Speedway Testimonials

[4BenMoran]

What’s the pre-requisite now for a rider to get a testimonial?  Know is used to be 10 years at one club.  Is it now 10 years as an asset of one club even if not ridden all the time for them (loaned out) or is it just 10 years riding?  Just can’t remember likes of Richie Worrall and Paul Starke for example being associated with just one club

[Lefty]

Great question.

Does 'doubling up' under the same promotion reduce the time period from ten years to five? 

[IainB]

You don't even have to have retired to receive a "farewell" meeting these days 

[steve roberts]

I know that in the "Good Old Days" it used to be if you served ten years or more at one club...if I recall Eric & Nigel Boocock and Terry Betts were the first to enjoy a benefit meeting? It was then extended to those who served under the same promotion (Gordon Kennett comes to mind) but nowadays it seems very ambiguous and open to all sorts of interpretation.

[FAST GATER]

  On 3/29/2023 at 11:42 AM, steve roberts said:

I know that in the "Good Old Days" it used to be if you served ten years or more at one club...if I recall Eric & Nigel Boocock and Terry Betts were the first to enjoy a benefit meeting? It was then extended to those who served under the same promotion (Gordon Kennett comes to mind) but nowadays it seems very ambiguous and open to all sorts of interpretation.

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If the 10yr rule was stuck to rigidly today there wouldn't be any riders who would qualify because of the nomadic nature of the sport in this country .

Edited March 29, 2023 by FAST GATER

[arnieg]

  On 3/29/2023 at 5:31 PM, FAST GATER said:

If the 10yr rule was stuck to rigidly today there wouldn't be any riders who would qualify because of the nomadic nature of the sport in this country .

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Josh Auty was the last genuine 10 year man

Edited March 29, 2023 by arnieg

[eric i]

Some off these testimonials are a joke, I don't know why fans pay to watch. Steve Worrall has done 11seasons in the sport unless he is going to retire at the end of the season he's not worthy of a testimonial.

[Daniel Smith]

  On 3/29/2023 at 5:59 PM, eric i said:

Some off these testimonials are a joke, I don't know why fans pay to watch. Steve Worrall has done 11seasons in the sport unless he is going to retire at the end of the season he's not worthy of a testimonial.

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Some rider's ain't even worthy of a 'farwell' meeting in my opinion. 

For me, only 'The Greats' should get it, genuine servants to club, country or league. 

I would make it rule that: 

Rider testimonials:

To have ridden for 1 club for 10 seasons (being an asset excluded). 

Farewell meetings:

Ridden British Premiership or Championship 15 seasons consecutively.

To have ridden for 1 club for 10+ seasons (being an asset excluded).

Given service to the Great Britain National team for 7 seasons+

 

 

[chunky]

  On 3/29/2023 at 10:56 PM, Daniel Smith said:

To have ridden for 1 club for 10 seasons (being an asset excluded). 

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That was the way it USED to be. I have no idea why they changed it; to be "more inclusive" I suppose...

[LisaColette]

  On 3/30/2023 at 3:08 AM, chunky said:

That was the way it USED to be. I have no idea why they changed it; to be "more inclusive" I suppose...

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Prob cos not many riders stay at one club for 10 years anymore. 

[chunky]

  On 3/31/2023 at 4:28 PM, lisa-colette said:

Prob cos not many riders stay at one club for 10 years anymore. 

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All that should mean is that they don't get a testimonial then!

[LisaColette]

  On 3/31/2023 at 6:48 PM, chunky said:

All that should mean is that they don't get a testimonial then!

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Steve Worrall says he wants to stay at Poole until he retires (do well to keep the stadium that long tbh!) So as long as he stays another 7 years then all good 

[steve roberts]

  On 3/31/2023 at 4:28 PM, lisa-colette said:

Prob cos not many riders stay at one club for 10 years anymore. 

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Trouble is the various points limits put in place made it more difficult for a rider to stay at any one track.

[LisaColette]

  On 3/31/2023 at 8:44 PM, steve roberts said:

Trouble is the various points limits put in place made it more difficult for a rider to stay at any one track.

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Yes, that is true! Although some clubs will base their team around one rider. Poole did it with BK in the Prem. Wolves with Sam Masters and Swindon would do it with Leigh Adams and later on Jason Doyle. 

[steve roberts]

  On 3/31/2023 at 8:48 PM, lisa-colette said:

Yes, that is true! Although some clubs will base their team around one rider. Poole did it with BK in the Prem. Wolves with Sam Masters and Swindon would do it with Leigh Adams and later on Jason Doyle. 

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Yes and of course Oxford with Hans Nielsen although Leigh Adams did move around a bit but that was more to do with Swindon dropping a Division. One of my favourites at Oxford was Jens Rasmussen but he twice became a victim of the points limit.

[chunky]

  On 3/31/2023 at 8:51 PM, steve roberts said:

Yes and of course Oxford with Hans Nielsen although Leigh Adams did move around a bit but that was more to do with Swindon dropping a Division. One of my favourites at Oxford was Jens Rasmussen but he twice became a victim of the points limit.

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Back in the day, you would get four or five of the team returning the following year. Look at Wimbledon. Trevor Hedge, Reg Luckhurst, Bob Dugard, and Jim Tebby were there from 1965 to 1970 (six years, they formed the basis of the team), and Olle Nygren was with them for the first four of those years...

[Wee Eck]

  On 3/31/2023 at 9:09 PM, chunky said:

Back in the day, you would get four or five of the team returning the following year. Look at Wimbledon. Trevor Hedge, Reg Luckhurst, Bob Dugard, and Jim Tebby were there from 1965 to 1970 (six years, they formed the basis of the team), and Olle Nygren was with them for the first four of those years...

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Ah. The good old days of rider control where the southern teams got first pick and could chose to keep whichever riders they wanted. The further north you were, the harder it was to build a decent 1-7. The likes of Newcastle, Edinburgh and Glasgow often had to look to Europe to sign relatively unknowns, mostly Scandinavians, otherwise they’d be completely uncompetitive. 
I’m not sure when the “10 years on one team’s retained list earns the right to a testimonial” rule came in but it must have helped riders compulsorily moved on by the rider control committee. 

[Gambo]

I personally don't have a problem with Testimonials, or farewells.

If I don't think the particular rider deserves it, I won't bother going.

[steve roberts]

  On 4/2/2023 at 4:03 PM, Wee Eck said:

Ah. The good old days of rider control where the southern teams got first pick and could chose to keep whichever riders they wanted. The further north you were, the harder it was to build a decent 1-7. The likes of Newcastle, Edinburgh and Glasgow often had to look to Europe to sign relatively unknowns, mostly Scandinavians, otherwise they’d be completely uncompetitive. 
I’m not sure when the “10 years on one team’s retained list earns the right to a testimonial” rule came in but it must have helped riders compulsorily moved on by the rider control committee. 

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...Exeter had similar problems although both Martin Ashby and Bob Kilby complained bitterly about the "forced" move to Devon however one could argue that it made them better riders. I recall long after Rider Control ceased that when Exeter obtained Leicester's licence both Les and Neil Collins made it plain that neither would ride for Exeter!

[Hodgy]

Most Testimonial’s cannot now be taken seriously. It was usually rewarded after 10 years at the same club. I have no idea why that suddenly changed. Understand the ‘Farewell meetings’ (after long service) but not those that benefit then return a year or two later.