This was the era I was taken to speedway by my dad (I was around 7 or 8) so wasn’t old or experienced enough to appreciate this pivotal time in speedway’s history. Thank you for this insightful video 👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼 Keep them coming!
Michael along with Ivan Mauger and Erik Gundersen was a serial tape pusher which is a habit he developed later in his career and found it harder than most to adjust to the new regulation, but i agree the referees had it in for him...
I think overall Frank Ebdon was good for the sport - the starts needed tidying up and it was always going to be painful to start! He also was excellent as moving meetings along - putting on the two minutes time allowance as the riders came off the track from the previous heat, something which really led to how the Grand Prix are marshalled now. There used to be a joke that King's Lynn, at the time, where going to race meetings over two nights - one for the first half the next for the second! There is a great piece about Frank in John Berry's book.....
The referee’s at the time had it in for Michael. Yes he made some wrong choices but the referee’s did not do him any favour’s with regards to speedway.
Yasss! Pure danger dad thread this, with the odd articulate exception. Full of lads who jizzed their trolleys when they swapped the green helmet cover back to white 'like it used to be'.
Made more dramatic in the days with riders touching tapes ,rolling thro',back and forward etc,.Crowd going ballistic if it was someone loathed or whatever. I liked it,it built up atmosphere. Yes it is maybe called cheating, maybe anticipating the start,......watch green lights:1;2;3;.....Go! Who has ridden and never done it, probably every rider. Smart referees would let them carry on then let tapes up as they rolled back, different story then! No,too many rules and nonsense in speedway in afraid,shame
@@martynhepworthArchiveSpeedway as an ex Racer I always stayed still at the tapes it never bothered me if someone moved , all the ref had to do was when they rolled back let the tapes go they would learn the had way by missing the gate !
Wasn't it that by breaking the tapes you were disqualified🤔 Every rider would touch the tapes at some point. It is a daft sight from the referee to stop the race after 1st lap. Imagine Valentino rossi being a Speedway rider.
Ebdon was only implementing the rules, so no fault of his really. But the rule itself is absolutely ridiculous. Breaking, or going through the tapes is different, but not just touching them. Very harsh indeed, Lee and Swartz had a right to be aggrieved. So glad this rule got binned.
Rules are rules but I’m sure riders get peeved when touching the tapes with nerves is purely understandable and they don’t mind for going right through them but touching is very debatable Martyn!!! Did Michael come back after this pal?
Hi Martyn, Very controversial. Surely tape touching ads to the mix and drama. If a rider breaks the tapes or causes another rider to break them then that's fair but touching tapes exclusion is ridiculous. Bit like political correctness etc. Wrecking everything. Stevie in Fife.
Rolling into tapes used to prolong starts because referees waited until riders were back in place & sitting still after rolling forwards. Riders were excluded for breaking the tapes which happened regularly, then replacing them took time but this is something we barely see. Tape touching was banned in SCB (UK domestic) meetings before FIM adopted it for international meetings & riders adjusted after about 1 meeting, so they were all used to it by the time this test match took place & therefore why most coped ok. It would also be why neither Bobby Schwartz or Carl Glover complained when interviewed. They just seemed to accept that the referee was applying the rules strictly but fairly.
Personally I think their should be a white line before the tapes and riders don’t cross the line so to speak. If they cross the line or touch the tapes they get a warning. 2nd offence in that particular race, or the in his remaining rides he gets excluded. A riders World Championship chances were probably over because of this daft rule.
One of the comments on here was it was going to be difficult to start with ,now 35 years later its now really great ? ? Sorry its pants now i watched the polish match last week when kenneth bjerre was excluded Just a joke im afraid
What a fantastic video. Really don’t know which way was right ? Both teams were warned before the start and he done what he said so that was right !!! On the other hand was he to harsh ? I think personally and most people will agree??? You should have the final say martyn no pressure!!! Do remember mr Ebdon was not popular at hackney!! But definitely on your shoulders Martyn. For a decision!!
@@martynhepworthArchiveSpeedway He wasn't ever popular anywhere. He never had any understanding for riding, always excluding the faller even if he was blatantly wiped out on the first turn. I even saw him refuse to stop a race at Mildenhall after a rider slid off because the track was so slippery. Mel Taylor was leading & he slowed after seeing the accident. I was in the box & could barely believe it when Frank said 'why are they stopping? I haven't stopped the race', so the announcer repeated this over the mike & the riders carried on. This caused the track doctor to storm into the referee's box for a few 'choice words'. A sharp response from Frank caused the doctor to withdraw his services (no doctor = no racing). Luckily, others calmed him down so racing resumed a few minutes later. No other referee would have done that.
