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Post by Deleted on Aug 7, 2008 22:50:13 GMT
Taken from Reading's Official Web Site;-
READING have been rocked by the news that there will be no speedway in the town next year.
The club have been waiting for some positive news regarding their new stadium, but despite initial reports that work was due to start in January 2008, up until now the new site in Island Road has remained untouched.
It’s now all systems go for construction to start on the new stadium next year, but unfortunately club bosses have today confirmed that the 2009 season is a non-starter for the Reading Racers.
Club owner Mark Legg explains: “We’ve finally been told that there won’t be any speedway in Reading next season.
“It’s been well documented that this is our last year at Smallmead and I’m informed construction work isn’t due to start on the new stadium until the middle of next year. This obviously means we won’t be ready to start the new speedway season in March 2009.
“The cost of putting a temporary track in would be around £500,000 and to do that it would also include putting in all the cables, lighting etc. To do all this, they would in effect have to build the whole stadium back-to-front and it just can’t be justified because of the costs incurred.
“As a result, we’ll to have to shut down for a year and move into a brand new stadium the following season.
“We realise this is a big blow to the sport in the area and can fully understand that our supporters are going to be bitterly upset to hear this news, but there is simply nothing we can do.
“Stadia UK are doing all they can regarding this matter and I plan to work very closely with them over the next few months.
“We have, however, been assured that the new stadium is now definitely going ahead and although we’ll have to miss the 2009 season, they will have the new site ready for us to move into in time for the 2010 campaign.”
In the meantime, Smallmead will be staging a big ‘End-of-an-Era’ celebration meeting on Sunday, October 19, in order to say a fond farewell to the stadium. It will also incorporate a celebration of 40 seasons of Reading Speedway.
Plans are now in full swing for this and more details will be released in due course.
Legg commented: “We urge everyone to come out and show their support for the Racers in our last season at this historic speedway venue.”
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Post by Deleted on Aug 8, 2008 8:06:04 GMT
Really upset about this  Just don't know what to say other than bollocks.... Our existance now depends on the economy and whether the council changes it's mind between now and whenever anything gets built. Just have the sickening feeling of slowly slipping off of the radar.... Pip |
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Post by Deleted on Aug 8, 2008 11:09:41 GMT
Just don't know what to say other than bollocks.... Sadly, I thought it was bollocks all along. String along the fans with the promise of a new stadium, but then 'unforeseen delays' creep in which mean the 'new stadium' won't be built in time to ensure continuity. Once the speedway team are out of the old stadium, then suddenly the money is no longer available to build the new one, and it's a done deal. I bet Reading now regret not obtaining the freehold when they were offered it a few years ago. Apparently, they only had to fence the site, but even that was beyond the means of the then promoters (or they weren't interested). Given the subsequent developments in the area, I'm sure it would have been worth their while though. |
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Post by Deleted on Aug 8, 2008 12:58:33 GMT
Just don't know what to say other than bollocks.... Sadly, I thought it was bollocks all along. String along the fans with the promise of a new stadium, but then 'unforeseen delays' creep in which mean the 'new stadium' won't be built in time to ensure continuity. Once the speedway team are out of the old stadium, then suddenly the money is no longer available to build the new one, and it's a done deal. Not like Stadia UK haven' done it before is it, or likely to do it again. Swindon next maybe? Stadia UK are skint, they have been for a fews years & unless they have some other financial input or gain, Casino in Readings case & housing in Swindon's then we all know there's no way on this earth they could fund a Stadium new build. I doubt Pat Bliss & her siblings regret or had the power to change anything in their time. When the Racers moved to Smallmead in 1975 they had a 99 year leasehold on the site, from what I recall they cashed that in to a 25 year lease with the council a number of years back in order to finance the continuity of Speedway & dog racing at the Stadium. Hindsight is a wonderful thing, but if they hadn't taken the steps they did then, Smallmead may have been bulldozed 10 years earlier. Gutted doesn't sum up how I feel, but for a change I've decided to be more optimistic rather than pessimistic. One thing we have in our favour at the moment is that we have a site for a new stadium and we have planning consent. That's a hell of a lot further down the road than some clubs who have lost their previous homes have at the moment. |
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Post by Deleted on Aug 8, 2008 13:16:45 GMT
One thing we have in our favour at the moment is that we have a site for a new stadium and we have planning consent. Planning permission means very little if the financing isn't there though.  |
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Post by Deleted on Aug 8, 2008 13:23:48 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Sept 15, 2008 22:26:40 GMT
Sounds as though Mark & Wellie are more optimistic than us fans regarding a new Speedway/Dog stadium in Reading.
