moxey63 Posted December 28, 2014 Report Share Posted December 28, 2014 Alright people... just had some weird message, causing me to interrupt my Christmas... someone on here saying that Chris Harris is a better rider than Tony Davey. Come on guys... let's be serious. I know it's the time for fancy jumpers, those Santa hats... it's all a laugh. But.. and I know it was tongue in cheek... Harris better than Davey? It's like saying.. New Year is better than Christmas. The current Band Aid is better than the 1984 version... Carry on.... But I'm being kept informed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
customhouseregular Posted December 28, 2014 Report Share Posted December 28, 2014 I first saw John Louis when he was riding Scrambles at Ramsden Heath. I followed his career closely when he switched to speedway. To my mind he and Jessup were two of the best English riders of any era and John would have cut it wherever and whenever ho rode. Cook v Louis...no contest. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iris123 Posted December 28, 2014 Report Share Posted December 28, 2014 Whether you like Harris or not(and i am no big fan)he is regularly in or around the top 20 riders in the world,which Davey wasn't and that in a period that as we have seen wasn't as professional as nowadays Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moxey63 Posted December 28, 2014 Report Share Posted December 28, 2014 Whether you like Harris or not(and i am no big fan)he is regularly in or around the top 20 riders in the world,which Davey wasn't and that in a period that as we have seen wasn't as professional as nowadays NoDirection are regularly at the top of the charts, but that doesn't make them as good as say, Deacon Blue, who were often poor chartists.Davey often had Louis and Sanders to battle for points in the same team, whereas Harris is fielding against a completely weaker line-up at Coventry and beyond. I'd rather stick with Davey. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The White Knight Posted December 28, 2014 Report Share Posted December 28, 2014 Whether you like Harris or not(and i am no big fan)he is regularly in or around the top 20 riders in the world,which Davey wasn't and that in a period that as we have seen wasn't as professional as nowadays Far better Riders then, in general, then though. That is indisputable. You had to be really good to shine in those days. Much easier to shine these days as there is not much competition. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iris123 Posted December 28, 2014 Report Share Posted December 28, 2014 NoDirection are regularly at the top of the charts, but that doesn't make them as good as say, Deacon Blue, who were often poor chartists.Davey often had Louis and Sanders to battle for points in the same team, whereas Harris is fielding against a completely weaker line-up at Coventry and beyond. I'd rather stick with Davey. Not sure what you are on about with music.You can go by taste and say they are better or not or you go by sales.Who sold the most is probably the best way to show who is best.I am not going to check out whether Deacon Blue sold more or less.But you really show that Davey wasn't that good by telling us he wasn't even the best or second best in his own team,let alone in the world.I need say no more Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
waiheke1 Posted December 28, 2014 Report Share Posted December 28, 2014 Alright people... just had some weird message, causing me to interrupt my Christmas... someone on here saying that Chris Harris is a better rider than Tony Davey. Come on guys... let's be serious. I know it's the time for fancy jumpers, those Santa hats... it's all a laugh. But.. and I know it was tongue in cheek... Harris better than Davey? Harris has finished 5th in the world, won a GP, and regularly qualified for the GP series. Davey never made a world final, and didn't win any equivalent major meeting. Harris has shone on a number of occasions for England/GP in major events, Davey rarely ade England appearances (admittedly in a very tough era to make an England team). Harris tbf has never really dominated at a domestic level, but neither did Davey ever achieve the 10 point average that at that time was the mark of a true world class rider (and only once averaged ovr 9, which was generally the standard for a true international class rider). For me, Davey's record just doesn't compare with Harris's. I first saw John Louis when he was riding Scrambles at Ramsden Heath. I followed his career closely when he switched to speedway. To my mind he and Jessup were two of the best English riders of any era and John would have cut it wherever and whenever ho rode. Cook v Louis...no contest. I don't think anyone would dispute that Louis was far superior to Cook, if this is a reference to the earlier comparisions between the two you've missed the point being made. Louis is also > Harris by some margin IMHO. NoDirection are regularly at the top of the charts, but that doesn't make them as good as say, Deacon Blue, who were often poor chartists.Davey often had Louis and Sanders to battle for points in the same team, whereas Harris is fielding against a completely weaker line-up at Coventry and beyond. I'd rather stick with Davey. Music charts are about commercial appeal and taste of the mass market. No comparison to speedway where we are looking at results. Davey would have only ridden against Louis/Sanders once or at post twice a meeting, so rarely would he have had to battle them" for points, espeicially given that bonus points were included in averages. Riding in a strong team was generally beneficial for your average not a hindrance. I agree that Onedirection are rubbish though. Far better Riders then, in general, then though. That is indisputable. You had to be really good to shine in those days. Much easier to shine these days as there is not much competition. It is disputable though. In fact this was dealt with in quite a bit of detail earlier in the thread. Again, we are talking about speedway as a whole, not just the EL. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stratton Posted December 28, 2014 Author Report Share Posted December 28, 2014 (edited) Not sure what you are on about with music.You can go by taste and say they are better or not or you go by sales.Who sold the most is probably the best way to show who is best.I am not going to check out whether Deacon Blue sold more or less.But you really show that Davey wasn't that good by telling us he wasn't even the best or second best in his own team,let alone in the world.I need say no moreI believe Davey challenged PC for the helmet did very well this was against Collins who was a bugger to beat.Tony Davey had horrendous injuries over a period but that one or two years he really pushed on he was unlucky he was in the same team as Louis/Sanders both great riders. Edited December 28, 2014 by sidney 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
waiheke1 Posted December 28, 2014 Report Share Posted December 28, 2014 and back to the original topic. Has anyone viewed all of the Mort DVD,the Shooey DVD and this one, and if so, which would you recommend as the pick of the bunch? The former are amongst my favourite riders of all time, wheras KC was certainly not a favourite, but without a doubt "box office." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iris123 Posted December 28, 2014 Report Share Posted December 28, 2014 (edited) I believe Davey challenged PC for the helmet did very well this was against Collins who was a bugger to beat.Tony Davey had horrendous injuries over a period but that one or two years he really pushed on he was unlucky he was in the same team as Louis/Sanders both great riders. Sid,you are like the knight in Monty Python who has no arms and legs and still wants to carry on!!!! Not sure what any of what you say is of importance here.He was the third best rider in his team and if he was in probably five other teams he would still be the third best(maybe 4th) and in another 10 teams he would be the second best or so.....He just wasn't that good.He would have been better than PC,Mort and maybe even Sjosten at Belle Vue and he wouldn't have been better than Mauger and Autrey at Exeter or Ashby and kilby or Simmo and Jessup or Betts or Crump or or or......He wasn't unlucky to be at Ipswich he just wasn't that good!!!! And Waihekeaces has summed up the reasons why he isn't better than Harris.I can't recall him ever winning anything of note and i was once at an SWC quali at Foxhall and i doubt Davey even got close to being picked for any SWC team,did he? You'll be telling us Bert Harkins was better than Andreas Jonsson next Edited December 28, 2014 by iris123 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stratton Posted December 28, 2014 Author Report Share Posted December 28, 2014 Sid,you are like the knight in Monty Python who has no arms and legs and still wants to carry on!!!! Not sure what any of what you say is of importance here.He was the third best rider in his team and if he was in probably five other teams he would still be the third best(maybe 4th) and in another 10 teams he would be the second best or so.....He just wasn't that good.He would have been better than PC,Mort and maybe even Sjosten at Belle Vue and he wouldn't have been better than Mauger and Autrey at Exeter or Ashby and kilby or Simmo and Jessup or Betts or Crump or or or......He wasn't unlucky to be at Ipswich he just wasn't that good!!!! And Waihekeaces has summed up the reasons why he isn't better than Harris.I can't recall him ever winning anything of note and i was once at an SWC quali at Foxhall and i doubt Davey even got close to being picked for any SWC team,did he? You'll be telling us Bert Harkins was better than Andreas Jonsson next Well to be honest Iris av a cup of tea cool down but unless you think Davey got lucky to be a helmet challenger to PC who was a champion he was nominated he did well you tell me? av a look back Davey deserved his challenge! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iris123 Posted December 28, 2014 Report Share Posted December 28, 2014 Ha ha.You've convinced me He challenged for a helmet and in a two man race did well 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stratton Posted December 28, 2014 Author Report Share Posted December 28, 2014 Sid,you are like the knight in Monty Python who has no arms and legs and still wants to carry on!!!! Not sure what any of what you say is of importance here.He was the third best rider in his team and if he was in probably five other teams he would still be the third best(maybe 4th) and in another 10 teams he would be the second best or so.....He just wasn't that good.He would have been better than PC,Mort and maybe even Sjosten at Belle Vue and he wouldn't have been better than Mauger and Autrey at Exeter or Ashby and kilby or Simmo and Jessup or Betts or Crump or or or......He wasn't unlucky to be at Ipswich he just wasn't that good!!!! And Waihekeaces has summed up the reasons why he isn't better than Harris.I can't recall him ever winning anything of note and i was once at an SWC quali at Foxhall and i doubt Davey even got close to being picked for any SWC team,did he? You'll be telling us Bert Harkins was better than Andreas Jonsson next Harsh and i will and Havant a guess you never really went to Foxhall much ? i only went three times but unless you are a nomark you must no that Louis,Sanders,Davey were a pretty nice 1/2/3.Harsh. and i will and Havant a guess you never really went to Foxhall much ? i only went three times but unless you are a nomark you must no that Louis,Sanders,Davey were a pretty decent 1/2/3. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iris123 Posted December 28, 2014 Report Share Posted December 28, 2014 (edited) Harsh and i will and Havant a guess you never really went to Foxhall much ? i only went three times but unless you are a nomark you must no that Louis,Sanders,Davey were a pretty nice 1/2/3. They were pretty nice i give you that.But davey was the third best rider in the team and in a lot of other teams he would have been the third best rider.In a couple maybe 4th best and in a couple maybe 2nd best.That was his level and at world level he wasn't really on the radar.And you'd be a complete fool not to recognise that Edited December 28, 2014 by iris123 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
waiheke1 Posted December 28, 2014 Report Share Posted December 28, 2014 Tbf, in 78 davey's average was around the tenth best, so he would have been a number one at most teams that year. Most other seasons though he would have been a second or third heatleader regardless of team. I note also that he never made the podium of the golden sovereign meeting at ipswich, wheras sanders/louis were most years. Davey was good, but not of the very highest standard. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iris123 Posted December 28, 2014 Report Share Posted December 28, 2014 Tbf, in 78 davey's average was around the tenth best, so he would have been a number one at most teams that year. Most other seasons though he would have been a second or third heatleader regardless of team. I note also that he never made the podium of the golden sovereign meeting at ipswich, wheras sanders/louis were most years. Davey was good, but not of the very highest standard. That is the thing though,if you compare Harris and Davey you have to do it over more than the best season of their career.It was also a time when it was quite easy to up your average by changing teams for instance.I remember Mick Hines was 4th or so at Ipswich behind all those three and came to a poor Wimbledon team and upped his average quite considerably i think Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stratton Posted December 28, 2014 Author Report Share Posted December 28, 2014 Ha ha.You've convinced me He challenged for a helmet and in a two man race did well Are you being a twit or not? They were pretty nice i give you that.But davey was the third best rider in the team and in a lot of other teams he would have been the third best rider.In a couple maybe 4th best and in a couple maybe 2nd best.That was his level and at world level he wasn't really on the radar.And you'd be a complete fool not to recognise thatNot a fool and ask Davey fans family and sponsors Ipswich fans whether he was a mug or not,remember what BERRY said he knows more in his left hand than you will ever know.So Iris get off your high horse have a think and maybe you might come up with something i doubt it !! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The White Knight Posted December 28, 2014 Report Share Posted December 28, 2014 Are you being a twit or not? Not a fool and ask Davey fans family and sponsors Ipswich fans whether he was a mug or not,remember what BERRY said he knows more in his left hand than you will ever know.So Iris get off your high horse have a think and maybe you might come up with something i doubt it !! I agree sidney - I would never claim that Tony Davey was the best Rider I ever saw ride for Ipswich - but - he was damned good. He was certainly among the better Riders of that era. Personally I believe that - with his passing ability - he would have been pretty good today too. Sadly - we can never prove these things. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
waiheke1 Posted December 28, 2014 Report Share Posted December 28, 2014 No one is saying he wasnt a good rider. But in that era where would he rank - just inside thr top 50 riders of the decade? In comparison, I suspect harris would be top 30 riders of the first decade of the 2000s Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stratton Posted December 28, 2014 Author Report Share Posted December 28, 2014 No one is saying he wasnt a good rider. But in that era where would he rank - just inside thr top 50 riders of the decade? In comparison, I suspect harris would be top 30 riders of the first decade of the 2000s is he ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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