It's a laugh - at the Golden Reunion of past champions

The third annual Golden Reunion of the 'nostalgia army' - whose one rule is "don't come if you can't laugh' - will descend on a Leeds  hotel on Saturday, February 12.

This Saturday Night Sunday Morning event is organised by Pete Matthews, the former international and national road race champion from Liverpool.

A master of Scouse put downs, Matthews once quipped to his Liverpool Mercury RC clubmate Keith Hardiman  - who  hit the deck on a greasy corner during the Circuit of Ashurst and was spinning around and  sliding along at the same speed as the bunch -  'What you doin' down there, Hardi?'

Hardi refrained from replying.

Matthews claims that the only guy who regretted coming to the reunion last year was Bernie Burns who turned up with a broken rib or several. Boy,  did he know about it the following morning.

There was one complaint after the first reunion, from a guy who bemoaned paying for his accommodation when he suddenly realised at breakfast that he'd never been to bed because he'd stayed up all night getting jaw ache.

Expect lots of stories. Here's an old one. Milk Race organiser Maurice Cumberworth entered the Race hotel to report it had just started raining - having just walked beneath a third floor balcony from which several riders  were relieving themselves.

Stars of yesteryear who attended the rib tickling event last year also included Brian Robinson, Sid Barras, Bill Holmes, Pete Smith, John Bettinson and Reg Barnet. The latter would have won the banter  prize - had there been one.

There was a raffle.  Matthews won.  A can of beer past it's sell by date. Besides coming armed with stories, guests are invited to bring their bikes.

There's a ride out from the hotel on Sunday morning,  106 miles flat out - correction!   30 miles including a tea stop. For details and to book, call Pete Matthews on 0151 924 9311.