1963-1972

In 1964 I organised a 60 mile race based in the local village of Dundonald. It became quite a popular annual event in the village during its 5 or 6 years existence. One of the races was started by the pirate radio station  'Radio Scotland' with the DJ counting down to the start. This was repeated later at the Girvan Race.

During the next three years I progressed from being an Ayrhire Delegate to the SCU Council meetings to representing Scotland at the BCF AGM from 1966 till 1999.

I still remember travelling to London by train for my first meeting at the BCF with Arthur Campbell and Gerry McDaid and as the journey came to its end Arthur passed me a note and said 'I want you to ask this question - don't worry just introduce yourself, ask the question and sit down'. It didn't occur to me at the time but what Arthur was doing was getting me to introduce myself to my English counterparts and getting me involved in the meeting!

The Scottish Milk Race was getting under way at this time and Arthur was the organiser. My first duty was as driver to the Dutch Team - managed by Jan Poot (who I believe was the organiser of the Amstel Gold Race at that time) his team included no less that Rene Pinjen who went on to be a big star of six day racing

and also Joop Zoetelmerk who of course was a Tour de France winner.

On the evening before the last day of the 1967 race, at the team managers meeting, the Yorkshire manager asked what the protocol for team cars would be if one team put 4 men (the whole team) in a break. Arthur smiled and said of course that team car could move up.

Well you can imagine what happened - a five rider breakaway, 4 from Yorkshire and Joop Zoetlemerk in a marking roll. Zoetlemerk was protecting the lead of his team leader Pijnen but found himself leader on the road. Pijnen came back to our car and asked the manager what to do - the answer was 'patience'. then the manager called over a motor cycle outrider and passed him a note with one word on it and asked it to be passed to Zootlemerk (no race radios or even official radios in these days). the one word translated meant 'don't work', the break was caught and Pijnen won the race!

In 1968 I organised a three day race at Easter for the Ayrshire and Dumfrieshire Cycling Association which was to become the Girvan Three Day (see pages devoted to the Girvan Race).

In 1970 I was on the organising committee for the Edinburgh Commonwealth Games (see other pages) and also had a minor official roll at the World Championships held at Leicester and organised by the late Benny Foster.