Swindon Robins 2020

[mikebv]

8 minutes ago, The Cheese said:

Sad to see this confirmed although clearly it's been obvious it would happen for years. Poor statement, the vague mention of a new stadium just seems to be another way of stringing along the fans. Also unacceptable that they've been sat on this news for a month and only acted now because it was brought up on here. 

And those who have sat on this info are now working alongside those who have closed the club...

Trust elements are so important for engagement of others aren't they? 

It appears the previous promotion have unilaterally closed the Robin's down...

Even though a track for the Robin's is still required to be built...

A track that surely someone would take on and at least see if they can run it...

Especially in an area that has generated some of the best crowds in the country..

Which would increase undoubtedly in its first season back given fans will feel they have been so close to losing their team..

Maybe for the rest of the promoters losing another team helps them given there are already nowhere near enough riders to go round now to make the offering a credible one...?

Finding another 7 Double Uppers might therefore be difficult, regardless off what league the Robin's race in...

It would be interesting to hear the views of Robin's fans around how they feel they have been supported and communicated with over the past 3 years and having their team closed down on their behalf, especially when legally a track needs building...

 

[thecoombdog]

14 minutes ago, Grachan said:

Thirdly, the stadium owners have suggested an alternative site is found. This is nonsense, the Abbey Stadium has been perfectly suitable all these years and is surely easier to modernise than starting from scratch in some unknown location.

How long until they say they need the cash from the old stadium site housing to pay for this new alternative site. For the 1st time ever Tomlinson has got something right, it is nonsense.

[mikebv]

10 minutes ago, thecoombdog said:

How long until they say they need the cash from the old stadium site housing to pay for this new alternative site. For the 1st time ever Tomlinson has got something right, it is nonsense.

Having read his latest release, I would suggest he could be seen as being "too supportive" of the track being built by both the owners AND the promoters...

Looks like he hasnt given up....

[thecoombdog]

5 minutes ago, mikebv said:

Having read his latest release, I would suggest he could be seen as being "too supportive" of the track being built by both the owners AND the promoters...

Looks like he hasnt given up....

The problem is with him is that you get all talk and no action. But I will say one thing, he has made a dig at GI which is something the club didn't do. 

In answer to your question above, I feel totally let down by the club. They appear to have rolled over for GI and the formation of this new company yesterday is a p*ss take. I've got no issue with the lack of communication over the last 3 years as there was nothing going on. The silence of the last month though is a disgrace. I'd imagine we still wouldn't know if it hadn't have been posted on here. 

[thecoombdog]

2 hours ago, orion said:

You can cry all like about it .But the bottom line he still associated with Osbourne Clark  in this new company .The guy who has just closed the club down .Actions speak louder than words .

Exactly. I don't blame Rosco and Lee Kilby one bit for what has happened to date. But I don't get why they have put their names to this new joke company. They are 100% Swindon and can surely see this lot are full of BS.

[Grachan]

The irony of all this that I am not getting adverts for Taylor-Wimpey all over my social media telling me that they are "building a better World".

[orion]

I really like the  attitude of Tomlinson last statement at last some overdue  aggressive towards Gi .thou of course its driven by Politics are how he looks all this ( he got a lot of flack yesterday.) On another matter do people really think that Rosco and Kilby never knew about us not running this year until 2 days ago.

[EnglishRoundabout]

Like everyone on here, I’m saddened to hear the news about Swindon Speedway. Personally I have been going since around 1971, with the odd break for a few years, and then returning like so many others. 

I caught the final season of Barry Briggs. I was totally hooked. The smell, the shale that in those days peppered you if you stood anywhere near the corners, and the noise! No silencers, or deflectors! In those days it was every Saturday night too  

The crowds were huge. I remember at least 4 double decker buses arriving to ferry people back to Swindon after the meeting.  The car park was always packed. The atmosphere terrific. I’m told in those days the crowd was consistently over 3k and on occasions rivalled Swindon Town for the biggest crowds. 

