Glasgow V Somerset Pl Sun Aug 17th 2014 @3p.m.

[Shaleshifter 177]

Reading all the posting concerning the Glasgow team and lack of atmosphere at Ashfield is very sad.

I was up in Berwick and Scotland over the weekend and attended all 3 of the Somerset Rebels meetings.

 

The issue i see is that at Ashfield the facilities are very basic in a badly run down stadium that i believe has suffered several break ins and arson damage over the past few seasons. The promoters are not getting enough fans to attend due to several reasons. Firstly the adverse weather conditions over the season culminatong in meetings being called off, also a team that has miss fired more often then not adding to the fact that there is only a hardcore fan base.

I read a few weeks ago in the Speedway-Star that James Grieves stated that when Glasgow left Shawfield they lost a lot of fans in the process.

Would Glasgow be better supported if the sport returned to Shawfield Stadium?

On a last note i enjoyed the meeting at Ashfield plenty of entertainment and some good close racing.

Edited August 19, 2014 by Shaleshifter

[tyretrax 2,257]

Unless someone wins the lottery and buys Shawfield, no chance.

[MD 1,320]

I read a few weeks ago in the Speedway-Star that James Grieves stated that when Glasgow left Shawfield they lost a lot of fans in the process.

Would Glasgow be better supported if the sport returned to Shawfield Stadium?

Fans were disappearing long before we left Shawfield hence the move to Ashfield for cheaper rent. Some people never migrated up to Ashfield due the areas' notorious reputation.

 

Whilst Ashfield is a depressing ramshackle, Shawfield or the main stand has been renovated. It became very run down during the 2000's, like the area round about it whilst the new route for the M74 extension was chosen. However the area to the north and west of Shawfield are being regenerated with new roads and housing, and it is now right next to the motorway.

 

I'm sure we could generate better crowds if we moved back there. From marketing during Alun Biggarts season they found very few fans came from Glasgow, Lanarkshire was the main base.

 

However there was animosity when Glasgow left Shawfield and if we couldn't afford the rent then could we now? During the housing boom in the mid 2000's Glasgow were given notice to leave Ashfield and got a flat no about returning to Shawfield. However that was then, Shawfield must only be running Greyhound racing 2 or 3 nights a week, possibly there could be mutual benefit for both parties in Glasgow returning assuming a deal could be struck on the rent.

 

Or maybe I'm getting carried away with thinking about going to a home match with even basic facilities!

[Tsunami 10,219]

Fans were disappearing long before we left Shawfield hence the move to Ashfield for cheaper rent. Some people never migrated up to Ashfield due the areas' notorious reputation.

 

Whilst Ashfield is a depressing ramshackle, Shawfield or the main stand has been renovated. It became very run down during the 2000's, like the area round about it whilst the new route for the M74 extension was chosen. However the area to the north and west of Shawfield are being regenerated with new roads and housing, and it is now right next to the motorway.

 

I'm sure we could generate better crowds if we moved back there. From marketing during Alun Biggarts season they found very few fans came from Glasgow, Lanarkshire was the main base.

 

However there was animosity when Glasgow left Shawfield and if we couldn't afford the rent then could we now? During the housing boom in the mid 2000's Glasgow were given notice to leave Ashfield and got a flat no about returning to Shawfield. However that was then, Shawfield must only be running Greyhound racing 2 or 3 nights a week, possibly there could be mutual benefit for both parties in Glasgow returning assuming a deal could be struck on the rent.

 

Or maybe I'm getting carried away with thinking about going to a home match with even basic facilities!

 

I think they have put in Pylons, for floodlights for the dog track, inside the dog track and on the speedway track/centre green. They would have to be moved and relocated.

[Lioness 1,473]

You beat me to that Tsunami. My recollection of recent Shawfield is that what would have been the track houses some pretty substantial foundings and supports for pylons and lighting stanchions

[Halifaxtiger 5,318]

Anyway , i thought the racing today was top drawer stuff . .

 

Racing at Glasgow in 2014 has been the best I have ever seen it there - indeed, Glasgow v Plymouth is one of the best matches I have seen this season anywhere.

[highroad119 101]

_{Thing is we are be treated to some great meetings as others have said, and before they went up in flames the portakabins provided the decent basic essentials we required, sure the stadiums seen better days, but i would rather have good racing above all else. also worried about the lack of youngsters attending now. During Shane Parker reign we had loads of kids waiting for autographs off their heroes, now theres barely a soul waiting at the tunnel entrance after racing.}

Edited August 21, 2014 by highroad119

[RobMcCaffery 2,752]

I was in Scotland in May for a non-speedway event and would have loved to see Ashfield again but the 3 pm start time clashed with the event I was attending. Thankfully I was able to get to Armadale on the Friday.

 

There's always too many things going on on Sundays for me, and I suspect for quite a few others.

 

I haven't seen Ashfield since the portakabin fire but thought it a good, basic stadium, certainly by comparison with the Blantyres. Shawfield was an impressive venue and clearly on the right side of the city if there is a Lanarkshire bias in the Tigers' support. It's a heck of a gamble though given they're struggling to even make Ashfield pay and this isn't really a good time to take risks in the sport, no matter how great the potential win might be. Is there the money to take that risk, especially if significant cost were needed to get back in there? I wish the answer was yes because speedway and Shawfield seemed an ideal fit when I visited it.

[tyretrax 2,257]

Lets go back to Shawfield. So what do we need? Dressing room and showers, check. Pits, check. Safety fence, check. New track size, check. Pay rent, check. That's all. Wait a minute can we afford a team?

Edited August 21, 2014 by tyretrax

[MD 1,320]

Lets go back to Shawfield. So what do we need? Dressing room and showers, check. Pits, check. Safety fence, check. New track size, check. Pay rent, check. That's all. Wait a minute can we afford a team?

Just get the riders to pay their own airfares!

 

Oh, and make sure no one is getting in the back gate for free.

 

If only we could have Shawfield like facilities again.

[womble53 359]

I thought the same. If I recall right, his deleted FB post last night said £500 for flights? Could be wrong ( ).

£500? Was he chartering a plane?

 

 

You seem to have had this gripe for some time, perhaps it refers to a particular individual or individuals. Bring it to Glasgows' attention via the email address on the website and content yourself.

 

Flights from Scandinavia aint cheap even with a budget airline I could quite believe that a return flight including taxes would be the best part of 500 notes.

 

It's not just Scandinavia, try getting a cheap internal flight in this country sometimes.

 

I couldn't come on the Rebels Northern tour last weekend for various reasons, but was free on Sunday, so I had a look at flying up, as I have done loads of times before for reasonable cost, certainly cheaper than driving for instance. The cheapest cost for a return flight from Bristol was over £220.00, and that only got me there 40 minutes before the start time & left it really tight for getting the flight back.

 

Now I know that it would have been a late booking, which obviously cost more, but riders sometimes have similar problems, having to rearrange flights for the rearranged match after rain offs etc, so I can well believe £500.00 for a flight.

Edited August 22, 2014 by womble53

[Tsunami 10,219]

I thought the same. If I recall right, his deleted FB post last night said £500 for flights? Could be wrong ( ).

£500? Was he chartering a plane?

Surely this was for 'flights' rather that flights to one meeting. I think it is for several meetings.

[george.m 3,063]

Surely this was for 'flights' rather that flights to one meeting. I think it is for several meetings.

Hope so!