BOBBATH

The Carter book was a great read-thanx TMC, but like some other posters-I just love the print format, I also have the signed Simmo book-another great read, ditto Reg Fearman's autobiography-another super book -particularly for Prov. League fans(those of us who are left!!)

Just read the sad news re Geoff Mardon-I think its time we updated the Oldest surviving World Finalist list- what with Cyril Roger and maybe others have gone. Guess Split is the oldest now

Maybe I can help- I think Alan Tay is Alan Jay, Bill Wirebrand has to be Bo Wirebrand,, Christer Lopavist is Christer Loqvist, Ken Paul Kinsley is definitely Ken McKinlay, Ken Ayres is Ken Eyre., Grahan Plant is Graham Plant, Jim Pibey is Jim Airey, Eric Bobcock is Eric Boocock , Bob Rigby may be Bob Kilby, Nigel Bodcock is Nigel Boocock, Bruce Ford may be Bruce Forrester, Anders ? is Anders Michanek-hope all this helps you-good on your gran, mate

You are right split-the rule was called rider control-have to point out West Ham suffered as well-losing Reg Luckhurst to Wimbledon I think. But I feel your post echoes my thoughts-Oxford had been a traditional wooden spoon type team until 1964 but in 1964 they blew everybody away -wotta team that was!!

Enjoyed your comment Norbold- I reckon we should call it a draw between us-otherwise what would stop us getting a friend(I don't have any) to post a supporting view-not suggesting you would do that of course!! Otherwise handbags at 20 paces!! Either way 1965 was my favourite season of speedway!!

Ok o great one-with all due respect I feel I have to retort. Oxford team of 1964 members averages in 1965-if they'd stayed together. Pander 10.6,Gooch 10.6, How 10.4, Gooddy(Exe) 9.9, Genz(Poole) 9.4, Geran (Exe) 9.7. I'd stack 'em up as a team against Ken Mck 11.4, Sverre 11.1 Hunter 9.7, Luckhurst (Wimb) 9.6 Simmo 6.9. Oxford suffered from an awful long tail without the 3 departed e.g. Bishop, Vale, Eddie Reeves. I'd still take Oxford with the 64 team to win 65 BL- both great teams though

Well done Split -you are right Colin "Joe " Gooddy was in the team-there was a piece in the Speedway Star of that era of how many of the teams' names began with G-Geran, Gooch, Gooddy, Genz. For 1965 of course they broke that great team up- as I recall Gooddy and Geran went to Exeter and Genz to Poole-if they'd kept them together they would have been certs for the first BL Title. Jim Gooch who was my favourite and very popular at my home track of Newport, later joined the Wasps in 1967 and was always a great performer. I think Ron How got injured in 1965 and didn't finish the season retiring permanently-another great!! From earlier posts it was mentioned that the 1964 promoters -Rycroft and Melville- left leaving a trail of debts. What was that about , were the crowds poor despite the winning team??

Amazing to see Ken's name crop up again mickbrigdale-tell him he is still remembered well for his speedway exploits-even 50 years later!! Buy him a beer from me!!

As CHR says reports of deaths are sadly becoming more prevalent-understandable but still depressing. As I recall Arneseemed a cert for a World Final place one year(can't remember which year though) except for a bad accident. The all conquering 1964 Oxford which won the double sounded amazing- I think the 3 heat leaders were How, Gooch and Arne(now all gone) -but they also had Genz, Geran, and were the others maybe John Bishop, Eddie Reeves. Saw Arne at Newport in the first year of BL in 1965. RIP Arne

I was very sorry to read this -but glad tmc was able to interview Cyril for Classic speedway-so at least people will be able to share these memories of him RIP Cyril and guess that this leaves the old reprobate Split waterman as the oldest living World finalist now.

Hang on a minute-didn't that also occur at the 1963 Prov. League Riders Final at Belle Vue and also at the 1965 British Final at West Ham(I woz there). Amazingly I also attended the 1967 British Final at West Ham (that was the time Rick France qualified for the World Final) and don't recall the strike thing-wasn't the Paul Parish story about the 1965 British Final-reckon I'm right- I just dug out Speedway Star of 10 Sept 1965(I really gotta get a life) and on pages 6 and 7 is the Paul Parish story-he mentions "Night of Shame" but the actual article is titled "Black Night". I am sorry to have to correct tmc and Norbold -of all people- but I reckon you both owe me a pint. Further piece of trivia on that evening-in Heat 5 Peter Vandenberg inflicted the first defeat that Charlie Monk suffered in the WC campaign till that point. It was the only 3 pts. that Pete Vandenberg got that evening. Charlie went from 4th to 2nd by overtaking Bill Andrews and Ronnie Genz, but couldn't catch PV. If he had he would have at least been in a run off for the last WF spot and could have beaten the other two in the run off -Mike Broadbank and Gordon Guasco. sadly Charlie never did make the WF. I remember the evening very well-first one with a mixture of PL and NL riders as first year of BL.

