Michael Lee - 40 years on from becoming World champion

[Bunce]

When Michael won the World Championship, I was on holiday in Spain. Desperate to know the result, (in the days before mobile phones and the internet), I decided to place a phone call from my Spanish hotel reception to my Dad who was keeping an eye on the result in the newspaper. When he read me the result over the phone, I leapt out of the phone booth shouting  Yes..yes...yes! The spanish girl on reception must have thought I was mad! Great days and such a talent on a bike. One wonders just what would have happened, had he really applied his skill to the sport.

[Sidney the robin]

2 hours ago, g13webb said:

Sydney,  ,I cant comment  on the Moran clash, but  was in the know in regard the the Kennett challenge.   It had been planned that Michael was to ride in the first Moto-cross  meeting after his father had acquired the reigns of ELSWORTH Moto-Park. Michael  had  cancelled  lucrative meeting abroad just to be free to ride for his father  as a promotion.    Believing,  Lee was free,  the Speedway board  instructed him to race against Kennett  that same weekend .   Michael explained it  was not possible as he was booked elsewhere, but they wouldn't recognise moto-cross meeting as a  excuse and wouldn't take no for an answer.   All arrangements were put in place believing Lee would change his mind and ride both home and away legs.    

However,  After winning the home leg 2-0  on the Saturday night, Michael gave the Helmut to Kennett to take home with him, telling him he would not be there for the return leg, because as he had promised he would be  at the Elsworth meeting . So one has to believe that Eastbourne were aware that Lee was not going to  race there.   They could have let the fans know, had they wanted to be up front..... 

This whole sorry episode could and should have been avoided.    The governing Powers should have been more understanding instead  of taking  a high handed approach, and no doubt Lee should have made the situation more public,  but he was always of the impression that he was victimised.  This will be remembered as  just another notch  that killed some interest we supporters had    At the end of the day it was the fans who missed out again ...       

Great post he was victimised no doubts about that and the referee Eglese was a total disgrace in the Kings Lynn v Poole incident in 1984.All the riders involved in that incident all wrote letters to the control board but there was no budging them they had a agenda.Look we all know Mike was no angel but he was a marked man the disgraceful decision to stop Mike riding in the 1984 British Final after his ban was reduced was scandalous.But you know what, as you said the paying speedway public were punished and robbed of seeing this unique talent perform.

Edited September 25, 2020 by Sidney the robin

[racers and royals]

19 minutes ago, Sidney the robin said:

Great post he was victimised no doubts about that and the referee Aglese was a total disgrace in the Kings Lynn v Poole incident in 1984.All the riders involved in that incident all wrote letters to the control board but there was no budging them they had a agenda.Look we all know Mike was no angel but he was a marked man the disgraceful decision to stop Mike riding in the 1984 British Final after his ban was reduced was scandalous.But you know what as you said the paying speedway public were punished and robbed of seeing this unique talent perform.

I think the person was John Eglese.

[Sidney the robin]

37 minutes ago, racers and royals said:

I think the person was John Eglese.

Ah yes Royals god rest his soul but he was not a popular guy.

[g13webb]

3 hours ago, Sidney the robin said:

Great post he was victimised no doubts about that and the referee Eglese was a total disgrace in the Kings Lynn v Poole incident in 1984.All the riders involved in that incident all wrote letters to the control board but there was no budging them they had a agenda.Look we all know Mike was no angel but he was a marked man the disgraceful decision to stop Mike riding in the 1984 British Final after his ban was reduced was scandalous.But you know what, as you said the paying speedway public were punished and robbed of seeing this unique talent perform.

Totally agree with you Sydney,   That five year ban was a joke  aimed solely to stop him riding.    When his appeal was heard on the day of the British final ,    because the case was so fictitious, everyone assume it would be thrown out of court leaving him free to ride in the final that night.   Hundred of supporters travelled to Coventry believing he would ride only to be informed over the loudspeaker, that the BSPA then concocted another offence  against him with this time a 12 month ban instead of the five year one.   It was so obvious to each and everyone one of us that they were out to get him no matter what........

I can personally name 6 people who travelled to that British final that night   who, on hearing the announcement, packed up and went straight home, never to go to another speedway meeting again....

Since that day in question the belief of many Stars supporters have never been so keen as they were years gone by.        When somebody Like Michael Lee comes along to grace our sport, one would have thought the powers in charge would do everything in their power to use situation to elevate this sport to greater heights,   But it appeared these people were so jealous of his ability to enthral vast crowd they did their upmost to destroy him...   

