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Swindon "robins" 1977


Grachan

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My mum moved house recently and, while clearing out the loft, I came across some things I thought had disappeared off the face of the Earth years ago. One was a ring file which I had made into a scrapbook of Speedway cuttings in the mid-seventies.

 

The other thing I found was an exercise book, in which I had kept a record of the whole of Swindon's 1977 season - including my own little match write-ups and average calculations.

 

Finding this was a triumphant moment! :D (I guess you had to be there). :blink:

 

May be a bit of a long shot, but I was wondering if anyone could answer the following.

 

1) Averages: Does anyone know the actual averages for Swindon in 1977? It would be interesting to see how close I was at the end of the year. For the record I made them, first in GOBL only and then from just 2 KO Cup matches:

 

Martin Ashby - 9.80 (10.30)

Bob Kilby - 8.63 (9.33)

Jan Andersson - 7.84 (8.00)

Bobby McNeil - 6.64 (9.20)

Soren Karlsson - 5.78 (6.00)

Geoff Bouchard - 5.71 (6.09)

David Ashby - 5.10 (4.29)

Kevin Pope - 4.00

Kevin Young - 3.04

Richard Evans - 3.00

Malcolm Holloway - 1.11

Guests - 6.92

 

2) I have no record of Swindon riding at Ipswich that year. Does anyone know if the match was held and what the score was?

 

3) On Thursday September 15, Martin Ashby and Phil Crump were both injured in a crash in the British Pairs Championship Semi Final. I'm guessing this was at Sheffield, but can anyone confirm this?

 

Oh to be 15 again!

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Thanks for that Peter. I don't suppose you know the scores from the Ipswich match by any chance and when the match was ridden? I can complete my averages then!

 

That's funny! I'm sure Peter was here just now!

Edited by Grachan
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1) Averages: Does anyone know the actual averages for Swindon in 1977? It would be interesting to see how close I was at the end of the year. For the record I made them, first in GOBL only and then from just 2 KO Cup matches:

 

Martin Ashby - 9.80 (10.30)

Bob Kilby - 8.63 (9.33)

Jan Andersson - 7.84 (8.00)

Bobby McNeil - 6.64 (9.20)

Soren Karlsson - 5.78 (6.00)

Geoff Bouchard - 5.71 (6.09)

David Ashby - 5.10 (4.29)

Kevin Pope - 4.00

Kevin Young - 3.04

Richard Evans - 3.00

Malcolm Holloway - 1.11

Guests - 6.92

The Swindon averages for the 1977 season were:

 

Martin Ashby - 9.72

Bob Kilby - 8.74

Jan Andersson - 7.61

Bobby McNeil 6.67

Geoff Bouchard - 5.49

Soren Karlsson - 5.48

David Ashby - 4.77

Kevin Young - 3.04

Richard Evans - 3.00

Kevin Pope - 3.00

Malcolm Holloway - 1.11

 

The averages include upto 36 league and 2 cup meetings, so you'll need to add your KOC scores and rides to the league (if you've got them) and work them out that way.

 

2) I have no record of Swindon riding at Ipswich that year. Does anyone know if the match was held and what the score was?

Yes. Ipswich won 47-31.

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Ah, there you are.

 

Thanks for that Peter. I don't suppose you know the scores from the Ipswich match by any chance and when the match was ridden? I can complete my averages then!

 

Ok, league and cup averages (but no Ipswich match):

 

M. Ashby - 9.72 (mmmm, wonder if he missed the Ippo meeting!!)

Kilby - 8.69

Andersson - 7.67

McNeil - 6.74

Karlsson - 5.51

Bouchard - 5.63

Ashby - 4.85

Edited by Grachan
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Thanks for that Peter. I don't suppose you know the scores from the Ipswich match by any chance and when the match was ridden? I can complete my averages then!

I don't I'm afraid. If you have a Swindon programme from the 1977 season, the date of the Ipswich meeting should be in the fixture list.

 

That's funny! I'm sure Peter was here just now!

It did appear after your first post, but I clicked on 'delete' (I copy and pasted the whole message before hand), instead of 'edit' [i don't like it when it says the message has been edited] - (stupid I know!).

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Thanks again Peter.

 

Ipswich 47 Swindon 31 - Thursday October 6 1977. Anyone got the scorers?

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3) On Thursday September 15, Martin Ashby and Phil Crump were both injured in a crash in the British Pairs Championship Semi Final. I'm guessing this was at Sheffield, but can anyone confirm this?

 

Yes Grachan, this meeting was indeed at Sheffield.......

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Thanks all. Maybe the original date was rained off, which is how I missed it! Looks like I was pretty close though.

 

One more question, then that's it I swear!! Any bonus points from the Ipswich meeting?

Edited by Grachan
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3) On Thursday September 15, Martin Ashby and Phil Crump were both injured in a crash in the British Pairs Championship Semi Final. I'm guessing this was at Sheffield, but can anyone confirm this?

 

Yes Grachan, this meeting was indeed at Sheffield.......

I was at that meeting, was a pretty bad crash, remember Crumpie going into the fence and breaking his leg, and Ashby flying through the air.

After that I don't think Crumpie did much at Sheffield, or not as well as he had done in the past. He certainly let it be known that he did not like the track. If I remember Ashby was never the same again and only rode one more season. ;)

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It was certainly strange watching Martin Ashby riding as a reserve for Reading a few seasons later. Actually, it was a pretty bad year for injuries, with Bobby McNeil injuring his coccyx just as he looked set to become a good heat leader. He, too, was never the same rider again.

 

Swindon won the league in 57 & 67. I was convinced they'd win it in 77 too. Fat chance!

 

My averages, including the Ipswich match, are:

 

Martin Ashby - 9.72

Bob Kilby - 8.74

Jan Andersson - 7.61

Bobby McNeil - 6.61

Geoff Bouchard - 5.52

Soren Karlsson - 5.44

David Ashby - 4.76

Kevin Pope - 3.00

 

So the BSPA got most of them wrong, but full marks to them for trying.

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3) On Thursday September 15, Martin Ashby and Phil Crump were both injured in a crash in the British Pairs Championship Semi Final. I'm guessing this was at Sheffield, but can anyone confirm this?

 

Yes Grachan, this meeting was indeed at Sheffield.......

I was at that meeting, was a pretty bad crash, remember Crumpie going into the fence and breaking his leg, and Ashby flying through the air.

After that I don't think Crumpie did much at Sheffield, or not as well as he had done in the past. He certainly let it be known that he did not like the track. If I remember Ashby was never the same again and only rode one more season. ;)

he actually rode 3 more seasons...2 for swindon and 1 for reading

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The only Arkells Trophy I've got is a second half at Reading on 1st August. That was won by John Davis with Dave Jessup 2nd, Bob Humphreys 3rd & Bolek Proch 4th (Swindon riders did well then!).

 

I don't actually have one at Swindon. Maybe it was also a second half and I didn't see it?

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  • 3 months later...
Guest SwineTown

i've only really just looked at this part of the forum, and naturally this thread caught my eye!

if anyone has any questions about swindon speedway there is a book with pretty much complete info (probably by bamford or someone like that).

 

I also have about 40 years of programmes (not all originally mine - not that old!)so i might be able to find out bits'n'pieces if you want me to.

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