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Christmas Statement from the Save Coventry Speedway group. WE would like to extend our Season’s Greetings to all supporters of Speedway and Stock Car Racing at Coventry. Our thanks to all who have supported the Campaign Group efforts over the course of the year, and also to everyone who helped organise and supported the Challenge matches run in 2017 with Coventry Bees not running as part of the official league structure. It has been the worst year imaginable for everyone with a love for the sports at Brandon; from the shattering news that ‘agreements’ for future racing were not to be fulfilled, to the eventual omission of Coventry from the 2017 Premiership, to the deterioration in condition of the stadium throughout the year arising from the lack of security on-site by the owners. Brandon Estates bought the stadium for their own purposes, but in doing so they have shown zero regard for the 89-year history and heritage of the iconic venue, nor the fact that regular visits to Brandon to watch these family sports remained a way of life for many thousands of people throughout the season, right up until the end of 2016. In addition, the intransigence of the owners to engage in reasonable communication is a further indication of their motives, along with the material included within their official representations and public exhibition material – much of which is open to serious question. At the Exhibition in October, comments from the public were invited by planning consultants Framptons. We have seen a number of these responses, and the local reaction is clear - but as with the 2014 Exhibition arising from the initial plans, they appear to be a closely-guarded secret at this time. The display boards also indicated that an outline planning application would be submitted in Autumn 2017. At the time of writing, this has not taken place. We do not know the reason for that, but we can assure Brandon Estates – and their front-man, Monaco-based businessman John Downer – that as soon as their planning application is submitted, we will be ready with strong opposition. They must understand that they cannot simply take two major sports away from the region – sports which were both perfectly viable running in tandem at the stadium – merely on an outrageous speculative bid for development on land which had not been earmarked for that purpose, and expect everyone to sit back and let it happen. Our Campaign Group came together in its present form in the immediate aftermath of Coventry’s exclusion from the 2017 SGB Premiership, and our primary aim was to bring about a return to racing at the stadium for 2018 as well as establishing plans for the long-term continuation of both sports in the area. In those respects, we have regrettably been unsuccessful. The sheer depth of issues to be considered and resolved arising from the activities of recent years has been eye-opening in the extreme, and we have to respect the fact that the timescales of official business are sometimes longer than we would wish for. We believe there is tremendous momentum behind our campaign and overwhelming opposition to Brandon Estates' proposals. So our work will go on into 2018, and there are various events and hearings in the early part of the New Year which will play a vital part in matters going forward. Finally, we must emphasise to all who pass comment on the situation, often on social media, that the status of Brandon Stadium remains absolutely fundamental to the entire argument, and an acceptance that it has been lost to sport permanently is simply not an option. We wish every supporter of Speedway and Stock Car Racing a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year, and we hope 2018 provides some encouragement to everyone who wishes to see our two famous sports restored to their rightful place.

This means absolutely jack! A few years ago, Swindon were looking to use Miedzinski and he went to Poole. Swindon demanded that this was a full transfer and Poole said no - a loan only. It went to arbitration and on loan he went - turning a valuable asset on a really low average into a worthless asset on a much higher average. So Poole can demand a fee but the precedence has been set and the boot is on the other foot now!

In the New Year, 'Arena Cross' hits Manchester... Indoor Motocross.. I would urge any Speedway Promoters who can do, to attend... I went three years ago with my lad and so much of the total evening 'entertainment package' on view could easily be translated over to Speedway.. From an autograph, selfie opportuniy meet and greet with the riders, completed 60 mins before racing so plenty of time to browse the merchandice stalls and get a drink and food.. . (Each rider had his own posters and photos for sale too). Riders coming out in darkness doing a lap of honour under a spot light. Could tracks do something similar to create atmosphere?. A 'centre green' announcer who was loud (he had to be over the bikes and music), brash (well, the Promoters were American!) and informative, detailing background information about each individual rider and commentating on the action as it happened. (That last bit maybe not needed in Speedway?).. Before racing and during gaps in between for track maintenance, (all tractors were working by the way), their Promotion team fired their own T Shirts into the crowd via an 'pump action air gun'... Many were, it appeared, Small and Medium meaning many adults caught them as you would expect but many of the kids ended up with the T Shirt.. (My lad got one from someone five rows back who passed it on when he saw it was an 'S').... There were no gaps where 'nothing happened' between races, so the crowd was kept interested.. The interval took place half way during the evenings racing and was 30 minutes prompt.. Before the interval they told us about the 'mini moto' they had suspended from the ceiling. Just text your name to etc etc and you could be taking this bike home. Texts cost £5... There was a 7500 full house and I would suggest well over half of 'the dads' were texting away during that interval. That bike certainly paid for itself and more! (Certainly I contributed a tenner towards it)! Now maybe Speedway couldn't do the same but they could do something around winning Season Tickets, VIP evenings etc.. The winner was announced prior to the Final and came down and received his bike... The cost for me and my lad was over £70 but I am going again next time as it was fantastic value for money... How did I know they were coming back to Manchester? I got an email from them in October telling me so with a nice book early 15% saving... Three years they have had my email address and now have used it knowing I had previously attended. My own Speedway team still doesn't have my email address... How did it advertise itself? Lots of Social Media and it played on how "awesome" (as I said they are Yanks!) it must be to watch 'dirt bike racing' in the middle of a City Centre.. And let's be honest as a concept it is 'pretty unique' isn't it? Apart from obviously it already happens many nights of the week around the Country from March to October..!! It was a 'one off' so you could argue that it is 'different' from Speedway, however maybe if Speedway promoted EVERY meeting as if it was a 'one off' they would be delivering many, many more through their turnstiles.. Watching 'dirt bike racing' in a City Centre is "awesome" don't forget, so says the guys who play to full houses and make money out of doing so... NB: No mention of it being a 'family sport' but plenty about 'speed', 'danger' and being 'gnarly'! (Whatever that means....) In fact the only downside to the night was that I, as a 47 year old at the time, felt 'very old' when I looked around the rest of the crowd.. At Speedway, at least I still feel like a 'spring chicken'!!