The seventies, despite the crowds, were a difficult time for the Robins. The trophy cupboard was bare. But the racing was excellent. Martin Ashby was the master at Blunsdon. His last bend passes were exhilarating. His gating exasperating! Bob Kilby was the complete opposite at the gate. Reflexes and anticipation like lightening. Sadly, this skill is rarely seen, or allowed by referees these days. Geoff Bouchard proved one the best signings of the 70’s...a real trier and a thrilling rider to watch. 

I missed most of the 80’s and 90’s, but the desire to see Leigh Adams every Thursday did the trick. Adams was absolute mustard to watch. His team riding was second to none. I saw him nurse the likes of David Rudd, Travis McGowan, James Wright around Blunsdon in majestic style. His heat 15 riding with Zagar was up there with the best. 

Then came the title winning seasons. The crowds remained very decent, the racing, in my opinion started to decline on a somewhat tired track. The reshape certainly helped, and in the final season, once the track bedded in, there were some superb meetings. 

Speedway at Swindon was my life as a teenager. Every Saturday night, regular away trips on the coach. Often there were 2 or 3 coaches at an away match. 

When I left the stadium after that last meeting, having won the title, I drove home to my home ( now in Cornwall) and didn’t dream for one minute, it would be the last time I watched Speedway at Blunsdon. 

Most people on here have said what I think about the management and it’s treatment of the supporters and indeed many predicted the stadium would never be built  I perhaps naively, thought it would be  

I had some great times at Blunsdon, met some great people and even introduced “Everyone’s friend” Steve Shovlar to the sport! A sort of claim to fame! 

RIP Swindon Speedway. 

EnglishRoundabout. 

[thecoombdog]

7 minutes ago, EnglishRoundabout said:

Like everyone on here, I’m saddened to hear the news about Swindon Speedway. Personally I have been going since around 1971, with the odd break for a few years, and then returning like so many others. 

I caught the final season of Barry Briggs. I was totally hooked. The smell, the shale that in those days peppered you if you stood anywhere near the corners, and the noise! No silencers, or deflectors! In those days it was every Saturday night too  

The crowds were huge. I remember at least 4 double decker buses arriving to ferry people back to Swindon after the meeting.  The car park was always packed. The atmosphere terrific. I’m told in those days the crowd was consistently over 3k and on occasions rivalled Swindon Town for the biggest crowds. 

The seventies, despite the crowds, were a difficult time for the Robins. The trophy cupboard was bare. But the racing was excellent. Martin Ashby was the master at Blunsdon. His last bend passes were exhilarating. His gating exasperating! Bob Kilby was the complete opposite at the gate. Reflexes and anticipation like lightening. Sadly, this skill is rarely seen, or allowed by referees these days. Geoff Bouchard proved one the best signings of the 70’s...a real trier and a thrilling rider to watch. 

I missed most of the 80’s and 90’s, but the desire to see Leigh Adams every Thursday did the trick. Adams was absolute mustard to watch. His team riding was second to none. I saw him nurse the likes of David Rudd, Travis McGowan, James Wright around Blunsdon in majestic style. His heat 15 riding with Zagar was up there with the best. 

Then came the title winning seasons. The crowds remained very decent, the racing, in my opinion started to decline on a somewhat tired track. The reshape certainly helped, and in the final season, once the track bedded in, there were some superb meetings. 

Speedway at Swindon was my life as a teenager. Every Saturday night, regular away trips on the coach. Often there were 2 or 3 coaches at an away match. 

When I left the stadium after that last meeting, having won the title, I drove home to my home ( now in Cornwall) and didn’t dream for one minute, it would be the last time I watched Speedway at Blunsdon. 

Most people on here have said what I think about the management and it’s treatment of the supporters and indeed many predicted the stadium would never be built  I perhaps naively, thought it would be  

I had some great times at Blunsdon, met some great people and even introduced “Everyone’s friend” Steve Shovlar to the sport! A sort of claim to fame! 

