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Hebbs

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Posts posted by Hebbs


  1.  

    I'm not sure that the "Crawley Creepy" has much of a ring to it.

     

    But what with all this re-branding carry on perhaps it is the shape of things to come.

     

    Someone said that the yellow/black helmet colour is being done away with and replaced with GREEN!

     

    What's that all about?

     

    Before we know it, they will be making riders wear creepy green "M"s all over their kit and how ridiculous would that look?

     

    :unsure:

     

    You maybe right about the name, but the way some Sky commentators announce the teams; The Eagles of Eastbourne, or the Pirates from Poole, I thought the Creepy Crawley's would fit the bill. ;)


  2. I have no problem if Eastbourne win the KOC because of home track advantage (and the loss of Danyon.) That's cup competition and why there should always be a cup competition.

     

    However if we lose the league then it is a travesty. I hate play offs.

     

    Agree with that entirely. Having been there when the Eagles lost the first ever EL playoffs, when we had been the best team all year, left a terrible feeling of injustice.

     

    The league should be won by the team that is top at the end of the season, that's it. Playoffs are just another type of cup competition. In my view, and I suspect several other Eagles fans, Birmingham have won the league regardless of what happens next.

    • Like 1

  3. Very Sad news.

     

    He was captain of the Eagles when I started going to speedway in 1969. Towards the end of the season I became very ill and ended up in hospital for many months. My Dad mentioned this to Reg who sent me filled in programmes and a lovely letter telling me how he and the team were doing. As a 9 year old it was very very special, & I still have the letter today.

     

    A boyhood hero of mine. RIP Reg

    • Like 7

  4. Once---nobody ever wins at the trick track---everyones allowed an off day--15pt MAX

    That aside i think we will lose twice more this season---Cradley will beat us next week and of course we will lose at Eastbourne as everyone does.

     

    No such thing as a trick track, just those who haven't learnt to turn the bike (yet). :D


  5. I don't think a match race would tell us who will go on to be the best rider. Back in 1969 (or maybe 1970) I remember a match race between two young riders starting their careers, Dave Jessup and Barry Thomas. Much hyped by Dave Lanning & Johnny Hoskins as you would expect, I saw the Arlington leg and remember that Barry Thomas won. I was only 9 or 10 and DJ was my hero.

     

    Barry went on to be a hero of the Hawks, but I think most people would say that DJ went on to greater things. No disrespect to BT who was a great club rider, who I saw many times riding for Hackney.

     

    Like many have said earlier we are lucky to see both riders developing their skills.

    • Like 3

  6. all clubs would love to have a no7 with parents and grandparents who are loaded own the track and sponsor the team .. talent has no part in his inclusion. money does !!

    if he was Kelsey Smith , he wouldn't have a team place

    I have read some ill informed comments on here before, but this has got to be up there with the best of them.

     

    During the Kings Lynn match Martin Dugard was interviewed, and his comments about Kelsey were pretty hard. There is no way that he would have said the same things about other Eastbourne riders, he certainly does not get preferential treatment. Kelsey may have had a better opportunity to get into speedway than many others, but he is earning his team place. The bottom line is would any other team want to sign a number seven with an assessed average of 3 who is averaging 5.58. Answer all of them.

    • Like 4

  7. I must admit that I thought that Sunday would be the best day, but after having to miss two meetings already I am realising that Sunday afternoons take away almost the whole day because of the travelling. I think we may get bigger crowds on a Saturday night.

     

    Anyway, I would say to anyone who is staying away because we have gone NL, give it a try, it is far better than anything that has been served up at Arlington in the last 10 years or so. The new promotion is a breath of fresh air, and we have a TEAM. I can't wait until the Cradley match.

    • Like 1

  8. Genuine question (from a fan of a Premier League team), now that Eastbourne have ridden a few meetings in the National League, how do you feel it compares with Elite League?

     

    Enjoyment factor, entertainment factor, quality of racing, crowd levels etc.

     

    Having never regularly followed either a National League or Elite League team I'm just curious.

     

    I agree with Steven101. In the Elite League I felt that we were being conned because we didn't really have a team. With a couple of exceptions we had some riders who would ride when it suited them. Also the away sides rarely turned up with their declared team. They were also suffering from the same lack of interest in the UK. But on top of that their riders who didn't like our track wouldn't turn up, which sometimes gave them an opportunity to book a guest who was a track specialist. Put all this together with the win at all cost (to the sport) of some teams (Poole), and I got so fed up I didn't go for four years.

     

    I am now back and enjoying almost every moment. As Steve said the Kings Lynn match may have had a one sided scoreline but there was more entertainment in that match then a whole season of EL.

     

    I would also like to congratulate Martin & Conner Dugard on the new approach to promotion at the club, that too is also a breath of fresh air. In the words of a well known burger chain, I'm loving it! :lol:

    • Like 3

  9. You've already hit sixty against Lynn without turning up reading some of the comments on here! One or two people could do with calming down a little after a couple of wins.

     

    I agree that some are getting a bit ahead of themselves, but after such a dire few years recently it is hard to hold back on some excitement.

     

    I had not been for about 4 or 5 year of the recent EL rubbish, but I went to the opener against Kent and I loved it. I feel almost born again with speedway. Sunday will be a rerun of the first meeting I went to. Eastbourne Eagles v Kings Lynn Starletts (BL Div 2), Easter Sunday 1969. I feel almost as exited about going as I did then as a youngster. I still have the programme, filled out by my Dad, we won 39-37. I remember it was close, unlike the 75-0 I had to witness once. :lol:

     

    Anyway I will go with a 6 to 8 point win for the Eagles, but more importantly a good crowd for the promotion, and some exciting racing for us fans. Can't wait!!


