Parsloes 1928 nearly

Yes, but FACT..: Mr. Russell chose NOT to tell us Crayford fans that we were about to lose our track..!!! Forgive me, but aren't one of your current clubs Oxford currently fighting their closure. We were denied that opportunity at Crayford...

It's an issue of honesty (or communication, at least..) and the lack of it, which distinguishes each example.. I was at, what turned out to be the last ever meeting at Crayford and I still have the programme. in his speech on the centre green mic that night and in his programme notes, Terry Russell talks about being back at Crayford in 1984. he makes no reference to the fact, which was I now know, well advanced at that stage, of the redevelopment of the stadium and his proposed team relocation to Hackney. My gripe has always been and remains, why didn't he allow us Crayford fans to at least know that when we walked out of that Stadium that night that it was going to be for the last time... The 1996 example was more serious. Throughout that year - the first of the GP system and the British GP then the last on the calendar and so potentially a decisive world title meeting- it was said that Arena was to stage this prestigious event. Why the "primitive" old place ( ) even staged a FIM meeting earlier in the year in preparation... But all this time,seems Mr.Russell was planning to unveil his deal to hold the event at the impressively revamped 'London Stadium' (sic). Surely,it wasn't right to string people along like that was it..??!!

Er, not really coz my posting was: QUOTE (Parsloes 1928 nearly @ Jan 24 2008, 08:26 PM) I suppose it was also true in 1996 that Arena Essex came and stole away your track was it..??!! blink.gif unsure.gif * Your reply goes: No they took our race night that stopped us re-opening in the City actually icon_smile_wink.gif oh and for the record it was a bit before 1996 icon_smile_tongue.gif ------------------------------------------------------------------------ So, you see this thread was/is about Hackney.. I was referring to Hackney (as a comparator with the Crayford example) when talking of the events of 1996: the OTHER time Mr. Russell 'closed' down a track (Arena, though they survived by going into the Conference..) to take over at Waterden Rd. It was YOU who misunderstood this and started, spuriously, to think that somehow the thread referred to Canterbury!! And tell me, how on earth did Arena Essex running in Thurrock on whatever night have a bearing on a track reopening in Canterbury..?? A lot more than 30 miles between those two locations..??!!

I'm still totally confused by your posts, shazzy!! When you say "we" above are you meaning Hackney or Canterbury..?? I can't see how Arena's race night could have any effect on a replacement track opening in Canterbury..??!!!

And, with all due respect to Chris Pusey who was a great club loyalist and a steady GB international, he was never, in my memory of those times, really a contender at World or British championship indiv. level, was he..??

I think you're right. When - as if often the wont on the BSF - there's a list compiled of best riders never to be World Champ, Joey never appears on it: but he should do, because make no mistake about it, he was a superb racer; and only injuries stopped him becoming a world beater...

Got a sense of deja vu over this, coz it also sounded very much like the Newcastle team of 1976!! Joe was NLRC winner that year too (the year shazzy's uncle made the rostrum!! ); and with Tom also in his prime, the Diamonds swept to the NNL title losing on this occasion just THREE times! I mention this not so that it's apparent, by remembering further back, that I am indeed older than you, BP(!!): but perhaps mainly, coz one of the paltry 3 times the all-conquering Byker boys lost was - wait for it!! - at Crayford: by the legendary score of 40-38! Like you, I too had a soft spot for the Owen bros led Newcastle sides of this era.. I'm sure someone will point out in due course that in 1988 a side won the NL outdoing even the Diamonds' impressive record by losing but twice all term.. 'Twas of course that team beginning with 'H'!! To that eventual posting, let me get this point in first: the 1988 Kestrels contained no fewer than FIVE of the 1983 Crayford version..!!!

Like a few others who've contributed on here, Tony, I didn't actually see my first Speedway race 'til after the 'shut-off point' of 1970 for this distinction (though only missed it by a couple of years! ) but I have a nomination... George Barclay came to Speedway relatively late but can STILL be seen riding in that graceful style of his regularly at practice/training sessions at Sittingbourne.. What started for George as a day out giving it a try at a Rye House training day in the mid-1960s led to him riding in the top division for his beloved West Ham Hammers at the peerless Custom House. Then there those extraordinarily long distance trips to Sunderland, where George not only rode in the team but did all the pre-meeting and post-meeting track works! And long after retiring from the track (after any rider’s natural pinnacle being a Crayford Kestrel!! ), George remains an inspiration: his huge presiding force (along with partner Linda) forcing the Speedway world to dig into its pockets to make the Speedway Museum a reality. George & I share a surname and live on adjacent streets in East London but aren't related. He jokingly refers to me as his son (sometimes even his grandson..! ) when we're together and he's introducing me to someone..! That’s a laugh as, though he IS old enough to be my father, 'Gentleman' George looks so great, even though now in his seventies, he can easily get away with being a slightly older and far better looking brother!!! And I'm proud to call him a friend..: when we look back at the history of Speedway, there are few if any, more articulate, more gentlemanly servants of this great sport of ours than George Barclay. He'll do as my pre-1970s (and ling after too...) all-time hero!!!

Only the third ever Speedway meeting I attended, was Barrow at Kingsmead in July 1973 losing by just one point (39-38) to the Crusaders with both Joey (as he was then known) and Tom Owen in the Bombers side... One of the greatest individual performances I ever saw at second division level was by Joe, two years later in '75, when the Diamonds narrowly won a NNL match at Arlington. Joe remains my third favourite rider of all-time (behind Peter Collins and Buzz Burrows) with whom he shares the ability to entertain and provide excitement way beyond the norm in our sport.. Tom was also a legend to us at Crayford: winning the individual title, the Kentish Times Trophy a barely believable FIVE times in a row: '75 to '79 inclusive!!!

