Graham Posted May 31, 2005 Report Share Posted May 31, 2005 to describe him as the "King of the Knock off" is misguided at best. Hi there The one that comes immediately to mind is the disgraceful incident at Long Eaton in 1988 where he brought down Mike Spink and Darrell Branford going into the third bend. A crude bit of riding? Undoubtedly. I was also party to two other (unpublicised) incidents in which AG's behaviour was, how can I put it, "immature" to say the least. As I remember he had a column in one of the magazines at about the time and some of the guff that appeared in it was childish to put it mildly. I realise I'm flying in the face of the pro-AG brigade here. I'm genuinely not trying to noise anyone up but I do hope you respect my opinion, even if you don't necessarily agree with it. G. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shazzybird Posted June 1, 2005 Report Share Posted June 1, 2005 We can't all like everyone but I do agree with what you are saying about Andy, he wasn't Mr Perfect then again apart from Mark Loram who is Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chopper Posted June 1, 2005 Report Share Posted June 1, 2005 Yes i remember the incident at long eaton, i Darrell Branford ended up going underneath the boards and ending up on the other side of the fence.To the amazement of everyone including myself i was excluded.Still he proved to be a good rider over a lot of years and probably had what i lacked, a win at all costs attitude. Regards Darrell Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cliv Clav Posted June 1, 2005 Report Share Posted June 1, 2005 (edited) Andy was a fantastic and very skillful rider who did a great job teaching the young Mark Loram and Chris Louis how to ride. I remember him shutting off so many times to allow his team mates to win races, a real team man and a selfless racer. Pity there aren't more like him these days. I still remember that horrific crash at Arena in '93. To come back to racing after breaking his neck, back, pelvis and ribs was amazing. Edited June 1, 2005 by Cliv Clav Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mbbunyan Posted June 17, 2005 Report Share Posted June 17, 2005 Who was the rider he rode into on the first bend that night at Arena and came off worse? Some of the posts made him out to be an angel and the number of incidents I saw him involved in showed he was far from that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vincent Vega Posted June 18, 2005 Author Report Share Posted June 18, 2005 Bunyan Get yer facts right. Andy Galvin didnt ride into anyone that night. He passed Richard Knight on the outside on the home straight they locked handlebars and Andy smashed into the fence on the first bend. This was way before air fences were introduced in case you didnt know. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bryn Posted June 18, 2005 Report Share Posted June 18, 2005 (edited) Get yer facts right. Andy Galvin didnt ride into anyone that night. He passed Richard Knight on the outside on the home straight they locked handlebars and Andy smashed into the fence on the first bend. This was way before air fences were introduced in case you didnt know. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Spot on VV with the greatest of respect Mick (Bunyan) that was indeed precisely how it happened. Apologies if I've posted something similar as to what follows on another thread in the past but as I've said in an earlier posting on this particular thread, I was on the centre green than night and was, therefore, closer to the incident than most. Now I've always made it a personal rule NEVER to make ANY comment on a crash when I have a microphone in my hand until I've seen any rider involved move a hand, arm, leg or whatever. Andy laid completely motionless but, thankfully, a paramedic nurse amongst the Arena medical team that night got to him very swiftly indeed and, immediately recognised that he could have sustained a serious neck injury and held his head rock solid steady until the others in the medical team had done what was necessary. But for that quick action it could well have finished up worse than it actually did which, of course, was bad enough and resulted in his carrer coming to an abrupt halt. Memories of that night (amongst other equally vivid memories involving other incidents) will remain with me forever including many in the King's Lynn AND Arena camps subsequently actively persuading Richard Knight to take his place in the re-run when he really didn't want to go out on a bike again. Let me stress at this point that NO blame could be attached to Richard - it was purely a racing incident. Andy was rushed straight to Basildon hospital and placed into intensive care. Before going on, on a lighter note, after the meeting I was by the speedway office when the track doctor on duty that night who just happens to still be my GP, arrived looking very shaken indeed and, on seeing me, pleaded with me to give him a cigarette! I still remind him of that on occasion! Moving on, following phonecalls throughout Saturday revealing that Andy was still in the intensive care unit, on the