Grachan

Nielsen coming in for Grondal at Swindon would seem sensible, but then, of course, other teams would get a better option and all the normal "equality" stuff would come into play - and Swindon would probably prefer to have Worrall or Garrity. There is a case for some sort of rider control coming into effect with this.

Swindon Speedway Car Park.

I remember that Cradley side winning by the same score at Swindon - 29-49 - despite Phil Crump getting a glorious maximum! The Cradley team looked slighlty bemused on their victory parade as half the crowd went onto the greyhound track and chanted "Crumpie, Crumpie" as they came round. Never has a heavy home defeat felt so much like a victory! The Belle Vue team was before my time and I never got to see it, but poor old Ken Eyre sticks out like a sore thumb so I'd give it to Cradley.

Champagne Stakes used to be the season opener. Big night for me was the 1975 Champagne Stakes and seeing Bob Kilby in the team after him being a constant thorn in our side the previous year either for Oxford or as a guest. (Remember the 1974 Belle Vue/Hackney double header with Kilbs guesting for both away sides. Biggest crowd I ever saw at Blunsdon.)

Did anyone ever actually win it I wonder.

Found my programmes! The 4TT was: Oxford 33 (Kilby 11, Kennett 10, U. Lovaas 6, Davis 6) Newport 31 (Crump12, Street 8, Eide 7, Mudge 4) Swindon 18 (M. Ashby 10, Hunter 5, Leigh 2, D. Ashby 1) Exeter 14 (Holden 7, Lomas 4, Reinke 2, Dulian (sic - I'm assuming that's Chris Julian in for Scott Autrey!) 1) Oxford's league win at Swindon had Martin Ashby scoring 7 from 5 - including a last place behind Henk Steman so I'm assuming he had bike problems. My programme for Oxford v Swindon has me putting A.Jones in place of Gordon Kennet. I wasn't good on names in those days! Henk Steman got another point off Martin Ashby having an engine failure. He must have scored most of his points that year against Martin Ashby! The Oxford programme has an advert in it. Win a trip for 2 to Zaire to watch Ali v Foreman - 3 day trip with hotel, air fare and fight tickets all inclusive! Tickets 10p!

I think eveyone except Belle Vue won there in 1975! I remember the 4TT. Wasn't it over 4 legs? I can't remember the result though.

Yeah. 1974. August Bank Holiday Monday if I recall correctly. I don't remember too much - I think it was only my second or third meeting - but I remember Martin Ashby having an engine failure in his first ride before going unbeaten for the rest of the meeting. I think I still have the programme somewhere. The first win at Blunsdon would have been before my time as I only started going late in the season.

Had a good few wins too, though. Kojakgate, for example, when the riders all had a mass brawl. First time I ever went to Cowley was also a win for Swindon, only for the Rebels to come to Blunsdon near the end of the year and give us a good thumping! Was that the one where the Newport fans did a march round the greyhound track at the end?

Just off the top of my head, so may well be different and half past 5. Best: 1. Going to Poland in 1976 and seeing Peter Collins win the World Championship. 2. Swindon signing Andrew Silver after a sensational year as a number 8. I was so chuffed! 3. Standing on the grass of bends 1&2 and watching my first ever Swindon meeting in 1974. Worst: 1. Losing to Oxford any time - but particularly when they hammered us and Per Sorensen scored a paid maximum. 2. Going to a Swindon v Glasgow PL meeting having not been to Swindon for several years and feeling very sad at the tiny crowd, lack of atmosphere and boring meeting. 3. Martin Ashby coming fifth in the 1975 British Final. An awful lot of Swindon stuff going on there!!

You also have riders like Richie Worrall, Justin Sedgman and Stefan Nielsen. Maybe not "stars" but riders that have been forced out while lesser riders come into teams. It probably has more of an effect on riders like this than it does the top riders who, probably, aren't so bothered anyway as they can get regular rides in stronger leagues.

I think most kids would have a part time job at 16, and if speedway was a priority for them they could afford to go.

Some very positive additions. Lee Kilby, in particular, is a great addition. The third generation of Kilby involvement and someone who has shown a degree of promotional flair in the past and has a genuine passion for the club.

Apparently there's a sign up warning greyhound customers that there will be construction work going on in the car park during January. Better than nothing I guess.

I never rated Tony Briggs that hightly, although I was maybe seeing things from a Swindon bias! A decent second string rider, but maybe he had more talent than I appreciated at the time.

The main problem for me with top riders being forced out isn't so much that I don't see those riders but the inevitable drop in crowd levels each time the league is weakened. If teams of the current strength performed in full stadiums with a great atmosphere I'd be happy with the product, but they continually push people away from attending by weakening teams.

He thinks of himself as both. I think that's pretty clear and totally understandable. I have kids of dual nationality and they are happy to be seen as both so why wouldn't Tai? I'm sure his issue with TeamGB isn't because of the British/Aussie thing but more to do with how British speedway is run - the same as has happened with top riders and GB mangers in the past. I accept he is a bit of a "marmite" rider, but I don't think the fact he has 2 countries should stand against him. That, after all, was down to his parents rather than him.

I'm pretty sure our Gater1 is a Swindon fan really. He just pretends to be a Poole supporter on here to wind people up and give Poole fans a bad name.

It's weird that he was even offered a Testimonial for 10 years constant service to the EL when he didn't ride here in 2015. A Testimonial should be for 10 years consecutive service to a single club. That's it. However, it's maybe harsh to have too much of a go at Tai because, chances are, he was offered one by Wolves in the first palce otherwise it probably wouldn't even have occured to him. He says in the article that it was about having a spectacular meeting for British fans and not about the money - so maybe he'll still have an open meeting at Wolves anyway. In fact, if Wolves really want to give him a testimonial they can hold the Tai Woffnden Spectacular, or something along those lines, and then give Tai all the profits. Should be a good night.

A bit of smart team riding and he can get it down to 9 no problem - but it's not something he's excelled at in the past. After this year it's clear there needs to be systems in place to ensure his average doesn't go too high.

If everyone at Swindon is sensible and Jason brushes up on his team riding I'd say around 9.

At least someone was there. That's actually not bad.

How can the NSS be in Swindon when we are having to reduce to a small stadium in the corner of a car park so that houses can be built?

Read what the fans say. I haven't seen one who doesn't want Jason in the side. The willingness of people to dump top riders disturbs me. After years of people complaining that the top riders don't ride here it turns out nobody really cares so much. As stated above. It's only Jason and interest in the new stadium that gives hope of crowds over 1000. A sad time for the sport with unsuccessful clubs doing their best to destroy the better run ones' livelyhoods. Agree with the first part, but one big league? Please god no. I dread to think what level that would be set out. New second division 40 point limit at the most.

Well, you do seem to know more than most of the people that run it do. As for Doyle, Swindon also need to be looking at their own situation regarding getting supporters in and keeping some form of pride in the club. There is so much more at stake here than just having a winning side. To be honest it's only Swindon keeping Doyle plus knowing that they were against this ridiculous dumbing down that might get me to a couple of meetings next year. If my own team was one of those that keep bringing this once great sport into disrepute I would not be going to see them at all after this latest attempt to kill off any form of top level in the UK. These clubs might say they are not getting good crowds in. Maybe they need to look at themselves for the reasons why.