fatface Posted August 27, 2004 Report Share Posted August 27, 2004 Yes, a real character. He used to stand close to the starting gate at Hyde Road and his mouth was quite capable of letting the whole of the main stand hear his opinions. I remember him regularly bantering with Dick Barrie, who, of course, had the benefit of a microphone. At the 86 British Open at Sheffield, during the interval I remember him parking himself on the steps that overlooked the pits and telling the world's best riders what he thought of them. In particular, I recall him telling Peter Collins (who he was a big fan of) that he should pack it in. He also said that Chris Morton (who was unreal that day) would never win the World Final because he didn't have what it takes. Ouch! Soldier Boy had a big mouth, but he did know what he was talking about and never shied away from the unspoken truth. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tigerblade Posted August 27, 2004 Report Share Posted August 27, 2004 At the 86 British Open at Sheffield Sorry if I sound a bit pedantic but are you sure? I remember us having an England v USA test match where I cheered a la Soldier Boy when Peter Carr went around two Americans from the back one race but I don't remember us having that one. He turned out to be right about PC and Mort, but I can just imagine him yelling it - subtle as a housebrick Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fatface Posted August 27, 2004 Report Share Posted August 27, 2004 Positive Tigerblade. It was a pairs event about a week before the World Final in Poland. Aces had Mort and PC, Cradley had Gundersen and Jan O, Oxford: Nielsen and Wigg, Sheffield: Shooey and Neil Collins. Can't remember the rest, but not bad going eh? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grachan Posted August 27, 2004 Report Share Posted August 27, 2004 You should know better than to question our Falcace on 80s speedway, Tigerblade! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Steve Dixon Posted August 27, 2004 Report Share Posted August 27, 2004 Iv'e just watched the 1982 British Open held at White City, won by Denis Sigalos,£5000. winner take all.Did they change it to a pairs event? can't remember, do remember Mort and PC winning the league pairs in '84 as well as the World Pairs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fatface Posted August 27, 2004 Report Share Posted August 27, 2004 You should know better than to question our Falcace on 80s speedway, Tigerblade! Indeed - the cheek of it! Pah! In fact I'm sure I've still got the British Open 1986 official patch sewn on to my Belle Vue 1986 official cap, which goes very well with my Belle Vue 1986 official anorak. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tigerblade Posted August 27, 2004 Report Share Posted August 27, 2004 Iv'e just watched the 1982 British Open held at White City, won by Denis Sigalos,£5000. winner take all.Did they change it to a pairs event? Yes, can't remember when though - I do remember going to Wolverhampton in 1985 and the meeting dragged on for hours, Cradley won, am I right?? I'm sure I will have been at that meeting in 1986, but it still doesn't ring a bell. Perhaps because it was so close to the 1986 world final - and I went, by coach!! - it's got lost in the memory mists of time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iris123 Posted August 27, 2004 Report Share Posted August 27, 2004 Remember meeting someone on the London Underground who said he was Soldier Boy(late 70's early 80's)although i think he must have been an imposter or the photo isn`t that good Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boss 2 Posted August 27, 2004 Report Share Posted August 27, 2004 (edited) Iv'e just watched the 1982 British Open held at White City, won by Denis Sigalos,£5000. winner take all.Did they change it to a pairs event? [Tigerblade:Yes, can't remember when though - I do remember going to Wolverhampton in 1985 and the meeting dragged on for hours, Cradley won, am I right?? ] Think Oxford won it We had Erik and Phil Collins in it also think that meeting dragged on cos Malcolm Simmons? went through fence and got injured causing fence repair delay when someone's(think it was Wiggy's)back wheel jumped out of the sprocket and He went straight on at first bend. Edited August 27, 2004 by boss 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Jim Blanchard Posted August 27, 2004 Report Share Posted August 27, 2004 Some pictures of Soldier Blue winding up the Kings Lynn fans. He must have been there supporting Belle Vue as the action one of PC was on the same roll. Also, Falcace I am no historian and I cannot remember the date but there are some that I took at White City from the stands. Is it the meeting mentioned earlier?? I have some more I think from this event. http://homepage.ntlworld.com/jim.blanchard/soldierblue.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iris123 Posted August 27, 2004 Report Share Posted August 27, 2004 Soldier Blue,wasn't that a triple x film from the 70's Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Steve Dixon Posted August 27, 2004 Report Share Posted August 27, 2004 Jim, them pics look like 1978, I remember PC having them guards on his handlebars but he didn't have them on long. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Jim Blanchard Posted August 27, 2004 Report Share Posted August 27, 2004 (edited) Jim, them pics look like 1978, I remember PC having them guards on his handlebars but he didn't have them on long. See what do I know, I thought it was in the 80's I went to White City. I have a lot of PC in Match races with Michael Lee at Lynn and Leicester where PC had those guards on. Edited August 27, 2004 by Jim Blanchard Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
miro Posted August 27, 2004 Report Share Posted August 27, 2004 (edited) Soldier Blue,wasn't that a triple x film from the 70's Don't think it was triple x but 'Soldier Blue' was a violent and very bad 'alternative' Western from the early 1970s. From the same time I remember Soldier Boy following Leicester and Ray Wilson in particular. He was interviewed at Oxford in the late 1980s and said he had been based once at the local MOD Bicester depot, so I guess he was an authentic soldier - who knows. Was there not a story that he won the lottery? Edited August 27, 2004 by miro Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moxey63 Posted August 28, 2004 Report Share Posted August 28, 2004 Fifth pic down is PC from '78 (he had gold flames on his leathers in speedway's Golden Jubilee year, not that you can tell in b/w) and the ninth pic down is PC in '79, the year he had covers on his handlebars. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Jim Blanchard Posted August 28, 2004 Report Share Posted August 28, 2004 Of the White City shots. In the first I can identify #7 Peter Collins, #8 Ivan Mauger, #6 Larry Ross I think. Not sure who #5 is. In the next one #3 one of the Morans, #4 Ole Olsen. The crash ones no idea. Again the bottom one is #3 Moran and #4 Ole Olsen. Does this help indentify the event? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WATigerman Posted August 28, 2004 Report Share Posted August 28, 2004 (edited) .........on the basis that I'm pretty sure no.3 is not Shawn then I'd say it was the jelly man........................ Is no. 5 Gordon Kennett?? Edited August 28, 2004 by WATigerman Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Jim Blanchard Posted August 28, 2004 Report Share Posted August 28, 2004 Thanks for that WATigerman. Added just two more. Craig Featherby at a practise session at Mildenhall?? I'm going off topic now so I will not post anymore. Cant find anymore of SolderBlue/boy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fatface Posted August 28, 2004 Report Share Posted August 28, 2004 I'd say most of these pics were from the 1979 Intercontinental at White City. Except no5 is of PC in 1978 (as others have alluded to - cracking shot by the way) and I haven't got a clue about the guy in the last two pics. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Shovlar Posted August 29, 2004 Report Share Posted August 29, 2004 Soldier Boy turned up in the mid to late 90's at poole for a season and caused the usual mayhem. He sat at the other end of the stand but you could hear him all around the stadium giving the riders greif and the fans nearby ear ache. On occassion though howls of laughter from the stands as he made a wisecrack. I think he retired to live in Northern Ireland, as he hasn't been seen at Poole since those times. I remember another famous fan from the 70's called "The Bugler". Think he supported Ipswich. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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