Parsloes 1928 nearly

It certainly IS getting 'messy'. Take the example of young Jerran Hart. This year is just his second in the sport. Last year as a Grade One starter he appeared in the CL for Rye House (4 times), Stoke (3 times), Boston (twice) & Oxford before signing for Sittingbourne (the appearances for the other clubs before signing for the Crusaders cannot accurately be described as 'guest' appearances, which the 2008 Yearbook incorrectly lists them as... ) He also appeared in the Academy League (which, has been suggested, should count in the calculations used in this enduringly interesting thread...) for his parent club Lakeside plus Poole and Rye House. He has now made his PL debut for Newport. So, at 17 years of age and, as I say, just a week into a second season in the sport that's NINE 'different' clubs...!!!

And the Iwade Colts..!! Not Weymouth in a competitive fixture though, I don't think.. His five 'engine failures' at the tapes when captaining the then non-league Weymouth in a challenge at Wimbledon did for his chances there I believe..!!!

"Ivor Brown"..?? No relation to that guy from the Pit Bend Loonies who throws darts for a living, was he..??!!

Okay, I stand corrected!!!! And Derek Timms rode in that league for Wimbledon then..?? That's nine years before becoming a Crayford Highwayman..??? I take your point also about the 'junior' leagues (after all,it is your thread.. ) but don't brand the Conference in that same bracket..: the Conference is a pukka 'third division'... I think things will get 'messy', though, with respect to the current 'Academy' league as all sorts of weird things have happened there with rider appearances...

10 - DEREK TIMMS (Aldershot, Cradley, Crayford, Doncaster, Middlesbrough, New Cross, Plymouth, St. Austell, Wimbledon Res, Wolves) Much as I'm delighted to see Crayford get another mention on the list via Derek Timms, am puzzled by the reference to "Wimbledon Reserves". To my knowledge a Wimbledon reserve or 'second' team has never ridden in an accepted, competitive league (ie NOT including your 'Southern Junior' type league) so though Timms, I assume, did turn out for such a side, surely this can't 'count'..??!!

Will always be a significant rider to me as he featured on the front cover of the programme of the first Speedway meeting I ever attended: at Canterbury in 1972!!!!!

Right..: there's more!!!! In 1994 when back at Middlesbrough, Buzz appeared in the CL for the Cleveland Bays: ie the 'Middlesboro II' team based at Cleveland Park. Last year he was again a Cleveland Bay but that incarnation was - as their revised name this year more clearly shows - 'Redcar II': a completely different club/track despite adopting (in '07 only, it seems..) the same name as the earlier third division club. Disregarding speedyguy's attempts to cloud an issue which previously was totally clear (which incidentally, you'll note he only did once Buzz was mentioned - check out his inglorious record of slagging off Buzz whenever he can across the BSF.. ) - this means that Buzz's total is up to 15 ..: as follows: Scunthorpe ('84) Edinburgh ('85-6) Middlesbrough ('87 & '92-94) Glasgow ('92) Buxton ('94-'96) Cleveland (ie Middlesbrough II) ('94) Sheffield ('94) Belle Vue ('94 & '02) Coventry ('94) Hull ('94) Long Eaton ('95) Stoke ('97-'02 & '07-?) Stoke II ('03) Wimbledon ('03-'05) Cleveland (ie Redcar II) ('07)

Come on..: that is utterly daft!!! You are seriously suggesting that by riding for Wimbledon in 1949 and then again in 1951, this counts as two different clubs..?? You may as well say that every time the team changed it counts as a different club: in which case, can I nominate Chris Hunt in 2002 as riding for 29 different clubs..: all called Wimbledon?!!!!

"lost interest"..??!! That is a disgraceful comment - dismissing at a stroke all the people to whom Speedway at two of the nation's most important tracks mattered for decades. How do you think Oxford fans feel that what would've been the 60th. anniversary of their sport there was cruelly taken from them because the landlords "lost interest" ..??! You will bend over backwards to defend the GRA, speedyguy, and this stance is doing you no credit whatsoever. What happened at Wimbledon and then repeated at Oxford by the GRA is indefensible...

