SteveLyric2 Posted August 9, 2014 Report Share Posted August 9, 2014 Well if this is Eastbournes final season, with this cruel blow to Lewis Blackbird, rider of the season for the club, it will end in a whimper, not a bang. With the combination of Bellerby, (anyone heard of him?), and Geer, nice guy, but too nice to be nasty, we will play by the rules, and sign replacements that will in no way replicate Lewis' exploits. Unlike our south coast neighbours who constantly massage the rule book, to their advantage. Sad for Bob Dugard, who has poured a small fortune of his own money into keeping the club going, but has been let down by ineffectual "management". Well a fortune offset against tax for Dugard Machine Tools anyway!!! So on the one hand you complain about ineffectual management and then have a go at your 'south coast neighbours'!! By the way how's Poole's asset BP doing this year? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sussex bulldog Posted August 9, 2014 Report Share Posted August 9, 2014 So on the one hand you complain about ineffectual management and then have a go at your 'south coast neighbours'!! By the way how's Poole's asset BP doing this year? Very well thank you 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Red Robin Posted August 9, 2014 Report Share Posted August 9, 2014 Well a fortune offset against tax for Dugard Machine Tools anyway!!! So on the one hand you complain about ineffectual management and then have a go at your 'south coast neighbours'!! By the way how's Poole's asset BP doing this year? As "NASTY" as ever I see 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Edward Barrett Posted August 9, 2014 Report Share Posted August 9, 2014 Well a fortune offset against tax for Dugard Machine Tools anyway!!! So on the one hand you complain about ineffectual management and then have a go at your 'south coast neighbours'!! By the way how's Poole's asset BP doing this year? No surprise, rubbishe against Poole in the first meeting at Arlington, obviously rode against team orders in the second one!! Otherwise OK. Actually not having g a GO as such against our nearest and dearest, perhaps if we had a joint promoter and team manager who were "proactive", we may not be in such a dire situation. Still, Poole will be happy, one less team to worry about in their manic quest for titles!!! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Agrotron Posted August 10, 2014 Report Share Posted August 10, 2014 Wish Lewis a speedy recovery poor lad been riding great all season big blow for Eastbourne Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveLyric2 Posted August 10, 2014 Report Share Posted August 10, 2014 As "NASTY" as ever I see Nasty?????? Just factual! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevec Posted August 10, 2014 Report Share Posted August 10, 2014 Nasty?????? Just factual! Amazing how people seem to be so in the know. So explain how offsetting against Dugard Machine Tools means he has not invested this money in to the club. I own a business and yes, You can write sponsorship off against profits and hence, pay less tax but trust me, If I invest £1 to sponsor someone. My company loses that £1 and I have £1 less profit and hence £1 less to draw my dividends from. I don't get a magic £1 back from the tax man. The reason your comment was labeled as nasty is because bay making the statement you made you are insinuating that the money Bob has invested in to the club over the years is meaningless or insignificant. Yes, he is a wealthy man because he has invested his life and sole in to the running of a successful family business and then spent a great deal of his money into his beloved team. Nasty, because you choose to make a snide comment on a thread discussing the possible end to yet another speedway club. Yep, Nasty 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveLyric2 Posted August 10, 2014 Report Share Posted August 10, 2014 (edited) Apologies. I was not trying to be 'nasty', merely drawing attention to those promoters who have another big successful business to offset some of their losses - as opposed to those that don't and for whom Speedway is their main business! The thread is a general Eastbourne thread and I'm entitled to post as much as the next person. I sincerely hope that Eastbourne do not disappear and that new promoters can be found and choose to run at whatever level their budget allows. If that happens to be in a different league/division to your south coast neighbours, then I shall be disappointed at missing my visits to Arlington. Edited August 10, 2014 by Skidder1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevec Posted August 11, 2014 Report Share Posted August 11, 2014 No worries, I agree you have every right to post what you like as long as its not insulting to anyone just as I do to reply. I do get on the defensive sometimes and having been going to Arlington to watch speedway for 43 years I have come to respect the Dugards in a way that fans from other teams may not understand. When you see Bob doing his endless laps on his tractor he looks or when you here some of the thinks he says you could be lead to believe he is an arrogant bloke who's first interests are not speedway but I have spoken to him on many occasions and trust me, he is passionate about the sport and the club. Having the successful business has clearly helped fund speedway and yes, if speedway had been a business in its own right, it would have finished years ago. I really hope something can be done to save it for next season but I dont hold up much hope. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveLyric2 Posted August 11, 2014 Report Share Posted August 11, 2014 I too have met the Dugards (back in the Dugard/Cook promotional days) and worked with them on one of the indoor meetings. I respect what they as a family have done for the Eagles. However there are some - even among the most avid Eagles supporters - who would say that Bob can be/has been a little 'pig-headed' at times. possibly making decisions from the heart rather than his head. I'm sure he's not alone in that!!? Maybe his decision to continue operating at EL level for so long has proved to be not one of the best decisions?! Just my opinion and not having a dif. