chunky

I remember the first time I saw Andy. I drove over to Hackney on a cold and miserable winter's day to watch the Hawks take on the Aces in a junior match. He was 16... Seems like a lifetime ago!

That's my point. People often concentrate on what happens at the very end, but that really was a defining point.

That's cool! When and where did you play him?

Don't know if you remember the incident in 2000 (I can't remember what round it was) when Loram lifted and put Rickardsson in the fence. For some unknown reason, Rickardsson was excluded, and ultimately, that had a HUGE impact on the final standings.

I don't think you'll find too many out there who would disagree with you...

Okay, I managed to get there too! It was coming up differently on my phone to what it does on my laptop! Thanks for your help.

I didn't want to quote your whole post, but I agree 100%. You sound just like me!

I just did that, and it was blank! The same as when I have tried the pages for individual teams. Perhaps it's an issue as I am trying to access them on my phone. I'll try on the laptop. Thanks for the confirmation.

Do I actually have to be logged in to view them? I can access the pages, but when I click on them they come up blank.

Dave ALWAYS like to stir things up! I'm sure you agree, but watching some of the stuff from the 70's, there are so many things you couldn't imagine happening now. Some crazy refereeing decisions, races continuing with bodies sprawled across the track, and as for the starts... Plus, speedway was a very different beast in Eastern Europe. Look at the reactions to the World Final incidents when Samorodov and Klementiev were excluded.

Hey, we've had our issues in the past, Doug! It happens, and you move on.

The problem was, I feel, the ego of British speedway fans at that time. Everyone was so convinced that, in order to be World Champion, you HAD to ride in the British League. The fact that was proven to be incorrect not only shocked people, but caused resentment and suspicion, as there was "no way it could happen".

Thinking about it, at that time he was probably as close to perfection as anyone.

I'm sorry you feel that way, but I have done NOTHING to turn norbold against you; this is all your own doing, as you were the one who - again - decided to twist everything I said, and make accusations and get insulting. I will tell you this (although you won't believe me, I'm sure) - I do not dislike you. I dislike the way you carry on a lot of the time, particularly when you are abusive, but I don't hold a grudge. There have been a number of individuals on here for whom I have had no use, but you are not one of them. This is a forum - for discussion. Not everyone is going to agree, and there is nothing wrong with that. What's wrong is the way people react. Last night, you blew everything out of proportion from the point I said that I didn't consider that the two of us were at war. Again, I don't have a problem with you, but clearly you have a problem with me. There is absolutely nothing I have said that warrants the histrionics and abuse you have directed my way over the last few days. I don't want to see you go, and frankly, I don't think there is any need for you to leave the forum, but that is your decision.

I think that most of us had a problem with Jason in his early years (because of his attitude), but I too developed a much greater respect for him as he matured. Funny thing is, I was talking to his manager (before Jason reached his greatness), and he said that Jason needed his dad's attitude and temperament, and that Phil would have greatly benefited from Jason's drive and tenacity. Basically, a combination of the two Crumps would have been the perfect speedway rider!

With all this nonsense you've come up with over the last 24 hours, please show me where I have tried to bully you. Taking it further, show me where I have bullied you over this entire Tommy issue. You can't, because I haven't! You are the one who has resorted to ridiculous claims, accusations, lies, and name-calling, yet I am the problem? Just because I didn't agree with an opinion of yours (and I was led to believe that I was allowed to voice an opinion on here), you launched into all this nonsense yourself. For absolutely no reason.

What have I said that was a lie?

In what way?

Please copy and paste the items where I said: 1) He was a novice 2) He hadn't achieved anything of note 3) He wouldn't have reached the top level from 1976/84

So, you now think that I don't know anything about speedway? Oh well...

Not once did I say that he hadn't achieved anything of note. Please stop making this up as you go along.

Quick question, John... Is there any reason that the team squads are missing from the site? I'm pretty sure that they would have been on there in the past (seems that the last activity was in 2009), but are they missing completely, or are they in the database but not actually published?

Please stop telling lies. All I said was that we don't know; it is all conjecture. I certainly did NOT say he wouldn't have been a threat, and in fact, I actually stated that I believed he WOULD have been. So, why lie, and accused me of saying things I didn't?

You called me a prick. That isn't name calling? Now you called me a complete tool. That isn't name calling? How have I not been an adult? You are lying when you claim that I thought Tommy was a novice. I stated that he WAS world-class, and you can go back and check. All I said was that he was not yet at the World Champion level, a fact substantiated by statistics and results.

Oh, it was so much better when Zygfried Friedek, Christoph Betzl, and Pete Ondrasik were around....