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Hammers career : TP: 1991, 1997; NT: 1993; JW: 1997,1999;
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WE continue our feature of going back to Hammers' teams of years past by returning to the Nineties and taking a closer look at Tommy Palmer (1991, 1997), Neville Tatum (1993) and John Wainwright (1997, 1999).
Tommy Palmer first linked with the Hammers in 1990 to ride for the Club's junior side. When boss Chick Woodroffe sold the operation to Terry Russell and Ivan Henry at the beginning of 1991, he was given his chance to stake a claim for a first team reserve berth with Robert Ledwith.
Unfortunately for Tommy, it was Ledwith who got the nod and he was replaced by Paul Hurry in the Hammers line-up. Tommy moved on to Exeter in the Second Division before Peterborough moved in to sign him on a full contract for the 1996 season.
A series of injuries tended to limit Tommy's appearances for the Panthers and the following year he linked with the Hammers once again. He enjoyed a successful season - performing well on big tracks - although he tended to struggle at times at Purfleet.
He was not retained by the Hammers for the 1998 season and joined fellow Premier League outfit Sheffield that year. Tommy moved on to the Isle of Wight in the Premier League, but his campaign and career was cruelly interrupted by a broken leg.
Brother of Sky Sports analyst Kelvin, Neville Tatum began his career with National League Canterbury in 1984 and made a few appearances for the Junior Hammers side that season. Following a couple of seasons with the Crusaders, Neville switched to Wimbledon in 1986 and remained with the Dons for a further campaign before being purchased outright by Coventry in 1988 following a loan spell the previous year.
Upon linking with his brother at Brandon, Neville enjoyed league success in successive seasons before dropping back to the National League with the Dons for a reported £14,000 figure. He remained a steady National League heat leader and stayed with the South London club upon their elevation to the First Division in 1991. He remained with them when they switched to Eastbourne before eventually joining Ipswich and then Peterborough in 1992.
He joined the Hammers in 1993 mid-season to replace the injured Andy Galvin, but after failing to set the track alight decided to take a break from the sport to concentrate on his family business.
He was tempted back into the saddle with Eastbourne in 1996 but quickly switched to London Lions at Hackney - to team up with Kelvin once again - in a deal that saw Alan Mogridge go the other way.
Neville moved on again, spending three seasons with the Isle of Wight following the formation of new Premier League in 1997. He moved to Stoke in 2000, where he had an injury ravaged campaign, and now runs a successful engine tuning operation.
John Wainwright, son of former rider Bill, began his career at Rye House in 1987. He broke into the first team in 1988, averaging a shade under three points a match, before moving on loan to Mildenhall.
Further spells at Newcastle (1990) and Peterborough (1991) followed, before John 'returned home' to Hoddesdon mid season in 1991 to add steel to an ailing Rockets outfit.
Much travelled John was on the road again over the course of the next few seasons, with spells at Eastbourne, Kings Lynn and Wolverhampton before settling for a full season at London Lions in 1996. John adapted well to the reshaped Waterden Road circuit - the only disappointment to a good season came at the end when he suffered a broken leg in a crash at Oxford. He returned to the saddle in 1997 in Hammers colours as a replacement for Paul Lydes-Uings before opting to give 1998 a miss - although he almost tempted to pull the leathers on again mid-season to bolster the Hammers.
Come 1999, John finally returned, declaring it his final, farewell season as the Hammers reached the Knockout Cup final.. Averaging a shade under four points a match, his season came to a sad end at the 12-Lapper individual meeting when he crashed out at Purfleet, sustaining numerous injuries.
Tommy Palmer
Year |
Matches |
Rides |
Points |
Bonus |
Total |
Average |
Full Max |
Paid Max |
1997 |
38 |
195 |
316 |
29 |
345 |
7.08 |
2 |
0 |
1991 |
4 |
13 |
4 |
1 |
5 |
1.54 |
0 |
0 |
TOTAL |
42 |
208 |
320 |
30 |
350 |
6.73 |
2 |
0 |
Neville Tatum
Year |
Matches |
Rides |
Points |
Bonus |
Total |
Average |
Full Max |
Paid Max |
1993 |
14 |
62 |
40 |
9 |
49 |
3.16 |
0 |
0 |
John Wainwright
Year |
Matches |
Rides |
Points |
Bonus |
Total |
Average |
Full Max |
Paid Max |
1999 |
38 |
135 |
91 |
30 |
121 |
3.59 |
0 |
0 |
1997 |
30 |
138 |
108 |
30 |
138 |
4.00 |
0 |
0 |
TOTAL |
68 |
273 |
199 |
60 |
259 |
3.79 |
0 |
0 |
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