Farewell Smallmead

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The list is growing every couple of days now.

Full list of honoured guests confirmed to be in attendance so far at Smallmeads end of era meeting:-

Jan Andersson
Bernie Leigh
Tony Olsson
Petri Kokko
Sam Simota
Tony Silk
John Davis
Jem Doncaster
John Hammond
Mick Bell
Peter Glanz
Dickie May
Dave Lanning
Dave Jessup
Martin Ashby
Andrew Appleton
David "Diddy" Hamilton
Anders Michanek
Dave Mullet
Phil Morris

Riders confirmed for the individual 20 heat meeting:-

The full line-up, in draw order, is:

1. Ulrich Ostergaard (Reading)
2. Glen Phillips (Isle of Wight)
3. Chris Neath (Rye House)
4. Cory Gathercole (Isle of Wig! ht)
5. Emil Kramer (Somerset)
6. Tom P. Madsen (Reading)
7. Richard Sweetman (Isle of Wight)
8. Chris Schramm (Ipswich)
9. Robert Mear (Rye House)
10. Danny Warwick (Reading)
11. Tomas Suchanek (Reading)
12. Jordan Frampton (Somerset)
13. Chris Mills (Reading)
14. Mark Lemon (Reading)
15. Mads Korneliussen (Swindon)
16. Shawn McConnell (Unattached)
Res. Paul Starke (Plymouth)
Res. Tim Webster (Weymouth)

Making it a bumper night of entertainment, interspersed between the main event will be six Men in Black races, featuring the following riders and machines of yesteryear: Jim Gregory (Rudge), Tom Richardson (Rudge), John Taylor (Douglas), Terry Stone (Douglas), Stuart Towner (Rudge), Paul Standing (JAP), Ron Jones (JAP), Alec Couch (JAP) and Col Smith (JAP).

Admission prices for the End-of-an-Era meeting are as follows:

Adult Tickets

£15 in advance
£16 on the night

Concession Tickets

£12 in advance
£13 on the night

All Under-16s (There will be no Under-11s go free for this meeting)

£5 in advance
£6 on the night



Expect more riders & guests to be confirmed soon & reckon there could be one or two more big surprises with the guests.

Updated...

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Updated again with full line up & riding order.

I know some people will bemoan that there's no top line 'stars' there, no Zagar, Hancock etc. But tbh I'd rather see some good honest racing from the likes of Ully, Schram, Frampton etc

Hope a few of our fellow weirdo's will be able to make it to the meeting, going to be a special night.

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Think we'll all be coming Wacks.

End of an era....and a weird premonition of The Abbey's fate?


SwineTown

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Well this has cheered me up a bit & given me a bit of hope (the fact that it's not written by Dave Wrong adds more weight too)


from www.getreading.co.uk

Speedway ‘will be back in 2010'
By Linda Fort
9/10/2008


Fans’ fears the new speedway and greyhound racing stadium will never be built have been met with reassurances from Reading Borough Council.

The Reading Speedway and Greyhound Stadium is due to close in 10 days’ time and the subject of its replacement was discussed in secret at the cabinet meeting on Monday last week.

Rumours are rife among dog-racing and speedway fans that when the stadium finally shuts its doors on Sunday, October 19, it will never reopen. Delay in starting work on the new ground – which was originally scheduled for January this year – fuelled fears the project was doomed.

A 63-year-old Calcot speedway fan who has been a regular at the stadium since the mid-70s raised typical concerns.

Asking not to be named, he said: “When the work did not start on the new stadium in January everyone started to wonder whether it would ever be built.

“We know there is going to be no speedway next year but when the announcers talk about it ‘hopefully’ starting again in 2010 – not even definitely – you have to be concerned. And now the economic climate is really bad, it makes you even more worried. We really hope it will be built, but it doesn’t look good.”

But following inquiries by the Evening Post, the council has released an upbeat statement about the future of the new stadium.

Describing the project as having “taken a giant step towards being assured” it reaffirms its tie-up with Gaming International Limited.

Oscar Mortali, spokesman for Reading Borough Council, said: “From 2010 onwards Reading will be home to a new stadium just off the A33 which will host top class speedway events as well as greyhound racing and a casino, all on one site.

"The Reading Stadium – which currently hosts the town’s speedway and greyhound racing is situated just to the north of the Madejski Stadium and forms part of a regeneration site.

“It will close in October this year and the Reading speedway franchise will not run for a year while reconstruction of the modern new £9 million multi-purpose stadium takes place.

“Work on the new stadium is scheduled to begin in spring 2009 and the aim is for it to be ready to host top class speedway action for the whole of the 2010 season with construction of the greyhound track alongside.”

