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Unsung Heroes.!


Sidney the robin

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Yes it's the same David Smart.

Good second heat leader for us at times when the team was rather woeful. Not nice to hear he took his own life, may he rest in peace

 

Edited for spelling (predictive text)

Edited by TRM
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A main nominee by me for this thread would be the extremely talented Don Hardy who rode so many post-war seasons for Exeter.

A few others are Bob Fletcher (Coventry), Les Beaumont (Cradley Heath) and George Wall (Plymouth and West Ham).

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  • 2 weeks later...

Most of the unsung heroes of yesteryear were often no world beaters.Today i believe fans miss out on that getting to have long term affection and respect for riders.Because of teams forever changing that now has gone i suppose at Swindon we do still have Doyley/Nick who are long term team members.In my day Keen, Duke, Hitch, Bouchard,Mastrup,Holloway,Rossiter as examples all were Swindon stalwarts and fans respected them.Wouldn't it be great to have Champions who could defend the title with the same team.

Edited by Sidney the robin
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Most of the unsung heroes of yesteryear were often no world beaters.Today i believe fans miss out on that getting to have long term affection and respect for riders.Because of teams forever changing that now has gone i suppose at Swindon we do still have Doyley/Nick who are long term team members.In my day Keen, Duke, Hitch, Bouchard,Mastrup,Holloway,Rossiter as examples all were Swindon stalwarts and fans respected them.Wouldn't it be great to have Champions who could defend the title with the same team.

 

At Wolverhampton we've been fortunate in that respect as the club has always been loyal to riders.

 

Graham Jones is one I would put up as an unsung hero.

 

The problem is these days though Sidney is many fans moan when the 'same faces' are brought back....

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At Wolverhampton we've been fortunate in that respect as the club has always been loyal to riders.

 

Graham Jones is one I would put up as an unsung hero.

 

The problem is these days though Sidney is many fans moan when the 'same faces' are brought back....

Great point and they have been rewarded with Thorssell,Wolves over the years with PK,Freddie,Wells, Scornicki (ect)have gone that way of doing there team building. Last year after a few years in the wilderness deserved there success.
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Most of the unsung heroes of yesteryear were often no world beaters.

Um, that's why they were "unsung" heroes...

 

Funny you should mention Steen Mastrup; I think he was a much better rider than most people would give him credit for. Of course, he wasn't around that long, and is undoubtedly forgotten by many.

 

Steve

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Jimmy Tannock & Doug Templeton were an unsung pairing for the Monarchs between 1960 - 67.

 

JT started at Ashfield in 1952, then moved on to Motherwell 53-54 & 58, before appearing for Edinburgh in 1960.

 

Never more than a second string but had his moments, including beating Gote Nordin at Old Meadowbank in the BL.

 

Remember in the PL days on the parades Jimmy would ride round on his bike wearing a cap, with a fag dangling from his lips.

 

Doug rode at White City (Glasgow) around 1953/54, ,Motherwel44 & 58 l briefly at Ipswich 56, then rode for the Monarchs from 60 - 69, then Tiges& Bandits up to 1976.

 

A hard uncompromising rider who was one the top guys in the PL and had a decent record against the best in the BL also, but never made the big time in World Championship.

 

Another unsung hero in my books was Jimmy Squibb who was also a fearsome competitor who apparently first rode in 1939 and finished in 1975. Great to watch him & DT jousting at Old Meadowbank in the PL.

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Um, that's why they were "unsung" heroes...

 

Funny you should mention Steen Mastrup; I think he was a much better rider than most people would give him credit for. Of course, he wasn't around that long, and is undoubtedly forgotten by many.

 

Steve

Not by me. Edited by Sidney the robin
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I was watching a DVD last night (Wolves vs. Oxford 1990) and Ali Stevens rode a blinder of a meeting scoring 12 points. Another rider who was struck down with a serious injury during his early career and could have gone on and achieved more in my view.

 

Remember first watching him as a 15 year old during the interval at Cowley.

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Jimmy Tannock & Doug Templeton were an unsung pairing for the Monarchs between 1960 - 67.

 

JT started at Ashfield in 1952, then moved on to Motherwell 53-54 & 58, before appearing for Edinburgh in 1960.

 

Never more than a second string but had his moments, including beating Gote Nordin at Old Meadowbank in the BL.

 

Remember in the PL days on the parades Jimmy would ride round on his bike wearing a cap, with a fag dangling from his lips.

 

Doug rode at White City (Glasgow) around 1953/54, ,Motherwel44 & 58 l briefly at Ipswich 56, then rode for the Monarchs from 60 - 69, then Tiges& Bandits up to 1976.

 

A hard uncompromising rider who was one the top guys in the PL and had a decent record against the best in the BL also, but never made the big time in World Championship.

 

Another unsung hero in my books was Jimmy Squibb who was also a fearsome competitor who apparently first rode in 1939 and finished in 1975. Great to watch him & DT jousting at Old Meadowbank in the PL.

Both Templeton brothers fall into this category , though Dougie was the better of the two , both were as hard as nails and not to be messed with . Funniest thing I ever saw during Glasgow's spell at Hampden was a very youthful Bobby Beaton, through his inexperience and youthful aggression ,put his team mate Dougie in the fence . Needless to say Dougie wasn't impressed and let Bobby know in no uncertain terms , then as usual Beaton senior appeared to stick his ore in and the result of that was a full scale scuffle between team mates and officials , with Willie being restrained by about four people .

Edited by Paulco
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When I saw the headline, I immediately thought of two fathers and sons at Brandon as unsung heroes - but on reading the first post found that it referred to riders

 

I was going to nominate Graham Snooks (been there for years) and Gary Snooks (hopefully restored to good health), and Drs Harry and Peter Kenyon (ask Barry and Tony Briggs about Peter!)

 

Great servants to the sport

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When I saw the headline, I immediately thought of two fathers and sons at Brandon as unsung heroes - but on reading the first post found that it referred to riders

 

I was going to nominate Graham Snooks (been there for years) and Gary Snooks (hopefully restored to good health), and Drs Harry and Peter Kenyon (ask Barry and Tony Briggs about Peter!)

 

Great servants to the sport

 

Peter Kenyon was track Doctor?

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More re Ronnie Rolfe. Courtesy of Matt Jackson-here are the Prov. League averages for Ronnie: 1960 (CH) meetings 19:CMA 6.32 . 1961(CH/Sheff) meetings 24: CMA 6.60.

1962 (Sheffield) meetings 20 : CMA 5.87.1963 (Hackney) meetings 10: CMA 3.75. Think these are not just PL League Meetings but include e.g. KO Cup and perhaps the regional leagues which were usually held at the start of the season e.g. Northern League. These comprised the PL teams from that region and occurred before the regular PL season got underway. Hope this helps.

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  • 7 months later...

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