steve roberts

Mick Handley was another rider one didn't mess around with on or off the track. Recall my brother saying that once after a meeting in the clubhouse at Oxford he 'ejected' a trouble maker and those present swore that they didn't see anything untoward when the police apparently got involved.

I recall that Steve Koppe (another rider who retired far too early) had been a renowned boxer but was not aware if he ever got involved in any shenanigans on or off the track whereas his fellow country man Billy Sanders wasn't slow in coming foward as another who studied boxing during his youth.

I s'pose it's the company that I keep?

Had to look it up...well you learn something new everyday!

I was brought up in Oxford and attended a Grammar School therefore League was never going to be an option. It was Rugby and cricket...never football until it went comprehensive!

I recall the trip back along the North Circular, A40 and the M40 at 20 mph and the engine screaming (especiallly down Stokenchurch)...it took a long, long time! You don't forget things like that in a hurry! We were actually reported for acting suspiciously as it was during the time of the IRA bombing spree in London.

...remember dad having to drive all the way back from Hackney to Oxford in a car that had lost third and fourth gear and that was after being reported to the police for looking suspicious awaithing a phone call from a public phone box in the East End during the middle of the night. What memories!

I was forced to play Rugby Union at school...never League...and I bloody well hated it getting pulped by all the fat and/or bully types!

I was being flippant in my observation as my endeavors did attract a certain amount of unwanted attention.

You haven't seen me fishing...entertaining in itself as I swear under my breath attempting to reel in the "Big One" and having it just at landing net distance the blighter breaks the line and scarpers off with hook and float!

"Mad" Malcolm Ballard had a temper on him...remember he and the Kennetts not getting on particularly well. A rider who retired far too early.

I wonder how angling would measure up? I guess ut would be based on the number of rod licences issued?

I get your point but when Pedersen rode for the "Cheetahs" in his very first match he needlessly rode thru' Lee Richardson sending him sprawling. I have no problems riders holding their ground and putting their elbows about so to speak when in close proximation but when some riders go purposely looking for trouble I draw the line.

Barney Kennett was a tough old character!

...as did Vaclav Verner!

...at least it wasn't with a rake! Apparently Eric once went looking for John Louis with a track rake after an incident at Foxhall Heath and John Berry defused the potentially nasty coming together by rugby tackling him!

A Norway/Denmark combined team so that Ole Olsen could take part when Norway was by far the more dominate team...how times have changed!

Who could ever forget the run-off between Peter Collins (England) and Anders Michanek (Sweden) after the final finished in a draw at Wembley and Anders was excluded after Peter slid off? An incident that divided opinion then and still does for those who were around to remember it.

Sunderland Stadium looked to be in a decent state when I passed it a few years back now. Was never really a success as a speedway and having Nwcastle running a team I guess finding sufficient interest would be difficult but, then again, think of the rivalry it may well educe?

The 1973 Daily Mirror World Tournament caught the imagination as well as the media's attention...it was a great advert for the sport back then during speedway's last "Golden Era".

I wish Oxford all the possible luck but personally I think that it will be fraught with problems as it lies within a built up area having lain dormant for ten plus years.

Andre Compton...another 'Goon'.

Apparently he really got picked on at Plough Lane soon after he caused Kelvin Tatum's bad injury at Wolves by some of the Wimbledon riders who gave him a hard time.

I passed Skegness Stadium only last year when a meeting was taking place which, again, was somewhat out of town but that was a complete disaster when the sport was introduced there during the nineties.

Carl Askew "The Spear" some would say was a hard rider although I personally never saw much evidence when he rode for Oxford...perhaps in his early days as a "Brummie?"