cityrebel

You're going to need binoculars to see the racing from turns one and two, once the work is completed.

That's my worry. If it rains all day saturday, will the track recover in time. If i lived local i would definitely take a chance.

I'm thinking about going, but with rain forecast on saturday and showers on sunday, I'm not sure now. The season starts far too early in my eyes.

I remember him going through the card against Reading in a bank holiday morning meeting at Cowley. I also saw a few of his meetings in his short stint at Arena Essex.

I've got a mate that went to that. He reckons it was close to 20,000. Incredible really.

In the early 70's the internationale used to pull in 20,000. The test match you refer to was the 1980 series. The stadium was partly closed to speedway in the NL era.

So do i. I was lucky enough to attend 17 meetings at Custom House between 1970-72. I pleaded with my old man for two weeks to take me to the last ever, in the end he gave in and we went.

So was i, two race wins from memory. My first ever meeting at West Ham, 39-39 draw against Wimbledon.

Riders I've seen for the Dons in no particular order. O.Nygren, T.Hedge, R.Moore, T.Jansson, B.Briggs, E.Jancarz & one of Ross, Jessup or Simmo!

It's pretty hard for me to include riders I've never seen.

I see that Reading are now running their 'home' meetings at Swindon. It makes far more sense financially and geographically.

From a personal point of view. The biggest crowd I've ever seen for a league match, was the estimated 25,000 that turned up for Wembley's reopener against Hackney in 1970.

Pretty impressive. I went the the Lokeren memorial meeting on that sunny sunday all those years ago. Sometimes i wish you could bottle those moments in time and visit them again!

Everyone in speedways inner circle is beyond criticism. They are a protected species.

Sometimes people in power would be better off saying nothing, rather than coming out with crap statements. It's far better being a wise monkey.

Probably good by todays standards. In West Ham's last top flight season, attendances averaged 3000. A figure that was considered a disaster at the time.

Sounds like a good idea.

I was born and bred in south west London. When the local eateries start putting tables and chairs on the pavement you know things are changing. The vast majority of my meetings next season will be at Eastbourne, Kent and the IOW. My trips north of the river will be few and far between.

I know the place you mean. I bet the locals use that club on a regular basis, especially at weekends!

Wouldn't be the first time would it. Exeter, Romford and West Ham were three tracks that had houses surrounding their stadiums. For Romford it proved fatal, but the orher two ran for years without any problems. That was then but this is now. If Swindon do survive long term in the middle of a housing estate. It might give hope to future planning issues at other clubs.

Looking at those photos it's hard to see how speedway in Swindon can survive. Nothing stands in the way of the insatiable need for housing.

Most real Londoners have fled the nest, me included. I still work in the smoke, but i hate the place. Now Rye and Lakeside have gone, ill be there even less. Although i still travel in to watch the gooners, which is more pain than pleasure these days.

The way the sport is heading, most of the tracks will be down to Kent's level in a couple of years. If they survive that is.

Still growing Sid. My most recent addition was a 1973 Wimbledon a couple of weeks ago.

Scary track Steve. Narrow, fast with a concrete 'safety' wall. It frightened me as a spectator!