stratton Posted February 2, 2014 Report Share Posted February 2, 2014 (edited) This for me was the hardest thing to do,to pick the 12. greatest British riders of all time.Did not include Farndon ( ect)Just from Parker and Freddie onwards here goes no order. Craven, Parker,Freddie,PC, Lee,Loram,Simmons,Ray Wilson,Ashby,Louis,Morton,E.Boocock, Edited February 2, 2014 by sidney Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
miro Posted February 2, 2014 Report Share Posted February 2, 2014 Nigel Boocock Eric Boocock Peter Collins Brian Crutcher Gordon Kennett Peter Craven Dave Jessup Simon Wigg Martin Ashby Split Waterman Ken McKinlay Jack Parker Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
norbold Posted February 2, 2014 Report Share Posted February 2, 2014 In rough chronological order I'll go for Tom Farndon, Jack Parker, Eric Langton, Tommy Price, Split Waterman, Freddie Williams, Brian Crutcher, Peter Craven, Nigel Boocock, Peter Collins, Michael Lee, Mark Loram. Reserve team: Roger Frogley, Arthur Atkinson, Frank Charles, Bill Kitchen, Ron How, Ken McKinlay, Ray Wilson, John Louis, Dave Jessup, Malcolm Simmons, Martin Ashby, Eric Boocock. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The White Knight Posted February 2, 2014 Report Share Posted February 2, 2014 In rough chronological order I'll go for Tom Farndon, Jack Parker, Eric Langton, Tommy Price, Split Waterman, Freddie Williams, Brian Crutcher, Peter Craven, Nigel Boocock, Peter Collins, Michael Lee, Mark Loram. Reserve team: Roger Frogley, Arthur Atkinson, Frank Charles, Bill Kitchen, Ron How, Ken McKinlay, Ray Wilson, John Louis, Dave Jessup, Malcolm Simmons, Martin Ashby, Eric Boocock. Two EXCELLENT Teams there Norbold - difficult to disagree with any of your choices. I might be tempted to put Tai Wooffinden in your first Team in place of Brian Crutcher. Brian Crutcher in to your Second Team in place of Frank Charles. Just my thoughts. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pandorum Posted February 2, 2014 Report Share Posted February 2, 2014 I will just restrict it to people from the modern era that I either saw of knew about growing up. Peter Craven (never saw him sadly) Peter Collins, Doug Wyer, Gary Havelock, Mike Lee, Simon Wigg, Dave Jessup, Tiger Louis, Mark Loram, Kelvin Tatum, John Davis, Kenny Carter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
norbold Posted February 2, 2014 Report Share Posted February 2, 2014 Yes, I considered Tai, but thought it's just a bit too early. Hopefully in years to come it will be as unthinkable to leave him out of a top 12 or top 10 or whatever as PC. But I just feel at the moment he needs to show that last year was not just a one-off. One other rider who just missed out was Arthur Forrest. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The White Knight Posted February 2, 2014 Report Share Posted February 2, 2014 Yes, I considered Tai, but thought it's just a bit too early. Hopefully in years to come it will be as unthinkable to leave him out of a top 12 or top 10 or whatever as PC. But I just feel at the moment he needs to show that last year was not just a one-off. One other rider who just missed out was Arthur Forrest. Ah yes. 'The Black Prince'. In truth I had forgotten about him. To my shame. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EnglishRoundabout Posted February 2, 2014 Report Share Posted February 2, 2014 Interesting that Terry Betts doesn't make a lot of peoples choices. Moreover, the controversial Kenny Carter doesn't even get a sniff! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
van wolfswinkel Posted February 2, 2014 Report Share Posted February 2, 2014 (edited) depends which era you watched speedway, I'm more 60s/70s, and would go for Craven, Collins, Ashby, Wilson, the Boocock Bros., Betts, Louis, Jessup, Simmons, Morton, Lee, as I've seen them ride. Edited February 2, 2014 by Mad Moose Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
waiheke1 Posted February 3, 2014 Report Share Posted February 3, 2014 I will just restrict it to people from the modern era that I either saw of knew about growing up. Peter Craven (never saw him sadly) Peter Collins, Doug Wyer, Gary Havelock, Mike Lee, Simon Wigg, Dave Jessup, Tiger Louis, Mark Loram, Kelvin Tatum, John Davis, Kenny Carter. Going for the same era (mid 70s onwards with an exception for craven?) I'd go for a similar list but swap out wyer tstum and davis for tai simmons and the mighty mort. In rough chronological order I'll go for Tom Farndon, Jack Parker, Eric Langton, Tommy Price, Split Waterman, Freddie Williams, Brian Crutcher, Peter Craven, Nigel Boocock, Peter Collins, Michael Lee, Mark Loram. Reserve team: Roger Frogley, Arthur Atkinson, Frank Charles, Bill Kitchen, Ron How, Ken McKinlay, Ray Wilson, John Louis, Dave Jessup, Malcolm Simmons, Martin Ashby, Eric Boocock. Cant argue with the first 12, snd understand your reason for omitting tai (and presume similat logic governd omisiion of havelock). Carter is the interesting omission for me, I certainly would rank him ahead of the likes of ashby and boocock who with all due respect were never close to being the best rider in the world. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stratton Posted February 3, 2014 Author Report Share Posted February 3, 2014 Interesting that Terry Betts doesn't make a lot of peoples choices. Moreover, the controversial Kenny Carter doesn't even get a sniff! Betts,N.Boocock,Carter,Wigg were the ones who just missed out for me. Going for the same era (mid 70s onwards with an exception for craven?) I'd go for a similar list but swap out wyer tstum and davis for tai simmons and the mighty mort. Cant argue with the first 12, snd understand your reason for omitting tai (and presume similat logic governd omisiion of havelock). Carter is the interesting omission for me, I certainly would rank him ahead of the likes of ashby and boocock who with all due respect were never close to being the best rider in the world. Carter better than Ashby i don't think so,he might of been had he had a full career but apart from his BLRC wins and his win with PC he never actually did it.Also i would also say Carter was never ever obviously the best ever British rider at any given time in my book.Dont get me wrong i was a big Kenny fan i see his BLRC wins loved watching him ride was he the best TEAM man ever?i actually think he underachieved he failed at Wembley,Norden and the Coliseum. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
