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Embarrassing from Poole and Somerset. Should be made mandatory that all top flight sides must have team kevlars. Excuse of saving a few quid is pathetic. Show a bit of professionalism ffs. Makes the sport look pikeyish. The self proclaimed "Manchester United" of speedway looking like a rag tag bunch thrown together is a terrible look for the sport & that club. Looks like they've gone back to 1988. Somerset over paying Doyle as their excuse for no suits is dreadful. Team kevlars was one of the few professional things about the sport & now we have Ford being a t0sser & Somerset taking us back to the 80's.

I read with interest the stadium cross track that has appeared on the centre green at Rye House. The stadium, as in Len’s day, isn’t cheap to run and as many activities need to be run to enable to keep the stadium a viable proposition. Let’s not forget when Len sold the lease to Warren Scott that also included the go-karts, which must give a fairly good rental income. Was it a mistake to perhaps remove the dog racing? My personal view is Rye should have stayed second tier and therefore could have kept that Saturday night mantle. With more clubs in the second tier and a good crop of riders to, we could have had variety. But alas we have the boring top tier, but of course many will say Rye was brilliant last year, really? But let’s look at the reasons why staying in the Championship didn’t happen. When Len became involved with Central Park, Sittingbourne [Kent Kings] in 2013 it was a stone’s throw from where he lived. While he was running Rye House he would spend time sleeping in a caravan as well as being co-promoter at Kent, it was obvious he couldn’t do both. So Len decides to sell Rye House to Warren Scott. The stadium was, let’s be honest becoming very run down and new blood was needed. So the last year of Len’s reign, at the start of the season we were told there would be improvements you would see every week at the stadium. Well that never happened, a part from the flower bed by the turnstiles. Len leaves and Warren Scott and Steve Jenson take over. The bright lights of TV money, more exposure of the BMR brand could only be a good thing and of course the top league racing was what Scott wanted from the word go to promote team BMR. A new motorcycle outlet was being built [is it finished yet?] in place of the long bar and all would appear to be rosy! Well that’s what a lot of people thought and still do. All these people who have said the ‘wow’ factor was at Rye House must have been referring to the Rye House pub. The stadium was and probably still is a mess. The old wooden terracing by the start had to go, no question, but a farcical situation of putting the ref’s box back to the old box it spent many years in. Putting a temporary ref’s box for the TV match last year, exposed to the elements, the continual building work of the motorcycle dealership on the long bar and crap viewing, but two years before just to remind you we were told there would be improvements every week! I for one have not been impressed with the promotional team at Rye. It obvious all the changes have been made track side. Looking at the video the straights of the stadium cross track seem fairly high and as for the bends well………. Nicholls, Harris and Kasprzak will be on good deal financially which the club can probably ill afford. Can only assume Barker wanted more £ notes thats why he left? The Lakeside fans won’t bother with Rye as they have in my opinion a very good and exciting team. Crowds will drop considerably at Rye and especially being mid-week. I fear for speedway’s future at Rye. The general public seem to be the least of BMR’s concerns. Am I, along with other paying fans being taken for granted? Facilities are important for the paying public and making them feel comfortable. That I’m afraid hasn’t been the case at Rye in the last few years. No doubt this Monday’s meeting won’t take place as the winner will probably be Mother Nature, so we will all have to wait until Saturday week to find out if it's as bad as it looks!

Thing is Trees the 'good old days' are long gone and image & appearance is very important now, especially for a struggling sport like ours. Racesuits should be compulsory for our top two leagues IMO, and there is no reason why good racing can't be a priority regardless of this.

Ah! days gone by...the Easter 3TT involving Oxford, Swindon and Reading. Oxford on Good Friday, Swindon on the Saturday and Reading Easter Monday. Those were the days!

This clamour for race Suits so it looks professional is quite bizarre when you look at the majority of the stadia we race in. Most are pretty awful tbh.

