Sidney the robin Posted May 20, 2017 Report Share Posted May 20, 2017 Was thinking about some of the riders over the years who never really did anything for me personally but still achieved great things.Riders who come to mind for me personally were Rickardsson, Hamill,Jessup,N.Pedersen, Bo.Petersen,Bastable,Hancock,Niemi,Ulamek,Wiltshire, again i will stress most of those mentioned achieved great things. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The White Knight Posted May 20, 2017 Report Share Posted May 20, 2017 Ivan Mauger - great Rider that he undoubtedly was, didn't really do anything for me. Briggo, however, was my hero. Just shows differing opinions. Others who didn't do anything for me were Jessup, Lee, Olsen, Muller, Kennett (G). Other favourites were Ronnie Moore, Malcolm Simmons, Terry Betts, Peter Collins and Chris Morton. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sidney the robin Posted May 20, 2017 Author Report Share Posted May 20, 2017 (edited) Ivan Mauger - great Rider that he undoubtedly was, didn't really do anything for me. Briggo, however, was my hero. Just shows differing opinions. Others who didn't do anything for me were Jessup, Lee, Olsen, Muller, Kennett (G). Other favourites were Ronnie Moore, Malcolm Simmons, Terry Betts, Peter Collins and Chris Morton. WK Lee how dare you 🤓Kennett was one i was not a lover of good rider and really he would of been great at the Abbey he had a great record there.Olsen was one of my heroes and is certainly one of the best riders i have ever seen but it is your opinion WK and i respect that and that is what the forum is about.😜 Edited May 20, 2017 by Sidney the robin 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The White Knight Posted May 20, 2017 Report Share Posted May 20, 2017 WK Lee how dare you Kennett was one i was not a lover of good rider and really he would of been great at the Abbey he had a great record there.Olsen was one of my heroes and is certainly one of the best riders i have ever seen but it your opinion WK and i respect that and that is what the forum is about. I'm sorry Sidney but I'm afraid Michael Lee, good as he was never really figured with me. I wanted him to win for Great Britain in any Event he was in but he was never my favourite. Maybe some of his off Track activities have affected my judgement. As for Olsen - I never liked him as a Rider, and certainly not as an Administrator in the GP Series. I loved to watch Peter Collins, Chris Morton, Malcolm Simmons, Eddie Jancarz and Ronnie Moore ride though. I could have watched them, and a few others all day long. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sidney the robin Posted May 20, 2017 Author Report Share Posted May 20, 2017 (edited) I'm sorry Sidney but I'm afraid Michael Lee, good as he was never really figured with me. I wanted him to win for Great Britain in any Event he was in but he was never my favourite. Maybe some of his off Track activities have affected my judgement. As for Olsen - I never liked him as a Rider, and certainly not as an Administrator in the GP Series. I loved to watch Peter Collins, Chris Morton, Malcolm Simmons, Eddie Jancarz and Ronnie Moore ride though. I could have watched them, and a few others all day long. Your post i can certainly agree with WK !!! 😜 and identify with Lee if we are all honest he was a nightmare a great rider though and my overall feeling of Lee was he really buggered up his career.Great rider though and 83 and other years Lee beat Nielsen/Erik quite often and had a great head/head record and he defeated Carter who was mega talented at that time quite regularly.🤓 Edited May 20, 2017 by Sidney the robin 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
norbold Posted May 20, 2017 Report Share Posted May 20, 2017 Although he rode for West Ham and was undoubtedly a great rider, for some reason the rider I never really took to was Bengt Jansson. He always seemed such a boring rider to me. There! I've said it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The White Knight Posted May 20, 2017 Report Share Posted May 20, 2017 Although he rode for West Ham and was undoubtedly a great rider, for some reason the rider I never really took to was Bengt Jansson. He always seemed such a boring rider to me. There! I've said it! I don't know what is wrong with me. I liked him 'Banger' as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lucifer sam Posted May 20, 2017 Report Share Posted May 20, 2017 Was thinking about some of the riders over the years who never really did anything for me personally but still achieved great things.Riders who come to mind for me personally were Rickardsson, Hamill,Jessup,N.Pedersen, Bo.Petersen,Bastable,Hancock,Niemi,Ulamek,Wiltshire, again i will stress most of those mentioned achieved great things. Wiltshire? Wash out your mouth Sid, and expect grief from both Reading and Oxford fans. Great rider, and far more than just a gater. Tremendous track craft. All the best Rob 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bruno Posted May 20, 2017 Report Share Posted May 20, 2017 Anders Michenek and Malcolm Simmons. Apologies for Simmo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