waiheke1 Posted February 3, 2014 Report Share Posted February 3, 2014 Betts,N.Boocock,Carter,Wigg were the ones who just missed out for me. Carter better than Ashby i don't think so,he might of been had he had a full career but apart from his BLRC wins and his win with PC he never actually did it.Also i would also say Carter was never ever obviously the best ever British rider at any given time in my book.Dont get me wrong i was a big Kenny fan i see his BLRC wins loved watching him ride was he the best TEAM man ever?i actually think he underachieved he failed at Wembley,Norden and the Coliseum. Carter was indisputably the best british rider in 82 and 85 and possibly 81. You omitted his two british titles, one on a broken leg.engine failure at wembley, the fall in la - id say he only undrlerachieved in norden to be fair, though he was still only a point behind lee. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arson fire Posted February 3, 2014 Report Share Posted February 3, 2014 Buzz Burrows not even mentioned??..... The most naturally gifted rider never to be world champion!! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pandorum Posted February 3, 2014 Report Share Posted February 3, 2014 (edited) Interesting that Terry Betts doesn't make a lot of peoples choices. Moreover, the controversial Kenny Carter doesn't even get a sniff! I picked him 4 hours before your post. I was a regular at Halifax during his era and he was awesome round there. Never liked the bloke and was shocked by what he did but a hell of a rider. His bust ups with Penhall were great to watch. I did not pick Tai as he has just started and will likely emerge as a great Brit. His dad certainly wasa great rider to watch so he comes from good stock Edited February 3, 2014 by pandorum 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pirate Nick Posted February 3, 2014 Report Share Posted February 3, 2014 In no particular order (riders I have seen). Michael Lee Malcolm Simmons Peter Collins Chris Morton Gordon Kennett John Louis Kenny Carter Dave Jessup John Louis Eric Broadbelt (maybe not one of the greats but always exciting to watch). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stratton Posted February 3, 2014 Author Report Share Posted February 3, 2014 (edited) Carter was indisputably the best british rider in 82 and 85 and possibly 81. You omitted his two british titles, one on a broken leg.engine failure at wembley, the fall in la - id say he only undrlerachieved in norden to be fair, though he was still only a point behind lee.Yes it was a great achievement his British Final wins, i saw both i also saw him ride in the Oxford semi as well.Certainly he was England,s no 1 in 85 in the (Wigg, Evitts,Doncaster,Tatum era the other years no way in my opinion.He was on par but not undisputed, certainly in 1983 i remember he had England,s no 1 on the side of his van. I remember Lee laughing at this then Lee going out and destroyed him 4.0 over two legs in the Helmet not in a month of Sundays was Carter no 1 in 1983. Edited February 3, 2014 by sidney Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
waiheke1 Posted February 3, 2014 Report Share Posted February 3, 2014 I agree lee was the best brit in 83, ahead of Carter and morton. In 82 though, carters best season, who do u think was close to him? In 81 he was top brit in bl averages, world final and blrc champ. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stratton Posted February 3, 2014 Author Report Share Posted February 3, 2014 I agree lee was the best brit in 83, ahead of Carter and morton. In 82 though, carters best season, who do u think was close to him? In 81 he was top brit in bl averages, world final and blrc champ. But he never dominated even in the test matches v USA he was not always great, Morton,Lee( 82 his worst season) even PC past his best could still beat him i never ever see Carter go to King,s Lynn and beat Lee over a three race series.PC could and did and that was hard to do at Lynn, because he had his period where he was the best Brit full stop and it took even Lee from 76 onwards to even challenge him.Carter never had a spell where he was in and out Britains no 1 he was on par certainly in all of his World Final appearances i never believed he could win it mix it yes and he did and was unlucky but so have endless other riders.Lee,Sigalos,Sanders,S.Moran for me were the only riders who were capable of upstaging Nielsen and Gundersen in that spell. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ColinMills Posted February 4, 2014 Report Share Posted February 4, 2014 andy smith don't feature much in list Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
waiheke1 Posted February 4, 2014 Report Share Posted February 4, 2014 andy smith don't feature much in listAlong with mort my favourite british rider of all time. But not close to the top dozen britss of all time or even the modern era. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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