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What a load of short-sighted, jealous folk there are about calling themselves speedway fans and gloating because a team's owners comes out and makes a statement. Sure Glasgow spent on trying to put a winning team together but what a lot of folk so blinkered they can't see past their own team is that the Glasgow Promotion also invested heavily in the community around Ashfield. When they bought the stadium they also guaranteed the continuation of the areas junior (equivalent of English non-league) football team and the money spent on the work on the stadium was mostly done by local companies employing local people. Yeah if the Facenna's walk away because of losses it's more than speedway that loses out. Think about the greater picture rather than gloat!!!

This may strike an accord with Glasgow. I do hope they continue to run for many years, but i can't help thinking if over the past few years instead of flashing the cash at big riders and producing well payed teams (granted thats the way a club should be run with money!) But if they didnt flash the big bucks and focused on a more sustainable plan for the future such as building a balanced and budgeted team without huge demands then this type of statment might have been dampened or totally avoided in my opinion.

My understanding is that only 12 promoters turned up so guests were brought in from the Polish League. But most of them were late getting up so were excluded under the 2 minute rule. Rider Replacement was then applied which resulted in Matt Ford getting additional votes A number of promoters were excluded for having a different opinion to Matt Ford

Post of the day

Keep you're eyes on the Swindon Advertiser for leaks, Rosco just can't keep his gob shut for 3 days!

What isn't being recognised here is that Glasgow have put there money where there mouth is, on all threads everybody's solution to the sport's ills has been to "Promote" the sport. Get involved with the community, posters, radio, bus backs mailshots, kids clubs and more, Glasgow have done that they've tried to grow their attendance to a sustainable level and they have taken some very good riders to Ashfield. It hasn't worked and they now find themselves in the same difficulties as everyone else with no clear solution, for me the writing has been on the wall since the beginning of 2017 when crowds dropped back to the previous promotion's levels and that is when the cloth should have been cut accordingly IMHO not 2019. They got it wrong as far as managing their costs are concerned but don't be harsh on them for trying and next time somebody posts all the answers to getting more people through the turnstile point them in Glasgow's direction, there is no magic formula all the advertising posters in the local chippy will not save Speedway.

The SCB is not invited to the AGM as it is for the BSPA to decide the future formats of speedway, so why should you be looking for anything on the SCB twitter. Every year a press statement is prepared as they leave the AGM for the Present Officer to write up, and issue it usually the morning afterwards. The main points are included and smaller items immerse in the period afterwards possibly having been presented to the SCB for scrutiny and comments. It's only in people's twisted minds that it's a mushroom situation, but if you feel neglected so be it. Many times something is agreed but on reflection, when other decisions are later made, the original decision needs to be amended. If they did what you expect, you and others would be on their backs saying something like "why didn't they wait till the end and publish the findings in full' and not very professional. Can't win really, hence the reason trying to get it right is more important than feeding the crocodiles looking in and ready to attack.

Your talking about a sport where last place in the Premiership gets a income of over £100million and a sport that can gain sponsorships in seven figures to be connected to clubs. Speedway cant ant invest the figures required here anymore and the foundations are smashed to pieces so unless they rebuild from a fresh again it can't be rebuilt until they go back to basics and cost effective.

It was the promoters from years ago when the sport was making loads of money who maybe should have invested in the future, now the promoters are having trouble just keeping their heads afloat. That's why they make short term decisions, to keep in business for another year, I'm glad I'm not in their shoes, most of the fans on here think they have all the answers but need to put their money where their mouths are, plenty of clubs to take over now, do it and sort the sport out!!

No question money is a factor as it has been for at least 50 years. And although an independent chair to take the sport forward in the way others have done with darts and snooker would be ideal, the promoters are just not going to give up the control. Just sad that so many short sighted decisions have been taken to look at the sport on a year by year basis, rather than having a serious focus on increasing the income into the sport rather than the continual cutting of costs. The sport has been on a long downward spiral because of that approach and is crying out for a root and branch review and the introduction of a figurehead with some cash to promote the sport and bring in more fans and TV money. The only saving grace is that the sport itself remains a great spectacle.

Yes it may be their money, but look where that has got them. I am in no doubt the dire situation the sport is in is totally down to the rules and decisions made by the BSPA. Decisions governed by personal agendas. They have this one last chance to make a new start and rise from the ashes, but quite honestly I don't have any confidence in them doing much to change it...

Us the public all want something different. Some 2 leagues some 3, double ups and non double ups, frn and ride when you want. What hope do they have really. Whatever they do they will be lambasted. Listen to the fans. The fans are as divided as they are on brexit. Presentation and race night experience then yes listen to us but in terms of structure and team building plans then they are the ones putting their money’s whete their mouths are for now. Until there is a independant governance for us to lynch because we alllike to have a moan.

I find calling them lesbians often gets get a response

it could be that there are a few more clubs hiding their financial problems from others , inc the bspa etc . clubs like my own are struggling to get to the tapes in 2019 . lakeside .newcastle and a few more may not enter the league . its time to shove ALL the big lads up a league and not allow them back . time ti stick together , promoter wise and not sign any big names . what do you want to do . sign a big name and see your team go down the pan while the big names milks the lower leagues ? thses are our clubs . we cant support them any more than what we are already doing. so big names must not be signed . i would rather see a team like workington built last season than see 1 man milk it and still be in a job the following year , while we are stuck with Saturday night tv . so come on promoters . stop signing the likes of nicholls,cook morris and co and give British speedway a chance . its your choice . use it or lose it . sorry for hijacking the thread , but it seems to be the correct thread to put it on .J long live the tiggers and the cornets !

