steve roberts Posted February 22, 2017 Report Share Posted February 22, 2017 Best Oxford winning the KO Cup in 1985 against 'The Witches' Oxford winning at Swindon in 1986 with Per Sorensen registering a maximum. White City winning at Wolves in 1977 to secure the championship. Worse Feeling ripped off after a meeting had been cancelled after the running of heat six. Oxford not being able to 'finish the job' and beating Cradley Heath in two cup competitions in 1986 due to the weather. The demise of the Second Halves. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The White Knight Posted February 22, 2017 Report Share Posted February 22, 2017 Best Oxford winning the KO Cup in 1985 against 'The Witches' Oxford winning at Swindon in 1986 with Per Sorensen registering a maximum. White City winning at Wolves in 1977 to secure the championship. Worse Feeling ripped off after a meeting had been cancelled after the running of heat six. Oxford not being able to 'finish the job' and beating Cradley Heath in two cup competitions in 1986 due to the weather. The demise of the Second Halves. I totally agree with that. I used to enjoy the Second Halves - watching the youngsters progress from wobblers to getting in to the Team. I miss the Scurry too - the Second Halvers battling for a Reserve place in the Team - all good stuff. A sad loss in my opinion. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gavan Posted February 22, 2017 Report Share Posted February 22, 2017 Best 1. Mark Loram winning the World title. After my uncle sponsoring him as a 14 year old to see him become World Champion was unreal. My aunty died in Feb 2000 so never got to see her 'Marky' win the crown. We still have his race bib from the 1997 final and 'that' run off 2. 1994 Commenwealth Final and Mark winning his first 'big' meeting. Can remember it came down to heat 20 with Screeny and Adams in the race. 3. Tied with my first (and Marks) British Final in 1990. Great racing and standing near the Havelock fans who screamed the place down as he won heat 16 only to then go to despair in the very next race. Mark winning heat 19 from Simon Cross to ensure qualifying. And then Marks first meeting as reserve in the top league for Kings Lynn v Reading in 1990. Mark was beaten only once by an opposition rider.........a reserve.........Todd Wiltshire who ended the season as World Number 3 Worst 1. I too was there that night when Paul Muchene crashed. He slid off and Nick Floyd could not avoid him. We used to stand near the pits wall at Hackney and we knew Dave Steen and he came over and told us that it was very serious. 2. The day Mick Poole deliberatly knocked Mark off and he broke his shoulder. Dirty not hard riding 3. At a league meeting at Ipswich versus Edinburgh i think in 1990. Brett Saunders ending up in a heap at the edge of the concrete and later on Frede Schott coming off down the back straight and tumbling along and his helmet just flying off. One of those meetings that had crash after crash. Tied with the night Sam Simota put Mark through the fence and ended his career Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve roberts Posted February 22, 2017 Report Share Posted February 22, 2017 Just off the top of my head, so may well be different and half past 5. Best: 1. Going to Poland in 1976 and seeing Peter Collins win the World Championship. 2. Swindon signing Andrew Silver after a sensational year as a number 8. I was so chuffed! 3. Standing on the grass of bends 1&2 and watching my first ever Swindon meeting in 1974. Worst: 1. Losing to Oxford any time - but particularly when they hammered us and Per Sorensen scored a paid maximum. 2. Going to a Swindon v Glasgow PL meeting having not been to Swindon for several years and feeling very sad at the tiny crowd, lack of atmosphere and boring meeting. 3. Martin Ashby coming fifth in the 1975 British Final. An awful lot of Swindon stuff going on there!! Blimey! You've had some bad nights at the speedway...used to happen regularly! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Triple.H. Posted February 22, 2017 Report Share Posted February 22, 2017 Blimey! You've had some bad nights at the speedway...used to happen regularly!We better not mention Swindons current record vs Oxford in the football either 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
