CAMI Brown insists Glasgow can hold their heads high despite grand final heartbreak for the second consecutive season.
The Tigers lost 56-34 to Poole Pirates in the second leg of the Championship play-offs showdown on Thursday – meaning a 12-point defeat on aggregate.
They also lost out in the final during the last campaign in 2019 and were runners-up in 2015 too.
Team manager Brown says while it is another disappointing night for the club, there are clear signs of progress on the track to match their ambition off it.
He said: “The better team won on the night. Although we rode very well in the home leg to go 10 points ahead, I thought we might have been a few points short.
“We’ve lost to the most successful team in speedway – when they get a chance, they beat teams well. We fought hard but we just didn’t have enough heat winners.
“It wasn’t for the lack of preparation, we’ve been prepping them all week and doing a lot of things off the track as we always do. The guys were in a really good place coming into tonight. But we were beaten out the starts and they knew their own track inside-out.
“That’s six seasons the Facenna family have been at Glasgow and we’ve been in the semi-finals or final every season. That’s something we can be proud of. We’ve stayed consistent and one day we’ll get over the line.
“We always aim to make the play-offs and we’ll set up that way next season again – and one of these years we’re going to do it. I tell you something, when we do, there’s going to be a big party.”
A large support made the near-1,000-mile round-trip to Dorset to support the Tigers for the second leg, and Brown says they are up there with the “best fans in speedway”.
He said: “The fans have been amazing, I want to thank them from the bottom of my heart. They’ve backed me again this season and they’ve been absolutely tremendous. We respect them and love them for following us everywhere.”
Attentions now turn to 2022, with the new season just over four months away.
Brown says he will sit down for discussions with the club’s owners in the coming days as they look to build another competitive team.
He added: “It’s a short winter ahead – we’re in November and the season starts in March – so we’ll be starting our team-building shortly.
“We haven’t even started that yet, we wanted to wait until the season had finished. Hopefully we’ll get some news out to the fans to cheer them up a bit.”
Meanwhile youngster Tom Brennan, who joined the Tigers halfway through the 2021 season, insists the club’s time for silverware will come.
He said: “We are obviously totally gutted. There was such a massive support that came down from Glasgow. We are annoyed we couldn’t do it for them.
“Poole are such a strong team and it was always going to be tough at this place because they are so good here.
“We gave it everything we had but it just wasn’t to be. Poole were the better team and we accept that and say well done to them.
“But I don’t think we should be down. Glasgow is a big club. This is the third grand final in just six full seasons. I’m sure Tigers’ time will come.
“I’ve loved being part of such a professional club. You can tell that everyone wants success and silverware and that will happen. The passion here is too much for it not to be a success.”