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Cradley Heathens <post 1980 All Time Team >


greyhoundp

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As a matter of interest which of the following Cradley riders out of the following would you drop for a team of seven,all the riders are post 1980;Simon Wigg,Phil Collins,Bruce Penhall,Jan O Pedersson,Billy Hamill,Eric Gundersson,Greg Hancock,Simon Cross,Peter Nahlin,Lance King,Alan Grahame.

Please No the riders in your 1- 7, appologies to riders not included. :wink::lol::oops::unsure:

Edited by greyhoundp
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As an Aces fan in the 80s, matches against the "cabbage patch kids" were among the highlights of the season, particularly in the cup. Fair play to Cradley though, they had some belting riders and quite often turned us over.

 

My 1-7 would be:

 

1 Bruce Penhall - supreme talent

2 Billy Hamill - classy team man

3 Erik Gundersen - one of the fastest riders ever

4 Alan Grahame - much better team man than individual

5 Phil Collins - ditto, 100% team man

6 Jan O Pedersen - always battling

7 Simon Cross - willing to get stuck in, even when it hurt

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1.ERIK GUNDERSEN WORLD CHAMP

2.JAN O PEDERSEN WORLD CHAMP

3.BRUCE PENHALL WORLD CHAMP

4GREG HANCOCK WORLD CHAMP

5.BILLY HAMILL WORLD CHAMP

6.LANCE KING NEARLY WORLD CHAMP

7.SIMON WIGG WORLD LONGTRACK CHAMP!!

 

and a special brucie bonus for messrs alan grahame phil collins & simon cross!

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8.Simon Cross

I bet this combination would've won a few matches!

Being as you've got one more rider than everyone else I guess it would. :P

 

My team would be -

1]Simon Wigg

2]Bruce Penhall

3]Jan O Pedersen

4]Erik Gundersen

5]Greg Hancock

6]Phil Collins

7]Billy Hamill :)

Edited by Gemini
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8.Simon Cross

I bet this combination would've won a few matches!

Being as you've got one more rider than everyone else I guess it would.

Well seeing as this was the actual 1983 Cradley team with Crossi being the official No.8, I guess it actually did win a few...

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Well seeing as this was the actual 1983 Cradley team with Crossi being the official No.8, I guess it actually did win a few...

Aye...Point taken, but no cheating allowed as the topic says riders 1-7. :P

That was certainly some team in 1983 though and makes me realise all the more how poor the quality of the EL will be next season. :sad:

Where do you watch your Speedway now Mark?

Have many happy memories of Cradley Heath, when we could find the damn place that is. :D

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Hi Gemini i Know the question was not directed at me,but to Mark,but since we <Cradley>closed i have been to Coventry say 5 times,and Wolves about the same,but i am a Cradley fan.

I still live in hope i only had a reply from Dudley council this week about a prospective site,this was a tentative enquiry,and they asked for Amplified details,and a business plan,so as you can see they are being Helpful.

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Well seeing as this was the actual 1983 Cradley team with Crossi being the official No.8, I guess it actually did win a few...

Aye...Point taken, but no cheating allowed as the topic says riders 1-7. :P

That was certainly some team in 1983 though and makes me realise all the more how poor the quality of the EL will be next season. :sad:

Where do you watch your Speedway now Mark?

Have many happy memories of Cradley Heath, when we could find the damn place that is. :D

After watching the Heathens most weeks since 1972 (Bernie Persson 2nd to Ivan in a Wembley run-off, who wouldn't be hooked?!), I drifted from the sport after Cradley's year at Stoke. Seeing the GP's on CH4 drew me back in, and I try and get to Wolves when I can (to see them lose obviously, although this hasn't been the case the last two years!) and sometimes to Stoke to see some good racing.

Still going to Cardiff, more for the spectacle than the dodgy racing on a very small track, and long for those fantastic world events at Odsal, on a real race track.

Its great that you have happy memories of Dudley Wood, and I guess most away fans in the mid-70's did as we regularly got tanned! We always thought the stadium wasn't the most luxurious in the world, and when Dan Mccormick took over he promised us two things, a great stadium and a great team.... well one out of two wasn't bad, it was truly brilliant!

One day Cradley will return, if only to give Wolves a decent match at home... Ommer 'um!

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1. Bruce Penhall

2. Billy Hamill

3. Erik Gundersen

4. Jan O Pedersen

5. Greg Hancock

6. Alan Grahame

7. Simon Cross

 

More world champions in such a short space of time than any other club in history. Arguably the greatest team in history (1983). Unbelievable KO Cup record. fantastic racing track. Brilliant following.

 

The Heathens will be back, sadly it won't be at Dudley Wood, but the memories live on.

Edited by whowasthatberntpersson
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Fond memories of Cradley Heath, every season they put out a championship challenging side, even though they had to change there side every year because of the points limit, it used to be 50 points or under for each team.

We used to love it when came to Sheffield because if we beat them then it was feather in our caps. :D:D:D

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Just found the site!

 

As an Heathen going back to 1973 my top seven (what an array to chose from) are:

 

1. Bruce Penhall, 2. Erik Gundersen, 3. Billy Hamill, 4. Jan O Pedersen, 5. Greg Hancock, 6. John Boulger, 7. Simon Cross.

If we are going to go back to 1973, this would be my team, it includes no less than 6 World Champions and a World Number 2;

 

Bruce Penhall

Erik Gundersen

Anders Michanek

Billy Hamill

Greg Hancock

Jan O Pedersen

Bernie Persson

 

Could any other club come close to that? Belle Vue maybe?

 

Hard to keep out the likes of Wiggy (Another World Champion), Alan Grahame (One of the best team men of all time), and so many others including Boulger, Crossi, etc.

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