longlivefrankie Posted February 22, 2017 Report Share Posted February 22, 2017 Best - winning at Swindon in 1975 after years of losing there Newport reopening 1997 World finals at Wembley & blrc at belle vue in 70s Worst - Witnessing Lawrence hare crash Newport closing twice Get beaten up at cradley in 1976 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve roberts Posted February 22, 2017 Report Share Posted February 22, 2017 (edited) Best - winning at Swindon in 1975 after years of losing there Newport reopening 1997 World finals at Wembley & blrc at belle vue in 70s Worst - Witnessing Lawrence hare crash Newport closing twice Get beaten up at cradley in 1976 Strewth! That's pretty bad...although some were a volatile lot! Recall getting into some slanging matches with some of them at Cradley and Cowley. I guess the Nielsen/Gundersen rivalry brought a lot of it on although I do remember Malcolm Ballard having his car severely damaged when trying to exit Dudley Wood back in 1972. Edited February 22, 2017 by steve roberts Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BOBBATH Posted February 23, 2017 Report Share Posted February 23, 2017 Best : #1 Being at L.A. World Final in 1981 #2 Newport winning KO Cup Final of Prov. League against CH in October 1964 (eat your heart out BL65). #3 Seeing Knutsson winning 1965 World Final at Wembley. Worst: None -I loved it all Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grachan Posted February 23, 2017 Report Share Posted February 23, 2017 Blimey! You've had some bad nights at the speedway...used to happen regularly! Had a good few wins too, though. Kojakgate, for example, when the riders all had a mass brawl. First time I ever went to Cowley was also a win for Swindon, only for the Rebels to come to Blunsdon near the end of the year and give us a good thumping! Best - winning at Swindon in 1975 after years of losing there Was that the one where the Newport fans did a march round the greyhound track at the end? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve roberts Posted February 23, 2017 Report Share Posted February 23, 2017 (edited) Had a good few wins too, though. Kojakgate, for example, when the riders all had a mass brawl. First time I ever went to Cowley was also a win for Swindon, only for the Rebels to come to Blunsdon near the end of the year and give us a good thumping! Was that the one where the Newport fans did a march round the greyhound track at the end? Good old Kojak! He was good for a wind up! I think that was 1989? Was that in 1974? We had Bob Radford to blame for that Cowley defeat (he later resigned). He informed Gordon Kennett not to bother coming up from Kent as he thought that the meeting would be cancelled due to rain...it went ahead with Alan Johns as his replacement! Yes well recall the two wins 'The Rebels' achieved at Blunsdon that year. In the league and also in the 25th Anniversary Meeting when Oxford came and spoiled the party! Great days! Edited February 23, 2017 by steve roberts Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grachan Posted February 23, 2017 Report Share Posted February 23, 2017 Good old Kojak! He was good for a wind up! I think that was 1989? Was that in 1974? We had Bob Radford to blame for that Cowley defeat (he later resigned). He informed Gordon Kennett not to bother coming up from Kent as he thought that the meeting would be cancelled due to rain...it went ahead with Alan Johns as his replacement! Yes well recall the two wins 'The Rebels' achieved at Blunsdon that year. In the league and also in the 25th Anniversary Meeting when Oxford came and spoiled the party! Great days! Yeah. 1974. August Bank Holiday Monday if I recall correctly. I don't remember too much - I think it was only my second or third meeting - but I remember Martin Ashby having an engine failure in his first ride before going unbeaten for the rest of the meeting. I think I still have the programme somewhere. The first win at Blunsdon would have been before my time as I only started going late in the season. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve roberts Posted February 23, 2017 Report Share Posted February 23, 2017 Yeah. 1974. August Bank Holiday Monday if I recall correctly. I don't remember too much - I think it was only my second or third meeting - but I remember Martin Ashby having an engine failure in his first ride before going unbeaten for the rest of the meeting. I think I still have the programme somewhere. The first win at Blunsdon would have been before my time as I only started going late in the season. ...I may be wrong but I think that 'the Rebels' won a 4TT at Blunsdon also that year? Winning became such a habit it's difficult to remember all as we also won there in 1975! However Reading was a different scenario...always had the beating of us until we won at their new track (Smallmead) and were the first team to do so...albeit in a Challenge! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grachan Posted February 23, 2017 Report Share Posted February 23, 2017 ...I may be wrong but I think that 'the Rebels' won a 4TT at Blunsdon also that year? Winning became such a habit it's difficult to remember all as we also won there in 1975! However Reading was a different scenario...always had the beating of us until we won at their new track (Smallmead) and were the first team to do so...albeit in a Challenge! I think eveyone except Belle Vue won there in 1975! I remember the 4TT. Wasn't it over 4 legs? I can't remember the result though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve roberts Posted February 23, 2017 Report Share Posted February 23, 2017 I think eveyone except Belle Vue won there in 1975! I remember the 4TT. Wasn't it over 4 legs? I can't remember the result though. If I recall it was titled the Wessex 4TT and involved teams from Oxford, Swindon, Newport and Exeter...can't remember who won overall, however, although I know Oxford won two rounds. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grachan Posted February 23, 2017 Report Share Posted February 23, 2017 (edited) Found my programmes! The 4TT was: Oxford 33 (Kilby 11, Kennett 10, U. Lovaas 6, Davis 6) Newport 31 (Crump12, Street 8, Eide 7, Mudge 4) Swindon 18 (M. Ashby 10, Hunter 5, Leigh 2, D. Ashby 1) Exeter 14 (Holden 7, Lomas 4, Reinke 2, Dulian (sic - I'm assuming that's Chris Julian in for Scott Autrey!) 1) Oxford's league win at Swindon had Martin Ashby scoring 7 from 5 - including a last place behind Henk Steman so I'm assuming he had bike problems. My programme for Oxford v Swindon has me putting A.Jones in place of Gordon Kennet. I wasn't good on names in those days! Henk Steman got another point off Martin Ashby having an engine failure. He must have scored most of his points that year against Martin Ashby! The Oxford programme has an advert in it. Win a trip for 2 to Zaire to watch Ali v Foreman - 3 day trip with hotel, air fare and fight tickets all inclusive! Tickets 10p! Edited February 23, 2017 by grachan 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve roberts Posted February 23, 2017 Report Share Posted February 23, 2017 (edited) Found my programmes! The 4TT was: Oxford 33 (Kilby 11, Kennett 10, U. Lovaas 6, Davis 6) Newport 31 (Crump12, Street 8, Eide 7, Mudge 4) Swindon 18 (M. Ashby 10, Hunter 5, Leigh 2, D. Ashby 1) Exeter 14 (Holden 7, Lomas 4, Reinke 2, Dulian (sic - I'm assuming that's Chris Julian in for Scott Autrey!) 1) Oxford's league win at Swindon had Martin Ashby scoring 7 from 5 - including a last place behind Henk Steman so I'm assuming he had bike problems. My programme for Oxford v Swindon has me putting A.Jones in place of Gordon Kennet. I wasn't good on names in those days! Henk Steman got another point off Martin Ashby having an engine failure. He must have scored most of his points that year against Martin Ashby! The Oxford programme has an advert in it. Win a trip for 2 to Zaire to watch Ali v Foreman - 3 day trip with hotel, air fare and fight tickets all inclusive! Tickets 10p! Oxford signed Henk Steman hoping to trade in on Halifax's success with fellow Dutchman Henny Kroeze...it didn't work. Henk later turned out for Bristol in 1978 (?). Alan Johns was also the brother of Roger and Peter and was given a ride due to his connection with the Oxford/Eastbourne promotional tie up (Boy! Did we at Oxford get some super second halves in those days!) Remember well the 'Rumble in the Jungle' advert! Edited February 23, 2017 by steve roberts Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grachan Posted February 23, 2017 Report Share Posted February 23, 2017 Remember well the 'Rumble in the Jungle' advert! Did anyone ever actually win it I wonder. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sidney the robin Posted February 23, 2017 Author Report Share Posted February 23, 2017 (edited) Can anyone remember the meetings against NEWPORT great duels also meetings against POOLE i think it was called the Champagne Stakes i am not sure. Edited February 23, 2017 by Sidney the robin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grachan Posted February 23, 2017 Report Share Posted February 23, 2017 Can anyone remember the meetings against NEWPORT great duels also meetings against POOLE i think it was called the Champagne Stakes i am not sure. Champagne Stakes used to be the season opener. Big night for me was the 1975 Champagne Stakes and seeing Bob Kilby in the team after him being a constant thorn in our side the previous year either for Oxford or as a guest. (Remember the 1974 Belle Vue/Hackney double header with Kilbs guesting for both away sides. Biggest crowd I ever saw at Blunsdon.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sidney the robin Posted February 23, 2017 Author Report Share Posted February 23, 2017 Champagne Stakes used to be the season opener. Big night for me was the 1975 Champagne Stakes and seeing Bob Kilby in the team after him being a constant thorn in our side the previous year either for Oxford or as a guest. (Remember the 1974 Belle Vue/Hackney double header with Kilbs guesting for both away sides. Biggest crowd I ever saw at Blunsdon.) I remember that double header and yes i was a big Killer fan a legend and one of nicest blokes i have ever met in my lifetime.I can remember a double header in 1973? Reading/Sheffield Mike Keen broke his collarbone in a incident with Reg Wilson Michanek/Lovaas both impressive. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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