To be fair, Neil, you are a regular and, in my opinion, much valued poster. Dale, Laurence and Gordon comment very rarely and Tsunami is a former promoter with no official position, although I know that he makes a huge difference to Newcastle and his perspective as a former promoter is often sobering. The point stands : there are 28 clubs in British Speedway and the overwhelming majority of clubs make absolutely no contribution here whatsoever, despite the fact that it is easily the biggest online speedway forum in this country. My view of the way the BSF is viewed also stands, and it is indicative of how the sport treats its fans that so few of those running teams seek to engage on here in the way that you do and Barry has. You often do not get the credit you deserve, but the number of likes that Barry has attracted shows just how much members appreciate someone coming on and telling us how it is. I believe there is a recognition by most members of this forum that information can be confidential and cannot be disclosed publicly. That does not prevent explanations being given on many, many other matters that concern the individual speedway fan.

at school we used to chant ' i know something you don't know' to annoy the other kids. I've grown out of it now unlike some

The only way the rule should be changed is if all Championship clubs vote to amend it, if only one opposes it then it should not be changed, imo. My reasoning for this is that majority of clubs have built their teams based on rules which were agreed (whether the rule is good/bad is irrelevant) and if it is changed now it potentially puts some clubs at a disadvantage, as they may have had thoughts on who to use previously, but were not allowed - and puts others clubs at an advantage of giving them riders available who weren't previously. It is almost like deciding halfway through season to change points to 5 for a win away from home, but saying to the 4 clubs who have ridden more away matches, tough you've missed out!! As I said if all clubs are happy with this, then fine - but it shouldn't be a majority vote to win it needs to be unanimous.

we have a National Stadium for such events - neutral, central and good racing

Can only ditto that. Am hoping for a full recovery and improved health for him in 2018 and onwards.

Course I do, I’ve known for ages where he was riding, nothing like causing abit of drama though

Yeah, those damn Scots and Norveners often mess up my point of view

A MESSAGE FROM ADRIAN SMITH As we are all about to start the festive period, on behalf of all the team at Belle Vue Speedway 2017 Ltd I would like to wish all our supporters a Wonderful Christmas and a very Happy and Successful New Year. Since the end of our first season, we have been reviewing all aspects of the supporters experience and have been working on plans to improve that experience in 2018 and beyond. 2018 will be a season to look forward to as we celebrate the 90th year of speedway running at Belle Vue in Manchester. We are looking forward to providing further details of our plans in the New Year. We will also announce details of the 2018 prices and how you can buy season tickets in January. Most importantly, our Director of Speedway Mark Lemon has been working on the team plans for the Belle Vue Aces and has supported our Colts team managers, Graham and Steve with the team building for the Belle Vue Colts. Keep a look out in January as we make some very exciting team announcements In the meantime, some dates for the diary: 90th Anniversary Meeting - Saturday 24th March. Details to follow Fans Forum - Wednesday 21st February. Further details on how to obtain free tickets for this event will be provided in the new year. An event with Tatum & Pearson – Wednesday 7th February. Tickets £10 and are available via www.sportstalkevents.co.uk The Speedway office is now closed until the 2nd January 2018 Once again, have a great Christmas and Happy New Year All the best Adrian

You Swindon fans are a moody lot...

Just been announced, ty proctor it is

His avatar shows where his brains are. Let's hope you're still laughing when you're thrashed again next season. It doesn't look as though you will have much to smile about next season. Merry Christmas!

