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Swindon End Of Era Meeting.


a4poster

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Sorry we couldn't entertain you. As a Robins supporter It was all just very sad. As such the atmosphere was muted. Please forgive us.

What is really sad is that we have a Promotion who wants to keep the sport going and a core support just about strong enough to sustain it here. Unlike in some town's there is no reason why speedway in Swindon needs to wither and die.

Swindon speedway wont wither and die...they're an established top 4 Elite club with fantastic support.

 

Was upset when they said don't take "souvenirs" as had brought my screwdriver to extract toilet roll holders from The Bogs.

They've only just erected the blue plaque on them saying "Lord Lucan lived here for a while", and they are to be demolished, criminal.

Good news is if you're dying to use the loo Abbey Rider Training have access to the bogs and the stadium gates are always open when they are doing their motorcycle training there.

Edited by haydon hat
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Swindon speedway wont wither and die...they're an established top 4 Elite club with fantastic support.

 

 

So were Reading. Plenty of others were and still lost their stadium. There's a difference between cautious optimism and blind faith. I hope you are right but I really can't see how given past experience.

Edited by rmc
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Swindon speedway wont wither and die...they're an established top 4 Elite club with fantastic support.Was upset when they said don't take "souvenirs" as had brought my screwdriver to extract toilet roll holders from The Bogs.They've only just erected the blue plaque on them saying "Lord Lucan lived here for a while", and they are to be demolished, criminal.Good news is if you're dying to use the loo Abbey Rider Training have access to the bogs and the stadium gates are always open when they are doing their motorcycle training there.

Had to wait a few minutes, but I eventually got onto the track and got my Swindon shale.

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Excuse me for having an opinion. Just felt everything was a little flat yesterday. Maybe as I've seen posted elsewhere Batchelors impetuous interview at the beginning of the meeting set the tone, along with Peter York's inane drivel (who on earth invited him!!!)

 

I will excuse you though as Reading fan I'd have thought that you'd have understood why it was flat, It wasn't exactly a lottery win that we were celebrating. It was the end of Speedway in an old stadium that has been such a big part of Swindon life over many, many decades. It was nothing to do with Batchelor, trust me. As I say, I'm surprised you aren't grasping it but there it is. I guess you needed to be a Robins fan to feel it.

 

If only they'd have got the new stadium started before yesterday I'm sure it would have been a different matter.

Still sad, of course, but at least there would have been something other than promises to look to.

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Farewell to the Abbey!

Enjoyed seeing the ex-riders and Briggo signed my programme which was a fitting end to the meeting for me.

 

Also enjoyed Sam Ermolenko's prototype Jawas which could prove to be a way forward for the sport in these environment concious times.

 

Disappointed in Batch with his comments which I think were ill judged given the occasion - his thoughts on the play off meeting against Belle Vue have been well documented elsewhere and I really think he's 'cooked his goose' with Swindon now and will be very surprised if he's a Robin next year.

 

Loved seeing Rosco doing a couple of laps at the end - whether people like him or not he's a showman and the sport needs more like him.

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I will excuse you though as Reading fan I'd have thought that you'd have understood why it was flat, It wasn't exactly a lottery win that we were celebrating. It was the end of Speedway in an old stadium that has been such a big part of Swindon life over many, many decades. It was nothing to do with Batchelor, trust me. As I say, I'm surprised you aren't grasping it but there it is. I guess you needed to be a Robins fan to feel it.

 

If only they'd have got the new stadium started before yesterday I'm sure it would have been a different matter.

Still sad, of course, but at least there would have been something other than promises to look to.

I was present at the very last meeting at Smallmead and the atmosphere was very similar to what it was at Blunsdon yesterday.

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I was present at the very last meeting at Smallmead and the atmosphere was very similar to what it was at Blunsdon yesterday.

 

It probably is down to whether it's your own club or not as I found the atmosphere at Smallmead's last meeting much different. We had a right laugh (until walking out for the last time), meeting up with old friends and riders we hadn't seen down there for years. I guess we knew we weren't going to run the next season so it was more of a farewell to the sport rather than just the stadium for us.

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That's the thing, Wacks, you knew where you stood. No doubt it sucked terribly, but there was no doubts.

 

Anyway, it looks as if the farewell was more of a 'see ya next season'........

 

http://www.swindonadvertiser.co.uk/sport/13842393.New_stadium_held_at_the_red_tapes/

Now there's a big surprise!!....so next season we can all start the day saying a proper farewell to the Old Stadium complete with special guests( hopefully LAR) and then walk 50 yards to officially open the new one....that would be different!....that's a new definition on holding a double header.....

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Now there's a big surprise!!....so next season we can all start the day saying a proper farewell to the Old Stadium complete with special guests( hopefully LAR) and then walk 50 yards to officially open the new one....that would be different!....that's a new definition on holding a double header.....