Thanx for pointing that out gustix--I always go to "years gone by" first- I went to the thread you noted and sorry for any confusion.

Very sorry to hear that Nigel passed away at home in Australia-he was 77.

Yup, you're right Steve-as soon as I posted it I knew I had added the s incorrectly-sorry about that. Can anybody add any update e.g. what happened to Mike after he left speedway.

I thought I would start a new thread because sadly nobody replied to my post re Mike Watkins. The 64 Diamonds were a wonderful team-we know the history of most of the riders-but I never have discovered whether the great stalwart(and a good guy) Mike Watkins is still with us. Does anybody know(does anybody care)?? Don't lets forget these middle order folks!!!

What a great post, thanks for doing this, brought back wonderful memories!! Cheers

Was interested to see the photo of Stan Stevens on the Heathens site-to be honest I'd forgotten he was a CH rider for a time-guess he joined them after Rayleigh. Stan always struck me as a true gent, and a super nice guy, friendly and unassuming to everyone. To me Stan epitomised what was great about speedway- he was interviewed on the TV segment about the closing of West Ham(you can see it on youtube), along with other riders and supporters, and again what a down to earth nice guy. I still get a chuckle when I think of the famous occasion he beat Barry Briggs in a race at WH

What a great team the 1964 Diamonds were. Worthy champs and the only team to win at Newport in a PL league match that season. Does anybody know what happened to Mike Watkin-a solid team man and great guy??

And hopefully we won't have to remove any of these illustrious names for some time to come yet!!

Age 17, at Somerton Park Newport, Saturday(due to rain off the previous night) June 13th 1964(OK OK Norbold I know I'm older than you!!!). Southern League Newport v. Long Eaton. Wasps won 52-25. First heat Alby Golden(R.I.P.) broke the track record. 5-1 to Newport. Dick Bradley scored a max for Newport Golden, Jon Erskine, Ken Adams, John Mills was result of first heat.. I was hooked ,still have the program. Only riders still with us from that meeting are Dick Bradley , Jon Erskine, Vic White and Geoff Penniket for Newport and Ray Wilson, Norman Storer and Kid Bodie for Long Eaton. Hard to believe its that long ago.

Thanx for posting about this site-really enjoyed it and it brought back some great memories-good old Cradley-I must say I thought their best uniform was the old green and white with CH on it-much more calearly defined than the ones that replaced it which I thought were too busy

Just a minute-you mean to tell me Norbold is really Norman Jacobs??All joking apart I think you are a talented writer mate.

Re Coatbridge- I went there once (19th July 1968). It was very interesting to me partly because it was also Albion Rovers Football ground, plus the whole area including adjacent towns like Airdrie. It was programmed as Monarchs v. Belle Vue but half the Belle Vue riders didn't show up--- they were Levai, Maidment, Sjosten(thanx a million guys!!). Bill Powell, Tommy Roper and Chris Pusey did-good for them .I felt really sorry for Ian Hoskins and the Monarchs fans. A meeting was cobbled together called Monarchs v. Northern Aces-with Lex Milloy(didn't he become a stuntman in various movies ) Bobby Beaton and good old Jimmy Tannock. I understand that this scenario of riders not turning up was an ongoing problem for Hoskins- Coatbridge was ,what , say 400 miles from London, 250 from Manchester say-that's about as far as Toronto from Montreal(London)or Toronto to Windsor(Manchester)and I just couldn't believe that riders would fail to show -couldn't they just get their act together!! Anybody remember that, in fact anybody at that meeting. Having said all that- Coatbridge did strike me on that long ago day as a well prepared track. Again too bad the fans(nice folks as I recall) were let down by the no show riders!!

I've wondered about this on occasion myself -I think he was Bob's older brother and surely he's passed away by now

For me, Sheffield under Frank Varey-always immaculate. Fond memories of Owleron