Mike Lee in Speedway Star

[fatface]

I must say I really enjoyed John Chaplin's "Coversation with....." piece on Michael Lee in the recent Speedway Star. I too was a big admirer of Lee. I'd even go as far to say he was one of the most talented riders I ever saw.

 

However, in this interview (which was admirably frank) he really comes across as a rebel without a clue. It strikes me that he went against the authorities just for the sake of it rather than for any specific reason. What did everyone else make of the piece?

[SCB]

I got the impression he was after fame, he didn't care if he got it by making thr sport bigger or by rebeling. As it was it come about by the latter, he did say he could see the sport failing, he said it on speedway videos from 82-83 so he always said it and he was right. I think he was rebelling becasuse he could see what was happening. Certainly an intresting read.

[Guest dontforgetoturnleft!!]

I thought the interview missed a big, big issue of speedway in the 80's - i.e. use of recreational drugs especially by the young and Amercian riders. It was certainly a not well kept secret that cannabis was consistently used by riders such as the Morans, John Cook, Kenny Carter and that Michael Lee was among these.

 

Drug use can lead to paranoia and erratic behaviour. I thing Lee's biggest problem was the track he rode for. If he rode for one of the stronger promoters, or mananger's, at the time, i.e. John Berry or Peter Adams, he would have been made to appreciate just what he had.

 

Along with John Cook, and possibly Mark Loram, Michael was one of the most talented riders I ever saw.

[Trees]

Haven't read the piece in the Star as yet but would just like to say that for Michael to go the way he did, did not only deny him a great career but denied us fans of the pleasure of watching a master in action. Silly damned arse!!!

 

As for the drugs issue, mmmmmmmm, I used to sit many a time in the Tuesday Market Place in Lynn after a meeting, wondering just what was going on in those vans!

[shazzybird]

Drug use can lead to paranoia and erratic behaviour. I thing Lee's biggest problem was the track he rode for. If he rode for one of the stronger promoters, or mananger's, at the time, i.e. John Berry or Peter Adams, he would have been made to appreciate just what he had.

Balls .............. basically is what I have to say to that comment, everyone is in charge of themselves, don't get me wrong as a child Michael Lee was my hero.

 

You can't blame parents for what kids get up to so how can you blame management or promoters by saying if he'd rode for someone else. Michael is his own person and regrets what he did at the time anyone would think he was a big time drug user.

[fatface]

Drug use can lead to paranoia and  erratic behaviour. I thing Lee's biggest problem was the track he rode for. If he rode for one of the stronger promoters, or mananger's, at the time, i.e. John Berry or Peter Adams, he would have been made to appreciate just what he had.

Balls .............. basically is what I have to say to that comment, everyone is in charge of themselves, don't get me wrong as a child Michael Lee was my hero.

 

You can't blame parents for what kids get up to so how can you blame management or promoters by saying if he'd rode for someone else. Michael is his own person and regrets what he did at the time anyone would think he was a big time drug user.

Have to say I agree with a lot of what "dontforget...." says Shazzy. Of course we are all in charge of ourselves. But everybody is influenced greatly by their peers, be they parents or others.

 

I think it is certainly a valid point that a strong promoter or manager can keep a young rider on the right track. Is it any coincidence that under the wing of Peter Adams young men such as Penhall, Gundersen and Pedersen came to this country and blossomed into World Champions as well as decent men?

 

I think another point to bear in mind with Mike Lee is that it is pretty obvious that school and education was pretty low on his agenda from an early age (and that certainly is an area where his parents should have had an influence).

 

He hasn't really turned out as the most rounded individual and I think this can be partly put down to a casual attitude to his education. But it is not just speedway where this can be an issue. I would suggest that most young men with a real talent for sport are allowed to cast aside their education at a far too early stage. It is probably the reason why Football's Premiership is so cram-packed with empty-heads as well.

[Trackman]

I got the impression he was after fame, he didn't care if he got it by making thr sport bigger or by rebeling. As it was it come about by the latter, he did say he could see the sport failing, he said it on speedway videos from 82-83 so he always said it and he was right. I think he was rebelling becasuse he could see what was happening. Certainly an intresting read.

G/Day SCB.

"I think he was rebelling because he could see what was happening".

Mmmm?...... that might be Trackmans problem! (;O)

Regards.

PS.

"GoTeam Rebel" ()

[Grachan]

I would say that Michael was probably the most talented rider I ever saw too, and I'll never forget the time he took Phil Crump in the Golden Helmet at Swindon where he not only beat him but totally took the p***.

 

I agree that, by being a bit of an idiot, he deprived us of many years of watching a master in action, but obviously he deprived himself more and it was great TV watching walking out of Test matches because of the Tape touching rule, without which I would never have heard Carl Glover ever say: 'Michael does tend to go off like a bottle of pop.'

 

He said at the time that Speedway was being spoiled by stupid regulations, and I guess he turned out to be right even if the one he was complaining about did turn out to be one of the better ones that was brought in.

[jackofdiamonds]

Just as well he is not riding today, as stupid regulations are still about

 

I saw Michael at Newcastle when he first started with Boston. He was

 

at reserve and finished pointless. So I thought what's the fuss about?

