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Plymouth 2012


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Hah, thats a classic you've seen his dress sense. Oh gawd the thought of "those" shorts coming out again this summer :icon_smile_clown:

The Lucky Shorts.

 

Could be that me Squall and Junior should share some of the responsibility for them after a fine win last season we insisted that he could only attend Sheffield meeting if he wore the Lucky Shorts. :t:

 

Somersets stadium has improved year on year in fairness... quite a few people I met at Newport from away teams claimed the Plymouth stadium was dire. £2 for a warm can of lager, bitter or cider, disgusting toilets, poor spectating areas etc. Its up to those who told me to come out and name themselves :lol:

 

The bar at Somerset is first class, whilst IMO being a little overpriced the food is always of a good standard .

 

I havent been to the Plymouth stadium, I am just going on what I have been told and thats from a fair few respected posters on here.

To be fair to Halifax what he was saying is that Somerset own their stadium Plymouth don't and are at the mercy of there landlords on facilities.He has said it would fairer to compare Somerset with Scunthorpe, who both own there own stadiums.

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He may of said that but he has also compared Somersets stadium to Plymouths and from what I have seen and heard, Somerset is streets ahead.

 

Actually, what I said was that a Somerset supporter was not in a position to have a pop at someone else's stadium. Quite simply, their's isn't that good that they are in a position to do so. The track I compared it with was Scunthorpe, and I'd say EWR is definitely better.

 

The three best racing tracks I went to last season (out of 25 visited) were Scunthorpe, Mildenhall & Plymouth. While I have a bit of a soft spot for the Devils and know some cracking lads down there, I wouldn't make a 700 mile round trip for crap racing when I can do it in 40.

 

Somerset is better than Plymouth, but then they are owners, not tenants and have been in existence for a fair bit longer.

 

 

The thing with Halifax is that he travels around the tracks and watches speedway at all different level of Leagues and stadium, and I think that at the end of the day he is probably one of the most unbiased honest opinions that you will get on here.

And when I say he travels around a lot I really do mean it, he must spend a fortune on his love of speedway, in fact Squall's Dad is convince that Halifax is a Secret Millionaire.

 

I think its more likely that Squall's Dad is a secret millionaire :D

 

Don't listen to that lazy, freeloading git Nikko, Spinny. And don't stir him up, either. He is difficult to lull to sleep again.

 

I think that I (and maybe one or two others) might owe Mr Bowden an apology. Ricky Ashworth gives a pretty convincing and reasonable account of why he won't be at SBA in Speedy Star this week, and its nothing to do with money or contract conditions.

Edited by Halifaxtiger
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im no Mike Bowden fan but he signed Ashworth in good faith, and got repayed by Ashworth holding onto the contract for week's before telling him he did not want to sign, i just hope that when Kozza Smith is ready to come back he get's the boot.

 

So I take it you are totally dismissing the suggestion that Mr Bowden changed Ashworth's terms after agreeing them?

 

I don't see how anyone can categorically blame either party without actually knowing what went on between them.

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I can understand his reason, and they are good, but what would have been the outcome if Berwick were not short of a rider, i think he would have been very happy to make the long trek down to Plymouth, he was full of it in the Star when he was first ask to sign for Plymouth believing he was without a team, and saying it could help him going to a smaller track, to say the Berwick and Sheffield promotor were not involved in this, in my opinion they were involved in it 100%, im no Mike Bowden fan but he signed Ashworth in good faith, and got repayed by Ashworth holding onto the contract for week's before telling him he did not want to sign, and all the rubbish about both team's coming out of it well did not come into it at the time, until Mike Bowden signed Ryan Fisher only one team Berwick came out well, the rider did not give a toss, i just hope that when Kozza Smith is ready to come back he get's the boot.

 

It did work out rather well for Ashworth and Berwick but he says he wasn't tapped up nor did he tap Berwick up and I see no reason to disbelieve him.

 

I am not sure that he would have been 'very happy' to ride for Plymouth, more that it was a case of Hobson's choice.

 

I also think it worked out rather well for Plymouth so your pathetic comment about him 'getting the boot' is absolutely uncalled for.

 

So I take it you are totally dismissing the suggestion that Mr Bowden changed Ashworth's terms after agreeing them?

 

I don't see how anyone can categorically blame either party without actually knowing what went on between them.

 

Its difficult to argue with the viewpoint that we don't know the full facts and probably never will. The only thing is Ashworth doesn't say in even the smallest way that it was Plymouth's fault (he doesn't even hint at it) going on to say that it was the travelling that put him off. Given that he lives in Manchester and would face a 700 mile, 12 hour round trip for meetings that is entirely plausible; which of us wouldn't have second thoughts ?

