|
Post by admin on Oct 28, 2007 13:08:53 GMT
Well, was 2007 a good year for the Robins, or a disastrous one? Dear old Rosco managed to guide his team to the finals of all the Elite League's major competitions and lost each and every single one of them - so near, yet so far. And the scale of Swindon's wins over the course of the regular season means the Robins will probably be the most affected of the top sides when the points limit is revealed. So, what sort of team will Swindon be tracking in 2008? Well, Leigh Adams seems a given and one of Swindon's co-owners has declared that Lee Richardson won't be leaving on his "watch". But likely to be bidding farewell to the Abbey Stadium are the Poles Ulamek and Chrzanowski who so disappointed in the Elite League final against Coventry. Charlie Gjedde may remain, or he may also pay the price for failure. It's unlikely that Damian Balinski will return after his cameo appearance towards the end of the season, but you never know. Which leaves Mads Korneliussen and Andrew Moore of the 2007 Robins. I can see Korneliussen staying, but I'm not so sure about Moore. Anyway, likely to be some major changes ahead and one of those should perhaps be the team manager. Alas, poor Rosco just seems fated to fail and should perhaps step down and concentrate on running the club and devolving team affairs to someone else. Anyway, here's where we can discuss rumours and facts regarding Swindon for 2008.
|
|
|
Post by admin on Oct 28, 2007 14:15:18 GMT
-- CONFIRMED SIGNINGS -- 1..Leigh Adams (2 years) 2..James Wright 3..Travis McGowan 4..Troy Batchelor 5..Theo Pijper 6.. 7.. 8.. Note: Not in riding order.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Oct 28, 2007 18:12:35 GMT
Don't foget that one of the Poles represents quite a bit of outlay for the club so may not be off quite so soon.
Ulamek is not a Swindon assett, the only rider (aside from balinksi) who isn't. There was no real value in making him one either.
I don't know that Leigh is a dead cert - though it if of course very likely. But the club have their shopping list and now its down to who is prepared to pay what for who - if you get my drift.
|
|
|
Post by schumi on Nov 3, 2007 14:07:48 GMT
LEE Richardson is one of several Swindon riders being forced to play a waiting game ahead of planning for the 2008 season. Richardson finished this year on the injured list but enjoyed a much-improved campaign after a troubled 2006 season which saw him lose his place in the Grand Prix. And with changes inevitable at Blunsdon, Richardson and his colleagues are awaiting news on which riders will depart, with the club set to announce their first signing early next week. But Richardson says that even if he has to leave for a season, he sees his long-term future with the Wiltshire club, who are due to move into a new stadium in 2009. He said: "I don't get involved in the politics but I am not looking to go anywhere else - there is no reason to move to another club. "However, if circumstances deem that I have to go out on loan to another club so be it. I know I can come back the following year. "My long-term future is at Swindon so I would like to be back fully fit next year - but main priority now is to get myself fit again as soon as possible." From: www.speedwayworld.tvSwindon are set to announce their first signing on Monday, and with Adams sorting out all his arrangements for next year, it surely has to be him.
|
|
|
Post by schumi on Nov 5, 2007 8:33:33 GMT
As expected, Swindon's first signing is Leigh Adams, who also confirms his participation in the GPs next year. Taken from Swindon's website: ADAMS LOCKS IN ’08 PLANS
Australia’s world number 2 speedway rider Leigh Adams, has locked in his plans for next year and the gifted Victorian has once again shown loyalty to his previous employers. Adams has signed a two year contract with the British Elite League runners up Swindon Robins. He is excited by the multi-year deal, saying; “We came very close to winning the league and knock out cup this year and there’s not a lot of improvement required to get us to the top. I have committed myself to the Robins for two years because I want to be part of the action when they finally clinch that title. I am hoping to work closely with the whole team next year and ensure we are prepared to win the league. It will be the first top league championship for the town since 1962 and I’m not going to miss out on it. My family live in the town and it would mean the world to be part of history here.”
Also in the UK, Leigh was voted the Speedway Rider’s Association’s Rider of the Year on November 1. The award is voted on by the sport’s referees and Adams was suitably pleased to win.
On the World Championship stage, Adams has committed to another year in the FIM Speedway Grand Prix series, which will again be run over 11 rounds in 2008. Said Adams; “We (the team) were very pleased with how 2007 panned out and after a season of huge development, we have ensured we have the right package in place to go ahead next year. We didn't have any breakdowns this season and that has made me very strong mentally. It would have been a real shame to bail out after finishing second and I feel very good about next year already. My aim is to win the championship in 2008.”
Elsewhere, Leigh will again line up for Polish Extra league Champions Leszno – having been awarded honorary citizen status by the local council earlier this week, in recognition of his efforts for over twelve seasons with the club. This award even means there will be a road named after Leigh locally in the city of Leszno!
In Sweden he has a slightly watered down schedule and will ride nine meetings for Masarna next season.
This is all great news for speedway fans around the world!
