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Used to annoy me promotions that charged a two rate system...Poole comes to mind if one wished to sit in the grand stand as did Coventry and Peterborough amongst others If I recall?

 

Can't ever remember paying extra for the stand at EoES for Panthers' meetings. It costs more to sit in the stand for shared events, or whatever they're called, like the4s and World Team Cup events.

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Were you there in 1968 GB v Sweden?..more queuing to climb in on the bog roof than at the turnstiles. Official attendance around 12000...more like 15000 packed onto the Abbey grassbanks.

No i first went with my uncle he loved speedway and Briggo but i did not go to that GB v Sweden meeting.I can remember the New Zealand v Sweden test meeting packed one in 72 Briggo injured and one 73 Briggo rode he scored 8 great days.Beefy you know more about the size of crowds than me England v USA at Swindon for a few years was jam packed solid massive crowds.
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No i first went with my uncle he loved speedway and Briggo but i did not go to that GB v Sweden meeting.I can remember the New Zealand v Sweden test meeting packed one in 72 Briggo injured and one 73 Briggo rode he scored 8 great days.Beefy you know more about the size of crowds than me England v USA at Swindon for a few years was jam packed solid massive crowds.

An England USA meeting probably in the 80s was the main one I remember where you could not move, there must have been 15,000+ fans there, what was a surprise was how many USA flags there were, a lot must have come from the USA base at Fairford.

Edited by A ORLOV
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To much imformation mate... :D

Ah but you remember these things when you were a lad...like the fact that the one at Poole I remember not having a light which caused an obvious dilemma!

 

 

Can't ever remember paying extra for the stand at EoES for Panthers' meetings. It costs more to sit in the stand for shared events, or whatever they're called, like the4s and World Team Cup events.

I may have been incorrect...memory and all that but wasn't it the case during the 70's?

Was there a point at Dudley Wood where you paid extra to get into the side where the starting gate was or am I imagining that

...or those that didn't pay at all viewing from above the third and fourth bends if i recall. Was it known as Scotsman's Hill or something or other?

Edited by steve roberts
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Was there a point at Dudley Wood where you paid extra to get into the side where the starting gate was or am I imagining that

No your mind is ok. I was very young but do remember that once you had got in you had to pay again to get over to the other side.Hence i was always on the cheap side.

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Can remember England v Usa around 1981, a lot of USA banners displayed by English fans. England were behind but a great display by then Robin Stevie Bastable and Lee and Jessup smashed the yanks, who lost the series. Wasnt a big crowd there that night.

Biggest I've seen at The Abbey was late 70s, think it was Golden Helmet showdown between Crump and Collins and a league match. The gates were shut, it was said there were 16-17000 inside and hundreds locked out, fantastic atmosphere. Swindon took hundreds to away matches, 500 travelled on the Mad Wellie Express train up to Edinburgh with riders and bikes. Be lucky to get 50 travelling now. But still one of speedways best supported clubs.

Edited by beefy keefy
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No your mind is ok. I was very young but do remember that once you had got in you had to pay again to get over to the other side.Hence i was always on the cheap side.

 

The Heated Seated and Licensed Grandstand! Yes you had to pay to get in, that is why the Bar on the first bend had a wrought iron fence through the middle of it! To keep the great unwashed in the cheap part of the stadium. We couldn't even access the toilets in that building originally. There is a picture in existance of people seating right up to the kennels, which shows the whole of the home straight as seated at one point, now I never saw that so it was before 1969!

Edited by BUDGIE
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Can remember England v Usa around 1981, a lot of USA banners displayed by English fans. England were behind but a great display by then Robin Stevie Bastable and Lee and Jessup smashed the yanks, who lost the series. Wasnt a big crowd there that night.

Biggest I've seen at The Abbey was late 70s, think it was Golden Helmet showdown between Crump and Collins and a league match. The gates were shut, it was said there were 16-17000 inside and hundreds locked out, fantastic atmosphere. Swindon took hundreds to away matches, 500 travelled on the Mad Wellie Express train up to Edinburgh with riders and bikes. Be lucky to get 50 travelling now. But still one of speedways best supported clubs.

Went to Edinburgh and there was something layed on for Weymouth in a inter tournament we had the day out and later watched the speedway.Biggest crowds come to mind we're the two tests in 72/73 New Zealand v Sweden the Ashby/Kilby testimonials were big crowds to,Keener for his meeting was unlucky the weather was horrendous.Also when Jansson rode Ashby for the helmet and Crumpie v Penhall and Lee were big crowds the Helmet was so prestige then.I wish we had it now the champion against the away top scorer.
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Went to Edinburgh and there was something layed on for Weymouth in a inter tournament we had the day out and later watched the speedway.Biggest crowds come to mind we're the two tests in 72/73 New Zealand v Sweden the Ashby/Kilby testimonials were big crowds to,Keener for his meeting was unlucky the weather was horrendous.Also when Jansson rode Ashby for the helmet and Crumpie v Penhall and Lee were big crowds the Helmet was so prestige then.I wish we had it now the champion against the away top scorer.

Remember one of the Golden Helmet races with Phil Crump against someone, and Jason, who would have been about 10 or 12 at the time, was leaping up and down and shouting his head off in the pits entrance.

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Went to Edinburgh and there was something layed on for Weymouth in a inter tournament we had the day out and later watched the speedway.Biggest crowds come to mind we're the two tests in 72/73 New Zealand v Sweden the Ashby/Kilby testimonials were big crowds to,Keener for his meeting was unlucky the weather was horrendous.Also when Jansson rode Ashby for the helmet and Crumpie v Penhall and Lee were big crowds the Helmet was so prestige then.I wish we had it now the champion against the away top scorer.

Recall seeing some of the Golden Helmet challenges during the seventies...Louis/Olsen/Jansson/Ashby/Crump. Caught the imagination at the time,

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You paid more to sit in the home straight stand at Hyde Road, you didn't pay extra at the dog track and now we pay more to sit in the grandstand at the NSS. We couldn't afford the extra at Hyde Road but fortunately I can now at the NSS and I am more than happy to pay it for the facilities and quality of racing on offer.

 

The exception at Hyde Road was when the second division was formed and you could sit by the starting gate without paying more. Funnily enough, they now only open the grandstand at the NSS for national league meetings so no extra charge and what excellent value they are. £10, £8 for concessions and under 18's free.

 

I really hope that work does soon start at Swindon and that you get a brilliant race track.

Edited by Aces51
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I may have been incorrect...memory and all that but wasn't it the case during the 70's?

 

No, never for Panthers' matches.

 

One I can remember paying more to sit in the stand (other than King's Lynn) was Somerset but that was some time ago and for a Cardiff Eve meeting, possibly an individual event.

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No, never for Panthers' matches.

 

One I can remember paying more to sit in the stand (other than King's Lynn) was Somerset but that was some time ago and for a Cardiff Eve meeting, possibly an individual event.

The then Premier League 'Pairs' probably.

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No your mind is ok. I was very young but do remember that once you had got in you had to pay again to get over to the other side.Hence i was always on the cheap side.

Did it change in the late 70s though to being free to get by the starting tapes. I used to stand by the 3rd bend for years but then remember starting to watch just before the tapes. Can't imagine I'd pay extra every week

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Did it change in the late 70s though to being free to get by the starting tapes. I used to stand by the 3rd bend for years but then remember starting to watch just before the tapes. Can't imagine I'd pay extra every week

Tight git. :o;):rofl: :rofl: :rofl::P

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