What do You know about Speedway... come to us I mean Poland. Especially to Zielona Gora -Falubaz or Leszno-Unia. Than You will see the real speedway on its own. And best judgeing as well. Best races ever, every season.
What we know about Speedway is that Poland have been both individualy & as a national team pretty shit....you had your time mid sixtys early seventys....Poland is a nothing nation in speedway now...stuffed with distinctly average riders who are good on their own tracks but rubbish else where...yes...you've improved lately...but that's because the opposition standard has dropped. One other thing...if one off world finals were brought back you'd be winning nothing again. Don't be coming on a British channel crowing because you have a world champ...come back when you do it year after year.
He wasn't a great starter, so rolling at the start becomes a tactic. I get frustrated watching rolling starts in old racing but get and get fired up because the atmosphere, great racing and love Dave Lannings commentary!
@@BarryAllenMagic no just a great talent. Great trapper held back by morons running the sport. Hence why racing behind closed is impossible because its worth fuck all.
It was allways best when they broke the tapes . All this touching , anticipating , moving at the start is a load of bollox and has ruined this sport . That’s why after years of supporting it I go no more , a complete bloody farce
This was the era I was taken to speedway by my dad (I was around 7 or 8) so wasn’t old or experienced enough to appreciate this pivotal time in speedway’s history. Thank you for this insightful video 👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼
Keep them coming!
Michael along with Ivan Mauger and Erik Gundersen was a serial tape pusher which is a habit he developed later in his career and found it harder than most to adjust to the new regulation, but i agree the referees had it in for him...
Mr Ebdon chuckling until he spots the camera
Like how the ref is laughing then realizing the camera is on him lol
I think overall Frank Ebdon was good for the sport - the starts needed tidying up and it was always going to be painful to start! He also was excellent as moving meetings along - putting on the two minutes time allowance as the riders came off the track from the previous heat, something which really led to how the Grand Prix are marshalled now. There used to be a joke that King's Lynn, at the time, where going to race meetings over two nights - one for the first half the next for the second! There is a great piece about Frank in John Berry's book.....
This was one of the best rule changes in speedway.
Not for me just look at the restarts these days PANTS
@@robtatum5277 maybe but it's a even start. I've been researching 70s and 80s meetings lately and the starts ate a joke especially the late great Ivan
The worst rule change.
Start is a non event now
@@davidbrightmore2627 that's part of the skill
The referee’s at the time had it in for Michael. Yes he made some wrong choices but the referee’s did not do him any favour’s with regards to speedway.
I think Frank Ebdon got bullied at school
Yasss! Pure danger dad thread this, with the odd articulate exception. Full of lads who jizzed their trolleys when they swapped the green helmet cover back to white 'like it used to be'.
Changed the sport not in a good way forever
Hate the starting regs these days
Hilarious to think touching the tapes was held in such high regard
Brilliant
Mauger was a pro at rolling starts
I wonder what Michael Lee thinks of the starting infringement nowadays ??!!??
I missed the rolling and gamesmanship at the start.
Made more dramatic in the days with riders touching tapes ,rolling thro',back and forward etc,.Crowd going ballistic if it was someone loathed or whatever. I liked it,it built up atmosphere. Yes it is maybe called cheating, maybe anticipating the start,......watch green lights:1;2;3;.....Go! Who has ridden and never done it, probably every rider. Smart referees would let them carry on then let tapes up as they rolled back, different story then! No,too many rules and nonsense in speedway in afraid,shame
A great sport run by see you next Tuesdays. Without a doubt
It was a good way to speed up the decline in interest in speedway and tv coverage all but dissapeared from terrestial tv forever .
Personally disliked all the rolling, cheating and gamesmanship.
@@martynhepworthArchiveSpeedway not cheating.
@@martynhepworthArchiveSpeedway as an ex Racer I always stayed still at the tapes it never bothered me if someone moved , all the ref had to do was when they rolled back let the tapes go they would learn the had way by missing the gate !
Wasn't it that by breaking the tapes you were disqualified🤔
Every rider would touch the tapes at some point.
It is a daft sight from the referee to stop the race after 1st lap.
Imagine Valentino rossi being a Speedway rider.
@@Busman126 did you know my dad?
He was good mates with Wiggy and he spannered for Martin Yeates?
Ebdon was only implementing the rules, so no fault of his really. But the rule itself is absolutely ridiculous. Breaking, or going through the tapes is different, but not just touching them. Very harsh indeed, Lee and Swartz had a right to be aggrieved. So glad this rule got binned.
Rules are rules but I’m sure riders get peeved when touching the tapes with nerves is purely understandable and they don’t mind for going right through them but touching is very debatable Martyn!!! Did Michael come back after this pal?
