Deano 1,318 Posted July 20, 2013 Even if they did get an agreement to share with the football, Wimbledon AFC would want the speedway out once the bigger leagues are entertained. The lease terms would make Oxford sound viable... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Brujas Espanolas 50 Posted July 20, 2013 Just for the record,Cowdenbeath and Newtongrange were also active football venues. For the record, south of the border I can think of the following venues were football and speedway co-existed: Ashingdon Eastville Kingsmead The Shay Somerton Park Stamford Bridge Lea Bridge Seedhill Owlerton Brooklands I'm feel sure there are many other examples. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
obrien48 27 Posted July 20, 2013 Sent my emails, hope it has an effect! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
boywonder 0 Posted July 21, 2013 For a decade from the late 80s I was a non league football referee and member of LONSAR, the refs society, as was a younger Stephen Alambritis, now Mayor of Merton. My first love is speedway, his is football and he is very strong on non league and I expect he will be massively sympathetic to AFC Wimbledon as he will have moved in those circles for years and years. The best tactic is to court the rich Irish greyhound supporters and owners, research who Risk Capital actually are and hope the Irish can buy out the developers and Galliard Homes, as money talks. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Humphrey Appleby 13,953 Posted July 21, 2013 That can never happen: football and speedway are 'estranged bed fellows'. Basically, football clubs do not like speedway tracks round their piches. Neither do they go well around football pitches. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
KevH 257 Posted July 22, 2013 Aside from mispelling of pi(t)ches, I assume you mean that when a track is laid round a football it does not offer a good racing oval for the bikes? Your comment is most thought provoking and one which I tend to agree with. I can't agree with it though.......the Canterbury track was laid around the local football teams pitch and was one of the best tracks I've ever seen (and I've been to almost 100!!!) Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
KevH 257 Posted July 22, 2013 I am not sure but do think that these days the Football League is opposed to speedway tracks round their member clubs pitches while the lower leagues have no objection. I do stand to be corrected on this. Maybe, maybe not, but I thought the point of discussion was the quality of a speedway track around a football pitch Wembley World Finals always seemed fairly well received too.......and that track surrounded probably the most famous football pitch in the world !! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
The White Knight 9,039 Posted July 22, 2013 Maybe, maybe not, but I thought the point of discussion was the quality of a speedway track around a football pitch Wembley World Finals always seemed fairly well received too.......and that track surrounded probably the most famous football pitch in the world !! I totally disagree with that statement. I believe that the Football Pitch was in the centre of the World's most famous Speedway Track. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Grand Central 2,654 Posted July 23, 2013 Maybe, maybe not, but I thought the point of discussion was the quality of a speedway track around a football pitch Wembley World Finals always seemed fairly well received too.......and that track surrounded probably the most famous football pitch in the world !! The speedway track did not 'surround' the football pitch at Wembley. Only the bends were visible when the the full sized pitch was put down over the rest of the track on the straights. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Parsloes 1928 nearly 495 Posted July 23, 2013 For the record, south of the border I can think of the following venues were football and speedway co-existed: Ashingdon Eastville Kingsmead The Shay Somerton Park Stamford Bridge Lea Bridge Seedhill Owlerton Brooklands I'm feel sure there are many other examples. Well there was Custom House - the track went round the pitch of the infamous Thames Assoc's pitch there originally. Don't think you're right about Lea Bridge though. The dog track/Speedway NOT the same as Clapton Orient's nearby football ground. And the track at Crystal Palace was around the ground used for FA Cup Finals pre-Wembley. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kiwi 49 Posted July 23, 2013 Western Springs has a rugby pitch inside it. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Sotonian 610 Posted July 23, 2013 For the record, south of the border I can think of the following venues were football and speedway co-existed: Ashingdon Eastville Kingsmead The Shay Somerton Park Stamford Bridge Lea Bridge Seedhill Owlerton Brooklands I'm feel sure there are many other examples. Some more: Barrow (Holker Street) Berwick (Shielfield) Glasgow (Ashfield) Poole Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
salty 2,202 Posted July 23, 2013 Threads go where they go, though I agree this is now irrelevant to the original topic. Absolutely no hope of Speedway being involved if AFC get their hands on the site. Our best hope is to ride in on the coat tails of Mr Taggart. Any chance of you changing your font Gustix? I find it hard to read. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Brujas Espanolas 50 Posted July 23, 2013 (edited) ........Don't think you're right about Lea Bridge though. The dog track/Speedway NOT the same as Clapton Orient's nearby football ground.......... Orient played at Lea Bridge between 1930 and 1937, however Orient also played at Wembley Stadium and Highbury due to Lea Bridge Stadium being deemed as unsafe for spectators (a complaint over perimeter fencing which meant that pitch invasion frequently occurred). Lea Bridge gates averaged 7000, and in 1936/1937 Orient's match versus Millwall attracted the ground's highest attendance, 20.400. But the club was never happy at the speedway stadium, and in 1937 rode their final move to Brisbane Road, a mile away in Leyton renaming themselves Leyton Orient. I think you were getting confused with Clapton FC who play at the Old Spotted Dog a short distance from Lea Bridge Stadium. Clapton FC still play to this day at the ground currently in the Essex Senior League. Edited July 23, 2013 by Brujas Espanolas Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
salty 2,202 Posted July 23, 2013 Thanks for the tip about changing font. I will do this. As I see it, the original theme of what was an important happening in regard to a possible Wimbledon speedway return has run out of steam. So far as I personally am concerned - and this will delight many? - I am withdrawing from the debate. Don't go pal, the saga of Wimbledon still has a long, long way to go. RCP have always been into the GRA and the various stadiums for the value of that land, so hopefully Mr Taggart will have the political and financial backing to save Wimbledon for dogs and bikes. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
