One Club Servants

[steve roberts]

2 hours ago, chunky said:

Well, we lost John Dews halfway through 1972, and then Mirac and Jim. Those three were replaced by Luckhurst, Clarke, and Harkins. So, you would probably figure that Reg was the closest to Jim as far as ability...

One of my favourites was John Dews. He had difficulty adjusting to Cowley in 1973 (I believe Bob Dugard gave John and Tony Lomas special on track tuition and promptly broke an ankel?) but he became a dependable team member but never got on with White City when the "Rebels" moved in 1976 and retired.

[Guest]

4 hours ago, chunky said:

Well, we lost John Dews halfway through 1972, and then Mirac and Jim. Those three were replaced by Luckhurst, Clarke, and Harkins. So, you would probably figure that Reg was the closest to Jim as far as ability...

 Luckhurst came in on a 6.51 average from his year at West Ham, but was a pale shadow of the rider the Dons fans were used to seeing.

On paper the 73 line-up looked very solid...but unfortunately they ride on shale instead!

[chunky]

40 minutes ago, prodons said:

 Luckhurst came in on a 6.51 average from his year at West Ham, but was a pale shadow of the rider the Dons fans were used to seeing.

On paper the 73 line-up looked very solid...but unfortunately they ride on shale instead!

Remember, Reg didn't ride in 72, but his form had been on the slide since his last year at Plough Lane in 69.

Throw in the fact that Ronnie had gone, and Trevor had been really been struggling for a couple of years, I really didn't think it was that solid a team. It was really asking a lot of Bertola, Clarke, and Stape to really emerge as true heat-leaders, and of course, that never looked like happening.

[steve roberts]

12 hours ago, chunky said:

Remember, Reg didn't ride in 72, but his form had been on the slide since his last year at Plough Lane in 69.

Throw in the fact that Ronnie had gone, and Trevor had been really been struggling for a couple of years, I really didn't think it was that solid a team. It was really asking a lot of Bertola, Clarke, and Stape to really emerge as true heat-leaders, and of course, that never looked like happening.

I thought that Graeme Stapleton may well have made that jump but, if I recall, didn't compete in Britain in 1975 & 76 helping to establish Ronnie Moore's Motor Cycle Business in NZ (after Ronnie's serious injury) He returned in 1977 but was a pale shadow before departing to Newcastle and doubling up with Hull on a couple of occasions including the all important 1979 Championship decider at Coventry...the title that Hull lost themselves due to non appearances of riders at certain tracks earlier in the season!

Edited July 11, 2020 by steve roberts

[Sidney the robin]

18 hours ago, chunky said:

No, that was 74, and of course, that was when we got Briggo back.

Ah 1974  right,  remember Wimbledon trying to sign Christer/ Mike Bast nothing materialised in 1975 Christer ended up going to Ackney.Loftqvist has to be one of the most exciting riders i ever saw , see him break the Swindon track record in 1973 in a test match great rider lost him far to early.

[Guest]

Sidney, I think Christer was allocated to Wimbledon in 1976 but they couldn’t agree terms. 

[chunky]

1 hour ago, prodons said:

Sidney, I think Christer was allocated to Wimbledon in 1976 but they couldn’t agree terms. 

Yep...

[steve roberts]

13 hours ago, Sidney the robin said:

Ah 1974  right,  remember Wimbledon trying to sign Christer/ Mike Bast nothing materialised in 1975 Christer ended up going to Ackney.Loftqvist has to be one of the most exciting riders i ever saw , see him break the Swindon track record in 1973 in a test match great rider lost him far to early.

I didn't get to see much of Christer Lofqvist however I did witness him put in probably his best display during his short stay at Hackney (1975) against Oxford at Waterden Road when he scored 13 points.

[chunky]

1 hour ago, steve roberts said:

I didn't get to see much of Christer Lofqvist however I did witness him put in probably his best display during his short stay at Hackney (1975) against Oxford at Waterden Road when he scored 13 points.

I was there for his British debut at Custom House in 1970. He looked good then!

[steve roberts]

6 hours ago, chunky said:

I was there for his British debut at Custom House in 1970. He looked good then!

I always remember that he was possibly one ride away from winning the 1972 World Final at Wembley when he scored 11 points from four rides but failed to score a point in one of his heats and eventually finishing equal fourth overal with fellow debutant John Louis.

[Sidney the robin]

30 minutes ago, steve roberts said:

I always remember that he was possibly one ride away from winning the 1972 World Final at Wembley when he scored 11 points from four rides but failed to score a point in one of his heats and eventually finishing equal fourth overal with fellow debutant John Louis.

I did see Christer's son Denis ride a few times quite a useful rider.In 1972 the final was a real eventful one Briggs beating Mauger then crashing out of the meeting in his second ride.Olsen taking a uncharacteristic fall ruining his chances Loftqvist was very entertaining that night would Briggo have won it? my heart says so.

[steve roberts]

5 minutes ago, Sidney the robin said:

I did see Christer's son Denis ride a few times quite a useful rider.In 1972 the final was a real eventful one Briggs beating Mauger then crashing out of the meeting in his second ride.Olsen taking a uncharacteristic fall ruining his chances Loftqvist was very entertaining that night would Briggo have won it? my heart says so.

Yes, Sid, the 1972 Final was full of drama and incident. I remember watching Dennis on numerous occasions...showed some promise, I thought, but drifted away from the British scene all too soon.