norbold Posted May 20, 2017 Report Share Posted May 20, 2017 I don't know what is wrong with me. I liked him 'Banger' as well. Nothing wrong with you, TWK. It's all a matter of opinion and personal preferences. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sidney the robin Posted May 20, 2017 Author Report Share Posted May 20, 2017 (edited) Wiltshire? Wash out your mouth Sid, and expect grief from both Reading and Oxford fans. Great rider, and far more than just a gater. Tremendous track craft. All the best Rob He was decent and when he came back from injury sam" a mega bad injury he reinvented himself fair play to him for that. But he would be nowhere near a Aussie best of alltime top 10 nowhere near Todd was decent but exciting not for me. Edited May 20, 2017 by Sidney the robin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
norbold Posted May 20, 2017 Report Share Posted May 20, 2017 He was decent and when he came back from injury sam" a mega bad injury he reinvented himself fair play to him for that. But he would be nowhere near a Aussie best of alltime top 10 nowhere near Todd was decent but exciting not for me. Sounds like a good thread, Sidney. Who were the Aussie top 10 of all time? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sidney the robin Posted May 20, 2017 Author Report Share Posted May 20, 2017 (edited) Sounds like a good thread, Sidney. Who were the Aussie top 10 of all time?You tell me "norbold " ???? Vic D at number 1.??? Edited May 20, 2017 by Sidney the robin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lucifer sam Posted May 20, 2017 Report Share Posted May 20, 2017 (edited) How about: 1. Vic Duggan 2. Jason Crump 3. Jack Young 4. Bluey Wilkinson 5. Graham Warren 6. Vic Huxley 7. Billy Sanders 8. Todd Wiltshire 9. Phil Crump 10. Leigh Adams Chris Holder is still just bubbling under for me, until he has another good year in the GP. I also thought about including Lionel Van Praag and Aub Lawson - maybe Van Praag should replace Leigh Adams at No 10? All the best Rob Edited May 20, 2017 by lucifer sam Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sidney the robin Posted May 20, 2017 Author Report Share Posted May 20, 2017 (edited) How about: 1. Vic Duggan 2. Jason Crump 3. Jack Young 4. Bluey Wilkinson 5. Graham Warren 6. Vic Huxley 7. Billy Sanders 8. Todd Wiltshire 9. Phil Crump 10. Leigh Adams Chris Holder is still just bubbling under for me, until he has another good year in the GP. I also thought about including Lionel Van Praag and Aub Lawson - maybe Van Praag should replace Leigh Adams at No 10? All the best Rob Wiltshire would be nowhere near a top 10 in front of Crump senior and Adams not a chance. Edited May 20, 2017 by Sidney the robin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lucifer sam Posted May 20, 2017 Report Share Posted May 20, 2017 Wiltshire would be nowhere near a top 10 in front of Crump senior and Adams not a chance. Always tricky to judge riders who had a full career against those with an interrupted one, so it comes down to judgement. Crump senior and Adams were consistently great riders, but never quite got to World Champion. On the other hand, I feel Wiltshire would have been one of the outstanding riders of the mid 90s period, without his injury. It's not out of the question to imagine him winning one or two or even more World titles. He had an edge on the world stage that Crump snr and Adams lacked - he could raise his game on the big stage. He demonstrated that when he was the best rider on show in the 1990 World Pairs (Leigh Adams had a decent meeting, but nowhere as good as Todd's) and then finished third in the World Final at Bradford. Just imagine if he'd been in a position to build on that. All the best Rob 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