Its no surprise, when thinking back 40 years, when we ruled the world,  and this sport was compared with football  , that we are now the poor relation when neither the fans nor the riders want to participate.  and how much blame can be proportioned to the people who made all those dreadful decisions....         

 

[Sidney the robin]

I think that decision to 

6 hours ago, g13webb said:

Totally agree with you Sydney,   That five year ban was a joke  aimed solely to stop him riding.    When his appeal was heard on the day of the British final ,    because the case was so fictitious, everyone assume it would be thrown out of court leaving him free to ride in the final that night.   Hundred of supporters travelled to Coventry believing he would ride only to be informed over the loudspeaker, that the BSPA then concocted another offence  against him with this time a 12 month ban instead of the five year one.   It was so obvious to each and everyone one of us that they were out to get him no matter what........

I can personally name 6 people who travelled to that British final that night   who, on hearing the announcement, packed up and went straight home, never to go to another speedway meeting again....

Since that day in question the belief of many Stars supporters have never been so keen as they were years gone by.        When somebody Like Michael Lee comes along to grace our sport, one would have thought the powers in charge would do everything in their power to use situation to elevate this sport to greater heights,   But it appeared these people were so jealous of his ability to enthral vast crowd they did their upmost to destroy him...   

Its no surprise, when thinking back 40 years, when we ruled the world,  and this sport was compared with football  , that we are now the poor relation when neither the fans nor the riders want to participate.  and how much blame can be proportioned to the people who made all those dreadful decisions....         

 

I would say Webby you were a massive supporter  ,  Ive never met Mike   he is certainly a guy i loved great natural.ability.Yust felt  Mike's record against Penhall.Nielsen Penhall.Carter says it all  what do think??

Edited September 26, 2020 by Sidney the robin

[steve roberts]

16 hours ago, g13webb said:

Sydney,  ,I cant comment  on the Moran clash, but  was in the know in regard the the Kennett challenge.   It had been planned that Michael was to ride in the first Moto-cross  meeting after his father had acquired the reigns of ELSWORTH Moto-Park. Michael  had  cancelled  lucrative meeting abroad just to be free to ride for his father  as a promotion.    Believing,  Lee was free,  the Speedway board  instructed him to race against Kennett  that same weekend .   Michael explained it  was not possible as he was booked elsewhere, but they wouldn't recognise moto-cross meeting as a  excuse and wouldn't take no for an answer.   All arrangements were put in place believing Lee would change his mind and ride both home and away legs.    

However,  After winning the home leg 2-0  on the Saturday night, Michael gave the Helmut to Kennett to take home with him, telling him he would not be there for the return leg, because as he had promised he would be  at the Elsworth meeting . So one has to believe that Eastbourne were aware that Lee was not going to  race there.   They could have let the fans know, had they wanted to be up front..... 

This whole sorry episode could and should have been avoided.    The governing Powers should have been more understanding instead  of taking  a high handed approach, and no doubt Lee should have made the situation more public,  but he was always of the impression that he was victimised.  This will be remembered as  just another notch  that killed some interest we supporters had    At the end of the day it was the fans who missed out again ...       

That's a very enlightening post...never knew the background details of Michael's non-appearance at Arlington.

[Sidney the robin]

2 hours ago, steve roberts said:

That's a very enlightening post...never knew the background details of Michael's non-appearance at Arlington.

Have to say  Steve i don't think any of us know  the full facts of Michael and his career.Remember him losing at Poole to Shawn Moran in the helmet engine problems and not turning up at Sheffield for the return the day after.He was such a perfectionist up all night trying to rectify the engine problems he never made it.Remember Eric Boocock being really angry with him on the Thursday and Booey was a big supporter of Mike.

[steve roberts]

Just now, Sidney the robin said:

Have to say  Steve i don't think any of us know  the full facts of Michael and his career.Remember him losing at Poole to Shawn Moran in the helmet engine problems and not turning up at Sheffield for the return the day after.He was such a perfectionist up all night trying to rectify the engine problems he never made it.Remember Eric Boocock being really angry with him on the Thursday and Booey was a big supporter of Mike.

I was just a wee bit surprised Sid that he didn't mention his Eastbourne mis-adventure in his book (unless I missed it?)

[Sidney the robin]

Just now, steve roberts said:

I was just a wee bit surprised Sid that he didn't mention his Eastbourne mis-adventure in his book (unless I missed it?)

