Mildenhall 2025

[Haza]

1 hour ago, noaksey said:

Borrowing a significant amount of money from an external source doesn't seem to be a good fit with the fan ownership model

Presumably "the fans" would then be responsible for paying back the loan regardless of what happens 

 

 

Best bet is to find a wealthy sponsor or backer borrowing the money without knowing how successful the venture will be is very risky- if I’d pledged money as a fan  Id withdraw it if the 100 or so fans are deemed responsible for repaying for any loan if that’s the route they go down 

[noaksey]

2 hours ago, Haza said:

Best bet is to find a wealthy sponsor or backer borrowing the money without knowing how successful the venture will be is very risky- if I’d pledged money as a fan  Id withdraw it if the 100 or so fans are deemed responsible for repaying for any loan if that’s the route they go down 

That would be a tough ask I guess, sponsors are hard to find at the best of times and this seems like a significant amount for this level of speedway.

We can only wish them well

[Ray Stadia]

Just a thought, could they not use old tyres to cover the upright RSJs? Which could be put on and taken off some how? I would imagine the cables wouldn't/couldn't be taken down for speedway, but actually, the cables may help with rider protection? 

[M.D]

45 minutes ago, Ray Stadia said:

Just a thought, could they not use old tyres to cover the upright RSJs? Which could be put on and taken off some how? I would imagine the cables wouldn't/couldn't be taken down for speedway, but actually, the cables may help with rider protection? 

In a word, no..

[Ray Stadia]

On 3/6/2025 at 6:44 PM, M.D said:

In a word, no..

With respect, how do you know it's no? 🤔

[Binman]

54 minutes ago, Ray Stadia said:

With respect, how do you know it's no? 🤔

Can't believe it's got to this point

[RoundTheBoards]

Just found this Speedway Forum post from @norbold regarding the ill-fated 2002 Wimbledon revival and its promoters:

 

It was definitely Dave Cro ucher and Steve Ribbons who were behind the Wimbledon revival. They commissioned my book "Two Wimbldeon Legends" to launch on opening night. I offered to do it for nothing as long as they paid the printing costs, which they agreed. When I gave them the invoice from the printers, they both said I should speak to the other one about it and both denied ever making the agreement. In fact they both made it as I met both of them to talk about it. It took me over a year and various threats of legal action to get anything out of them and even then it only amounted to some of the cash and a number of complimentary copies of the book. Oh yes, it was those two all right. I'm not likely to forget it!

 

[M.D]

7 hours ago, Ray Stadia said:

With respect, how do you know it's no? 🤔

Tyres around a metal post that close to the track would offer very little protection for a rider and would not, thankfully, be approved anymore.

it would be potentially lethal. 

[M.D]

7 hours ago, Binman said:

Can't believe it's got to this point

Agree but Ray has asked a question, hopefully his question has been answered.

[Haza]

9 hours ago, RoundTheBoards said:

Just found this Speedway Forum post from @norbold regarding the ill-fated 2002 Wimbledon revival and its promoters:

 

It was definitely Dave Cro ucher and Steve Ribbons who were behind the Wimbledon revival. They commissioned my book "Two Wimbldeon Legends" to launch on opening night. I offered to do it for nothing as long as they paid the printing costs, which they agreed. When I gave them the invoice from the printers, they both said I should speak to the other one about it and both denied ever making the agreement. In fact they both made it as I met both of them to talk about it. It took me over a year and various threats of legal action to get anything out of them and even then it only amounted to some of the cash and a number of complimentary copies of the book. Oh yes, it was those two all right. I'm not likely to forget it!

 

Am correct in thinking Ribbons was involved with the aim to bring speedway back to Norwich?

[Haza]

4 hours ago, M.D said:

Tyres around a metal post that close to the track would offer very little protection for a rider and would not, thankfully, be approved anymore.

it would be potentially lethal. 

A metal post set in concrete isn’t going to move how ever much protection is put around it I really can’t see how speedway can return to West Row now the stock car fence has been installed.

[norbold]

10 hours ago, RoundTheBoards said:

Just found this Speedway Forum post from @norbold regarding the ill-fated 2002 Wimbledon revival and its promoters:

 

It was definitely Dave Cro ucher and Steve Ribbons who were behind the Wimbledon revival. They commissioned my book "Two Wimbldeon Legends" to launch on opening night. I offered to do it for nothing as long as they paid the printing costs, which they agreed. When I gave them the invoice from the printers, they both said I should speak to the other one about it and both denied ever making the agreement. In fact they both made it as I met both of them to talk about it. It took me over a year and various threats of legal action to get anything out of them and even then it only amounted to some of the cash and a number of complimentary copies of the book. Oh yes, it was those two all right. I'm not likely to forget it!

 

Correct!

