THE final meeting of the Swindon Robins season is due to take place on Thursday with the Bob Kilby Memorial team event over the old 13-heat formula followed by a knock-out second half, writes Phil Rice.

After the awful weather of the past couple of weeks, we can only hope for a rain-free night.

Swindon take on a Bob Kilby Select side, managed by Bob’s son Lee, which includes the very colourful American veteran Shawn ‘Mad Dog’ McConnell. Also included, perhaps with an eye on next season, is Polish rider Tobiasz Musielak who last year was rumoured to be signing for the Robins.

Former Robins Charlie Gjedde, Kyle Howarth, Mads Korneliussen and Justin Sedgmen are also part of the Select side which is completed by Chris Harris.

Guest rider Brendan Johnson comes in at reserve for the home side after Nathan Greaves was axed for making derogatory comments about the club management and riders on social network.

“We are saddened by Nathan’s comments on social media where he openly criticised myself and others, and wish him well for the future," said boss Alun Rossiter.

Bob Kilby rode 556 times for the Robins scoring 59 full maximums but sadly passed away in 2009 aged 64.

The Elite League play-offs were badly affected by the rain with the Poole v King’s Lynn semi final second leg postponed three times. On another wet night last Thursday, the Pirates won 47-43 to go through on aggregate 92-87.

The following night the first leg of the final was held at Coventry. This too was affected by the weather and what had been an excellent meeting was curtailed after 12 races with the Poole side victorious 37-34. Poole won the second leg 53-37 to retain their title.

Despite the weather the finals were meetings to remember with at times cut throat racing between two highly motivated teams. One bit of good news for Robins fans is that Australian Troy Batchelor will again be a Grand Prix rider in 2015. This season he was called up for the series late on and had no time to drum up the necessary sponsorship, equipment and finance needed to be as successful as he would have liked.

Only the top eight riders in this year’s competition qualify by right. Additionally three from the qualifying rounds join four picked by the organisers prior to ratification by the FIM. Troy finished ninth overall and maybe with an eye on a GP in Melbourne’s Etihad Stadium next October, he was selected. New to the GP in 2015 will be the popular Jason Doyle, another of the Robins’ Australian assets.

Here’s to the 2015 season and success for the Robins!