Oxford 2008

[admin]

It's been an funny, eventful old year for the Cheetahs - they started in the Elite League and ended up in the Conference League under a new promoter after Lord Flapperjack bailed out early in the season.
And they made a good fist of life in the Conference League, but will the Cheetahs remain where they are or move to the Premier League for 2008?

[Genghis]

Just to add to Sub's post...

So what does 2008 have in store for the Cheetahs. For a start, which league will we be in - Premier League or Conference League.

Whichever way it goes, I just hope it's a far more settled season than the traumatic 2007 season we've just been through, although, of course, there was a happy ending, with the LCD Publishing Cheetahs reaching the Conference League play-off final.

2008 will be Allen Trump's first complete season in charge, and with the man I believe is the best promoter at Oxford for a LONG time in charge, exciting times could be ahead.

Any thoughts on what 2008 holds for Oxford.... post them here.

[Deleted]

Well after the emotional roller coaster of this year, I have faith in Mr Trump doing the right thing for Oxford.
I still shudder at the memory of that fateful night upstairs at Cowley, with that piece of shit Swales and Lord Flapperjacks fuckwit brother preaching to the fans. Then when the season started with a rider already sacked before a wheel had turned, and piss poor performances week in week out, lied to almost weekly by Lord Flapperjack, culminating in the darkest days when he did a runner.
But who would have thought that spirits could be raised by a character of slight stature, who has done his utmost to drag Oxford & its fans up from the depths of despair. Assemble a team together with a Manager who probably is 2nd to none, to see some of best racing seen at Cowley for a few years leading up to the great meeting, the semi final playoff, to see the passion and joy of Mr Trump after that victory, left me in no doubt that he has Oxford's best interest at heart.
So if it's PL or CL I am convinced that he will assemble a team that will entertain and be a joy to support.

[Deleted]

What do think will happen Genghis? Would you have any preference over CL or PL , I think it's brilliant how you all managed to turn it round at Oxford this year, would they be able to sustain being in the PL?

[Genghis]

jacques said:

What do think will happen Genghis? Would you have any preference over CL or PL , I think it's brilliant how you all managed to turn it round at Oxford this year, would they be able to sustain being in the PL?

Jacques - I hope it's Premier League, simply because you can only go so far with Conference.

It's great to watch, but you can only get so much publicity and a certain crowd level with Conference League.

EDIT ON WEDNESDAY: Glad the news is now out. Didn't want to give anything away - it wasn't simply a choice or PL or CL, there was another option!

[Deleted]

It would seem that Oxford would like to run in Both PL & CL next year.
Good news for the CL it maintains a decent number of clubs and of course good news for the youngsters.
fog

[Deleted]

In something of a surprise move it has been revealed today that Oxford LCD Publishing Cheetahs supremo Allen Trump will be the man at the helm of the 2007 Elite League champions, the Coventry Buildbase Bees, in the 2008 Sky Sports Elite League.
He is very keen to stress though that, providing he can agree a new lease agreement with the GRA bosses, speedway will very much continue to operate at Oxford under his stewardship.
News released previously has revealed that the Exeter-based businessman, who has been a lifelong speedway fan, is keen to run both Premier League AND Conference League speedway at Cowley next season. He sees his latest move to take a year's lease on the Elite League operation at Coventry's Brandon stadium with the option to purchase outright in 2009, as being the vehicle to provide a natural career progression path for riders in the future and be of huge benefit to both clubs.
"Ultimately the plan would be to provide something of a conveyor belt of talent with riders starting in the Conference League, moving up to Premier League level and then, once they attain the standard required to be able to compete in the Elite League which features many of the world's top stars, move up to race in that.
Whether this ambitious plan comes to fruition though does very much rely on Allen Trump being able to agree a lease to run the sport at Oxford's Cowley stadium - and therein, as things stand at present, lies a major problem with the annual conference of the British Speedway Promoters’ Association (BSPA) starting on Thursday of next week for Trump is struggling to gain a response from the stadium owners, the Greyhound Racing Association (GRA), in that regard.
In the normal course of events, the lease could be agreed later in the winter, but Oxford’s application for promotion to the Premier League could hinge on whether the issue has been resolved in the course of the next few days.
If Oxford's application to join the 2008 Premier League were to be accepted, then Allen Trump would need to make a firm financial commitment to the BSPA and he is not prepared to do this without an agreement with the GRA signed and sealed.
“Despite numerous emails and telephone calls I have been unable to obtain any information whatsoever on the intentions of the GRA for next year," he said, "and they are fully aware of the situation and the urgency of a response.
“And if I hear nothing before next Wednesday at 5pm, then Oxford will not be staging Premier League speedway next season, it's as simple as that.
“Everyone knows that all the GRA stadiums are up for sale and I suspect that this has a bearing on things.
“But to have got this far in having got Oxford on the brink of being accepted into the Premier League and now to be faced with having to withdraw the application is frustrating to say the least.”
Quite how the situation will develop remains to be seen but there's no getting away from the fact that things must happen - and fast!

