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SCB's thin veneer of intelligence is once more stripped away by his rancid and repugnant ageism. It's a familiar argument - "I know a pensioner who's well-off so every one of them must be." It's as intellectually and morally bankrupt as "All these foreigners are taking our jobs". I do wonder if he's got a problem with his parents or other elderly relatives, given the sick bitterness and prejudice he continually shows to the elderly. In another recent thread he came up with what were superficially intelligent comments about the way forward but which were invalidated by his comment "Stop pandering to the old, they'll be dead soon", or words to that effect. I'll leave you to consider for a moment just how repugnant that is. Don't be taken in by someone who is obsessed withe speedway rule book and averages. It doesn't make them intelligent, merely fixated. I had to correct him ages ago when he was spouting this regulation and that to point out that he was completely ignoring the key part of the rule book, the supplementary regulations which are issued during a season and regularly amend those rules., I remember SCB complaining about the car park at a certain track on the basis that it was damaging his very expensive car. Lovely chap. I'd park mine outside ;-) If people were singled out for such abuse on the grounds of race, gender or sexuality they would be rightly condemned by most reasonable people in society and in many cases prosecuted. So why is ageism allowed? Speedway may have an age profile that could do with reducing. The SCB's of this world would achieve that by making the sport hostile to the elderly and forcing them out on the basis that the young and 'cool' (i.e. his own perception of himself) are put off by the sight of geriatrics viciously sitting down because they can't stand up for two hours and callously drinking hot drinks from a flask because they know that the stuff on sale at the track is awful quality and overpriced. Shame on them! It's not the elderly that are the problem, it's the shallow, ignorant outlook of certain people at the other end of the age spectrum. Still, there's one consolation, given the modern trend to despise the old by the time he gets to be in that age group life's going to be pretty appalling for him. Yes I have attacked the poster, and I have not one iota of apology for doing this. I've posted some strong views on here over the years but they have all been based on a deep love of and concern for the sport, and not my ego. I had my brief spell in the spotlight and I can tell you I am much, much happier sitting quietly in the shadows now. When I see SCB's posts I see raw ego. I worked with a few TV technicians like him in the past and you would sometimes get those who developed appalling arrogance through working in the industry. I thought I'd seen the worst.......until now. I remember years back Sittingbourne getting their only away Conference League win at Newport. Almost everyone on the BSF were congratulating the then Crusaders on finally getting a win. One kid wasn't though. He went through every decision made in the match, every pass and incident, desperately trying to prove that the Kent side hadn't deserved their win. Ever since then I've been waiting for SCB to grow up. Seems like I've got a longer to go. Still, I'll probably be dead first, eh? Rob McCaffery - aged 60 and expecting the basic state pension only, if that when I can finally afford to retire. You see, instead of building up a career I spent too much time with speedway. I'm now partially disabled so have to have a seat at a track even if it's a folding one which SCB so despises. After 46 years of course I don't deserve a small concession on the admission in my advancing old age.....It would be nice to be able to enjoy the sport in my final years without having to put up with prejudice from this shallow clown.

Here you go again SCB. You really must be a very bitter person. You are right when you say that a hell of a lot of Pensioners are well of, some of them very well off. However the obverse is also true. There are also a hell of a lot of Pensioners who are not very well off, are indeed very, very poor. Some can afford Speedway every week, but others will inevitably not be able to, and it seems that you want to make them even worse off. I doubt if there are many very well off Pensioners who attend Speedway that often so you are actually having a go at the poorer ones. Shame on you!!! You are either very bitter, very jealous or very selfish or maybe a combination of all three. Shame on you!!!

I work full time...and I would like 20k a year for working...let alone being retired.

Theatres , cinemas , trains , buses ,football games.... all give concessions amongst many others. there are plenty of pensioners who are very glad of a little financial help

...trouble is SCB has a fixation about ageism and raises the issue over and over again. Gets a bit tiresome after awhile.

Just shut the hell up you childish morons grow the fk up

I doubt that there are many rich pensioners that include speedway as an interest.. The OAP concession should remain

Bit of a generalisation SCB, there's plenty of pensioners on basic pension and maybe a small personal pension .....

