Sidney the robin Posted July 13, 2020 Report Share Posted July 13, 2020 I was going through some of my programmes the other night and i was thinking the Belle Vue 1972 team and the Cradley 1983 team were the best teams that i ever saw.Adams made a superb decision in signing Peter Ravn which at the time looked a uninspiring signing he just improved out of recognition in 83.I just favour the Aces side though was Ken Eyre the weak link ?? he played his part though and came through the Dent Oliver production line. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve roberts Posted July 13, 2020 Report Share Posted July 13, 2020 1 hour ago, Sidney the robin said: I was going through some of my programmes the other night and i was thinking the Belle Vue 1972 team and the Cradley 1983 team were the best teams that i ever saw.Adams made a superb decision in signing Peter Ravn which at the time looked a uninspiring signing he just improved out of recognition in 83.I just favour the Aces side though was Ken Eyre the weak link ?? he played his part though and came through the Dent Oliver production line. I'd always go with the "Aces" of 1972...my first year going to speedway. Also what has to be admired was that the Belle Vue team was basically home grown except for Ivan of course. Soren Sjosten, despite being Swedish, was brought up at Hyde Road and spent many successful years there until moving on in 1976 when his career started to go downhill quite quickly due to off track issues. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sidney the robin Posted July 13, 2020 Author Report Share Posted July 13, 2020 51 minutes ago, steve roberts said: I'd always go with the "Aces" of 1972...my first year going to speedway. Also what has to be admired was that the Belle Vue team was basically home grown except for Ivan of course. Soren Sjosten, despite being Swedish, was brought up at Hyde Road and spent many successful years there until moving on in 1976 when his career started to go downhill quite quickly due to off track issues. Mauger. Wilko, Sjosten, Collins, Pusey, Broadbelt, Eyre some line up that Steve god what a top six. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted July 13, 2020 Report Share Posted July 13, 2020 (edited) Fair do's but the '83 Heathens didn't have a weak link at all once they'd signed Ravn. Erik Gundersen, Simon Wigg, Lance King, Alan Grahame, Phil Collins, Peter Ravn and Jan O Pedersen. More like five heat leaders and two second strings! Forgot to mention, nearly bankrupted the Heathens Promoters though, as they were paying out a fortune in wages... Edited July 13, 2020 by Guest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sidney the robin Posted July 13, 2020 Author Report Share Posted July 13, 2020 1 hour ago, prodons said: Fair do's but the '83 Heathens didn't have a weak link at all once they'd signed Ravn. Erik Gundersen, Simon Wigg, Lance King, Alan Grahame, Phil Collins, Peter Ravn and Jan O Pedersen. More like five heat leaders and two second strings! Forgot to mention, nearly bankrupted the Heathens Promoters though, as they were paying out a fortune in wages... Remember going to a double header at Cradley in 1983 the Budgies were murdered 60-18 and the Aces went down 55.- 23. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sotonian Posted July 13, 2020 Report Share Posted July 13, 2020 I can't remember when fixed gate positions came in but if they were in effect in 83 then it's Cradley for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grachan Posted July 13, 2020 Report Share Posted July 13, 2020 Solid as Belle Vue were, nothing can top the riders in the Cradley team. Broadbelt, Wilkinson, Eyre, Pusey - not in the same class as anyone in the Cradley team. Just look what every member of Cradley achieved in their careers. Gundersen - 3 times World Champion Wigg - British Champion /World Long Track Champion King - World Number 3 Grahame - British final runner-up, 5 points from 2 rides in a World Final Collins - Overseas Champion Ravn - starred for Denmark in World Team Cup final Pedersen - World Champion Not bad for a side supposedly weakened by the loss of the previous year's number one. And Phil Crump got a maximum against them! