Post by PLUSTAR on Jun 5, 2010 17:05:36 GMT 1
Here are former Tigers skipper Derek Richardson's answers to the questions that some members of the forum posted to him a couple of weeks ago.
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Questions by : John Houston
Question 1 : I seem to remember that when you started to ride for tigers, we had a good relationship with Belle Vue in that they seemed to send a good few promising youngsters up here. Do you know how this relationship was developed and what other BV juniors do you remember from that time?
DR: I don't know how the relationship with Belle Vue started but a few of the juniors at belle Vue got asked if they wanted to go to Glasgow for second half rides along with Alan Grimshaw who had been offered a reserve place. A few of the other riders I can remember were Graham Tattersall, Mick Newton, Keith Bloxsome and Bob Maxfield.
Question 2 : Do you remember your first meeting for tigers? I seem to recall you might have ridden for us on the Friday and then went on a weekend tour with us. I think that Canterbury was perhaps the Saturday night match if memory serves I think that you might have been involved in a football kick about on Margate beach during the Sat afternoon.
DR: Yes, from what I can remember I set off from home just to ride in the second half of Friday's meeting, but on arrival I was asked if i would go to Canterbury and ride as reserve for Glasgow. So Paul (my brother) and I put the bike in the back of the supporters bus and straight after the meeting joined the supporters on the long road down to Kent. Preparation for my first ever Second Division race was indeed a game of football on Margate beach.
Question 3 : My favourite track of all time, like many of my age, was the old Hyde Rd where you would have ridden. What are your favourite and least favourite tracks?
DR : Favourite track was possibly Hyde Road, but most of the big tracks I enjoyed riding. I thought Glasgow's track at Coatbridge was a good home track.
Question 4: Machinery has undergone considerable changes over the years. Do you consider that this made for a better spectacle as far as speedway racing is concerned?
DR : Machinery will always evolve, riders are always trying different things to make their bikes faster. Whether it has made it better or not is down to the individual.
Question 5 : If you were an all powerful British Speedway Tzar, what changes would you like to see made to the sport and which rules do you think we might be able to live without at the moment?
DR : I would like to see the National League for young British riders only
Question 6 : What was you biggest achievement in speedway?
DR : I think meeting people from the speedway fraternity and becoming good friends is better than anything I did as a rider.
Questions by : John Houston
Question 1 : Did you enjoy riding at Belle Vue with Collins and Morton
DR: Yes I enjoyed riding with the Collins boys. Les and Neil were about the same age as myself so I got to know them more.
Question 2 : Who did you think was the best team rider that you raced with?
DR: The best team partner I rode with was possibly David Bargh, when we were riding for Newcastle. We had quite a few 5-1s together.
Question 3 : Who was the best promoter that you raced under?
DR: I don't really have a best promotion, because they were all good to me. I would agree a deal at the start of a season and that is what I would ride for no more and no less. Jimmy Beaton at Glasgow would take some beating though, because of everything he has done for Scottish speedway.
Question 4 : Rumour has it you ate that that chippy in Coatbridge out of fish suppers. Is that true?
DR: My mum and dad could not believe the size of the fish in a fish supper when we first started going up to Glasgow. I've spent a lot of good times in Coatbridge!
More questions to follow shortly.......
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Questions by : John Houston
Question 1 : I seem to remember that when you started to ride for tigers, we had a good relationship with Belle Vue in that they seemed to send a good few promising youngsters up here. Do you know how this relationship was developed and what other BV juniors do you remember from that time?
DR: I don't know how the relationship with Belle Vue started but a few of the juniors at belle Vue got asked if they wanted to go to Glasgow for second half rides along with Alan Grimshaw who had been offered a reserve place. A few of the other riders I can remember were Graham Tattersall, Mick Newton, Keith Bloxsome and Bob Maxfield.
Question 2 : Do you remember your first meeting for tigers? I seem to recall you might have ridden for us on the Friday and then went on a weekend tour with us. I think that Canterbury was perhaps the Saturday night match if memory serves I think that you might have been involved in a football kick about on Margate beach during the Sat afternoon.
DR: Yes, from what I can remember I set off from home just to ride in the second half of Friday's meeting, but on arrival I was asked if i would go to Canterbury and ride as reserve for Glasgow. So Paul (my brother) and I put the bike in the back of the supporters bus and straight after the meeting joined the supporters on the long road down to Kent. Preparation for my first ever Second Division race was indeed a game of football on Margate beach.
Question 3 : My favourite track of all time, like many of my age, was the old Hyde Rd where you would have ridden. What are your favourite and least favourite tracks?
DR : Favourite track was possibly Hyde Road, but most of the big tracks I enjoyed riding. I thought Glasgow's track at Coatbridge was a good home track.
Question 4: Machinery has undergone considerable changes over the years. Do you consider that this made for a better spectacle as far as speedway racing is concerned?
DR : Machinery will always evolve, riders are always trying different things to make their bikes faster. Whether it has made it better or not is down to the individual.
Question 5 : If you were an all powerful British Speedway Tzar, what changes would you like to see made to the sport and which rules do you think we might be able to live without at the moment?
DR : I would like to see the National League for young British riders only
Question 6 : What was you biggest achievement in speedway?
DR : I think meeting people from the speedway fraternity and becoming good friends is better than anything I did as a rider.
Questions by : John Houston
Question 1 : Did you enjoy riding at Belle Vue with Collins and Morton
DR: Yes I enjoyed riding with the Collins boys. Les and Neil were about the same age as myself so I got to know them more.
Question 2 : Who did you think was the best team rider that you raced with?
DR: The best team partner I rode with was possibly David Bargh, when we were riding for Newcastle. We had quite a few 5-1s together.
Question 3 : Who was the best promoter that you raced under?
DR: I don't really have a best promotion, because they were all good to me. I would agree a deal at the start of a season and that is what I would ride for no more and no less. Jimmy Beaton at Glasgow would take some beating though, because of everything he has done for Scottish speedway.
Question 4 : Rumour has it you ate that that chippy in Coatbridge out of fish suppers. Is that true?
DR: My mum and dad could not believe the size of the fish in a fish supper when we first started going up to Glasgow. I've spent a lot of good times in Coatbridge!
More questions to follow shortly.......