Exeter were faced with the retirement of both Robert Maxfield and Nigel Sparshott for the start of the 1986 season whilst Colin Cook went off to try his hand at the Boston circuit. To counter balance the holes made in the team, Colin Hill made just one major signing during the winter of 1985 in the form of Bruce Cribb.

It was hoped the vast experience of the 39 year old would rub off onto the young Falcons team, and who had last ridden for Exeter back in the early seventies.

But by May of the 1986 season, there couldn't have been too many smiling faces at the County Ground. On May 12, Exeter Falcons had just crumbled to their ninth National League defeat on the trot at the hands of Stoke, despite holding the lead for much of the match.

The Devon outfit had hit rock bottom. And there was a realistic danger of them putting up a stern challenge for the N.L's unwanted record of "Most defeats in succession". Little went right over the opening weeks of the campaign and Exeter were hit for 50 in four of their first five away league encounters, and they lost each of their first three home meetings by identical 37-41 scorelines, to Arena Essex, Canterbury, and then Stoke plus a Knockout Cup nightmare against Rye House in which the Rockets won both legs. No wonder then that there were dark clouds gathering over the County Ground.

It was as if the fear of the County Ground track no longer held fear for the visitors .In early May, the Falcons were floundering at the foot of the National League and it was difficult to see them retrieving what was already a desperate situation. But the turning point of Exeter's season was to come on May 17. Having already lost at home to Canterbury, few gave them much chance of springing a surprise in the return at Kingsmead.

The return of Colin Cook, after an illfated spell with former club Boston, was to make a major difference. Cook chipped in with two wins at Canterbury as Exeter shocked the home side to land their first league points of the season and ending a run of 13 consecutive defeats. And there was more to celebrate just two days later. Powerful Middlesbrough arrived in Devon eager for a couple more away points to boost their title challenge, but they were to find themselves up against a completely rejuvenated home team. Exeter romped home 46-32 thanks to a grandstand finish of three maximums in five heats. The tide, it seemed, was turning.

Certainly, much of that was down to the re-signing of Cook. After a relatively quiet start, the Suffolk-born rider hit his first double figure return of the year against Wimbledon in July, and then settled down into a solid scorer. Cook's presence from the start of the season could have made a sizeable difference to Exeter's year as a whole. Who knows what it might of meant had those early home defeats turned out to be wins, certainly they would have been in the top half of the table.

At the end of June, Exeter were still propping up the rest of the division, thanks in the main to their atrocious start. But there was light at the end of the tunnel and after losing to both Eastbourne and Peterborough at the County Ground in their next two home matches after beating Middlesbrough, the Falcons were to lose only once more on their home patch.

Incredibly, they strung together 11 consecutive league wins before local rivals Poole put yet another dent into an already battered home record on September 29. Of more significance was the Falcons improved form away over the latter half of the term. They picked up 30 points or more in four away meetings during July and August - and even picked up two points from a trip to fellow strugglers Newcastle on August 18. It was the first time since 1981 that Exeter had won more than one away match in a season.

In some respects, that must have been even more galling to promoter Colin Hill and his men. For once, the Falcons were actually rewarded on their travels but cancelled it out by squandering too many home points.

Whilst the younger element of the Exeter septet tended to be in and out, there was no disguising the consistency of number one Bruce Cribb. The veteran Kiwi rejoined his former team from Berwick and remained as reliable as ever. Cribb hit 12 double figure scores in his first 16 matches as a Falcon. During Exeter's traumatic opening to the season, it was Cribb, together with Steve Bishop, who did most to keep the Falcons afloat.

Right: Andy Sell and Stuart Williams at the County Ground.

The arrivals of Rivett and Mason in July brought some sorely needed bite to the top end and answered Byford's prayers. The team manager had to work hard and battle through much red tape before he could get a licence for Mason but admitted that Rivett's signing was a bit of a gamble. However, he revitalised the others and his attitude was great.

Once the new arrivals had steadied Exeter's listing ship in mid-season, and Falcons had rediscovered their touch at the County Ground, they were always likely to avoid the wooden spoon. By the end, they had elevated themselves to fifth from bottom, an achievement in itself considering the appalling start, but it was still Exeter's lowest ever National League placing.

The vagaries of the 45-point limit mean that promoter Colin Hill and new team manager John Brooks had to lose a rider in time for the new 1987 season. Steve Bishop seemed unlikely to be back, however, although the make-up of the 1987 squad would hinge on Rivett's return, or otherwise, from Australia. Whatever, Hill's main priority would be to avoid another start like 1986.

Elsewhere in 1986

Hans Nielsen was crowned the World Champion when he lifted the title in the Slaski Stadium. He scored 14pts to beat runner up Jan Pedersen (13pts) and third man Kelvin Tatum (12pts) Hans also won the B.L Riders Championship staged at Belle Vue. Scoring a flawless 15 ponts, he beat eventual runner up Erik Gundersen 11pts and third placed Shawn Moran on 11pts.

Neil Evitts is the new British Champion, dropping just one point at Coventry and beating Phil Collins (13pts) and Jeremy Doncaster (10pts). The in-form Doncaster however took the next major honour in the form of the Commonwealth Final, also dropping just a single point to beat Kelvin tatum (12pts) and Chris Morton (11pts). He was also runner up in the Overseas final that was eventually won by Sam Ermolenko (14pts), J.Doncaster (12pts) and Neil Evitts (11pts).

The Edinburgh pairing of D.Wyer and L.Collins win the N.L Pairs Final beating A.Galvin and B.Thomas of Hackney in the Final. Middlesbrough won the N.L Fours Final, they scored 15pts to beat Arena Essex (14pts), Hackney (11pts) and Poole (9pts).

Denmark make it four World Team Champion titles in a row and also hold onto the World Pairs Title. In the World Team Cup, they scored 48 points to win easily from the USA (29pts), England (23pts) and Sweden (19pts). It was a disasterous Pairs Final for the England side who finished seventh in Pocking. Full result, Denmark 46, USA 46 (Nielsen beat Moran in run off), Czechoslovakia 32, New Zealand 32, W.Germany 27, England 23, Italy 15 and Australia 15.

rik Gundersen wins back his World Longtrack title beating Peter Collins and Marcel Gerhard in the Final. maybe this led to Peter Collins finally calling it a day and retired from the sport at the end of the 1986 season.

Paul Thorpe (Stoke) clinched the N.L Riders Final scoring 15pts to beat second placed Steve Schofield (Poole) 13pts and third was Les Collins (Edinburgh) on 12pts.

The KO was shared this year between Oxford and Cradley. Having drawn the first Leg at Cradley, Bad weather continually postponed the second leg and the result stood. The same thing happened in the League Cup between the same clubs beacause of the same problem.

Oxford went through the entire league Season unbeaten in any match setting a new record. They won the Championship on 44pts from C.Heath 38pts and Wolverhampton 32pts and then completed a double when they beat Cradley Heath to win the Speedway Star Cup.

Pictured Right, the unstoppable Oxford sqaud, who, but for the weather, may well have captured all the honours in 1986.

Eastbourne capture the N.L Championship beating Poole and Middlesbrough and complete the double as they beat Mildenhall 90-64 to win the N.L KO Cup.