lucifer sam

I mostly talked to John on forums, but never got that impression of him. To me, he came across as a very intelligent man, and one who could tolerate people with a different view, while explaining his own take on matters. I think he would have been capable of tackling the BSPA job, had he been given the chance.

Was reading through the rest of the interview earlier, with Peter York revealing not a single rider was under unofficial contract in 1986 (the year before he took over), because he found all the contracts in a box and they hadn't been counter-signed, and the VAT man almost closing down British Speedway in '87, because the previous administration hadn't paid any VAT for four years! Charles Ochiltree came to the rescue.

Yorkie's side of the story, as told in Backtrack issue 55: An advert in the Speedway Star grabbed York’s attention. He explains: “There was a job advert for the grandiose title of Director Of Operations For British Speedway. I thought to myself: ‘What the hell is that?’. I then picked up the Speedway Mail and saw the same advert again. “So I phoned up Charles Ochiltree (BSPA President) and asked what it was. He explained it was, in effect, the manager of the BSPA. “I didn’t really want to do that. I wanted to be promotions manager and have a roadshow and tell everyone what a fabulous sport we have. I had all these contacts at the BBC and I wanted to use them. I thought: ‘I’ll apply for this, and then drop in the promotions bit.’ “A lot of people applied - they got it down to about ten candidates. I was invited to the function room at John Harrhy’s place (near Coventry Speedway). Normally in an interview, you have two or three people, but I had all the promoters from both leagues, about 40 people, firing questions at me! “I explained what I wanted to do. During a coffee break, a few promoters came up to me and said it was a really good idea. “Eric Boothroyd told me the final decision would be made at the BSPA conference in Tenerife, but that it was between two of us – John Berry and myself. “John Berry phoned me and said: ‘Look, if you back off putting in for the manager’s job, then I’ll ensure that you are taken on as the promotions manager, because that’s what you really want isn’t it?’ I told him: ‘Yes it is’. “So the conference took place and I had a phone call from John to say: ‘It’s happening. I’m the manager, you’re the promotions manager, and I’ll talk to you about terms and conditions when I get back.’ "Two days later the phone went again. It was Eric Boothroyd (now installed as BSPA chairman). He said: ‘John Berry has walked out and you’re it’. I said: ‘What do you mean, exactly, I’m it?’. ‘You’re the new BSPA manager.’”

Oh. Even longer ban coming for Mr Cook, if that's the case.

And I'll give you a wee hand - there wasn't a race going on, so the above is redundant. Not sure if the ref would have been even at the controls for the pre-meeting parade. A Red Flag means slow down and come to a halt. Cookie doesn't seem to slow down at all. He had plenty of time to throttle off.

In what way is the marshal acting incorrectly? It's true that track staff should not be on the track during a race, but this wasn't during a race. It's while other people were still on the track. Cookie had plenty of time to slow down, but didn't. He disobeyed a red flag.

As far as I can see, the only point is discussion is how long Cookie's ban should be. I'd say 28 days. You can't go around doing what's he done there. He had plenty of time to throttle off and avoid the marshal.

Contact MKJ Vids and you can order a DVD copy through their Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/mkjvids/ In the meantime, take it on trust that while it was raining during Heats 3 and 4, by no means was that rain “torrential”. For starters, I would have dived for cover in the clubhouse, instead of watching the racing from the start-line, and then hiding under the ref’s box to fill my programme in, to stop it getting wet.

There wasn’t any “torrential rain”. It was mostly light rain during the first four races, although it did get slightly harder for a couple of minutes (around about Heat 3, I think). It was clearly passing, since the sun was coming out behind the main grandstand, and although times slowed, it was still possible to race, as evidenced by Ben Barker’s fourth to second in Heat 4. The track inspection called by John Campbell was a curious one. I guess only he will know the reason why he called it.

There wasn’t a problem – the track didn’t even need a regrade before Heat 5. The times got slower because there had been light rain during the first four races, but the riders didn’t look in trouble – Ben Barker raced from fourth to second in Heat 4 without any problems at all. It stopped raining after the completion of the fourth race, so you don’t need a crystal ball to tell you that it will then start to get faster – a bit of common sense would suffice. To be fair to the referee, it was the quickest track inspection ever. I think he went down to the pit gate, spoke to both captains, who told him it was fine and then went straight back up to the box. Maybe it allowed John Campbell a couple of minutes to spend a penny or have a go on Rob G’s new Brum car. Good meeting last night, with Heat 9 the pick of some tremendous racing.

TODAY’S MEETING IS ON! Just to reassure everyone that it is still ALL SYSTEMS GO for today’s meeting. The weather here in the East is very different to Sheffield. In fact, Rob Godfrey is currently wearing his shorts and is preparing to water the track! SEE YOU LATER!

