steve roberts

Dave used to walk around the terraces on match day and would often be seen at away circuits as a supporter of 'The Cheetahs'. He would acknowledge the fans with a "Hello" and a nod and I often acknowledged him...a very nice man with no pretentiousness. He began announcing at Cowley back in 1974 and was a regular certainly up until I stopped going (2004).

The starting procedure has always been an issue in the history of speedway. I recall the late Johnnie Hoskins experimenting with boards alongside each rider as they lined up at the start so as to try and stop distractions and produce fairer starts.

Was the announcer at Oxford for many years! Total professional. Used to manage a couple of family owned music stores in Oxford.

Been thru' Wombwell a couple of times recently. I guess that there is no longer any sign of the track...probably had a supermarket built upon it!

If it's JSD then that must mean the commentator being Colin Martin (?) who drives me to distraction with his continual 'babbling' and commentates without drawing breath. Unfortunately he covered many of Oxford's Home matches during the early nineties. I should be grateful, however, that they were filmed...just wished that they had had someone else commentating!

I agree. I have many, many DVDs and the standard of commentary varies considerably depending on the source. I don't require anyone telling me what I can already see jabbering away continuously (Colin Martin take a bow!)

Never experienced it personally but I seem to recall that Dave Lanning used to do a running commentary at Wimbledon when son Russell was in charge?

I was watching a DVD last night (Wolves vs. Oxford 1990) and Ali Stevens rode a blinder of a meeting scoring 12 points. Another rider who was struck down with a serious injury during his early career and could have gone on and achieved more in my view. Remember first watching him as a 15 year old during the interval at Cowley.

I recall a story that one rider (Eastbourne) was 'out to get him' after an incident when they had earlier met?

I recall that the Speedway Star used to publish attendance figures from both the Swedish and Polish Leagues.

In my opinion definitely yes. He had a tremendous 1973 season and was possibly favourite to lift the World Title that year. Certainly in the early seventies he was a major player and a rider difficult to beat but as Anders has always stated "There are other things in life than speedway" and didn't fully commit his life to 'going round in circles' as others of that period appeared to do.

How about the time that Tom Owen (Newcastle) smashed the teapot down at Arlington after a disagreement?

The late Bernard Crapper admitted to me same at Oxford...he was just passing the time of day with the referee but used plenty of arm waving to get the crowd going to spice up a dull meeting!

Recall reading an article some years ago that at the very time of Jack's tragic death in a road accident his estranged wife, Cheryl, heard her name called out by Jack. I'd like to believe it as true...who knows what there awaits us as we pass into the 'other world'.

I look at Ivan, not only in World Championship wins, but how he transformed the teams that he rode for by turning them into relatively mediocre teams into championship ones...okay just missed out at Hull but the fault lay with certain other individuals. He had a great team ethic and his overall stamp on speedway during the sixties and seventies wins my vote. He was the complete package and won thru' with sincere dedication and hard work. He would admit himself that he wasn't the most talented of riders but he worked at his technique and gave up many things and thru' sheer self belief eventually got to the very top.

To be honest Sid I couldn't, or wish to try, listing them 1-5 in order only that I agree with the five chosen by you for each decade. Ivan Mauger will always get my vote as the best ever rider and I feel that history would justify that.

I'd have to go along with that Sid!

Torbjorn Harrysson was a rider who promised, and achieved much, but a badly broken leg forced him to retire despite an attempt to make a come back.

I'm in my late fifties and saw most of those riders except Ivor Brown and the two Chris' but knew of their reputations. Learnt much later that Ivan Mauger hated Ivor Brown!

I remember reading way back (may have been John Berry?) that one of the reasons why promoters began employing foreigners was because when the two leagues split (the lower league essentially being a feeder for young British talent) was because some promotions in the lower league were asking what some thought to be ridiculously high transfer fees and so it was therefore cheaper to go abroad and sign a foreigner. Of course when junior meetings were introduced in the higher league during the middle eighties this was designed to develop ones own British talent...but of course promoters realising that putting on extra heats (and many supporters deciding not to stay on and watch them) eventually saw the demise of same. I always thought that the second half was a good system to develop young (and not so young talent) but when second halves were discarded obviously this particular route ceased...so it's no good some supporters decrying the present state of British speedway and its lack of talent who on the other hand didn't bother with the second halves. But that's another story that has often been debated on hear and not wishing to go over old ground!

I think that was the occasion that he dropped kicked the phone positioned at the start over the starting gate! John Davis had some nice things to say about Jack in an interview that he gave some years ago.

Ivan Mauger used to sometimes train with Manchester City but his requirement was to adopt a sleep pattern and he adopted a routine that enabled him to do so to keep his mind and body sharp.

One of the most unluckiest riders must have been Arne Pander. He could have been more prolific than he was but always picked up an injury which held him back. Yes and I guess Tommy Jansson was the same. If Tommy had gated he wouldn't have been in the position that he found himself attempting to go around a rider when they came together.

Same with Bob Kilby...hated the idea of moving to the County Ground but he excelled around there!

...and of course the late Josef Angermuller rode for 'The Vikings' during their introduction to top level speedway in 1974.