TonyMac Posted April 23, 2013 Report Share Posted April 23, 2013 Issue 55 is out now and includes... CRADLEY HEATH: 50 Memorable Moments They produced four World Champions and signed another. Oh, and Dudley Wood was also the best place to visit for pork sandwiches. Rob Peasley looks back at the highs and lows of the once dominant but now sadly defunct Black Country club. TONY CHILDS REMEMBERED Although foiled in his recent attempt to complete an in-depth interview with Tony Childs, Richard Bott looks back at one of the sport’s true characters and entertainers who recently passed away suddenly at the age of 71. PETER YORK For two years Peter York had possibly the most thankless job in British speedway. Here the former Birmingham and Oxford announcer and current Coventry presenter looks back on his troubled time as BSPA manager. BEST OF BERRY In another edited extract from Confessions of a Speedway Promoter, the late John Berry reveals why, in 1986, he walked away from the chance to become the BSPA’s first Director of Operations – an autonomous leader the sport is still crying out for now. ALLAN EMMETT The whereabouts of Allan Emmett has been a mystery for the past 25 years and more . . . but now Tony McDonald has finally caught up with the former British Under-21 Champion whose promising young career was shattered by serious injury. ALF BUSK Not even the traditional Vojens downpour could put a dampener on Alf Busk creating a slice of history. Vitek Formanek catches up with the double BL title winner who starred for Coventry before spells with Swindon and Sheffield. SPEEDWAY MAIL It’s 40 years since Speedway Mail launched as a new weekly rival to Speedway Star. Tony McDonald, the longest serving of all the Mail’s editors, takes a personal look back on the publication’s early years and its turbulent history. BERWICK AWAY DAYS Recalling the early 70s, when hair was long and time was short. Petrol, for a time in these halcyon days, cost a mere 6/8d (33p) per gallon and this encouraged Glasgow fans (like our own Doug Nicolson) to made the Saturday afternoon trip down to Berwick to watch their juniors ride in second division meetings. IGOR MARKO He was one of the brightest prospects to emerge from Eastern Europe in the 80s but Igor Marko’s life ended tragically. We talk to the World Under-21 champion’s well-known former Russian coach to find out more. Plus… Martin Neal’s Q&As with Ian Jeffcoate, Stan Pepper and Phil Cain, your letters and more. To order this single issue or to subscribe for just £20 a year in the UK, please go to www.retro-speedway.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
salty Posted April 23, 2013 Report Share Posted April 23, 2013 Can't wait to hear Rob Peasley's 50 greatest Cradley memories. I wonder how many will mention Oxford. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lucifer sam Posted April 23, 2013 Report Share Posted April 23, 2013 (edited) Can't wait to hear Rob Peasley's 50 greatest Cradley memories. I wonder how many will mention Oxford. Two, I think. On the other hand, Coventry are mentioned in about 10-12 of them... because the Heathens always seemed to be beating the Bees in cup finals. It's a history of Cradley, not Oxford. I was bearing that in mind when it came writing about the 1984-1989 period. To be honest, the clubs rarely met in finals. Apart the from aborted '86 finals, the only other ocassion I can recall is the '89 Gold Cup Final. And that doesn't get a mention in this (it did in the equivalent Oxford piece), because Cradley lost. Any feedback is more than welcome. I trebled-checked the information (I knew how committed the Cradley fans were/still are) so I hope it's all present and correct. I enjoyed writing it. Penhall was my childhood hero, I liked (the very likeable) Erik - even though the Gundersen/Nielsen rivalry did get in the way at times - and Jan O was a brilliant rider to watch. All the best Rob Edited April 23, 2013 by lucifer sam Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
salty Posted April 24, 2013 Report Share Posted April 24, 2013 (edited) Rob, I was only teasing!!! Hope you included the Garry Middleton incident though. Haven't got my copy yet (I've a horrible feeling my sub has run out)but promise I will give constructive feedback when I do. Have to say in advance that I am not a fan of the "list" type articles that have started to appear more regularly in Backtrack. Not just the Peasley penned ones about Oxford and the British Finals, but previous ones listing the best English, Scandanavians etc. Personally I much prefer more in-depth articles about ex-riders and promoters. I know it is hard to keep the magazine fresh and unearth new angles, not to mention the fact so many riders have already been covered, but to counter-balance my criticisms I really enjoy the recent Scottish features (by Doug Nicholson?) and would like to hear more from Rod Haynes. Edit: Just remembered