 

English world champion, not many times that happens, take a bow.

 

Fall foul of the system and you are done. By shooting himself in the foot

 

he denied himself and us a super career. Still, all in the past now. I'm

 

pleased he is still involve in the sport. No matter what happens, we can't

 

kick it ,can we?

[Guest dontforgetoturnleft!!]

Michael is his own person and regrets what he did at the time anyone would think he was a big time drug user.

Shaz. whilst I totally respect your opinion I would like to pick up on two points.

 

1) As a world champion a rider has a debt to the sport he should repay in, at the very least, his conduct on and off the track if not using all media available to promote the sport that has given him the privilidge of holding that title.

 

2) Not a big time drug user - no - he was worse than that. Have you forgotten he spent time at Her Majesty's Pleasure for having a dope forest in his greenhouse. He didn't only enjoy the occassional puff he was making a living out of it to!!

 

I have total admiration for the guys talent and am not suggesting that we should hang him by his left testicle! Other riders had similar problems - Gary Havelock was a renown coke user. Yet when he was world champion he held the title with pride and dignity. Were you a Wembley 81? Lee was booed on parade - a British reigning world champion booed - and why because he took the urine out of speedway so they 82, 000 took the urine out of him. A rider of his age as a world champion should have been so busy that year that the only drugs he should have needed was caffine to stay awake.

 

And as for saying that parents have no part to play in a childs behaviour. That is the majority of their role, surely.

[BritPete]

After reading his muddling and confusing answer's, I would say that he has changed not at all!

[Grachan]

Were you a Wembley 81? Lee was booed on parade - a British reigning world champion booed - and why because he took the urine out of speedway so they 82, 000 took the urine out of him.

I was there, and one of the loudest cheers of the night came when he fell off. I can't remember exactly why he was unpopular at that time, though in his favour I remember it was quite a trend in the 80s for people to boo succesful English riders and cheer on the Americans. It used to irritate me greatly to hear English crowds cheering for the opposition in the 80s so that may have had a part to play in it too.

[shazzybird]

dfttl....... yes I was there in 81 and like Grachan says the biggest cheer was when he fell, some things don't change though still some fans cheer when riders fall (we wont go there on that score as I don't cheer ANY rider who falls whether he be foreign, british, loved or loathed) as far as Michael Lee goes with the drugs I'm always being told off for harping on the past when speedway was speedway and we were all kids loving our sport. Done the crime served the time springs to mind and believe me there were a lot more riders "Doing" drugs in the 80's just Micheal was the one to get caught.

 

Still think you cannot blame promoters, managers or peers though, I had a very good friend die from a drugs overdose in 1999 aged 21 just because he took drugs didn't mean that I do or did.

[SuzieQ]

Wow! This is a very difficult subject to discuss, it seems that people are either for Michael or against him!

 

I was at Wembley in 81 and couldn't believe the reception of the crowd! but as others here have said, people seem to follow their team members at Individual meetings rather than supporting the Brits so some things have never changed!

 

I have known Michael since the early 80's, I became very close with him and Janet during their time at Poole and kept in touch after that. I was at the Court Hearing when Michael was sent to Prison for growing Canabis and wrote to him during his stay inside. We have kept in touch since his release and no matter what life has thrown at him (be it of his doing or otherwise) he has has been the same friendly kindhearted guy that I first met in 1982.

 

People make so much of Michael having smoked Canabis during the 80's, well nearly every rider I knew back then was doing it (something I never really understood and still don't now, give me a B&H any day!) but there were plenty of others doing far heavier drugs, I remember one meeting we were travelling back to Poole with Michael and "a rider" had given my friend a couple of tablets as she had a headache due to being awake for nearly 48 hours (oh those were the days!!) when Michael saw them he threw them in with the rubbish and told her never to accept anything like that as it was speed and she would get hooked. That memory has always stayed with me, he cared enough to stop someone getting into other drugs!

 

No matter what Michael has done in his past, he is still an Icon in British Speedway, even the youngsters starting out today are thrilled when he is running a training school and gives them advise. At GP's in recent years I saw so many riders ask Michael for advise regarding engine set-ups etc. That is the respect that he still earns today.

 

We as supporters of the sport of speedway should always remember the good times and not dwell on the bad times and mistakes that riders have made, life is too short for that for any of us.

[Guest dontforgetoturnleft!!]

Tabby,

 

It may appear what I am saying is against Michael - it is not. Michael was a superb rider, as I have said among the most talented I ever saw ride and I say that growing up as an Ipswich fan with him riding for the hated Stars!!

 

I am suggesting that people in the sport, be it his team manager, parents, captain or others in the sport should have taken him to one side and just made sure he was aware of what talent he had and why others, perhaps including certain referees would be jealous of it, and to appreciate the position and privedges the sport had given him.

 

When he made one of his many comebacks for the Stars in the early 90's I was proud to shake his hand and wish him all the best. But too often he appeared to be left alone to be the self destuctive character that some people are. That is not to say they are good or bad.

