steve roberts

Personally I don't think that it would be anything near that figure. Take Belle Vue's record breaking Triple Crown winners of 1972, for example (as Peter highlights in his book), where only three riders are still with us. My team's starting line up (Oxford) in my first year attending (also 1972) only two riders have survived and one, Rick Timmo, lives in NZ so is unlikely to visit regularly. With many teams traditionally having a very cosmopolitan make up the likelyhood of there being a great influx of "freebies" is negligible in my view and those who were domiclied in the UK during their riding careers how many used to live within easy distance of the track they represented including the British home-based riders? When Oxford ruled during the eighties we had Nielsen, Rasmussen and Sorensen (now all living back in Denmark), Cox (Thailand I believe?), Taylor (Mildenhall), Grahame (Birmingham), Dugard (Brighton) Butler (Australia) with only Nigel De'Ath and Jon Surman still living locally (?) and therefore wouldn't be visiting Cowley on anything like a regular basis and dare I suggest most teams would have similar examples. Of course it will become even less of an issue in the future with teams now filled with foreigners and the loss of tracks ever increasing. However if the issue was to allow riders free entry to any track then that's an entirely different matter altogether but I don't think that what's been implied?

Another on gone. RIP

All very sad! No way back from that in my opinion.

Having read the chapter in Peter's book about ex-riders visiting their track free of charge I have to agree with his views 100%. He goes into it in great detail and personally I don't see it as a problem and the initiative would only benefit the track involved with good PRO and supporter involvement. It's a shame that his friendship with Chris Morton appears to have been badly affected with events that the new Belle Vue and it's regime's policy adopted (no image of Peter Craven in the lounge dedicated to the great "Ace" beggars belief!). The talk of a museum within the new complex was also met with apathy apparently by the those in charge at the time. Ex- Cheetah, Mark Lemon, appears to follow the same directive and it's all very sad and helps creates animosity...no wonder speedway is in the state that it now appears to "enjoy". I would be aghast if I thought that my own team expected the likes of Eddie Reeves, Rick Timmo, Gordon Kennett and Dag Lovaas ( yes that name again "Chunky") were expected to pay on entry to Cowley?

As a matter of interest when were bonus points not included in the overall CMA? I always remembered it the case back in the seventies/eighties otherwise the "star" riders wouldn't have been content to sit behind their partner thus potentially lowering their average.

I've just got to the chapter when Peter states that England Manager John Berry decided not to select Peter during the 1985 season. Having read John's excelent book there was a different twist if I recall. Peter had made it clear at the start of the season he didn't wish to be considered for selection but changed his mind at the time of the World Best Pairs? John, however, felt it unfair and stuck with his original choice of Carter & Tatum.

...there's that name Osbourne again. Those at Oxford have long memories!

...which is what the majority of fans wish to see and not someone who doesn't bother if he misses the gate.

...blimey I've only just started reading it! I'm intrigued to find out what all the fuss is about?

Remember on one occasion when I was a lad going to a football match at Roker Park with my uncle (who I was staying with) who used to leave before the end of the game to beat the rush. When we got outside we heard this enormous roar and not knowing what was the cause we had to check the result on the TV when we got home!

I never bought a season ticket in all the years I went to speedway...too many variables in my opinion.

I know that it's all relative quoting prices from the past and taking into account inflationary adjustment but when I first went to speedway (1972) it cost 30p entrance (child) and 8p for a programme for 13 heats of main match action plus anything between 6 and 7 second half races.

...I've never understood it personally.

...my uncle used to one of those collecting his deck chairs passing us on the pits bend terracing so as to get on the road back to Banbury!

Got mine as well...looking forward to reading it!

...hopefully some other team may take a chance with him?

...anything about anything really?

Brilliant stuff!

Any news regarding the "Cheetahs"?

...crumbs! That's mt bath reading material out of the window!

Yes I well recall reading about Geoff Curtis (Sydney Showground). Strongly rumoured that he was to join Oxford the following season. Used to lodge in Oxford I remember. Alan Sorensen who was Geoff's protege came over in 1974 and rode in second halves at Cowley and Swindon.

...Certainly wetting my appetite!

...only a few days to go before I open my Xmas stocking and settle down and have a read of it!

Yes he was a Coventry Junior (used to wear those Honda leathers I recall) and rode for Scunthorpe during the middle seventies.

...remember watching him as a rider.