M.D

Fair point MD, its going to take Eastbourne a while to build again and the loss of Tom is a massive blow. I don't think we are a bad side, slightly unbalanced but the club is trying to move forward on and off the track so time will tell if we will get it right long term...

Awful news about Tom, I wish him well like we all do, a fantastic prospect for British speedway.. With regards to Eastbourne, Georgie Wood with a full 15 pointer for the IOW tonight and Ben Morley with a paid 15 pointer will give them both a confidence boost to take forward..

Eastbourne really remind me of 1985 when they entered the second tier of British speedway, It took us half a year to build and from then on we dominated the league until we moved up to the top flight again. The team is built to win and entertain at home with the hope that the top three can carry the side away from home with the hope of picking up the odd point here and there. It's very much a club that's building for a very bright future, give us a season and we will be both winning and even more entertaining on the road..

Its good to see Cookie and the club so upbeat again, its like a phoenix rising from the ashes...

Rain all day, attack the track time..

Old Bob.. I remember you well from your views on the Lakeside Hammers forum, your negativity about the sport and Jon Cook in particular was renowned. Im glad to see you bring that to Eastbourne threads on this site now, please keep posting though, all views are valid..

Ron had it all. from the gate, from behind, inside and outside.. In the one season at Eastbourne he outshone both Gordon Kennett and Kelly Moran, that took some doing around Arlington in those days..

Ron Preston.. 1979..Poole..32..139..277..21..8.58..4F..2P1980..Poole..23..101..214..16..9.11..1F..1P1981..Poole..12..62..110..9..7.68..1F1982..Eastbourne..38..162..354..18..9.18..5F..3P World U21 champion in 1979, quit the sport half injured aged about 24

15 today, Wood on 9+1 from 4..

I think we are just about to mirror 1985 onwards.. It could take us half a season to get going, the experienced top end is there and the youth is certainly coming through, we will be the stand out team second half of this season and then dominate thereafter..

I would think that's a given..

The Eagles have added to their asset base with Daniel and Ethan Spiller

The way it looks to me is.. Martin Dugard and Jon Cook now lease the stadium from the Dugard family, they both have control over the venue and can promote what they want having payed the lease on the venue to the owners. Eastbourne Speedway have moved up to the championship under the management of Jon Cook and Ian Jordan. I would think that Dugard/Cook are going to promote the stadium, stock cars, speedway and what ever they want to do so they can fund speedway, which at this present time is not really sustainable.

I did have a few concerns about the viability of the speedway team moving up but this explains a lot, Jon Cook and Martin Dugard are not naive are they...

I think the website is a good source of information and is getting updated fairly regularly. Ian Jordan is doing a fantastic job on social media keeping the fans informed and making it feel like we have a direct line to the management at Eastbourne. Social media and the website are separate items though, he can interact on social media in a way you can't on a website.

There is a lot more interest from fans this season than before, I would expect a spike in attendance to begin with and with a good team around Arlington I would think they can build on crowds..

Does Steen still ride? that was a while back..

I think it would do Georgie Wood good to still race at NL level, preferably on a larger track in the south..

How did you get to Kennett's average, looks a little high to me?

What sort of an attitude is that?

Or maybe the SCB could press the 'reset to factory settings' button and we as a sport can move forward? Yeah, doubt it too..

And we should catch up again soon..

A fantastic performance over the two legs and Eastbourne are worthy league champions. I have been watching Eastbourne since 1976 so I have seen the rough and the smooth with the club so I know only too well how Mildenhall fans feel and I have the upmost respect for the team and how they have performed this season. If the league format was different they would be deserved winners of the league but its a play off system, its about developing riders and getting a team into form at the right time with a sprinkling of luck over four meetings, thats taking nothing away from either team. As for tonight, shame on Mildenhall..

I don't come on the forum too much any more after being a member for 13 odd years and I have met up with SCB many times at tracks across the UK. I'm totally shocked by this and disgusted, I would never have guessed he was doing anything like what he has done..

Great man, RIP Bob