OFFICIAL LEIGH ADAMS PRESS RELEASE. And: THE great news emanating from Swindon Speedway is that the Robins will rock into 2008 under the leadership of super skipper Leigh Adams for a fifth straight season.
The legendary Aussie has agreed to return for what will actually be his tenth year with the club he first joined in 1990. That first stint with Swindon encapsulated three seasons, before a move to Arena-Essex in 1993, when the Robins dropped into the then Second Division of the British League.
Adams returned to the Wiltshire side when they became founder members of the Elite League in 1997 and he was to spend two years on board, before the club opted for Premier League racing. However, upon the club’s elevation back into the Elite League in 2004, the Aussie was quick to agree another return and has been with the Robins ever since.
Team boss Alun Rossiter said: ‘Obviously, I’m absolutely delighted to have Leigh on board once more. He is the man who kept Swindon Speedway together again in the season just finished. And, with his desire to try and win the League Championship for the club, Leigh did it almost single handed on many occasions.
‘He is a team man and a truly brilliant captain, doing the utmost he can for his colleagues on all occasions possible. There are many individuals in our sport, but when it comes to his club, I can think of nobody better than Leigh. Many other sides would love to have a rider of his calibre and I’m sure that there will be envious glances because he has decided to spend another year with the Robins.
‘This is a great start to our team building; we have got the man who finished right at the very top of the entire Elite League averages and, of course, also scooped second place in the World Championship. Indeed, Leigh is still going strong and I’m well chuffed that he will be leading the side again in 2008.’
Adams enjoyed a wonderful 2007 campaign with the Robins, recording a staggering total of 608.5 points (plus 38 bonus) in the team’s cause. The Australian’s remarkable tally came from forty-nine appearances in all competitions, made up as follows: 35 Elite League, 2 Play-Offs, 5 Knock-Out Cup, 5 Craven Shield and 2 Don Rogers Sports M4 Trophy.
Aside from his amazing points-scoring exploits, the Sultan of Slide also plundered a stunning 18 maximums along the way, made up of 5 full and 13 paid full-houses. That took Adams’ career tally for the club to 91 maximums (47 full and 44 paid), while his points total for the Robins now stands at 5,030.5 from 432 appearances. He lies second in the all-time club records and, having now topped the 5,000 mark, Martin Ashby’s record tally of 5,476.5 points is firmly within his reach.
The awesome Aussie also collected the club’s Rider of the Year Award for a sixth time in 2007 and scooped the Swindon Man of the Match Award on seven occasions throughout the campaign. And to cap a remarkable term, he came out on top of the SRA Elite League Rider of the Year poll, as revealed at the ‘Stars of Shale’ End-of-Season Party and Awards Night at the Coventry Hilton Hotel on 1 November.
|
|
|
Post by donsking on Nov 5, 2007 15:02:44 GMT
You'd think at that age he'd be taking it easy! ;D
|
|
|
Post by braveheart on Nov 5, 2007 23:34:49 GMT
You'd think at that age he'd be taking it easy! ;D Tell me again where about in OZ Adams comes from. I have forgotten already ?
|
|
|
Post by donsking on Nov 6, 2007 0:13:36 GMT
See, to appreciate that gag you need either a sense of irony, sarcasm or humour, I can't decide which.
I'm well aware that Victoria is an area of Australia, and people who originate from there are known as Victorians.
|
|
|
Post by braveheart on Nov 6, 2007 0:31:24 GMT
See, to appreciate that gag you need either a sense of irony, sarcasm or humour, I can't decide which. I'm well aware that Victoria is an area of Australia, and people who originate from there are known as Victorians. Meant as sacasm. We all know he is from Mildura
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Nov 6, 2007 19:35:20 GMT
Whoooooooooooosh. Something just flew over your head Braveheart.
|
|
|
Post by braveheart on Nov 6, 2007 23:15:06 GMT
You mean heed, and I am lost
|
|
|
Post by donsking on Nov 7, 2007 0:47:57 GMT
You mean heed, and I am lost They always say if you have to explain a joke it wasn't funny, but at the risk of being unfunny, I'll explain mine to you........... Mildura is a city in the Australian state of Victoria, so in the original quote, Leigh Adams was described as "the gifted Victorian". In this country, a Victorian would be someone who was around when Queen Victoria was on the throne, between 1837 and 1901. So, when I twisted the quote to mean someone who is anywhere between 106 and 170 years old, it struck me as funny..............but it was clearly only me
|
|
|
Post by braveheart on Nov 7, 2007 7:21:23 GMT
Don't worry about it Donsking. I will sit through a comedy show and not laugh at all. Did that when I went to see Jethro although I did laugh at Russell Howard jokes last week.
I must have more intellectual things on my mind
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Nov 7, 2007 12:25:30 GMT
it was clearly only me I thought it was amusing.
|
|
|
Post by admin on Nov 7, 2007 18:33:40 GMT
it was clearly only me I thought it was amusing. Ah well, maybe only egghead challengers can appreciate it.
|
|