steve roberts

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!

Apparantly Dean died relatively recently....was from the Bristol area according to my contact.

There was a Chris Trewin who rode sidecars during that same period?

I was talking to someone today who knew a Dean Trewin who used to ride speedway/grasstrack during the seventies/eighties? I have to admit I have never heard of him but apparently he once rode against Ivan Mauger? Has anyone come across the name?

Of course Bwitcher (whatever happened to him?) could have used Malcolm as an example to back his wild claim that "numerous" riders back in the seventies rode for teams after only a few weeks/months after first sitting astride a speedway bike (or indeed any bike was I recall his claim?). Knowledge would have highlighted however that although there were a few riders who apparently appeared on the scene from nowhere most had competed on the grass or, as in Ballard's case, scrambling so were already very accomplished motorcyclists. Tony Davey is another who springs to mind who was also a scrambler prior to taking up speedway.

Of course there was the tragic accident involving Rolf Gramstad which ending Rolf's speedway career and left him with mobility issues.

Not sure if I ever saw him ride? Did he once have the nickname "Kermit?"

Apparently one time rider Vic Lonsdale used to collect "jars of shale!"

My brother once owned a most bizarre collection of samples of shale from tracks around the country (contained in those "Tic-Tac" boxes) including Wembley!

Being an Oxford fan I saw lots of "Mad" Malc during second halves (a sad loss in my view) due to the promotional tie up with Eastbourne and his eventual appearance in the team going full time in 1973. Controversy was never that far where Malc was concerned and the stand out meeting was down at Arlington in 1974 (after he had left the "Rebels") during a 4TT when he was involved in some ugly scenes with riders representing the "Hawks"...great entertainment however and brought the meeting to life!

...or, indeed, his brother Timmy who I remember taking part in the second halves at Cowley?

He hit the ground running in 1971 but his scrambling experience would have helped him I'm sure! Not the best of friends with Dave Kennett!

Does anyone know of the wearabouts of Malcolm Ballard and whether he takes a keen interest in speedway? Remember "Mad" Malc when he was an overnight sensation and there were high hopes he would continue his rise when he joined the "Rebels" but after a transfer to Poole and ultimately Leicester he disappeared from the scene citing, if I recall, mechanical hardships getting him down? I remember reading he helped Lewis Bridger (another unpredictable rider) for a while. Any memories would be greatly appreciated and would have made a great interview in an edition of "Backtrack".

Paul Lydes-Uings.

I had the entire collection of White City programmes home and away during 1977 (including challenges, 4TT etc) in what was an amazing year for yours truly. Complete set of Oxford programmes from 1972 to 2002. Many one-off specials and I always cherished visits to track shops picking up programmes to add to my vast collection now, alas, all gone!

...could well open up a whole "can of worms" and there may well be some who don't come out of it too welll? Looking forward to it all the same.

...looking forward to the Peter Collins' Book!