See you tomorrow! Should be a great match, given our home form and your away form!

WE'VE PUMPED what must be thousands of gallons of water off the track today. The forecast for tomorrow is much better, and unless it changes, it will be ALL SYSTEMS GO for tomorrow's meeting against Glasgow Tigers. REMEMBER it's a 6.30pm start-time!

Apologies, it's my dad's funeral later today, hence the lack of official word. There will be a press release by the end of the day.

Hi Sid, it's actually an old article that appeared in Backtrack a couple of years ago. You've probably got it.

RESULT: Redcar Bears 43 Scunthorpe Scorpions 47.

A few excerpts from Steve's interview for Backtrack: Reflecting on his hard man image, that gained him the nickname ‘Steve The Heave’, he recalls: “I think my reputation was more for things that happened off the track rather than on it, because I stuck up for myself. “I never took any crap. If you get pushed about and you don’t stick up for yourself, then the rest of the riders will take advantage. That’s just human nature. “I saw other riders who got pushed around all the time. That didn’t happen with me, because people knew they couldn’t get away with it.” On track, Steve reflects: “I moved riders out of the way. There were certain times you needed to nudge a rider out of the way, and certain times that they wouldn’t move. I felt I had to be aggressive. “There were certain riders who would take you out to the fence and leave you in never-never land, and I didn’t do that. “But if I went into a corner and I was looking to get inside someone, and they moved across to block me, I didn’t like being forced off the throttle. So then I would put pressure on them, and a lot of the guys would buckle under pressure. “It didn’t bother me having to come from the back. I never intentionally took another rider out of a race; I wouldn’t go into a corner and not turn. That wasn’t a safe thing to do in any case, because you’d just go with them. You’d tangle and both end up in the fence. “If you tried to go around someone and got pushed up against the fence, I always thought I was partially to blame for putting myself in the wrong place and allowing them to do it. I should have known better. “If someone rode me rough into a corner, I didn’t go up and bellyache at them. But I remembered what they’d done to me. That was the way I was raised - it doesn’t do any good to yell up and down. “You should be a gentleman and play fair; and if not, then at some point, they’re going to have to race you again.” AND: On July 21, 1980, Swindon travelled to high-flying neighbours Reading for a BL match. Crump had recently returned, after missing the start of the season to set up a motorcycle business in Australia. With Autrey also in their ranks, Robins were keen to prove what could have been had Crump been available for the whole season, in what proved to be an explosive local derby. In Heat 8, Racers’ Jiri Stancl led, while Milan Spinka forced a way under Tony Briggs with Gresham following through the gap. Briggs crashed spectacularly, with Gresham excluded, even though some felt his team-mate Spinka was the one at fault. “From what I recall, I returned the pits and was walking out to the watch the racing (the re-run of Heat 8), when Barry Briggs, Tony’s father, tackled me from behind.” Blows were exchanged and the racing was held up for around 20 minutes. “I never had a problem with Tony over that incident; we never even really talked about it, because it was just racing. “I bumped into Barry not long ago at a race meeting, and I decided to go over and talk to him. It was a private conversation, but we chatted for a couple of hours and we were getting on well by the end of it.” Swindon won at Smallmead by 40-38, but Reading still ended the season as champions. AND: Steve looks back to his decade in Britain with great fondness. “I had a wonderful time. Coming to Britain was the best time in my life. I feel I grew into an adult in Britain. People took care of me, and I met lots of friends and learned how to control my money. “I gave up a formal education to go racing, and my family thought I was crazy. But it was because of speedway that I learnt how to control my money and set up a successful business. I learned about life and don’t regret any of it. “It gave a sense of what life was worth and how to respect other people. “I still go for a ride on my bike every now and then. You don’t forget how to ride and it’s a lot of fun.”

Jason Edwards

Gone to hospital today - fingers crossed!

Yup, meeting off to forecast tonight - due to bucket it down around 6-7pm by the look of it. Matt Wethers and Matt Marson had agreed to guest for Scorpions.

No it hadn't. Subsequent piece in the Star confirmed that, saying that Jedd was heading back to Australia.

Back on topic, Steve Worrall and Joe Lawlor are the guests for Scunny on Friday.

Ryan Douglas, Tero Aarnio and Alfie Bowtell as guests for Scorpions.

Best wishes Sam - wishing you a speedy recovery.

Geoff is a pair of Workington fans, who often go fishing on threads, nowt to do with Scorpions Today, rather than fishing on threads, they should have gone fishing in that puddle behind George Hope this miserable weather stops soon - some riders must be really struggling for income at the moment.