Championship without proving himself the best rider in any one particular round. Loram won his championship without winning a round but did what was required within the remit which is fair enough. I seem to recall that Olsen wished to reward the winner of a round with more points than previous (it was raised from 20 to 25 points in 1986?) in an attempt to raise the profile of the winner and make winning a round more rewarding.

Hans decided that he wanted to move back to Denmark permanently and start a family wishing to cut down on his commitments after gracing the sport in Britain for nearly twenty years.

...like it!

Sad news indeed! RIP

...now that would be interesting!

Scott would have definitely been a contender in 1979...he was very much the man in form that year. As regards Dave Jessup? According to Malcolm Simmons the infamous engine failure during one World Final was down to the fact that Dave had drilled so many holes in a jubilee clip that it eventually fell apart causing him to pull up in a vital race!

I gave some talks at a number of schools many years ago in an attempt to promote the sport but felt that I wasn't given enough in the way of support from the promoter at the time, If I recall I had been promised a bike prior to the talks but nothing materialised and I was left to try and generate some enthusiasm from my own resources (okay I was lent a team suit but hardly inspiring)