RIP Swindon Speedway. 

EnglishRoundabout. 

FFS, Shovlar is down to you ER!!! I always thought you were alright!!!

[EnglishRoundabout]

1 hour ago, thecoombdog said:

FFS, Shovlar is down to you ER!!! I always thought you were alright!!!

Afraid so Coombers. When he was a Robin and not a pesky Pirate!

[hagonshocker]

8 hours ago, thecoombdog said:

The club is dead so all we can hope for now is that SBC keep refusing a change to the planning permission and the site just sits there empty earning GI and others absolutely nothing. No doubt Swindon Motorsports has been set up  so they can say they need the funds from the housing development to build a new stadium and people will believe it again and the houses will get done with no sign of a stadium. It's all too predictable.

Spot on! They are trying to dangle a carrot to SBC in the hope they allow the next phase of House build ,I just wish Kilby and Rossiter now disassociate themselves from this sham company 

[StationRoad]

I've not been following the minutiae of what's been going on but read this on the Racing Post website Greyhounds page today:

NEWS: Swindon not closing says Osborne

BY RACING POST STAFF10:15AM 29 SEP 2022

RUMOURS doing the rounds on social media in recent days were on Thursday morning refuted by Gaming International CEO Clarke Osborne, with a sign put up by Taylor Wimpey at the site plugging new homes pouring fuel on the fire, writes Paul Brown.
"It was an 'interesting' day in the media, triggered by a leak of a memo from the Swindon speedway promoter that gave the excuse of the imminent closure of greyhound racing as the reason they were disbanding," said Osborne.
"We are not closing and have no plan to close on the December 23 [as was mooted] or any other date.
"We have no idea where this emanated from, but I can only conclude that it is as a result of our request to swap our scheduled meeting on Boxing Day as we are unable to accommodate the public in the numbers expected.
"The sign has been erected by Taylor Wimpey as they are the developers of the housing next to the stadium, the scheme of which has been in the public domain since before the covid crisis.
"As you can imagine, all this has again spooked the staff and trainers, and I have every sympathy with them. We just need to reassure them. I expect the speculation will ease when the erection of the main buildings physically starts on site."

[orion]

15 minutes ago, hagonshocker said:

Spot on! They are trying to dangle a carrot to SBC in the hope they allow the next phase of House build ,I just wish Kilby and Rossiter now disassociate themselves from this sham company 

Spot on ...all the fans want nothing to with Gaming int..surely they know that .

 

 

[Lefty]

Looks like someone is telling 'porkies pies' then?

'Swindon Motorsports' directors need to speak to each other. Otherwise their 'honesty and integrity' could be severely harmed.

[old bob at herne bay]

Inevitable news. How ANYONE ever thought that speedway racing would return to Blunsdon with a new housing estate over the safety fence, or near enough to splatter their washing with shale must have been dreaming i

Really makes  Oxford look like a remarkable achievement considering the pressure on land usage, and the lack of support from the powers that be in assisting them with a choice  of race night !

I assume that this thread will now be moved to the "Defunct Tracks"   folder

 

[one of clubs]

Way back when the Sky broadcasted the Elite league, in a deal by Terrry Russell, I was told that TR took a sizeable slice of the Sky money. Along with this, he took 20% of all the advertising revenue from every track, as well as pulling all the strings with his violin brigade. It is no accident that nearly every club he has been associated with has gone to the dogs (forgive the pun). Speedway is much the worse because of people like him. The chap who told me was a very knowledgeable fellow, who has supported Speedway in general, and BV in particular, for a very long time and was in the know so to speak.He walked away from our great sport because of this and has not been back since. He told me then TR would suck British Speedway’s blood and was not to be trusted.I t seems he was right.