[ch958]

5 hours ago, Haza said:

Am correct in thinking Ribbons was involved with the aim to bring speedway back to Norwich?

yes, another half arsed job.

[HGould]

There is a (hugely more expensive) answer but you'd need Poole level crowds to afford it.

Put a foam fence to the height of the concrete fence all the way round the track, then add a higher foam fence that sat on top of the lower one and encased the poles. (Those foam fences like at KL / Glasgow dont give an inch on impact but cushion)

The  cost would be enormous but the height might be an issue too for 3 reasons (1) visibility for spectators (2) efectiveness of lights e.g a black spot near fence like Leicester used to have (3) on rare occasions a bike can clear a fence and at least be out of the way it would "bounce back" from a dangerous height on to the track.

THere is always plan g - sneak in one night and grind the things off 

 

 

[THE DEAN MACHINE]

Havent been to mildenhall in a while but wouldn’t it be feasible to build a new track at the back of the current stadium by the motox track, not sure who owns the land but it is surrounded by fields 

[heathen52]

It would probably be cheaper financially to put a new Track in a nearby field, and just use whatever facilities are available at the Stadium such as Car Parking etc etc.

[Rayleigh]

I cant believe "Round the Boards", "Norbold", "Haza" and "ch958."

Firstly the accusation of Wimbledon is your version only and you use the platform to sink the Mildenhall project, so sad.

In 1999 he and a friend relaunched Rye House without a home and from that success Rye House returned to Hoddesdon and ran for 18 years.

He got closer to re-launching Norwich than anyone is 61 years

He had already got Mildenhall back before and it was not him who closed it

Kent Kings closed in 2022 and guess who not only reopened it, yes your nemesis Steve Ribbons, they played to crowds as big as 750 for 3rd division racing, it was so successful that Eastbourne are now running a league team at the venue. Oh and he was so bad at Iwade that a number of the staff have offered their help at Mildenhall 2025.

If you all have personal issues with Mr Ribbons take it up with him DONT come on here with the intention to scuppering the ONLY hope Mildenhall have of returning to racing or prehaps you plan to reopen it yourselves?

 

 

[tonyd]

On 3/8/2025 at 9:09 AM, Haza said:

Am correct in thinking Ribbons was involved with the aim to bring speedway back to Norwich?

There is a nice quote in Len Silvers book regarding Steve Ribbons and the return of Rye House after a phone call from Hazal to Len when the facilities were (supposedly) being installed in the winter of 1999-2000.  "No-one knows what to do or how to do it. Steve Ribbons is full of promises but not much else and your definitely needed here." 

[norbold]

1 hour ago, Rayleigh said:

I cant believe "Round the Boards", "Norbold", "Haza" and "ch958."

Firstly the accusation of Wimbledon is your version only and you use the platform to sink the Mildenhall project, so sad.

In 1999 he and a friend relaunched Rye House without a home and from that success Rye House returned to Hoddesdon and ran for 18 years.

He got closer to re-launching Norwich than anyone is 61 years

He had already got Mildenhall back before and it was not him who closed it

Kent Kings closed in 2022 and guess who not only reopened it, yes your nemesis Steve Ribbons, they played to crowds as big as 750 for 3rd division racing, it was so successful that Eastbourne are now running a league team at the venue. Oh and he was so bad at Iwade that a number of the staff have offered their help at Mildenhall 2025.

If you all have personal issues with Mr Ribbons take it up with him DONT come on here with the intention to scuppering the ONLY hope Mildenhall have of returning to racing or prehaps you plan to reopen it yourselves?

 

 

Why can't you believe me? Tell me what in my post was factually wrong?

[Haza]

2 hours ago, Rayleigh said:

I cant believe "Round the Boards", "Norbold", "Haza" and "ch958."

Firstly the accusation of Wimbledon is your version only and you use the platform to sink the Mildenhall project, so sad.

In 1999 he and a friend relaunched Rye House without a home and from that success Rye House returned to Hoddesdon and ran for 18 years.

He got closer to re-launching Norwich than anyone is 61 years

He had already got Mildenhall back before and it was not him who closed it

Kent Kings closed in 2022 and guess who not only reopened it, yes your nemesis Steve Ribbons, they played to crowds as big as 750 for 3rd division racing, it was so successful that Eastbourne are now running a league team at the venue. Oh and he was so bad at Iwade that a number of the staff have offered their help at Mildenhall 2025.

If you all have personal issues with Mr Ribbons take it up with him DONT come on here with the intention to scuppering the ONLY hope Mildenhall have of returning to racing or prehaps you plan to reopen it yourselves?

 

 

Not sure how asking if Mr Ribbons was connected to the return of speedway to Norwich is scuppering Mildenhall  return to the track action ? I was just asking basically if it was the same person that’s all - I certainly don’t have any personal issues with Mr Ribbons I wish Mildenhall well and hope they do return this coming season .