Dream Team : Andrew Mollior

Started watching Belle Vue at Hyde Road in 1978 after a lad at school kept going on and on about speedway so my parents agreed to take me to Belle Vue to see what the fuss was about...we were hooked and loved Hyde Road. My interest did wane after its closure and I did stop going until my sister met Glenn Doyle and I started following Glenn at Bradford and round the country. Nowadays I mainly keep an eye on the sport through the TV and the coverage on Sky though do try to get to the odd meeting if possible.

Gundersen	Collins

Peter Collins
The first rider I had actually heard of from before I started going to speedway and so he was the biggest draw for me. He got a maximum in my first meeting and stopped his car after on the way home to give me his autograph making him a legend in my young eyes. I missed his real peak years I suppose but he was still THE MAN at Belle Vue and a real hero to me at the time.

Erik Gundersen
I loved Erik...I loved his attitude and personality and I loved his riding style and his matching bikes and leathers...he just looked good...and he was fast. His style around Hyde Road was amazing and he rode lines at the track that I never even saw Peter Collins and Chris Morton ride, about an inch from the fence at full speed and he rarely dropped points round there. I was at Bradford when his crash ended his career at his peak and I still shudder at the thought of it now. It was terrible such a talent came to an end but thankfully it wasn't as bad as it could have been and we still see that big smile around the tracks from time to time.

Jan O Pedersen
Another rider who had to quit at his peak but another big favourite of mine. Totally different from Gundersen as in that he couldn't really gate but his passing ability was second to none and he the times I saw him go from last to first against top riders was amazing. Another rider who always seemed to have a smile on his face as well.

Mark Loram
One of the most exciting riders I have ever seen when on peak form. Got to see him ride every week when my brother in law Glenn Doyle rode at Kings Lynn and he was spectacular to say the least. Years later when Sky started covering speedway it was Mark's riding that made most meetings on the TV and he was worth tuning in just to see his rides alone and you would curse if he actually made the start!

Henka Gustafsson
Another one from the same Kings Lynn era as Loram and I have picked him because of his charisma and style and the fact that around Kings Lynn I have never seen a more exciting rider. I think Henka should have done more at top international level as I have rarely seen a more talented rider.

Sam Ermolenko
Probably the best team rider I have seen. I remember him getting a paid max at Wolverhampton with second places behind his slower partner in every race. He sat behind and just blocked the opposition in every race and I was well impressed! Most top stars were happy to get in front and blast away but not Sam who was such a team man and a big supporter of British speedway.

Glenn Doyle
My brother in law so he has to be in there!!!!! Glenn was a very fast rider on his day, especially on the bigger tracks and especially in Australia. He was quite a sight round Claremont in Perth and finished as the track record holder there which pleased him very much. He could have done better in England maybe but still had a decent career and has a great business now in Australia and is doing very well indeed.

This article was first published on 10th June 2010