AndyO

Hi Singy, there was definitely a grass track at Iwade prior to the speedway training track being opened by Barry Thomas and his brother, not sure if it was on the same sight or nearby? Doubt it would have been a grass track meeting on a Saturday afternoon though so maybe it was the training track when you visited? Not sure of the year that it was opened ...

Ye he did, against Canterbury... he was one of the first 'star' opposition riders I related to as a very young Canterbury fan in 68. R.I.P.

BV Hyde Road West Ham Norwich Cradley Trelawny

Canterbury (in the 70s) Mildenhall (in the 80s) Peterborough Hackney Wimbledon

Martyn Piddock, Graeme Smith, Ross Gilbertson, Alan Mogridge and Simon Wigg..

Spot on Bob... let's face it regular league speedway is an outdated attraction that does not work in the 21st century except for long term enthusiasts.. The only model that might attract reasonable and potentially some news fans would be six or seven tracks spaced out around the country which held 5 or 6 meetings a year, a mix of individual and 'team' meetings.. However for all of the reasons mentioned by others this can't happen unless the stadium is fully owned and the owner can afford to run in this way...

Sorry just noticed my typo.. should be Marshal and not Marshall... make them even less relevant I guess!

Cam Heeps scored 7+3 for Lynn on Thursday, signs of improvement hopefully?

Good point

My memories of Canterbury in the late 60's were a team of start line crew who used to line up behind all 4 riders, plus the start Marshal and assistant (to hand him the flags obviously) plus numerous track rakers on the bends and pit staff to push the riders out... all volunteers presumably.. I think if you had that now they would outnumber the crowd!

Seriously I think they should be an extension of the referee on the track... what they say at the start goes and if ignored they have the power to exclude, no point otherwise..

They always remind me of a sad dad who is trying to make the kids do what he wants and they are completely ignoring him!

OK so in true investigative journalist style and cutting to the chase with the important questions of the day... Start Marshall's - what's the point!

Couldn't go as I was working however looking at the scores it shows what can be achieved when everyone rides to their potential and we have a decent 3rd heat leader..

Thanks didn't know the background but that makes sense, shame though as a fully functioning 747 would have made a good replacement!

with Len Silver admitting in this weeks Speedway Star that Paul Hurry is struggling quote 'he knows it, we know it and the public knows it' makes you wonder what Luke Bowen is doing these days? Assume that he has retired however if not he might be good for a few points away and certainly knows the best way around Central Park? Probably not possible but options are very limited and would certainly be at least a slight up-grade?

Sorry to see Rob go but really pleased that Alex Spooner is back wit the Royals..

totally agree, I remember when the Young Czechoslovakia team came to Canterbury in 1969 it felt like they were from another world, and also seeing our local heroes who had by and large been second halfers and grass track riders 18 months previously representing England!

Reading some old speedway stars the other day got me thinking about what I really miss most about going to meetings back in the day, and whilst there is loads of stuff I think one of the things that was wonderful for a kid was to be able to stand up against the solid safety fence and feel the speed of the riders as they came past.. except on the bends when you had to duck down at the last minute to avoid a face full of shale!

Well with Wolves threatening to close and now Birmingham putting their season on hold with immediate effect due to unsustainable losses due to COVID restrictions it is clear to even the most optimistic that this is a crisis, in fact to quote Blackadder 'This is a crisis. A large crisis. In fact, if you got a moment, it's a twelve-storey crisis with a magnificent entrance hall, carpeting throughout, 24-hour portage, and an enormous sign on the roof, saying 'This Is a Large Crisis'.!

Announcement on Twitter that Tom Bacon has retired.. anyone know if this is confirmed?

Well as everyone is saying that the main priority for this season is to just get speedway going again, and who wins is probably less important than ever before, it would be interesting if this arrangement was tried in a few meetings, and while we are at it also go back to 13 heats with a second half... and also nudging the tapes allowed!!

Thanks everyone, as you say really interesting...

Just been looking at some old Canterbury programmes from 1968 and whilst I attended the meetings, as a ten year old i didn't pay too much attention to the rules regarding team strengths (if there were any?) It seemed that the Crusaders could bring in new riders as and when they wanted regardless of how good they were .. also the best riders could be riding at number 1 and then number 2 followed by being at reserve all in the space of a few weeks? Can anyone enlighten me as to any rules regarding team building in place in the new second division in 1968? Cheers

Hope so.. I think it's a real tragedy if a young rider like Alex gets left out due to the rules...