Wessex Wanderer

So if it was so obvious to you that a rain off was inevitable, just why the hell did you go in? If it had been called off before the meeting no doubt you would have had the opportunity to moan that no attempt was made to run it especially as people had travelled from the West Midlands to see it. Promoters just can't win when it comes to rain offs - even the good ones like the IOW people.

Boston Five - pretty certain this was the same John Mills. I seem to remember him mainly riding for Long Eaton as a steady second string. (?Provincial League and early British League?) Weymouth meetings: Scored 10 for New Cross "B" 21 June 1963 9 for London Select on 5 July 1963 7 (4 rides) in the Wessex Championships on2 August 1963 - he fell in the semi finals 11 in the Weymouth Open Championship on 18 May 1964 - finished joint 3rd overall with Norman Strachan 7 FOR Weymouth v Newpool on 28 June 1964 6 FOR Weymouth at Newport v Newpool on 19 June 1964 2 FOR Weymouth at Ipswich on 21 June 1964 (2 rides only one of which was a fall) 6 FOR Weymouth at Rayleigh on 1 August 1964 The 1964 team meetings were in the Metropolitan League Sorry to have gone on a bit but once I start looking through old Weymouth programmes I find it difficult to stop!!! Purely from memory (somewhat dodgy nowadays!) I think I once read that he had worked as a steeplejack at one time.

Got to agree with you there GRW123. Myself I would like to see the same format up to the final but then the points of 6 4 and 2 added to those riders 1 to 20 totals. Would keep interest going to the end without it becoming the lottery you have described. But probably would be unpopular with many who seem to just not like any sort of change.

No idea about their averages but my team is just 7 who I have enjoyed watching: Matt Williamson Danyon Hume Rob Shuttleworth Jack Thomas Kelsey Dugard Tyler Govier Layne Cupitt

Very sad to hear this. He was the winner of the first official race I ever saw - heat 1 of the Whit Trophy at Weymouth in 1963. RIP Jim.

R I P Bryn. A true Speedway man who epitomised what is really good about Speedway and the vast majority of its followers.

Good to hear. One of the real nice guys in Speedway. Hope his recovery progresses well.

Sad news. A great commentator and giant personality from a golden era of Speedway. Never a dull moment at any meeting he was either promoting or announcing at. It was even amusing when he was "stirring" against your own team! RIP Dave.

Just wanted to add my thanks to Sue and all her many helpers. The updates have been a prime reason why I have kept an interest in the sport.

Steve I posted once that I always found your posts interesting but I just hoped I would actually agree with one of them sometime. Well, this is the one and unfortunately it happens to be far and away the most serious and important one. Brexit voters have been led into a simple vote on "do we want so many Poles over here?" Without giving any regard to the economics or practicalities of he case. The fact that the NHS would be in even more major trouble if we lost all the EU trained staff was hardly mentioned, nor has the future of our economy. All we heard was "we can renegotiate trade agreements". Well so can they and it's gonna hurt. These days we can no longer send in a gun boat and say "sign or else" as in days of yore. I don't expect the vote will affect me too much as I will likely be pushing up daisies by the time the implications of our exit really strike. It is the kids who are still in primary schools that I really feel sorry for. For a lot of them their career hope will be to get a work permit to go work in France or Germany or even ....... Poland. Anybody notice that the two most voluable Brexit guys got out as soon as they saw what they had done? Farage resigned and Bumbling Boris dropped his bid for party leadership. Neither wanted any part in trying to fix the mess they had created. Never hoped so much that I will be wrong but ...........

Good appointment. Great knowledge of Speedway and one who really cares about the sport, not just one team or just his own position. Congratulations Neil.

Thanks for that Bob. Those old programmes can be really handy. I only visited West Ham once more. It was in the 70s against Reading and that one was rained off too. Grrrrrr

Another thought about Charlie. Was there not some controversy surrounding him in the 1965 British Final? I believe a questionable exclusion cost him a place in the next stage (World Final?)? Also seem to remember that it was the general opinion that it didn't matter too much as he would be a regular World Finalist in the future. Of course that never materialised. Shame because he was certainly worthy of such an appearance. This is purely from memory of reports at the time. I cannot speak as an actual witness of the occasion as the meeting had been rearranged from the previous week when it was rained off. My mate and I had arranged our holidays specially to include the original one on a week long Speedway tour but in those days of a strict two weeks holiday per year it was not possible to get to the rearranged meeting. *]<$+* rain offs - the scourge of Speedway.