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevec Posted August 11, 2014 Report Share Posted August 11, 2014 Yeh, he can be pig-headed but I think he feels he makes the right decisions for the right reasons. He says he is worried about going Premier League as he feels the crowds may drop of even more. I must admit, I am not sure of that one. Maybe a competitive team in the premier league would bring the crowds back but say it competitive? Would it get even worse? We are doing OK this year. Been in a playoff place all year and pretty good at home. Away form stinks but why should that affect a home crowd? We have lost fans and although there are problems at Eastbourne I am not sure they are any different to 5 or 6 years ago. We used to have the best unofficial forum on the net, with more posts than even the Poole Forum used to get but now these fans have gone and when I looked a while ago, the last post on tonight's match was 2 days ago! The thread about finding a new promoter has posts from 6 posters! Is this really down to the promotion or is it just a natural downward trend that is hitting EB first due to the massive catchment area? There are so many people that think they have all the answers but they are just sitting behind their keyboards coming up with ideas like "Why don't they advertise" "Why don't they go Premier League" Imagine its your own money. You have lost £200,000 and a radio campaign is going to cost £5000 or £15000 or whatever. Do you want to spend it and risk losing more money. I myself have seen advertising do nothing more than cost money and bring no return. The only thing I do think they could do is talk to the fans more. The chances are, if they sent someone round at tonight's match, or the next Saturday match to talk to everyone they might find some answers. I bet everyone knows someone that knows someone that used to go. They are the people that need talking to....and ask them what they need to be enticed back? Why have they gone?? I have seen plenty of faces over the years that have stopped coming. I would love to ask them why they have stopped but I don't see them. Its all very sad. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sienna Ryan Posted August 19, 2014 Report Share Posted August 19, 2014 Is Lewis Blackbird out for the rest of the season or is he hoping to be back? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sussex bulldog Posted August 21, 2014 Report Share Posted August 21, 2014 He is hoping to be back Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cityrebel Posted August 21, 2014 Report Share Posted August 21, 2014 As a neutral and Arlington regular since 1972, the main reason for non attendance from the missing fans I know is the state of the track. Yes it is generally smooth and consistent, but it is so slick and does not produce good racing. For this seasons B Fixture against poole, the track was excellent, plenty of dirt, grippy and well watered. In fact it was the best I had seen it prepared in years. This meeting coincided with uncle bob being on holiday, maybe the guys who worked on the track that day just got lucky, who knows! 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveLyric2 Posted August 21, 2014 Report Share Posted August 21, 2014 As a neutral and Arlington regular since 1972, the main reason for non attendance from the missing fans I know is the state of the track. Yes it is generally smooth and consistent, but it is so slick and does not produce good racing. For this seasons B Fixture against poole, the track was excellent, plenty of dirt, grippy and well watered. In fact it was the best I had seen it prepared in years. This meeting coincided with uncle bob being on holiday, maybe the guys who worked on the track that day just got lucky, who knows! Maybe they broke the padlock to Bob's secret store of extra shale??! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sophies Mate Posted September 19, 2014 Report Share Posted September 19, 2014 According to today's Eastbourne Herald the Eagles have finished, no one new has come forward to take over and Bob is unable to substain the losses any longer, not that anyone can blame him for that what's so ever, yes there could have had some changes that may have stopped it coming to this. Very sad to read this, like many others I will be reduced to watching speedway on TV as all of the other 'local' tracks are just that bit too far away for me to travel to on a regular basis so after watching live speedway for over 42 years any trackside matches will be few and far between for me. Not sure if the stock cars will continue there next year that remains to be seen depending on if he does get his planning permission for building a load of new houses there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sussex bulldog Posted September 19, 2014 Report Share Posted September 19, 2014 Very sad news indeed. Like Sophie I shall no longer have a local track to attend as Lakeside and Poole are the nearest and too far to attend on a regular basis. So that leaves 8 EL tracks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TesarRacing Posted September 19, 2014 Report Share Posted September 19, 2014 This is very bad news indeed, although not unexpected. Having had dealings with Dugard MC Tools over the years I have every respect for the Dugard family and their involvement in speedway over the years. It is also such a shame for the dedicated speedway fans at Eastbourne. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Agrotron Posted September 19, 2014 Report Share Posted September 19, 2014 Further to add this has not surprised me at all Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aces51 Posted September 19, 2014 Report Share Posted September 19, 2014 Very sad news, you have to feel for the fans but can also understand Bob Dugard's decision if no prospective new owners have been found. I hope it's not too late if someone does now come forward. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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