Sidney the robin

Terrific post and i can identify with everything you have said my youth was took up with speedway and i would not change a thing..The nicest thing as you said was taking your kids my wife used to drop me and the two boys off and they went from the age of seven until about 14 now they dont go but they still keep up with the sport.I hope the sport in the UK can hang in there but i have my doubts the sport can truely get back to prospering again fingers crossed it does.

Pander for me is in a group with Harrefeldt, Harrysson, who were very unlucky with injuries which hindered there progress on the world stage.Pedersen as a rider i never took to and out of the five best riders of his generation Ricko, Crump, Gollob, Hancock all are ahead of him in my opinion.But you cannot take away what he has achieved in his chosen sport maybe debatable at times how he conducted himself but his achievements are terrific.I actually met Nicki once at Swindon and he was a really nice bloke down to earth and had time for people.

Nielsen, Pander, Middleton, Pedersen, Hancock, Lovaas, Wigg.

But as you said the system now is near to perfect as you can get a level playing field for everyone.

Spot on Doris great lot.

Was the system fair when Loram won it ( who i liked very much ) and some of Rick's early title wins.? the thing NOBODY can prove is what was the worth of the oppposition you were up against.

Spot on with Sigalos ,,1983 Carter , Lee, Sigalos, Sanders were all in the mix and within a few years they had gone.With those riders about no way would Hans/Erik have won seven titles between them yes they were great but fate did play some part and that is forgetting Penhall as well who only retired in 1982.

Does that tell you something that is not quite right ? the Gp series where it has evolved shows since it was first started the scoring system has not always been right.

But do you think Nielsen with his speedway brain could of rode percentage speedway with Hans you rarely ever got a duck egg from him and his strength was his consistency.

Autrey had mega problems with the Authorities hence him missing out badly in 1979.The USA final also had the likes of Bast and other homebased riders who were very very good on there home patch.The USA and Australasian final's were renowned for being tough one's and some riders fancied fell out at a early stage.

He could of won 6/8 titles and that would not be stretching it Steve.He could of rode percentage speedway against Erik and win over a longer distance.

How would Nielsen, Mauger, Fundin, Briggs , Olsen, Michanek, Penhall, Collins, Lee ( at there peak have fared???) my hunch is that they would of all loved and preferred the GP format.

Peter Craven is a rider that i never see ride but for his untimely death he would of certainly won more titles also he was in a real tough era to.Tai is a rider i never really liked but he has won me over over the years and deserves every accolade he recieves.As you said everyone rode against different opposition so it is difficult to make a choice.All i would say is Lee/ Collins at there best are in the same bracket as Tai and Craven certainly is.

The USA final was always a tough meeting ask the likes of Bobby Schwartz who suffered as badly as most over the years.Tai i like and he will probably go on and win more titles but for me the GP series is a different discipline to the old one off finals.My opinion is Ivan Mauger winning his six titles was harder than Tony Rickardsson winning his just an opinion though.

1962 Belle Vue uncle Len Silver- Wayne Briggs- Brian Craven.

Swindon's reserves will surprise.

Same as you Iris i never saw Craven or Knutsson either but not to worry eh.Some of those i named i saw alot of so a huge bias is there you tend to do that without realising.Ashby a prime example apart from Norden 1975 wtc and winning the superama he never showed his true worth his World class record in all honesty was modest he was better than that.

The era was certainly a special one no doubt about that and all those you named deserve to be mentioned.Wilson for me is in a group of riders who were alot better than there bare results show Adams, E.Boocock, Ashby,Sigalos,Autrey, P.Crump are other examples.

There are at least 5 there who you named, who were not anywhere near Wilson's level Valentine a very strange choice of course he was very talented.

People sometimes forget just how good Ray Wilson was i would say from 1967/73 he was in the top 10 /15 riders in the world.His record generally does not show that but i believe he was.Boocock/2 / Betts Wilson, Simmons,Collins, Jessup, Ashby,Louis, (ect) what a generation that was.

Riss and Jorgensen i really like both great value, I think Andersen at reserve might improve??? Without Puk though is such a blow with him top four material easily.

It tells you alot about how the sport in this Country is percieved Micky Mouse comes to mind .I told my mate about King's Lynn last week and that the team had not been totally announced .And his response was, the owner is he not the guy who runs British speedway !!!! says it all.

I havent missed the point, but with the the way that your team has been announced it shows us one of the reason's why speedway in this Country is in such a mess.Bagpuss you knew the team anyway, but do you honestly believe somebody reading in a local newspaper that Eric Riss is signing is going to make a huge difference.? On the other hand if your club had a huge signing to announce. Ie) a Drabik or a Smektala that approach would have been spot on and understandable and created a wow factor just saying.!!

Totally agree.

I actually think our reserves can surprise, i have always been a fan of Zach and i expect him to put at least a point on his average.Shanes i believe will be a huge favourite with the fans and looking at the other reserves he will hold his own.