[Sidney the robin]

4 minutes ago, steve roberts said:

Yes, Sid, the 1972 Final was full of drama and incident. I remember watching Dennis on numerous occasions...showed some promise, I thought, but drifted away from the British scene all too soon.

Always difficult for a son to follow in there dads footsteps Tony Briggs and Robert Craven come to mind.Chris Louis made a good job of it though a classy rider that period produced Screen, Havvy, Chris, Mark,.

[steve roberts]

1 minute ago, Sidney the robin said:

Always difficult for a son to follow in there dads footsteps Tony Briggs and Robert Craven come to mind.Chris Louis made a good job of it though a classy rider that period produced Screen, Havvy, Chris, Mark,.

Remember that Robert rode a number of times during Swindon second halves? Kym Mauger was another who struggled in Britain (apparently he had a trial at Oxford behind closed doors) but went on to win the NZ Longtrack title if I recall?

[Sidney the robin]

6 minutes ago, steve roberts said:

Remember that Robert rode a number of times during Swindon second halves? Kym Mauger was another who struggled in Britain (apparently he had a trial at Oxford behind closed doors) but went on to win the NZ Longtrack title if I recall?

Yes see quite a bit of Robert he did show promise remember seeing him ride once with a then trialling Steve Regelling.Steve unfortunately broke a leg but he went on to have a terrific career.Swindon at one time always had triallists remember Robert Henry,John Williams,Louis Carr all have numerous spins at the Abbey.That competition really helped in the development of Malcolm Holloway who came through in the Kevin Young, Kevin Pope, Richard Evans era.

Edited July 12, 2020 by Sidney the robin

[steve roberts]

6 minutes ago, Sidney the robin said:

Yes see quite a bit of Robert he did show promise remember seeing him ride once with a then trialling Steve Regelling.Steve unfortunately broke a leg but he went on to have a terrific career.Swindon at one time always had triallists remember Robert Henry,John Williams,Louis Carr all have numerous spins at the Abbey.That competition really helped in the development of Malcolm Holloway who came through in the Kevin Young, Kevin Pope, Richard Evans era.

Swindon always had decent second halves (as did Oxford) in those days with an abundant of talent on show. Personally I used to enjoy the old second halves and thought it a good system bringing on riders and enabling them to 'mix it' with established team members.

[BobC]

All this talk of Christer Lofqvist reminds me that he is my ALL TIME favourite rider. Fabulous rider both on and off the track. He finished 4th in the World Final 1972 on Saturday, yet at Poole on the Wednesday, he was our reserve, v Belle Vue! Remember the old system of supplementary reserve, based on the riders last 6 matches?

Pete Smith has been mentioned before on this thread, but surely, 1962 to 1977 unbroken sequence for his one and only one club has to be right up there? Others may have been at their clubs longer,but not particularly their only club? Pete did a few guest bookings for non League Rye House Roosters, but it still remains a remarkable achievement, the likes of which we probably wont ever see again.

[Sidney the robin]

2 minutes ago, steve roberts said:

Swindon always had decent second halves (as did Oxford) in those days with an abundant of talent on show. Personally I used to enjoy the old second halves and thought it a good system bringing on riders and enabling them to 'mix it' with established team members.

Yes the reserves scurry was a real way of pushing a rider on it did work and as you said Oxford/ Swindon did it very well.Swindon, produced Holloway, Rossiter,Smart,( 3) Chessell, ( 2) Broadbank, Hewlett ( bless him never forget that tragic night he was making great strides in his young career (etc).

[Sidney the robin]

12 minutes ago, BobC said:

All this talk of Christer Lofqvist reminds me that he is my ALL TIME favourite rider. Fabulous rider both on and off the track. He finished 4th in the World Final 1972 on Saturday, yet at Poole on the Wednesday, he was our reserve, v Belle Vue! Remember the old system of supplementary reserve, based on the riders last 6 matches?

Pete Smith has been mentioned before on this thread, but surely, 1962 to 1977 unbroken sequence for his one and only one club has to be right up there? Others may have been at their clubs longer,but not particularly their only club? Pete did a few guest bookings for non League Rye House Roosters, but it still remains a remarkable achievement, the likes of which we probably wont ever see again.

Bob yes Smithy is up there with Barry Thomas as one of the most entertaining riders i see over the years.I loved clubs who pushed continuity through that reasoning give me a chance to see the likes of Hitch, Duke, Keen, over a long period. None of them superstars but they are our bread and butter riders of our sport your great club had Smith, Lewis, Middlo senior and son ) as great role models.

[Sidney the robin]

22 minutes ago, BobC said:

All this talk of Christer Lofqvist reminds me that he is my ALL TIME favourite rider. Fabulous rider both on and off the track. He finished 4th in the World Final 1972 on Saturday, yet at Poole on the Wednesday, he was our reserve, v Belle Vue! Remember the old system of supplementary reserve, based on the riders last 6 matches?

Pete Smith has been mentioned before on this thread, but surely, 1962 to 1977 unbroken sequence for his one and only one club has to be right up there? Others may have been at their clubs longer,but not particularly their only club? Pete did a few guest bookings for non League Rye House Roosters, but it still remains a remarkable achievement, the likes of which we probably wont ever see again.

20 th September 1972 Bob, unbelievable Christer rode at number seven that night against Belle Vue he scored paid 14, from seven outings.The first occasion that i went to Poole was in 1974 v the classy Exeter side never forget it an exciting evening.Loved the racing the atmosphere and what a week's holiday that was a beautiful part of the country two nights speedway thrown in as well Poole and got back for the Abbey on a Saturday.