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Speedway at Ashton Gate....


spudski

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22 minutes ago, Major Isewater said:

Very , i expect 

I've spoken to him a couple of times in the past, when looking for possible sites for the Bulldogs...so I guessed it was the same guy.

He was involved in Cycle speedway too.

Followed Speedway for many years, but over the last five have pretty much lost interest.

Got into it as a kid, as my friends father rode second half races at the old knowle site. So he took us to the Bulldogs at Eastville.

Was lucky enough to know someone who worked on the pits gate. He used to let me in, and as a kid just filled my boots getting autographs.

Filled an autograph book with the likes of Mauger, Olsen, Collins etc.

Even cut tyres for Nigel Boocock for a while. Great days.

Then we used to travel to watch Swindon Robins when the Bulldogs finished. When older travelled the country following them. Went to a couple abroad too...Voyens was awesome.

Unfortunately...like I said in an earlier post....speedway is too complicated now. Teams change riders every season, averages change each season, rules change each season. Promoters are just in it to make a quick buck imho....shame because it's a great night out when they get it right.

There is a video showing a bit of the 'Bulldogs' history...excuse the music it's awful...but it always makes me smile. The crash in it is Bob Coles flying into the air...see guy in the white bobble hat leaning against the terrace bar putting his head down is my father...I'm stood to the right of him as a young lad. In my green snorkel jacket :laugh: Remember that crash like it was yesterday. Thankfully he was ok.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XrwVlFEmvKA

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http://www.speedway-forum.co.uk/forums/index.php?showtopic=80658 the Bristol Speedway thread is three pages long

Barncooseboy posted "In about 2004 I actually had permission to take speedway into Ashton Gate stadium in Bristol, including permission from Bristol Council in writing BUT stadium modifications to make room were of the order of £1.5 million  and I just didnt have it and couldnt raise it".

Gresham replied; "I'm shocked to hear that....how did you propose to fit the track around the pitch without knocking down stands? Steve Lansdown wanted it? I'm surprised as Speedway was never in the plans for the new stadium proposal at Ashton Vale".

 

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23 minutes ago, Threshing Red said:

I am sure George Ferguson would be interested in this sort of thing. Perhaps Ashton Vale could have a site. 

I think I read somewhere that our old ground had some sort of cycle racing. 

I found this website a few moments ago, is this thing still going? http://www.cyclespeedwayhistory.org.uk/

The old Bristol Cycle speedway league that existed in the mid 1960s finished I think by the 70s. Bristol formed a team riding at the former Airport Lions track on Airport Rd after, in some sort of National League. The best riders from the local Bristol teams represented Bristol, Andy Wherlock ( I think ) who was well up the UK rankings was captain. The old track has now gone although I am not sure when the Bristol team finished.

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36 minutes ago, 22A said:

http://www.speedway-forum.co.uk/forums/index.php?showtopic=80658 the Bristol Speedway thread is three pages long

Barncooseboy posted "In about 2004 I actually had permission to take speedway into Ashton Gate stadium in Bristol, including permission from Bristol Council in writing BUT stadium modifications to make room were of the order of £1.5 million  and I just didnt have it and couldnt raise it".

Gresham replied; "I'm shocked to hear that....how did you propose to fit the track around the pitch without knocking down stands? Steve Lansdown wanted it? I'm surprised as Speedway was never in the plans for the new stadium proposal at Ashton Vale".

 

This was my point earlier in the thread, strange that this was posted on a public forum last Wednesday and now we have somebody saying exactly the same but from word of mouth..

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9 minutes ago, M.D said:

This was my point earlier in the thread, strange that this was posted on a public forum last Wednesday and now we have somebody saying exactly the same but from word of mouth..

That's because that article on the speedway forum was mentioned to said person and they confirmed it.

But yes....that is where the initial topic rose from. As when I read it, I found it unbelievable. I'm sure Andy will know ;-)

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This story's almost as good as a beaut of a conversation i had with my father in law a while back

This is it almost word for word, happened last season the week after the JPT final

 

Him 'they're starting the new stadium next year when the Williams is rebuilt'

Me 'what?'

Him 'when Ashton Gate's finished he's (SL) giving it to Bristol rugby to have and he's building the stadium at AV'

Me 'b******s, who told you that?'

Him 'someone i know who's in the know, once the new bit of the ring road is built SL's going to get planning for the new stadium'

Me 'b******s is he, he's hardly going to spend £30m re developing AG then spend another £100m on a new one is he?

Him 'you wait and see'

Me 'i'll put my house on it'

Him 'you'll lose it'

Me 'whoever's told you that is full of $h1t' and i walked off.

 

Why do people come up with b******s like this?

:facepalm:

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27 minutes ago, 22A said:

Same link as the one I put up earlier mate ;-)

I'm surprised more video footage isn't about of the Eastville days. HTV must have loads of it in their archives.

don't see this anymore.....nuts....no brakes...eeeeeeeek  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4dnRgHIoI9k

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20 minutes ago, Norn Iron said:

Just been watching Somerset Rebels on BT Sport.

This thread is 2 years old and I'm interested to know if any further information is now available re Ashton Gate Speedway and of course seeing the Bulldogs back in Bristol.

Probably not, remember the rumbles of trying to get a track and the amount of people pushing it back made it such hard work! The wind turbines might chop someone's head off I recall was one excuse 

I used to go to watch Eastbourne a lot when they were in the top division and that's another side who can't afford to run at that level now, shame really! 

I know my dad and my mum would be so chuffed to see Bristol bulldogs return though. 

