Ole Olsen: I nearly quit the speedway track

The 'Great Dane', three times world individual champion, regaled a 200-strong sell-out audience at the Cleveland Arms, Stowheath Lane, with tales of his career.

And he said in the tug-of-war for his services, Hull promoters Ian Thomas, Wally Mawdsley and Brian Larner flew to America and tried to get him drunk to agree a deal.

Olsen, who rode at Monmore Green for six seasons from 1970, forced a move to Midlands rivals Coventry at the end of 1975.

Under the rider control system of the time, he had been allocated to Hull by the sport's authorities.

"It's not that I wanted to leave Wolverhampton – I loved it, it was great," the 69-year-old told speedway TV presenter Nigel Pearson.

"But the world championship finals were all on bigger tracks, in Poland, Sweden and at Wembley.

"I thought I was turning too sharply on big tracks and not getting the rhythm I wanted. I had a meeting with Charles Ochiltree (Coventry promoter) and said I wanted to move there.

"But all of a sudden, when I was out in Australia, I was told I was going to Hull. I met Charles again and asked him if he still wanted me. He said yes and I said 'you've got a deal. I'll race for you or I won't race at all'.

"I'd done tests with a Formula 3000 team. I didn't enjoy it that much, but it was OK and I did well. They wanted to sign me; I said I wanted to ride for Coventry, but if not I would do that.

"Wally Mawdsley, Brian Larner and Ian Thomas flew out to America to see me when I was racing there. They kept putting drink on me – I liked rum and Coke.

"Then suddenly Ian Thomas threw his cheque book on the table and said 'just write the figure you want'.

"They kept throwing cheque books on the table and thought I was getting drunk. But I was just sipping!"

The impasse was broken when Ochiltree paid a large sum to Hull in compensation.

"I believe it was £30,000," added Olsen. "Ian Thomas wrote in his book that he had never made so much money for a rider who never rode a lap for him!"