So, you want to find out a little bit about the Fboro Massive? Well, youve come to the right place. Here you can read a brief history of the Massive.


Farnborough News - August 24 2001

I know it sounds a bit clichèd, but try not to take this too seriously. Ive hammed it up a bit, but thats only natural. At the end of the day, were a few mates, thats it.

Sorry to dissappoint any of you.

Take it easy,

The Fboro Massive

© sean leahy 2002

Farnborough is a small commuter town about 40 miles from London. The Fboro Massive are a small group of friends from Farnborough, and this is their story.

Back in 1997, the only two members of the now Fboro Massive who had never been inliners (Blakey and Seen) were talking about an episode of the 11 oclock Show that had been on the night before. On that show was a character named Ali G, who has since become a major league british comedy talent.

Inspired by the character and his gang named 'the Staines Massive,' and wanting to start their own version of the Ashot Ghetto, they came up with the Fboro Massive. (See how we steal our ideas).

The original members were all skateboarders who frequented farnborough regularly: Seen, Blakey, Jez, Metal, Bart, Ben, Matt, Dave, Adam and Mike. About a year later, a new recruit, Mole, was initiated into the Massive.

Now 11 strong, the massive did sod all other than skate and drink for a couple of years.

By 2000, Dave and Ben had given up skating, Matt had slowed down considerably, and Mole had moved to Wales. Not all was bleak though, as word of the massive was spreading, and we had two more recruits, in the forms of Dunk and Nutbag.

In recruiting Dunk, the massive opened its arms to the world of bmx. We had many rider mates, but Dunk had broken us down to become an official member.

Rumours had surfaced that the Council were discussing the possibility of Farnborough getting a skatepark, so one rainy day in late 2000, Blakey and Seen went to the council to see what was up.

Nothing was.

We left our details with the council and went home.

In may 2001, after Merlin broke Blakeys shin for him. Blakey decided to spend his recovery time completely remaking the Fboro Massive website that Ben had started but never quite managed to make worthwhile. Together with Seen, they made the site that was the backbone of the Farnborough scene. Small and for a laugh at first, soon it would become very handy indeed.

Two months later Blakey and Seen got an email from Andy Ford at Rushmoor Borough Council about a meeting to discuss a new skatepark in Farnborough. Delighted that someone had finally taken notice, the massive went o meet the councillors.

They were told that Lottery funding was to be sought after, and that a club may have to be formed as part of the application. In response to that they said 'Weve already got one.'

Although technically the Massive was not a official club, they told the councillors that they were to rush things along. They gave details about the massive, and the website address to the Youth Projects Officer that they met, Simon Venn.

After a few meeting with Simon, the Massive appeared in no less than 3 local newspapers and a magazine, and became a local phenomenon (sic), to the point where they started to get recognised on the streets, in pubs and all sorts of places, on or off their boards / bikes.

Young hopefuls beckoned 'Can I be in the Fboro Massive?' It started to go beyond a joke. A name that a couple of skaters came up with one day was becoming recognised by a community. So much so, that a few of the newer skaters in Farborough, dubbed 'the Fboro Minis' started their own crew and website, and are still going. A smaller group, known only as the 'F-Boyz' were about for a short while also. Three crews in one small town without a park.

On Halloween night 2001, at the now famous HELLoween party, the latest member of the Massive, Rich, was initiated in the way that all new members are, by doing a Stuntman™, but using gin instead of tequila. Brave indeed. Now back to ten full members, the Massive were stronger than ever.

A few days earlier,on the 23rd of October 2002, after several meetings, and after it had been decided that an official skateboarding and bmx club for Rushmoor had to be started, a 'meeting' in the pub gave birth to Regiment 36.

It was decided that the Fboro Massive, as popular and well-known that it was, should remain a locals-only deal. It started out as a group of mates, and thats how it would remain. Regiment 36 would take over as the coucil-backed club that would be the first of its kind in the uk.

One year on, in October 2002, the word of Regiment 36 has grown. It has a database of 200 interested members, has hosted 2 successful competitions, been present at a number of events, and appeared in several publications.

As for the Fboro Massive, the ten core members still skate or ride regularly, and our group of honourary members is bigger than ever. At the time of writing this, the park which theyve worked for for two years is two weeks away from being completed, the website (version 4) you have the current pleasure of viewing is well into its second year and averaging over 200 hits a week, and their first full-length video: 'Come This Far' is about to be released.

Not bad for a bunch of skaters.