As an ex rider, it never bothered me, riders jumping starts annoyed me however
Hi Martyn,
Very controversial. Surely tape touching ads to the mix and drama. If a rider breaks the tapes or causes another rider to break them then that's fair but touching tapes exclusion is ridiculous. Bit like political correctness etc. Wrecking everything.
Stevie in Fife.
Agreed
Bad day this martyn .
Crowds dropped off a cliff after this what a way to destroy a fantastic sport .
The constant rolling and gamemanship used to annoy me.
Rolling into tapes used to prolong starts because referees waited until riders were back in place & sitting still after rolling forwards. Riders were excluded for breaking the tapes which happened regularly, then replacing them took time but this is something we barely see. Tape touching was banned in SCB (UK domestic) meetings before FIM adopted it for international meetings & riders adjusted after about 1 meeting, so they were all used to it by the time this test match took place & therefore why most coped ok. It would also be why neither Bobby Schwartz or Carl Glover complained when interviewed. They just seemed to accept that the referee was applying the rules strictly but fairly.
Probably was the death of the sport on terrestrial tv also.
Personally I think their should be a white line before the tapes and riders don’t cross the line so to speak. If they cross the line or touch the tapes they get a warning. 2nd offence in that particular race, or the in his remaining rides he gets excluded. A riders World Championship chances were probably over because of this daft rule.
One of the comments on here was it was going to be difficult to start with ,now 35 years later its now really great ? ? Sorry its pants now i watched the polish match last week when kenneth bjerre was excluded
Just a joke im afraid
A sad day !
It was. No come back from that.
Frank Ebdon ummmmmmmm enough said - I also remember the refs excluding John Cook and Sam Ermolenko for doing wheelies during a test series 🥴
Think that was the same Test Series of 1984, "mono wheeling" as Dave Lanning used to say
And Wiggy robbing him of a maximum for England...
What a fantastic video. Really don’t know which way was right ? Both teams were warned before the start and he done what he said so that was right !!! On the other hand was he to harsh ? I think personally and most people will agree??? You should have the final say martyn no pressure!!! Do remember mr Ebdon was not popular at hackney!! But definitely on your shoulders Martyn. For a decision!!
Dont think he was popular anywhere after this escapade
@@martynhepworthArchiveSpeedway He wasn't ever popular anywhere. He never had any understanding for riding, always excluding the faller even if he was blatantly wiped out on the first turn. I even saw him refuse to stop a race at Mildenhall after a rider slid off because the track was so slippery. Mel Taylor was leading & he slowed after seeing the accident. I was in the box & could barely believe it when Frank said 'why are they stopping? I haven't stopped the race', so the announcer repeated this over the mike & the riders carried on. This caused the track doctor to storm into the referee's box for a few 'choice words'. A sharp response from Frank caused the doctor to withdraw his services (no doctor = no racing). Luckily, others calmed him down so racing resumed a few minutes later. No other referee would have done that.
What do You know about Speedway... come to us I mean Poland. Especially to Zielona Gora -Falubaz or Leszno-Unia. Than You will see the real speedway on its own. And best judgeing as well. Best races ever, every season.
What we know about Speedway is that Poland have been both individualy & as a national team pretty shit....you had your time mid sixtys early seventys....Poland is a nothing nation in speedway now...stuffed with distinctly average riders who are good on their own tracks but rubbish else where...yes...you've improved lately...but that's because the opposition standard has dropped. One other thing...if one off world finals were brought back you'd be winning nothing again. Don't be coming on a British channel crowing because you have a world champ...come back when you do it year after year.
@Captain Black Historic maybe, but a track to watch good racing...no way...never seen the place with more than 3mm of dirt on it.
was frank ebdon a speedway rider?
Very confusing and why did Lee keep pulling up?
Because despite his talent, Michael Lee often behaved like a petulant child. He thought he was bigger than the sport of Speedway. He wasn't.
He wasn't a great starter, so rolling at the start becomes a tactic. I get frustrated watching rolling starts in old racing but get and get fired up because the atmosphere, great racing and love Dave Lannings commentary!
@@BarryAllenMagic no just a great talent. Great trapper held back by morons running the sport.
Hence why racing behind closed is impossible because its worth fuck all.
US Boys handled business
How times have changed...doubt they could get a team of riders good enough to compete nowadays.
Well. 🤔.
It was allways best when they broke the tapes . All this touching , anticipating , moving at the start is a load of bollox and has ruined this sport . That’s why after years of supporting it I go no more , a complete bloody farce
Agreed anticipation of a start is a good start.
Oz lotto