steve roberts

Can't be bothered personally!

Yes he was. A very classy rider. He had a bad crash with Trevor Hedge at Wood Lane in 1976 and he admitted that he lost his nerve (interview in 'Backtrack' magazine some years ago) His brother, Ulf (another favourite of mine), rode for Cradley and Oxford but his style was so very different. Sorry Sidney to bring this one up but one of my great memories was the Swindon v Oxford (BL) clash at the tail end of the 1986 season. 'The Cheetahs' gave 'The Robins' a real drubbing and my abiding memory was Per Sorensen securing a paid maximum on his return to a track that had earlier discarded him. He must have been 'over the moon' with that performance. Per's signing really turned Oxford's season round and they went on to become invincible in all competitions that year!

Personally I've given up on this thread!

Remember it well. The weather was awful! He used to practice on ice to perfect his throttle control. Desperately wanted to ride for Oxford and got his wish but I think that he lost his enthusiasm (and nerve) when 'The Rebels' moved to Wood Lane. Never mastered the track. I think that he was still riding a JAP and the engine just didn't suit the White City circuit. I actually presented him with a bottle of bubbly at the last match of the season at Cowley!

I like it! However not true!

Dag Lovaas...one of my favourites! Superlative on wet tracks! Don't get me started on 'Cass the Gas!"

I know! The thread's lost me...can't keep up with it. Time to move on I think!

Remember well the occasion "Uncle Len' tried a fast one (and got away with it!) when City 'Rebels' rode at Hackney in 1977. Mick Hines was down in the programme to ride as a guest replacement for Marek Cieslak only for Len, as the meeting was due to start, put in a protest stating that Mick had ridden at Waterden Road only the week before. He was technically right but it did go against the grain considering that Mick's name was already printed in the programme. Len obviously wanted to play his card leaving 'The Rebels' a rider short! However cometh the hour (if I recall Roger Abel was promoted into the team as a replacement) 'The Rebels' went about sorting out "The Hawks' in an enthralling match. The race that sticks forever in my mind was the wheel to wheel battle between Gordon Kennett and Hackney's guest Peter Collins. Gordon on the inside and Peter the outside...no quarter given and no dirty stuff...just respect for each other. The race ended in a dead heat and, yes, 'The Rebels' just pipped 'The Hawks' to win the match! A great meeting on a perfect race track!

If I recall White City enquired about whether Barry was available and wanted him to sign for 'The Rebels' after his great ride...or are my memory cells playing tricks?

We obviously agree to disagree! Although I do agree with your last paragraph! Having said that not sure what we're disagreeing about now! These threads do tend to get confusing as they often go down blind alleys...nothing to do with the original question. I've given up trying to dissect some of the other threads on this forum!

I agree! It's no good having good crowds attending an end of season climax if the 'bread and butter' (albeit important) meetings generate less interest! "Icing and cake' comes immediately to mind!

Sorry don't understand your logic but I can see that reading thru' this thread that the whole debate is getting bogged down and I really don't understand the arguments for and against! The point that I was trying to make is that attendances (see my other thread) are down generally and different league structures and/or formulae will not alter that fact. There is a bigger picture and, I repeat, until the BSPA withdraw their heads from the sand speedway will continue its downward spiral!

Am I missing something here? Whether it's an important end of season fixture or just a challenge affair shouldn't it be the entertainment value that's the most important criteria? If the overall package is less than perfect people will vote with their feet...which is what apparently is happening year on year! Just merely suggesting that a Play-Off competition increases interest and awareness is just plain naive in my view. The product needs to be right and until the BSPA get their heads round that fact speedway will continually become more of a minority sport in the eyes of the majority. Having a 'decent' crowd during the Play-Offs doesn't hide the fact that attendances are down overall during the season. The old League Cup created a competition based on a Play-Off system and that was scrapped (like may other competitions) as fans became more and more selective in their viewing habits!

I'll just continue using my record player, 8mm projector and B&W television...and my crystal radio!!

The Knock Out Cup was a separate tournament as the name suggests (not sure why my comment appeared out of context?) Its format was a totally different concept to a season long league system. The two competitions ran independently and were successful for many years. I would part way understand changing the format if it raised the profile of the sport and brought in new fans but quite frankly it hasn't hence why the domestic programme is in such a mess!

No the Knock Out Cup was a separate tournament as the name suggests.

Never been a fan of the play-offs personally. It's an American thing! I recall when Oxford won the Championship back in 2001 under the old tried and tested system and SKY TV missed the event...and what do you know...the next year Play-Offs were in place! Cynic as I am but it's open to manipulation and with an Elite League of only eight or nine(?) teams really makes it all rather pointless! One of the best matches seen at Cowley in living memory was the 1985 Knock-Out Cup Final between 'The Cheetahs' and Ipswich. The meeting had everything. Drama and incident. I can't understand why the Knock Out Cup was withdrawn but that's another reason why I gave up going, and yes, I'm of the 55 year old brigade!