From tonights Evening Post
Mark Legg and Malcolm Holloway have confirmed that they will continue to run Reading Racers when the club moves to a new stadium.
There has been speculation that Swindon businssman Legg would cut his ties with the club that he bought from Benfield Sports International in June of last year.
He has admitted to losing money each week, but Legg appears happy to carry on. Fellow promoter Holloway said at the weekend: “Mark and myself are fully committed to the club and, when we do get our new stadium up and running in a year’s time, we will be remaining at the helm.”
There was a report yesterday suggesting that Legg is planning to move Racers to Newport next season, but that is unlikely to happen.
Roger Youngs, who has helped Reading in the past through sponsorship, has also been linked with the Welsh club.
There has been no racing at the Queensway Meadow Stadium since promoter Tim Stone died of a heart attack in April.
Plans for Reading’s proposed stadium in Island Road are said to be “still going well and positively.”
It is understood that the Rank Group are still prepared to provide much of the finance, which means that the stadium will accommodate a casino in addition to speedway and greyhound racing.
Many fans, of both the bikes and dogs, still want convincing, however, that the new stadium will definmitely be built.
The cost of the new venue was first put at around £9million, but it is now believed to be closer to £11m.
In the meantime, Racers are pushing ahead with their ‘End-of-an-era’ meeting at Smallmead on Sunday, October 19.
Racers plan to invite as many former riders and officials as possible to the meeting.
Communications manager Andy Povey said: “We will be contacting as many as possible, but it would also help if former riders and officials make contact with us.”
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Post by Deleted on Sept 16, 2008 8:00:50 GMT
That'll be the Berkshire businessman then....
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Post by Deleted on Sept 16, 2008 8:18:02 GMT
That's what I thought Pip. Any idea who he is though, Business Moves?
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Post by Deleted on Sept 16, 2008 9:41:29 GMT
Don't think so and really hope not as that would be a major sponsor down the toilet....  |
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Post by Deleted on Oct 8, 2008 17:57:05 GMT
What time is kick-off next sunday ?
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Post by Deleted on Oct 8, 2008 22:08:55 GMT
6PM, gates open at 3pm.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 7, 2009 21:56:39 GMT
A stirring from Reading's promotion today after pretty much going into hibernation since Smallmeads farewell. Wellie commented on local BBC radio that work could start on the new stadium as soon as June! I know it's not a WILL start, but the fact that at this moment in a time when there's been little (well none) news of our future all of a sudden Wellie's commenting on BBC Berkshire about the new stadium again give's a slight glimmer of hope. At the present time Smallmead still stands although looking even more derelict, but it's car park and the land in the surrounding area is being taken over due to a big road improvement scheme on the A33 Relief Road running past Smallmead and the site of the new stadium. Until the infrastructure of these improvements are in place it would be impossible to start any work on the proposed new stadium site. Improvment works on the A33 RR due to be finished in June!  |
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Post by Deleted on Apr 7, 2009 22:08:40 GMT
Fingers well and truely crossed for you Wacks despite your comments about Cookie  |
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Post by Deleted on Apr 8, 2009 15:08:08 GMT
Yep, I heard this too. Am holding my breath, enthusiasm and fingers in check until the end of June then.
Currently in KevH's neck of the woods and visiting the team by the side of the lake on a regular basis like I used to when I was a nipper.
Up the Racers ;D
Pip
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