Right. If the solitary appearances for these two clubs 'count' in George Major's list, then so should Buzz's one appearance each for top league clubs Hull & Coventry in the mid-'90s. They too feature in Oakesy's publications and, are NOT 'guest' appearances...!! Added to the extra one identified earlier, this pushes Buzz's total up to 14 Am I a man on a mission this morning or wot..??!!

I see that in Wal Morton's impressive list, 'West Ham Reserves' gets an mention..; and, for example, Tony Featherstone's list includes both King's Lynn and 'King's Lynn II'. Well, in that case - you need to add the Stoke CL team (the Spitfires) to Buzz's list as he rode for them (in early 2003), as well as his stints with the senior Potters. Call them 'Stoke II' and Buzz's total should be up to 12..!!

Hmm, not sure on which clubs Glyn did ride for but I know the current Redcar Bears' Team Manager is riding again on Saturday 29th. March: at his home track (Redcar Speedway) in Round One of this year's Short Track UK championship! Nephew of another rider mentioned on this thread, Neil Collins: Les' son, Aidan Collins will also be appearing. Action starts at 4.30pm - see http://www.shorttrackuk.com/news.html for full details!

I must admit I never knew that Steve Weatherley had ridden for Wimbledon... What year was this..?? Bringing things much more up to date, Grant MacDonald & Danny Betson rode for Oxford last year (in what looks like being the Cheetahs last season) having done likewise for the Dons in '05, their last campaign. And the same applies to a rider who will NOT share the place of affection in Wimbledon fans' hearts that Grant & Danny rightly have: New Zealander, Andrew Bargh. Bit-part Dons (but Dons, nonetheless in the '02-'05 period), Chris Mills and Chris Johnson have also ridden for Oxford and so 'count' on this ever-growing list!!!

Hmm, to paraphrase you, KevH., can I take it from the haste in which the subject is changed from a possible future for Speedway in London E15 (or 9 or 3..!!) to events back at Canterbury - that, your interest in the former "didn't come from the heart?"..??!!!

I know you didn't write it..!!!! Seems odd to describe a crash with concussion as a "tragedy"..! The second crash, that was the tragedy..

Hopefully I won't get accused of hi-jacking the thread by including the following link..: many interesting (I think/hope...) pix of the Olympics site in all its current dereliction and including many views I'm sure former attendees of Hackney Stadium will recognise... http://www.flickr.com/photos/tags/london2012/ I wonder if there's any interest on here at all for a campaign to get a replacement Speedway stadium out of the post-2012 'sustainable' package for what they now call the Lower Lea Valley..??

Welcome back speedyguy: hope all is well with you.. A terribly tragic tale recounted here but one thing puzzles me..: what is the "double tragedy"..??!! :unsure:

It is indeed a very sad day for British Speedway to hear of Cyril’s passing. Cyril was in fact a South Londoner and the first Speedway meeting he attended was the first-ever Speedway ‘Test’ between England and Australia at Wimbledon in 1930. His uncle was at Lord’s watching the Cricket ‘version’ and when the details of the Speedway meeting was announced he rushed back to take his 8 year old nephew along. I’m sure that CJH must’ve been one of the last survivors from that historic night. I was privileged to know Cyril well over the past six years. He contacted me when his first-love, Wimbledon Speedway re-opened in 2002 and he regularly contributed articles for our award-winning programme over the next four years. We also worked together on ‘The Speedway History Magazine’. The recollections he had and his superb still extremely sharp writing style (even by then into his 80s!) were a real joy to read. I was delighted when Cyril made it up to Plough Lane one final time in May 2003 for the 75th. anniversary meeting. Cyril was one of the greatest Speedway journalists of all time and I was so pleased to be sent and told some many stories. He was also a delightful man, loved by so many. He was also an eternal enthusiast and that evening at Plough Lane he was still starry-eyed at seeing the legends of the past (who all knew him, of course) and the riders of the present day. One of the riders (I'm fairly certain it was Gerry King...) went up and thanked Cyril for sending him a card when he had been in hospital after a crash. CJH admitted to me this had occurred in the late '50s/early '60s but they’d not meet up since. Imagine remembering that back after so many years and Cyril was genuinely touched that the rider had remembered this. Testament I think to the way he was admired and respected across the sport. You’ll be hugely missed CJH, but always remembered..

