RobMcCaffery

I mainly only use it for popular culture such as music or sport where the information isn't that important and the usually obvious garbage can often be quite amusing (cf. Bob Holness' alleged playing of the sax solo on Gerry Rafferty's Baker Street). While the system is obviously open to abuse references are usually quoted to support points made and where they are absent the site usually carries a comment or warning. Despite the drawbacks it has its uses, as I say just extra caution is required. By the way dictionaries and etymologies cannot be totally relied upon either, nor can encyclopaedias. The core of any search for knowledge is to take information from as many sources as possible, ideally primary and then to attempt to filter out bias and reconcile the various 'facts' that are so presented, always using the maxim "history is written by the winners". However when it comes to discussing the use of a dated piece of popular culture on a speedway race jacket and since I don't have a subscription to an online encyclopedia service life really is too short to do more than refer to Wikipedia, to be quite honest. Rob McCaffery.

Any source of information should always be viewed critically, particularly when opinion is involved. However it would be downright stupid to take the opposite view and blindly ignore Wikipedia. A few years back when researching that part of Kent as part of my Sittingbourne work I happened upon a website called 'sheppeyisscum' which listed the education system for the island as something like 6 primary schools, two secondary and a prison and also listed the best pubs to find a fight in. To get back to the point, this then developed into 'chavscum' as the organisers decided to focus on the youth market Rob McCaffery.

Wikipedia has an article on the subject of Chad/Kilroy. Yes I KNOW how reliable it is but it's a start ;-) I believe the character was called Mister Chad by the way. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chad_(graffiti) There was also a theory that the cartoon was a corruption of a sine wave which loops up above a line, under then back over symmetrically. The chad nose was the central 'dip' and the hands the left and right curves. Either way it was perhaps one of the more unfortunate uses of a very short-lived piece of fashionable culture that was soon very outdated. Knowing Liverpool I can imagine that anything silly that took the mickey out of wartime austerity would strike a chord locally though. I think the "What no speedway" angle is tenuous though. Rob McCaffery

It's interesting to see that I wasn't the only one to see this piece - a letter in this week's Speedway Star refers and shows a clip of the article including picture. Rob McCaffery

I preferred the other version where the vowel in the first name was changed - but this IS a family forum... Rob McCaffery

Wasn't Flash Gordon number one for the Rebels? (Ooops - it's a Rayleigh v Eastbourne thing.....even after nearly 40 years - I blame that guy Lanning....) Rob McCaffery.

I was in Essex over the weekend on family business and to my surprise found a story about former Hackney Hawk Jimmy Gooch in the Maldon Standard. Unfortunately there's no on-line version so I can't give a link but here's the gist of the story: "Daredevil Goochie 'appreciates life' " (by Adam Cornell) " A former speedway star is still racing around, jumping from planes and helping his community - despite turning 82 this year. Jimmy "Goochie" Gooch cycles 20 miles a day from his home in Bradwell to get supplies for all his elderly neighbours and to keep himself "upright" - having been told more than 30 years ago he would never walk again. Last year he completed a charity parachute jump to raise money for the Essex Air Ambulance - with another now planned for this year..." It's obviously a 'local human interest' piece rather than news but it goes on to mention that Jimmy's life included 'the Army, circus, international speedway, foster children, microlights, scuba diving, paragliding, boat building and a host of other adventures'. He goes on to pay tribute to his wife of 50 years, Everil and the piece then tells how he joined the Royal Army Service Corps and became the British Army of the Rhine Combined Services speedway champion in 1949 before going on to sign for Wembley Lions 60 years ago before eventually reaching the World Speedway final in 1965. The piece also claims that he was once temporarily sacked for knocking out team mate Ove Fundin. Since retiring from Hackney in 1970, just before reaching 42 he began work as a maintenance engineer at a local caravan park where he built a landing strip for a microlight. In 1973 he reportedly broke both ankles in a paragliding accident and was told he would never walk again but recovered to cycle more than 200,000 miles since. He's also built a 47 foot yacht that he sails on the River Blackwater and uses for diving expeditions. Well, it's good to hear one of our former heroes having a full life after the sport. I hope this was of interest. Rob McCaffery.

Just the same as it was from 1972-85. Attitudes have changed though. Rob McCaffery.

Both were there when it ran speedway but times change. Thanks for confirming the situation though. Ironically I passed through the town on Saturday but I didn't get the chance to take a look. I think the football club moved out a long time back. It wasn't running at a very high level. Vauxhall Motors play in Ellesmere Port but at a different ground. Rob McCaffery.

Despite what you may think after sampling some town centres at weekends many many people consume alcohol without taking it to excess and causing severe social problems. Only few become addicted. Can you say the same about heroin and cocaine? The 'less harmful than alcohol' argument is trotted out by many people, usually to justify the use of cannabis. Unfortunately the real drug problem is not someone getting off their face with 'waccy baccy'. Personally, my dislike of cannabis is down to the fact that it is a very personal inward pleasure whereas alcohol tends to be a social matter. There is a heck of a difference between smoking hash and injecting heroin. Addiction is everywhere though - just listen to people going on about how desperately they need to 'put the kettle on' or 'need a coffee to get started'. Ultimately though Andy committed a crime - fact. It's awful that he felt forced to do so but there are plenty of people short on cash who don't turn to crime to sort the problem out. Rob McCaffery

Also Andy's crime related to supply which is treated far more seriously in law than use which is Doherty's usual crime. Rob McCaffery.

