Ovalman Posted September 7, 2019 Report Share Posted September 7, 2019 Anyone have any info on Les and Sandy? Saw Mike Broadbanks crash and break leg around 1969 at the Abbey against Ackney Awks. I'm sure Les was blamed for the crash. My younger bruv now in Adelaide was there but doesnt remember there were two brothers, but it was 50 years ago?! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Midland Red Posted September 7, 2019 Report Share Posted September 7, 2019 McGillivray. This is interesting - https://reader.exacteditions.com/issues/47341/page/13 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cityrebel Posted September 7, 2019 Report Share Posted September 7, 2019 I remember Les riding for the Wick when i first started going in the late 1960's. He looked too tall to be a speedway rider. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BOBBATH Posted September 7, 2019 Report Share Posted September 7, 2019 I recall Les very well, he was the third heat leader (Colin Pratt and Roy Trigg the other two) in a very strong Hackney Prov. League track in the PL 1964.In fact it looked for a while that they might finish champions, but in the end finished behind the Mauger led Diamonds. I recall that in the first BL season of 1965 Les was still a valued team member, but then was the top second string as Gerry Jackson had joined from NL Wimbledon (I think) and topped the Hawks averages along with Colin and Roy. BTW am glad to hear that Sandy is still going strong-think his career was cut short by some bad injuries. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BOBBATH Posted September 10, 2019 Report Share Posted September 10, 2019 Anybody know when Les passed and how old he was, also how old is Sandy? I can see Les in my mind now, with his leg stuck out- another nice guy who should never be forgotten. I know he rode at numerous tracks-where did he have his best performances-at Leicester Hunters maybe?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BOBBATH Posted September 10, 2019 Report Share Posted September 10, 2019 I am on a roll here -thinking of Les made me think of Hackney 1964-what is forumlanders consensus of whose career was best-Roy Trigg or Colin Pratt(I know this is off topic and will wait for all the brickbats)- I vote for Triggy although Reg F. would vote for Colin!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BL65 Posted September 10, 2019 Report Share Posted September 10, 2019 24 minutes ago, BOBBATH said: Anybody know when Les passed and how old he was, also how old is Sandy? I can see Les in my mind now, with his leg stuck out- another nice guy who should never be forgotten. I know he rode at numerous tracks-where did he have his best performances-at Leicester Hunters maybe?? Les had his best year in the National League with Rayleigh in 1957, with an impressive season at Hackney in 1964 his most successful at the lower level (Provincial League). He was consistently good in his 10 seasons at The Weir. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobC Posted September 10, 2019 Report Share Posted September 10, 2019 Les was also Captain of Rayleigh Pirates! At least thats how its billed on the front of the programme. 2nd September 1957, he led a team v Norwich at Poole.They lost 46-50. This is one of the Challenge matches to test the water for a full time return of Poole in 1958. They did of course , with most of the Rayleigh riders becoming full time Pirates. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BOBBATH Posted September 10, 2019 Report Share Posted September 10, 2019 Rayleigh Pirates?? Were they called that when Poole dropped out of the league-thought they were always the Rockets.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chunky Posted September 11, 2019 Report Share Posted September 11, 2019 7 hours ago, BOBBATH said: Anybody know when Les passed and how old he was it said in the article that he passed away in 1977 from MS. I don't have the exact date, but I am sure he was just 47. Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BOBBATH Posted September 11, 2019 Report Share Posted September 11, 2019 Sorry to hear that Les died so young Steve. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
E I Addio Posted September 30, 2019 Report Share Posted September 30, 2019 On 9/10/2019 at 7:43 PM, BOBBATH said: I am on a roll here -thinking of Les made me think of Hackney 1964-what is forumlanders consensus of whose career was best-Roy Trigg or Colin Pratt(I know this is off topic and will wait for all the brickbats)- I vote for Triggy although Reg F. would vote for Colin!!! I never saw their whole careers but my memory tells me that in their Hackney days Pratt’s was easily best, almost un beatable round Waterden Road. Not surprising because he always got there early to make sure Len Silver prepared the track the way he wanted it round his favourite inside line. I never saw him smile though , even after scoring a maximum. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
E I Addio Posted September 30, 2019 Report Share Posted September 30, 2019 On 9/7/2019 at 2:28 PM, cityrebel said: I remember Les riding for the Wick when i first started going in the late 1960's. He looked too tall to be a speedway rider. I remember both Les and Sandy seeming to be too tall for a speedway rider. Sandys style was completely ungainly, arms and legs all over the place and he was never really more than a reserve. Les had a most perculiar style, difficult to describe but kind of laying backwardson the bends, almost like sitting i a bath I thought. Quite a boring rider and never seemed to do much passing. I believe Len Silver persuaded him to come out of retirement to ride for the Hawks after he had suffered serious internal injuries riding for Wimbledon ( I think it was ) a few years earlier. Can anyone throw any light on this. What happened to the McGilvrays when they left Hackney ? Did they retire? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chunky Posted September 30, 2019 Report Share Posted September 30, 2019 2 hours ago, E I Addio said: What happened to the McGilvrays when they left Hackney ? Did they retire? I know Les definitely retired. I never really knew so much about Sandy or his career. Funny thing is - and this is probably going back almost 30 years - but I saw a photo of Sandy in Darts World magazine! Every month, the Essex page would include a pic of a team in their local league, and one month, it was Sandy's team. Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cityrebel Posted October 1, 2019 Report Share Posted October 1, 2019 10 hours ago, E I Addio said: I remember both Les and Sandy seeming to be too tall for a speedway rider. Sandys style was completely ungainly, arms and legs all over the place and he was never really more than a reserve. Les had a most perculiar style, difficult to describe but kind of laying backwardson the bends, almost like sitting i a bath I thought. Quite a boring rider and never seemed to do much passing. I believe Len Silver persuaded him to come out of retirement to ride for the Hawks after he had suffered serious internal injuries riding for Wimbledon ( I think it was ) a few years earlier. Can anyone throw any light on this. What happened to the McGilvrays when they left Hackney ? Did they retire? I have got a photo of Les in Wimbledon colours in my collection. I beleive he made a few appearances for the Dons in 1960, give or take a year. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frigbo Posted October 1, 2019 Report Share Posted October 1, 2019 http://wwosbackup.proboards.com/thread/1917/les-mcgillivray 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cityrebel Posted October 1, 2019 Report Share Posted October 1, 2019 2 hours ago, frigbo said: http://wwosbackup.proboards.com/thread/1917/les-mcgillivray Does that site only include league matches. I think Les only appeared in Brittania Shield meetings for Wimbledon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BL65 Posted October 1, 2019 Report Share Posted October 1, 2019 Les scored an impressive 10 points at Wimbledon in a World Championship Qualifying Round in 1955 and scored well for 2nd Division Rayleigh in a challenge at home to Wimbledon, following which he made guest appearances for the Dons against Odsal and Norwich in National League fixtures, together with home and away challenges against Wembley. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cityrebel Posted October 1, 2019 Report Share Posted October 1, 2019 Thanks for the info, i didn't realise my photo was as early as 1955. Age does play tricks with the memory sometimes!. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frigbo Posted October 1, 2019 Report Share Posted October 1, 2019 6 hours ago, cityrebel said: Does that site only include league matches. I think Les only appeared in Brittania Shield meetings for Wimbledon. Certainly the older data is league matches only.. More recent seasons contain other official competitions. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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