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I watched the Bulldogs at Eastville when Phil Crump was their top rider. A few years ago his son Jason Crump became World Champion. In an interview he stated "I still have my Dad's Bulldogs racing bib. If ever they get speedway back in Bristol, I'd ride for them". Sadly he's now retired.

The last few years have seen fine performances by Somerset Rebels, but the three tiers  of Speedway were ringfenced with no promotion or relegation. As @Tears in rain posted Eastbourne hit finance problems and voluntarily dropped down two leagues. Coventry lost their circuit and a couple of other top teams went bankrupt. To increase the numbers in the top league Rebels were elected into it at the last AGM.

I never believed the reason speedway left Eastville was due to noise complaints when the M32 goes past the place, but I think NIMBYs would prevent the sport returning to Bristol. I do wonder though if Rebels would eventually come under the Bristol Sport umbrella.

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7 hours ago, Norn Iron said:

Just been watching Somerset Rebels on BT Sport.

This thread is 2 years old and I'm interested to know if any further information is now available re Ashton Gate Speedway and of course seeing the Bulldogs back in Bristol.

There is a new consortium, that has been given permission to use the Bristol Bulldogs name. They are actively seeking new land for a track and hope to have a team up and running next season, for a series of 'friendlies' in the lower leagues on away tracks.

tbh...I think they have no chance with the Bristol council getting planning permission. But I wish them luck.

If only Speedway in this country was like in Poland.

Check this out for a recent Club meeting. Start at 25 min

 

Recent Somerset meeting by comparison

 

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On 2015-11-14 at 00:06, spudski said:

....heard something today that totally shocked me.

By all accounts, when the first ideas of refurbishing Ashton Gate before Ashton Vale came to fruition...it had been agreed if 1.5 million could be found by the Speedway consortium, and it was agreed by the council, that Speedway would be incorporated into the facility. Obviously moving the Williams backwards was part of the initial plan.

I questioned the source many times...but he was adamant it was agreed.

Can't believe it myself...but who knows.

Friends arena in Stockholm host the Speedway GP once a year. I reckon AG can do it as well

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8 hours ago, 22A said:

I watched the Bulldogs at Eastville when Phil Crump was their top rider. A few years ago his son Jason Crump became World Champion. In an interview he stated "I still have my Dad's Bulldogs racing bib. If ever they get speedway back in Bristol, I'd ride for them". Sadly he's now retired.

The last few years have seen fine performances by Somerset Rebels, but the three tiers  of Speedway were ringfenced with no promotion or relegation. As @Tears in rain posted Eastbourne hit finance problems and voluntarily dropped down two leagues. Coventry lost their circuit and a couple of other top teams went bankrupt. To increase the numbers in the top league Rebels were elected into it at the last AGM.

I never believed the reason speedway left Eastville was due to noise complaints when the M32 goes past the place, but I think NIMBYs would prevent the sport returning to Bristol. I do wonder though if Rebels would eventually come under the Bristol Sport umbrella.

Yeah heard all about Phil at Bristol from my parents and then I watched Jason in the GP at Cardiff a few times and the elite league as well. 

Sadly the sport will end up dying soon seems only Belle Vue and Poole have had luck with local councils and getting money into the club. 

Defintely agree about Bristol issue though. 

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Swindon Speedway are in the top league, but may well lose their track to housing.  This thread currently runs to 66 pages                                                   http://www.speedway-forum.co.uk/forums/index.php?showtopic=80644&page=1 

I was talking to a group from Swindon (non speedway fans) yesterday who gave me an update regarding the new stadium at Swindon. Apparently the old stadium is about to be demolished but it's not clear when work starts on the replacement one?

Now think about Torquay United possibly moving to Truro...

https://www.theguard...years-plainmoor

These two paragraphs re Torquay/GI are very interesting:

"Nicholson remains in charge, doing his best in straitened circumstances, but the board who hired him departed in December. Having put their shares in the club up as collateral to borrow almost £150,000 from a businessman named Clarke Osborne, they relinquished control before Christmas to avoid going into administration.

The owner of Gaming International, a company with a history of investing in sports grounds for redevelopment purposes, Osborne is a wrecking ball with a history of razing stadiums on the promise of building replacements that never materialise. To date, he has been responsible for the eviction of Bristol Rovers from Eastville and the closure of greyhound and speedway tracks, in places such as Reading and Milton Keynes. GI is also the tenant of the council-owned Poole Stadium, where it runs the dogs and leases the speedway track to the local club. Osborne arrived at Torquay promising investment in a bid to stave off relegation but no new players were signed."

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6 hours ago, spudski said:

There is a new consortium, that has been given permission to use the Bristol Bulldogs name. They are actively seeking new land for a track and hope to have a team up and running next season, for a series of 'friendlies' in the lower leagues on away tracks.

tbh...I think they have no chance with the Bristol council getting planning permission. But I wish them luck.

If only Speedway in this country was like in Poland.

Check this out for a recent Club meeting. Start at 25 min

 

Recent Somerset meeting by comparison

 

Thanks so much Spud for the link to Polish league speedway. I watch the BT Sport Grand Prixs so it was great for me to watch how a league match is done in Poland with riders I know.  Wow!

A packed stadium that would grace any Championship club (if they changed the track into a footy pitch) with both sets of fans wearing their colours. Let's not forget that this stadium is built only for speedway (unless it can somehow morph into another sport).

I can't speak Polish but to hear the fans let the officials know about a jump start heat was great (around 85 mins). Good ol Aussie Jason Doyle for becoming the villain!

Come on Mr Lansdown, bring back the Bulldogs please. Stadium issues?  What stadium issues! 

 

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