Foxhall Stadium snub for legend Briggs
By ELVIN KING
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
3:15 PM
SPEEDWAY: Dirt track legend Barry Briggs has been told that he is not welcome at Foxhall Stadium as he goes round British tracks collecting for charity.
The four-time world champion set off from Wembley Stadium in the Spring to motor cycle to every speedway stadium to raise cash for Sport Relief and his own charity to help injured riders in wheelchairs.
The New Zealand-born 75-year-old has been told by Ipswich not to turn up at a meeting - so instead Briggs will be at Orwell Motor Cycle in Ranelagh Road on Saturday to meet the Ipswich public.
“I was hoping to come to Foxhall on a couple of occasions,” said Briggs. “But because Kim Jansson is not on my list of 12 riders I’m trying to raise £120,000 for I have had to make other plans.
“Ipswich’s Chris Louis has texted me to say that as Kim is very popular at Ipswich it would not be a good idea to continue the collection at Foxhall.
“Chris says Ipswich are still supportive of my ride.
“I can understand the feeling towards Kim but to say the least it is a little disappointing.”
Undaunted Briggs, who was awarded the MBE for services to sport in 1976 and was inducted into the New Zealand Sports Hall of Fame in 1990, will instead head with his friend Dave Bickers to Ipswich Yamaha dealers Orwell Motor Cycles instead.
He will be arriving at 10am on Saturday and staying until 1pm.
“I hope to see as many Witches fans there as possible,” added Briggs, who is set to visit Sheffield on Thursday and Stoke on Saturday night to complete his trip of every British club - Ipswich apart.
“The big news is that the two Ipswich boys in wheelchairs, John Simmons and Lawrence Hare will be there to meet fans.
“We’ll be taking a collection, signing books, DVD’s and T Shirts, plus a raffle with some good prizes.
“I’m looking forward to seeing as many fans as possible, especially the bike shop.”
Briggs was twice voted into second place in the BBC Sports Personality of the Year, in 1966 behind England’s World Cup winning captain Bobby Moore. Then, again, in 1968 to England’s ‘Golden Girl,’ Olympic Champion Mary Rand.
Jansson, who broke his back riding in his native Sweden, was in Ipswich last month when a special cricket match was staged on his behalf with over £1,500 being raised. hare was at the event with most of the current Ipswich side and managementg either playing or present.
8 comments
I listened to Chris Louis' pathetic explanation as to why they had snubbed Briggo on Thursday night . Apparently 'some' fans had expressed a concern that Kim wasnt on the list of riders who would benefit. Hmmm , who were they then? Where I was sitting everyone was complaining and slating the persons responsible for this. Most people who incidentally are big Kim fans felt that Kim has been supported well by the fans and this is an ongoing thing with repeated benefit events for him. It isnt difficult to work out is it ? Ipswich have irritated the fans yet again
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Debbie Wright
Monday, August 16, 2010
Mum Witch was very upset and mad about this and told me that she has voiced her opinion to management. I think that any speedways FAN would be happy to contribute after all they all entertained use for a long time including Briggo. I maybe in the states now but I still love my Speedway and come to see it everytime I get the chance. But if I can't get over I always read the star and get updates from my mum. Sincerely Carolyn Woods Bower
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Witchywoman1
Saturday, August 14, 2010
It would be a bit of a job for Briggo to be at Foxhall on Thursday night as he was already scheduled to be at Sheffield , which was arranged weeks ago.
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gollob
Saturday, August 14, 2010
I’m never ceased to be amazed at just how insular some people in this town can be, Mr Kinnear-Nock’s comments being the latest example. To my way of thinking a wheelchair bound speedway rider is a wheelchair bound speedway rider and makes no difference if he has worn a Witches race jacket or not. I can give to Kim’s appeal (and have) and also support other riders, but to use this as an excuse not to support a very worthwhile cause is nothing short of pathetic. As a matter of interest the 12 riders who will benefit from Briggo’s efforts are: Krzysztof Cegielski, Lawrence Hare, Neil Hewitt, Per Jonsson, Pip Lamb, Graham Miles, Paul Mitchell, Joe Owen, John Simmons, Garry Stead, Steve Weatherley, Alan Wilkinson. At least two of these have strong Ipswich connections!!!! As for “IpswichWitches” comments about Briggo’s Blog, I fear he’s a little confused. The extract from Briggo’s Blog that he is quoting is dated 27 June 2010, and almost certainly refers to the original plan for him to visit Foxhall on Thursday 24 June against Belle Vue. As many will recall the BSPA issued a press release on 16th June, announcing that June 24th had been set aside as Armed Forces Day at Foxhall. This would account for the blog entry: “………..and now I have had to make a tough decision to cancel my visit to Ipswich. I want to apologise to Witches fans and I promise to do my best to get back to Foxhall to make up for it.” It would appear that Briggo would have liked to have been at Foxhall tonight, but it was this visit that has been declined by the Promotion. I do think this a shocking PR “own goal”, and a shabby way to treat a Hero and a Legend, like Barry Briggs.
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snackette
Thursday, August 12, 2010
'Snub' in the headline of this report is misleading. Witches' management, staff and supporters are directly supporting Kim and in my opinion it is OK to channel all of our financial support to one of our past riders - why cannot other clubs do the same for their current or past riders that have suffered from riding injuries? Whilst I agree with some of the recent criticism towards the Louis' family, on this occasion I cannot see what the management has done wrong - apart from the misleading and over negative headline, which is a cheap journalistic attention grabbing trick!
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AzulBlanco
Thursday, August 12, 2010
According to Briggs' own site blog: 'The Ride is over halfway through now and I am beginning to think that time is running short. We suffered our first rain off at Belle Vue a fortnight ago and now I have had to make a tough decision to cancel my visit to Ipswich. I want to apologise to Witches fans and I promise to do my best to get back to Foxhall to make up for it. The problem was that, on the day of my visit, there would also be the Armed Forces Day and Help for Heroes visits and, having discussed it with the promotion, we all felt that it would be wrong to take anything away from the forces that night, they deserve so much. '
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IpswichWitches
Thursday, August 12, 2010
I think that it is a disgrace that the club have told him not to appear, it just goes to show the mentality of them. Okay so Kim is not on the list of riders to be helped, but Barry Briggs is still raising money for other injured speedway riders and in this day and age, i think that the management have made (yet another) bad call.
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Colin Smith
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
We all love kim and its a shame he is not on the list ,but stopping mr briggs coming to foxhall ,well im stuck for words,chris louis needs to grow up.
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wayne horne
Wednesday, August 11, 2010