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Second Halvers


Guest kent

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Jason's my cousin sorry never give J a thought within speedway due to when rode 2nd halves at Arena Essex he had a really nasty crash and ended up in hospital after falling and one of those bendy pipe things on track didn't bend one night :cry::shock: hence end of speedway for him until now he takes out our kids on their bikes and when he thinks no one is looking has a little go. :approve:

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We also had two young second halfers called Dave Jessup and Barry Thomas. I wonder whatever happened to them.  :)

To be fair though Norbold, they were both recognised team members at Eastbourne and Canterbury weren't they?

Not at the time, no. I saw their first ever race in the second half at West Ham. Jessup was 15; Thomas was 16. Although Thomas won, I thought Jessup looked to be the better prospect. And so it proved...or did it? ;)

Fair play to you Norbold, I didn't know that!

 

Regarding the better rider of the two, the statistics would support your theory that Dave was more successful, but I'm sure Cheetahawk would have something to say about that! :)

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Guest cheetahhawk
We also had two young second halfers called Dave Jessup and Barry Thomas. I wonder whatever happened to them.  :)

To be fair though Norbold, they were both recognised team members at Eastbourne and Canterbury weren't they?

Not at the time, no. I saw their first ever race in the second half at West Ham. Jessup was 15; Thomas was 16. Although Thomas won, I thought Jessup looked to be the better prospect. And so it proved...or did it? ;)

Fair play to you Norbold, I didn't know that!

 

Regarding the better rider of the two, the statistics would support your theory that Dave was more successful, but I'm sure Cheetahawk would have something to say about that! :)

I was at West Ham that night too Norbold. :)

I thought that DJ was always going to be more successful than Thommo but Thommo was always more exciting to watch from my point of view anyway.

DJ was a bit of a gater whereas Thommo always had to come from the back.Much more fun. :approve:

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I was at West Ham that night too Norbold. :)

Flippin 'eck - ME too! Could have had a forum (er, IF it had been invented!) convention that night! :wink:

Edited by Bryn
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How about a second halver that your team missed out on?

There isn't a particular second halfer that springs to mind (no doubt as soon as I've logged off I'll think of dozens) but did any other tracks have "during the interval races" for 14/15 year olds?

 

The most notable one for Sheffield is Andy Smith who signed for the Aces once he turned 16.

 

There was also Glen Parrott who looked like he was going to be the next big thing, but disappeared almost as quickly as he arrived, I think he rode for Ellesmere Port and Halifax - I know he rode for the Dukes as he was in the same team as Steve Finch and Doug Adams had a great time announcing with lots of bird puns and jokes.

 

Then there was a 15 year old Joe Screen in the late 80's who turned 16 after we closed, but I don't know how serious we were about signing him before that nice Mr. Ducker pulled the plug.

Edited by Tigerblade
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I think there was a guy named Errol Brook at Cradley he would fly from the start but got cheered if he got around the first bend safely. He was a real trier and i don't mean to disrespect him.

I remember Errol from the 1969 season. He was great value and very exciting to watch because of his tendency to bite the dust. Had a very distinctive red neckerchief I think.

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I remember a second halfer at Swindon completely missing the fourth bend, wobbling about all over the place and finally going onto the centre green and ploughing through the flower beds as the track staff were forced to flee left, right and centre.

 

Oh God, what was his name? Malcolm something. Holloway! That's it. Malcolm Holloway.

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One night saw Brummies Andy Grahame as a second half junior hit the first bend then end up on the centre green! 4-5 years later he was british champiom ending up reserve in the world final in the USA.

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I was at West Ham that night too Norbold. :)

Flippin 'eck - ME too! Could have had a forum (er, IF it had been invented!) convention that night! :wink:

 

 

Me too!

 

Jessup at the time looked tiny, and Thomas tall and skinny. At least that's how I remember it.

 

One of you will know the answer to this - which year was it? 1970 or 1971? And which year did Tony Clarke burst onto the West Ham scene?

 

Just a thought - a worrying thought. It may very well be that the number of forum members who were at West Ham that night all those years ago is greater than the attendance at some CL matches these days!

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