Tigerblade Posted April 1, 2008 Report Share Posted April 1, 2008 (edited) Who did John Davis transfer to Sheffield from? Was it Poole during the season they hit money troubles? I know he spent 1984 at Plough Lane. Was on loan from Poole - he joined us September 1983 to the end of the season, it was the same weekend as the World Final that it happened. Edited April 1, 2008 by Tigerblade Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mervjankefanclub Posted April 1, 2008 Report Share Posted April 1, 2008 i am pretty sure JD came up to glasgow as a guest for a talk in during the winter of 87/88 before the tigers big move to shawfield and quite a few fans got the wrong end of the stick with a rumour going around that he was the man who was going to lead us into a bright new era mitch shirra was another who was linked to a tigers return during the early shawfield years Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TonyMac Posted April 2, 2008 Author Report Share Posted April 2, 2008 (edited) I'm sure I'm far from alone in being amused by his bleached blonde, medallion man image during his riding days. One of the most endearing things about John is that he has the capacity to also poke fun at himself. In the interview, he talks about being called 'Mavis' (in Kenny Carter's case, to his face!) but says that didn't bother him. He thrived on his pop star image and, as he points out, which riders of today are ever likely to be asked to appear on the front cover of teen girl mags of today - whereas he was the cover man on both My Guy and Oh Boy, not to mention an inside feature in Cosmopolitan? To be fair, JD gives most credit to Dave Lanning for the media publicity he gained, though he does mention one embarrassing bit of bad advice he received from him, too... Don't wish to give too much away on here, you understand. But I can confirm that he does still dye his hair blond-ish! Edited April 2, 2008 by tmc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TonyMac Posted April 2, 2008 Author Report Share Posted April 2, 2008 Wonder if he will give his thoughts on his exclusion in the 1977 Inter Continental Final when the sixteen riders, all the officials and the 37,000 crowd all knew Ivan Mauger caused his own fall, not JD, everyone in the stadium except the referee. It cost JD a place at Gotheburg and ironically Mauger who shoul not have even qualified went on to become World Champion John is a bit embarrassed now about how he reacted to ref Gunther Sorber's decision to exclude him. He still believes Sorber got it wrong, though, and admits he didn't speak to Ivan for some time because of what happened, although did offer his congrats to the new world champ at the end of the '77 world final at Ullevi. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TonyMac Posted April 2, 2008 Author Report Share Posted April 2, 2008 (edited) Maybe you're right. Mavis was never a true top-liner, but he was dedicated and professional and although I found his image a little comical, at least he had an image! To me, not having an image is an image-problem. These are John's thoughts entirely. He is proud of his image and his contribution to the good of speedway. Interestingly though (and this may surprise those who consider him self-centred) he is not satisfied with what he achieved as a rider, especially in the UK, where he felt a bit under-appreciated on the whole. He says he should have more than two individual world final appearances to show for a long career. He loved Wimbledon - his favourite of all British tracks - but preferred the bigger tracks in general. One widely held perception of John that he is keen to quash is that he 'had it easy' and enjoyed a privileged background. Sure, his dad Harry gave him great support and he very much acknowledges that, but it may not be generally known that John had to grow up fast after his mum was left a paraplegic from a car crash when he was just 12. I hope you all enjoy the JD interview, along with everything else in the next issue. We'd be very interested to receive your feedback after you've read it, so pse get in touch, either via this forum or the letters page in Backtrack. I'd better stop waffling on here and get it finished and to the printer...! http://www.retro-speedway.com Edited April 2, 2008 by tmc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shazzybird Posted April 3, 2008 Report Share Posted April 3, 2008 I am so looking forward to this issue, even more so now I've just the whole thread again Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WATigerman Posted April 6, 2008 Report Share Posted April 6, 2008 (edited) Do you remember his brief couple of months at Sheffield in late 1983? I certainly do as he put in some sterling performances for the Tigers and I would have loved to have seen him back the following year. From memory I think it was the travelling that made this a non-starter. Edited April 6, 2008 by WATigerman Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spin king Posted April 6, 2008 Report Share Posted April 6, 2008 I certainly do as he put in some sterling performances for the Tigers and I would have loved to have seen him back the following year. From memory I think it was the travelling that made this a non-starter. Certainly was down to the travelling. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fatface Posted April 7, 2008 Report Share Posted April 7, 2008 These are John's thoughts entirely. He is proud of his image and his contribution to the good of speedway. Interestingly though (and this may surprise those who consider him self-centred) he is not satisfied with what he achieved as a rider, especially in the UK, where he felt a bit under-appreciated on the whole. He says he should have more than two individual world final appearances to show for a long career. He loved Wimbledon - his favourite of all British tracks - but preferred the bigger tracks in general. One widely held perception of John that he is keen to quash is that he 'had it easy' and enjoyed a privileged background. Sure, his dad Harry gave him great support and he very much acknowledges that, but it may not be generally known that John had to grow up fast after his mum was left a paraplegic from a car crash when he was just 12. I hope you all enjoy the JD interview, along with everything else in the next issue. We'd be very interested to receive your feedback after you've read it, so pse get in touch, either via this forum or the letters page in Backtrack. I'd better stop waffling on here and get it finished and to the printer...! http://www.retro-speedway.com Thanks for the bonus taster Tony..really looking forward to reading it. I guess another thing about John Davis is that in many ways, he was a bit of a pioneer of riders racing in more than one league. I seem to recall him racing alongside Egon Muller in the German league in the mid-80s as well as turning out for his British League club, when nobody else had similar arrangements in place. I think I'd be right in saying he was also among the first of the glut of Western riders to race regularly in the Polish League..maybe it was his 80s rock star image that attracted the Poles?! Sorry, couldn't resist... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff. Posted April 7, 2008 Report Share Posted April 7, 2008 Thanks for the bonus taster Tony..really looking forward to reading it. I guess another thing about John Davis is that in many ways, he was a bit of a pioneer of riders racing in more than one league. I seem to recall him racing alongside Egon Muller in the German league in the mid-80s as well as turning out for his British League club, when nobody else had similar arrangements in place. I think I'd be right in saying he was also among the first of the glut of Western riders to race regularly in the Polish League..maybe it was his 80s rock star image that attracted the Poles?! Sorry, couldn't resist... Was JD still racing when the eastern bloc was opened up to westerners, seem to remember Hans Nielsen being one of the first when he signed for Motor Lublin. Remember JD racing in the Bundesliga though Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fatface Posted April 7, 2008 Report Share Posted April 7, 2008 Was JD still racing when the eastern bloc was opened up to westerners, seem to remember Hans Nielsen being one of the first when he signed for Motor Lublin. Remember JD racing in the Bundesliga though Yep..I only know that because I have a pack of Polish playing cards from the early 90s featuring riders from the Polish League. He is in there. I cannot confirm that he is the Queen of Hearts though.. couldn't resist (again!).. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spin king Posted April 7, 2008 Report Share Posted April 7, 2008 Yep..I only know that because I have a pack of Polish playing cards from the early 90s featuring riders from the Polish League. He is in there. I cannot confirm that he is the Queen of Hearts though.. couldn't resist (again!).. :lol: :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sandman Posted April 7, 2008 Report Share Posted April 7, 2008 my issue arrived in the post yesterday, and its a good one for sure.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iris123 Posted April 7, 2008 Report Share Posted April 7, 2008 Thanks for the bonus taster Tony..really looking forward to reading it. I guess another thing about John Davis is that in many ways, he was a bit of a pioneer of riders racing in more than one league. I seem to recall him racing alongside Egon Muller in the German league in the mid-80s as well as turning out for his British League club, when nobody else had similar arrangements in place. I think I'd be right in saying he was also among the first of the glut of Western riders to race regularly in the Polish League..maybe it was his 80s rock star image that attracted the Poles?! Sorry, couldn't resist... Alan Cowland was riding in both England and Germany back in the early 70s,plus there was a guy from Boston(can't remember his name now)who eventually moved out to Germany.Plus let's not forget all the Swedish riders who were comuting back and forth and caused all the controversy with the ban back in the 70s Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spin king Posted April 8, 2008 Report Share Posted April 8, 2008 Alan Cowland was riding in both England and Germany back in the early 70s,plus there was a guy from Boston(can't remember his name now)who eventually moved out to Germany.Plus let's not forget all the Swedish riders who were comuting back and forth and caused all the controversy with the ban back in the 70s Could it have been Rob Mouncer or maybe Les Glover, and I think there was a guy called Andy Cusworth as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TonyMac Posted April 9, 2008 Author Report Share Posted April 9, 2008 my issue arrived in the post yesterday, and its a good one for sure.. Issue 25 didn't...it only went to the printer today! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sandman Posted April 10, 2008 Report Share Posted April 10, 2008 Issue 25 didn't...it only went to the printer today! yer kidding me. i live on a correlating quantum plain a month in the future, and if i say i got it... i got it ok? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bellers101 Posted April 21, 2008 Report Share Posted April 21, 2008 Got mine today. Fantastic. Keep up the good work and can't wait for the next issue! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shazzybird Posted April 22, 2008 Report Share Posted April 22, 2008 Is it just me or am I the only one still in love with JD after all these years Cheers TMC am seriously loving Backtrack as well Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ianmartin Posted April 22, 2008 Report Share Posted April 22, 2008 Received mine today - EXCELLENT as usual. BONUS for me - big article about my favourite Team SUNDERLAND (Defunct Tracks) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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