Sidney the robin Posted August 21, 2021 Report Share Posted August 21, 2021 (edited) 5 hours ago, steve roberts said: Went to Cradley many times during the Nielsen era and more often that not we turned the "Cabbage Patch Kids" over! Not one of my favourite tracks I have to admit but it was always nice coming away with a win! I always felt it was a very difficult track to master the Grahame/Collins partnership had it down to a tea really.Erik, Cross, King, Schwartz, all got dialled into it always enjoyed my trips to Dudley.Remember in 1983 i went and the Heathens smashed Belle Vue/ The Budgies in a double header a massacre also if i remember rightly they did a lovely pork hog roast roll. Edited August 21, 2021 by Sidney the robin 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve roberts Posted August 21, 2021 Report Share Posted August 21, 2021 45 minutes ago, Sidney the robin said: I always felt it was a very difficult track to master the Grahame/Collins partnership had it down to a tea really.Erik, Cross, King, Schwartz, all got dialled into it always enjoyed my trips to Dudley.Remember in 1983 i went and the Heathens smashed Belle Vue/ The Budgies in a double header a massacre also if i remember rightly they did a lovely pork hog roast roll. ....remember the open to the elements toilets! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
E I Addio Posted August 21, 2021 Report Share Posted August 21, 2021 4 hours ago, norbold said: 1963 was a bad year for New Cross; the crowds were small and the atmosphere nothing like it had been. In 1960 and 1961 the atmosphere was great. I don't want to upset chr too much, but I think the atmosphere at New Cross was better than West Ham. Being such a small stadium with the crowds more compact into a smaller area made it one of the best. I think the problem with 1963 was that the New Cross crowds were used to seeing the best. They had always been a "First Division" team and, good as the likes of Jimmy Squibb and Reg Reeves were, they weren't Barry Briggs, Ronnie Moore and Ove Fundin. What made matters even worse was the early injury to Reg Reeves, leaving New Cross as a candidate for bottom of the league - the second league at that! - as they lost 12 out of 14 matches. The crowds drifted away and even those that were left couldn't get very enthusiastic. Looking back it’s surprising how quickly it all fell apart. To think that Briggs , Fundin etc were still there in 1961 and it was all over two years later. One of the great meetings I wish I had seen but didn’t, would be the 1961 Tom Farndon Trophy when the great Jack Young in the Twilight Of his career came back and worked his old magic and took the Trophy ahead of the Fundin , Briggs and Moore. Everything I’ve ever read about Jack Young makes me wish I had seen him at his best, so to get in my time machine to see him at New Cross would be killing two birds with one stone !  1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sidney the robin Posted August 21, 2021 Report Share Posted August 21, 2021 (edited) 1 hour ago, steve roberts said: ....remember the open to the elements toilets! No not really Steve ,,, i remember going when one of your favourite’s  Mike Sampson and mine i  really liked him  along with John Jackson , Joey Owen rode .He rode with Penhall and rode really well he certainly was a division 1 rider.Another Cradley visit v Swindon Cradley introduced a young Dane i think his name was Henry  Albert Klinge.? Edited August 21, 2021 by Sidney the robin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ovalman Posted August 21, 2021 Report Share Posted August 21, 2021 Wembley White City Harringay Hyde Road Exeter Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve roberts Posted August 21, 2021 Report Share Posted August 21, 2021 36 minutes ago, Sidney the robin said: No not really Steve ,,, i remember going when one of your favourite’s  Mike Sampson and mine i  really liked him  along with John Jackson , Joey Owen rode .He rode with Penhall and rode really well he certainly was a division 1 rider.Another Cradley visit v Swindon Cradley introduced a young Dane i think his name was Henry  Albert Klinge.? Yes Mike was one of my favourites also. I recall Albert Klinge and a Lars Inge Hultberg (1973?) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ch958 Posted August 21, 2021 Report Share Posted August 21, 2021 I could give you 5 where I wish I'd never bothered haha 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
