steve roberts

I guess many would argue that the starting gate at Cowley was too near to the first bend which occasionally caused problems on the first bend (the outside gate was always a bad choice unless your got a flier and managed to close the others down) The racing line improved when Hans joined and had the entries and exits of the bend brought in creating more passing opportunities. Of course the adverse camber on the pits bend caught many riders out although our Norwegian "Star" (won't mention him again Chunky!) had it off to an art! Ipswich was never a favourite of mine...too narrow in my opinion although I have seen some good races there! and MelvynTaylor excelled there when a "Cheetah".

Remember when "Wilkie" strode across the centre green at Cowley and ripped the tapes with his bare hands from the starting gate! Great days and as you can imagine got the crowd going and adding to the atmosphere! For the life of me I can't recall what caused the outrage? Can only guess that the referee had excluded him for some misdemeanour? Great character and sadly missed. I never got a copy of his book but I can only guess it was full of anecdotes? Imagine an interview or a Q & A session with the great man?

Just come across this thread (thanks to iris123)... Oxford, White City, Hackney (Len Silver's days), Eastbourne (before they messed about with it) & Swindon (when prepaerd properly).

PC mentions in his book the occasion that Alan Wilkinson took issue over a referee's decision at King's Lynn after an incident with Ian Turner and stormed up the ladder (after first slipping up to the cheers of the crowd!) to the ref's box to have it out with him! Got that episode on DVD...a harsh exclusion in my opinion. Typical "Wilkie" robust pass but not worthy of being thrown out of the race.

I shall do my best to oblige!

...Yep I thought so!

...I dunno Tony but the example I gave regarding Arne Pander who visited Cowley on a one-off which enticed a "lost fan" to return to the sport wasn't a bad return in monetary terms?

Although Nigel Wagstaff wasn't everybody's cup of tea he would often hold a post meeting question & answer session with a couple of riders and throwing it open to the public to join in.

Recall he rode for Cradley in 1984 (?)

That'll be interesting? Would be a good initiative for the more forward thinking promotions allowing riders access to the stadium free if in return the rider was happy to give a talk after the meeting? Obviously there are some riders who would find public speaking difficult (don't many of us?) but I'm sure some would be happy to do so given the right incentive. I thoroughly enjoyed the interviews that Lee Ashby carried out on line with former riders although I would have pressed some of the riders more with their answers to some of the questions...John Davis in particular!

Remember Graham Drury as a "Cheetah" and not being able to team ride to save his life! I recall he spoke on the microphone in 1983 trying to convince fans that moving up was the wrong way to go (Norther Sports and 1984...the rest is history) but I guess it was more a personal thing with him because he realised that he wasn't part of the bigger picture. However he successfully sued the promotion for breach of contract but I would imagine that Northern Sports didn't lose much sleep over that little incident?

I'd agree to disagree also but I would be interested to hear from Swindon Fans how popular the 'Legends Lounge' was and whether it attracted people to the speedway who otherwise wouldn't attend if only to chew the fat with ex"Budgies"?

...well the narrative on the forum is always that it's "oldies" who attend speedway so why not engage with them? I knew someone who hadn't been to speedway for years but word got out that Arne Pander was to make an appearance at Cowley and he went along to acknowledge his hero from the past and liked what he saw and became "hooked" all over again. Trying to attract a younger audience is another problem and requires a different mandate and which has been discussed time and again and there's no quick fix unfortunatey...and yes we know that it's past team members but a previous post that instigated this debate appeared to refer things were somewhat different? Just correcting that little observation to make it clear.

...there's a name from the past! Made a few appearances for "The Cheetahs" I remember. I would certainly have a chat with him but would I recognise him unless he turned up wearing his green leathers??

Depends what your interpretaion is of legends? To quote PC the likes of Ken Eyre and Eric Broadbelt would be regarded as "legends" in the eyes of some fans having been part of the successful "Aces" triple winners in the early seventies. The remaining members other than PC are no longer with us. Personally I think a "little lad" meeting any rider past or present would hopefully ignite some interest...totally different, I know, but I recall the days when riders were allowed to take children round on their bikes before H&S put a stop to that. Any interaction can only be a positive thing in my view. ...as an earlier post of mine initiated, taking Oxford as an example, there are only a few of the "Cheetahs" from your chosen year (1979) that live locally so the chance of visiting Cowley would be in the minority. As was/is the case with most teams whereby riders rarely live/lived close to their local track (even fewer now with the reliance on "foreign" imports) so, again, I don't see it as issue. Of the '79 vintage George Hunter is no longer with us. Les Rumsey resides in Kent, Carl Askew in Aussie, John Hack Manchester, John Barker and Colin Ackroyd (both Eastbourne to my knowledge) the unfortunate Pip Lamb (the midlands) who use to get rousing receptions when he visited, Mick Handley the midlands. Therefore to re-iterate few would make regular visits to Oxford. When the great Oxford sides of 1985/86 were invited to attend Cowley in 2005(?) under the Wagstaff banner they got a great reception but that was a "one-off" occasion. To repeat, again, the initiative was for past team members and not a "horses for courses" policy.

I worked within tourism for eleven plus years but really don't see the relevance. As regards the speedway "agenda" the figure that had been quoted as "200 plus" is seriously off the mark in my opnion and I had given examples of the truer picture. We are not talking about a whole army of "freebies" gaining entry on a weekly basis but turning it into a positive (and I know that it happened at Oxford) having the odd rider presented to the fans via the centre green only added to the entertainment and "nostalgia element" especially when they were able to mix with the fans. Recall the great Ivan Mauger visiting Cowley and the number of people who made a point of meeting him and his willingness to have a chat and sign autographs made for an occasion in itself. My friend's little lad was "over the moon" meeting the great man. Ironic but I personally took the opportunity of having a quick chat with Peter Collins when he stood on the terraces at Cowley on one occasion long after he had stopped riding who was there in support of his son. However the discussion was about riders who once graced their team and not a general free for all which of course paints a whole different picture and that wasn't the intention proposed by the initiative as I understood it to be?

...still don't see it as an issue. If I was to call in at my previous place of employment I would be greeted with open arms!

...however I still don't see the issue allowing ex-riders gaining free entry to the clubs they rode for using the examples of the less than dramatic influx that you implied in my earlier post on that particular subject?

...still rankled with then Leicester Promoter, Martin Rogers, as Ochiltree was regarded as the "figurehead" and suffered with a lack of communication as regards the sudden closure of Blackbird Road.

...especially Frank Ebden whose desire was to complete a meeting before I had had a chance to down a cup of tea!

Much of the site will probably have to be demolished and made safe before any thoughts of speedway returning. I wish all those fighting the cause good luck because speedway needs a thriving Coventry.

I know that Eddie once appeared at White City and had his photo taken with the team and performing a few stunts...think it was 1978?

Yes hopefully something can be done to retrieve it form the abyss that surrounds it.

...as a postscript apparently according to PC ex ACU referees are entitled to free entry at any track which strikes as "double standards'" to me?

...there were still many rider interviews I would have enjoyed reading. The likes of Tommy Knudsen, Jimmy Nilsen and Per Jonsson but, yes, I understand the reasoning behind the dis-continuation but a massive hole in my reading nevertheless.