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ZERO TO HERO


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ZERO TO HERO is the subject of our next SOCIAL DEBATE feature in Speedway Star.
 
Question is: Which rider at your club (past or present) didn't you rate, had little hope for when he first arrived . . . BUT he turned out to be, if not world class, then a much better rider than you could ever have expected?
 
Please name the team, rider and your reasons.
 
Best responses will appear in Speedway Star...
 
Thank you.
 
Ivan Mauger is probably the ultimate example but very few among us now would have seen him struggling as a novice at Wimbledon in 1957.
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The late Lee Richardson stands out for me, from memory he found points very difficult to come by when he first started out, then seemed to overcome that and establish himself only to be hindered by health issues. As we all know then went on to become world class, especially riding for GB in the world cup

Edited by iainb
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Bobby Ott...

Came over and rode at reserve for the Aces on borrowed engines and was "not good" with plenty of Aces fans wondering why he had been selected...

Gradually improved, as his equipment did, and in 1993 won the "winner takes all"  last heat decider at Wolverhampton to win the Aces the title.

A truly top level talent on a Speedway bike, and, in my top seven all time Aces septet such was his natural ability..

I once watched him slide to the ground, so technically,"fell off" and, in one movement, flip the bike up whilst still being sat on it, and carry on without the bike's engine stopping...

Unfortunately the rider following laid his bike down to avoid hitting Bobby, and then procrastinated on track to the ref's box, as Bobby rode off into the distance, and the race was stopped....

With Bobby excluded!!

He wasn't happy...:D

I remember him saying that this was something he actually practiced so was particularly miffed that the race got stopped...

He used to practice his balance on a uni cycle as he felt it helped him on a Speedway bike...

Watched him ride for the USA in several Tests,, and top score in a team full of true World Class talent at the time...

A sad day when he left the Aces, as he was truly "box office on a bike" given his riding style..

 

Edited by mikebv
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Gary Guglielmi at Coventry.

When he first arrived he couldn’t finish a second half novices race, he kept falling. It became a standing joke as to which lap and corner he would fall at.

Although off track situations blighted his career he became a very good rider.

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Steve Johnston... When he first arrived at Long Eaton from second halving at Sheffield I used to have to watch his races through my fingers, seemed to be out of control for most of his races!

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11 minutes ago, iainb said:

Steve Johnston... When he first arrived at Long Eaton from second halving at Sheffield I used to have to watch his races through my fingers, seemed to be out of control for most of his races!

Absolutely. My recollection is that he'd been dropped by Sheffield (who were bottom of the league) for not being good enough.

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59 minutes ago, oleoleole said:

Gary Guglielmi at Coventry.

When he first arrived he couldn’t finish a second half novices race, he kept falling. It became a standing joke as to which lap and corner he would fall at.

Although off track situations blighted his career he became a very good rider.

Remember watching him in the “third half” races, great entertainment post meeting!

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Bob Valentine, had been a top class Heat leader at Sheffield but suffered a few injuries which meant he arrived at Cradley Heath in 1977 as a lowly reserve who was expected to get the odd heat win now and again, by the end of the season he was riding at No1 for the team and showing much of his old fire and form, I give you Bob Valentine form is temporary class is permanent.

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Mark Thorpe for me. Was dropped at one point during his first two season's with the Diamonds despite showing glimpses of potential he was ordinary in some not very good Diamonds teams.

As I understand it he wasn't in the promoters thoughts for a third season but the numbers worked and he found himself starting the season at reserve with newly signed Scott Lamb.  Probably the best 2nd tier reserve pairing ever, Thorpie was like a different rider going straight from reserve to heat leader and staying there. Even become Commonwealth Champion (I think) at one point.

Statistically speaking it has to be Berwick's Wayne Brown.

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Rick Miller.

Needed points in his last meeting of his first season to attain the mandatory point average to enable his return. 

Went on to be part of the Bees' Title winning sides of 1987 & 1988, two times World Finalist, and was awarded a Testimonial in his final 1992 season.

Probably one of the best testimonials seen at Brandon.

 

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Brian Karger looked really raw when he first joined Swindon and crashed a lot.

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17 hours ago, iainb said:

The late Lee Richardson stands out for me, from memory he found points very difficult to come by when he first started out, then seemed to overcome that and establish himself only to be hindered by health issues. As we all know then went on to become world class, especially riding for GB in the world cup

I have to agree Lee would often fall multiple times in a race when he first started at Reading. until he was taken under the guiding wing of John Davis who I believe single handed turned this raw talent into the World star he became. 

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Definitely Roger Johns! He always had "potential", but was unable to fulfill it. His Second Division averages were okay - nothing great - and generally, his BL averages were poor when he moved up. For some reason, he started to develop in 1978, and ended up becoming a Dons legend!

The moves he would make, like sweeping around the boards, or making one of his famous cutbacks, became the norm. At Plough Lane, he would regularly beat the opposition No.1, often in great style.

In 1980, he inflicted the only defeat on Bruce Penhall in Heat 13 of the BL clash. There was the famous last heat 5-1 with Edward Jancarz (from the back) over Ole Olsen and Mitch Shirra to get us a draw against Coventry!

His best night was probably when he beat Peter Collins twice - from the back - on his way to a full maximum against Belle Vue. Then, there was the KOC clash at Hyde Rd in 1980, when he scored 16 paid 17, and beat Collins three times.

