Toad Posted July 21, 2015 Report Share Posted July 21, 2015 With the current Rye House season sliding into mediocrity once again, I got to reminiscing about the great sides we used to have; and arguably the greatest were the seven Rockets who romped to the 1980 National League Championship. Oh for a team like that today! Anyone know what those legendary Rockets are doing now, all of 35 years later? Obviously we have lost Ashley Pullen but it would be interesting to know what Karl Fiala, Bobby Garrad, Kelvin Mullarkey, Kevin Smith, Peter Tarrant and Andy Fines have been doing. Even better, get them all down to Rye House before the end of the season and give us something to look forward to! That will bring a crowd in for sure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hob Nob Posted July 21, 2015 Report Share Posted July 21, 2015 Peter Tarrant visits Rye often. Kelvin is always at Mildenhall, he is a poorly old thing & in a wheel chair. Bob lives in Maldon & is a builder. Karl is all over Face Book!! Have seen Andy at Rye but not recently. Kevin Smith lives Poole way but don't know he does with himself these days. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobMcCaffery Posted July 22, 2015 Report Share Posted July 22, 2015 With the current Rye House season sliding into mediocrity once again, I got to reminiscing about the great sides we used to have; and arguably the greatest were the seven Rockets who romped to the 1980 National League Championship. Oh for a team like that today! Anyone know what those legendary Rockets are doing now, all of 35 years later? Obviously we have lost Ashley Pullen but it would be interesting to know what Karl Fiala, Bobby Garrad, Kelvin Mullarkey, Kevin Smith, Peter Tarrant and Andy Fines have been doing. Even better, get them all down to Rye House before the end of the season and give us something to look forward to! That will bring a crowd in for sure. After years away from the sport Karl Fiala returned to the scene a few years ago. I hosted an Ellesmere Port reunion a few years back and Karl even travelled up there for that!. He has his own business and is very active on Facebook sharing memories. I last heard of Kelvin when he was celebrating his 60th birthday and they managed to get him into a suit for the occasion. Peter Tarrant is running a despatch business and is now the partner of one of my wife's oldest friends. Don't forget Hugh Saunders who managed that side and of course rode for the team while that championship side was being developed by Colin Pratt. Last I heard Hughie had gone back to Guernsey after living in Essex for years. It hurts that any reunion would be without Ashley Pullen. He was such a fighter and worked so hard to progress in the sport. Those years weren't just about winning matches but seeing a fine group of young riders develop into a team to be proud of after the desperation of the mid-70s when the Rayleigh Rockets first lost their home then lost most of the team to Crayford. After a couple of desperate first years at Hoddesdon we first saw Kelvin fight to ride for the team then the arrival of Karl via the junior ranks. By '76 the pain was erasing. I just wish I'd had the courage back then to ask if we could take the league trophy on a trip round the remains of Rayleigh..... Precious memories. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Posted July 22, 2015 Report Share Posted July 22, 2015 Don't think you should forget Ted Hubbard from those Infradex years either. I know the OP specifically referred to 1980 but the years building to that we're great times to watch Rye. Karl and Ted were at the recent Lydd meeting. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobMcCaffery Posted July 22, 2015 Report Share Posted July 22, 2015 (edited) Don't think you should forget Ted Hubbard from those Infradex years either. I know the OP specifically referred to 1980 but the years building to that we're great times to watch Rye. Karl and Ted were at the recent Lydd meeting. Quite, Brian. Of course in those days you often had to build a side slowly over several years and watch your investment flourish so many riders played their part in creating that championship win. It was so satisfying to see the team develop and so heartbreaking to see it all fall apart so swiftly afterwards. So very sorry to hear from another poster of Kelvin's condition. Edited July 22, 2015 by rmc 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheScotsman Posted July 22, 2015 Report Share Posted July 22, 2015 Bob is a builder. Is this for real?!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toad Posted July 22, 2015 Author Report Share Posted July 22, 2015 Of course, the experience of Hugh Saunders and Ted Hubbard played a big part in bringing through the younger riders and the near, near miss at Mildenhall in 79 I think, only galvanised their will to win the league. The empathy with the team is something that has definitely gone from today's sport, watching young local riders develop and finally reap their rewards. And three heatleaders with 9+ point averages in a very tough league is something to be proud of. At Rye these days it's only Andrew Silver and the Raiders who are the nearest thing. Yes, sad to hear about Mudlark as he provided so many great memories, his second half finals were legandary! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shadders Posted July 22, 2015 Report Share Posted July 22, 2015 (edited) A bit before my time. Only started going in 1985. The 2005 Rockets side was something special, but they were different times. One question I always wanted to ask. Why did Karl Fiala retire so early, mid 20's I believe? The empathy with the team is something that has definitely gone from today's sport, watching young local riders develop and finally reap their rewards.It's a lot tougher to bring through young local talent now. The equipment is way to expensive these days Edited July 22, 2015 by Shads Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WembleyLion Posted July 22, 2015 Report Share Posted July 22, 2015 Kevin Smith is a regular at Poole Speedway! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
