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Which British League Two/National League Team Produced The Most Riders For British League One?


steve roberts

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43 minutes ago, Sidney the robin said:

Others that i can remember just going straight into the BL  Rob Foy, Graves,  Eccles( useful was he a promoted junior??) 

Of course Mark Loram started off in the upper league as Hackney's compulsory junior and did fairly well but dropped down a league to aid development. The compulsory junior ruling was an odd one in my opinion but it did generate a few worthwhile riders who made names for themselves in the lower league. Paul Fry instantly comes to mind.

Edited by steve roberts
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There were a few riders over the years who were not really ready for the BL even before the junior scheme came in.King's Lynn gave a few raw youngsters chances  over the years ( i.e.)  Sparshott,Dye, Framingham, Mallett Swindon- Simpson, Cross  Halifax- Westwell, Stansfield, Baker( decent) Whittaker, Oxford- Butler, Surman, Stevens,( i liked) Cradley as you said Fryer( RIP great value), Leaver,Bostin.In the old days if a top rider was out somethimes you promoted a number 8 which was a big ask but a few riders developed there careers coming through that way. 

Edited by Sidney the robin
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50 minutes ago, Sidney the robin said:

There were a few riders over the years who were not really ready for the BL even before the junior scheme came in.King's Lynn gave a few raw youngsters chances  over the years ( i.e.)  Sparshott,Dye, Framingham, Mallett Swindon- Simpson, Cross  Halifax- Westwell, Stansfield, Baker( decent) Whittaker, Oxford- Butler, Surman, Stevens,( i liked) Cradley as you said Fryer( RIP great value), Leaver,Bostin.In the old days if a top rider was out somethimes you promoted a number 8 which was a big ask but a few riders developed there careers coming through that way. 

I remember Billy Wall being thrown in at the deep end on occasions and, of course, Martin Ashby's brother, David, rode for a number of years for Swindon with very limited Second Division experience (I think he had a run out at Peterborough?)

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1 hour ago, steve roberts said:

I remember Billy Wall being thrown in at the deep end on occasions and, of course, Martin Ashby's brother, David, rode for a number of years for Swindon with very limited Second Division experience (I think he had a run out at Peterborough?)

Yes remember Clark Facey, Billy Wall, Martin Hitch., Melvin Soffe, Kevin Pope, Richard Evans all getting opportunities.

Edited by Sidney the robin
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5 minutes ago, norbold said:

Alan Sage rode for West Ham when they were in the First Division not the Second Division.

Thank for that! As I mentioned in an earlier post I'm basing my obserations on my memory...which fails all too regularly! I guess that Alan falls into that category of riders who commenced their careers in the upper league forgoing the less demanding route.

Edited by steve roberts
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4 hours ago, chunky said:

Firstly, I know it's YOUR thread, so you make the rules, but are we now including all riders who just made an appearance in the top division, rather than ones who actually established themselves at the higher level?

Secondly, you have already listed Martin Yeates as Eastbourne.

Thirdly, Kevin Holden started his career at Romford, not West Ham.

...as did Mike Sampson of course!

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1 hour ago, steve roberts said:

Thank for that! As I mentioned in an earlier post I'm basing my obserations on my memory...which fails all too regularly! I guess that Alan falls into that category of riders who commenced their careers in the upper league forgoing the less demanding route.

Yes, Alan Sage made his debut with First Division West Ham in 1971 and then moved on to Ipswich. He rode four consecutive seasons without missing one single match. He then moved to Second Division Crayford and carried on the record through 1975 - 1978 completing an incredible 327 consecutive appearances in official fixtures before breaking his leg in July 1979. Even then, when he returned to the saddle mid-season in 1980, he never missed another match for Crayford; and was ever-present again for Arena Essex in ’84 and ’85 and then for Canterbury in his final season of ’86. So, in 16 seasons from 1971 to 1986 Alan was ever-present in 14 of them. An incredible record! 

 
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1 hour ago, norbold said:

Yes, Alan Sage made his debut with First Division West Ham in 1971 and then moved on to Ipswich. He rode four consecutive seasons without missing one single match. He then moved to Second Division Crayford and carried on the record through 1975 - 1978 completing an incredible 327 consecutive appearances in official fixtures before breaking his leg in July 1979. Even then, when he returned to the saddle mid-season in 1980, he never missed another match for Crayford; and was ever-present again for Arena Essex in ’84 and ’85 and then for Canterbury in his final season of ’86. So, in 16 seasons from 1971 to 1986 Alan was ever-present in 14 of them. An incredible record! 

 

Alan was one of those dependable riders that speedway so desperately needs.

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15 hours ago, steve roberts said:

Alan was one of those dependable riders that speedway so desperately needs.

Unofficially in Alan's amazing career he rode in over 500 meetings a record to be proud of.It would be interesting to see how many meeting's both the Boocock brothers rode in,, Ashby, McKinley, Street all those guys did some meetings.

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2 minutes ago, Sidney the robin said:

Unofficially in Alan's amazing career he rode in over 500 meetings a record to be proud of.It would be interesting to see how many meeting's both the Boocock brothers rode in,, Ashby, McKinley, Street all those guys did some meetings.

...and Jimmy Squibb!

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1 hour ago, Sidney the robin said:

Jimmy did well over 300 meeting's from 1965 - 1975 and his career spanned from 1947-75  a great servant.

...and he was an ever present during many of those also.

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Kings Lynn/Boston - Arthur Price and Carl Glover.

I know Price had a handful of rides for Nelson and Crayford first, but he didn't do anything until he went to Lynn.

Barrow - Craig Pendlebury and Keith Evans.

Coatbridge - Mick McKeon.

Edited by chunky
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2 hours ago, chunky said:

Kings Lynn/Boston - Arthur Price and Carl Glover.

I know Price had a handful of rides for Nelson and Crayford first, but he didn't do anything until he went to Lynn.

Barrow - Craig Pendlebury and Keith Evans.

Coatbridge - Mick McKeon.

Up until now I hadn't included in my lists any Anzacs but there are many that spring to mind...Gary Petersen (Nelson), Phil Crump (Crewe), Bob Valentine (Workington), Lou Sansom, (Workington) amongst many others I could mention.

Good call on Arthur Price. I also had him down as King's Lynn/Boston but had forgotten about his previous clubs.

Edited by steve roberts
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