stratton Posted February 19, 2014 Author Report Share Posted February 19, 2014 Not sure about Eyre,but i liked Ken McKinlay.Think they might have had a common taste in bobble hats.Jimmy McMillan was another favourite and having met him he is also a nice guy.Dougie + Willie Templeton.Didn't see them much apart from in the Speedway Star,but they looked tough as old boots.And George Hunter as well as Brian Collins were always good to watch Would have loved to have seen Tommy Miller and Brian Crutcher.Both seemed from records as if they were going to the top and then never fulfilled the early potential Mckinlay often is a forgotten man, he reached nine world finals and i think he once headed the old Prov league averages on a 11 point average.I only see him twice for Scunny in his veteran NL years still half decent then and he was nearly 50 and that's what I call a true speedway man. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted February 19, 2014 Report Share Posted February 19, 2014 Mckinlay often is a forgotten man, he reached nine world finals and i think he once headed the old Prov league averages on a 11 point average.I only see him twice for Scunny in his veteran NL years still half decent then and he was nearly 50 and that's what I call a true speedway man. Apart from Ken McKinlay, others who certainly raced when past 50 years were Geoff Pymar, Keith Harvey, Phil Bishop and Wal Morton. Not sure - maybe Jimmy Squibb. Possibly Roy Craighead? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nw42 Posted February 19, 2014 Report Share Posted February 19, 2014 (edited) Last few posts serve to show what a fairly decent side Scotland could put out back in the early 70's, add to the mix Bert Harkins and the Beaton brothers and you would have a good 7man team that would hold their own in almost any match. Jimmy Mac was often a very useful guest for Belle Vue and as iris123 says, he is/was a really nice bloke. WK, you're right with the headwear connection but Ken Eyre always had the bobble on his hat, I'm sure Ken McKinlay was mostly bobble-less. Sidney, spot on re the Templetons, more like a tag team than a pair of speedway riders, weren't they uncles of the Beaton brothers? Edited February 19, 2014 by nw42 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stratton Posted February 20, 2014 Author Report Share Posted February 20, 2014 Last few posts serve to show what a fairly decent side Scotland could put out back in the early 70's, add to the mix Bert Harkins and the Beaton brothers and you would have a good 7man team that would hold their own in almost any match. Jimmy Mac was often a very useful guest for Belle Vue and as iris123 says, he is/was a really nice bloke. WK, you're right with the headwear connection but Ken Eyre always had the bobble on his hat, I'm sure Ken McKinlay was mostly bobble-less. Sidney, spot on re the Templetons, more like a tag team than a pair of speedway riders, weren't they uncles of the Beaton brothers? Going off topic as usual NW, you said Mike Hiftle had baby blue leathers like Booey i am sure the Aussie the late Geoff Curtis had them and maybe? Richard May and Geoff Mudge can you remember? my memory sometimes plays tricks.! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nw42 Posted February 20, 2014 Report Share Posted February 20, 2014 Going off topic as usual NW, you said Mike Hiftle had baby blue leathers like Booey i am sure the Aussie the late Geoff Curtis had them and maybe? Richard May and Geoff Mudge can you remember? my memory sometimes plays tricks.! Apologies Sidney, it's strange the things that stick in your mind though, Geoff Curtis - can't remember the colour of his leathers, I'd have to guess at black and very shiny but I do remember a white mudguard. Geoff Mudge - blue leathers I think. Can't picture Richard May but for some reason I always thought he was posh, god only knows why, maybe because I'd heard him called Dickie. Wilkie wore orange for most of his career. Anyway, if I hadn't gone off topic your excellent thread would have disappeared on to page 2 by now, thank me later Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stratton Posted February 20, 2014 Author Report Share Posted February 20, 2014 Apologies Sidney, it's strange the things that stick in your mind though, Geoff Curtis - can't remember the colour of his leathers, I'd have to guess at black and very shiny but I do remember a white mudguard. Geoff Mudge - blue leathers I think. Can't picture Richard May but for some reason I always thought he was posh, god only knows why, maybe because I'd heard him called Dickie. Wilkie wore orange for most of his career. Anyway, if I hadn't gone off topic your excellent thread would have disappeared on to page 2 by now, thank me later The days of everybody having they're own coloured leathers and boots were great in my opinion.Remember Bert Harkins,Alan Cowland having different coloured boots they're were some great characters in the sport then.I think Briggo was one of the first to dismiss the monkey mask and cut offs and go to the full face helmet great days eh!John Davis was another one always had flashy leathers great immaculate aquipment ultra professional those days have gone and we have to progress and go with the times i suppose. