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Your club's all-time top team


customhouseregular

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If this has been done before I apologise and please ignore.

Covering all years and eras what would be your club's all-time top team...3 heat leaders, 3 second strings and 2 reserves?

My choice...West Ham.

Heat leaders...Bluey Wilkinson, Jack Young, Bjorn Knutsson

Second strings...Bengt Jansson, Sverre Harrfeldt, Aub Lawson

Reserves...Christer Lofqvist, Malcolm Simmons

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4 hours ago, customhouseregular said:

If this has been done before I apologise and please ignore.

Covering all years and eras what would be your club's all-time top team...3 heat leaders, 3 second strings and 2 reserves?

My choice...West Ham.

Heat leaders...Bluey Wilkinson, Jack Young, Bjorn Knutsson

Second strings...Bengt Jansson, Sverre Harrfeldt, Aub Lawson

Reserves...Christer Lofqvist, Malcolm Simmons

Tough when you can't find a place for Hurri-ken!

Steve

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Difficult one...I have to base it on riders I saw riding for Oxford (British League eras) during my time following the sport.

In no particular order...Nielsen, Middleton, Wigg, D.Lovaas, Kennett, Holmqvuist, Kilby. Tomorrow I'd probably come up with a different list!!

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The problem I have with this is, do you mean when they were actually riding for the club, or over their whole career? My best example of this would be Split Waterman. If it was over his whole career he would certainly make my New Cross team, but if we are just talking about the period he was actually at New Cross, probably not.

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8 hours ago, steve roberts said:

Difficult one...I have to base it on riders I saw riding for Oxford (British League eras) during my time following the sport.

In no particular order...Nielsen, Middleton, Wigg, D.Lovaas, Kennett, Holmqvuist, Kilby. Tomorrow I'd probably come up with a different list!!

Nielsen, Pander, Middleton, Pedersen, Hancock, Lovaas, Wigg.

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56 minutes ago, Sidney the robin said:

Nielsen, Pander, Middleton, Pedersen, Hancock, Lovaas, Wigg.

I never saw Pander ride but I remember mum saying that he was a regular at the local Health Centre where she worked during his time at Oxford. He was very unlucky with injuries and many feel that he could have gone on to greater achievements if things had been different.

I was never a fan of Pedersen...and he departed Oxford under controversial circumstances. In Ice Hockey terms he was a bit of a 'goon' in my opinion.

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Just now, steve roberts said:

I never saw Pander ride but I remember mum saying that he was a regular at the local Health Centre where she worked during his time at Oxford. He was very unlucky with injuries and many feel that he could have gone on to greater achievements if things had been different.

I was never a fan of Pedersen...and he departed Oxford under controversial circumstances. In Ice Hockey terms he was a bit of a 'goon' in my opinion.

Pander for me is in a group with Harrefeldt, Harrysson, who were very unlucky with injuries which hindered there progress on the world stage.Pedersen as a rider i never took to and out of the five best riders of his generation Ricko, Crump, Gollob, Hancock all are ahead of him in my opinion.But you cannot take away what he has achieved in his chosen sport maybe debatable at times how he conducted himself but his achievements are terrific.I actually met Nicki once at Swindon and he was a really nice bloke down to earth and had time for people.

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8 hours ago, norbold said:

The problem I have with this is, do you mean when they were actually riding for the club, or over their whole career? My best example of this would be Split Waterman. If it was over his whole career he would certainly make my New Cross team, but if we are just talking about the period he was actually at New Cross, probably not.

I am a bit confused at how to put a team together.I am wondering if the riders actually have to have ridden in that position for a team,rather than just listing 7/8 best riders?For instance the inclusion of Banger troubles me,because I didn't think he was that great when he rode for the Hammers and developed into a top rider later.Simmo,i think did ride as reserve for West Ham,but did Löfqvist? That might explain the absence of better riders like McKinlay

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53 minutes ago, iris123 said:

I am a bit confused at how to put a team together.I am wondering if the riders actually have to have ridden in that position for a team,rather than just listing 7/8 best riders?For instance the inclusion of Banger troubles me,because I didn't think he was that great when he rode for the Hammers and developed into a top rider later.Simmo,i think did ride as reserve for West Ham,but did Löfqvist? That might explain the absence of better riders like McKinlay

I think CHR meant the eight greatest of all time and then grade them as if they were in one team together. The point you make about Banger is what I meant and I agree. Malcolm Simmons started out as a reserve but worked his way up to heat leader with West Ham, but his best days came after he left the Hammers, so he is another in the Split/Banger category. Lofqvist was always a heat leader.

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6 minutes ago, norbold said:

I think CHR meant the eight greatest of all time and then grade them as if they were in one team together. The point you make about Banger is what I meant and I agree. Malcolm Simmons started out as a reserve but worked his way up to heat leader with West Ham, but his best days came after he left the Hammers, so he is another in the Split/Banger category. Lofqvist was always a heat leader.

Thanks Norbold.The Lofqvist situation was the one that was confusing me most.I think when Tommy Jansson first came to Wembley he was down at reserve,so thought maybe Christer was at West Ham.Then it would all fit into place.In fact I think it would be more interesting to make a team up of the best riders who actually rode certain positions,rather than the best 7 or 8 riders.Tatum for instance one of the best reserves I saw at Wimbledon,but not one of the best 7 riders

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9 hours ago, norbold said:

The problem I have with this is, do you mean when they were actually riding for the club, or over their whole career? My best example of this would be Split Waterman. If it was over his whole career he would certainly make my New Cross team, but if we are just talking about the period he was actually at New Cross, probably not.

Over their whole career. If only during their Hammers spell or only riders I personally saw, I would have a different 8.

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1 hour ago, customhouseregular said:

Over their whole career. If only during their Hammers spell or only riders I personally saw, I would have a different 8.

Thanks CHR.
If it's over their whole career, then:
Heat Leaders: Tom Farndon, Barry Briggs, Jack Milne

Second Strings: Split Waterman, Lionel Van Praag, Ron Johnson

Reserves: Cyril Roger, Eric Williams

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2 hours ago, iris123 said:

Thanks Norbold.The Lofqvist situation was the one that was confusing me most.I think when Tommy Jansson first came to Wembley he was down at reserve,so thought maybe Christer was at West Ham.Then it would all fit into place.In fact I think it would be more interesting to make a team up of the best riders who actually rode certain positions,rather than the best 7 or 8 riders.Tatum for instance one of the best reserves I saw at Wimbledon,but not one of the best 7 riders

Yeah, I was there for Christer's debut in 1970, when he scored 7 points in the main body of the team (which wasn't too strong). He maintained that form all year, and ended with a near 8-point average. His worst season was his last, at Hackney, and still averaged over 7 1/2.

Steve

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25 minutes ago, chunky said:

Yeah, I was there for Christer's debut in 1970, when he scored 7 points in the main body of the team (which wasn't too strong). He maintained that form all year, and ended with a near 8-point average. His worst season was his last, at Hackney, and still averaged over 7 1/2.

Steve

...of which probably his best score that year was registering 13 points against Oxford which I witnessed in 1975.

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