steve roberts

I'd recommend anyone to read "Cloughie's" autobiogarphy. Although written nearly 20 years ago his views on the modern game and TV in particular make fascinating reading and there is much that is still relevant today especially regarding "big" money/salaries, club owners and over the top commentary analysis amongst many other observations.

...not Premier League Football however where the team that finishes top become champions. Not sure if the lower divisions apply the same criteria? You can imagine the outcry if the team that finished top in the Football Premier League weren't crowned champions?

I'll believe it when I see it...the future of Swindon's Stadium has been banded about for so long now it's easy to think cynically.

My comment was not directed at Kelvin Tatum or podcasts but just a response to Dean's observation about riders constantly referring to "set ups".

I have to say I, too, used to find it tiring when riders constantly talked about getting "the right set up" or other such technical issue. Personally I think fans don't generally want to hear about the mechanical part of the sport but more of the human touch. One reason I gave up watching sport on TV because of the over emphasis on tactics and constant replays of the same bit of action taken from different angles and "experts" babbling for all they are worth!

Martin made a mistake moving back to Eastbourne in my opinion and as Gordon Kennett once said should have spent a winter racing in Australia which would have improved his all round technique as it did Gordon many years previously.

I recall that Ivan Mauger was critical of Andrew Silver's style and was rebuked by both Andrew and Uncle Len I remember regarding his comments. Personally I felt his style went against him as he took the bends not in one clean move but I guess that's what made him spectacular to watch although his career did peter out despite a short comeback some years back and he could have achieved a lot more with the right guidance.

Sad indeed!

...or indeed Cowley back in the middle seventies when we very nearly lost the stadium!

I have a collection of 50 cards in a frame featuring the likes of jack Parker, Eric Langton etc.

Worth it just so one could visit Alf's fish and chips! Spent many a hppy time at Weymouth Speedway when on holiday in the area.

Peter Collins certainly found him difficult over certain policies?

I believe it is but on a much smaller site?

I used to watch American Football and the game was often held up as they viewed instant replays...but, then again, watching American Football "live" can often be a trial in itself with all the gaps between plays and/or adverts!

As much as we swear and curse at the ref I would always agree that his decision is final. Just reading "Cloughie's" excellent autobiography again and he mentions the over emphasise of "experts" and "analyists" condemning the referee with the luxury of having instant replies to indulge themselves with.

He was not popular at Oxford when Belle Vue visited in 1985 for a Knock-Out Cup match when he put in a last minute protest regarding Oxford's intended use of Melvyn Taylor (own asset) in place of the still absent Klaus Lausch. It was a question of hats as Bamforth was then Chairman of the BSPA and would have known beforehand the issue but chose to wait just before the commencment of the meeting when wearing his Team Manager's hat put in a protest. Okay Oxford should have got the paperwork sorted but it rankled that he was playing one position of office against the other and Bernard Crapper after the meeting (won by the "Cheetahs" incidently) had some very strong words to say over the public address system and no doubt got fined in the process...as he often did!

I was at Eastbourne the afternoon that Kelly Moran turned up worse for wear and in his two rides didn't get further than the first bend falling off on both occasions before being quickly withdrawn by the "Eagles" management.

I applied direct to Alan (who I'm sure goes under the name of Moxey on the BSF?)

Sorry I really don't know...I guess you sent him a private message? I haven't a copy of Peter Morrish's book...have you tried ebay? There's a copy available on AbeBooks. Regards

Unfortunately I never saw Ron ride...often a forgotten rider but certainly up there with the best in my view based upon statistics and was part of the successful "Cheetahs" side of '64.

Reminds me of the story that "Simmo" quoted when in Norden (1975) he and Peter Collins were riding long-track style only for Martin Ashby to pass them both riding bolt upright cool as you would wish...wouldn't have looked amiss with a pipe in his mouth!

Yes I guess that cinders and the deeper tracks made it possible? I remember a rider saying (Briggo?) that all the J.A.P. wanted to do was to take you to the fence and therefore required more brute force to keep it in check. Some riders obviously preferred to continue using the J.A.P. long after it became less popular. Ken McKinlay and Dag Lovaas (was he the last to ride a J.A.P. at a World Final?) spring to mind.

When I "rode" at one of Olle's Schools this was emphasised but we are talking the early eighties. In fact the idea was to place the left foot in line with the front wheel to help steer the bike thru' the bend. Not sure when the modern "leg trailing" kicked in but you wouldn't have got away with that on the J.A.P.

I remember reading that Norman Parker (?) instructed a fresh Bob Kilby to have a peg fitted on the frame of the bike because he used to sit almost on the fuel tank rather than the seat! I guess that different bikes ie J.A.P. and the Jawa (ESO) would require different techniques also?

I've purposely placed this is the "Years Gone By" section as riders styles nowadays tend to look all the same but in the past they varied greatly and it has always intrigued me how that was so? A rider's height obviously had a massive influence but when you study a riders particular style the position of the right forearm would vary. Some would place it over the right handlebar whereas others perpendicular to aid throttle control. Some would stand hign on the footrest and some remain seated when cornering. There were the "armchair" stylists (Anders Michanek) and the "tank slappers" (Gordon and David Kennett for example). In the Kennett's case the size of Arlington and its tight bends may have influenced them however the likes of Roger Johns and Malcolm Ballard (who had a style all of his own) had different approaches around Eastbourne. The "Briggos" rode with their heads very much over the left handlebar and some riders tended to trail their leg before it came the norm (Richard Greer). Leigh Adams had an armchair, almost crab, style. Of course there were the "harum-scarum" brigade (Kelly Moran and John Cook) who took what appeared impossible odds when on a bike...in fact John Cook once slid off and at the same time climbed back on his bike to continue the race in one swift movement. I guess that these riders had a natural ability that many others didn't poccess or the nerve to ride "on the edge"? Some riders would sit high up on the tank and others well back on the seat obviously to get the maximum grip. I sometimes wonder if I had passed thru' one of Olle Nygren Training Schools what style I would have adopted or come naturally to me?