steve roberts

Out of that five Genz, Gooddy and Geran moved on presumeably to balance up team strengths due to the amalgamation of the British and National Leagues? However Oxford stll managed to finish fourth despite loosing How thru' injury.

...and also add those that rode during the National League era. Yeates, Hunter, Perks, Rumsey, Harrison et al plus Gordon Kennet of course!

Many thanks for this!

Danny Dunton in one fixture Sid but not sure about the other two?

Eddie Reeves was the other. Sadly only Eddie and John Bishop are still with us what with the recent death of Jack Geran. Too early for me but I do know that the promoters pulled out after that season.

Good call Ron Preston. Saw quite a bit of him at Eastbourne during his last year riding in the UK and he was a particular master around the first two bends.

Just checked and it was at Poole but you're right that Terry did once brake his forearm in a second half race at Lynn when chasing Malcolm Simmons.

I thought it was at Poole (not one of his favourite tracks) when he broke a collar bone but I maybe wrong?

I remember Gordon Kennett hosing down his bike on the centre green after the meeting!

Great memories Sid! Quite incredible that Terry only made one World Final but of course the British Final was a difficult hurdle in those days especially when the Aussies and Kiwis were also included!

Dag was one of my favourites...recall his sublime 15 point maximum in the wet during Mike Keen's Testimonial Meeting. So glad Olsen never made it to Oxford and we got Dag instead! Such a shame his move to White City didn't really work out but he still registered a near 8 point average.

Slight parallel with Jack Millen...hard as nails on track but apparently a very nice guy off it where helping fellow riders was never too much trouble (unless you were Frank Auffret!) As regards Pedersen I can only comment on what I saw on track and certainly during his short spell at Cowley and never warmed to him. Was glad when Greg Hancock joned the team who had a bettter understanding of team ethics and went about helping his partner on track unlike Pedersen.

I've spoken to Ian Cartwright on a number of occasions when visiing "Mouseman" at Kilburn and the intention was always that he would eventually take over the family business after he achieved what he hoped for in speedway. His father was also a keen motorcyclist and of course Ian's son rode before also entering the family business. "Mad" Malcolm Ballard? Attained a high average on his initial season at Arlington and bettered it on his second. Achieved a decent average at Oxford in 1973 when moving up a league but after asking for a transfer he moved to Poole and then quickly on to Leicester in 1974 and retired well before the season ended.

Just realised that my two examples are outside the remit!

Bjorn Knutsson of Sweden who became World Champion in 1965 and retired in 1966 I believe? Brian Crutcher another candidate who retired while still in his twenties.

Was the ref Frank Ebdon?

Personally I was glad to see the back of him...there's one thing being a character but Pedersen (like his brother Ronni) went out of his way to be antagonistic towards opponents and management (got the sack at Cowley) and I grew tired of his tantrums.

Alan slipped up just as he was about to climb the ladder to the great amusement of the crowd. He climbed the ladder and was joined by Team Manager Eric Boocock and if I recall "Wilkie" left having got nowhere pointing to his (Alan's) head obviously making a comment!

Have on film Alan Wilkinson's trip to the box at King's Lynn...wouldn't have wanted to get on the wrong side of "Wilkie".

I would agree that part of speedway was the 'aggro' when a rider felt hard done by however I always felt that Nikki Pedersen often took his actions one step too far when on track. Remember when he rode for Oxford he purposely rode straight thru' Lee Richardson knocking him off and was excluded for his actions. Totally uncalled for.

He was/is always a bit of an ar***ole. When he rode for the "Cheetahs" (albeit short term) he was always looking for trouble and personally I was glad to be rid of him!

It's all very sad. speedway did, and still should, have all the ingredients of being a spectacular experience combining skill, dare devil riding, thrills and spills and yet struggles to grab the attention. However one of the most repetitive sports imaginable (tennis) enjoys blanket coverage on both BBC channels and media hype which says something about modern society and how easily it can be swayed into believing something is good. I would dare to suggest that other sports fall into that same category. Speedway's failings I blame almost entirely on bad management skills and indecisiveness down the years (constant unnecessary rule changes for example) when the promoters should have been pulling together rather than appearing at odds and now they appear to be paying the ultimate choice.

What a state speedway in this country has become what with two leagues back in the seventies compromising of 18 plus teams per league and all the world stars competing.

Just watched the interview and some interesting anecdotes...not surprised he wasn't a fan of Oxford's track as he was dropped during the 1994 season due to poor form! Neil Evitts wasn't one of his favourite opponents...now there's a surprise!

If I remember the sum paid for Lee Richardson was decided on the toss of a coin as Swindon and Coventry couldn't agree on a fee?