Ah I so miss going to London Road for the automatic two points, waving goodnight to Bryn in the supporters' hut as he cheerily wished us safe journey back under the river - and the chance to see if those stuffed budgies on plinths had learned to talk yet (For those who didn't experience the 'birdcage' one of the souvenirs there was a plinth-mounted red & yellow kestrel) Those were the days. Rob McCaffery.

It was The Magnificent Seven. At Rye House in Len Silver's two spells in charge they've used "Those Magnificent Men In Their Flying Machines", as they did when the Rockets raced at Rayleigh. During my few years as announcer at Hoddesdon working for Ron Russell that tune was strictly off-limits so, looking for a march with a more up-to-date feel I used a sequence from "Hooked on Sousa" - basically a jazzed-up version of traditional marches that was part of the "Hooked On Classics" project. That was 1989-93. I also ended each meeting with Elton John's Rocket Man over the same period and in the comeback year in 1999. Mind you - the very last tune I played as a Rockets' announcer was Meat Loaf's ballad "Lost Boys and Golden Girls" - I think I knew I wasn't going back ;-) I had to edit the Sousa sequence since it started with "The Liberty Bell" and I wasn't having the Rockets march out to the Monty Python theme... Rob McCaffery.

I wouldn't know - I can only comment on video from 1982 onwards I'm afraid. Rob McCaffery.

Thanks Ken for confirming the worst. I got the information from the guy who made the Screen Sport programmes for him (owned the truck & equipment, directed and credited them) . I'm not surprised he ditched the archive. As for those world finals they will be of limited quality. I voiced a couple of finals for him and it was just one camera on the terracing. Looks like you're our best hope Ken. Hmm - got much Rayleigh footage by the way? Rob McCaffery.

That's good to hear. Sadly, attempts to track down the KM Video/Screen Sport archive have drawn a blank Rob McCaffery.

My only defence was the lateness of the hour - and perhaps it was a subconscious desire to wish a plaque on these shopping centres, er plague? Rob McCaffery

A few years ago a plague was put up in the shopping centre that was built on Rayleigh Speedway. I understand that the plaque has now been removed. Perhaps the shopping centre managements don't want to be reminded that their estate killed-off somewhere that a lot of people enjoyed? Either way they've handled the situation appallingly but what do you expect from big business? Rob McCaffery.

If you listen to Steve Wright that's just the garbage that you should expect. Factoid = poorly-researched piece of irrelevant information smugly handed-out to the very gullible, passed-off as 'cleverness'. Rob McCaffery

The eras just aren't comparable. In the immediate post-war period most sports had massive followings and after six years of horrific, total war who could be surprised that people wanted entertainment? Just three years prior to the film being made many of those people on the terraces would either have been facing a real threat of death in the armed forces or from flying bombs or V2 rockets at home. I think most people would need relaxation after all that. Another major influence was the continuing effect of rationing which extended right into the fifties, leaving money in people's pockets that couldn't always be spent on food and consumer goods thus leaving more money for leisure activities. TV was still in its infancy and entertainment tax had not yet brought speedway to its knees as it did in the following decade. Rob McCaffery.

Mick Bates - Mildenhall to Norfolk Constabulary and refereeing stardom Rob McCaffery.

Oh yes. Is the stadium still open for dogs and football? I remember reading a story in the Liverpool Echo that it was to be redeveloped. I spent many happy nights there watching the likes of Jacko and Peter Carr, and ,istening to and learning from the excellent Doug Adams on the p.a. They were good years in the old National League and I have so many happy memories of some fine riders. Rob McCaffery

John was an NL great and stayed loyal to the league but I feel Joe had the edge overall. Perhaps it was in part due to the wonderful Newcastle teams that Joe & Tom led. I used to watch John a lot at Ellesmere Port and wonder if his starts would have been quite so impressive there if the ref could see gate 4 Rob McCaffery

After having admired both Joe and Tom as respected opponents in the seventies I finally got to know Joe in 1985 with him rejoining the NL with Ellesmere Port just at the time when I had my strongest association with the league at its top level. Over the year I'd got to know the promoter Mervyn Porter quite well and when the Gunners were in London I arranged a hotel for the team and led a convoy from Wimbledon to the hotel in east London. As you can imagine it was a quite a queue of cars and vans and most of the time we were making sure that Dave Morton in the rear van had made it through the many traffic lights. Eventually I got them to Forest Gate and it was time to feed the horde. Despite holding down a fairly official role with the National League I was still very much a fan and delighted to be sent off to the chippy with my old hero, Joe. Now in those days kebabs weren't that common outside London and so neither was chili sauce. Joe's first move was to ask for the nearest kebab shop where he made sure that the food was smothered in the hottest sauce possible and returned with me to the hotel looking forward with child-like delight to seeing the faces of his team-mates struggling with their food. I got quite attached to the Gunners that year and was delighted that they took the league title in their one season back in speedway. Then the season ended in tragedy, Joe was paralysed and the sport for me was never the same again... Joe was the greatest D2/NL rider of his era and yet never seemed to lose any respect in the process. Not many winners can achieve that. Rob McCaffery.

Perhaps because that's the way it's pronounced? Rob McCaffery.