[speedyguy]

Roger Cearns had a long-time involvement with Wimbledon Stadium. He is currently involved at Sittingbourne, where he hopes to add speedway to his greyhound activities. His family was innvolved at Plough Lane for several decade. Some years ago - when was it? - Roger made a visit to Wimbledon. In an interview in 'Speedway Star' (February 6 2010), he commented:

"I can't remember my first meeting because I went as a kid but I was certainly there when they got Ronnie Moore and Barry Briggs back.
"I do enjoy speedway, but what I didn't enjoy, and I've got to be quite candid, was a few years ago when the promotion at Wimbledon invited me back to do a presentation at the Laurels.
"It was absolutely awful, it was at the lowest level and everyone fell off every race. It went on and on."

Any clues as to which Laurels Roger Cearns attended?

[Blazeaway]

Roger Cearns had a long-time involvement with Wimbledon Stadium. He is currently involved at Sittingbourne, where he hopes to add speedway to his greyhound activities. His family was innvolved at Plough Lane for several decade. Some years ago - when was it? - Roger made a visit to Wimbledon. In an interview in 'Speedway Star' (February 6 2010), he commented:

"I can't remember my first meeting because I went as a kid but I was certainly there when they got Ronnie Moore and Barry Briggs back.
"I do enjoy speedway, but what I didn't enjoy, and I've got to be quite candid, was a few years ago when the promotion at Wimbledon invited me back to do a presentation at the Laurels.
"It was absolutely awful, it was at the lowest level and everyone fell off every race. It went on and on."

Any clues as to which Laurels Roger Cearns attended?

No idea, Cearns comments are a complete and utter disgrace. I hope his bid fails at Central Park.

[Ian]

No idea, Cearns comments are a complete and utter disgrace. I hope his bid fails at Central Park.

I don't like his comments either, but if he has the ability to get speedway up and running at a new venue then good luck to him.

Given his comments though, we would have to assume that he would rule out National League speedway and go for either PL or EL.

[kennylane]

Roger Cearns had a long-time involvement with Wimbledon Stadium. He is currently involved at Sittingbourne, where he hopes to add speedway to his greyhound activities. His family was innvolved at Plough Lane for several decade. Some years ago - when was it? - Roger made a visit to Wimbledon. In an interview in 'Speedway Star' (February 6 2010), he commented:

"I can't remember my first meeting because I went as a kid but I was certainly there when they got Ronnie Moore and Barry Briggs back.
"I do enjoy speedway, but what I didn't enjoy, and I've got to be quite candid, was a few years ago when the promotion at Wimbledon invited me back to do a presentation at the Laurels.
"It was absolutely awful, it was at the lowest level and everyone fell off every race. It went on and on."

Any clues as to which Laurels Roger Cearns attended?

Is Roger certain he was not at the GRA-sponsored CL Pairs meeting in 2005! That was absolutely dreadful, as was a Sunday afternoon meeting between Dons and Rye House.

[Blazeaway]

I don't like his comments either, but if he has the ability to get speedway up and running at a new venue then good luck to him.

Given his comments though, we would have to assume that he would rule out National League speedway and go for either PL or EL.

It all depends which league Uncle Len tells him to run in.

[Parsloes 1928 nearly]

There were two Laurels meetings held in the Conference years.. The one Roger came along as guest of honour to was the first in 2003: won by speedyguy's favourite rider Wayne Barrett. The 'Master of Plough Lane' having surely his finest career moment that night, culminating in beating Buzz in a pulsating run-off for the title.
I remember that Roger's invite came too late for me to get a mention of him attending in the prog. that night; but it was certainly that one he attended and so is refering to..
(The other Laurels was that emotional final ever meeting at Plough Lane in 2005 when Buzz finally did win the title...).

Remembering back to 2003 and refreshing that memory by looking at the completed prog there were quite a few rerun heats that evening: though my abiding memory is of that fantastically exciting run-off...

Roger is an honourable man and passionate about the Wimbledon of his childhood and its glorious past - understandable as his grand-father WAS Mr. Wimbledon Speedway and his Dad worked at the Stadium his whole life. If Roger felt what he did about that solitary evening he watched Conference level racing at Plough Lane then fair enough it's his opinion. His view is like many others who saw Wimbledon only as a top level track.
I personally don't agree with him on this and I think it's a shame that again we see a negative spin being given to the Conference days at Wimbledon.

Roger is also passionate about his plans for Central Park and I'm delighted he has lost none of his enthusiasm for that exciting project.
THAT'S what we should really be discussing I believe; and I wish him all the best with the next stage of the Planning application.
I was there at the Town Hall when permission WAS given. The way Roger describes events in that Star article is exactly how it went; and I'm confident that provided those facts are accepted he can win the day on appeal...

