steve roberts Posted June 23, 2017 Report Share Posted June 23, 2017 (edited) 1. Freddie Williams 2. Eric Williams 3. Ian Willimas 4. Owen Owen aka 'Taffy' 5. Bryan Woodward Edited June 23, 2017 by steve roberts Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The White Knight Posted June 23, 2017 Report Share Posted June 23, 2017 1. Freddie Williams 2. Eric Williams 3. Ian Willimas 4. Owen Owen aka 'Taffy' 5. Bryan Woodward Once again I agree steve. Mainly because I can't think of anyone else. At a Crewe 'Kings' Reunion we shared a taxi with Taffy Owen and Peter Kelly. What a couple of characters they were. Wonderful fellows and wonderful memories. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BL65 Posted June 23, 2017 Report Share Posted June 23, 2017 1. Freddie Williams 2. Eric Williams 3. Ian Willimas 4. Owen Owen aka 'Taffy' 5. Bryan Woodward I would have included Bob Hughes and Phil Morris ahead of Taffy Owen. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve roberts Posted June 24, 2017 Author Report Share Posted June 24, 2017 Once again I agree steve. Mainly because I can't think of anyone else. At a Crewe 'Kings' Reunion we shared a taxi with Taffy Owen and Peter Kelly. What a couple of characters they were. Wonderful fellows and wonderful memories. I'm guessing that Dai Evans (One time Crewe skipper) was Welsh? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BL65 Posted June 24, 2017 Report Share Posted June 24, 2017 I'm guessing that Dai Evans (One time Crewe skipper) was Welsh? I understand that Dai was born in Bridgnorth, which is in Shropshire, England. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billybikespeedway Posted June 24, 2017 Report Share Posted June 24, 2017 included should be Yanto Harrysson and Dai Nordin lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BL65 Posted June 24, 2017 Report Share Posted June 24, 2017 1. Freddie Williams 2. Eric Williams 3. Ian Williams 4. Leo McAuliffe 5. Cyril Francis Some sources suggest that Leo was born in London, but he was listed as being Welsh when he qualified for the 1963 World Final. Ivor Hughes was heading for the top five when he was tragically killed in 1966. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted June 24, 2017 Report Share Posted June 24, 2017 1. Freddie Williams 2. Eric Williams 3. Ian Williams 4. Leo McAuliffe 5. Cyril Francis Some sources suggest that Leo was born in London, but he was listed as being Welsh when he qualified for the 1963 World Final. Ivor Hughes was heading for the top five when he was tragically killed in 1966. This Link indicates that Leo McAuliffe was probably a Londoner! http://wwosbackup.proboards.com/thread/1916/leo-mcauliffe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
norbold Posted June 24, 2017 Report Share Posted June 24, 2017 1. Freddie Williams 2. Eric Williams 3. Ian Williams 4. Leo McAuliffe 5. Cyril Francis Some sources suggest that Leo was born in London, but he was listed as being Welsh when he qualified for the 1963 World Final. Ivor Hughes was heading for the top five when he was tragically killed in 1966. I was considering the Welsh Top Five earlier and actually came up with the same five. I checked on Leo and, as you say, discovered he was apparently born in London. However, all the time I followed New Cross in 1960 and 1961, he was described as Welsh. So I'll stick to that five! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
britmet Posted June 24, 2017 Report Share Posted June 24, 2017 (edited) I was considering the Welsh Top Five earlier and actually came up with the same five. I checked on Leo and, as you say, discovered he was apparently born in London. However, all the time I followed New Cross in 1960 and 1961, he was described as Welsh. So I'll stick to that five! . While postings on another current thread debate whether Mr.A or Mr. B have changed passports or are eligible to compete for a British title, what no one can do is officially change their nationality from English to Welsh or Scottish, or vice versa . ( . . but Ms Sturgeon might change that one day !) EDIT. But wait, - New Cross in '60 & '61. . . .Wasn't the promoter at that time a certain Mr. Hoskins ? Now we realise anything is possible ! Johnnie knew that variety was good publicity. Edited June 24, 2017 by britmet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted June 24, 2017 Report Share Posted June 24, 2017 . While postings on another current thread debate whether Mr.A or Mr. B have changed passports or are eligible to compete for a British title, what no one can do is officially change their nationality from English to Welsh or Scottish, or vice versa . ( . . but Ms Sturgeon might change that one day !) EDIT. But wait, - New Cross in '60 & '61. . . .Wasn't the promoter at that time a certain Mr. Hoskins ? Now we realise anything is possible ! Johnnie knew that variety was good publicity. Errr! Leo McAuliffe was also regarded as being Welsh in his Southern Area League days - which started in about 1956 at Easbourne. It's hard to fathom out that Welsh business when he has a set-of Scottish surname! He was a good rider and nice guy - I knew him quite well in this era. He was always very polite and helpful - just like some BSF posters are! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The White Knight Posted June 24, 2017 Report Share Posted June 24, 2017 I understand that Dai was born in Bridgnorth, which is in Shropshire, England. Yes - and he still lives in the Shropshire area. He is a lovely man who travels to Sunderland every year to attend our Reunions. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BL65 Posted June 24, 2017 Report Share Posted June 24, 2017 Yes - and he still lives in the Shropshire area. He is a lovely man who travels to Sunderland every year to attend our Reunions. I remember seeing some of his early rides in second half races at Midlands tracks, mainly Wolverhampton and Cradley Heath from about 1964 onwards. Dai also rode in half a dozen meetings for West Ham early in 1967. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BOBBATH Posted June 24, 2017 Report Share Posted June 24, 2017 I was waiting for this-as an expat Welsh guy in Canada-clearly the top three are the Williams brothers-Fred, Eric and Ian . For 4 and 5 (excluding Leo McAuliffe) I gotta go with Cyril Francis(god bless him-now quite ill) and then Ivor Hughes -who I saw at a WCQR at Long Eaton(1966 or 67) and clearly was greatly improving -who knows what he could have achieved!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wessex Wanderer Posted June 25, 2017 Report Share Posted June 25, 2017 Bit surprised that Howard Cole (Kid Bodie) has not got a mention. I'm sure he was regarded as Welsh in the 60s and 70s. Always open to correction though. As a World Finalist and top league heat leader he would surely come into contention. Also agree with everyone who has mentioned Ivor Hughes. He looked really good and headed for the top - another of Speedway's tragic might have beens. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BL65 Posted June 25, 2017 Report Share Posted June 25, 2017 Bit surprised that Howard Cole (Kid Bodie) has not got a mention. I'm sure he was regarded as Welsh in the 60s and 70s. Always open to correction though. As a World Finalist and top league heat leader he would surely come into contention. Also agree with everyone who has mentioned Ivor Hughes. He looked really good and headed for the top - another of Speedway's tragic might have beens. Several sources record that Howard Cole was born in Cardiff. Taking this and the probability that Leo McAuliffe was born in London into account, my revised top five is: 1. Freddie Williams 2. Eric Williams 3. Howard Cole 4. Ian Williams 5. Cyril Francis Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
britmet Posted June 25, 2017 Report Share Posted June 25, 2017 Another . . . ? - Glyn Taylor, b. 24 August 1953, Cardiff, Wales Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The White Knight Posted June 25, 2017 Report Share Posted June 25, 2017 Another . . . ? - Glyn Taylor, b. 24 August 1953, Cardiff, Wales For some reason I always thought Glyn Taylor was a New Zealander or Australian? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BL65 Posted June 25, 2017 Report Share Posted June 25, 2017 (edited) For some reason I always thought Glyn Taylor was a New Zealander or Australian? His father, Chum Taylor from Australia, was with Cardiff in 1952 and at the beginning of the 1953 season, before transferring to Bristol. Glyn was born in Cardiff, but is classed as Australian, same as Bristol-born Jason Crump. Edited June 25, 2017 by BL65 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The White Knight Posted June 25, 2017 Report Share Posted June 25, 2017 His father, Chum Taylor from Australia, was with Cardiff in 1952 and at the beginning of the 1953 season, before transferring to Bristol. Glyn was born in Cardiff, but is classed as Australian, same as Bristol-born Jason Crump. Thank you for that BL65 - I appreciate that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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