steve roberts

I think that Tommy's last meeting at Plough Lane was a Southern Riders Qualifying round?

Have enjoyed reading the comment on this particular thread...memories of London speedway sadly no longer!

Called in once (but not on a match day) and, yes, it was miles from anywhere down this winding country lane.

Last time I saw Tommy ride.

Basically he was using R/R for Robbie Gardner who had retired! Tony Coupland (Team Manager of Middlesbrough) refused him the facility on one memorable occasion plus the fact that Robbie was fourth in the averages so Thomas was pulling a fast one!

Fabulous collection! Recall Gordon wearing a strange variation of the 'Rebels' jacket in 1974 (he posed in it for publicity purposes) which was silver and a cross that was red and blue with stars if I recall. Not sure if he ever wore it competition however.

Nice to hear Gordon again..one of my heroes! Watched him progress from Eastbourne to Oxford and then to White City where he rose to stardom! Followed him back at Eastbourne before he eventually left for King's Lynn and ultimately 'The Dons'. A great servant!

We did the same...Cowley 'Crusaders!'

Oxford had a good team on paper but were struck with injuries during the 1983 season. Yes I recall that match...Newcastle utilising the R/R regulation for the umpteen time and sometimes not even in a legitimate way (Robbie Gardner for example!) but that was Ian Thomas for you...always trying to find a loophole in the rulebook!

I guess a bit like the Oxford scenario...a stadium remaining idle due to the pig headedness of the owners!

Great to see!

Have you an original 1976 City 'Rebel' jacket...the silver one used for home meetings?

Garry Middleton challenging the holder, Nigel Boocock, and succeeding at Cowley in 1972.

I think that's right if memory serves.

One of the strangest was the Happy Face motive...Barrow Happy Faces!

Yes that's the one...his son, Chris, also rode under dual nationality.

Barry Meeks was accredited as the fastest but, if I recall, Scott Autrey (and possibly Tony Olssen?) were the fastest based on track records achieved at Exeter's County Ground.

...remember when Gordon Kennet scored a 21 point maximum and Kai Niemi 19 riding for Eastbourne at Swindon...and they still lost!

Recall seeing some of the Golden Helmet challenges during the seventies...Louis/Olsen/Jansson/Ashby/Crump. Caught the imagination at the time,

I got my 'Rebels' jacket from Peter Rout (Classic Race Jackets) and was very pleased with it! As a youngster I couldn't understand the elephant emblem until I was told it was based upon the local regiment (The Dukes) in Halifax.

Thank you!

Ah but you remember these things when you were a lad...like the fact that the one at Poole I remember not having a light which caused an obvious dilemma! I may have been incorrect...memory and all that but wasn't it the case during the 70's? ...or those that didn't pay at all viewing from above the third and fourth bends if i recall. Was it known as Scotsman's Hill or something or other?

Used to visit Cowley and White City every week during the middle seventies and Swindon every so often...that's without the away matches thrown in for good measure.

Used to like race jackets and my favourites were the likes of Wenbley, Belle Vue, West Ham and dare to say the early 'Rebels' jacket of Oxford...of which I have a replica!

Used to annoy me promotions that charged a two rate system...Poole comes to mind if one wished to sit in the grand stand as did Coventry and Peterborough amongst others If I recall?