[speedyguy]

There were two Laurels meetings held in the Conference years.. The one Roger came along as guest of honour to was the first in 2003: won by speedyguy's favourite rider Wayne Barrett. The 'Master of Plough Lane' having surely his finest career moment that night, culminating in beating Buzz in a pulsating run-off for the title.
I remember that Roger's invite came too late for me to get a mention of him attending in the prog. that night; but it was certainly that one he attended and so is refering to..
(The other Laurels was that emotional final ever meeting at Plough Lane in 2005 when Buzz finally did win the title...).

Remembering back to 2003 and refreshing that memory by looking at the completed prog there were quite a few rerun heats that evening: though my abiding memory is of that fantastically exciting run-off...

Roger is an honourable man and passionate about the Wimbledon of his childhood and its glorious past - understandable as his grand-father WAS Mr. Wimbledon Speedway and his Dad worked at the Stadium his whole life. If Roger felt what he did about that solitary evening he watched Conference level racing at Plough Lane then fair enough it's his opinion. His view is like many others who saw Wimbledon only as a top level track.
I personally don't agree with him on this and I think it's a shame that again we see a negative spin being given to the Conference days at Wimbledon.

Roger is also passionate about his plans for Central Park and I'm delighted he has lost none of his enthusiasm for that exciting project.
THAT'S what we should really be discussing I believe; and I wish him all the best with the next stage of the Planning application.
I was there at the Town Hall when permission WAS given. The way Roger describes events in that Star article is exactly how it went; and I'm confident that provided those facts are accepted he can win the day on appeal...

What a nice tribute to Roger Cearns. Yes. I agree - good luck with his Sittingbourne venture.

PS: Wayne Barrett - my favourite rider! What about Justin Elkins?

[Parsloes 1928 nearly]

PS: Wayne Barrett - my favourite rider! What about Justin Elkins?

Hmm, by the time it got to late 2003 your mate Justin was incapable of making it off the starting line (eight times in a row in two matches he simply sat there as the tapes went up and wheeled his machine off the track... ) - so I don't think he was a serious contender for the Laurels!!!
Heaven knows what Mr. Cearns would've made of young Master Elkins' antics!!

[prodons]

No idea, Cearns comments are a complete and utter disgrace. I hope his bid fails at Central Park.

Your comments are also disgraceful. Hoping that the bid fails doesn't sound anything other than being mean spirited.

Without the Cearns family there wouldn't have been Wimbledon Speedway. End of.

[speedyguy]

Hmm, by the time it got to late 2003 your mate Justin was incapable of making it off the starting line (eight times in a row in two matches he simply sat there as the tapes went up and wheeled his machine off the track... ) - so I don't think he was a serious contender for the Laurels!!!
Heaven knows what Mr. Cearns would've made of young Master Elkins' antics!!

Justin Elkins was not exactly a 'favourite'. I just could not believe that somebody with obvious talent - and when his bike was running he could match anyone - could have so many mechanical problems.

I did enjoy watching Wayne Barrett - my soft heart for a veteran - and also his buddy Jason Prynne.

This post has been edited by speedyguy: 09 February 2010 - 01:13 PM

[Blazeaway]

Your comments are also disgraceful. Hoping that the bid fails doesn't sound anything other than being mean spirited.

Without the Cearns family there wouldn't have been Wimbledon Speedway. End of.

Mean spirited? Possibly but do we really want such a speedway snob running a team? Lets not forget many of todays riders came up from "the lowest level" I wonder if todays National League level riders would want to ride for a man who has such a low opinion of them.

Also for someone that "loves Wimbledon" so much I didn't see him anywhere durinbg the barren years or indeed supporting us when we were kicked out.

[speedyguy]

Mean spirited? Possibly but do we really want such a speedway snob running a team? Lets not forget many of todays riders came up from "the lowest level" I wonder if todays National League level riders would want to ride for a man who has such a low opinion of them.

Also for someone that "loves Wimbledon" so much I didn't see him anywhere durinbg the barren years or indeed supporting us when we were kicked out.

Roger Cearns is going to be a PROMOTER. Somebody prepared to put MONEY into the sport. Obviously with his Wimbledon background he wants what he regards as the best - he mentions riders like Ronnie Moore and Barry Briggs - and will seek to give something of that standard at Sittingbourne - IF HE WINS HIS PLANNING APPEAL. With his long-time family background at Wimbledon he wants the best.

When Wimbledon had the 'barren years' the Cearns family had already moved on to other things, as we all do in life. Why should Roger Cearns or his family have gone back there after so many years away from Plough Lane? Nor, with his other interests circa 2005, why should he have popped up on to the 'save the Dons' campaign when the GRA said 'we don't want speedway any more.'

[born_2b_mad]

One thing I am really not happy with is that he is more than happy to use the 'Dons' nickname if he gets going!

[speedyguy]

One thing I am really not happy with is that he is more than happy to use the 'Dons' nickname if he gets going!

This is probably a link to when another group with Plough Lane connections was interested in staging speedway at Sittingbourne a few years ago.

[born_2b_mad]

This is probably a link to when another group with Plough Lane connections was interested in staging speedway at Sittingbourne a few years ago.

I'm pretty sure it was mentioned in Cearns' initial planning application. I'll have a search and see if I can find it.