psymon

Firstly, the area.... another name for that part of the world is Hackney. I seem to remember speedway can be successfully run there! Secondly, a lack of a proper speedway event in London is a big problem for the sport, we need London to boost credibility. I agree it should not be the British GP, but perhaps the Western European GP? I've been to Cardiff twice and the day is fantastic, but tbh I think 40000 is frankly a pathetic crowd. Can I remind people that back in the 80's speedway World Finals used to fill Wembley (84000). I know that was for a one off final, but even so, one Wembley= two Cardiffs!!! Back in the day, the reason speedway was kicked out of Wembley was effect the straights had on the wings of the football pitch. It was a very sad day for the sport when that happened. There is no logistical reason why speedway can't return to Wembley or go to the new Olympic Stadium. Whoever owns the stadium in the future, I am sure they will be adaptable to anybody who is willing to pay for it (especially as I suspect this will be one of the legacy requirements).

PA was rubbish (didn't hear a single race time all night), entertainment, couldn't hear it, crowd looked smaller than last year (my only previous time at Cardiff). Queue for park and ride after the meeting stupidly long (why not have more than one place to pick up, perhaps opposite sides of the road, then you can get twice the number of buses moving and halve the queue length!) Other than that, the track looked good, Holder deserved his win, but the best rider on the night for me was Gollob. I still remember the Wembley Finals. Compared to 84000, even 44000 is poor. I think the British GP should stay in Cardiff, but another one needs to be created for Wembley (an Anglo-Saxon GP?!) or maybe even after 2012 a GP in the London Olympic Stadium?

Your name being drawn out by the Junior Supporters Club to be ridden round on your favourite riders bike during the interval (although in my case it had to be by Ashley Pullen, as Kelvin Mullarkey had been knocked off by Merv Jankie (surely not), collected Hughie Sanders and ended up being bashed round by the safety fence so he couldn't take me (sigh) Sitting on big cushions my mum had covered with gold and blue material on the concrete stand at Rye House The riders having flour fights and stuff in the last meeting of a season Being part of a large away support at speedway meetings Chanting in the stands (Give us an R etc.) Weslakes! Watching Peterborough riders trying to ride Areana Essex before it had a safety fence and getting excluded for going too wide Watching the Inter-Continental Final at White City Watching speedway in a full Wembley Stadium Being in the crowd for the filming of King Cinder Buying replica race-jackets in the club shop and wearing it as you rode round on your Grifter push bike at home Getting home after speedway to eat buttered crumpets as you watched the Muppets on TV Riders with proper names like Dingle Brown and Tiger Beech Seeing loads of Banners at speedway Driving up to away meetings and (a) being passed by the riders doing over 100 ( seeing loads of other cars with the team scarf's jammed in the top of the car windows Cars with speedway related Sun Visors

Well done Zorro. Totally on merit; was the best rider on the night (although at times Holder was doing a pretty good Crump impersonation!) Loved the passion I too was surprised by the crowd. Biggest since we won the League. Now, where can I get a Bees version of one of those really big flags the Poles had....... Oh and I think Bomber deserves a wild card. His last two races (and for that matter Cardiff 2 years ago) proves he can do it. Both he and Scott have just had total 'mares this season

One of the current Coventry Cougars (who sometimes ride in the second half) is the wonderfully named Dakota North. I started watching speedway back in the early 70's at Rye House where the riders had good sensible names like Dingle Brown and Tiger Beech

I must admit I'm sorry Rory wont be riding, as round Brandon he's been really good this season. I think Bomber will do well (obviously), but I think Smoli will be a real dark horse for this meeting. I can see him picking up a shock gp place because if he has a good day he can beat just about anybody. SMOLI FOR CARDIFF

My first Cardiff. Have to say I enjoyed it. Shame about the kid getting injured and the kid excluded for touching the tape. I enjoyed the balloon dancing thing and I laughed quite a lot when Freddie overcooked the celebration and fell off the back of his bike at the end. Oh and the speedway was good too (didn't agree with Bomber being excluded though, I think Hans dives like Ronaldo )

27 June Speedway Grand Prix Park & Ride Cars should exit at junction 33 of the M4 and follow signs for Millennium Stadium Park and Ride. The Park & Ride service costs £10 per car (this includes bus travel). The car park is manned from 8.30am with the first bus at 9am. The last bus will leave the pick-up point from the city centre at 10.30pm, with the car parks closing at 11pm. Stewards will be on hand to help any disabled drivers needing assistance. There will be a small road closure of Westgate Street from 3pm - 10pm. No dedicated coach parking will be provided within the Civic centre pay & display area - coaches / mini-buses should make use of the coach parking facilities off Sophia Close - there are dedicated coach parking areas with driver facilities. For further information on coach parking at Sophia Close telephone 029 2044 5900. Taken from the Cardiff Council Website It will be my first time going to Cardiff. Any hints and tips?