the Garry Middleton "incident" happened in 1969 so not strictly of Backtrack's time. Edited April 24, 2013 by salty Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The White Knight Posted April 24, 2013 Report Share Posted April 24, 2013 Rob, I was only teasing!!! Hope you included the Garry Middleton incident though. Haven't got my copy yet (I've a horrible feeling my sub has run out)but promise I will give constructive feedback when I do. Have to say in advance that I am not a fan of the "list" type articles that have started to appear more regularly in Backtrack. Not just the Peasley penned ones about Oxford and the British Finals, but previous ones listing the best English, Scandanavians etc. Personally I much prefer more in-depth articles about ex-riders and promoters. I know it is hard to keep the magazine fresh and unearth new angles, not to mention the fact so many riders have already been covered, but to counter-balance my criticisms I really enjoy the recent Scottish features (by Doug Nicholson?) and would like to hear more from Rod Haynes. Edit: Just remembered the Garry Middleton "incident" happened in 1969 so not strictly of Backtrack's time. Me too. :approve: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Humphrey Appleby Posted April 30, 2013 Report Share Posted April 30, 2013 Peter York's BSPA shenanigans make for hilarious reading... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
salty Posted April 30, 2013 Report Share Posted April 30, 2013 Two, I think. On the other hand, Coventry are mentioned in about 10-12 of them... because the Heathens always seemed to be beating the Bees in cup finals. It's a history of Cradley, not Oxford. I was bearing that in mind when it came writing about the 1984-1989 period. To be honest, the clubs rarely met in finals. Apart the from aborted '86 finals, the only other ocassion I can recall is the '89 Gold Cup Final. And that doesn't get a mention in this (it did in the equivalent Oxford piece), because Cradley lost. Any feedback is more than welcome. I trebled-checked the information (I knew how committed the Cradley fans were/still are) so I hope it's all present and correct. I enjoyed writing it. Penhall was my childhood hero, I liked (the very likeable) Erik - even though the Gundersen/Nielsen rivalry did get in the way at times - and Jan O was a brilliant rider to watch. All the best Rob Promised you feedback, so after the welcome sight of that A4 envelope on the mat when I got home from work - here it is. Don't doubt your diligence in constructing the article, but I'm still not a fan of the "list" format type of article. Whilst trying to cover so much in 6 pages is commendable it results in everything been spread so thinly. Nothing new to read for most Cradley fans and I suspect non-Cradley fans wouldn't be that interested. Much prefer to read an in-depth interview, though I appreciate these are harder to organise and write. The Peter York one in the current issue is superb and as Humph says very entertaining. And you missed out the Garry Middleton incident in 1969 when the place was in uproar and he had to be smuggled out of the stadium in the boot of Len Silver's car. Has to be one of the great Dudley Wood memories. Glad you mentioned the drubbing of Coventry in 1981, was a great night, though Dave Shields was also unbeaten by an opponent that night if memory serves. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TonyMac Posted May 1, 2013 Author Report Share Posted May 1, 2013 (edited) Thanks for your feedback, Salty. Suppose it's a case of 'one man's meat' and all that, but the listing-type feature you refer to is very popular with many people who want something light and easy and a change from the longer interviews, which we have never been short of. In that respect, glad you enjoyed the Yorkie interview. It is not meant to be an in-depth history of the club and, by definition, such articles are not going to uncover ‘something new’ that Cradley fans won’t already know. We can’t alter history! And I disagree that supporters of other teams would not be interested. I don’t think it was a case of ‘missing’ the Middleton incident. Apart from the fact that it did happen outside our basic 1970-90 timescale was one factor in leaving it out (it was mentioned in our in-depth feature on Middleton himself last year), but he was riding for Hackney AT Dudley Wood. We also omitted to mention Kenny Carter badly breaking his leg there in ’84 for the same reasons – there is only so much space to cram in the most important things, including the Heathens’ many achievements. Anyway, it’s all a matter of opinion. Just glad you appear to have renewed your subscription! Edited May 1, 2013 by tmc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
salty Posted May 1, 2013 Report Share Posted May 1, 2013 No problem, been with you since issue 1. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.