Wessex Wanderer

Sad news. Kelvin was the first star of the 1974 Weymouth return to league racing. With just a handful of team matches before that he quickly became our leading scorer and also took over the captaincy when Bob Hughes got injured in mid season. A good rider and huge personality Speedway is a that much poorer place now he is no longer with us. Condolences to his family. RIP Kelvin.

RIP Vic. Still fondly remembered by old time Weymouth fans.

Maybe the “characters” grow in greatness with the passing years as I do remember veterans at that time reminiscing about long retired riders with “they don’t make em like that anymore”. Some great names mentioned in this thread. I particularly like the first to be mentioned was Jim Squibb who would surely be among the top characters of any era. I remember him clashing with Ken Sharples of Belle Vue at Poole one night. They tangled on the second bend and both fell. Picking themselves up they immediately squared up and the punches started swinging. Usually people close by would try to separate them but this time there was a HUGE reluctance by track staff,pit staff, riders and mechanics to go anywhere near the pair! Can’t say I blame them. Eventually the pair calmed down so discretion did prove the better part of valour. Great thread. Thanks Bob.

Wow. Seems unbelievable that such a legend is no longer with us. One of the brightest stars of one of the golden eras of Speedway. R I P Ivan.

Only just seen this thread. Shocked. Wonderful memories of Poole 1968 when Odd joined a team badly hit by retirements and injuries and they battled match after match to secure enough points to stay off the bottom of the league. Great matches week after week with the crowd 100% behind them. Then league title the following year. RIP Odd

Good quality heat leader. RIP Antonin.

Thanks for posting that. Migoś was one of the riders I most looked forward to watching when we used to have proper international matches under the 18 heat format. I can still vividly remember him coming round the pits bend at Poole on the outside of four abreast. He didn’t give an inch and got into the back straight in front. It drew a collective gasp from the crowd in that area. One of the most breathtaking moments I have ever known, it was that awesome.

Remember both of these. You are quite right about Harry Edwards looking old. I was quite shocked when I first saw him and wondered how someone that old could still be riding league Speedway. Of course it was his time as a Japanese POW which was the reason. I knew a few other guys who had also been prisoners of the Japanese and almost all of them looked aged far beyond their years. Not sure but I think he rode for Rayleigh at the time. Howdy Byford was a wonderful character. Got to know him when he was Weymouth team manager. Tremendous company and a kindly guy inside a real hard nut coating. Classic incident when the riders of both teams got into a mass brawl on the track which was sorted by Howdy, Pete Lansdale and Lew Coffin in about 2 seconds flat. Pretty sure he was a plumber by trade. Reminds me of how much we owe that particular generation.

Cor. I remember watching this on TV. Another reminder of age! By the way it was a Provincial League match not a Challenge. I would go along with it being Len Silver. That was my first thought on seeing the picture. Doubt it is Squibby and it is definitely not Olle Nygren. Alan Cowland wore white leathers so probably not him. With both teams having Monday race nights the rearrangement to fit in with TV was probably not too difficult. Do wonder whether there would be such co-operation these days though. Nice thread, thanks for setting off the memories.

His first team manager role was at Weymouth I believe. Far and away the best team manager Weymouth ever had. None of the hysterics shown by most managers past and present whenever a decision went against them just quietly encouraging and advising his own guys. Probably worth an extra half dozen points for his team every meeting. Off track a true gentleman with time for everyone and a great memory for names and places. Nothing flashy just a great guy. :)

Re Johnny Fitzpatrick: He would be vieing with Hugh Saunders for the top spot. Didn't know he was a Channel Islander.

Oops. Said I was ignoring current riders and then include Holta. It's an age thing!!!

Ignoring current riders cuz they might still hopefully join someone. I go for: Igor Plechanov Rune Holta Mike Bast Boris Somoradov Jerky Szcackiel With honourable mentions to Edmund Migos Hans Jurgen Fritz A Swede who rode in a WTC Final at White City but whose name I can't remember Gennady Kurilenko A Gordeev brother - I never knew which one I was watching so don't know which one. Almost certainly missed out some.

Nice one. I enjoyed reading "all" of them.

Eric Linden. No one else comes close.

Bit surprised that Howard Cole (Kid Bodie) has not got a mention. I'm sure he was regarded as Welsh in the 60s and 70s. Always open to correction though. As a World Finalist and top league heat leader he would surely come into contention. Also agree with everyone who has mentioned Ivor Hughes. He looked really good and headed for the top - another of Speedway's tragic might have beens.

TWK - Marcus Bisson rode a few matches for Weymouth in 1984 but a lot more for the Poole Wildcats when the team transferred there. He was a regular in that team for a couple of years. Very entertaining style including a lot of leg trailing. Stefan Dunne was a regular at Weymouth Training Schools in the early and mid 1960's but never made it to league level I know the name Dave Patten but cannot place him. Probably another at Lee Coffin's schools. Terry le Maine - sorry but don't recall that name.

Ken McKinlay Jim McMillan George Hunter Bobby Beaton Gordon McGregor No doubt I would have put Tommy Miller in there somewhere near the top but I didn't get to see him thanks to parental interference! I was due to go out to the Wessex Stadium with my mates to see the NL match against Coventry in which Tommy scored a 15 point max. Unfortunately mother stepped in and stopped me going! Quite what I had done to warrant such punishment I can no longer remember but I never quite forgave her for it!

Nielsen, Olsen, Gundersen, Nicki, Jan O. Despite a whole host of other quality riders I agree with most posts that this list almost picks itself. One other who would surely have broken into the list but for injuries and officialdom rules preventing him taking part in the World Campioship in some years was Arne Pander. When he was neither injured nor recovering from injury he was capable of matching anyone - even the big five. Another great thread although more clear cut than some others.

Agree with most that Fundin, Rickardsson, Knutsson and Michanek are top four but the fifth place could be any one of about half a dozen. Jansson might very well have joined then but for his tragic end. Nygren could match anyone as could Nordin and AJ. For some reason Bengt Jansson never seems to get the credit he deserves, maybe if he had won that run-off against Fundin things would be different. Soren Sjosten and Toby Harrysson were excellent at league level but with Rune Sormander were not quite up to those others. Almost certainly I have missed one or two. In the end I think I would put Nygren in the top 5 due to his incredible consistency over a very long career. Again, a brilliant thread. Thanks for starting it.

Don't know anything about the BBC archives but they did broadcast parts of World Finals in the late 1950's. Maybe something has survived but I have no idea how to go about finding out. Also late 1950's they covered a National Trophy Final between Belle Vue and Wimbledon. Not sure whether they were all in the Dons team at the time but the thought of Ronnie Moore, Barry Briggs and Ron How all taking on the one and only Peter Craven is the equivalent of Speedway heaven.

Bluey Wilkinson or Tom Farndon. Can't separate the two.

Craven Collins Lee Woffinden Loram Have to agree with most others. Would love to have put Loram higher as he was always soooo good to watch. Woffy still has time to move up a place or two but as far as I am concerned no one will EVER put Peter Craven out of the number one spot - multi World titles and probably even more entertaining than Loram. Great thread.

Still remembered in Weymouth as a great captain and even better person. So sad that he was taken so early. Can't believe 40 years have passed since. RIP Vic

Another one gone from the last wonderful golden era of Speedway. Like others on here I found his page in Speedway Star compulsive reading. Condolences to his family. RIP Bryan