From Oxford website

[Deleted]

Yet another drama at Oxford, piss bloody sick of it all.
After the fuckwit promotion pissed us all off, to have a new promoter save us from oblivion & hope for the future, we now have the shitheads of the GRA pissing about. Next years lease is not yet sorted so PL racing is in doubt, lord knows about CL even.
Oh! for the days of Danny Dunton!!
a pissed off (again) fog.

[Genghis]

fog said:

Yet another drama at Oxford, piss bloody sick of it all.
After the fuckwit promotion pissed us all off, to have a new promoter save us from oblivion & hope for the future, we now have the shitheads of the GRA pissing about. Next years lease is not yet sorted so PL racing is in doubt, lord knows about CL even.
Oh! for the days of Danny Dunton!!
a pissed off (again) fog.

Fog,

It is yet another blow - but having spoken to Allen Trump for the piece that appears in today's Oxford Mail, he is the right man to deal with this latest drama.

I won't blindly follow any Oxford promoter, following Horton's betrayal, but Allen Trump is one of the good guys.

P.S. Danny Dunton? Didn't he piss off to White City?

[Deleted]

genghis said:

fog said:

Yet another drama at Oxford, piss bloody sick of it all.
After the fuckwit promotion pissed us all off, to have a new promoter save us from oblivion & hope for the future, we now have the shitheads of the GRA pissing about. Next years lease is not yet sorted so PL racing is in doubt, lord knows about CL even.
Oh! for the days of Danny Dunton!!
a pissed off (again) fog.

Fog,

It is yet another blow - but having spoken to Allen Trump for the piece that appears in today's Oxford Mail, he is the right man to deal with this latest drama.

I won't blindly follow any Oxford promoter, following Horton's betrayal, but Allen Trump is one of the good guys.

P.S. Danny Dunton? Didn't he piss off to White City?

I fully agree, nowt wrong with Allen Trump I also think he is one of the good 'uns, but he can only take so much shit from the GRA before pulling out imo.
fog

I think Dunton had already left Oxford by then (he was at P/boro as well if I recall) but not certain. But I remember as a kid that Oxford was always there year after year.
I expect that on examination it was no different then than now!!

May I suggest that you & your other erstwhile Mongol, lay siege to the GRA and, to use modern parlance, 'kick some ass'
fog

[admin]

I hear rumours that the news won't be good.

[Deleted]

admin said:

I hear rumours that the news won't be good.

Let's not preempt the announcement, but I didn't have good feelings about this when Allen Trump signed-up to Coventry.

[Sagey]

I would anticipate news tomorrow?

[schumi]

www.oxford-speedway.com/index.php?name=News

Oxford Promoter Allen Trump has all but given up on Premier League speedway at Oxford for 2008.
And unless there are any dramatic developments between now and the deadline set by the BSPA of 5pm tomorrow (Friday) for a new lease agreement to be concluded between the club and stadium owners, the GRA, it appears that the final speedway race could have taken place at Sandy Lane.
In a statement issued today Trump said:
"Stadium owners GRA's attitude of non-communication and brinkmanship prevents any form of negotiation and apart from an insistence on doubling the rent to £56,000 per season I've had no meaningful response at all from them.
I have found the GRA's landlord and tenant attitude depressingly unique in my business experience. Oxford Speedway have not had nor have they been offered a written lease and as a result would only have had at best a verbal season by season agreement open to arbitrary amendment by the GRA at any time.
I requested a three year deal to enable me to create a solid sponsorship base at the club bearing in mind the additional cost of Premier speedway but the GRA have not responded to this. Oxford Cheetahs have been cursed by this annual winter uncertainty and that has negatively impacted on the sport in the town. It is not possible to plan on a year by year basis.
I suggested that Oxford Speedway would be able to substantially increase the GRA's income through the bars and restaurant but with less than two days left to finalise plans and no meaningful response there simply is not the time left.
There is no doubt that Oxford Stadium was not user friendly to speedway supporters. With drinks at around £3 a pint and inflated food prices for speedway meetings coupled with other petty restrictions many supporters felt alienated by the GRA. This needed to be addressed in conjunction with an increased rental figure.
There was regular conflict with the Go-Kart operator last season whenever we had a change of date and bearing in mind the increased number of meetings for 2008 I needed certainty that an alternative night would be available in advance.
Even though I paid off the rent arrears of the previous promotion in 2007 I have reluctantly come to the conclusion that the GRA are not interested in the sustainability of speedway at Oxford. I believe that my financial proposals for Oxford would have met both the GRA's financial requirements and the long term future of Oxford Cheetahs, unfortunately the GRA are fixated on doubling the rental figure to the exclusion of anything else.
I believe that the GRA have made a serious commercial error in this latest attempt at brinkmanship and they will now be faced with no income at all from speedway in 2008. Any attempt to substitute speedway with stock cars will I am sure be met with fierce resistance in the town and I believe that the GRA will live to regret their current approach."

OFFICIAL CHEETAHS UPDATE

[Deleted]

It would seem a sad end to a once proud club - so sorry to read that!!!