I remember Kevin Smith losing it and going for Kelvin Mullarkey on the track at Rye House. The funny thing of course was that they were both on the same team (Kelvin had been third, holding Smithy up and had then fallen, causing Kevin to have to lay his bike down, hence the red mist) Makes what BJ did on Friday night against Belle Vue look like exactly what it was, a storm in a tea cup.

Totally with you on that. Also seeing leg trailing myself for the first time (when the old bikes worked in the freezing conditions that is).

Got Colin Pratt to sign my copy tonight at Coventry. The look on his face as he looked at the old line up with him in it was priceless. Thought of lending him my copy, but decided he probably had enough money to go out and buy his own.

My copy was delivered on 22nd August (I ordered one for my Dad and he received his on the 17th). I've really enjoyed reading the book. A few questions though, why no mention of King Cinder, it's not every track that was used for the filming of a (admittedly poor) children's TV series? Also, why does Brian Foote appear to be wearing a skirt on page 57? My favourite part of the book (apart from everything about Kelvin Mullarkey) was the mention about the abandoned away match at Scunthorpe and poor 100 supporters who Colin Pratt felt needed compensating. It wasn't until the second time I read it that I remembered that I was there (aged 9). Reading about the 70's and early 80's brought it all back to me. Rye House was and still is a very special club. I remember in 1979 when Mildenhall stole the double from us. I can easily believe the 10000 crowd at Mildenhall. What was also remarkable was the crowd at Scunthorpe for Mildenhall's last league meeting of the season. It was made up of about 50% Fen Tigers, 25% Scunthorpe and 25% Rye House supporters.

Yes!!! Well done Bomber, great speedway!

Yes, I think you're right. I guess the next thing I should do is see if I've still got the record somewhere and then find someone with a record player to play it. Although, I'm not totally sure whether the music world is really ready for its resurection

Ordered one for me and one for my Dad! Still remember Tiger Beech dumping his bike in the fence and ending up on the dog track in front of the crowd. Also do you remember the 'Rockets Record'. Done to the tune of 'My Old Man's a Dustman' it listed the team and had the chorus 2 4 6 8 We'll See the Rockets Score (as I remember, but I could be wrong). I just remember Brian Foote as a number 1, (I was 9 in 1975), but I don't think it was the most productive of seasons. Seem to think Bob Cooper was a main teamer with a decent average back then as well, but again, all the programmes have been long lost and I don't really know.

A couple of years ago I saw on the local news that an ex work colleague of mine was killed by her partner who then went on to deliberately crash his car and kill himself. At the funeral my ex-colleague's mother was very firm on the fact that although the man involved had done an evil thing, that act did not destroy all the good things he hed done. He had just made a terrible, terrible, mistake, which he had regretted in an instant and was so mortified about he killed himself. I don't know the full details about Kenny Carter, but I do know his riding in the '85 Wembley final took my breath away. Yes he did something evil, but he also obviously felt regret. It's not my place to forgive him, but it's not my place to judge him either. I have always felt really sorry that it had happened, just as I felt when I heard about my friends Rebecca and Tim.

I still remember Ashley Pullen's first ride at Rye House. He didn't have any boots and he rode with shoes done up with gaffa tape. The supporters club had to buy him boots for the next meeting. My top team would be Karl Fiala Bobby G Kelvin Mullarkey Marvyn Cox Kevin Smith Bob Cooper Ashley Pullen with honourble mention to Ted Hubbard (who could ride the third bend like no one else), Hughie Saunders (who knew a mysterious ouside line that no one else knew) Andy Fines (just because I remember him once doing nothing in a meeting except gating first to lead home a 5-1 that snatched a home victory against Mildenhall, which was priceless in itself), Tiger Beech for once crashing on the exit of the 4th bend, leaving his bike still going in the wire fence and landing on the dog track in front of the main stand and Dingle Brown for his all round contribution to speedway (and of course his name, which to me as an 8 year old child was just hilarious, sorry)