 

I wish I could Triple like that post!

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That's the thing, Wacks, you knew where you stood. No doubt it sucked terribly, but there was no doubts.

 

Anyway, it looks as if the farewell was more of a 'see ya next season'........

 

http://www.swindonadvertiser.co.uk/sport/13842393.New_stadium_held_at_the_red_tapes/

 

 

Lucky for Terry Russell that little snippet came out the day after the so called farewell, how many would turn up for a farewell that probably isn't.

 

Not only that, chances are he can run another one next season now and pick the pockets of the mugs once more.

 

Such chance timing of that article

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At least we are getting some honesty now-if this sort of openness had been forthcoming a few months ago there would have been much less negativity, it has always been the reserved matters re drainage and noise attenuation that were the hold-up on the planning front but now they have come out and confirmed it and we all know where we stand-hallelujah!

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That's the thing, Wacks, you knew where you stood. No doubt it sucked terribly, but there was no doubts.

 

Anyway, it looks as if the farewell was more of a 'see ya next season'........

 

http://www.swindonadvertiser.co.uk/sport/13842393.New_stadium_held_at_the_red_tapes/

Another disingenuous statement that should set alarm bells ringing.

 

What have the developers been doing since planning permission was received? The article claims delays are due to planning issues and seeks to portray it as council bureacracy, but the delay is that the developers haven't sorted these matters out in the four years since planning permission was given. If CO intended to build the stadium on schedule any decent project manager would have ensured these matters were resolved months ago.

 

I hope I am wrong, but I fear that this will all end like Reading.

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Another disingenuous statement that should set alarm bells ringing.

 

What have the developers been doing since planning permission was received? The article claims delays are due to planning issues and seeks to portray it as council bureacracy, but the delay is that the developers haven't sorted these matters out in the four years since planning permission was given. If CO intended to build the stadium on schedule any decent project manager would have ensured these matters were resolved months ago.

 

I hope I am wrong, but I fear that this will all end like Reading.

 

 

Of course it will. Thing is though it isn't a turn of events that will ensure no stadium is built, it is the intention right from the off

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But they will paint it as a turn of events. However, the events may not turn out as has previously worked for them.

Terry has already made it clear he intends to run. He has said that money is not an issue. That has removed the excuse that 'speedway isn't viable' from the stadium owners.

Now he is saying he will be more than happy to return to the Abbey while they finish the new one. Again, backing the owners into a corner.

The council are well aware of history in places like Reading. So its to be hoped they will stay one step ahead.

No, I'm feeling pretty good that Stadia UK has met its match. There is no reason why not.

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But they will paint it as a turn of events. However, the events may not turn out as has previously worked for them.

Terry has already made it clear he intends to run. He has said that money is not an issue. That has removed the excuse that 'speedway isn't viable' from the stadium owners.

Now he is saying he will be more than happy to return to the Abbey while they finish the new one. Again, backing the owners into a corner.

The council are well aware of history in places like Reading. So its to be hoped they will stay one step ahead.

No, I'm feeling pretty good that Stadia UK has met its match. There is no reason why not.

That is how I have read the last couple of statements also

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They may have to revert to plan B and shorten the existing track so that the new one can be built across the corner of bend 1, as the plan was that dog racing has to continue and they can only demolish the existing one when the new one is ready.

 

 

Looking at the reply from Justin where he comments that certain info is yet to be received and a build of 8 months, not the 4 stated by the management, this time scale is of concern unless the club is happy to ride on a track with the building continuing around it. The start date is expected to be November but there are still a few issues to be sorted out and accepted by the Council, and we all know how fast they work.

 

Will we be racing at the present stadium in March and then switch?.

 

 

El Tel is concerned about rumours etc but I believe he originally stated that the build was 4 months, something that most people new was not possible. Now it is 5 with a possible 6, which takes us past the start of the season.

 

It would help to stop rumours if he explained what is the plan when the season starts and the stadium is not ready.

 

 

Now there's a big surprise!!....so next season we can all start the day saying a proper farewell to the Old Stadium complete with special guests( hopefully LAR) and then walk 50 yards to officially open the new one....that would be different!....that's a new definition on holding a double header.....

Read what I posted back in Sept and even before that somewhere, and TR and even on Sunday Rosco wonder and complain about fans questioning a build and move to a new stadium in the timescale mentioned and what is happening.

 

This plan B was known about ages ago by some, TR should have explained this back up option to the fans.

 

What a coincidence that this report comes out 2 days after this end of era meeting, now that was a surprise!.

 

What will be interesting will be where any fans are going to park at the start of the season as the existing car park will be built on and the new one is much smaller.

Edited by A ORLOV
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