Ovalman

Last home league match August 2nd v Scunthorpe. Saw there are a few Chargers matches next month as well.

I've followed the sport for 60 years sad to see the poor crowds now. The racing hasn't got worse. At the Abbey in the 70s 3000 was a low crowd, regularly 5 figure crowds, and 17000 at one meeting in 1979, they had to lock the gates. 37 meetings there that year when nearly everyone could afford to attend every week. A quid to get in.

Glasgow had Cook at 1 and Hume at reserve last year, their two best riders on the night. Wasnt too impressed with Basso and Brennan. Most of the top teams have strong number 1 and at least one strong reserve. Oxford lost Batchelor, Summers and Ruml, but have made some great adjustments with Jenkins, Atkins, Kerr, Masters coming in.

A winning side generates good crowds, I remember at Swindon in 2017, near bottom with miserable looking crowds of around 1000, until they signed Musielak. Then went on 17 match winning run and won the league with happy, smiley crowds of over 3000, totally different atmosphere at the Abbey. The Ox are in the enviable position that millions live within 50 miles, including half of London! Meet quite a few peeps from Oxfordshire in my job, a few used to go in the old days of Nielsen and Pander etc when they were top team in country. Remains to be seen if they move back into top league to replace teams that are dropping out?

Loved the old Swindon-Reading-Oxford rivalry.The top league ain't the same without those three and Poole and Coventry.

Good to see the Ox doing well still unbeaten, and decent crowds still in their second season back, one of the few shining lights in British league speedway. Masters signing was a masterstroke, best rider in league with Scotty. Was at this fixture last year, a 5-1 heat advantage in last heat gave Ox victory, won by guest Bomber, some great racing and fantastic atmosphere. Quite a few Swindon fans travel up the a420 for their speedway fix, great to see speedway still running successfully in the Thames Valley, after their 15 year wait. Good set-up at Sandy Lane, hope to visit again soon. Good luck for rest of season.

So it's a water-themed restaurant

91

Are the Ox still getting big crowds as last season, especially as they're top of the league?. Also do you have to book grandstand seats for the night? Coming up from Swoinedown for a couple of meetings.

I preferred Knutson, Fundin and Briggs on front.

Spoke to him at Workington years ago, friendly geezer. Enjoyable meeting, Sayfutdinov superb.

Although 37 quid for Surrey t20 matches at the Oval.

My top 15 riders, league matches only: Harris, Masters, C.Cook, Douglas, Nicholls, Basso, Lawson, Kerr, Vissing, Brennan, Wright, Z. Cook, Jenkins, King, Allen.....

My top 10 riders: Sayfutdinov, Doyle, Holder, Fricke, Laguta, Musielak, Kurtz, Masters, Bewley, Wright...

It's not as good as it was but we should be grateful to still see the Star on sale at places like Morrison's, Sainsbury's, Asda, and Smiths, such a minority sport nowadays. The recent Motor Cycle News has pages of speedway news.

Probably similar at Swindon then, the year I left school and lost interest in speedway. So thats about 3 quid now!!! I can recall that year that the cinema, football and speedway was same cost, could afford to watch Town on Saturday afternoon and Robins on same evening. And you had second-halves then, much better VFM. 20 quid at Oxford speedway now for 15 minutes racing, and 22 quid League Two football at Town. Swindon ran 37 meetings in 1979, most could afford to go every week.

I used to pay 2 Bob, 10p. at Highbury kids enclosure mid 60s, look at the Arse prices now!!! Speedway has got far too expensive, why very few go now. It doesn't attract the AB social class spectators that can afford season tickets at Arsenal, Chelsea, Spurs etc., Even Surrey cricket at the Oval is 35 quid for 3 hours at the t20 blast. Are you getting ya pie n mash delivered up there Chris? Regards Keef.

Remember when Rosco brought him over from Poland in 2017, Swindon were near bottom, then went on a record 17 match winning run and finished Champions.. Doyley and him kingpins in the 2017/19 title winning teams. Great heat 13 race last night. Unfortunately ex-Robins Bellego struggling and Ellis not so good this season.

One Swindon fan on facebook said he was shouting and crying after heat 15. Such a shame Swindon closed, used to be some great racing between the Knobs and Moonrakers. How speedway has gone downhill in recent years, sad to see, after the glory days of the 60s, 70s, 80s. In 1979 Blunsdon held 37 meetings, 7 individual meetings!!!

Oxfam is much nicer than Poxford

Not speedway related steve, but was chatting to my relative, Josh Abbott, the Oxfam City Star ice hockey striker, said half the Oxfam team are from Swindon. Some relation to Steve, ex- Oxfam speedway.

Yet there was a capacity 3500 at Oxfam.

Surprised the Swindon Select won that after the heavy defeat at Oxfam. Doyley didn't win a race last time out. Swindon Robins normally did well at Poole in the latter Premiership years, like Coventry, one of their favourite tracks. Shame the 1000 Robins fans that were at Cowley didn't make the long trip to Dorset. These meetings perhaps would be better run during school hols, plus the iffy weather, and at least you dont have to pay in advance. It keeps the Swindon Robins name alive.

Good start to the season from Oxfam. Nicholls on fire.

Did many Swoinedown fans make the trip up the a420, was it record crowd? According to the Swindon Advertiser nearly 1000 Robins fans were there, out of 3500? Possible track share with the Ox.? A mate had a ticket was going to go but had to work late, a case for paying on the door on the day, lost 22 quid. Sack Rosco, and Doyle and Ellis. didn't win a race. Good luck to Oxfam for the season, with all these tracks closing a beacon of light for British speedway.