steve roberts

Just started reading the book having received it as a present. Showing potential as a light read...hoping that it gets more controversial as I delve deeper!

I last read that he was living in the States but I would be interested in any news regarding Jimmy? A great servant to British Speedway but injuries held him back and he never truly reached the heights his initial potential promised in my opinion.

I maybe wrong but I think that Denzil was from Zimbabwe?

Blimey! I forgot the Czechs as well!

Trouble was Nigel Wagstaff was signing riders "left, right & centre" after I re-located and I lost count of the number of riders and nationalities!

I also missed out the USA - Hancock

During one of my quieter moments I began thinking which team over the years has been represented by the most Nations/Countries? Oxford must be up there with them? Using one example from each Nation/Country I've come up with the following: England - Gordon Kennett Scotland - Ken McKinlay Wales - Bryan Woodward Australia - Garry Middleton New Zealand - Rick Timmo Zimbabwe - David Steen Sweden - Hasse Holmqvist Norway - Dag Lovaas Denmark - Hans Nielsen Finland - Kaj Laukhanen Slovenia - Jernej Kolenko Poland - Seb Ulamek Germany - Klaus Lausch Italy - Armando Castagna France - Phillipe Berge Hungary - "Mark Frost" Russia - Roman Povazhny I make that seventeen? PS Eighteen if you count Yorkshire (John Dews) knowing how pedantic some Yorkshire folk are!!

...he was never that good when he rode for the "Cheetahs" Junior Team I recall!

Glad to say that Belle Vue "only" managed a draw at Cowley that year which one could argue effectively meant that "lost" point cost them the championship! The twice rained-off meeting at Hyde Road against Swindon would have undoubtedly taken place if the championship depended upon the result but having dropped a point at Oxford earlier in the season put it out of reach of the "Aces".

Good post!

Sad news indeed. RIP

If I recall he rather excelled on Indoor Circuits and won a few Telford events?

I've just re-read the book on Tommy Jansson. An excellent, if somewhat poignant, read with many references from different sources. It's clear that many of his rivals held him in high esteem. The likes of Briggs, Mauger, Michanek, Persson, Nordin and Collins all thought that he could have reached the very top. Ivan summed it up perfectly when he was quoted as saying "...that Tommy had everything but luck!" How true.

Unfortunately I have no knowledge of the present heat formula and pairings just basing my observation on the old 13/15 heat formula and I'm guessing that things are very different now which is what I guess this particular narrative is about? Under the previous system having a "Star" rider programmed at Number Four gave you a potentially strong pairing in the last heat away from home during the 13 heat formula. Ivan Mauger occasionally rode at Number Two at the County Ground to off-set any potential tactical move by the away team.

Personally I think that you should be able to place your top five averaged riders in what order you wish and six and seventh at reserve (based on a seven man team) as it always used to be. Allow the Team Manager flexibilty allowing tactics to play a part.

Having watched Martin develop as a rider at Cowley he showed great potential. Personally I thought moving back to Eastbourne was a mistake and as Gordon Kennett was once quoted he should had taken himself off to "Aussie" during the British close season to help his development both as a rider and a person.

...good old Oxfordshire lad!

Just reading the book on Tommy Jansson and Neil Cameron told the story that when he returned to Britain prior to the start of the 1973 season found his car (which he had garaged in Wolverhampton?) totally wrecked by Liverpool fans who had been on the rampage after their team had lost to Wolves!

Have to say that I wasn't that impressed with Ryan Fisher when he rode for Oxford...fell far too many times even when not under pressure!

I personally thought that Dalle Andersen was the most exciting prospect to come out of Sweden in a number of years when he rode for Oxford in 1995. Some of his moves round Cowley were out of the top draw. Made a mistake in returning to "parent" club Cradley in my opinion who rode at Stoke in 1996 and was never the same rider again especially after receiving a bad injury.

I also remember in said book that John Louis stated that Rickardsson's bike was set up totally differently to Tomasz Gollob's during their time as team mates at Ipswich whereby Rickardsson's bike would be "screaming" whereas Gollob's would almost be "purring" as both riders preferred different set ups and handling/responsiveness.

Yes it's something I've just read in John Louis's book when son Chris also indicated that 'Lay Downs" have also played a significant part to the lack of team riding as they prove to be more unreliable in handling.

I was never a fan of this particular ruling as, despite popular belief, the "star" rider didn't always take the best gate available. Also having fixed gates limits the opportunity to team ride whereby the rider generally on the inside (Hans Nielsen was a great advocate) dictated the first turn but I guess that the art is generally less applied nowadays with the more powerful bikes amongst other things? Also fixed gates were never consistant as dirt (if any?) tends to move towards the outside as the meeting progresses thus proving advantageous to those who have outside gates later on during the meeting and vice versa of course.

I saw him at Reading at the end of the 1975 season competing in the Geoff Curtis Memorial Meeting. If I recall he was involved in a three rider run-off against John Davis and Dag Lovaas which Davis won? Tommy missed Wimbledon's visit to Cowley on Bank Holiday Monday that same season and John Boulger deputised in his absence.

I saw him last ride at Swindon losing to Martin Ashby in the Golden Helmet. Prior to that at White City's opening meeting.