I feel saddened at the plight Swindon find themselves in, as I lived in Swindon for a few years back in the seventies, and hope that something can be sorted on a permanent basis securing the clubs future.

[Bald Bloke]

10 minutes ago, one of clubs said:

Way back when the Sky broadcasted the Elite league, in a deal by Terrry Russell, I was told that TR took a sizeable slice of the Sky money. Along with this, he took 20% of all the advertising revenue from every track, as well as pulling all the strings with his violin brigade. It is no accident that nearly every club he has been associated with has gone to the dogs (forgive the pun). Speedway is much the worse because of people like him. The chap who told me was a very knowledgeable fellow, who has supported Speedway in general, and BV in particular, for a very long time and was in the know so to speak.He walked away from our great sport because of this and has not been back since. He told me then TR would suck British Speedway’s blood and was not to be trusted.I t seems he was right.

I feel saddened at the plight Swindon find themselves in, as I lived in Swindon for a few years back in the seventies, and hope that something can be sorted on a permanent basis securing the clubs future.

Wonder if he ever sold his medal ?

https://www.express.co.uk/news/royal/1238691/queen-elizabeth-ii-news-princess-Anne-shot-terror-attack-Ronnie-russell

[mikebv]

1 hour ago, StationRoad said:

I've not been following the minutiae of what's been going on but read this on the Racing Post website Greyhounds page today:

NEWS: Swindon not closing says Osborne

BY RACING POST STAFF10:15AM 29 SEP 2022

RUMOURS doing the rounds on social media in recent days were on Thursday morning refuted by Gaming International CEO Clarke Osborne, with a sign put up by Taylor Wimpey at the site plugging new homes pouring fuel on the fire, writes Paul Brown.
"It was an 'interesting' day in the media, triggered by a leak of a memo from the Swindon speedway promoter that gave the excuse of the imminent closure of greyhound racing as the reason they were disbanding," said Osborne.
"We are not closing and have no plan to close on the December 23 [as was mooted] or any other date.
"We have no idea where this emanated from, but I can only conclude that it is as a result of our request to swap our scheduled meeting on Boxing Day as we are unable to accommodate the public in the numbers expected.
"The sign has been erected by Taylor Wimpey as they are the developers of the housing next to the stadium, the scheme of which has been in the public domain since before the covid crisis.
"As you can imagine, all this has again spooked the staff and trainers, and I have every sympathy with them. We just need to reassure them. I expect the speculation will ease when the erection of the main buildings physically starts on site."

So the dogs are not closing...?

Meaning the track will be viable...?

So the Speedway can run....?

As Jim from Friday Night Dinner may have said. ..

"Confuuuuuused"!!!!....

The other question of course is that even if the dogs were closing, (which they now 100%, no chance, err err, no sureee, never on my watch, are now doing)...

How do the many non dog track stadiums that run Speedway keep it viable and Swindon (with a bigger than most fanbase) couldn't? 

Must have been some serious crossed wires when they launched this new company mustn't there? 

[thecoombdog]

3 hours ago, EnglishRoundabout said:

Afraid so Coombers. When he was a Robin and not a pesky Pirate!

To be fair,  he does make me laugh. Dip in and out of things these days and whenever I look at a Poole thread he's winding up a new set of fans!! They bite every time. Hope you are doing well mate.

[thecoombdog]

58 minutes ago, mikebv said:

So the dogs are not closing...?

Meaning the track will be viable...?

So the Speedway can run....?

As Jim from Friday Night Dinner may have said. ..

"Confuuuuuused"!!!!....

The other question of course is that even if the dogs were closing, (which they now 100%, no chance, err err, no sureee, never on my watch, are now doing)...

How do the many non dog track stadiums that run Speedway keep it viable and Swindon (with a bigger than most fanbase) couldn't? 

Must have been some serious crossed wires when they launched this new company mustn't there? 

Hang on, the last line of that statement says they are still going to build the main stand!! WTF is going on?!!