Grachan

I dunno. I hear Bob Kilby was pretty keen to come back. To be fair to Hellsen it was only right at the end of the season, unlike Simmons who spent the whole year doing it!

Ah yes, Rickard Hellsen to Long Eaton. I remember that. He had to average below 6.00 to be able to ride in the lower league. In his final race for Swindon that year he needed a third place to be below the required figure and was suitably placed going into the last lap. The rider in front suddenly had an ef, causing a hilariously obvious bad final bend by Hellsen in order for the rider behind to pass him and keep his average down.

Was there? That one must have completely whizzed past me without me even noticing! Wasn't that the year of the 39.95 points limit and the exciting new era in speedway? Swindon in 93 is the only time I can recall a team getting relegated. Thankfully Jason Crump was available so it turned out ok.

As mentioned before, when Swindon faced Wolves without Doyle and Morris, they beat them. The very same 'never say die' attitude shown by Wolves in the first leg of the final came to the fore for Swindon that night. It's not so straight forward. Everyone predicted that Wolves riding at Swindon without Lindgren and Thorssell, would get a pasting. They never. Swindon were a side that refused to be beaten for a long stretch of the season. They seemed to lose that once nobody could finish above them in the table. In the second leg, they summoned that same spirit back up. Both meetings seemed to show the fighting spirit of the apparent underdog. It was a great final. Great to see mutual respect from the two teams' supporters too.

Actually, last time Swindon DID get relegated. It just took two years of the mighty Robins finishing bottom before it happened.

Best bit of speedway commentary ever on Wednesday. It went like this: "MORRRISSSS!!!"

That's an earlier match. Try this one: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l9BQVjP-mE4

From Swindon website: SWINDON ROBINSvs. TO BE CONFIRMED DETAILS TO FOLLOW...WATCH THIS SPACE!

Swindon rode against a full strength Wolves earlier in the year without Doyle and Morris, and beat them. It's not as simple as just saying Wolves would have won. A lot of people blamed complacency on Monday, for example. That couldn't have been an issue against a full strength Wolves. Great to win the title, but, yes, you do have to sympathise with Wolves. You could see in the interviews during the match that they were losing belief as Swindon began turning the screw.

Bellego not even getting close!

Swindon not been great, but still level on the night. We threw this away on Monday.

Admission prices were unchanged.

That's how I read it too. First team to gain an advantage wins.

Swindling? Really? Admission prices were unchanged. A programme is something you don't have to buy. Wolves are sticking 2 quid on admission at 19 quid, I think I read. Last night we paid 39 for 3 of us to get in. My son wanted a programme, so we bought one between us. Had he not wanted one, we wouldn't have bought one. I've not heard of a club not putting admission up for a grand final before. Much better to put that money onto a programme, which is optional.

I don't think the track had much to do with it. Wolves were just so much more up for it. Jason Doyle as much as admitted in his interview at the end that they though twit would be easy whereas Wolves came fully up for a fight.

I would agree that this isn't over yet, but it's certainly Wolves now in the driving seat with Swindon as the underdogs. Were this the first leg - with the line ups as expected - people would be predicting a Swindon win. Wolves' performance in the first leg has changed that. Swindon are now underdogs, and need to take advantage of this. I predict Swindon coming out fighting and having a load of bad corners due to over-riding! Can't see us winning at Monmore if Wolves maintain their mentality from the first leg - bit it's certainly possible.

Ah, the joys of supporting Swindon! Very good from Wolves. You could see how much more determined they were, and those three 5-1s killed us off early on. As I said earlier, remember how well Swindon rode when they had to compete without Doyle and Morris. It was the same tonight with Wolves. Swindon didn't choke at all. This has been their standard for a few weeks now, and just looked good by having such poor semi final opponents.

More likely, the various fans who go to various meetings throughout the season, rather than every week, all deciding to go to this one particular meeting. I don't go every week. Maybe 3 or 4 meetings throughout the season. I shall be going to tonight's play-off meeting. Were there no play-offs, I would still be going to 3 or 4 meetings throughout the season. Although there are many people who go every week, it's not going to be the exact same people in the stadium for every match.

There's the issue, I guess. Could Swindon then sign Dudek, for example, to replace Doyle in the second leg?

I suggested this myself earlier. I think they should be given special dispensation to sign him rather than have him as a guest. Sadly, they seem to see guests as the option for everything these days.

Any chance of you lot taking your handbags over to the Belle Vue v Wolves thread?

Seeing as the rulebook allows the SCB to override any rule, could they not cancel their transfer deadline and allow Wolves to sign Tai Woffinden?

Just being typically pessimistic. If you were a Swindon fan you'd understand why! It's very disappointing that Wolves may be without their top two. Even if they cover the points with guest and r/r it spoils it as a spectacle. A major flaw in the play off system really, with injuries being so common in the sport. Hope Lindgren is ok. From what I read it sounds nasty.

The portacabins on the home straight were, I believe, supposed to be just temporary. I also heard that many years were traded off the lease at various times rather than do required work. Such a shame. Even now the stadium land is not built on, although I did recently read about a new complex being built there soon that is connected to the football stadium. I miss Oxford and Reading. If Swindon were to close down too it would be such a shame to have lost all three.

How did Swindon do earlier in the season without Doyle and Morris? Nothing is certain. I've seen enough Swindon disappointments in my time to know that there is no such thing as Swindon just having to turn up. I've already got my 'Swindon were top of the league so are the real champions' posts all worked out in my head. Just in case, like.