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nw42 Posted February 20, 2014 Report Share Posted February 20, 2014 The days of everybody having they're own coloured leathers and boots were great in my opinion.Remember Bert Harkins,Alan Cowland having different coloured boots they're were some great characters in the sport then.I think Briggo was one of the first to dismiss the monkey mask and cut offs and go to the full face helmet great days eh!John Davis was another one always had flashy leathers great immaculate aquipment ultra professional those days have gone and we have to progress and go with the times i suppose. Your mention of Alan Cowland just brings to mind the mini riot at Hyde Rd when he forced Wilkie out to the fence in a last heat decider, he picked the wrong rider to do that to, Wilkie tackled him as he was returning to the pits and it all kicked off. I agree they were great days and are the ones that stick in my memory most clearly, we were at Hyde Rd every Saturday and often nipped over to Owlerton on a Thursday, loved going there as you could get right near the pits, also the level of the terracing on the pit bend gave the impression of it being a much faster track then BV, great days indeed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The White Knight Posted February 20, 2014 Report Share Posted February 20, 2014 Going off topic as usual NW, you said Mike Hiftle had baby blue leathers like Booey i am sure the Aussie the late Geoff Curtis had them and maybe? Richard May and Geoff Mudge can you remember? my memory sometimes plays tricks.! I'm sure Geoff Curtis wore Blue Leathers sidney. I'm also sure that someone will tell me if I'm wrong. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stratton Posted February 20, 2014 Author Report Share Posted February 20, 2014 Your mention of Alan Cowland just brings to mind the mini riot at Hyde Rd when he forced Wilkie out to the fence in a last heat decider, he picked the wrong rider to do that to, Wilkie tackled him as he was returning to the pits and it all kicked off. I agree they were great days and are the ones that stick in my memory most clearly, we were at Hyde Rd every Saturday and often nipped over to Owlerton on a Thursday, loved going there as you could get right near the pits, also the level of the terracing on the pit bend gave the impression of it being a much faster track then BV, great days indeed. It was NW great days, the Abbey has been my track since 1969 i love the place when prepared a great track.Hyde RD was something else a great racetrack often never mentioned it was a fair track my favourite meeting i saw there was the BLRC in 1983 Lee did well after his first race blip his excuse got filled in the track looked untraceable that night. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The White Knight Posted February 20, 2014 Report Share Posted February 20, 2014 It was NW great days, the Abbey has been my track since 1969 i love the place when prepared a great track.Hyde RD was something else a great racetrack often never mentioned it was a fair track my favourite meeting i saw there was the BLRC in 1983 Lee did well after his first race blip his excuse got filled in the track looked untraceable that night. Could you not find it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stratton Posted February 20, 2014 Author Report Share Posted February 20, 2014 I'm sure Geoff Curtis wore Blue Leathers sidney. I'm also sure that someone will tell me if I'm wrong. Thanks WK,my memory not so good as yours getting old! i have looked up in a few of my old scrapbooks he did Curtis have blue leathers.I only see Curtis ride twice once in a double header SwIndon v Sheffield and v Reading 1973 those two teams were one and two in the league.WK did you see Curtis ?maybe against your beloved Sunderland or the Diamonds.? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bruiser McHuge Posted February 20, 2014 Report Share Posted February 20, 2014 I would have Carter higher than John Louis and Malcolm Simmons, higher than Doncaster, Tatum and Wigg and Jessup and higher than Chris Morton There is the doubt about how long he rode for which is the drawback but I think it depends on where you watched speedway...I saw a lot of Carter at Hyde Road and Halifax and Sheffield and I would say that 81 to 84 he was THE best English rider by a long way and one of the best ever...injuries held him back but he was super fast and the best visiting rider at Hyde Road over 3 or 4 years at the time.......maybe southern based fans didn't see enough of him and have different opinions because I cannot see how he doesn't make any list of top Brits...but like I said the drawback is that he didn't go on longer and win more at world level like he should have done Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The White Knight Posted February 20, 2014 Report Share Posted February 20, 2014 Thanks WK,my memory not so good as yours getting old! i have looked up in a few of my old scrapbooks he did Curtis have blue leathers.I only see Curtis ride twice once in a double header SwIndon v Sheffield and v Reading 1973 those two teams were one and two in the league.WK did you see Curtis ?maybe against your beloved Sunderland or the Diamonds.? No - I'm afraid I didn't. :sad: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stratton Posted February 20, 2014 Author Report Share Posted February 20, 2014 Could you not find it? oops thanks Wk! what an idiot unraceable it was that night for three hours up the motorway it P.... Down before we got there god knows how it was on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The White Knight Posted February 20, 2014 Report Share Posted February 20, 2014 oops thanks Wk! what an idiot unraceable it was that night for three hours up the motorway it P.... Down before we got there god knows how it was on. Just a bit of fun sidney. Try to introduce some fun on the Forum now and again. Thank you for not taking it the wrong way. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stratton Posted February 20, 2014 Author Report Share Posted February 20, 2014 I would have Carter higher than John Louis and Malcolm Simmons, higher than Doncaster, Tatum and Wigg and Jessup and higher than Chris Morton There is the doubt about how long he rode for which is the drawback but I think it depends on where you watched speedway...I saw a lot of Carter at Hyde Road and Halifax and Sheffield and I would say that 81 to 84 he was THE best English rider by a long way and one of the best ever...injuries held him back but he was super fast and the best visiting rider at Hyde Road over 3 or 4 years at the time.......maybe southern based fans didn't see enough of him and have different opinions because I cannot see how he doesn't make any list of top Brits...but like I said the drawback is that he didn't go on longer and win more at world level like he should have done I was a fan Bruiser bigtime more than anyone, but know way can he be ranked above Simmo also they're is a case that Louis achieved more.Carter was a talent i enjoyed watching him very much better than Simmo no in my book. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The White Knight Posted February 20, 2014 Report Share Posted February 20, 2014 I was a fan Bruiser bigtime more than anyone, but know way can he be ranked above Simmo also they're is a case that Louis achieved more.Carter was a talent i enjoyed watching him very much better than Simmo no in my book. Must agree with you there sidney. Always rated Simmo. Carter often was an accident waiting to happen. Sadly Carter suffered too many injuries. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stratton Posted February 20, 2014 Author Report Share Posted February 20, 2014 (edited) Must agree with you there sidney. Always rated Simmo. Carter often was an accident waiting to happen. Sadly Carter suffered too many injuries.Did you rate Carter WK ?i did a terrific rider great value exciting in a way today's Ward but does his cv achievements say that. Funny thing is he would of been a force for at least another five years minimum another one at there best, could beat Gundersen and Hans. Edited February 20, 2014 by sidney Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The White Knight Posted February 20, 2014 Report Share Posted February 20, 2014 I rated him very highly - BUT - I don't think that he realised that there is a time to ease off the throttle. In the end that cost him. Great Rider though to watch - I would not have liked to be in a Race with him if I were a Rider. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stratton Posted February 20, 2014 Author Report Share Posted February 20, 2014 (edited) I rated him very highly - BUT - I don't think that he realised that there is a time to ease off the throttle. In the end that cost him. Great Rider though to watch - I would not have liked to be in a Race with him if I were a Rider.I agree WK he was a winner !he was such a talent and i was so bias with Lee and with the older PC and Mort.I heard on Lee,s DVD he was always wary of Carter.A bit scared even though he did very well against Carter head to head destroyed him 4.0 in the helmet he i knew held him in high regard because he said he was was always quick and and a winner. Edited February 20, 2014 by sidney Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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