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i watch speedway at plymouth and i think ricky has behaved correctly in the way he has conducted himself he has not slagged anyone off unlike bowden he hasnt mentioned money unlike bowden i wish him well at berwick even though i was looking forward to having him ride for us not all plymouth fans are narrow minded and i can see the bigger picture because if bowden had been more professional he would have met ricky in person and got his signature asap like berwick did

Edited by lewy
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Bill Hancock does. Somerset Speedway is owned by a consortium made up by a number of different people.

 

Nowhere will you find on Somerset Speedway's assets list, 'The Oak Tree Arena'.

 

You mean Bill Hancock who is listed as a promoter of the club and is father of Debbie Hancock, another promoter and who is stated on the Oak Tree Arena website as managing 'the family business'.

 

I suppose if you want to be extremely pedantic Somerset Speedway do not own Oak tree Arena. I daresay Eastbourne Speedway do not have Arlington as an asset either, but its owned by Bob Dugard nevertheless.

 

To suggest that Somerset Speedway are tenants is nonsense and you know it.

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I never once used the word tenants - I merely put you right in your incorrect statement that Somerset speedway own the Oak Tree Arena, when for a fact, they don't.

 

The Oak Tree Arena itself is owned by Bill Hancock, and his wife I'd presume, who his wife has nothing to do with the management Commitee for Somerset Speedway.

Edited by Najjer
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Ashworth having the contract in his hand's, all he had to do is sign it and send it back, how would Mike Bowden be able to change it like some people seem to think he has if the rider has it, and had it in his hand's at least two week's, in my opinion Ashworth should never have agreed to join Plymouth in the first place, only doing so because he would be without a team.

Maybe Ricky Ashworth should not have agreed to ride for Plymouth, but lets not forget that this at the time was his one and only option left open to him as he was informed that his place at Sheffield had gone. Also don't forget that the deal on offer to him from Plymouth was better than the one offered to him at Sheffield, so I would imagine that instincts told him that the best thing to do would be to agree to the deal.the only other option left open to him was to be out of work.

 

At the end of the day hindsight is a wonderful thing.

Edited by spin king
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Based on?

 

Ashworth having the contract in his hand's, all he had to do is sign it and send it back, how would Mike Bowden be able to change it like some people seem to think he has if the rider has it, and had it in his hand's at least two week's

 

Who said he did, certainly not Ashworth.............I've read and re-read the SS article, and nowhere does he say he had the contract in his hands. The first time anyone mentioned that, was when you posted it on here.

 

Maybe next time your down at the SBA i will come over and your can call me pathetic to my face

 

Oh do behave yourself. He didn't call you pathetic, he said your comment was pathetic, there's a subtle difference. You don't necessarily have to be pathetic to make a pathetic comment.

 

but by not saying it was Plymouth's fault in any way that say's Mike Bowden did not change the term's of the contract

 

No it doesn't. Haven't you ever heard of a diplomatic answer? It's something that Mr Bowden clearly hadn't heard of when he made his public comments on Ashworth after he had signed for Berwick.

Edited by womble53
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I daresay that viewpoint is as unbiased as mine is. :blink:

 

I should point out I went to 25 tracks last season, so I think I am better qualified to judge who has good racing and who doesn't and, based admittedly upon last season only, Somerset isn't in Plymouth's league.

 

One day you might even have some cover for spectators, and I am wondering just what you might do to increase 'viewing opportunities'. One thing you don't lack at Somerset is a good view. The bar and restaurent is fantastic, but you can't see the track from inside. Consequently, I might question whether the principle reason for its development was for the benefit and enjoyment of speedway fans on race night or weddings, sunday lunches and other fund raising at all other times.

 

As I have said, Plymouth don't own their stadium, so they are at the mercy of the owners as to the development of the place. A fair comparison would be with Scunthorpe, who have been opened for about half the time.

 

I think its fair to say that EWR is acknowledged as the best racing track in the country. They have three covered areas on the home straight and are in the process of building extra concrete terracing around the first bend. They have a bar, new pits, a new toliet block, a training track, floodlights, an air fence and a hard core car park.

 

I'd be the first to admit that if the racing is good I don't really care that much about the facilities (and I'd accept that isn't everyone's point of view) so, up to last season, I rather enjoyed my all my visits to OTA. What I object to is someone having a pop at a track that can do very little about their facilities when their own stadium isn't up to much and they can.

 

Somerset is a great little track. Yes the facilities are pretty basic but that for me is part of the attraction. Parking in a field, a decent plate of chilli and chips, and almost guaranteed excellent racing. I have been there numerous times and never been disappointed. Recommend a visit to the cider farm nearby too. The scrumpy is fantastic. As for plymouuth, I look forward to visiting for tge first time this year. You guys have put together a really attractive side

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