Councillor Graeme Hoskin, who leads on culture and sport, said: “As a council, we’re committed to supporting the return of speedway to Reading as soon as possible. Speedway is important to our town and we hope that the agreements we’ve put in place will mean we see racing in a vastly improved stadium by 2010.”

Graham Parr, who chairs Gaming International, said: “We are delighted that this agreement has been reached. It is a major stepping stone on our route to build the UK’s first ‘racino’ in Reading.

“Reading Borough Council should be congratulated for their support of such an imaginative and innovative project.

“We have a perfect location that will give Reading a destination leisure facility.”

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No Per Jonsson at the end of era meeting. He'll be at home in Sweden after a weekend celebration for his wife's 40th.

Gutted.

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Oct 10, 2008 8:51:47 GMT @wacks said:

No Per Jonsson at the end of era meeting. He'll be at home in Sweden after a weekend celebration for his wife's 40th.

Gutted.

That is extremely disappointing, but not all is lost........Dave Mullett will be there.

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Oct 10, 2008 16:01:13 GMT @kevh said:

That is extremely disappointing, but not all is lost........Dave Mullett will be there.

Mullett had a really neat and tidy style - always enjoyed watching him on his trips north when he was a Crusader.

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Apparently Schrammy has pulled out.... bloody annoyed about that, would have to be somebody who has some kind of connection to Reading that goes doesn't it

Pip

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Any reason given Pip?

I heard there were a few personal issues surrounding Schrammy at Reading a couple of years back, but he's ridden at Smallmead since so don't think that would be an issue now.

Shame though. Any news of The Sooch dropping out yet?

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No such luck on the Sooosh I'm afraid. Seriously warranted a FOTW nomination for being found in the bar when he should have been presenting a sick cert in my opinion but there you go....

The only thing I know is that Schrammy's sponsor has posted on the Reading idiot board that Chris will not be attending. There is sod all on the actual site about it at the mo. Sponsor also declined to go into an explaination as to why, which seems odd

Pip

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We're now into the final days of Smallmeads history, with the last ever track action being just over 2 days away


Couple of changes to the line up: Paul Clews replaces Chris Schramm & Linus Sundstrom replaces Chris Mills.


from www.reading speedway.co.uk

At the very end of Sunday’s End-of-an-Era meeting, the final four laps are going to be completed by Racers’ team manager Tim Sugar.

This is a fitting honour to a man who has reached legendary status, having guided the club to glory on no less than nine occasions, as follows:

League Champions – 1990, 1992, 1997
Knock-Out Winners – 1990, 1998
Four-Team Champions – 1993
Premiership Winners – 1991, 1993
BSPA Cup Winners – 1992

Sugar, who has previously ridden in mechanics’ races, said: “I was a little dubious when first asked if I would like to cover the last four laps, but it is a great honour and I was delighted to accept.

“Naturally, I’m not out to break Per Jonsson’s track record, but it will be great to have ridden the last four laps on the circuit where be performed so brilliantly.

“We have been blessed with so many fabulous riders here over the last 33 years and to be the last man on the circuit will simply be fantastic for me.”

It may not be the end of the meeting that was originally hoped for but is a nice touch from the Reading promotion to acknowledge Tim Sugar's magnificent achievements with the club.


One piece of good news is that lease agreements have been signed by the new stadium people (guess Stadia UK & Rank) and Reading Borough Council. Local TV & Radio news reports today that this is NOT the end of Reading Speedway, but merely a years break until we're up & running in a new stadium in 2010.

The noises are encouraging at least, but I for one am really going to miss Smallmead, scruffy reputation and all.

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Never visited Smallmead though I'd hoped to earlier this season... I severely doubt I'll be able to attend on Sunday, so never will either.
Hope it is a good meeting for all involved, though.

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Well, it's almost here, less than 18 hours until the final meeting at Smallmead & possibly in Reading begins.

One further change to the line up. Former Racer Glen Phillips has withdrawn from the meeting through injury and is replaced with Islanders team mate Krzysztof Stojanowski.

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Oct 18, 2008 23:22:40 GMT @wacks said:

Well, it's almost here, less than 18 hours until the final meeting at Smallmead & possibly in Reading begins.

Now don't start going all negative.............it's bound to be a good meeting tomorrow and the future is bright .........hope to see you there.......I'll be looking out for you.

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the future is bright? Is that a cryptic club Kev, i.e. the future's bright, the future's orange? Is terry tan going to build us a new track?

Hope to see you & BH there too Kev, although I'll warn you now I may be a touch emotional.