Never heard that either Steve but to be 2.0 up and just give the helmet up says everything.Mike was usually true to his word he had promised to do the booking and honoured his commitment.As Grachan mentioned in another post Mike's demolition job on Phil Crump at the Abbey in the helmet was something else.

[sommelier]

On 9/12/2020 at 3:11 PM, WembleyLion said:

I have to agree a lot of what is being said about Michael on this thread.

He was brilliant at the age of 16 the like of which I have never seen in any other rider in 50 years.

In my view even the extremely talented Darcy Ward was well short of the level Michael was at as a teenager.

Eddie i agree with you, i have for years banging on the will NEVER be a 16 year old like Lee-until now. Damian Ratajczak.

I can only describe as sensational & ONLY 15 years of age!! IMO this is POTENTIALLY the next Gollob/Zmarzlik!

Another off the never ending Leszno production line

[WembleyLion]

11 hours ago, sommelier said:

Eddie i agree with you, i have for years banging on the will NEVER be a 16 year old like Lee-until now. Damian Ratajczak.

I can only describe as sensational & ONLY 15 years of age!! IMO this is POTENTIALLY the next Gollob/Zmarzlik!

Another off the never ending Leszno production line

Hi Marcus

I’m hearing good things about this young Pole and look forward to seeing him on track.

As I have said before Michael was a brilliant rider at the age of 16 mixing it comfortably with the big names of the day!

[racers and royals]

14 minutes ago, WembleyLion said:

Hi Marcus

I’m hearing good things about this young Pole and look forward to seeing him on track.

As I have said before Michael was a brilliant rider at the age of 16 mixing it comfortably with the big names of the day!

Eddie did you see the video on this thread ?  

 

[HenryW]

I'm wondering whether I am the only person that thinks that Lee wasted his own talent and all the excuses and claims of victimisation are just that....excuses.

What would the British speedway authorities have to gain from victimising a British World champ?

For me, the defining memory of him wasn't a world title win in 1980, it was his dummy spitting effort at Ipswich in the 1984 test match at Ipswich. The man couldn't accept the change to starting procedures and so spat the dummy and huffed off, got talked into coming back but did nothing other than pootle around acting like a victim...Pathetic. An absolute embarassment to his Nation that day and, if I remember rightly, on national live (or close to live) TV as well...

Personally, I just have him down as another one of the riders that disappeared from the top level when drug testing came in properly around that time...

[Bagpuss]

3 hours ago, HenryW said:

I'm wondering whether I am the only person that thinks that Lee wasted his own talent and all the excuses and claims of victimisation are just that....excuses.

What would the British speedway authorities have to gain from victimising a British World champ?

For me, the defining memory of him wasn't a world title win in 1980, it was his dummy spitting effort at Ipswich in the 1984 test match at Ipswich. The man couldn't accept the change to starting procedures and so spat the dummy and huffed off, got talked into coming back but did nothing other than pootle around acting like a victim...Pathetic. An absolute embarassment to his Nation that day and, if I remember rightly, on national live (or close to live) TV as well...

Personally, I just have him down as another one of the riders that disappeared from the top level when drug testing came in properly around that time...

I must say I feel that the majority of the blame must lay at his own door. I can’t remember which book (might be the Lynn 40th Anniversary one) but Martin Rogers has some really interesting insights into what Michael was like to employ in the early eighties and how his attitude and professionalism changed after winning the world title. I expect if the authorities were ‘out to get him’ it was probably as a result of him being a silly billy on one too many occasions and speaking and acting out rather than just getting on with his job and letting his scoring do the talking. 

He was arguably the most naturally talented rider ever seen but his attitude wasted it as he could and should have been a multi world champion without doubt. 

[Sidney the robin]

6 hours ago, HenryW said:

I'm wondering whether I am the only person that thinks that Lee wasted his own talent and all the excuses and claims of victimisation are just that....excuses.

What would the British speedway authorities have to gain from victimising a British World champ?

For me, the defining memory of him wasn't a world title win in 1980, it was his dummy spitting effort at Ipswich in the 1984 test match at Ipswich. The man couldn't accept the change to starting procedures and so spat the dummy and huffed off, got talked into coming back but did nothing other than pootle around acting like a victim...Pathetic. An absolute embarassment to his Nation that day and, if I remember rightly, on national live (or close to live) TV as well...

Personally, I just have him down as another one of the riders that disappeared from the top level when drug testing came in properly around that time...