norbold Posted May 21, 2017 Report Share Posted May 21, 2017 (edited) Mine would be in more or less chronological order rather than merit order: 1. Frank Arthur 2. Vic Huxley 3. Ron Johnson 4. Max Grosskreutz 5. Lionel Van Praag 6. Bluey Wilkinson 7. Vic Duggan 8. Aub Lawson 9. Jack Young 10. Jason Crump Edited May 21, 2017 by norbold Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HenryW Posted May 21, 2017 Report Share Posted May 21, 2017 Always tricky to judge riders who had a full career against those with an interrupted one, so it comes down to judgement. Crump senior and Adams were consistently great riders, but never quite got to World Champion. On the other hand, I feel Wiltshire would have been one of the outstanding riders of the mid 90s period, without his injury. It's not out of the question to imagine him winning one or two or even more World titles. He had an edge on the world stage that Crump snr and Adams lacked - he could raise his game on the big stage. He demonstrated that when he was the best rider on show in the 1990 World Pairs (Leigh Adams had a decent meeting, but nowhere as good as Todd's) and then finished third in the World Final at Bradford. Just imagine if he'd been in a position to build on that. I know you saw a lot more of Todd during his career than I did, but I'm just not convinced that he was destined for the greatest of heights. I just never saw anything too special in him. You say that he had an edge on the World stage and could raise his game before the injury, but all you have to back this is his 1 good season in 1990. He had the 1991 season before he got injured and didn't show anything spectacular that year. If you are going to work on a "what if" basis then Darcy Ward should probably be on your top 10 list Away from Todd, I'm still trying to get my head around how Sidney can have Tony, Billy and Nicki on a list of riders that never did anything for him...I think Tony and Billy were 2 absolutely amazing racers, and I do mean racers rather than riders. As for Nicki, he usually inspires something in most speedway fans, even if it is just hatred from some Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sidney the robin Posted May 21, 2017 Author Report Share Posted May 21, 2017 (edited) Always tricky to judge riders who had a full career against those with an interrupted one, so it comes down to judgement. Crump senior and Adams were consistently great riders, but never quite got to World Champion. On the other hand, I feel Wiltshire would have been one of the outstanding riders of the mid 90s period, without his injury. It's not out of the question to imagine him winning one or two or even more World titles. He had an edge on the world stage that Crump snr and Adams lacked - he could raise his game on the big stage. He demonstrated that when he was the best rider on show in the 1990 World Pairs (Leigh Adams had a decent meeting, but nowhere as good as Todd's) and then finished third in the World Final at Bradford. Just imagine if he'd been in a position to build on that. All the best Rob You really do put a great case across,and you did see alot of Todd but most of it is of what he COULD of done.😀I know you saw a lot more of Todd during his career than I did, but I'm just not convinced that he was destined for the greatest of heights. I just never saw anything too special in him.You say that he had an edge on the World stage and could raise his game before the injury, but all you have to back this is his 1 good season in 1990. He had the 1991 season before he got injured and didn't show anything spectacular that year.If you are going to work on a "what if" basis then Darcy Ward should probably be on your top 10 list :PAway from Todd, I'm still trying to get my head around how Sidney can have Tony, Billy and Nicki on a list of riders that never did anything for him...I think Tony and Billy were 2 absolutely amazing racers, and I do mean racers rather than riders. As for Nicki, he usually inspires something in most speedway fans, even if it is just hatred from some Billy out of all the American riders i saw along with Hancock never really did anything for me.They both had superb careers though Ricko i was not a fan and me personally would not put him anywhere near Mauger/Fundin again it is just my personnal preference.Nicki P well he has really overachieved the pantomine villain who has been great box office for years and his record stands up well.Again along with Crump junior and Olsen for me Pedersen is not close to those two and even though Gollob only won one title i rate him higher than Pedersen. Edited May 21, 2017 by Sidney the robin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve roberts Posted May 21, 2017 Report Share Posted May 21, 2017 Strange thread this one Sid but I guess that Kelvin Tatum would be high up on my list. However I don't agree with Rob re:Todd Wiltshire...too one paced, in my opinion, certainly during his latter years. Billy Hamill was another who didn't grab my enthusiasm and, funnily, neither did Tony Rickardsson whom I never saw team ride once (always a great attribute in my view) but perhaps I was just unlucky whenever I saw him ride? Gary 'Motormouth' Havelock was another who I never took too...especially amongst those who went on to become a World Champion. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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