It's not that I remember exactly what was said (by Mr. Russell at the final Crayford meeting of the 1983 season..), it's what he DIDN'T say. And what he didn't say was that he knew for certain that this was the last ever Speedway meeting at London Rd. I just don't understand why this info. wasn't shared with us... And despite Bryn assuring us the info. was safe in the hands of him & the supporters club, I'm afraid that doesn't make me feel any better (like you don't about Canterbury, shazzy..) about it..!!

Actually, sadly I never did get to go to The Weir but I did see Rayleigh ride the once, at Kingsmead; and think it's worthy of mention (not referred to in the article) as it was surely the last proper appearance of the Rayleigh Rockets on track. It was the Golden Jubilee meeting commemorating the 50th. anniversary of the first Speedway meeting in Australia in 1923 - and, of course, Canterbury had the right to stage this as the legendary John S. Hoskins who organised that first meeting in '23 was the promoter at Kingsmead..! The main event was a 4TT involving the home side, Birmingham, an 'Ipswich Juniors' quartet and the Rockets. Appearing for Rayleigh that evening (3rd. November: two weeks after their final ever home meeting) were: Brian Foote (scored 5); Bob Young (7), Tiger Beech (1) and Trevor Barnwell (4). Rayleigh came last with 14 points: Ipswich winning a last heat decider to pip Birmingham for the win. The article refers to the last Rayleigh away match as one at the start of 1974 - a challenge match up at Boston. But as that date was AFTER the closure of the Stadium (after the very last dog racing meeting there), really one can't actually count that match surely..: indeed, surely calling the Rockets, Rayleigh at that stage was incorrect..: though perhaps it was before the final 't's had been crossed and 'i's dotted for the move to Rye House..? So, I'd say the final ever Rayleigh match was that one in November at Canterbury..??

That's what i thought and was surprised to hear that he was seen walking at Christmas...?? He lost a leg didn't he..: would be terrific news if he's up and about and walking with an artificial leg. Does anyone know more details..??

David Osborn's Wimbledon CL career more or less meets the criteria you were looking for exactly. David rode in heat one of the Dons’ first ever match in the Conference (and first match for over 10 years) up at Peterborough in March 2002. He crashed on bend one of lap one and withdrew injured. He did reappear for another away match, this time up at Buxton, three months later but lasted only one lap again. That was two matches, two starts, no finishes, and - self-evidently - no points.. David had 20 or so appearances for a range of clubs including Mildenhall & Rye House before his ill-fated (and final)campaign on 2002, though.... Another David who was pointless for a team I followed was Dave Howard who rode in both of the Crayford Kestrels' first two NNL matches (against Crewe away and Boston at home) in 1975. He failed to score and was never heard of or seen again. I always thought it odd that team photos taken at that time said it was Dave Howard when the rider pictured was clearly the man who succeeded Howard as reserve, Bill Archer. My theory was they were the same person but I'm sure that was wrong..??!!! :blink:

Yes, Rob, that was the day the car parking also went t*ts up and Mr. Ribbons had to circumnavigate the track, shouting out the registration numbers in his - thankfully, for this task..! -booming voice!!! The next meeting, when I'd taken over from you as Announcer, I was handed another long list of offending parked cars and I read them out, then to find that one I'd announced was my own car!!!!!

You're perhaps thinking of Ron Howes..:who also rode at one time , like Ron How, for Wimbledon but in Howes' case it was pre-war. Ron (Howes not his multi-World Finalist name-sake) had a mainly lower division career after the war, with Rayleigh. He was around Crayford too as machine examiner or similar; and sadly he did pass away the other year.. Not an Aussie though..: a South Londoner thru'& thru' I believe..!!

Alright, alright..: enuff!!! I can see the 'establishment' were told..: just us ordinary punters who didn't know then..!!! Being an 'insider' myself these days, I do feel perhaps we fail to recognise even in these days of much improved communication (for whether promoters like it or not - and it's NOT in many cases! - there is the Internet now!!) that not everyone who attends Speedway are privy to a level of knowledge about all the various machinations around the sport. I think that maybe the fact that the percentage as a total of people 'in the know' is higher than, say, in Football does sometimes have a detrimental affect on ordinary fans who want to pay their money come along and have some level of certainty that there may be a meeting next week/month/season as advertised!!!!