 

Shaz suggests it is not peers, parents or anybody elses responsibility when a person turns to drugs. I feel for the loss of her friend but cannot follow the logic. If a parent knows there offspring is taking drugs do they take no action as it will not make a difference? Are councellors a waste of public money as somebody who is going to do it is going to anyway? There were enough people who knew the character Michael was and appear to let him slip the way he did. Dave Jessup, Al Littlechild and Martin Rogers to name a few. People were happy to make money on the back of his success but not so keen to try to offer the help his actions were obvioulsly crying out for.

 

This is an interesting topic and I have enjoyed reading the different opinions. Seems to me Michael is like the Gazzer of speedway - players like Becks and Michael Owen get all the help they need to live with ther talent whilst Paul was left to live with his.

 

I hope no one is offended by my opnions - I cetainly value all of yours

 

Gary

[SuzieQ]

Gary (that is so much easier than your other name!!)

 

I understand fully what you are saying about the authorities! Although I do believe that Michael had his own self-destruct button I cannot help but feel that if he had some kind of help and guidence then things could have be somewhat better for him.

 

He won the World Championship at such a young age and had no-one really to show him how to deal with it. The youngsters coming through today have their managers/mentors that will hopefully keep their feet somewhat on the ground if/when they become World Champions in the future.

 

As I suggested earlier I was very much in the scene during the 80's, running a very popular rider's fan club and knowing so many of the other top riders around at that time, yet I was never once drawn into the Canabis Circle, it was just something that never interested me and over the years I saw how it affected so many of my friends, both riders and non-riders , in some way (and please don't everyone jump on me for this comment!) I was pleased it was just Canabis and that the majority of them had not gone on to the harder drugs. I am not saying here that I agree with any form of drug taking, just that Canabis seemed the lesser of so many evils!

[shazzybird]

Shaz suggests it is not peers, parents or anybody elses responsibility when a person turns to drugs. I feel for the loss of her friend but cannot follow the logic. If a parent knows there offspring is taking drugs do they take no action as it will not make a difference?

Don't even go there! I still am very good friends with his parents and the hurt that has been caused by drugs to this family no-one will ever understand. His parents NEVER knew he was taking drugs and nor did quite a few of his friends. The ones that did offered friendly advice but advice is only there for the taking you cannot force someone to do something they don't want to.

[spin king]

I think we all know that Michael was possibly the most talented British rider of his generation or ever,but the guy threw it away pressing not just the speedway self destruction button, but it also seems in life general, which I find sad.

I was really looking forward to reading the interview in the Star, but after reading it three or four times over I still have trouble understanding it, and I wonder whether or not mentally he is okay.

In say this if he can get his life back on track and his head in gear surely he could employed to give advice to younger rider on how not do things, but I am afraid that he might not be capable of this.

[fatface]

I'm in agreement with SpinKing. I think there is a consensus that Mike Lee was one of the most talented riders ever. But what frustrates me (and I think a lot of others who would love to have a similar talent) is that he p***ed his talent away.

 

And I'm not going to say it was purely the drugs (I'm sure most of us have indulged to some degree?), or purely his managers/peers or even purely his own nature. I think its more likely that all of the above were factors. But for Mike to criticise the authorities now and back then is really puzzling. Any fans who suffered from a Mike Lee "walk-out" or "non-appearance" would vouch for that.

 

NOTE TO DD - enjoyed your "Jackanory" post. Of course there will be people who have it all and throw it away, there will also be those who have nothing and make something of themselves. But to disregard our peers and our education as non-factors is frankly, laughable.

[crazysue]

As a teenager I used to go around with a group of friends from varying backgrounds and intellect and I can remember a solitary defining moment. We had all gone to an older persons house and he offered drugs round to us youngsters, all around me, my friends were accepting (to make themselves look big), I was the only one to refuse, saying I was quite happy to stick to my (normal) cigarette. From that moment on it started to seem that everything fell apart.

 

From this large circle of friends, two have now died from heroin abuse, 1 has spent time in drug rehab (heroin and alcohol), 3 have been to prison because of theft to fund their habit, 1 spent time in a mental rehabilitation unit because of hallucinations due to acid drugs and alcohol abuse and 1 although went further and started injecting (at which point I threw my hands up in despair as we had been friends since we were 6 and she said she would never inject) she soon realised that there were people out there to help her, and she took it. She is now a happily married mum of 3.

 

Me, yes I experimented, didn't see the attraction and went back to my normal cigarettes.

 

As the years went on, I tried to talk to these people but one by one they were lost to their various addictions and for the ones left from this original group, we feel like survivors and feel lucky that we were able to overcome the demons and reach our thirties (which some of the group didn't). It's no fun seeing a person that would always have a ready smile and a quick intellect transform into a mumbling,sad and very lonely person living on the streets, as people gave up on him.....the really sad thing is that he no longer recognises those old friends anymore.

 

I think no matter what the upbringing or education of a person, if they are not strong minded enough to resist, they are too easily caught up (I was never one for peer pressure, I was too bloody minded).

 

From the above list of friends I would say there was a fairly even split of classes (if we can say that anymore) and supportive families, but they counted for nothing against a hopeless addiction.......as DD said, you can lead a horse to water.

Edited March 23, 2004 by crazysue