Phil you have nothing that needs defending , like you state you need the extra revenue these days to exist every publication does really can’t see where Semion is coming from as like you say the 24 page ad is an extra that doesn’t cost the customer any more! I actually find the brochure quite good toilet material once I’ve read the actual magazine content lol Despite social media and the internet in general I still enjoy my fix of my speedway star as does my son...as you know! Keep it going more of us appreciate it than those that do not

How very amusing you are.

Another good thread Sid! Best memories? 1. My very first meeting at Cowley (1972 vs. Coventry) 2. White City winning at Wolves in 1977 thereby winning the league. 3. Oxford vs. Ipswich (KOC Final Second Leg). Best ever meeting at Cowley during my time in my opinion. 4. Hans Nielsen winning the World Championship in 1986 at Katowice...I was there! 5. Oxford hammering the enemy (Swindon 'Budgies') at 'The Abbey' in 1986. Worse memories? 1. Any deaths at speedway (thankfully I was never present at any meeting when a rider was killed) but they all left a profound effect on me. 2. Travelling a great distance to be met with a postponement announcement. 3. The demise of the second half...used to have some great second halves at Cowley during 'The Rebels' era. 4. The closure of White City and Oxford as speedway venues. 5. Seeing the sport decline in popularity and I can't see it being reversed.

A Bit Of A Tear Jerker

I think we have forgotten just how good a motorcyclist Zdenek was he reached the 1979 World Final and was third twice in World ice championship's.

...unfortunately the same thing is happening at Cowley and when I once put the question to the then owners was told that it wasn't true. Last time I looked in at the stadium it was in a terrible state and despite all the good efforts I can't see the facility remaining for much longer.

Well, yes compared to the 80's it was sparse but that's the same at all tracks unfortunately. Not helped of course by the fact the camera very rarely shows where most people are which is in the grandstand that holds 2,000 and a lot of people stay at home when it's on Sky.

Knowing Eric, he was probably telling him where to go!

A very sad and touching film that many of us ex fans of defunct clubs can relate to.

This thread is ok until gavan comes back on it then it goes into lets dig at every poole rider,you don't see any poole fans go on the Ipswich thread bleating on about how he's got beatan by him,he shudnt be beat by him hes a no1 and the other guy is a 2nd string blah blah blah why dont you focus ur attention on how ipswich are going to massive chumps again next season and win nothing again LMAO

Fricke is quality, it's pretty plain to see. I wouldn't use Aussie championships as much of a barometer, averages from the Polish, Swedish and British top divisions are a better indication. World U21 results where applicable are also a good gauge. If you can beat the cream of the Polish youngsters on their missile bikes then you have got something about you.

Sky did have quite a few years experience with filming speedway, if BT does show speedway again this year perhaps they will learn by experience as they progress through the season.

Yes Sid, it was Kermit because of his green leathers. An exciting little rider to watch, always gave 100%. I recall him being thrown out of the 4TT finals at Monmore in 1980 due to successive first bend "incidents". At the final meeting of the Brummies' 1980 season, there was a demonstration of MX bikes in the interval. Zdenek promptly slung his leg over one and proceeded to wheelie it round the track, taking the corners speedway style, firstly the right way around and then the opposite way, still broadsiding it perfectly. A proper character and sadly missed. RIP ZK.

Not sure I agree with that bit about sparse crowds because Coventry had pretty good attendances compared to all the other tracks ~ perhaps only Poole getting more (if they were on a winning streak) and combined with the Stock Cars it was quite viable. From 2010 onwards though when Sandhu took over with the intention of building houses on the land it was on borrowed time so I suppose I've got to agree it has done well to last this long. Very sad.

4.39 is too high let alone 5.20

Things first went awry around 1975 with the introduction of the four valve engine and then later with the lay down as they both increased the "first away wins" perception of speedway, which is what you see in 75% of races nowadays. Not enough on track racing thrills to keep people going back to see more.

I won't talk about sidecars as an alternative attraction since I'm a touch biased.... As to post meeting entertainment, the most successful attraction I've seen in recent years was at Leicester. They not only interview the riders on the home straight in front of the remaining crowd, but the riders entered into open conversation with the crowd. This seemed very popular with enough of the crowd to keep a significant number entertained for 20 minutes or more. And we heard some news from the riders that would otherwise not be known.