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Plymouth ?


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Still no news from Plymouth? You would have thought they would have looked into the planning regulations before they submitted a team.

 

 

I feel for the riders that have signed for them. Riders like Smart and Reade would have benefitted from extra track time, possibly increasing their confidence and hence making their performances better for their other clubs.

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Just a month into the 2014 season and with not the best weather in March & April, but here we go again with the David Short scare tactics just the same as he used at Exeter on so many occasions.

Come on David give it a fair crack of the whip before you scare everybody away to other tracks like Poole or Somerset

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  • 2 weeks later...

Are you sure about that, starshooter?

 

David Short wasn't co-promoter at Exeter until 2005. He persuaded the rugby club to sanction a final season which attracted decent crowds. Everyone realised it was the final season so no need for Short to use scare tactics. I don't remember any.

 

The late Colin Hill certainly didn't except on occasions to wind the rugby club up. His crowds were always good.

 

As to giving Plymouth a fair crack of the whip they lost a packet last year thanks to less than break even crowds, and as we have seen attendances have been poor so far this season. There seems to have been a pattern of new tracks opening to big crowds, Newport, St Austell and Isle of Wight for example, and then seeing the fans dwindle away. Sadly Plymouth has a long history of promoters pulling out after just one or two seasons due to lack of spectators. I sincerely hope the current promotion get the kind of support they deserve. Its a great little track with wonderful racing, and I would hate to see it go.

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This is a genuine question and not an attempt to stir it, so I hope have got the background right!

 

I remember reading somewhere that Colin Hill had left a lot of money to Exeter to help them find and build another track and that this had been passed on to those involved with Plymouth in order to protect the future of Speedway in Devon.

 

Has all this money been spent or absorbed due to losses?

 

Happy to be corrected if any of the above is wrong.

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This is a genuine question and not an attempt to stir it, so I hope have got the background right!

 

I remember reading somewhere that Colin Hill had left a lot of money to Exeter to help them find and build another track and that this had been passed on to those involved with Plymouth in order to protect the future of Speedway in Devon.

 

Has all this money been spent or absorbed due to losses?

 

Happy to be corrected if any of the above is wrong.

My understanding is that a proportion of his bequest was spent in the abortive attempt to resurrect the Falcons at the Haldon racecourse.

 

I also understand that a further proportion was subsequently invested in the Devils promotion. This may indicate an acknowledgement that speedway is unlikely to reappear in Exeter, but I am not in a position to comment.

 

What proportion of the trust fund has been consumed and what amount remains I know not. I would think that is for those to know that need to know. What I do know is that when all is said and done the late Colin Hill was the kind of gentleman that all speedway supporters would wish to be their team's promoter. RIP

Edited by ancient mariner
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SWINDON’S Lee Smart has confirmed he has called time on his speedway career after being dumped by Poole Pirates last week.

Smart, who had enjoyed a relatively long career at National League level before being picked up by Poole in the Fast Track draft this winter, struggled to perform at Wimborne Road and only managed eight points in five meetings.

Smart had cut a dejected figure during Pirates’ victory over Birmingham at the end of last month, a meeting which proved to be the last of his career.

He told the Advertiser: “It is a tough one because I spent a lot of money this year for only a few meetings, which is really hard to take, and I really wasn’t happy with how things ended.

“It (the draft) definitely needs some changes because it has worked out for some people and really not for others. It didn’t work for me.

“I have pulled the plug on speedway now. I have quit completely because I have had enough of all the politics and the rubbish which goes with it.


“The whole season was awful because I was let down in the National League by not getting enough meetings and things didn’t go well in the Elite League either.

“I wasn’t going to ride at all this year and I wish I had stuck to my guns in the first place.”

http://www.swindonadvertiser.co.uk/sport/speedway/11205784.Swindon_s_Smart_calls_time_on_career/

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I think both Smart and Reade were victims of the Demons not fulfilling their home meetings. The lads were likely to have increased in confidence riding in the lower division and getting wins under their belts. The lack of fixtures has therefore had knock on effects to their other clubs.

 

I feel for the lads and wish them all the best. Its a shame they have been let down as im sure there would have been other teams that would have wanted them at the start of the season and Stoneman and Shanes would also have been likely to have been fixed up elsewhere.

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This is one area i do agree with you Former Devil, to even think that the club could get away with running two meetings on a Saturday without consent from the Plymouth City Council was bordering on the stupid, and thinking that the locals wouldn't notice was a bit naive to me, this is all down to the club, and if i was Lee and Ben i would not be happy.

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I see there problem with Plymouth i know it not the same but could they not run there meeting out of another track say like Boston did with King's Lynn ? just a idea.

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  • 2 weeks later...

I think the main problem with the Demons now is getting a team together, with Rhead and Smart leaving, and I don't blame them for that, they need two heat leaders, the problem they have is nothing to do with money, seven riders and a track to ride on, would help, all down to bad management.

Edited by Devildodger
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