customhouseregular Posted August 21, 2021 Report Share Posted August 21, 2021 2 hours ago, E I Addio said: Looking back it’s surprising how quickly it all fell apart. To think that Briggs , Fundin etc were still there in 1961 and it was all over two years later. One of the great meetings I wish I had seen but didn’t, would be the 1961 Tom Farndon Trophy when the great Jack Young in the Twilight Of his career came back and worked his old magic and took the Trophy ahead of the Fundin , Briggs and Moore. Everything I’ve ever read about Jack Young makes me wish I had seen him at his best, so to get in my time machine to see him at New Cross would be killing two birds with one stone !  Not upset at all as I never got to New Cross. I admit the vast Custom House stadium really needed a large crowd to generate atmosphere, but we put up with that as the track was brilliant and we had such great riders. I saw a couple of league meetings at Wembley in the 70’s... Zero atmosphere. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
customhouseregular Posted August 21, 2021 Report Share Posted August 21, 2021 51 minutes ago, ch958 said: I could give you 5 where I wish I'd never bothered haha I could give you 2... Newport Somerton Park and Glasgow White City, though not because of the stadia, tracks or the racing. More to do with problems with the home supporters. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve roberts Posted August 21, 2021 Report Share Posted August 21, 2021 16 minutes ago, customhouseregular said: I could give you 2... Newport Somerton Park and Glasgow White City, though not because of the stadia, tracks or the racing. More to do with problems with the home supporters. ...I could add Cradley and Wolves to that as some of their fans could be somewhat 'enthusiastic' to coin a phrase! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
old bob at herne bay Posted August 21, 2021 Report Share Posted August 21, 2021 Just to prove that there's nothing new under the sun ...... the demise of New Cross was started in my opinion when promoter Fred Mockford packed up after the "Control Board" refused to allow him to sign Olle Nygren in 1953. The speedway shut for 6 years ... .and although it re appeared briefly in for a few seasons in the late 50' early 60' then finally in 1963, the crowds had been lost and never returned in numbers. An early example of how the control board have supported British Speedway over the years !  1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sidney the robin Posted August 21, 2021 Report Share Posted August 21, 2021 (edited) 1 hour ago, steve roberts said: Yes Mike was one of my favourites also. I recall Albert Klinge and a Lars Inge Hultberg (1973?) Hultberg was very highly rated he really struggled , he reminded me of Bjorj  Klingberg  the swede at Eastbourne .He certainly was a good rider never adapted to racing in Britain  like Samuelsson, at your beloved Oxford the talent was there in both cases. Edited August 21, 2021 by Sidney the robin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve roberts Posted August 21, 2021 Report Share Posted August 21, 2021 (edited) 13 minutes ago, Sidney the robin said: Hulltberg was very highly rated he really struggled , he reminded me of Bjorj  Klingberg  the swede at Eastbourne .He certainly was a good rider never adapted to racing in Britain  like Samuelsson, at your beloved Oxford the talent was there in both cases. I'm surprised someone didn't take a chance with Samuelsson unless it was his own decision not to race again in the UK? Recall Klingberg at Eastborne as well as Ring and Hammerberg. Eastbourne lost their way when they joined the British League giving outings to many average foreign riders which was a great shame considering their history developing British talent. I enjoyed my visits to Arlington and then they changed the first two bends (I had stopped going by then) but what I saw of it on TV thought it was a mistake with riders giving the impression of a coming to a near full stop at the apex. Would liked to have visited The Shay and got to view inside the stadium a long time after the "Dukes" had moved on and it was nigh impossible attempting to work out how the track once fitted! Edited August 21, 2021 by steve roberts Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
