Beirao

Remember a time when meetings ran promptly enough to allow for interval attractions? What ones stick in your memory? https://classicspeedwaymemories.webador.co.uk/december-2023/anyone-remember-no-13

He was sold to Motherwell in 1954 as Glasgow tried to balance their books to allow them to start the season.- they folded after a few weeks. He was never accepted by the Motherwell fans and moved to Coventry after just a few months. He rode for the Bees until mid 1956 when he joined Oxford for the last couple of months of the season before retiring.. He died in 1975, just 51. Have heard the rumours too.

Missed a few then! I was basing this on age and looking at those who stopped before they were 27/28. Miller was well into his 30s when he retired - born 1924. Forrest was a miss by me though! Agree some didn't retire until the 60s - Knutson being a glaring example. The file I used was riders who started riding iin the 50s. A better title might have been "Retired too earky from the 50s" Not my finest moment though hope it was interesting none the less. Off to look out the dunces cap!

Who do you remembervgiving the sport up too early? https://classicspeedwaymemories.webador.co.uk/december-2023/retired-too-soon-1950s

The following articles are included in this months editionTrains and Boats and Planes - a look at riders travel in the 50s and 60sThey Retired Too Soon -guys who gave the game away too earlyAlphabetically Speaking -The "I"s have itThe Italian Job 1966-a short season in the Italian Riviera.Big Birthdays -who is celebrating this month?Anyone Remember Number 13 -our monthly test of your recall skillsPreview of January's editionclassicspeedwaymemories.webador.co.uk/december-2023

It wasn't too evident when they both rode together for Berwick in 2022.

Might be wrong but wasn't it said that Ben Basso had to practice on Saturday mornings and that was the reason he couldn't ride for Glasgow next season.

I took part in a postal game circa 1990 run by Edinburghs most eccentric supporter Geoff Chandler who ran meetings on a ZX computer and published a fanzine with results every fortnight. Crazy times!

Far more remunerative more likely !

Details of White City and Motherwell short seasons can be found at White City 1956 - https://scotopen.tripod.com/white-city-1956.html Motherwell 1958 - https://scotopen.tripod.com/motherwell-1958.html

We've gone for a strong top three and our reserves may well be among the highest average pairing in the league coming in at just under 7. This squeezes the second strings leaving very little to play with. It may well prove to have been a mistake going heavy on the top three - after all only two are needed for heat 15. Bailey in place of Flint would have left more for the second strings and given us a better balanced side. Bailey may well outscore Flint next year too!

Something I found in my files - a graph of senior teams over the last forty years. While my projection looks pessimistic given Oxford and Workington coming back, the trend is still downward.

And 1969?

Thanks Salty. Cradley United kept the Tigers, then of Coatbridge, off the bottom of the league, and provided us with what would turn out to be our last ever away win in the BL as we dropped down to the second tier for the following season. They were also our opponents on the one and only night Eton Muller rode for us at Coatbridge, so I have fond memories of your times as United.

This edition is now on line and features Letters - readers write in November Obituaries - Jim Wells, Guy Allott, Bob DuckworthBehind The Iron Curtain - Edinburgh's tour of Poland in 1965What's in a (new) name - how teams fared after adopting a new team nameThe Summer is Over -when Glasgow's dramatic start to their inaugural BL season began to unwindNorthern League 1966 - the little known competitionBig Birthdays - who is celebrating this month?Anyone Remember Number 12 - our monthly test of your recall skillsPreview of December's edition classicspeedwaymemories.webador.co.uk/

A great night at Old Meadowbank ! However Dennis Law was less than happy at the "keepy up" as he felt off would have been better to bang in a few more goals - think he was right.

Got the date wrong? Here's my fuller story of that day https://classicspeedwaymemories.webador.co.uk/july-2023/anyone-remember-no8

If you'd been at Edinburgh' s Old Meadowbank the previous year you would have got an appreciation of how good they were and how good their bikes were. July 31, 1966, not a great day in Scotland on a number of sporting fronts!

Thanks again Chunky. When I managed to read the programme for the meeting which was on the link BL65 posted, it seems it was a 10 heat individual with all riders getting 5 starts and that the pairs totals were totted up at the end. Possibly all meetings were run on this basis.

Thanks Chunky. I had the scorers for the meeting on June 19 but wasn't aware it was a pairs event. Interesting that my scorers show Sharples 13 and Robinson 8, suggesting they had five rides. Not sure what format was used . I have scorers for further meetings on June 22 , 26 and 29 but I have no idea at which track and whether they were pairs or individual meetings.

Anyone remember anything about Mike Parkers venture to the Italian Riviera. Mainly Newcastle second halfers who were out for three or four weeks and had to grade the track, act as pushers and starting marshal and also drive his midget cars. Around the time of the football World Cup in England so possibly not too many Brit holiday makers about at this time. Two tracks one at Rimini and the other at Casenaliga (?). Some suggestion of a further tour in September but dont think it happened.

Don't Lee and Ace get a discount?

Has it? While I don't doubt it will, it surely needs to be done/ratified at the forthcoming AGM.

Thanks to Mark Sawbridge for this article. Chris Quigley who rode at Berwick and Coatbridge is the sixth Q. ...... unless you know differently! https://classicspeedwaymemories.webador.co.uk/october-2023/speedways-great-coincidence

Don't Brits who are riding for Polish clubs have to go to the Friday practices too? Should we be trying to avoid riders who ride in Poland and go for Chris Harris and Claus Vissing etc.