Sunday I had to go to Rye House and arranged a lift home with Malcolm Simmons. He was keen to go to the hospital as was I on the way back to Kent. We arrived at the hospital and, with crowds around the one person manning the reception desk, we followed the signs to he intensive care unit. On arrival, there was a big notice on the wall saying, "Put a mask, gown and hat on BEFORE entering." On reflection that was probably a reminder to the medical staff (!) but that's just what Simmo & I did...we entered the room...six beds fully occupied with two or three nurses on duty but Andy wasn't in ANY of the beds. Simmo turned white as a sheet, muttered some words that can't be repeated here but, somehow although I too feared the worst, for some reason I didn't panic. I persuaded Simmo to follow me back to reception where, much to our great relief I can tell you, we were informed that Andy had been taken out of intensive care earlier that day and transferred to a ward. We made our way there and soon spotted Andy's ex-wife plus Arena co-promoter Ivan Henry at Andy's bedside and as soon as Simmo saw Andy he swore at him and said words to the effect that, "I thought you was dead you B****** Galvin!" Andy tried to laugh but...... Anyway Mick (Bunyan) I'm sure you could recount several stories about the pain, suffering and indeed hell riders go through when trying to recover from injury - it's the sort of thing that ordinary supporters never get to see or indeed hear about - but it's just one of the reasons why I have, and will always have huge respect for ANYBODY who becomes, or indeed tries to become a speedway rider. I'm sorry if I've rattled on but IF it stops just ONE person on the terraces cheering when ANY rider falls, then at least it will have served some purpose. Edited June 18, 2005 by Bryn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tarabanko Posted June 18, 2005 Report Share Posted June 18, 2005 I'm sorry if I've rattled on but IF it stops just ONE person on the terraces cheering when ANY rider falls, then at least it will have served some purpose. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Thanks for the words Bryn! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest cheetahhawk Posted June 18, 2005 Report Share Posted June 18, 2005 Very well said Bryn. I went white just reading about you and Simmo going into the intensive care unit. (the thought of Simmo and Bryn in gowns and masks is enough to scare the pants off anyone ). On a more serious note though it was on teletext that night that the meeting had been abandoned because Andy had been taken to hospital and I was was really panicking (sp?)until I found out the next day that he was going to be okay.( I had a huge phone bill that time ) I sent Andy a cheeky get well card and the very next time I saw him to speak to,a long while afterwards, he thanked me for the card and good wishes I had sent to him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cliv Clav Posted June 20, 2005 Report Share Posted June 20, 2005 Bunyan Get yer facts right. Andy Galvin didnt ride into anyone that night. He passed Richard Knight on the outside on the home straight they locked handlebars and Andy smashed into the fence on the first bend. This was way before air fences were introduced in case you didnt know. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> That's right VV. Mbbunyan, buy yourself the Andy Galvin Story and you will see the crash and how Andy passed Knight on the outside entering the first turn. Knight lost slight control for a second, clipped Andy and sent them both into the safety fence. Similar to the Lanham/Berge crash in 2000, come to think of it. Horrible night as we sat waiting to hear news on Andy's condition. I'm sorry if I've rattled on but IF it stops just ONE person on the terraces cheering when ANY rider falls, then at least it will have served some purpose. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> On Saturday night, I stood next to an Eastbourne fan who laughed and cheered when Mark Loram and Paul Hurry both crashed. What a lovely human being he was(!). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rami Posted June 20, 2005 Report Share Posted June 20, 2005 Personally i think anyone who laughs or cheers when a rider falls should be banned from every stadium in the land, no matter how much you dislike a rider we should always respect the risks they take entertaining us, something i appreciate more than most having lost my best mate to this sport. With regards to Andy Galvin, having spent a bit of time at Arena in 88 and 89 i would describe Andy as a hard but fair rider who would in my opinion have gone a whole lot further in our sport without the horrific injuries he picked up, - off track having spoken to him a few times i have to say i always found him to be a really genuine nice guy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bryn Posted June 20, 2005 Report Share Posted June 20, 2005 Personally i think anyone who laughs or cheers when a rider falls should be banned from every stadium in the land, no matter how much you dislike a rider we should always respect the risks they take entertaining us, something i appreciate more than most having lost my best mate to this sport. With regards to Andy Galvin, having spent a bit of time at Arena in 88 and 89 i would describe Andy as a hard but fair rider who would in my opinion have gone a whole lot further in our sport without the horrific injuries he picked up, - off track having spoken to him a few times i have to say i always found him to be a really genuine nice guy. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Well said Rami and, of course, those who knew Bodger will know exactly where you're coming from. Those of us "behind the scenes" as it were, will always be fully aware of the dangers riders, ALL riders, face when taking to the track. They really are a breed apart WHOEVER they race for. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shazzybird Posted June 21, 2005 Report Share Posted June 21, 2005 I'm sorry if I've rattled on but IF it stops just ONE person on the terraces cheering when ANY rider falls, then at least it will have served some purpose. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> God Bryn you sound like me, get ready for the critics that slate me each time I say it On Saturday night, I stood next to an Eastbourne fan who laughed and cheered when Mark Loram and Paul Hurry both crashed. What a lovely human being he was(!). <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Oh how I wish I'd been there Bet it was the one that laughed and cheered when I was there once before, horrible man he was. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KevH Posted June 21, 2005 Report Share Posted June 21, 2005 On Saturday night, I stood next to an Eastbourne fan who laughed and cheered when Mark Loram and Paul Hurry both crashed. What a lovely human being he was(!). Eastbourne do seem to have more than their fair share of those characters. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KevH Posted June 21, 2005 Report Share Posted June 21, 2005 Bet it was the one that laughed and cheered when I was there once before, horrible man he was. I bet it wasn't. Surely the one you "spoke" to has well and truely learn't his lesson. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mbbunyan Posted June 22, 2005 Report Share Posted June 22, 2005 I have NEVER laughed or cheered when a rider has crashed and have never believed others opinion of riders, Seen enough meetings over the years to make my OWN on what i saw. My point was he was not the angel a few were trying to paint him as and I stick by that opinion. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dekker Posted June 22, 2005 Report Share Posted June 22, 2005 Was a good rider when he decided to ride and not try to act the hardman, rememeber swindon at hackney in 88 at the end of the season when he ran into Erik Stenlund literally. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frigbo Posted June 22, 2005 Report Share Posted June 22, 2005 Was a good rider when he decided to ride and not try to act the hardman, rememeber swindon at hackney in 88 at the end of the season when he ran into Erik Stenlund literally. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> That wasn't a very bright thing to do at the best of times! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shazzybird Posted June 23, 2005 Report Share Posted June 23, 2005 I have NEVER laughed or cheered when a rider has crashed and have never believed others opinion of riders, Seen enough meetings over the years to make my OWN on what i saw. My point was he was not the angel a few were trying to paint him as and I stick by that opinion. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Totally agree with you with regard to Andy being no angel. As for the NEVER cheering/laughed when a rider has fallen. I am exactly the same, yet when I said that I got called a liar as everyone cheers/laughs at some point .............. apparently........ in my case it's apparently not Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iris123 Posted June 23, 2005 Report Share Posted June 23, 2005 I agree,up to a point.But an incident such as Honey described when after winning a race at Plough Lane he starts waving to the crowd,etc and then falls off,well i'm sure a large section of the crowd would have laughed or cheered.That is different to a racing incident as such,even though from experience some of the seemingly harmless falls have turned out to be more serious then spectacular ones.I would find it hard to be upset at someone who cheered at such an incident. I can't comment on Sky's presentation as i haven't seen it,but most speedway that i have seen on tv does seem to show proportionaly more crashes than anything else.The coverage of the Ice Speedway World Final here last year was about 50% crashes!If that then attracts fans that are expecting to see crashes and think they are an exciting part of the sport,should we be surprised.It would be interesting to hear from fans who were first attracted to the sport via tv,.What was it from the coverage that attracted them to the sport Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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