What are you on about..??!! It WAS 1996, when Terry Russell repeated his trick of 1984 and moved his team into Hackney: abandoning Arena Essex in the process. I've no idea what you're talking about..!!

It's not been spoilt, Rob..: and it's me who should be apologising!! Not least for us inflicting that geezer Bryn on you all those years back!! I'm just sore coz no-one supplied the name of that stripper pub up the road from the track!!

Well I think Steve had every right to be angry knowing as he does the huge amount of money, time and effort (emotional & physical) Russ has put into his track. I know myself from talking to Russell exactly the sort of cr*p he's had to put up with and that the fact of the last minute change of heart by what passes to planning officials out there was a devastating blow. Really glad to hear he's still battling on Good luck mate.. Derek

Well, all I can say is I'm glad the internet wasn't around 25 years ago when Crayford was closed down without the promoter so much as even telling its supporters what he was planning..: as the comments made on here by some Hackney supporters are extremely insensitive... At the end of the day, you had 8 more years at Hackney (then another in '96..) than we had at Crayford, yet somehow it's Hackney being depicted as some kind of victims of a 'sting'!! I suppose it was also true in 1996 that Arena Essex came and stole away your track was it..??!!

No, sorry, shazzy but you are TOTALLY wrong!!!! Crayford CLOSED down; they knocked the stadium down; it will never come back! Most Crayford fans were lost to the sport. And you're not telling me that Hackney fans didn't regard the Hackney team which brought the NL and other trophies back to Hackney in 1988 as a Hackney team?! Using your Crayford argument are you going to say it was alright when Romford closed down coz the same team carried on (after a few weeks at Custom House) in Barrow..!!!

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Er, chunky made this exact point in his opening post on this thread..!!! Did you not read it..??!!

Hmm, well it's easy to miss the point when the question is so obscure..!! A list of teams that are missing from another list..??!! Phew!!

It's a good point about PC's gating that night. It has remained an enigma that he was able to trap so well in the '77 Final..: probably the only time in his career when he was so sharp from the tapes!! And as you say, Michael WAS ready to go in that rerun heat 18.. Of course, he made no fuss about it - but if he had, he certainly had a case. Surely it's not allowed merely to cancel a two minutes just coz the two riders who've not made it are the two biggest legends in the sport at the time..??!! I did ask Michael about this at the Museum opening day, but being his normal laid back self he was completely un-bothered that he'd been denied the World title (or a very good chance at it, with an all-English rerun with an unfit Collins) by the decision.. Mind you, I guess the fact he won it next time in Gothenberg must influence his view on it now...

Tony: I have to take MASSIVE, MASSIVE issue with you over that statement!! Surely you were at the Intercontinental Final at White City when PC blew away the opposition with the greatest performance by a rider in Speedway history. Peter was so far and away the best in the world in '77 it was a no-contest..!! Then came that horribly smashed leg; and even then, he finished second and IF justice had prevailed and Olsen & Mauger had got their marching orders in the Ullevi mud, then he would have won the title..!! In fact, it was Egon Muller tamely tumbling off when PC led Mauger earlier in the meeting which also made the difference...

And, bearing in mind, that 2008 marks the 40th. anniversary of league Speedway in the Garden of England, wot about the Crayford Highwaymen and their even better successors, the Crayford Kestrels!!! Oh, and then there's the Iwade Colts, the Kent Crusaders and now the Sittingbourne Crusaders..!!!! I actually don't understand this thread..: clearly some (other!! ) major clubs are missing from your list but I'm sure I don't need to point that out..!!

Did you ask, Tone, about Ullevi 1977 and what happened when he and Ivan both failed to make the two minutes of the rerun heat 18 (was it 18..??)? If the ref had stuck with what would've been a correct decision to exclude both Olsen & Mauger for exceeding the time allowance, it would've led to a run off for the title between Peter Collins and Michael Lee..

You've lost me shazzy. You're the one who said before "at least you still had a team" and yet apparently subscribe to some bizarre concept that the NL club from '84 onwards wasn't Hackney.. What was it then..??!!!

Steve has competed several times in the Short Track UK series over past three years.. But the question Kev wanted answering is, did Mr. Lomas hold the New Hammond Beck track record on that track's closure..? Methinx, Mimmo will be attracted to this post's evocative title before too long and will then reveal all!!

There may well have been no alternative but it was Hackney's track that was saved by the machinations of that set of events not Crayford's. So, no blame obviously on Hackney; but equally no relevance either to Kent fans like me.. Sure I know you went every week to Hackney to carry on your support of the Kestrels and fair play to you: for many (surely the majority..) of Crayford fans, it was simply the end of the line. Personally, I went to just eleven meetings in total in the next TEN years after '83!!!!! THAT'S the legacy every time a track closes down in this sport of ours..

Buzz started at Scunthorpe in 1984; moved to Edinburgh the next year; and then was riding at Middlesboro in '87 before taking a five year sabbatical from the sport. When he returned he rode for Glasgow in '92. In 1994, Buzz made a few appearances for home city club Sheffield ; before - as you point out - becoming a Belle Vue Ace in the top league. He first appeared in the third tier the following year riding regularly with Buxton as well as in the PL for Long Eaton. Then began his long association with Stoke ('97-2003) before moving south to become a legend in London at Wimbledon. And then, of course, this last year back in the north east at Cleveland. Disregarding a couple of solitary appearances mid-90s for Coventry & Hull, I make that 11 British clubs. And then, of course, the big question is: where will Buzz be in 2008..??!!