Topsoil What seems different is the general attitude of the promotion. They are always looking for more ways to attract customers and then keep them happy. They also appreciate that it takes multiple actions to do both and some things need time to bear to bear fruit. Too many times over the years I have heard people say something like "well, we did so and so once and it didn't make much difference". So they didn't bother again. They also seem to appreciate that the commercial side of running Speedway is just as important as what happens on track. I do appreciate that the promotion of any sporting event can be very difficult and in no way would I want to minimise the efforts of others but I do believe that the Warriors overall approach to attracting and then taking care of their customers is what is different in this case.

Made my last visit of the season to the island last night and once again was treated to a thoroughly entertaining meeting. It has been a real pleasure to attend Speedway meetings where those attending are treated as valued customers who should be involved in the proceedings as much as possible. This applies especially to the children. Too many promoters seem to think that their "customer care" ends immediately their entrance money has been taken. Barry Bishop and his team have restored my faith that Speedway does actually have a future in the UK. The meeting itself was another good one despite the depletion of the Kings Lynn team both before and during the match. Particularly liked the naming of Layne Cupitt as the "Master Blaster". Seems absolutely appropriate. One last point, great choice of music. Well done whoever is responsible. It keeps the atmosphere upbeat between races, a not always recognised but still very important factor. Looking forward to next season already. Sorry this got posted twice. Don't know how that happened and don't know how to delete one of them.

Made my last visit of the season to the island last night and once again was treated to a thoroughly entertaining meeting. It has been a real pleasure to attend Speedway meetings where those attending are treated as valued customers who should be involved in the proceedings as much as possible. This applies especially to the children. Too many promoters seem to think that their "customer care" ends immediately their entrance money has been taken. Barry Bishop and his team have restored my faith that Speedway does actually have a future in the UK. The meeting itself was another good one despite the depletion of the Kings Lynn team both before and during the match. Particularly liked the naming of Layne Cupitt as the "Master Blaster". Seems absolutely appropriate. One last point, great choice of music. Well done whoever is responsible. It keeps the atmosphere upbeat between races, a not always recognised but still very important factor. Looking forward to next season already.

Bit of a sensation when the leagues merged in 1965. Watched him cause a huge shock when he won the Internationale at Wimbledon early on and he also when he rode against Barry Briggs for the Golden Helmet. It was the first GH event of the season and he beat Briggs at Poole in the first leg. Speaking purely from memory there but although Briggs had some bike trouble in one race it was still an eye opener for the Speedway world. He was a match for the very best for a number of years. Consistent and unspectacular it is probably that and his general quietness which sees him often overlooked when it comes to discussions about the best riders of his era. But he was good, bloody good. Probably his biggest contribution to the sport was in convincing the doubters that PL guys could hold their own among the NL guys. It was one of the things that made the British League such a resounding over all success. Great memories.

Sad news. Always a very popular rider. RIP Ronnie

Another thoroughly entertaining trip to the Island for me and great to see very healthy crowd in attendance. They have worked really hard to make things viable and deserve every success they get. Also agree with other posters that the involvement of the kids is very encouraging. Felt sorry for Nathan Stoneman when he came to grief while trying a last bend swoop around Dan Halsey. A magnificent effort that deserved more. Fine signing by the Warriors.

Get well soon Charlie.

I think it was Maury Mattingley who used to fly to Glasgow for home meetings. He was the current Scottish Open Champion when the ever publicity wise Trevor Redmond signed him up for the Glasgow revival season. Probably part of the signing "negotiations". Chris Julian had been riding for Redmond at St Austell so "transferred" with the licence when it was switched to Glasgow. I guess he didn't have so much bargaining power as Mattingley but I am sure he was the one who drove north every week. Purely from memory I seem to remember reading that it was something like 6 hours each way. They don't make 'em like that anymore.

Very sad. R.I.P. Dave

Good meeting. Result always in doubt and some pretty decent racing too.

Most enjoyable thread on this forum for ages. Delighted to see the great Jim Squibb out in front - not many got past him once he did that on the track! One thing I think it proves is that the backbone of our wonderful sport is the "average" riders who make up the bulk of teams. Superstars are also an essential ingredient of course but all those 3rd heat leaders, second strings and reserves are often the unsung heroes. Thanks to those who did all the research. :)

No stats (and I ain't even gonna try!) but I think you probably need to go much further back than that. Some real pioneers would have ridden at some of the real short term tracks of the twenties and still been around in post war days. I would put forward Wal Morton and Phil Bishop as contenders with Wal in particular riding on many pioneer tracks, most of the 30s, 40s and 50s tracks and then the Provincial League ones. Along the way he would also have ridden a number of post war non league tracks. This should be a real interesting thread. Looking forward to other forum members suggestions.