Issue 97 - Kelly Moran, Boro v Newcastle rivalry, Woods, Cieslak, Harkins, Dons second-halvers, etc

[TonyMac]

Issue 97 is out now and here's a small taste of the feast of nostalgia inside . . .

 

KELLY MORAN: Life & Times
It’s 10 years since the brilliant natural talent of Kelly Moran said “C’ya” for the final time. ROB PEASLEY looks back at the high and lows of the extraordinary career of The Jelly Man, a hero at all his British tracks – Hull, Birmingham, Eastbourne, Sheffield and Belle Vue (not forgetting Swindon) – due to his spectacular all-action style and engaging personality.

 

PAUL WOODS – exclusive interview

One of the National League's biggest stars in the early 80s with Crayford and later a top flight No.1 with Eastbourne, Paul Woods looks back on his career, which also included spells with Canterbury and King's Lynn, with ANDREW SKEELS in this new four-page interview.

 

BACKCHAT

MARTIN ROGERS answers readers' questions on . . . Leicester's Golden Gauntlets and the private deal he did with three times winner Scott Autrey; the mental effects pressure can have on speedway riders (we list 12 ex-riders from the Backtrack era who took their own lives); and decisions taken by the powers that be which he now has reason to regret.

 

BERT HARKINS – book extract

In this edited excerpt from his book, My Crazy Speedway World, globetrotting former Wembley No.1 and Scottish international BERT HARKINS recalls his experience as one of only three  foreign imports to compete in the USA's one and only season of league racing in 1976, when he rode for champions Bakersfield Bandits, Mike Bast dominated the US scene and Bruce Penhall was still two years away from amassing European fans.

 

MAREK CIESLAK – book extract

ROMAN CHYLA has translated into English the section from Marek Cieślak's book – Pół Wieku Na Czarno – in which the former Polish star rider and now World Cup-winning national team manager takes a critical look back at his two seasons with British League champions White City.

 

TRACK RIVALRIES: Middlesbrough/Teesside v Newcastle
ROB PEASLEY recalls classic derbies between these former National League champions between 1975 and 1986, with input from Bernie Collier who rode for both North-East powerhouses.

 

BIG NIGHTS: Scottish Open Championship
PHIL CHARD continues to review British speedway's most prestigious individual meetings. This time he heads north of the border to review SOC stagings between 1970 and 1989 at Glasgow (Hampden Park and Blantyre 1), Coatbridge and Edinburgh's Powderhall Stadium. Ivan Mauger won the first four SOCs of the 70s, followed by successes for Brian Collins, Peter Collins, Bert Harkins, Wayne Brown, Phil Collins, Mitch Shirra, Jamie Luckhurst, Les Collins, Neville Tatum, Steve Lawson and Todd Wiltshire.

 

IT'S RAINING AGAIN
Following up on his in-depth track-by-track analysis of rained-off meetings in issue 96, DOUG NICOLSON puts on his anorak again to view the 70s and 80s findings in a much broader context. Are there more rain-offs in the modern era?

 

THAT NAME RINGS A BELL: Wimbledon

Whatever became of them, all the ex-riders who had second-half races, junior matches or interval spins in the 70s and 80s at . . . WIMBLEDON? In this memory-jogger, we list all those budding one-time Plough Lane hopefuls, who can at least look back and proclaim: "I had a go!"

 
Subscribe at www.retro-speedway.com

[steve roberts]

Enjoyed reading the Marek Cieslak article especially.

[gmbaby]

If i subscribe now will i get this issue or the next one does anyone know pls

[Garry1603]

Always a great read, I lock myself away for a couple of ours when it comes!

What a life that Kelly Moran had - frustrating, talented and lived his life to the full. I'm sure that he wouldn't have changed much.

 

[steve roberts]

28 minutes ago, Garry1603 said:

Always a great read, I lock myself away for a couple of ours when it comes!

What a life that Kelly Moran had - frustrating, talented and lived his life to the full. I'm sure that he wouldn't have changed much.

 

I read recently that Alan Wilkinson wished to take him in hand having recognised his great talent but unfortunately Alan's awful crash and subsequent paralysis put paid to that. Perhaps a different Kelly may have emerged?

[Garry1603]

2 minutes ago, steve roberts said:

I read recently that Alan Wilkinson wished to take him in hand having recognised his great talent but unfortunately Alan's awful crash and subsequent paralysis put paid to that. Perhaps a different Kelly may have emerged?

Never knew that - I'm sure he would have been of immense personal benefit to Kelly.

Wilkie was the ultimate captain for me. Just coming into his prime as well when the terrible crash happened...……….. so sad. Can't believe that he's 71 in a couple of weeks.