In my opinion speedway is a perfect sport to use statistics to generate extra interest/something to talk about/ listen to on tv. Team make up is decided by statistics so why not include more? Programmes/club websites could include much more in match previews. E.g Lindgren vs Doyle head to head results this season home and away, heat 15 performances overall and head to head. It’s something else for supporters to talk about in the time between each race, can be highlighted by centre green presenters to build tension and atmosphere - much better that than crap music from the 70s and 80s. It’s not about carrying around a log book to record every little thing at a meeting that your traditional statto may have done, it’s about trying to give supporters more - if they’re talking about something to do with the match, they won’t be moaning about the length of time between heats etc.

I agree. Adrian Smith makes much the same point in the Speedway Star this week.

With fairly limited opportunities for experience, two silver medals and a fourth place in six World Final appearances was a fine achievement Looking back, in some ways he was Gollobesque on track - in the days when Fundin, Briggs, Knutsson, etc were at their peak he stands up well to comparison I'm very grateful to have seen him at the top of his game

And he may be only the 2nd best teenager at Mildenhall in 2018....

No I'm not utterly wrong....its my opinion. Believe it or not I'm allowed one.

Indeed. If his 2016 PL average of 4.23 is no longer valid then surely his converted 2017 CL average of 3.20 (4.15/1.3) should apply.

Promoters wasted the vast majority of it on riders, who in turn spent it on super-fast equipment and engine tuners.

Really? Let's not forget JPB put a prominent posting on facebook a good few weeks ago with words to the effect of "I'm not ruling out wanting to go back to Birmingham, but I'm just wondering if any other NL clubs out there want to make me an offer". And apparently he's contacted several other clubs asking if they want to make him a better offer than Brum. Perhaps that's annoyed the Masons and led them to believe he'd be better off elsewhere?

we ? thought you didn't go anymore as you hated everything to do with the club as yet about the only negative post on here what a surprise please just get over it.

That will be handy for when he wants to ride for Eastbourne

Jason Edwards has more growth in him than Kemp, both are going too be very good riders and yes haven't seen anyone get a set up right for a track as quick as Kemp did other than Dan Bewley. But you have too remember Jason had not ridden competitively on a 500cc bike until he came in to the league. Which Kemp did have in the youth Championships. But everyone talks about those two as the two expected best 3 pointers which surprises me as Leon Flint will be just as good even better than both of them.

Thanks for that BA, saved my blushes

Williamson is a shrewd signing, get him dialled in at home and his average will only go one way.

you do have a point, but IMO 2 stand out reserves who are both young and hungry, barring bad injury will deffo make it big in the sport are Dan Bewley and Zach Wajtknecht, another who will be big in the sport and hasn't ridden in the Prem yet is 15 year old Kyle Bickley.

They would only have to be lowered by a pound to be in line with most championship clubs

I also would like to wish CVS a speedy recovery, I know he sometimes gets some criticism as all Promoters do, but is recorded at Wolves is nothing short of miraculous, you never hear a rider complaining about not being payed on time, or Track preparation, I would go so far as to say it’s the most Professional run club in Britain

Some great posts on here, I remember seeing some people who were at a golf tournament for the first time and wanted to know all the rules ..when I told about the two length club l rule when you take a drop they just laughed and left the course saying they would. never come back .

Thanks ray and I m sure that all Forum fans will join me in wishing him as full and speedy a recovery as possible.

...or indeed Ronnie Moore who was the first world star to emerge from NZ.

Perhaps it’s horses for courses though. Briggs form was more erratic than Fundin (or Mauger for that matter ) but when he was on form and really had his head in the right place he was IMO completely unbeatable. You only have to look at the footage of his World Final win in Sweden in ‘64 or ‘66 (cant remember which ) when it rained furiously throughout and there was more sawdust on the track than shale.Everybody else was all over the place but Briggo waltzed home as if it was perfect conditions. The other thing to remember is that in the Briggs /Fundin era they didn’t earn the money they get now and towards the latter half of each career they both had outside interests which must have been a distraction, and with the financial incentive of the modern sport they both may well have ridden longer with undivided attention and achieved even more than they did. Finally, as I have said before Ivan Maugers words : If there was no Barry Briggs there would have been no Ivan Mauger. What he meant was to be World Champion he had to study everything Briggs did and build on it, just as Olsen and later generations took Mauger as their example and built on that, so it’s really a bit futile to put one against another from different eras.

