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Wimbledon Second Halfers And Number Sevens.?


stratton

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Ah, Wimbledon second halfers... See we've got as far as the '80s but no-one's yet touched on the 'modern' CL era at Plough Lane...

By my reckoning these were (and not necessarily a fully comprehensive list) the riders who appeared in second half racing or demonstration rides during the '02-'05 period. Those listed are second halfer who never actually rode a full match in the CL or Conf comps for the Dons. Though clearly some did end up riding for others.

 

Peter Russell; Cecil Forbes; Terry Day; Jamie Courtney; Billy Gander; Amy Carpenter; Darren Gilbert; Mark Baseby; Ben Gilbert; Dan Berwick; Keith Yorke; Karl Maben; Martin Elliott; Dean Ankers; Lance Stott; Trevor Heath; Lee Strudwick; Aaron Baseby; Niall Strudwick; Simon Tillman; Robert Lambert ; Daniel Hunt; Nick Laurence; Lewis Bridger; Dean Hargreaves; Simon Brown; Gary Cottham; Neil Evans; Gordon Watters; Jessica Lamb; Gordon Walker; Arlo Bujega; James Walker; Danny Brown

 

The stand-out name is, I suppose, Lewis Bridger - who rode second halves as a 14 year old in '04 but ended up signing for Weymouth when he made his CL debut the next year...

But there could be an even more famous name in there - if that Robert Lambert is the same kid wowing them on the continent as just a 14 year old atm. He must've been only 6-ish when he did some demo rides at Plough Lane... Or have I got it wrong and it's not the same lad..?

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  • 4 weeks later...

Ah, Wimbledon second halfers... See we've got as far as the '80s but no-one's yet touched on the 'modern' CL era at Plough Lane...

By my reckoning these were (and not necessarily a fully comprehensive list) the riders who appeared in second half racing or demonstration rides during the '02-'05 period. Those listed are second halfer who never actually rode a full match in the CL or Conf comps for the Dons. Though clearly some did end up riding for others.

 

Peter Russell; Cecil Forbes; Terry Day; Jamie Courtney; Billy Gander; Amy Carpenter; Darren Gilbert; Mark Baseby; Ben Gilbert; Dan Berwick; Keith Yorke; Karl Maben; Martin Elliott; Dean Ankers; Lance Stott; Trevor Heath; Lee Strudwick; Aaron Baseby; Niall Strudwick; Simon Tillman; Robert Lambert ; Daniel Hunt; Nick Laurence; Lewis Bridger; Dean Hargreaves; Simon Brown; Gary Cottham; Neil Evans; Gordon Watters; Jessica Lamb; Gordon Walker; Arlo Bujega; James Walker; Danny Brown

 

The stand-out name is, I suppose, Lewis Bridger - who rode second halves as a 14 year old in '04 but ended up signing for Weymouth when he made his CL debut the next year...

But there could be an even more famous name in there - if that Robert Lambert is the same kid wowing them on the continent as just a 14 year old atm. He must've been only 6-ish when he did some demo rides at Plough Lane... Or have I got it wrong and it's not the same lad..?

Robert Lambert is the same youngster who rode at Plough Lane.Was invited down to ride on his 50cc bike by Gavin Hedge.And another Dons connection is Trevor is a sponsor of Robert.So i guess in a few years time Robert will maybe be the last active rider ever to have ridden at the famous track

Edited by iris123
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Robert Lambert is the same youngster who rode at Plough Lane.Was invited down to ride on his 50cc bike by Gavin Hedge.And another Dons connection is Trevor is a sponsor of Robert.So i guess in a few years time Robert will maybe be the last active rider ever to have ridden at the famous track

 

Cheers for clarifying that - amazing that he appeared there so young..

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I recall a second half mechanics' race at Wimbledon back in the early 60’s where the heading for the time was printed in the programme as Hours & Minutes. I can’t remember who won but I think it was the only time I ever saw such a race.

