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EnglishRoundabout

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Posts posted by EnglishRoundabout

  1. Posted

    A bit late to the party but wanted to add some observations to my first visit to Blunsdon for a while due to moving from the area and work commitments. 

    I make no apology for the self indulgent post either! 

    Thursday was my first ever experience of the Robins winning a trophy on home soil. It was tremendous. I saw a group of grown men dancing together, plastic cups of lager spilling as they danced their Dad dances in a circle. The atmosphere was terrific. Chanting at speedway?  Never have I heard that before. Jeff Beck’s Hi ho Silver Lining was belted out several times. Another group of young lads (teenagers this time) all singing together, laughing and smiling)

     Before the meeting began, dark clouds circled overhead, looking menacing and threatening.  Worryingly , one massive cloud began to empty its cargo. At the time, I was stood inside having a cheeky beer. I watched as the home straight crowd staring anxiously at the sky. Fortunately, the clouds passed over and although the track looked wet, it certainly looked raceable.

    I watched the first 3 heats from the grass bank entering turn 3: I must admit, I felt nervous as Ipswich edged ahead. Even after The Iversen exclusion.  They looked sharp from the starts, and Chris Harris ( for the first two laps in heat 3) looked hungry and committed. 

    But then I witnessed an absolute steam roller of a side. Jensen was aggressive and fast Musielak, smooth and slick. Doyle was as expected. He’s a terrific leader and a real winner. Batchelor ( who I have criticised many times, mainly for when he opens his mouth) really does look high class these days. His pass of Doyle in heat 13, ( yes it was a pass too rather than any kind of team riding between the two) was superb. 

    Ipswich were simply annihilated. Jake Allen gave a gutsy performance, but tired after Hawkins threw him into as many early races as he could in an attempt to contain the rampant Robins. 

    This was the best Swindon team I have ever seen. And, in my opinion would beat any of the other 3 championship winning teams. 

    There seemed genuine affection for the team from the packed crowd, and a pleasing team spirit. I liked the blend of orange/tangerine, ( I’ve never seen so many reflective orange highway maintenance jackets worn by supporters!!)

    Finally, I’ve supported the Robins from the days of Martin Ashby, Killer, Bouchard and Jan Andersson. I would have given anything for one of the mid seventies Robins teams to win the league, or even win an away match! I followed them everywhere on the coach, only to see them get a hammering at places like Cradley, Halifax and Wimbledon. The Blunsdon track in those days was excellent. Always passing, always good racing. These days, I like the shorter version. Huge compliment to the track staff who have worked wonders with it. 

    In order to get a quick get away to travel back to my home in Cornwall, I left straight after heat 15. As I reached my car in the car park, I heard another rendition of Hi ho silver lining (Hi ho Swindon Robins!,) I sat in the drivers seat and caught a glimpse of my face in the mirror.......I was absolutely beaming!!!

    As I reached the M4, it was pouring with rain..  But the sun was shining on another triumphant season for a super speedway team. 

    • Like 12
    • Thanks 2

  3. Posted

    4 minutes ago, Steve Shovlar said:

    The rain is close but fragmented into two patches. You will get the first one but fingers crossed the second will Peter out before it gets to you. Looks like similar to what happened at Poole in our semi.

    Good to see the Robins are still stimulating your interest Steve....surely your old team is ensuring you thoroughly support them tonight and tomorrow?

  7. Posted

    Ez was the archetypal track curator at Somerset. He genuinely cared about the masterpiece he had prepared every Friday night. You’d see him stood away from everyone during the meeting, gazing from his elevated position in the pits, alone with his thoughts, always looking like the whole world was on his shoulders. 

    Inevitably, his track produced brilliant racing, but also inevitably, he’d have several disagreements with riders during the meeting. Normally home riders. 

    Never one to communicate particularly well with those riders, Ez, would seek the quiet of his little place away from everyone until the meeting had finished. He’d then be in his element, returning to the track with his tractor, carrying out numerous circuits of the track, always looking over his shoulder, always looking concerned, long after the supporters had headed to the bar, and riders to the motorway and their next meeting. 

  11. Posted

    On 9/2/2019 at 10:54 AM, Baldyman said:

    That's strange, cos there is a panthers fan called Daniel Green that's also a spurs fan, and it's one of the accounts you would guess it to be. What's the chances, tut. 

    Yes, as I’ve previously said, it’s KKS. The same KKS that used to Stalk various riders, Kenneth Bjerre, Troy Batchelor , Michael Jesper Jensen, (all when they rode for Peterborough). He then switched allegiances to Poole ( Matt Ford Fan) before switching back to Reading racers fan/ Jeremycorbynfan. 

    It now pretends to be a Swindon fan, but mark my words it’s KKS from way back in 2010. 

  13. Posted

    The problem is, speedway in its entirety is in disarray. It’s governed by people who have no business nous and surrounded by incompetence. 

    Year after year we’ve seen the product gradually watered down, and only the hardy and loyal folk continue to attend.  Over inflated wages in this and most other sports are crippling speedway, whilst the cost of living rises and wages remain stagnant. 

    I don’t have the answer, but maybe those (if they are still with us) from the early to mid seventies when speedway was thriving, could assist everyone with the odd tip and advice. 

  19. Posted

    4 hours ago, Cliffeboy said:

    Once again the Rebels relying on the big three, Schlein owes us some away points repaying the faith Gary has in him. A must win match for us, can’t see us getting anything from Glasgow when they come down. 

    I think you can guarantee double figures from Schlein when it’s not raining or the track isn’t wet. 

    • Haha 2

  20. Posted

    1 hour ago, A ORLOV said:

    Using the line that Kildemand often did, just hope he does not do what killer did a couple of times and collide with the air fence there.  Agree with the improvements in the track and the more lines the riders now use which has made the racing better. 

    To be fair Orlovski, I’m not sure too many riders lack the concentration that Kildermand seemed to suffer from. More often than not, if he fell, he seemed to be in front at the time. A cardinal sin surely?

    • Like 1

  24. Posted

    2 hours ago, Sidney the robin said:

    Does anyone know if the Robins will run a coach to Belle Vue.?

    Isn’t it sad that we have to ask that question Sid?  I remember the mid to late seventies when almost every away match there was at least one coach. But then again that was the days when two or three double decker buses used to ferry home fans in to Blunsdon every Saturday night! 

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