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sidney the robin Posted July 13, 2020 Author Report Share Posted July 13, 2020 2 minutes ago, Grachan said: Solid as Belle Vue were, nothing can top the riders in the Cradley team. Broadbelt, Wilkinson, Eyre, Pusey - not in the same class as anyone in the Cradley team. Just look what every member of Cradley achieved in their careers. Gundersen - 3 times World Champion Wigg - British Champion /World Long Track Champion King - World Number 3 Grahame - British final runner-up, 5 points from 2 rides in a World Final Collins - Overseas Champion Ravn - starred for Denmark in World Team Cup final Pedersen - World Champion Not bad for a side supposedly weakened by the loss of the previous year's number one. And Phil Crump got a maximum against them! Maybe there is a wee bit of bias there Grachan? we are talking 1983 here. Mauger, Sjosten,Collins for me as heat leaders easily stack up against Erik, Wiggy,King.I will say the Collins / Grahame partnership were awesome but Pusey at his best was a genuine second heat leader in most teams.Yes Eyre was a weak link but he was still a valuable team member for me King/ Collins/ Wigg / Grahame were never real number one riders Mauger/Sjosten/ Collins were. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
one of clubs Posted July 13, 2020 Report Share Posted July 13, 2020 In 1983 the season started promisingly for the then champions in going to Cradley in early 1983, and winning in the first leg of the Premiership curtain raiser thingy. We lost the second home leg but won the trophy on aggregate after a blanket finish heat, amongst others. It was not an omen of good things to come. For me personally Cradley's team were the best i ever saw purely because i do not remember the triple crown winning BV side of 70-72, as i was too young then. Cradley came to Hyde Road later in the 1983 season and hammered BV 29-49, they did not have a weak link anywhere in that super team. Every Heathen had an average of over seven, from a maximum of twelve, which is some going. My head as i have said says Cradley but my heart says BV. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grachan Posted July 13, 2020 Report Share Posted July 13, 2020 1 minute ago, Sidney the robin said: Maybe there is a wee bit of bias there Grachan? we are talking 1983 here. Mauger, Sjosten,Collins for me as heat leaders easily stack up against Erik, Wiggy,King.I will say the Collins / Grahame partnership were awesome but Pusey at his best was a genuine second heat leader in most teams.Yes Eyre was a weak link but he was still a valuable team member for me King/ Collins/ Wigg / Grahame were never real number one riders Mauger/Sjosten/ Collins were. Pusey was a good rider. I'd say he was probably of similar standard to Bob Kilby or someone like that. Great team man but not quite there in terms of international success. All of the Cradley team achieved a high standard at World level, which is remarkable really. Ok, it wasn't all in 1983, but the pedigree is there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sidney the robin Posted July 13, 2020 Author Report Share Posted July 13, 2020 Just now, Grachan said: Pusey was a good rider. I'd say he was probably of similar standard to Bob Kilby or someone like that. Great team man but not quite there in terms of international success. All of the Cradley team achieved a high standard at World level, which is remarkable really. Ok, it wasn't all in 1983, but the pedigree is there. Pusey underachieved really some of the reasons why have been well documented in recent years.Bob for me was a terrific rider think he could of been world class he was only just below that his figures at Exeter show that he was capable of beating anybody.Yes that Cradley side was something else Ravn was the joker in the pack really stepped up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grachan Posted July 13, 2020 Report Share Posted July 13, 2020 1 minute ago, Sidney the robin said: Pusey underachieved really some of the reasons why have been well documented in recent years.Bob for me was a terrific rider think he could of been world class he was only just below that his figures at Exeter show that he was capable of beating anybody.Yes that Cradley side was something else Ravn was the joker in the pack really stepped up. Wigg, of course, only moved up from Weymouth that year, so he, too, was something of a sensation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sidney the robin Posted July 13, 2020 Author Report Share Posted July 13, 2020 Just now, Grachan said: Wigg, of course, only moved up from Weymouth that year, so he, too, was something of a sensation. Yes reached a British Final as a NL rider, Jan O was the one that surprised me never thought he would be a world champion of the future.For his peak years Jan O was one exciting rider to watch terrific from the back a great racer. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve roberts Posted July 13, 2020 Report Share Posted July 13, 2020 37 minutes ago, Sotonian said: I can't remember when fixed gate positions came in but if they were in effect in 83 then it's Cradley for me. I thnk that it was 1988? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve roberts Posted July 13, 2020 Report Share Posted July 13, 2020 (edited) 17 minutes ago, Sidney the robin said: Pusey underachieved really some of the reasons why have been well documented in recent years.Bob for me was a terrific rider think he could of been world class he was only just below that his figures at Exeter show that he was capable of beating anybody.Yes that Cradley side was something else Ravn was the joker in the pack really stepped up. Chris was going great guns in 1973 (ten plus avearge) but a badly broken arm he recieved in Poland (?) finished his season. He never reached those same heights again and eventually moved to Halifax. Badly effected by great mate Alan Wilkinson's injury and he later developed an alcohol problem but I think that was after he finished riding. Died far too young. Personally I was always suspicious of Peter Ravn's antics on track on occasions. Remember one in particular during an Intercontinental Final when he failed to leave the track after a mechanical breakdown which resulted in Neil Evitts collecting him on the next lap. Edited July 13, 2020 by steve roberts Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grachan Posted July 13, 2020 Report Share Posted July 13, 2020 5 minutes ago, steve roberts said: Chris was going great guns in 1973 (ten plus avearge) but a badly broken arm he recieved in Poland (?) finished his season. He never reached those same heights again and eventually moved to Halifax. Badly effected by great mate Alan Wilkinson's injury and he later developed an alcohol problem but I think that was after he finished riding. Died far too young. Also sold his soul to the Sunday People in the fixing scandal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sidney the robin Posted July 13, 2020 Author Report Share Posted July 13, 2020 1 minute ago, steve roberts said: Chris was going great guns in 1973 (ten plus avearge) but a badly broken arm he recieved in Poland (?) finished his season. He never reached those same heights again and eventually moved to Halifax. Badly effected by great mate Alan Wilkinson's injury and he later developed an alcohol problem but I think that was after he finished riding. Died far too young. He was also very good in Aussie and he really was a top class grasstracker as well.Never really enjoyed his Halifax career remember Chris scoring a 15 point maximum at the Abbey one year and year or two later scoring 0.I remember his Polka leathers a real talent I believe he also had a nightmare spell with Weymouth. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve roberts Posted July 13, 2020 Report Share Posted July 13, 2020 Just now, Sidney the robin said: He was also very good in Aussie and he really was a top class grasstracker as well.Never really enjoyed his Halifax career remember Chris scoring a 15 point maximum at the Abbey one year and year or two later scoring 0.I remember his Polka leathers a real talent I believe he also had a nightmare spell with Weymouth. On one memorable night he scored paid 14 points at Cowley with Weymouth but generally he wasn't a success on the south coast. A great thrill merchant in his day and I know that it irked his brother Geoff that Chris' name wasn't mention during a Belle Vue reunion some years ago. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve roberts Posted July 13, 2020 Report Share Posted July 13, 2020 (edited) 16 minutes ago, Grachan said: Also sold his soul to the Sunday People in the fixing scandal. Don't recall that one? Was he part of the Jiri Stancl conspiracy which 'allegedly' enabled Bruce Penhall to win an important race untroubled? Apparently Martin Rogers may well touch upon the Sunday People article after I put a question to him in an edition of "Backtrack" a couple of years ago. Edited July 13, 2020 by steve roberts Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sidney the robin Posted July 13, 2020 Author Report Share Posted July 13, 2020 1 minute ago, steve roberts said: On one memorable night he scored paid 14 points at Cowley with Weymouth but generally he wasn't a success on the south coast. A great thrill merchant in his day and I know that it irked his brother Geoff that Chris' name wasn't mention during a Belle Vue reunion some years ago. Yes a real shame that and you have to ask yourself were Chris, PC, Mort treated shabbily by Belle Vue in later years. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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