Hawk127 Posted December 2, 2015 Report Share Posted December 2, 2015 Brian Foote and Ted Hubbard. Two of the finest hard riding characters alongside the Kennett brothers and Arthur Price, a Boston legend who got whooped by Ivan Miller at Rayleigh, a race i still remember some forty odd years later. Today very few if any that hold stick to these guys 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
waiheke1 Posted December 3, 2015 Report Share Posted December 3, 2015 So you feel that people condone the Moran's being under the influence when racing? Or Carter murdering his wife? Interesting. No, I don't feel people condone those actions, but my point is those riders are held up as "characters" from the past. Â And despite the fact that no-one even then condoned riding drunk or under the influence, it's fair to say the Morans/Cook were regarded as "fun-loving Americans," People reminisce fondly about riders getting on the lash with fans after meetings. Whereas today, riders ttaking recreational drugs and getting hammerred (to the extent of missing the odd meeting due to it) woudln't be accepted. Carter was always the ultimate love him or hate him character. And certainly even on here there have at least parrtially defended his actions, stating things like the murder of his wife was "a personal matter", or attacked though who label him a murderer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fromafar Posted December 3, 2015 Report Share Posted December 3, 2015 Kozza Smith. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vince Posted December 3, 2015 Report Share Posted December 3, 2015 The characters are out there but if they dare show any 'characterful' behaviour they will be fined a couple of weeks wages! Â Forget the double points rule, play offs etc, sanitising the sport is what is really killing it. Mad, bad and dangerous will always pull a crowd - family friendly won't. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SCB Posted December 3, 2015 Report Share Posted December 3, 2015 You can still like a drink and woman and be a character though. Billy Janniro managed it. Loved at Coventry, he was certainly a character but he never turned up drunk or got arrested for taking drugs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
foamfence Posted December 3, 2015 Report Share Posted December 3, 2015 You can still like a drink and woman and be a character though. Billy Janniro managed it. Loved at Coventry, he was certainly a character but he never turned up drunk or got arrested for taking drugs. Give it a rest you saddo. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SCB Posted December 3, 2015 Report Share Posted December 3, 2015 (edited) Give it a rest you saddo. Sorry, what? I some people are suggesting you can't be a character without condemnation, I pointed out Billy Janniro managed it. Â I won't hold my breath awaiting an apology for an unnecessary attack that makes no sense at all as I'd only made the single post on the thread. Edited December 3, 2015 by SCB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave the Mic Posted December 3, 2015 Report Share Posted December 3, 2015 No, I don't feel people condone those actions, but my point is those riders are held up as "characters" from the past. Â And despite the fact that no-one even then condoned riding drunk or under the influence, it's fair to say the Morans/Cook were regarded as "fun-loving Americans," People reminisce fondly about riders getting on the lash with fans after meetings. Whereas today, riders ttaking recreational drugs and getting hammerred (to the extent of missing the odd meeting due to it) woudln't be accepted. Carter was always the ultimate love him or hate him character. And certainly even on here there have at least parrtially defended his actions, stating things like the murder of his wife was "a personal matter", or attacked though who label him a murderer. I accept your view, but I think there is a difference between characters & the kind of thing you are referring to. Winding up the crowd as the likes of Len Silver, Jack Millen etc used to do plus other "antics" were just that - antics. What we are referring to with some of the others, most certainly is not. Appreciate some may have defended the riders referred to & help them up as characters, but I most certainly did not. Give it a rest you saddo. Errr, WTF? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
foamfence Posted December 3, 2015 Report Share Posted December 3, 2015 Sorry, what? I some people are suggesting you can't be a character without condemnation, I pointed out Billy Janniro managed it. Â I won't hold my breath awaiting an apology for an unnecessary attack that makes no sense at all as I'd only made the single post on the thread. You've written exactly the same thing on other threads in the past, you've had more digs than my gardener. No apology! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gemini Posted December 3, 2015 Report Share Posted December 3, 2015 (edited) Steve roberts..........I remember when he 'engaged' in conversation with Soldier Boy (another character) over a decision with fingers pointing adding to the entertainment! Â Ah.... Soldier Boy there's a blast from the past. I wonder what he's doing these days? I would include John Berry in the list of managers who liked winding the crowd up as he would often stand at the starting gate at Blackbird Road looking at his watch if a Leicester rider was on 2 minutes. Â Â Â .....Foamfence......You've written exactly the same thing on other threads in the past, you've had more digs than my gardener. No apology! Â Â I can't see what SCB has said wrong. Who is he supposed to have had digs at? Edited December 3, 2015 by Gemini 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BWitcher Posted December 3, 2015 Report Share Posted December 3, 2015 You can still like a drink and woman and be a character though. Billy Janniro managed it. Loved at Coventry, he was certainly a character but he never turned up drunk or got arrested for taking drugs. Â Hmmm Give it a rest you saddo. Â Always one who tries to ruin a polite debate! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldace Posted December 3, 2015 Report Share Posted December 3, 2015 You can still like a drink and woman and be a character though. Billy Janniro managed it. Loved at Coventry, he was certainly a character but he never turned up drunk or got arrested for taking drugs. Â Â Didn't he one fully live up to his BJ initials in the back of his van. Not sure HMRC consider him a character either!!!!! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BWitcher Posted December 3, 2015 Report Share Posted December 3, 2015 Â Â Â I can't see what SCB has said wrong. Who is he supposed to have had digs at? Â For some you can't say anything that they might be able to link to Saint Darcy. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve roberts Posted December 3, 2015 Author Report Share Posted December 3, 2015 (edited) Â Ah.... Soldier Boy there's a blast from the past. I wonder what he's doing these days? I would include John Berry in the list of managers who liked winding the crowd up as he would often stand at the starting gate at Blackbird Road looking at his watch if a Leicester rider was on 2 minutes. Â Â Â Â Â Â I can't see what SCB has said wrong. Who is he supposed to have had digs at? Remember the story when said Berry and Ron Bagley visited Hull...and proceeded to measure the width of the track (it was always 'suggested' that the width didn't conform) to the annoyance of the home fans and Ian Thomas! Â Did I read somewhere that Soldier Boy won the lottery or some such thing? Edited December 3, 2015 by steve roberts Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SCB Posted December 3, 2015 Report Share Posted December 3, 2015 You've written exactly the same thing on other threads in the past, you've had more digs than my gardener. No apology! You're going to have to explain this one to me. I'll explain my thinking to you. Someone posted on here that rider that were considered characters in the past would be slagged off these days, I simply pointed out that Billy Janniro was considered a character fairly recently (as in the last 10 years) for his drinking and womanising amongst other things. He managed to do it without causing offence and most people seemed to like him. So the suggestion you can't do these things and be a character is wrong. Â I've not mentioned Billy Janniro for ages, so I'm not sure where else I have mentioned the "same thing" and it certainly wasn't a dig as I was a huge fan of Billys. Â Seems I was right not to hold out for that apology, says quite a lot about you. Â Didn't he one fully live up to his BJ initials in the back of his van. Not sure HMRC consider him a character either!!!!! He allegedly did many times. Although there was one slightly more high profile time where a girl denied it after initially claiming it happened And I'm sure they're not exactly in his fan club - but I'm sure that true of many Aussie and American riders over the years. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tsunami Posted December 3, 2015 Report Share Posted December 3, 2015 Â Â Didn't he one fully live up to his BJ initials in the back of his van. Not sure HMRC consider him a character either!!!!! Totally agree. Such a 'character" that he is highly unlikely to return to this country because of tax offences. Not likely to ride for the USA in England anytime. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iris123 Posted December 3, 2015 Report Share Posted December 3, 2015 (edited) Robert Lamberts mum  Guess you could also include one time hot talent Danny Knakowski,who had a spell inside for (I think)armed robbery  Reputation has taken a bashing of late,but Len Silver is still one of the old characters Edited December 3, 2015 by iris123 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billybikespeedway Posted December 3, 2015 Report Share Posted December 3, 2015 Not sure if he was the 1st Split Waterman Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barncooseboy Posted December 4, 2015 Report Share Posted December 4, 2015 lets widen the character list, dear old Howdy Byford who was always up for giving the crowd a song, Chris Julian, Eric Howe 'the little man in the white boots' Frank Johnson, Ray Wickett who became a TV and film stuntman, Clive Hitch was a lovely guy to a 14 year old but it wasnt wise to exclude him unfairly, Chris BLEWETTS Death dives at Exeter incluoing hhis overtake at Exeter wall of death ride halfway up the fence at Exeter and the man i was proud to call a friend Ian Thomas 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve roberts Posted December 4, 2015 Author Report Share Posted December 4, 2015 lets widen the character list, dear old Howdy Byford who was always up for giving the crowd a song, Chris Julian, Eric Howe 'the little man in the white boots' Frank Johnson, Ray Wickett who became a TV and film stuntman, Clive Hitch was a lovely guy to a 14 year old but it wasnt wise to exclude him unfairly, Chris BLEWETTS Death dives at Exeter incluoing hhis overtake at Exeter wall of death ride halfway up the fence at Exeter and the man i was proud to call a friend Ian Thomas I bet you can quote some Ian Thomas' stories...always one ready to bend/manipulate rules to his advantage! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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