[TonyMac]

10 hours ago, gmbaby said:

If i subscribe now will i get this issue or the next one does anyone know pls

Yes, you can start from the current issue 97, or the previous one (96). Thank you for your interest.

[TonyMac]

8 hours ago, Garry1603 said:

Never knew that - I'm sure he would have been of immense personal benefit to Kelly.

Wilkie was the ultimate captain for me. Just coming into his prime as well when the terrible crash happened...……….. so sad. Can't believe that he's 71 in a couple of weeks.

Although Wilkie undoubtedly had a lot of wisdom to offer Kelly, the evidence suggests he wouldn't have listened much to anyone. Ivan (at Hukk) and Briggo both tried but Kelly was very much his own man and a free spirit.

[Garry1603]

Just now, TonyMac said:

Although Wilkie undoubtedly had a lot of wisdom to offer Kelly, the evidence suggests he wouldn't have listened much to anyone. Ivan (at Hukk) and Briggo both tried but Kelly was very much his own man and a free spirit.

I'm sure you're right, I wonder if he had 'caught' him early enough though it might have made a difference. 

A free spirit sums him up perfectly

[lastword]

15 hours ago, Garry1603 said:

I'm sure you're right, I wonder if he had 'caught' him early enough though it might have made a difference. 

A free spirit sums him up perfectly

My memories of Kelly (after he finished riding) relate to a 'meet Kelly' evening in a Buxton hotel.

We had to wait a while but Kelly then appeared.

Part way through his interview he decided to call his brother Shawn in California. He 'borrowed' a mobile phone from someone in the room (I think it was someone connected to the Sheffield promotion) and suddenly it was a three way show.   It was a great evening but I often wonder what the size of the phone bill was.

 

 

 

[steve roberts]

My abiding memory of Kelly was watching him at Eastbourne when riding to the tapes he would ride along the fence shaking everybody's hand as he passed.

[Sidney the robin]

On 4/17/2020 at 2:54 PM, TonyMac said:

Issue 97 is out now and here's a small taste of the feast of nostalgia inside . . .

 

KELLY MORAN: Life & Times
It’s 10 years since the brilliant natural talent of Kelly Moran said “C’ya” for the final time. ROB PEASLEY looks back at the high and lows of the extraordinary career of The Jelly Man, a hero at all his British tracks – Hull, Birmingham, Eastbourne, Sheffield and Belle Vue (not forgetting Swindon) – due to his spectacular all-action style and engaging personality.

 

PAUL WOODS – exclusive interview

One of the National League's biggest stars in the early 80s with Crayford and later a top flight No.1 with Eastbourne, Paul Woods looks back on his career, which also included spells with Canterbury and King's Lynn, with ANDREW SKEELS in this new four-page interview.

 

BACKCHAT

MARTIN ROGERS answers readers' questions on . . . Leicester's Golden Gauntlets and the private deal he did with three times winner Scott Autrey; the mental effects pressure can have on speedway riders (we list 12 ex-riders from the Backtrack era who took their own lives); and decisions taken by the powers that be which he now has reason to regret.

 

BERT HARKINS – book extract

In this edited excerpt from his book, My Crazy Speedway World, globetrotting former Wembley No.1 and Scottish international BERT HARKINS recalls his experience as one of only three  foreign imports to compete in the USA's one and only season of league racing in 1976, when he rode for champions Bakersfield Bandits, Mike Bast dominated the US scene and Bruce Penhall was still two years away from amassing European fans.

 

MAREK CIESLAK – book extract

ROMAN CHYLA has translated into English the section from Marek Cieślak's book – Pół Wieku Na Czarno – in which the former Polish star rider and now World Cup-winning national team manager takes a critical look back at his two seasons with British League champions White City.

 

TRACK RIVALRIES: Middlesbrough/Teesside v Newcastle
ROB PEASLEY recalls classic derbies between these former National League champions between 1975 and 1986, with input from Bernie Collier who rode for both North-East powerhouses.

 

BIG NIGHTS: Scottish Open Championship
PHIL CHARD continues to review British speedway's most prestigious individual meetings. This time he heads north of the border to review SOC stagings between 1970 and 1989 at Glasgow (Hampden Park and Blantyre 1), Coatbridge and Edinburgh's Powderhall Stadium. Ivan Mauger won the first four SOCs of the 70s, followed by successes for Brian Collins, Peter Collins, Bert Harkins, Wayne Brown, Phil Collins, Mitch Shirra, Jamie Luckhurst, Les Collins, Neville Tatum, Steve Lawson and Todd Wiltshire.

 

IT'S RAINING AGAIN
Following up on his in-depth track-by-track analysis of rained-off meetings in issue 96, DOUG NICOLSON puts on his anorak again to view the 70s and 80s findings in a much broader context. Are there more rain-offs in the modern era?

