Issue 103 - Ray Wilson, John Berry, Rayleigh v Romford, Brian Larner, Dews Trophy, Olle Nygren, etc

[TonyMac]

ISSUE 103 (MARCH – APRIL, 2021)

Issue 103 of Backtrack is out now and here's a small taste of the feast of nostalgia inside . . .

RAY WILSON – Life & Times
Almost 50 years since ‘World Cup Willy’ made history in Wroclaw, ROB PEASLEY recalls the highs and lows of the England and Leicester legend who began his illustrious career with Long Eaton and ended it with Birmingham. In between, the 1973 British Champion captained his country to their greatest triumphs at Wembley and beyond.

 

ON THE BOSSES – John Berry

Talented, controversial, complex, intense and driven but enormously respected, the notoriously private John Berry bared his soul in a couple of post-retirement books. Our columnist MARTIN ROGERS, another man of many words, was – at times – as closely associated with JB as any of their promoting contemporaries. 

 

BRIAN LARNER – exclusive interview
After years of unprecedented success with Newcastle and signing the world’s greatest-ever rider for ambitious Hull, BRIAN LARNER’s promoting career and his high profile partnership with Ian Thomas ended in acrimony. KEITH McGHIE has the inside story on a Yorkshire character.

 

TRACK RIVALRIES: Rayleigh v Romford
With fresh insights from Terry Stone, Bob Coles and Geoff Maloney, ROB PEASLEY reflects on all 17 matches raced at The Weir and Brooklands, spanning three seasons, between these county neighbours and intense rivals. A six-page special on the original Essex Boys.

 

BIG NIGHTS: Dews Trophy
Reviewing British speedway's most prestigious individual meetings, PHIL CHARD heads to Halifax for a close look at the long-running Shay classic over six pages. Previous Dews Trophy winners include: Eric Boocock, Ole Olsen, Phil Crump (who once beat five Dukes in one bizarre race!), Graham Plant, Dave Jessup, Alan Wilkinson, Ian Cartwright, Kenny Carter and John Louis.

 

Plus a two-page interview with Booey, the Halifax legend and twice Dews Trophy winner .

 

THE NUMBERS GAME – race formula study (part 2)
After examining the varied formulae used in domestic UK league racing in our last issue, this time DOUG NICOLSON looks at international and other British competitions, including three and four-team tournaments, plus best pairs.

 

OLLE NYGREN – Tribute

OLLE NYGREN had been fighting throat cancer for more than six months when he died in Ipswich Hospital on February 13, 2021, aged 91. MARTIN ROGERS, the last promoter to sign the Swedish legend, reflects on the life and times of an extraordinary character whose enduring career wound down in the Backtrack era with spells at West Ham, Ipswich, King’s Lynn and Coventry. This four-page tribute also acknowledges Olle’s talent-spotting skills, including his introduction of Hammers favourite Christer Lofqvist.

 

THAT NAME RINGS A BELL: Hackney

Whatever became of them, all the ex-riders who had second-half races, junior matches or interval spins in the 70s and early 80s at . . . HACKNEY? In this memory-jogger, we list all those budding one-time Waterden Road hopefuls, including Tony Davey (yes, the one who slipped away to Ipswich), Allan Emmett, Geoff Maloney, Dave ‘Tiger’ Beech, Les ‘Red’ Ott, Dave Kennett, Ted Hubbard, Barney Kennett, Steve Lomas, Dave Morton, Bob Garrad, Karl Fiala, Ashley Pullen, Kevin Smith and four members of the Barclay family.

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Edited April 16, 2021 by TonyMac

[steve roberts]

Enjoyed reading the interview with Brian Larner...tells a slightly different story to Ian Thomas as regards their parting of ways.

[martinmauger]

As above (belatedly) I always enjoy reading Backtrack over and over (!), and very good to hear from Brain Larner, much more has been heard of and from Ian Thomas.  Shame their partnership & friendship ended with moving Newcastle into the top league, both realsied on reflection it was a mistake, you can't win 'em all but they had a lot of success in speedway....