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Soundbites: 9th July 2004
"Are we a speedway team trying to win, or are we going to cheat?
We have received a mandate from the Speedway Control Board saying that if, in a referee's
opinion, there's anything funny going on, he has the right to fine the team managers,
exclude riders or abandon the meeting. We are out there to win the meeting."
"Glasgow are a good team, there's no doubt about that. But we gave a good account of ourselves
up their in the cup match, then beat them comfortably down here in the second leg.
Also we beat them again at Smallmead in the league match a few weeks later, so we're confident
we can come through this semi-final with the right result and go onto face Exeter
in the final in August."
"The bad weather has hit our last three home matches because of heavy showers each afternoon.
And when the team isn't doing brilliantly well either, if rain is falling at 6pm in Edinburgh
or elsewhere, you are less likely to turn out. Speedway in general has a problem at the
moment, we desperately need some sunshine."
"The shale was so deep it would have lasted for three meetings.
Lukas just put his foot down as he entered a bend and slumped to the ground and Lee did the
same thing but managed to keep going.
I'm not going to harp on about the track but even the home riders weren't happy with it.
Last time we came to Coventry we lost two riders with injuries, this time it was three."
"We've hit a good run of form in recent weeks and it's great that we're making the Wessex
Stadium such a hard place for teams to visit. I think it's down to the fact that we're
all riding well as a team and when one of us has a bad race, there's someone else waiting
to put things right."
"We could have someone in within a couple of weeks. We have spoken to countless riders over
the past month or so but the biggest handicap has been our Thursday race-night.
If everything goes according to plan -and, in speedway, these things have a habit of going
unexpectedly wrong - we should have a new signing in place in time for Wolverhampton's
visit on July 22. The rider himself has agreed personal terms and is desperate to get
across as soon as he can."
"We are delighted he is in business and hopefully he will go on and be good enough between
now and the end of the season to hold down a Premier League place next season."
"I had always pencilled in this date as a comeback.
At one time it seemed a bit optimistic because the ankle would swell up if I used it much.
Once they took the screw out there was a real improvement, though both Alun Rossiter and I
agreed it would be foolish to try to come back too soon. "
"Simon (Stead) caused both crashes, but there was nothing deliberate at all.
He was trying too hard, that's all it was. It was sheer will to win, and unfortunately he took
two people out.
He could have settled for a drawn meeting, but you try telling a rider that."
"I know my form has been a bit erratic, but my effort is always total and I think there's more
to come over the second part of the season."
"I thought if we came through the Glasgow match with a good result then I think the boys will have the
confidence to beat these too, but to be honest it really doesn't get much harder than this.
So we will need all our fans to really get behind the team and show their support."
"I am delighted with a seven-point margin of defeat. I am sure we will collect the bonus point
again when the teams meet again on August 11. And this will be enough to keep us on track
for a top two finish."
"I really am sick to death of the Thursday night weather this year. It's so frustrating
because until about 6pm we were on - and then the rain returned with a vengeance."
This article was first published on 9th July 2004
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