 

THAT NAME RINGS A BELL: Wimbledon

Whatever became of them, all the ex-riders who had second-half races, junior matches or interval spins in the 70s and 80s at . . . WIMBLEDON? In this memory-jogger, we list all those budding one-time Plough Lane hopefuls, who can at least look back and proclaim: "I had a go!"

 
Subscribe at www.retro-speedway.com

Great rider a bundle of fun remember him coming over here  not riding BL at the time riding in the test matches, he looked rusty but his natural talent keeping him on the level.Met him once a really nice guy he never thought or acted like he was a star but he was mega talented rider a special talent nice bloke as well.

Edited April 19, 2020 by Sidney the robin

[steve roberts]

10 minutes ago, Sidney the robin said:

Great rider a bundle of fun remember him coming over here  not riding BL at the time riding in the test matches, he looked rusty but his natural talent keeping him on the level.Met him once a really nice guy he never thought or acted like he was a star but he was mega talented rider a special talent nice bloke as well.

Of course Sid you were able to see him ride during his last season (1992) at Swindon. His average for the season was very ordinary and I guess that the spark had gone but he has gone on record suggesting that Swindon's track wasn't to his particular liking. I last saw him ride at Cowley that year when he had a coming together with Morten Andersen and If I recall was excluded? His best years were during 1981 and 82 in my opinion when he rode for Eastbourne. I saw him plenty of times and he was a master at Arlington often challenging Gordon Kennett as "King Pin" round there.

Edited April 19, 2020 by steve roberts

[Sidney the robin]

20 minutes ago, steve roberts said:

Of course Sid you were able to see him ride during his last season (1992) at Swindon. His average for the season was very ordinary and I guess that the spark had gone but he has gone on record suggesting that Swindon's track wasn't to his particular liking. I last saw him ride at Cowley that year when he had a coming together with Morten Andersen and If I recall was excluded? His best years were during 1981 and 82 in my opinion when he rode for Eastbourne. I saw him plenty of times and he was a master at Arlington often challenging Gordon Kennett as "King Pin" round there.

For Eastbourne along with Kennett, Preston,  Schwartz, Woods  in certain years they had a real top end  strength.In later years Eastie had Dugard, Norris as examples who were real homers.Dont think Kelly wasted his career he enjoyed his life and what he did and boy he was good to as i said before a real nice bloke bloody good rider .

 

Edited April 19, 2020 by Sidney the robin

[steve roberts]

2 minutes ago, Sidney the robin said:

For Eastbourne along with Kennett, Preston,  Schwartz, Woods  in certain years they had a real top end  strength.In later years Eastie had Dugard, Norris as examples who were real homers.Dont think Kelly wasted his career he enjoyed his life and what he did and boy he was good to as i said before a real nice bloke bloody good rider .

 

Eastbourne should have done so much better in 1982 with a top four of Kennett, Moran, Preston and Woods. By the next year only Woods was around!

[Sidney the robin]

16 minutes ago, steve roberts said:

Eastbourne should have done so much better in 1982 with a top four of Kennett, Moran, Preston and Woods. By the next year only Woods was around!

Woods for me was a very talented rider he retired prematurely for a while but like Courtney a couple of moves never quite worked out for him at Arlington he was very good.

[steve roberts]

29 minutes ago, Sidney the robin said:

Woods for me was a very talented rider he retired prematurely for a while but like Courtney a couple of moves never quite worked out for him at Arlington he was very good.

I was hoping that he was coming to Oxford in 1985 (Andy Grahame came however after there were stories circulating that Kelvin Tatum had been approached)) but he went to King's Lynn...a move he regretted and explains fully the circumstances in this edition of "Backtrack". Apparently his first choice was Ipswich after it had been known that Eastbourne were to drop a league. He was a cracking white line rider round Arlington and would pass many opponents using that technique.

Edited April 19, 2020 by steve roberts

[craigACE]

FINALLY took out a subscription. Mrs did it to so i have something to keep me quiet. Is such a great read. This will be like the Star from now on. NEVER MISS A ISSUE.

[steve roberts]

36 minutes ago, craigACE said:

FINALLY took out a subscription. Mrs did it to so i have something to keep me quiet. Is such a great read. This will be like the Star from now on. NEVER MISS A ISSUE.

You'll not be disappointed...try and obtain some of the back copies if you can?

[TonyMac]

On ‎4‎/‎21‎/‎2020 at 4:40 PM, craigACE said:

FINALLY took out a subscription. Mrs did it to so i have something to keep me quiet. Is such a great read. This will be like the Star from now on. NEVER MISS A ISSUE.

Thank you - and welcome aboard.