Looking at what I wrote in 2007, it does feel as if 2000 was one of the better seasons (unless you were a Reading fan - racers got their second wooden spoon in a row!). Here's the opening to the 2000 season chapter in 'Tears & Glory': For the first time in many seasons the mood in British speedway seemed overwhelmingly positive. Hull returned to the Premier League, but otherwise the Elite and Premier League make-ups were unchanged. The Conference League expanded with a new track in Somerset and speedway returned to Rye House thanks to Len Silver. The Rockets had competed without a home track in 1999, tracking three Reading juniors: Simon Moon, Peter Collyer and Ian Clarke. The star of the homecoming meeting in May (apart from 'uncle Len') was a young rider called Chris Schramm. Honours were shared around and both Elite and Premier Leagues produced close finishes. Eastbourne won the Elite League, aided by a solid contribution from Petri Kokko. They went into their final fixture needing to beat King’s Lynn to stop the Norfolk team picking up their first league title. King’s Lynn did have the consolation of winning the Knock-Out Cup. Beaten finalists Coventry picked up the Craven Shield. The Norfolk team regularly featured five Australians, and when Adam Shields guested for them in July they tracked six! One of them was Travis McGowan. He started the year by winning the Australian Under-21 title (with Scott Smith third and Brendon Mackay ninth) and ended it with the biggest improvement in average of any rider in the Elite League. The destination of the Premier League title depended on bonus points. For the first time since their introduction, the team with most match points did not win the title. Thanks to their massive home advantage Exeter picked up all 13 bonus points available, but only two away wins. It was enough to clinch the title on race points two days after Swindon lost a bonus point run-off against Newcastle (September 28). Although Swindon remained without a league championship since 1967 they did win the Knock-Out Cup and the Young Shield, their first trophies for 33 years. Hull won the Premier Trophy. To add to the sense of euphoria Britain had a speedway World Champion. Despite not winning a single round Mark Loram relieved Tony Rickardsson of his crown. And the British GP did have a British winner with wild card Martin Dugard storming to victory. On a personal level it was the year I only attended 21 meetings, fewer than in any other of my 47 seasons.

You still might end up with kus

It's a shame that even in speedway's heyday, the sport never produced a yearbook to rival the wisden's and rothman's issued by cricket and football. There are far too many gaps in the publications that were issued.

I do like statistics....female vital statistics

Yes Tim - I feel truly honoured to share a page with your good self!

As I say, too much money goes out of speedway. Superfast engines are ok for GPs, but it's domestic speedway that matters to most. How fast an engine is over another competitor or how finely it's been tuned should be as looked on as strictly and as important as team building regulations.

And a decent 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7

Having seen them both over many years, I can't agree with the idea that Briggo was a better racer than Fundin. They were equally determined to win at all costs and ruthless, so I don't think there is any difference on that score, but I do think Fundin actually had more control of his bike and had a more astute racing brain than Briggo and that was why, during the time they were both at the top of their game, Fundin had a superior record to Briggo's, both in terms of titles won and in head to head clashes.

Having lived through all their eras and seen them all I would say, 1. Fundin 2. Mauger 3. Briggs 4. Rickardsson 5. Olsen. Though any one of them could beat all of the others and, of course, all of them trail in behind Tom Farndon!

Still better tgan some Steve.....

What a mess. A stadium that could host speedway and stox just rusting away. A heritage compatible with any club in the World. A fan base comparable (in numbers) with many currently successful clubs. A fan base with few equals in terms of loyalty. A club in the hands of Mick Horton, Avtar Sandhu (?) and Brandon Estates. A club destined to run in the 3rd division in a different city. But..... We have a bunch of people with heart, faith and dedication who might yet wrench this club from the jaws of oblivion and give us back something we recognise as a force to be reckoned with in British Speedway. Say a prayer, write to Rugby Borough Council, let the committee know you haven't given up, despite all the crap (sorry). Do everything you can to keep the dream alive. You never know.

Probably because he was riding with a broken foot for most of the season. When he was needed to ride in Heat 15 - he was there!

You aren't alienating me. I'm not a Coventry fan and never will be, but what this group is doing really does deserve to succeed. If you can get rid of the incumbent 'promoter' and also get a new stadium, or even resurrect Brandon, it will all have been worth it. Keep up the good work. You will get there in the end.

Puff, the magic dragon lived by the seaAnd frolicked in the autumn mist in a land called Honah Lee

As I said on another thread, the likes of Bartosz Zmarzlik, Maceij Janowski, Patryk Dudek, and the Pawlicki brothers were cuttung their teeth at the deep end from age 16 in Poland. The result is that Poland won the SWC with effectively an u23 team. Not to mention the success of their u21 team in their own event. I dare say that if the Poles put out an u19 or even an u17 team they would wipe the floor with all comers in those age groups too. That's what British riders need to emulate. Being up there with the best in the world, not the toddlers who get races stopped after half a lap because they can't stay on their bikes. It's no good wrapping them up in cotton wool and making them nice and comfortable in the kindergarten league. These young men need to mature improve and develop in a competitive environment that challenges them and improves them...all the way to the top.

Personally I would nominate Henny Kroeze. If I recall he was the first rider to score a 21 point maximum whist riding for Halifax.