Parsloes 1928 nearly

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..??!!

WHAT???!!! How on earth do you work that one out...??!! Crayford had closed, shazzy!! The fact that a number of the riders and the Kestrels name re-emerged at Hackney was in no way relevant to the fact that our track and our club had been wiped off the map!!!!

Did they change the track in 1984..?? I was so disgusted at what had happened to my team (Crayford) that I didn't venture to see the Kestrels at Waterden Rd.!!

Hmm, Hackney swallowing up Crayford would be my description of the events of 1984 (not '83)..!!!

The peanut sellers at London sporting events is one of the really missed icons from my youth & teens!! I used to see the same guys at White City on a Wednesday, Hackney on a Friday and then on the Clock End on a Saturday. And doubtless they had 'gigs' on the other days: though rarely if ever Sundays in those days.. The all-seater stadiums did for them at football; and, well, the Speedway tracks were just all done in, period... I notice no-one other than me is admitting ever going in the stripper pub after a meeting...!!

And getting home to north-west Kent from that marathon meeting always caused me grief!! Remember one time ending up at bloody Kidbrooke Station (must've been the only vaguely familiar destination available from a long post-midnight London Bridge); and having to get my disgruntled Dad out of his bed to come and pick me up.. That was when it was good that it was October and there was no Speedway for months, so I could get back in the parents' good books.. Funny enuff, not much has changed 'cept it's a wife now I have to hope forgets over the winter about my Speedway 'misdemeanors'..!! Now, what was the name of the pub near the Stadium with, er, "glamour dancing" on after the meeting..?? Come to think of it, calling in there may have contributed to my late-night stranding in the midst of Kidbrooke’s inhospitable the Ferrier Estate.. was it The Falcon or something like that..??

I first went to Waterden Rd. in 1975 - 'twas vs. Sheffield : Dave Kennett’s photo was on the front cover of the prog.!! Remember I went via Leyton tube station and asked a few people the way when in the Ruckholt Rd. area: no-one had ever heard of the place!!! But that became my regular route; though sometimes we'd go a long circuitous route (from Orpington!) via the 51 to Woolwich, the foot tunnel then the bus via East Ham. Phew!! Me and my fellow Crayford pal Rowan (who occasionally lurks on here!!) would always support the opposition, such was our antipathy (not quite sure from where this derived..!!) for the Hawks. Of course, in those days the track shop on the second bend was under the stewardship of our good pal Del Lewis; and it was never the same on that terrace after Del's tragic death in a motorbike crash. I remember Kestrels News fondly from its original (and only true!! ) incarnation: at Crayford. Blimey, that guy Williams was a visionary (though beer had much to do with it!!): as, surely, not only was this Speedway's first fanzine but also predated any Football fanzine. In fact, I don't think there was actually such a word/concept as Fanzine when Bryn dreamt up and delivered on the peerless Kestrels News!! I say, first Speedway fanzine..: but actually I've never heard of another.. Has there been anything to compare with Kestrels News..??

Glad you enjoyed it 'iused'..! It was indeed a splendid afternoon's racing with so much action and passing impossible to record it all!! And you're right about 'Cooperman': he was awesome!!!! Hopefully in the forthcoming STUK series in '08 we'll see more and more Speedway folk coming along to enjoy the action! See following thread for dates and details: http://www.speedway-forum.co.uk/forums/ind...showtopic=39113 A massive thank-you to Rob Godfrey and all the team at Normanby Road for laying on superb facilities on & off the track; to Rich for his excellent meeting report (see above and Scunny website); and especially to Steve Dixon: the most professional Speedway track photographer out there IMHO.

Fairly incredible to recall that when cigarette company, Gauloise sponsored events, the aforementioned 'bunny girls' would go around the crowd handing out individual examples of the company's product..! Strangely, though, when Durex sponsored the NL Fours the same thing didn't happen...!!

To do Speedway's finest ever terrace chant justice (and to clarify for those puzzled by this..) it was sung to the then popular Football chant, "Wem-bley Wem-bley, we're the famous Arsenal (or whoever..!) and we're going to Wem-bely"; and went, "Weatherley, Weatherley; and he rides for White City; and we're gonna win the League".. And I'll never forget singing it with the revised final line of "and we've gone and won the League" in the Monmore Green bar in October 1977! As you say, incredible that, that was 30 years ago..! And yes, lucifer sam: White City WAS another club I've supported over the years!!

Saw some smartly attired track rakers at the meeting at Marketa (the Czech Under 19s championship which you very kindly alerted to me) back in October. Mind you, they didn't actually DO very much raking!!!! As for the Plough Lane burgers.. Well, good they may have been in the '70s; but they were rank in the 2002'-05 era, where the GRA's rubbish staff proved that fast food can be neither fast nor indeed edible!!!

You're right!! It's my week for getting things wrong !! Yes, 'twas Viktor. Two of his team mates at the magnificent White City that afternoon (got all their autographs in my prog!!) WERE Vladimirs..: Paznikov (who I really can't recall anything else about.. ) and one of the two famous Gordeev brothers in the team, who made several World Finals (the younger one was Valeri); plus another rider who did well in a couple of WFs (indeed flirting with winning it in '73), Grigori Khlinovsky.

Remember meeting Vladimir Trofimov at White City (WTC Final '76) and he gave me a load of Soviet Speedway (and other) badges which was very nice of him. He was IMO the top USSR rider of his day and with a bit more luck could've moved just one notch up and made a World Championship rostrum. Any news of what he's up to now..??

Still not sure if can pay on the day. Any chance this could be clarified..??

Martin: Am certainly looking forward to seeing Ricky Wells ride..: as you say, his inclusion and GB debut is a major coup. Sad to hear that the Under 15s aren't on again, though, as they've been IMHO a real highlight the last two years.. Haven't got advance tickets but want to pay on the day.. There will be this option won't there..???

Well done..: we can all stay with you then, I guess!!!!!

Can only make the afternoon part of the event this year (the 1pm start..). Will this be a Pairs event like previous years or is it going to be different (seem to recall some mention that it might be a 4TT..)?? Been trying to access the web-site but it's been unavailable for a little while..??