  10. The trick egg shaped track is often levelled at Arlington, but I think that the odd shape actually makes the racing safer and fairer than the previous shape.

     

    The cut off bit on bend one allows more room entering the 1st bend from the start, but is not used once racing is under way, unless you are well off line. This has reduced incidents from the start and can only be good, (I hate re-starts).

     

    The second bend was very narrow, so cutting off a bit of the inside gives a bit more room for cut backs. Also the old shape seemed to catch people out and they would often go too wide. Strangely this was the case before the stock car track was built as well. The track was bigger then at 342 yards but that bend still used to be the place where most falls happened. Of course it was the 4th bend for a lot of that time, so that may have been a factor too.


  11. Thanks for the info Catinthehat.

     

    My first ever speedway meeting was the "re-launch" of Eastbourne in 1969, and I was hooked. The last few years (4 or 5) I haven't been because I got so fed up with the EL. The missing riders, irregular fixtures, and all the lies about why so and so wasn't riding. But now I feel like it is a new start. I may be wrong but I will give it a go.

     

    I will definitely be at the first meeting and I am really looking forward to bringing on the youngsters like we did in the past.

     

    Come on the Eagles!

    • Like 1

  12. from what i have heard it is open to fans but fans are not allowed into the guest and coorparte business part in the bar upstairs however they are allowed to be admitted up their if they purchase a wriost band for £5 to meet the new sponsors, wine and dine with some big companies in sussex and watch the action (this is only what i have overheard at practice on sunday though)

     

    Fans are allowed in from 1pm. I have put a link to the news item on the official site below, hope it works. If not you can cut & paste it into your browser.

     

    http://eastbourneeagles.co/news.php?extend.697.1


  13. My first match was Easter Sunday 1969 Eastbourne Eagles v Kings Lynn Starletts. Two riders stick in my mind, a very young Dave Jessup for the Eagles and Graham,Edmunds for the Starletts in his white leathers. I was 9 years old the Eastbourne track was a better size and everything was possible. Can I go back please? ;)


  14.  

    In the UK, very likely, but the Sydney Showgrounds must have claimed many many more lives

     

    Using the link from gustix Hackney & Norwich have the joint most fatalities in the UK at 5 each. Worldwide Sydney Royale 16 & Sydney Sportsground 8 (not sure if these 2 venues are the same), Rzeszow (Poland) 9, Claremont Perth 8, Brisbane 7.

     

    As a Hackney regular in the mid seventies I have to say the racing was great with many lines, and it is probably my favourite track.


  15. So have people found the elite league meetings on Sky better quality than the GP's?

    I have enjoyed both and the Swedish league but I just don't feel riders are passionate about team speedway any more, just mercenaries.

    Just personal opinion but to me the GP a better product.

    Having said that I'd kill for another chance to watch the Wildcats at the Wessex.

     

    In relation to the Sky coverage I personally think that this is more to do with the quality (or rather lack of it) of the Elite League. When teams are full or guests, R/R, or missing the stay away "stars" then league racing is diminished to such an extent that most people don't see it as team speedway any more but just a big con. Well that's why I haven't been since 2010 anyway.

     

    Still next season we (Eastbourne) are in a different league and I will give it a go again. I don't mind if there are no "superstars" riding as long as it is a proper team fixture. So it's team speedway for me then. :lol:


  16. I am really looking forward to next season. Although I have been a speedway fan for 44 years I haven’t been to a meeting for three years now. I was just fed up with all the guests, the absentee prima donnas, the rule bending etc. etc. etc.

     

    So glad we are not in the “Elite League” :lol: . I would have preferred Premier League, but I am excited about Eastbourne bringing on the youngsters again. The first meeting I went to the Eagles team featured the debut of a sixteen year old called Dave Jessup. Great memories, let’s do it again.

    • Like 1

  17. Gonna be a long night with RR......

     

    Given the farce with the guest reserves riding for every team except BV and Rory now being able to help (or not) a title rival to qualify for the POKC I will keep my 25 quid in my pocket....

     

    Maybe when speedway in this country stops being ran so poorly and us fans no longer have the p1ss constantly taken out of us then my 'hard earned' will again support its future....

     

    If it is still there by then....?

    Agree with you. That is exactly how i felt, the EL is taking the p**s out of it's punters. The final straw for me was was 4 years ago, after 41 years of going to Arlington I finally had enough, and have not been to speedway since. Unfortunately, as speedway promoters seem to ignore their customers nothing has changed and it may be that this is the last year for the Eagles. It feels like when you must have you old pet dog put down. You have seen it coming for ages, you are very very sad, but you know deep down it is best that he no longer suffers.

    • Like 1

  18. I would agree. Used to love the Sunday afternoon meetings.

     

    What days do other sports take place at Arlington? Could that be an issue?

    Wednesday & Bank Holiday Mondays for the stock cars.

     

    I would also love some PL racing on a Sunday afternoon, or even on Saturday night. The most important thing is regular racing, as few guests as possible, a variety of opposition, and reduced costs. I gave up going after 41 years about 3 years ago because of the above. £17 to watch an Eastbourne select side against another team of guests on days that didn’t clash with the Outer Mongolian Under 12’s Championship was not my cup of tea. I don’t need to watch so called superstars when they can be bothered to turn up, I much prefer to follow my (full) team which it seems is almost impossible in the EL.

    • Like 3
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