I hadn't planned for there to be a seventh part to the Billy Sanders story. Having finished writing Part 6, I thought the almost fifteen months I'd spent on this project had seen it to its completion. There was one task remaining though - in Part 6 I mention two comments concerning Billy which I state were attributable to John Berry. I thought it prudent to contact John and verify that he did indeed make these comments. At the same time, I asked John (with whom I'd had no previous contact) if he wished to add any further comments about Billy. To my surprise, he replied that if I was to submit a few questions, he'd respond briefly to them. I finally submitted seven questions expecting a few words in reply to each  - his response was beyond my expectations.   

 

     It was John Berry who gave Billy Sanders the opportunity to race in Britain. John was involved in a promoting capacity at the Ipswich club from 1969 until 1985. He is also a former England Team Manager. Here are the questions I submitted to John and the answers he provided:- 

 

Q. Having made the decision to take Ipswich up into the First Division in 1972, it must have surprised many when you decided to give a team place to Billy - a rider who was then only 16 years old and with less than 12 months racing experience. How did he come to your attention in the first place?

 

A.  Martin Rogers was the King's Lynn manager - Peter White recommended Billy to Martin who was not prepared to take the gamble - he passed his name to me. I then spoke with Peter who arranged with Billy to phone me, reverse charges, and in the middle of the night ! Greg Kentwell acted as Billy's advisor and representative in England. I didn't know at the time, but Billy concluded his deal with me (over about three or four phone calls) before even telling his parents we had spoken !

 

Q. The story of Billy's debut meeting in England is a wonderful one. Here are his own comments about that occasion :-

 

          "My debut was at Ipswich against Hackney and it went off better than I thought it would. The manager slotted me

          in at number 7 so I could have the extra ride ( I think he figured I need the extra practice ! ). Our two fellows both

          broke the tapes in heat one so I replaced them. Anyhow, I got a good gate and managed to win - a terrific feeling

          I can tell you ! We eventually lost and I finished as joint top scorer with 8 points."

 

 You, team manager Ron Bagley, and also the Ipswich fans present at the track, must have been thrilled at Billy's debut display ?

 

A. We had seen enough at practice to tell us Billy had natural ability, but we and the public were 'over the moon'. It should be pointed out that in being thrown into heat one, it was the Hackney star man Bengt Jansson whom Billy beat in his first ever race in the U.K.! I don't think we told Billy that before the race !

 Q. Billy finished his 1972 season with a 4.46 average for League and Cup matches. What impression had he made on you and the Ipswich fans during his debut season ?

 

A. That he had all the style and natural ability to reach the top - that he was still very young, but despite taking a number of tumbles, and also having to cope in a different country at such a tender age, he clearly had what was required. All the mums wanted to take him home and mother him !

 

Q. Although Billy had a wonderful 1984 season with the Witches, he endured that great disappointment of scoring only 5 points in the World Final that year. He himself admitted that many expected him to win. For a rider who prided himself on his performances, that must have been a major disappointment for him ?

 

A. By that time, Billy had become obsessed with becoming World Champion. There is a fine line between ruthless determination and desperation, and I think Billy had become desperate by then. Also, I think his private life and his speedway ambition had begun to clash seriously by then.

 

Q. There must have been a deep sense of loss at the club when Billy died ?

 A. I cannot speak for others, but the loss hit me very hard personally. From the age of 16 I had been his de facto guardian in the U.K.  It had not always been a smooth road, but I thought we knew and trusted each other. We spent hours that day trying to sort things out, and when he left, I really thought he was settled in his mind. Needless to say, I blame myself for not seeing the signs. It just never occurred to me that he was contemplating such a thing. The huge church where the funeral was held overflowed out onto the streets.

Q. If you had to sum up Billy in one sentence, what would you say ?

 

A. He was a very simple straightforward person, but the rest of the world was too complicated for him.

Q. What is your fondest memory of Billy Sanders ?

 

A. Visiting him and his parents in their little fibro home with outside dunny in Rooty Hill in 1973, being taken into the tiny front (lounge) room, and having to squeeze past the biggest free-standing air conditioner and colour TV (still very much a novelty then) you could imagine ! Billy had bought them for his mum in Singapore on the way back home from the U.K. There was hardly enough room left to sit down in ! He worshipped his tiny mum who wasn't averse to giving him a clip around the ear even then !

I sincerely thank John for giving of his time to share some of his memories of Billy Sanders.