I actually think you are way off the mark with this statement maybe Webby is the guy to ask he would know better than most.In my days of following Speedway and the people and  the riders i know and respect i can honestly say Michael is well respected in speedway circles.Yes he has made huge mistakes but he has held his hands up, Ipswich Henry Frank Ebdon made that meeting into a farce.Frank Ebdon was a disgrace the Mike Dean of speedway absolutely terrible for me he should of been sacked on the spot no idea how to keep a speedway meeting flowing.

[tellboy]

36 minutes ago, Sidney the robin said:

I actually think you are way off the mark with this statement maybe Webby is the guy to ask he would know better than most.In my days of following Speedway and the people and  the riders i know and respect i can honestly say Michael is well respected in speedway circles.Yes he has made huge mistakes but he has held his hands up, Ipswich Henry Frank Ebdon made that meeting into a farce.Frank Ebdon was a disgrace the Mike Dean of speedway absolutely terrible for me he should of been sacked on the spot no idea how to keep a speedway meeting flowing.

Different Frank Ebdon to what i remember.Didn't know how to keep a meeting flowing,he would be what fans want now he would get a meeting done and dusted in 75 minutes no problem.

[25yearfan]

Like I've said before one of the best naturally talented speedway riders I've ever seen in my time!

 

Yes he was made a scapegoat from 1984 onwards (the early 1984 incident at the King's Lynn V Poole meeting was blown out of all proportions!) but his lifestyle, attitude and punctuality particularly after his 1980 World title win were very poor which put him in a precarious position with officialdom and made him an easy target for disciplinary action.

 

King's Lynn in the Cyril Crane era bent over backwards for Michael Lee until the end of 1982 by which time they were glad to sell him, their previous golden boy, to Poole.

 

Michaels return to King's Lynn for short lived spells under the Martin Rogers promotion for stagnated parts of the 1985 and 86 seasons were again fraught by a complete lack of reliability due no doubt to an ever expanding drug problem. A lesser rider than Michael Lee would of not of been afforded the numerous chances Rogers gave him in 85 and 86, when even the laid back nature of the well spoken promotor was tested to the limit. A shame cause even at this stage in the mid 80's if Michael could of sorted himself out he looked still capable of returning to something near his previous best.

 

I always wonder how Michael Lees career and indeed the history of Mildenhall speedway would of turned out if the plans for Mildenhall to step up in to the British league in 1983 with Michael as number 1 at his original training track stomping ground had gone through? - I believe King's Lynn objected cause Mildenhalls very close to Lynn and no doubt had it happened with Lee as the Fen Tigers No 1 quite a few Saddlebow Road regulars may of defected over to West Row. - Would this move have settled Michael down and possibly cemented Mildenhalls place as a top flight track?

 

His last aborted comeback in 1991 saw Michael Lee as a pale shadow of his former self, while still competitive as a reserve, time and bad lifestyle choices had fully taken their toll by this stage. Even in 1991 his reputation went against him as he was picked for a random(!) alcohol and drugs test when he was a reserve in the 1991 Commonwealth final and was found to have traces of alcohol after apparently having a pint on route to the meeting when he thought he wouldn't be riding.

 

Again like I said before, Michael Lees a nice bloke who went of the rails through drugs use and through having so much ability he didn't appreciate what he had, but its wrong to lay the blame entirely on officialdom for his downfall. Yes by 1984 onwards the authorities were out to get him but he had put himself in that position to be shot at.  

Edited September 27, 2020 by 25yearfan

[Sidney the robin]

24 minutes ago, tellboy said:

Different Frank Ebdon to what i remember.Didn't know how to keep a meeting flowing,he would be what fans want now he would get a meeting done and dusted in 75 minutes no problem.

His way of running a meeting was holding the tapes for fun trying to catch the riders out.God knows how many riders burned there clutches out under his marshalling dreadful referee.

[HGould]

Michael (Lee) and Kenny (Carter) were precocious raw world Class talents.

I've often wondered why both, to various degrees fell by the way side and didn't maximise their talents.

One thing that some British Promoters of the time (some still around too) should be held accountable for as much as the Riders was the obsession with Americans and Danes in particular. It's something that clearly annoyed Carter and did Michael no favours either although both their Club Promoters were far more loyal to UK Riders than some others. Can't be easy to be hated and vilified in your own Country by supporters of some clubs who regularly abused Carter and Lee for being British. 

Fans of Cradley Heath, Wolverhampton, Coventry and to a degree my Club Birmingham certainly in the West Midlands being amongst the worst culprits.