salty Posted August 21, 2021 Report Share Posted August 21, 2021 (edited) Lars Hultberg rode in 1973 on Bernie's recommendation. As I recall he had a really tough start to the season, not helped by the team being very weak and injury hit. I think he'd just started to show a bit of form, scoring 9 at the Shay, when he got injured and was out for a couple of months. When he returned the struggle continued and I think he got released and replaced, eventually, by Mal Corradine. Maybe with a bit more time and not getting injured at the height of the summer, he would have made it? We'll never know..... Klinge was introduced for a few meetings at the end of 1980 I think. Danish junior champion as I recall. Don't know why he never came over more permanantly, I think he had a decent career in Denmark. Edited August 21, 2021 by salty 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sidney the robin Posted August 21, 2021 Report Share Posted August 21, 2021 Just now, steve roberts said: I'm surprised someone didn't take a chance with Samuelsson unless it was his own decision not to race again in the UK? Recall Klingberg at Eastborne as well as Ring and Hammerberg. Eastbourne lost their way when they joined the British League giving outings to many average foreign riders which was a great shame considering their history developing British talent. Yes the riders you named Steve, plus  Puk, Lucero, Johansson, Slabon ( really Arlington?) Righetto, Ericksson, ( who i liked at Wimbledon). 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve roberts Posted August 21, 2021 Report Share Posted August 21, 2021 6 minutes ago, salty said: Lars Hultberg rode in 1973 on Bernie's recommendation. As I recall he had a really tough start to the season, not helped by the team being very weak and injury hit. I think he'd just started to show a bit of form, scoring 9 at the Shay, when he got injured and was out for a couple of months. When he returned the struggle continued and I think he got released and replaced, eventually, by Mal Corradine. Maybe with a bit more time and not getting injured at the height of the summer, he would have made it? We'll never know..... I remember Lars riding at Cowley for the touring Bysarna side at the tail end of the 1972 season at Cowley and he did look useful. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve roberts Posted August 21, 2021 Report Share Posted August 21, 2021 6 minutes ago, Sidney the robin said: Yes the riders you named Steve, plus  Puk, Lucero, Johansson, Slabon ( really Arlington?) Righetto, Ericksson, ( who i liked at Wimbledon). I recall Teuroniemi who looked useful but failed miserably when he moved on to Swindon! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sidney the robin Posted August 21, 2021 Report Share Posted August 21, 2021 (edited) 5 minutes ago, salty said: Lars Hultberg rode in 1973 on Bernie's recommendation. As I recall he had a really tough start to the season, not helped by the team being very weak and injury hit. I think he'd just started to show a bit of form, scoring 9 at the Shay, when he got injured and was out for a couple of months. When he returned the struggle continued and I think he got released and replaced, eventually, by Mal Corradine. Maybe with a bit more time and not getting injured at the height of the summer, he would have made it? We'll never know..... What about Shields Salty ? so wanted him to continue in Britain. For me  he was like Mick Mckeon  Coatbridge/ Halifax ( king of Claremont)  both was never going to be here long term both class riders. Edited August 21, 2021 by Sidney the robin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sidney the robin Posted August 21, 2021 Report Share Posted August 21, 2021 7 minutes ago, salty said: Lars Hultberg rode in 1973 on Bernie's recommendation. As I recall he had a really tough start to the season, not helped by the team being very weak and injury hit. I think he'd just started to show a bit of form, scoring 9 at the Shay, when he got injured and was out for a couple of months. When he returned the struggle continued and I think he got released and replaced, eventually, by Mal Corradine. Maybe with a bit more time and not getting injured at the height of the summer, he would have made it? We'll never know..... Klinge was introduced for a few meetings at the end of 1980 I think. Danish junior champion as I recall. Don't know why he never came over more permanantly, I think he had a decent career in Denmark. I think Klinge was  like  Hans Nielsen’s brother Henry ( he came over to Swindon on a working holiday) both decent had good jobs outside of speedway. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sidney the robin Posted August 21, 2021 Report Share Posted August 21, 2021 6 minutes ago, steve roberts said: I recall Teuroniemi who looked useful but failed miserably when he moved on to Swindon! Bob Radford RIP ) recommended him he had a torrid time at the Abbey. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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