steve roberts

Sad news indeed...hopefully it can come back at a future date as it has many times in the past.

'Cass the Gas" Middleton "Manoleto" Holmqvist

Cowley was walking distance for me. My nearest track now, I guess, is Scunthorpe across the bridge...wouldn't contemplate going if I'm honest.

Len Silver also gave Graeme Smith the nickname "The Corduroy Kid" after he turned up at Weymouth (?) and rode in his corduroy trousers!

When I used to go to White City on a Wednesday/Tuesday night travelling from Oxford was always a pleasure driving back along the M40 after the meeting. Visits to Wolves/Cradley was never an issue and trips to Eastbourne meant an evening walking along the prom after the meeting. Wouldn't wish to take those sort of journeys now with the increase in traffic however!

Again it never bothered me as I regarded it as a full night out and was in no hurry to get back home (I only lived round the corner) Used to groan when Frank Ebdon was on the button as one never had time to digest and discuss the previous/forthcoming race action!

I have no real specific memories of Elsfield Park except having recently taken up photography it gave me a good opportunity to take photos from the raised bank which gave a clear view of the track without the fence getting in the way. The Birmingham "Wheels Project" gave the same view. Now that was a perculiar venue!

If I recall this was done during the fifties(?) and was soon abandoned.

I attended the very first meeting which was won by Mike Sampson. Very wet and in hindsight I guess the promotion should have cancelled it but were in a "no win" situation. Lots of memories when Oxford visited especially David Shields scoring a maxaimum on his very first appearance in the UK. Recall the steep ramp to the pits and riders starting their bikes by rolling down to the track!

Went on a couple of occasions and the view was good but personally I thought that the racing was better at the previous stadium in Milton Keynes (Groveway)

It's always a contentious issue but as regards leaning the bike to one side it's to allow the clutch to cool whilst the bike is supported by the foot rest thereby allowing the rider to release the clutch lever.

Couldn't agree more...we were spoit at Cowley during the seventies with the quality of the second halves and riders competing both establish speedway and occasional grasstrack rider (Julian Wigg, Ken Matthews, Chris Drewitt etc)

I used to call in at Cowley and although shocked by the deteriation it was nowhere near the level of Brandon. It was still structurally sound.

Good grief...can't see much hope there if I'm honest.

To be honest the in-between race tractor grading never bothered me...too busy talking to my fellow supporters on the terraces to take any great notice which was a great part of the evening out for me!

Just received my latest edition of the "Classic Magazine". Great article about the Soviet/Russians. I only hope that the magazine is able to continue and that Tony manages to negotiate a deal with a prospective interested party.

I'm looking thru' the magazine "Broadslide" that was published a couple or so years back...interesting articles about bikes but I can't find anything specific?

I used to visit Cowley every week irrespective of the meeting format...it was only when I re-located that I stopped going to speedway (although I used to travel the country following my team(s)) Never a great fan of watching on the box (although I have an extensive DVD collection) as it was being there "live" that really made it for me.

I used to enjoy the variety of meetings whether 4TT (disliked the 3TT format however!), Pairs, Test Matches and individuals but due to a combination of factors they became less popular and supporters voted with their feet hence why riders looked elsewhere to fill their racing diaries. Recall Simmo saying that he would have a full racing diary by just riding in this country with the odd meeting abroad thrown in.

I used to travel to watch the likes of the "Golden Gauntlets", "Midland & Southern Riders Champs", "Silver Plume", "Geoff Curtis Memorial Meeting", 'Itex !00" etc but apathy shown by supporters over the years can not be dismissed. Yes the promoters have a lot to answer for but when these "filler" meetings were removed from the calender supporters must also share the blame.

I remember gettting all excited as a kid when Ole Olsen was due at Cowley in 1972 in one of his too rare appearances. Ivan missed Cowley that season (when Belle Vue visited due to injury...wrists?) but I did get to see him at Reading's final meeting that season. The only occasion I saw him that season. Roll on many years and Erik Gundersen seemed to be riding at Cowley every other week during Oxford's "Glory Years".

Sad indeed!

I was there when Hans won...I hardly recognise the stadium from the picture!

A group of us went down with food poisoning at the Randolph Hotel in Oxford many years ago.

I used to go to Wolves quite often when Oxford were the visitors and a section of their fans were somewhat aggressive but I guess that most teams had/have their demonic element but at Wolves it was more obvious in my experience...as for Cradley!