Yes Chris it is I! I haven't been to a speedway since 2004 and considered visiting Scunthorpe this year but decided, in the end, not to bother. Lost total enthusiasm for the sport since leaving Oxford. What I have seen (on DVD and read) it's no longer the sport I once patronised. Popped into Cowley a few years back after the speedway had folded and couldn't believe the state of the stadium. It would take lots of money to bring it back up to standard. I was in correspondence with the then manager of the stadium (GRA) stating my dismay suggesting that the remit was to run the place down with a view of selling it for development but this was hotly denied...I have been proved correct since! As regards Swindon I really don't know what to make of it all. There are all these contradictory statements and reports and I will be very surprised if a new stadium will be built before the commencement of the new season. As you say people move on to find and do other things. I followed the sport for 32 years having spent a small fortune travelling the country and Europe but decided that enough was enough after seeing the sport spiralling forever downwards thru' a combination of bad management and silly regulations. Regards

Obviously some people have nothing better to do!

Do we really care? The threads on this forum get more and more bizarre!

Hi Chris! I agree entirely! I've been out of the 'speedway loop' for a decade but keep tentative tabs. I always thought this particular thread optimistic knowing how planning works. However there are some who should know better who allowed the story to run raising people's hopes. I only initiated this thread based on a conversation that I had a number of weeks ago with a group from Swindon who appeared to have some evidence that things were moving...since proved to be not the case! Hope that life in Oxford is fine and that Cowley may soon see some movement but I'm sure that there is still a long way to go.

...because hopefully it may clear up a few points and misunderstandings and/or misinformation?

THE Swindon Robins Speedway team will have a £5m new home in 2016 after plans for a new stadium were announced yesterday. Work could start as early as May on the new venue, which will not only have new facilities for the riders but is being designed so it is ideal for television companies to broadcast events. It will be built next to the existing Abbey Stadium, built in 1949, which will then be demolished. Greyhound racing will also take place at the new venue. Clarke Osbourne, of Gaming International which owns the land, says while it has taken time to get to this point the end result will be worth the wait. He said: “The recession was very much like this eclipse for us. For a period it looked very dark but it has now brightened up. “We are delighted to have got to this stage. We had planning permission a number of years ago but it was all held up by the recession. “There was certainly a time when things really looked as though they weren’t going to happen but the support we’ve had from the local community and MP have been great. “If everything goes to plan we would hope to start work in 10 weeks so everything will be ready for next season. Promoted stories Ugliest Celebrities With No Make Up On (socialspinwheel) Beckham says 'Number 7' shirt should inspire Memphis(Channel NewsAsia) Could the looming EU data regulations over the next 12 months lead to the death of cloud computing? Find out.(The Future of Commerce) EastEnders Star In Heart-Breaking Cancer News(Entertainment Daily) Beloved Corrie Stars Facing Sack (Entertainment Daily) New Policy In UK: If You Don't Have Life Insurance, Read This! (UK Life Insurance Saver) Recommended by “We have designed it so it will be for TV. “A lot of people say this but it really will be state-of-the-art. There will be camera positions built in and the latest LED floodlights. “It will be somewhere which is not only convenient but also cheap for television companies.” Clarke says there will be some disruption during the building period but every effort will be made to keep it to a minimum. When built, the new stadium will hold around 2,500 people, similar to the current level but it will have the facilities to hold functions every day of the week, thereby increasing the revenue generated. The stadium will also incorporate space for local charities and youth groups to use and the market will be retained. North Swindon MP Justin Tomlinson campaigned to save the stadium back in 2008 when he was a borough councillor. He said: “This is an immensely proud moment for me. “I led the campaign in 2008 to save the stadium so it is fantastic for the local community and the speedway fans. “I am delighted that after many years these plans have now come forward. This is really good news. “The pressure is now on for Alun and his team to have a really strong final season.” Let’s give old stadium a send-off in style THE announcement of the new stadium has created mixed feelings for Swindon Robins and Great Britain manager Alun Rossiter, who has a long history with the Abbey. He is delighted the sport is about to get a huge shot in the arm with new facilities but will miss the venue he has been coming to since he was a small child. “I am over the moon at the moment,” he said. “I started as a mascot here in 1969 and then rode for the team, captained the team and am now the manager, so this is a really big day. “This stadium was built in 1949 so there is a touch of sadness but we have to move forward. The track is fine but if you look at the rest of it, things are very run down. Unfortunately, you do have to move with the times and on to bigger and better things. The stadium will stand in the middle of a new housing development and many of the streets will be named after former riders. Alun says it shows how important the stadium is to the town and believes it will bring in many benefits. He said “These are really exciting times for Speedway and the whole of Swindon. Having a brand new facility is something which will lift everyone. Share article “We have had some really good support from the local MP and I don’t think this would have happened without him. “What we have to do now is make sure we send the Abbey off with style.” Taken from the Swindon Advertiser 21/3/2015.

Shambolic Agree entirely! The whole Swindon Stadium scenario has been a public relations shambles! Having declared an 'End of Abbey Stadium' meeting without knowing what the future holds just smacks of incompetence and a lack of foresight (whoever is to blame) One can only hope that the people of Swindon have the opportunity to continue following speedway (however it seems very unlikely, at present, at a new stadium in the forceable future) and that it doesn't go the same way as Oxford and Reading!

Like to add Colin 'Joe' Gooddy to the list!