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Scottish Top Five - Easy?


steve roberts

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1. Ken McKinlay

2. Jimmy McMillan

3. Bobby Beaton

4. Kenny McKinna

5. Bert Harkins

 

...or is it?

 

I can think of the Templeton Brothers, Brian Collins, Kevin Little, Charlie McKinna, Colin Caffrey...now I'm struggling!

 

Sure there are some 'Bravehearts' out there who know better?

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1. Ken McKinlay

2. Jimmy McMillan

3. Bobby Beaton

4. Kenny McKinna

5. Bert Harkins

 

...or is it?

 

I can think of the Templeton Brothers, Brian Collins, Kevin Little, Charlie McKinna, Colin Caffrey...now I'm struggling!

 

Sure there are some 'Bravehearts' out there who know better?

George Hunter and Andy Meldrum?

 

But Tommy Miller and Ron Johnson are more probable for the t0p 5

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George Hunter and Andy Meldrum?

 

But Tommy Miller and Ron Johnson are more probable for the t0p 5

Forgotten George Hunter...definitely top five material and you're probably right with both Tommy Miller and Ron Johnson.

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1 Jimmy McMillan

2 George Hunter

3 Bobby Beaton

4 James Grieves

5 Bert Harkins

 

Was too young to see Tommy Miller , and McKinley was over the hill when I started going , though he wasn't too popular in Glasgow anyway thanks to his part in Charlie Monk's World Final hopes being dashed in 1965 .

Don't know if Charlie counts as he did ride for Scotland in a few internationals :lol:

 

Regarding George Hunter , the general consensus up here is that his career was affected somewhat by Peter Craven's fatal crash , though he was innocent of any blame

Edited by Paulco
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Andrew Tully was the last Scottish rider i saw in a world U21 meeting in Güstrow,proudly wearing the saltire around his shoulders.Think he was born on the Isle of Man.Not quite as exotic as Malta

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He did. In 1978 and 1979. Near 11.00 average in '79. One of my earliest speedway memories. He was brilliant - passing riders for fun.

 

All the best

Rob

Just came to me because i have Mike Patrick photo with George racing,but wasn't sure if he was an Oxford rider or one of the oppo.Thanks for the confirmation that my memory isn't too bad

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1 Jimmy McMillan

2 George Hunter

3 Bobby Beaton

4 James Grieves

5 Bert Harkins

 

Was too young to see Tommy Miller , and McKinley was over the hill when I started going , though he wasn't too popular in Glasgow anyway thanks to his part in Charlie Monk's World Final hopes being dashed in 1965 .

Don't know if Charlie counts as he did ride for Scotland in a few internationals :lol:

 

Regarding George Hunter , the general consensus up here is that his career was affected somewhat by Peter Craven's fatal crash , though he was innocent of any blame

'Hurri-Ken' was one of my favourites at Cowley before he subsequently moved to Scunthorpe in 1973.

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Bit biased maybe?Surely Kenny McKinna and Dougie Templeton were better than Grieves?

Grieves was better than Templeton , in my humble opinion . You have a point about Kenny , but James comes from Paisley which just swings it :wink:

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Ken McKinlay

George Hunter

Tommy Miller

Bert Harkins

Gordon McGregor

 

​Yes indeed norbold - good old Gordon McGregor. A really fine rider whose career spanned many seasons.

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​Yes indeed norbold - good old Gordon McGregor. A really fine rider whose career spanned many seasons.

Wasn't Gordon a Belle Vue Rider?

 

I never actually saw him race, but I have read about him.

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Wasn't Gordon a Belle Vue Rider?

 

I never actually saw him race, but I have read about him.

Belle Vue, Oxford, Doncaster, Glasgow, Leicester, and several others...

 

My five would be:

 

Ken McKinlay

Jim McMillan

Tommy Miller

George Hunter

Gordon McGregor

 

Steve

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Belle Vue, Oxford, Doncaster, Glasgow, Leicester, and several others...

 

My five would be:

 

Ken McKinlay

Jim McMillan

Tommy Miller

George Hunter

Gordon McGregor

 

Steve

 

Agree with above in overall career achievements.

 

However George Hunter for the first couple of months of the newly formed BL in 1965 was, along with Charlie Monk, one of the top performers together with ex National League stars.

 

However he suffered a nasty head injury in a Best Pairs meeting at Old Meadowbank which adversely affected his performances thereafter.

 

I reckon he suffered a severe long term concussion, which then was not really diagnosed as being a serious head injury and treated appropriately as it is today.

 

I believe if George had not had this accident, he would have been a regular World Finalist & leading top performer for several years.

 

Edited by cyclone
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