norbold Posted September 26, 2020 Report Share Posted September 26, 2020 1 hour ago, Sidney the robin said: Did Gote start in the old provincial league Norbold??? was it a huge leap to ride in the top league.?? Always puzzled me that Eric Boocock said he was never phased by moving up with the top boys took it in his stride he said he learned loads by traveling with Nigel and learning the ropes. No. His started his British career with Wimbledon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OveFundinFan Posted September 26, 2020 Report Share Posted September 26, 2020 1 hour ago, Sidney the robin said: Did Gote start in the old provincial league Norbold??? was it a huge leap to ride in the top league.?? Always puzzled me that Eric Boocock said he was never phased by moving up with the top boys took it in his stride he said he learned loads by traveling with Nigel and learning the ropes. Gote came 3rd in the first post war World Final away from Wembley, 1961, Malmo,Sweden. First two rides he beaten by Ronnie Moore, then Ron How, then in his last race he was the only one to beat Fundin. He had a season at Belle Vue in1960, then during the 60’s he rode for various. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chunky Posted September 26, 2020 Report Share Posted September 26, 2020 1 hour ago, norbold said: Mauger's only rival really was Ole Olsen and Olsen managed to get three World Titles during the period of their rivalry, so certainly not outclassed by Mauger. i think that's a little harsh on PC. I know he only ended with the one World Title, but he could/should have had one of Mauger's titles in 77, and one of Olsen's in 75. 2 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
customhouseregular Posted September 26, 2020 Report Share Posted September 26, 2020 2 hours ago, norbold said: Of course you are right, E I. Rocky Marciano was very lucky to become world champion in the first place. Jersey Joe Walcott outboxed him easily for 13 rounds and then just one sucker punch and he was out. As for speedway, yes I absolutely agree with everything you have said and I agree that we could now be talking about Bjorn Knutson being the greatest rider ever (even better than Tom Farndon!) if he hadn't retired so early. I had the privilege of seeing him every week at West Ham and he was definitely the classiest rider I have ever seen. He could beat anybody and frequently did. I also saw Sverre every week as well and, good as he undoubtedly was, I don't think he was ever quite in that "super" class of Fundin, Briggs, Knutson, etc. Mauger's only rival really was Ole Olsen and Olsen managed to get three World Titles during the period of their rivalry, so certainly not outclassed by Mauger. Bjorn, Sverre and Gote...what class acts. Gote was my favourite non- Hammer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ovalman Posted September 26, 2020 Report Share Posted September 26, 2020 When New Cross closed and PC was tragically killed in 1963, a bad year, we started following Knutson at Wet Spam. Great rider. Perhaps Ove was early 60s master, Briggo mid 60s, Mauger late 60s. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sidney the robin Posted September 26, 2020 Author Report Share Posted September 26, 2020 4 hours ago, auntie doris said: When New Cross closed and PC was tragically killed in 1963, a bad year, we started following Knutson at Wet Spam. Great rider. Perhaps Ove was early 60s master, Briggo mid 60s, Mauger late 60s. Wet Spam really ?? hope you are well Doris . 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HenryW Posted September 27, 2020 Report Share Posted September 27, 2020 15 hours ago, E I Addio said: Jason Crump had the misfortune to be around at the time of a truly great rider- Rickardson- at his prime. If Rickardson had not been there Crump would likely have had six World titles and we would be ranking him alongside the absolute all time cream of riders. There is no doubt in my mind that there have been very few riders in the history of the sport with Crumps talent but he just happened to be around at the time of Rickardson. It's hard to know what would have happened if someone didn't exist... Don't get me wrong, TRICK WAS an absolute legend of the sport, but you seem to be forgetting another great that was there at the same time as Jason. Why didn't Jason win the World title in 2003? He finished 17 points ahead of Tony that year. Why didn't Jason win the World title in 2007? Tony had retired! Why didn't Jason win the World title in 2008? Tony was still retired! 6 times champ was there for Jason if there hadn't been someone better than him...Nicki Pedersen. Don't get me wrong...Absolute respect for Jason. Great rider. Great Champion...But he could have had that 6 world titles alongside Tony, but there was a Dane who was better in those years. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sidney the robin Posted September 27, 2020 Author Report Share Posted September 27, 2020 5 hours ago, HenryW said: It's hard to know what would have happened if someone didn't exist... Don't get me wrong, TRICK WAS an absolute legend of the sport, but you seem to be forgetting another great that was there at the same time as Jason. Why didn't Jason win the World title in 2003? He finished 17 points ahead of Tony that year. Why didn't Jason win the World title in 2007? Tony had retired! Why didn't Jason win the World title in 2008? Tony was still retired! 6 times champ was there for Jason if there hadn't been someone better than him...Nicki Pedersen. Don't get me wrong...Absolute respect for Jason. Great rider. Great Champion...But he could have had that 6 world titles alongside Tony, but there was a Dane who was better in those years. What order Henry W ???? Ricko, Jason, Greg, Tomasz,Nicki,... Greg and Nicki would be certainly fourth and fifth for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry Posted September 27, 2020 Report Share Posted September 27, 2020 2 hours ago, Sidney the robin said: What order Henry W ???? Ricko, Jason, Greg, Tomasz,Nicki,... Greg and Nicki would be certainly fourth and fifth for me. Sidney, could you really have a 1× champion ahead of a 4× champion? Obviously if you're talking excitement Gollob is way ahead of Hancock...But by that criteria I'd have Loram ahead of everybody! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sidney the robin Posted September 27, 2020 Author Report Share Posted September 27, 2020 5 hours ago, Terry said: Sidney, could you really have a 1× champion ahead of a 4× champion? Obviously if you're talking excitement Gollob is way ahead of Hancock...But by that criteria I'd have Loram ahead of everybody! Yes Mate Loram was classy could not gate for Toffee what a r ridrer Remember Mark as a mascot at Hackney With Thommo,loved Mark great rider, 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry Posted September 27, 2020 Report Share Posted September 27, 2020 1 hour ago, Sidney the robin said: Yes Mate Loram was classy could not gate for Toffee what a r ridrer Remember Mark as a mascot at Hackney With Thommo,loved Mark great rider, Mark was such a down to earth bloke, everybody liked him, fans, fellow riders. He never changed from that 15 year old mascot having after meeting rides in 86 til the day he retired. (Such a shame it wasn't on his terms.) I remember the 75th anniversary meeting at Rye House. He and Ove Fundin had a match race with Mark on an old bike and Ove on a modern machine - just like Jack Parker and Simmo at Hackney in 78. Ove led until the last corner before suffering an engine failure. Mark didn't take part in the meeting so he was chatting away with fans in the bar, and I was chuffed when he told me he remembered me from the Saturday afternoon training schools which I used to help out at...As I said, a great bloke. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
norbold Posted September 27, 2020 Report Share Posted September 27, 2020 (edited) On 9/27/2020 at 7:36 PM, Terry said: Mark was such a down to earth bloke, everybody liked him, fans, fellow riders....a great bloke. About a month or so after my book, Speedway in London, came out, I looked in on Sportspages (a specialist sports book shop) In Charing Cross Road to see how it was selling. They told me that it was going quite well and that Mark Loram had been in and signed all the copies they had, which had helped sales. I had no idea he had done this. We never spoke about it, he just did it. I thought, as Terry said, what a great bloke. There was nothing in it for him; it just helped me. Edited November 21, 2020 by norbold 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
customhouseregular Posted September 28, 2020 Report Share Posted September 28, 2020 I never saw Crump or Rickardsson ride, saw Fundin at the end of his career ( saw his 5th. title win ), was never a fan of Mauger but always rated and enjoyed seeing Briggs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve roberts Posted September 28, 2020 Report Share Posted September 28, 2020 1 hour ago, customhouseregular said: I never saw Crump or Rickardsson ride, saw Fundin at the end of his career ( saw his 5th. title win ), was never a fan of Mauger but always rated and enjoyed seeing Briggs. I was never a fan of Rickardsson if I'm honest. Mauger would always top my list although beneath him the list would vary depending on the day of the week! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chunky Posted September 28, 2020 Report Share Posted September 28, 2020 4 hours ago, steve roberts said: I was never a fan of Rickardsson if I'm honest. Mauger would always top my list although beneath him the list would vary depending on the day of the week! You don't have to be "a fan" of someone to fully appreciate their ability. Most of us were never Mauger fans!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve roberts Posted September 28, 2020 Report Share Posted September 28, 2020 1 hour ago, chunky said: You don't have to be "a fan" of someone to fully appreciate their ability. Most of us were never Mauger fans!!! ...but I admired Mauger and his ability to get the best out of his team mates. Exeter were never favourites on paper to win the League in 1974 but with Ivan's influence on and off the track they managed to do so. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chunky Posted September 28, 2020 Report Share Posted September 28, 2020 (edited) 40 minutes ago, steve roberts said: ...but I admired Mauger and his ability to get the best out of his team mates. Exeter were never favourites on paper to win the League in 1974 but with Ivan's influence on and off the track they managed to do so. That's the thing; we all hated Mauger (and Olsen, for that matter), but we did have a grudging admiration for them. You really can't dispute the effect they had on their teams and team-mates. Edited September 28, 2020 by chunky 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
waiheke1 Posted September 28, 2020 Report Share Posted September 28, 2020 On 9/27/2020 at 9:09 PM, Sidney the robin said: What order Henry W ???? Ricko, Jason, Greg, Tomasz,Nicki,... Greg and Nicki would be certainly fourth and fifth for me. T rick, crump, greg, nicki, tomasz. Maybe you could argue for nicki ahead of greg, otherwise clear cut imo. Tomasz ahead of nicki would be less justified than having PC ahead of Olsen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chunky Posted September 28, 2020 Report Share Posted September 28, 2020 I know Rickardsson had twice Crump's final total, but I wouldn't separate them by too much. However, it's hard to argue with that order. Of course, there are those on here who will... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
norbold Posted September 28, 2020 Report Share Posted September 28, 2020 20 minutes ago, chunky said: I know Rickardsson had twice Crump's final total, but I wouldn't separate them by too much. However, it's hard to argue with that order. Of course, there are those on here who will... Just to keep you happy, I'd argue with it. I'd put Nicki ahead of Greg! 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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