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I recall a second half mechanics' race at Wimbledon back in the early 60’s where the heading for the time was printed in the programme as Hours & Minutes. I can’t remember who won but I think it was the only time I ever saw such a race.

 

I recall one with Stan Tebby in. None of the riders had crash helmets and Stan had a fag in his mouth!

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  • 7 years later...
On 6/7/2012 at 11:47 PM, Parsloes 1928 nearly said:

Ah, Wimbledon second halfers... See we've got as far as the '80s but no-one's yet touched on the 'modern' CL era at Plough Lane...

By my reckoning these were (and not necessarily a fully comprehensive list) the riders who appeared in second half racing or demonstration rides during the '02-'05 period. Those listed are second halfer who never actually rode a full match in the CL or Conf comps for the Dons. Though clearly some did end up riding for others.

 

Peter Russell; Cecil Forbes; Terry Day; Jamie Courtney; Billy Gander; Amy Carpenter; Darren Gilbert; Mark Baseby; Ben Gilbert; Dan Berwick; Keith Yorke; Karl Maben; Martin Elliott; Dean Ankers; Lance Stott; Trevor Heath; Lee Strudwick; Aaron Baseby; Niall Strudwick; Simon Tillman; Robert Lambert ; Daniel Hunt; Nick Laurence; Lewis Bridger; Dean Hargreaves; Simon Brown; Gary Cottham; Neil Evans; Gordon Watters; Jessica Lamb; Gordon Walker; Arlo Bujega; James Walker; Danny Brown 

 

The stand-out name is, I suppose, Lewis Bridger - who rode second halves as a 14 year old in '04 but ended up signing for Weymouth when he made his CL debut the next year...

But there could be an even more famous name in there - if that Robert Lambert is the same kid wowing them on the continent as just a 14 year old atm. He must've been only 6-ish when he did some demo rides at Plough Lane... Or have I got it wrong and it's not the same lad..?

Simon Tillman has just fixed my en-suite shower.... 

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Back in the mid sixties- I certainly recall Mike Coomber, Steve Chilman and Geoff Hughes, also I would reckon on Tony Childs as a #7 -maybe in 1966. Great triers all. Since we are on the subject of #7's- I think of Ted Ede who did yeoman service for West Ham, Don Smith and for Hackney Sandy McGillivray and John Poyser-and while I'm at it Alan Jay for Sheffield (who later progressed to the regular team). At Newport Peter Harris, Ian Terrar and Alan Jones. We shouldn't forget these guys who all played their part in making speedway a great sport in the sixties.

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Used to enjoy the old second halves...we at Cowley used to enjoy the exploits of grass track riders giving it a go during the early seventies (Julian Wigg, Ken Matthews, Chris and Alan Drewett - amongst many)

Edited by steve roberts
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2 hours ago, cityrebel said:

Ian Silk, who looked like the ' Milky Bar Kid'.

I don't actually remember what he looked like, but I remember a second-half race in the early seventies. He was against Rocky Coutts, Ian Fletcher, and Graham Crook, and in four separate incidents, all four had fallen before reaching the back straight on the first lap...

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Pretty sure I saw Cecil Forbes (sp) in the Hull pits in 2005.  He was wandering around in his leathers & boots but no body colour, I kept a look out for him on track but don't think he actually got to ride.  He must have experienced machinery problems as there used to be plenty of time, typically 40 mins+, at Hull for 2nd half spins, shame if true as it's a long way to travel not to get a skid....

Edited by martinmauger
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20 hours ago, Terry said:

I remember seeing Dennis Sigalos having his first rides in Britain in a second half at Plough Lane, at the end of 78 or beginning of 79.

Like most of the American newcomers of that time, you could tell he was going to be good.

Same in 1973 when Autrey and McKnight appeared in a second half. Plus Penhall had an after meeting ride along with Mike Bast before their White City UK debut

Edited by iris123
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