steve roberts

To be fair Boley Proch wasn't that bad when he was forced to leave Reading and join Leicester. However Leicester were going thru' a bad phase during the late seventies (76 & 77) and signed a number of mediocre riders...remember Adi Funk? If I recall Pepe Teromaa couldn't commit himself to a full season (didn't he pick up a bad injury?) as he was a student at the time and was about to enter college or some such thing. There were a smattering of mediocre foreigners during the seventies. My team (Oxford) gave trials to both Henk Steman and Eddie Davidsson and both came to nothing.

Nothing of the sort. Just a passing reference that was discussed by Martin Rogers in a recent edition of the 'Backtrack' magazine when he was discussing his promoting days at Leicester and the events that led to its closure. it was your comment about 'harking back to the past' which I further commented upon which I took to be a general reference on your part and nothing to do with speedway? PS Charles Ochiltree was Managing Director of Midland Sports Stadiums just for the record.

Oxford once denied Wimbledon the R/R facility as they hadn't brought along with them a Number 8...it was the ruling at the time. Also the Number 8 had to be guaranteed at least two rides in the meeting if not in the main match but during the second half.

It's by 'harking back' that we are able to move forward...learning from the past and mistakes made.

...and I'm sure that Martin Rogers hasn't fond memories from back then!

Rather ironic considering it was the then Promotion at Coventry that caused the closure of Blackbird Road back in 1983!

I'd agree regarding attempting to televise speedway. I have a vast collection of DVDs and although enjoy watching them it does get frustrating when the cameraman tries to go all 'arty' and doesn't follow where the action is often just following the race leader...also I don't think that the race is best followed when filmed from the centre green. I've never thought that televising the sport 'live' does it much favours (too much padding and over analysis...something most sports suffer with nowadays in my opinion) and what would be better would be an edited version shown later in the evening and that would perhaps encourage more people to go and watch rather than sit at home (I knew someone who would rather stay at home and view a match at Cowley rather than walk the half a mile to watch it live). Has SKY improved the product? That's open to debate but what one thing is certain it hasn't raised the profile of the sport as regards attracting new punters and hasn't managed to attract a big sponsor which is something that is so important within sport nowadays. Interesting that I was watching a meeting between Oxford and Wolves from 1992 only last night and they were discussing the falling attendances even back then.. although Oxford suffered less than most because of the competitive team that often took to the track just prior to that period.

Superb image!

I recall the days of VHS when I recorded many films from the TV and stored them...which apparently was illegal (the law stated that you had to wipe them after a number of days/weeks). I remember a policeman friend (?) who once saw my collection and stated that I was breaking the law but it was impossible to monitor/legislate and a blind eye was often turned to the practice. I seem to recall that Bob Monkhouse had to go to court regarding his vast collection of movies which he had on film but common sense prevailed and they were saved for prosperity.

Remember him when he first started out and grew up watching his father Mike. Both good servants to the sport and I wish him well.

Not a bad list (and I realise that it's based on previous personal contributions on this thread) but I wouldn't have put Malcolm Simmons that far down. Considering he had been second in the World, Best Pairs Champion on three occasions and World Team Cup winner on numerous occasions as well as British Champion (when it meant something). I personally would place him above the likes of Carter, Moran and Sigalos.

A very classy rider who I got to see quite often when I used to visit White City following 'The Rebels' and Wimbledon and its riders were regular visitors. Can not for the life of me remember how his name was pronounced however!

...yes I was re-iterating what I was trying to clarify!

As I keep re-itereating the title in Football is decided by whoever finishes top. The Play-Offs determine who gets promoted and relegated...not to decide the winners. However I realise that money and TV coverage is the fundamental issue...just trying to clarify matters in that Football and Speedway differ in its objectives.

...but as I've tried to clarify do Play-Offs decide who wins League Championships in football or is it a system to decide promotion and regulation? Does the team who finishes top in the Premier League (and the other leagues) not finish as champions? If that is the case why doesn't football follow that remit? I've nothing personal against Play-Off's (it's an American innovation) but not all sports appear to adopt that system.

Finn Jensen was indeed an enigma...one match he would prove almost unbeatable (I recall seeing him score, I believe, 17 points at Birmingham on one occasion) and the next meeting failing to trouble the scores. There were a few riders like that but Finn was a real mystery!

I recall back in 2002 when Oxford were 'denied' the opportunity of defending their hard fought championship (2001) because Peterborough failed to fulfil it's remaining home fixture (Oxford) before the cut-off date (presumably instigated by SKY?). Peterborough went forward to the Play-Offs much to the disgust of many Oxford supporters at the time.

I was just wishing to clarify the point that other sports perhaps have a different system in place regarding who ends up as champions. Play-Offs are, if I am correct, a mechanism that decides who is promoted and/or relegated (as in the football league for example) which of course isn't the case within speedway (promotion and relegation...although it's been tried in the past and I believe is about to be re-introduced?) My query wasn't about the financial implications (although that's a massive consideration...certainly within football) but Play-Offs generally within sport and their implication generally.

Quote me if I'm wrong, and excuse my ignorance regarding football, but is it true that the team that finishes top of the league are declared champions and the play-off system is used to decide who gets promoted/relegated?

That's ringing a bell!

Great days indeed! George Hunter team-riding! Per Sorensen never really got the plaudits he deserved...totally turned Oxford's season around in 1986. Would like to read an interview with him in 'Backtrack' magazine...over to you Rob? Yes I recall The Supporter's Club Trophy (during the seventies it was 'The Champions Trophy) It's a shame that individual and/or open meetings lost favour with the public. Each track had its big meeting...'The Silver Plume' at Swindon for example.

The Pole at Poole...Andrzej Thokz (?) wasn't a bad rider also. Oxford fans don't talk about Paul Thorp after the rumpus he caused at Cowley one year when he was leading a race and put up his hand indicating engine trouble. He dropped back as the other riders passed him and then he decided to 're-join' the race much to Bernard Crapper's disgust! Never a fan of Thorp, personally, and his bikes proved unreliable...perhaps he suffered one of his infamous engine blow-ups when Munkedal beat him at Belle Vue! One of those riders who would win by a mile and the next race trail in last by the same distance!

He was a team mate of Marek Cieslak and generally was disappointing but I do remember one second half race where he and Gordon Kennett had a real 'ding-dong' battle and he went on to win...in fact the race was run twice after an exclusion and Andrzej had the beating of Gordon in the first race also! Funny how the mind plays tricks...but spot on there with the riders! If I recall Blaszak was latter replaced by Boley Proch (?)

Strewth! The competition couldn't have been that hot? He was less than impressive during his short time riding for 'The Cheetahs!'

Was it in 1976 when a number of Poles were introduced to the British League and all failed miserably? There was Leonard Raba at Swindon together with a Pole who had taken out Swedish citizenship. Another at Leicester and, I think, Halifax? Of course Zenon Plech rode with distinction at Hackney that season followed by both Marek Cieslak (one of my favourites) and Edward Jancarz the following year.