Never a superstar, but Johnsy provided some of the greatest trackcraft I've ever seen.

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Ivan Mauger...

He even ended up going back home to NZ when first over here as he wasn't good enough to get a team place...!!!!:o

Before coming back and giving it another go..

And turning out "quite good" in the end.... :D

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In the late 70s and early 80s Wimbledon made a habit of picking a novice at no. 7 in order to get the team under the point limit. Lads like Jay Pleece and Dave Brewer were given a go. It wasn't that they couldn't ride but they just struggled massively out of the starts. So when the Dons announced the signing of another unknown, Kelvin Tatum, I was completely underwhelmed. His first meeting against Ipswich was a revelation, not just for the points scored but for his sharpness out of the tapes. The two seasons Kelvin spent at the Dons were two of my most enjoyable watching speedway, seeing him go from raw novice to potential superstar. Just a shame that he fulfilled his potential away from Plough Lane.

Great to see the earlier post about Roger Johns. I didn't see him when he was struggling but he was such a great rider to watch. Definitely one rider you hoped would miss the gate!

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33 minutes ago, Chadster said:

In the late 70s and early 80s Wimbledon made a habit of picking a novice at no. 7 in order to get the team under the point limit. Lads like Jay Pleece and Dave Brewer were given a go. It wasn't that they couldn't ride but they just struggled massively out of the starts. So when the Dons announced the signing of another unknown, Kelvin Tatum, I was completely underwhelmed. His first meeting against Ipswich was a revelation, not just for the points scored but for his sharpness out of the tapes. The two seasons Kelvin spent at the Dons were two of my most enjoyable watching speedway, seeing him go from raw novice to potential superstar. Just a shame that he fulfilled his potential away from Plough Lane.

Great to see the earlier post about Roger Johns. I didn't see him when he was struggling but he was such a great rider to watch. Definitely one rider you hoped would miss the gate!

Yeah, Roger was a "big" signing, but never really got anywhere for a few seasons. In his first year at Plough Lane, he did okay, average over five points a meeting, but went backwards over the next couple of years. He averaged less than four in 1976, and considering his experience, that was very poor. Suddenly, things changed!

I was there for for Kelvin's first meeting, and yes, he looked great! It was also a shame that he got whacked by Preben Eriksen...

As you say, we had a habit of throwing in youngsters to keep under the limit. The best two were Brewer and Pleece. Jay SHOULD have done better, I feel, but never progressed at all. Dave Brewer actually did, and was doing fine at Exeter. I was talking to Dave online a few months ago, and he said it he said it was an injury that stopped him. I think it was a leg injury, and he just wasn't able to bounce back from it, and he retired. He was never going to be a world-beater, but he could have had a decent career.

Another couple who were never going to make it were Martyn Charles (before your time, probably) and Mark Fordham.

Edited by chunky
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Wayne Brown at Berwick spent most of his 1st three seasons at reserve averaging under 4. Then one night he beat the Owen Brothers in Pairs at Berwick and suddenly  became a Top Man the next week and never looked back.Had a great career at Berwick and then had one season in big league then went home to help with the family business.Unfortunately was killed in a work related incident soon afterwards.A great little guy sadly missed.

Edited by Fromafar
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14 hours ago, chunky said:

Yeah, Roger was a "big" signing, but never really got anywhere for a few seasons. In his first year at Plough Lane, he did okay, average over five points a meeting, but went backwards over the next couple of years. He averaged less than four in 1976, and considering his experience, that was very poor. Suddenly, things changed!

I was there for for Kelvin's first meeting, and yes, he looked great! It was also a shame that he got whacked by Preben Eriksen...

As you say, we had a habit of throwing in youngsters to keep under the limit. The best two were Brewer and Pleece. Jay SHOULD have done better, I feel, but never progressed at all. Dave Brewer actually did, and was doing fine at Exeter. I was talking to Dave online a few months ago, and he said it he said it was an injury that stopped him. I think it was a leg injury, and he just wasn't able to bounce back from it, and he retired. He was never going to be a world-beater, but he could have had a decent career.

Another couple who were never going to make it were Martyn Charles (before your time, probably) and Mark Fordham.

Alan Mogridge? Was a bit of a sacrificial lamb when first in the Dons team but went on to a long career.

I was also there for Kelvins debut, you could tell straight away he was a cut above the other number 7’s

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1 hour ago, salty said:

Alan Mogridge? Was a bit of a sacrificial lamb when first in the Dons team but went on to a long career.

I was also there for Kelvins debut, you could tell straight away he was a cut above the other number 7’s

Moggo? Yeah, maybe out of his depth at Plough Lane, but he was just a kid thrown in at the deep end. However, he had an immediate impact when he joined Crayford the following year, so it's not like he was a zero for long! I certainly never felt like he wasn't going to make it...

Edited by chunky
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Tbh i think you are being a bit harsh on Roger. Gordon Kennett started out at the same time. He was also given some meetings for the Dons in his fits season. But i think it was fairly clear at Eastbourne that Gordon was the better of the two. But it still took Gordon a few years to really get going. You could say, the move to White City really was the start of the big time. Roger was just that bit behind Gordon always really. 

But i do recall a Bank holiday home and away clash with Oxford. And the guy on the mic was going on about Roger and Bobby McNeil, and saying it looked like Oxford had got the better rider......

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