steve roberts

Northern Sports who owned and promoted speedway at Cowley were expecting Hans to take a pay cut and the difference would be made up by his impending testimonial which he dismissed. The losers were the fans and Hans moving to Coventry was helped by sponsorship...apparently.

...Northern Sports basically went bust due to their outside interests which affected the speedway at Cowley.

Remember a "pay restraint" was imposed on Hans prior to the 1993 season which led him to move to Coventry and the Oxford scene was never the same again. Unless I'm mistaken the governing body tried to introduce a pay structure but like most things in the sport went the way of many other initiatives in an attempt to curb spiralling costs. Funny, however, that Coventry managed to entice Hans when Oxford failed but outside influences dictated..

...should have given it to John Berry all those years ago!

...strewth! I remember that!

...which has been the case with the speedway rulebook for many years and open to all sorts of interpretation/abuse and finding loop holes of which Ian Thomas was a great advocate!

...absolutely agree!

What a wasted opportunity...confirms what many of us knew. Nonsensical practice with riders taking more out of the sport than what was coming in. Of course in the "Good Old Days" many riders were part-time and the sport gave them a good side line boosting their potential earnings.

..yes this was certainly the case at the University Department that I once worked at in Oxford.

...a favourite ploy of Tommy Knudsen. Tried it against Marvyn Cox at Cowley on one occasion but Marvyn anticipated it and held back slightly cutting back and passing Knudsen up the inside joining Hans for a glorious match winning 5-1!

I recall when Ted Hubbard at Hackney did exactly that in front of John Dews and John took avoiding action.

...Jason had a temper. Remember when he slapped team mate Todd Wiltshire for a collision. He apologised later realising that it hadn't been Todd's fault.

...always the chance that someone may fall off or break down?

The 30 yard mark used to confuse some people but it wasn't there to stop riders from deviating (within reason) but if a bike stalled when leaving the tapes it's the distance that outside help was allowed to push start the bike if necessary...not sure if that is still the case however?

...at my local Fish and Chip Restuarant "The Wetherby Whaler" I qualify for the "pensioner's option" based on being 60.

Personally I never just base the "greatest ever' on World Championships won but a rider's overal contribution and racing awareness...don't recall Tony Rickardsson doing much team riding on the occasions that I saw him which is why I don't rate him above Ivan Mauger (another great team man who cajoled his team mates) despite equalling Ivan's World Championships win or above the likes of Nielsen, aforementioned Moore and dare I suggest Ole Olsen!

...didn't he try car racing during his premature retirement?

...I only saw Ronnie on a couple of occasions in 1972 and he was still a very classy act. To think what more he may have achieved if he hadn't retired for a number of years before making a return to the UK and scoring the way he did. Personally I think his achievements as a rider tend to get overlooked. One of the greats!

...both Ronnie Moore and Hans Nielsen are examples of that in that they thought nothing but nurse a colleague round for the better of the team. It wasn't always about getting over the line first which is what the team aspect should be about unlike individual meetings whereby winning is more important.

When Oxford conquered all in 1964 (National League & Trophy) they only used eight riders. Ron How, Jimmy Gooch, Arne Pander, Colin Gooddy and Eddie Reeves were ever present while Jack Geran and Jon Bishop missed only one match and Ronnie Genz three.

...I forgot Trevor Geer! Colin Richardson was another who "escaped" us. Rode as a fifteen year old at Cowley (I recall an "exhibition" match race between him and Michael Lee which Colin won). However he was snapped up by Reading whilst an "Eagle" and eventually ended up at Plough Lane.

...I certainly didn't as Oxford/White City benefitted hugely from "doubling up" whereby riders from its sister promotions eventually became full time assets. The likes of Malcolm Ballard, Gordon Kennett, John Davis, Richard Greer, Paul Gachet and Steve Weatherley (Bobby McNeil and Roger Johns escaped us!) but of course that was the original concept of the old Second Division to develop British talent and it was a way to gently introduce riders to the harsher environment of the upper league. Belle Vue, King's Lynn and Ipswich, amongst others, also benefitted with the old "doubling up" formula. Unfortunately that concept changed by the early eighties and it's no accident that the national team began to dry up when the National League as it became began to take its own identity. The "doubling up" scenario appears to be a very different animal nowadays.

...and David Kennett. Of course in those days there was often a promotional tie in. White City/Oxford - Eastbourne/Peterborough and King's Lynn - Boston for example.

...bit different to Oxford in 2005 who used 23 riders (14 of which who rode in six or more matches).

I was thinking the other day about one club riders and they are very few and far between...Pete only rode for Teesside. A good servant and what club speedway is all about in my opinion. We had Rick Timmo at Oxford. Wouldn't happen nowadays!