Not everyone will be able to do that if the crowds are anything like last year. Those who can't see very well will think twice about attending again. Other riders could have been used indeed and forums are a place to discuss that. People are allowed to have an opinion on these things. If the reasons we haven't got X rider in the team is he is too expensive, it is not wrong to say so, if he is an arrogant git, making too many demands, or just a plain arse then it is absolutely fine to say so. It is 2018. We don't need censorship. The majority of fans will appreciate being told rather than speculating. This isn't Rye specific but speedway fans tend to be like mushrooms, kept in the dark and fed s*** and yet some happily accept it because that is the way it has always been. The attitude of 'at least we have speedway to watch' is a big part of the reason the sport is dying. Just because the BSPA were there on Thursday it doesn't mean much in this sport. The rules change on a weekly basis at times, one was literally changed within the last week. You should know that by now Sid.

If team kevlars can't be afforded then that's that, forget them, we went donkeys years without them, never thought about them, they don't affect the racing, that's the number one priority for our sport imo!

Couldn't agree more. There are NL teams with professional team suits. All very embarrassing to have the so called best team looking like a 2nd hand rag-tag and bobtail outfit. Poor.

I suggest that you watch Debbie's interview on the Somerset twitter where she explains about her decision rather than posting about something you clearly know nothing about.

Sure is, Shows what can be done with plenty of hours in the gym, a winning mentality and being a fast gater, and his loyalty to British speedway is to be respected.

Team suits do look more professional in a photograph or for promotional work. However...for me, I find it harder to distinguish who is who in a race, unless I look at the helmet colours and remember who's in the programmed ride. I found it much easier to instantly work out which rider was who, when they wore individual leathers. The individual colours stood out more. Riding styles were also easier to see for some reason. For example riders like Simon Wigg and Leigh Adams instantly stood out because of their colours and style. I'd personally prefer to see riders in their own style and distinctive Kevlars/Leathers with Club race jacket. The Race Jacket being distinctive, and not a small symbol surrounded by massive sponser's name. Birminghams big red 'B' on yellow, and Belle Vue's Large 'Ace' really stand out. Swindons robin and somersets just get lost somehow. Perhaps instead of team kevlars, team bike covers and fork covers would be better?

When I saw the title of the thread I feared Philip Rising had fallen on hard times.

It could for all kinds of reasons. 1) There was no offer to begin with. 2) He didn't think the offer (if there was one) was good enough. 3) Redcar offered to sign him before we were guaranteed to be running. 4) He didn't want to return after not getting a place last season. That's just four off the top of my head. Don't forget it's a brand new promotion at Redcar to the one he rode under last time. Had it been the 'old' promotion, I doubt he would have gone back there.

Your opinion and one that I disagree with entirely. I see nothing wrong with them or the concept and have every sympathy for those losing jobs that they love.

Well done to Lakeside for making an early call, its so important to gain the trust of the fan base early on the season, if you take a chance and have to call it off after everyone has travelled you will struggle to get that trust back every time the weather looks iffy. The Ipswich leg is a little different as the weather isn't supposed to hit until start time, its a promoters worst nightmare, if it does go ahead they will need to race this meeting through in record time.

I had tipped the office wallahs off that you were coming up the cobbled motorway from the Mudlands and suggested that since you were a known trouble-maker that you should be put in isolation in the south stand. We'll give you a cheery wave from the heated seats in the luxurious main stand, Have a great meeting!

Old people dont like change thats prob with speedway Get rid of bspa we might have a chance to save speedway

thats way too easy to put into practice !

Hotline? You really are well-named Old Timer

The world is far too politically correct. If a girl wants to earn money as a grid girl then why stop her. No one is forcing her to do the job, it's her choice to earn an honest sum of money. Those that are 'offended' should get more to do in there life. Too many people find offence at the slightest thing and it means the small minority rule for the majoritry because they are offended and something has to be done as a result. I'm grossly offended by those who find offence. Tell them to go forth

"Rule 01.04.2018: Riders will not be permitted to straddle their machines and will be required to race sidesaddle without the use of the handlebars".

Hurry up with the photo mate we've only got 2 minutes to do this garden!

The forecast is much better so looks like I will be making the trip up. Love the NSS.

Quality number 1 👍🏻

Wow didn't see that one coming ever! Ben is a great club man, a great number 1 but big track rider he is not. Hopefully its beneficial for both Ben & IOW but certainly good to see intent from the Warriors this season.