steve roberts Posted May 6, 2016 Report Share Posted May 6, 2016 I'm sure that many of us could list candidates but the rider that instantly springs to my mind is Andrew Silver. He was a huge star in the National League with Arena Essex (even riding for the national team while still competing in the Lower Division) but seemed to mark time when he eventually moved up full time with Swindon and later Eastbourne. I got the impression that he just lost interest in the sport and looked towards other opportunities (didn't he become a big snowboarding competitor?) I recall that he made a come back some years ago with Rye House but I had ceased to follow speedway closely at that time and am therefore not sure how successful his return to speedway was. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sidney the robin Posted May 7, 2016 Report Share Posted May 7, 2016 Loads that we could name here's a few Finn Jensen, Michael Graves,Sean Willmott, Lewis Bridger,Mickael Blixt,Morten Risager Mike Bast(in Europe would have done well at Wimbledon)Ron Henderson,James Wright. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grachan Posted May 7, 2016 Report Share Posted May 7, 2016 When I saw the title I did think of Andrew Silver, although in his first few seasons at Swindon he was brilliant but seemed to see it ad a bit of a hobby. Thinking of others, Mike Ferreira was more of a disappointment than Andrew. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
waiheke1 Posted May 7, 2016 Report Share Posted May 7, 2016 Kelly Moran. Carl blackbird. Neil evitts. Steve Baker. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sidney the robin Posted May 7, 2016 Report Share Posted May 7, 2016 Kelly i would put in the same bracket as Michael Lee, both still had great careers but could of achieved so much more. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arnieg Posted May 7, 2016 Report Share Posted May 7, 2016 Martin Scarisbrick is the first name that comes to mind, remember his heroics in the fours final? Anders Mellgren, the only non-Dane to win the Youth Gold Trophy, is a more contemporary choice. Going back further how about Bobby McNeil? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
customhouseregular Posted May 7, 2016 Report Share Posted May 7, 2016 Two riders who in my opinion should have been World Champion, and not just once either...Gote Nordin and Soren Sjosten. Sverre Harrfeldt made World no. 2 but was good enough to go one better I feel. Had the World Final been held at Custom House I'm sure Sverre would have won it. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
norbold Posted May 7, 2016 Report Share Posted May 7, 2016 Savalas Clouting, Eddie Kennett. Not sure I agree about Sverre Harrfeldt, chr. He was, of course, a brilliant rider, especially round Custome House, but I was pleasantly surprised when he made no. 2 in the world. I don't think he was quite as good as the likes of Fundin and Briggo. I agree about Gote Nordin though. He did have the real potential to win the World Championship. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
customhouseregular Posted May 7, 2016 Report Share Posted May 7, 2016 Savalas Clouting, Eddie Kennett. Not sure I agree about Sverre Harrfeldt, chr. He was, of course, a brilliant rider, especially round Custome House, but I was pleasantly surprised when he made no. 2 in the world. I don't think he was quite as good as the likes of Fundin and Briggo. I agree about Gote Nordin though. He did have the real potential to win the World Championship. As it is sunny Norbold I am wearing my rose coloured spectacles 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daveallan81 Posted May 7, 2016 Report Share Posted May 7, 2016 Jon Jon White Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sidney the robin Posted May 7, 2016 Report Share Posted May 7, 2016 Two riders who in my opinion should have been World Champion, and not just once either...Gote Nordin and Soren Sjosten. Sverre Harrfeldt made World no. 2 but was good enough to go one better I feel. Had the World Final been held at Custom House I'm sure Sverre would have won it. Sjosten certainly was good anough to be World Champion even thought he had a chance in 74 to win it.Sigalos,Adams,Nordin,are others that spring to mind that were good anough to be WC. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OveFundinFan Posted May 7, 2016 Report Share Posted May 7, 2016 I will go along with CHR re Sverre Harrfeldt. Agree he wasn't in the Fundin/Briggs class, not quite, but neither was I surprised when he came 2nd, and I wouldn't have been surprised if he had won it. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daytripper Posted May 7, 2016 Report Share Posted May 7, 2016 I'm sure that many of us could list candidates but the rider that instantly springs to my mind is Andrew Silver. He was a huge star in the National League with Arena Essex (even riding for the national team while still competing in the Lower Division) but seemed to mark time when he eventually moved up full time with Swindon and later Eastbourne. I got the impression that he just lost interest in the sport and looked towards other opportunities (didn't he become a big snowboarding competitor?) I recall that he made a come back some years ago with Rye House but I had ceased to follow speedway closely at that time and am therefore not sure how successful his return to speedway was. The story according to Len Silver ( if my memory can more or less bring up the facts) is that at the peak of Andrews career he started to have some sort of bike proble. I can't remember the details but it was something like exhaust gasses escaping through a hairline crack that didn't show when the engine cooled down and he was losing power. Because there was no obvious fault he began to think it was in his mind and lost confidence. Speedwáy is such a confidence sport that even when the problem was sorted (after several months) the confidence never came back. My memory is a bit vague but that's roughly Lens version I think. His return to Rye House was curtailed by a head injury that left him concussed and ar age 42 it was a bit later to make another comeback when he recovered 18 months later 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve roberts Posted May 7, 2016 Author Report Share Posted May 7, 2016 'Mad' Malcolm Ballard comes to mind. Ex-scrambler who came from no where to top Eastbourne's averages. Went on to Oxford and had two relatively good seasons before transferring to Poole and ultimately Leicester before giving it away. Last I heard he was part of Lewis Bridger's pit crew? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BL65 Posted May 7, 2016 Report Share Posted May 7, 2016 Two riders who in my opinion should have been World Champion, and not just once either...Gote Nordin and Soren Sjosten. Sverre Harrfeldt made World no. 2 but was good enough to go one better I feel. Had the World Final been held at Custom House I'm sure Sverre would have won it. Although Gote was third in the 1961 World Final I think he was probably riding better than ever when he won the Internationale at Wimbledon in 1966 and 1967, with a 15 point maximum on both occasions. His 1967 performance was one of the most emphatic victories I have witnessed, it was a wonderful achievement to finish 4 points ahead of Ivan Mauger, Torbjorn Harrysson and Eric Boocock. Unfortunately, he didn't qualify for the World Final that year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iris123 Posted May 7, 2016 Report Share Posted May 7, 2016 (edited) Have to say there have been plenty,but recently Arthur Sissis looked superb on 80cc,had bags full of talent I thought and then somehow it went all wrong both with road bikes and speedway..... Have to say I saw Anders Mellgren on 80cc and at the time thought Dennis Andersson looked a better bet and he also didn't make it Edited May 7, 2016 by iris123 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve roberts Posted May 7, 2016 Author Report Share Posted May 7, 2016 Dalle Andersen who looked really useful when he made his debut for Oxford during the 1995 season. He rode for Cradley/Stoke the following year and was a pale shadow. Re-surfaced later riding for Edinburgh but just didn't fulfil that early promise. I think that he suffered with a recurring back injury that curtailed his career. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arson fire Posted May 7, 2016 Report Share Posted May 7, 2016 Buzz Burrows, the most naturally gifted rider never to be world champ. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
waiheke1 Posted May 7, 2016 Report Share Posted May 7, 2016 Toni kAsper . Steve finch. Carter and knudsen possibly in the category of Lee and morans, riders who didn't fulfill the potential shown at wembley 81 though for quite different reasons. Tommy Jansson and Tony Briggs for different reasons again. Martin Scarisbrick is the first name that comes to mind, remember his heroics in the fours final? Anders Mellgren, the only non-Dane to win the Youth Gold Trophy, is a more contemporary choice. Going back further how about Bobby McNeil? Saw quite a bit of scars brick when he rode for aces in 85,tbh never thought he was as good even as someone like Kenny Mckinna.He was a load better than mark crang though, or the aces juniors of that era except for declan Eccles, who maybe falls into this category. Eccles made a young Andy Smith or garritty look like a model of composure! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maneacat Posted May 7, 2016 Report Share Posted May 7, 2016 Mikael Blixt - career ended by injuries. Karol Zabik - lack of commitment and poor attitude ruined what looked a promising career. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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