semion Posted July 22, 2015 Report Share Posted July 22, 2015 In the 1979 Team wasnt Bob Cooper one of the Reserves ? Great battle for the Title in 79 between Rye and Mildenhall. 2 Top teams, with hardly a weak link. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shadders Posted July 22, 2015 Report Share Posted July 22, 2015 In the 1979 Team wasnt Bob Cooper one of the Reserves ? Great battle for the Title in 79 between Rye and Mildenhall. 2 Top teams, with hardly a weak link. I think he was one of the last of the Rayleigh riders that moved up to Rye in 1974 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan_Jones Posted July 22, 2015 Report Share Posted July 22, 2015 In the 1979 Team wasnt Bob Cooper one of the Reserves ? Great battle for the Title in 79 between Rye and Mildenhall.Bob Cooper's last season with the Rockets was '78. 2 Top teams, with hardly a weak link.Just the one in Mel Taylor's head... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stephen Carter Posted July 22, 2015 Report Share Posted July 22, 2015 hughie saunders is living back in essex again now and has been watching the racing up at lakeside Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobMcCaffery Posted July 22, 2015 Report Share Posted July 22, 2015 Bob Cooper joined the Rockets on loan from Leicester in 1974 so didn't ride for Rayleigh. The Rockets team that transferred over in 1974 was all gone by the end of 1975 with many switching to Crayford. The last to remain was Brian Foote whose last season was 1976. The last former Rayleigh Rocket in the side was Hugh Saunders but he was at Hackney at the time of Rayleigh's closure. As for Karl Fiala, most of us spent 1981 asking the same question over what had happened to him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shadders Posted July 22, 2015 Report Share Posted July 22, 2015 . The last to remain was Brian Foote whose last season was 1976. That's the guy I was thinking about. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toad Posted July 22, 2015 Author Report Share Posted July 22, 2015 I think the unexpected retirement of Karl Fiala really set the seal on the unfortunate 1981 season as it was nailed on that Garrad and Smith would be going BL and Len had Mullarkey and Fiala inked in as a very acceptable top two. The injury to Andy Fines didn't help - it may have been so different for him - but Fiala was never adequately replaced. Shads; unfortunately you missed seeing Bob Garrad in his prime, a superb small track rider who could and should have gone much further. And don't mention Mel Taylor! Always a thorn in our side when riding against us and crap when riding for us! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shadders Posted July 22, 2015 Report Share Posted July 22, 2015 (edited) Shads; unfortunately you missed seeing Bob Garrad in his prime, a superb small track rider who could and should have gone much further. And don't mention Mel Taylor! Always a thorn in our side when riding against us and crap when riding for us! Sadly I only caught his last season with us in 1985, when he partnered Andrew Silver at number 2. Went to his testimonial and saw the great Hans Nielsen for the one and only time. Hmmm.. Come to think of it I think it may have been 1986, maybe it was Kelvin Mullarkeys testimonial in '85 and Garrads last season was '86. My programmes are stored away somewhere!! The Mel Taylor story is a strange one. Expected so much, but delivered so little. I don't think breaking his arm helped. Am I right in saying he came to Rye when Barry Klatt became joint promoter with big Ron? Edited July 22, 2015 by Shads Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scoobydoo Posted July 22, 2015 Report Share Posted July 22, 2015 Remember all the rockets mentioned from being a Panthers fan the season starting easter triangle between Rye House, Mildenhall and Peterborough. Always thought ponsey gits in there team leathers especially the fen tigers with there tassles,but got to say it was the start of a trend that lasts still today for many teams. Had the pleasure of watching and cheering on Ashley Pullen riding for the Panthers remember him constantly holding the Panthers together. Saw Kelvin Mullarkey on anglia tv the other week at Mildenhall he was a character such a hard nut who loved nothing more than winding up the opposition fans good memories of great speedway years that wont be forgotten. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobMcCaffery Posted July 22, 2015 Report Share Posted July 22, 2015 Sadly I only caught his last season with us in 1985, when he partnered Andrew Silver at number 2. Went to his testimonial and saw the great Hans Nielsen for the one and only time. Hmmm.. Come to think of it I think it may have been 1986, maybe it was Kelvin Mullarkeys testimonial in '85 and Garrads last season was '86. My programmes are stored away somewhere!! The Mel Taylor story is a strange one. Expected so much, but delivered so little. I don't think breaking his arm helped. Am I right in saying he came to Rye when Barry Klatt became joint promoter with big Ron? Yes Taylor came to Rye House with Barry Klatt, along with Glen Baxter and his brother, links that eventually gave us Trevor O'Brien. There had been a huge row at Mildenhall - a case of too many promoters and Barry moved his stake to Hoddesdon. Taylor wasn't the easiest of people to deal with. It was pretty clear he didn't want to be at Rye House. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toad Posted July 23, 2015 Author Report Share Posted July 23, 2015 Gleen Baxter went from a West Row second string into a Hoddesdon heatleader, he developed into a cracking little rider. His brother Wayne had his moments but he was only really reserve standard and Trevor needs no introduction, he is right up there with the greats when it comes to Rye House. One Aussie around at that time was Jamie Fagg and he looked like he might go places but had a couple of nasty injuries. Bob Garrad's testimonial was in '86 but he had wound down by then which was hard to watch on occasions. He had one rollback prrformance with a 12 point max though. What an opening pair Bobby G and Marvyn Cox made back in '83 with their blak and white chequered leathers! Robbo and Eddie Kennett in 2005 is the best since! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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