EnglishRoundabout

Thank you Hagon.

A bit late to the party but wanted to add some observations to my first visit to Blunsdon for a while due to moving from the area and work commitments. I make no apology for the self indulgent post either! Thursday was my first ever experience of the Robins winning a trophy on home soil. It was tremendous. I saw a group of grown men dancing together, plastic cups of lager spilling as they danced their Dad dances in a circle. The atmosphere was terrific. Chanting at speedway? Never have I heard that before. Jeff Beck’s Hi ho Silver Lining was belted out several times. Another group of young lads (teenagers this time) all singing together, laughing and smiling) Before the meeting began, dark clouds circled overhead, looking menacing and threatening. Worryingly , one massive cloud began to empty its cargo. At the time, I was stood inside having a cheeky beer. I watched as the home straight crowd staring anxiously at the sky. Fortunately, the clouds passed over and although the track looked wet, it certainly looked raceable. I watched the first 3 heats from the grass bank entering turn 3: I must admit, I felt nervous as Ipswich edged ahead. Even after The Iversen exclusion. They looked sharp from the starts, and Chris Harris ( for the first two laps in heat 3) looked hungry and committed. But then I witnessed an absolute steam roller of a side. Jensen was aggressive and fast Musielak, smooth and slick. Doyle was as expected. He’s a terrific leader and a real winner. Batchelor ( who I have criticised many times, mainly for when he opens his mouth) really does look high class these days. His pass of Doyle in heat 13, ( yes it was a pass too rather than any kind of team riding between the two) was superb. Ipswich were simply annihilated. Jake Allen gave a gutsy performance, but tired after Hawkins threw him into as many early races as he could in an attempt to contain the rampant Robins. This was the best Swindon team I have ever seen. And, in my opinion would beat any of the other 3 championship winning teams. There seemed genuine affection for the team from the packed crowd, and a pleasing team spirit. I liked the blend of orange/tangerine, ( I’ve never seen so many reflective orange highway maintenance jackets worn by supporters!!) Finally, I’ve supported the Robins from the days of Martin Ashby, Killer, Bouchard and Jan Andersson. I would have given anything for one of the mid seventies Robins teams to win the league, or even win an away match! I followed them everywhere on the coach, only to see them get a hammering at places like Cradley, Halifax and Wimbledon. The Blunsdon track in those days was excellent. Always passing, always good racing. These days, I like the shorter version. Huge compliment to the track staff who have worked wonders with it. In order to get a quick get away to travel back to my home in Cornwall, I left straight after heat 15. As I reached my car in the car park, I heard another rendition of Hi ho silver lining (Hi ho Swindon Robins!,) I sat in the drivers seat and caught a glimpse of my face in the mirror.......I was absolutely beaming!!! As I reached the M4, it was pouring with rain.. But the sun was shining on another triumphant season for a super speedway team.

It’s never totally dry in Blunsdon in October!!!

Good to see the Robins are still stimulating your interest Steve....surely your old team is ensuring you thoroughly support them tonight and tomorrow?

It’s the marmalade skies that I’m worried about tonight.......

Just looked at the weather under Met Office Forecast. Does look like a chance of a shower or two. Any damp weather does worry me regarding Batchelor, but if Swindon can keep Wolves from leading by more than 10, I reckon that could be ok. Certainly would set up a fantastic finale. Hopefully Auntie Doris’s “ Tangerine dream” will come true!

I saw that game Blueboy. Everton were awful. Vardy scored the winner. Looking better this season though. Send my regards to the old man.

Ez was the archetypal track curator at Somerset. He genuinely cared about the masterpiece he had prepared every Friday night. You’d see him stood away from everyone during the meeting, gazing from his elevated position in the pits, alone with his thoughts, always looking like the whole world was on his shoulders. Inevitably, his track produced brilliant racing, but also inevitably, he’d have several disagreements with riders during the meeting. Normally home riders. Never one to communicate particularly well with those riders, Ez, would seek the quiet of his little place away from everyone until the meeting had finished. He’d then be in his element, returning to the track with his tractor, carrying out numerous circuits of the track, always looking over his shoulder, always looking concerned, long after the supporters had headed to the bar, and riders to the motorway and their next meeting.

When you are an Everton season ticket holder Hagon, believe me, supporting those across Stanley Park is well......I’d rather stick cocktail sticks down my fingernails!!!

There is that!

Could be worse blueboy....could support Peterborough and Liverpool.....now that really would take the biscuit!!!

Yes, as I’ve previously said, it’s KKS. The same KKS that used to Stalk various riders, Kenneth Bjerre, Troy Batchelor , Michael Jesper Jensen, (all when they rode for Peterborough). He then switched allegiances to Poole ( Matt Ford Fan) before switching back to Reading racers fan/ Jeremycorbynfan. It now pretends to be a Swindon fan, but mark my words it’s KKS from way back in 2010.

How can you see back home in Peterborough? Same old KKS.

The problem is, speedway in its entirety is in disarray. It’s governed by people who have no business nous and surrounded by incompetence. Year after year we’ve seen the product gradually watered down, and only the hardy and loyal folk continue to attend. Over inflated wages in this and most other sports are crippling speedway, whilst the cost of living rises and wages remain stagnant. I don’t have the answer, but maybe those (if they are still with us) from the early to mid seventies when speedway was thriving, could assist everyone with the odd tip and advice.

There were plenty of SCB lovers on here let’s not forget....Shaun this, Shaun that. Could never stand his high and mighty attitude personally.

I stood on the second bend that night too. Smethick accents all around m!!

That was the locals leaving the Cold Harbour Pub Steve. They are hardy souls and have no interest in speedway

Was that when you used to vault over the wall Sid?

The back straight bogs are certainly infested.......thankfully not with humans though!

I think you can guarantee double figures from Schlein when it’s not raining or the track isn’t wet.

To be fair Orlovski, I’m not sure too many riders lack the concentration that Kildermand seemed to suffer from. More often than not, if he fell, he seemed to be in front at the time. A cardinal sin surely?

Didn’t Finn Thomson get an absolute hatful at Blunsdon on one occasion? Not sure it was his debut though. There was talk about him being on a 600 that night!!

Anyone remember the Thursday night disco in the Moonies? Dog rough, but it sold beer until the early hours.....

Yep, apologies, my error.