The Speedway at Exeter was a real passion for several years (see earlier post). I was also an avid collector of the Speedway Star & Post, a regular magazine covering the sport. Here are the back pages for each of seasons 63, 64, 65 and 66 when the Falcons were featured.
Of course being very young I didn't understand the economics of the 'game' so when Jimmy Squibb arrived for season 64 I was made up. With Len Silver our captain and rapidly improving Alan Cowland we must be set for success. Little did I know - that Squibb had been drafted in to replace Silver (off to Hackney)...my annoyance is plain to see above!
A year later and I was at it again - this time obliterating poor Tim Bungay though Cliff Cox seemed a decent replacement, both good riders but not in the same class as Len.
To emphasise the dangerous nature of this sport one of the new team members above was Jack Geran, an Australian rider of considerable experience and seen below in a pit side portrait with fellow aussie Neil Street on the cover of the magazine.
Sadly Jack died in a pretty ghastly crash at the track later that year. An annual competition was instigated after it. Alongside many other (and happier) memories was the arrival of exotic teams from behind the 'Iron Curtain'. Difficult though it is to recall now but back then Poles and Russians excited much interest. I was especially a fan (following his appearance at the County Ground) of Andrej Pogorselski seen here
so much so I bought a rosette to support him in the World Individual Riders Championship later in that year.
A little later on when the USSR arrived I transferred my support to Gab Kadirov (who I now think was Gabdrakhman Kadyrov, six time winner of the Ice Speedway World Championships).
Not least as he gave me a glove as a souvenir in the pits and taught me how to say thank you in russian (it sounds like bloguverda...ish!)