This always makes me laugh

I also support Wolverhampton Wanderers football club. They were taken over by new owners in the early 80s who saw the club were losing money so reduced costs and bought in lower cost players. Then attendances fell further so they reduced costs further. And they carried on doing the same for the next three years by which time Wolves were in Division 4. Since then the club have had more forward thinking owners who have invested and taken the club forward. Its taken time but the benefits are there for all to see. And the new owners are making far more money than the owners that thought cutting costs was the answer

Well... Yesterday evening I ploughed through most of last week's speedway star special edition and I now have to say I am in 100% agreement with you! I've read through most of the articles of those actually in a position to do something about the alarming decline in the sport and they're all banging on about tinkering about with points limits and simplifying the rules, 1 league, 2 leagues, 3 leagues having a 2 minute clock on the centre green, setting up committees etc. You're right nobody has the vision to do anything radical! From what I've seen so far only Kelvin Tatum (love him or hate him) is showing anything like the vision required to drag the sport kicking and screaming into 2018, he doesn't really understand it but he gets it that the sport must be more interactive technology wise to attract a new audience and the next generation of fan with mobile apps etc. They seem set on sticking to FRN's on the worst nights of the week to comply with the ISLB(???)... I think we need to leave that in the short to medium term and get our house in order and run settled league teams to build up an affinity with the local public again... Spexit After having read what I've read so far I really do despair thinking about the future of the sport in this country.

Sounds rather like the Brexit discussions to me!!

There is absolutely no reason to be losing over £100,000 a year in speedway.

I dont see any good reason to be gloating or laughing about the Glasgow situation Regardless of any financial budget reduction that is coming I think we should all hope that there isnt a similar reduction in interest in the sport generally The overall approach and attitude to club and community (IMO as a neutral outsider) has been a breath of fresh air I very much hope that continues and others decide to follow

Stop trying to buy the league championship , not rocket bloody science ..got them nowhere since they took over , yet now the threats are looming , looking for volunteers , seems the money pit is beginning to empty ! I’m afraid they only have themselves to blame , throwing cash at riders reeling them in, must have been paying Cook and co a bloody fortune and for what , squiddly jack s***. Who would have thought the smugness from the tigers camp last season thinking they were home and dry and off to that wonderful premiership ,would be turned on it’s arse and they are in the same boat as every one else !! Aye it’s a funny old world

Got to also be remembered, that Glasgow own their stadium and the outlets in it, so no 'rent ' as such, and an extra money stream, and possible tax exemption if they put it through their business. Ironic that the have poured money into riders who other clubs were likely to sign, only to call off the signing cos Glasgow has found the magic money tree. They are reaping what THEY have sown.

Hearing that one huge decision has been taking today, after much debate the BSPA decided to ditch the Custard Creams they have had for years with their morning coffee in favour of Chocolate Hob-Nobs. Revolution is in the air.

Who would want to invest in THJ who if I remember was not only struggling for points when last in UK but also looked as if he had been eating too many pies ;-). Anyone in UK Speedway with money to burn on this guy should look at some facts. This is an EX SGP rider and Poole first teamer (even if only for a short period but back then he was exciting to watch). His career has been going South for a good few years now. He is so good he can only get a spot this year at Polonia Pila (POL 2nd Div) as nobody wants him in POL EXTR or even in POL Nice 1. In Sweden his team of some years have decided he is not worth more money and by his own admission no other SWE team wants to pay him what he thinks he is worth. (I wonder why ???). Meaning he cannot even invest in the equip he needs in SWE let alone earn any money. So this guy reports in POL Speedway media he will not ride SWE but only POL and UK (if he can convince anyone stupid enough to employ him). Who in the current economic climate in UK is going to fork out money for him to travel each week to UK - Equipment - wages etc when his form in UK was so dire last time he rode here. Also not exactly fit and toned..... If SWED don't think he is worth the investment )and the major POL Leagues) then only a crazy deep pocketed Promoter would be mad enough to take such a risk. I would rather pay out for a young British rider to come through than waste it on this has been.

Full details of the meeting content:- THE Save Coventry Speedway & Stox Campaign Group held a hugely successful Public Meeting at the Mercure Brandon Hall Hotel on Tuesday. Over 300 speedway and stock car fans, and local residents, packed in to hear the latest updates on the battle against the plans to demolish the iconic Brandon Stadium and replace it with a housing estate – with no provision for any replacement. The meeting was also supported by speedway riders including former British Champions Chris Harris and Danny King, stock car drivers and as many as five local Councillors. There was live coverage on BBC Midlands Today in their early-evening programme and a further follow-up in the late bulletin, as well as coverage and interviews on local radio stations BBC Coventry & Warwickshire and Touch FM/Rugby FM. The meeting opened with brief speeches from the leader of Rugby Borough Council, Michael Stokes, and the MP for Rugby, Mark Pawsey. Cllr Stokes, whilst naturally having to declare impartiality in the case of an ongoing planning application, did confirm that in all of his time on the Council – over a decade – there has been no other local issue which has provoked a reaction on this scale. Following our submission earlier in the day of our reaction to the Framptons ‘Needs Analysis’ document – seeking to make the case that Brandon Stadium is surplus to requirements in line with National Planning Policy, as other ‘alternative’ stadiums exist in the Midlands – Cllr Stokes was able to deliver an encouraging update. He stated that due to the volume of material and the clear discrepancies between the submissions of the developers and ourselves, the Council will appoint an independent party to fully scrutinise both and seek expert advice in order to provide an informed conclusion to the Planning Officer. We welcome this news, and having subsequently heard our assessment of the Turley (viability) and Framptons (needs assessment) documents, we are sure all those present at the meeting will share that opinion. Cllr Stokes also confirmed the Planning Application will not be heard until after the Local Plan is finalised. Mr Pawsey grew up in Binley Woods so has a full affinity with the area and the stadium itself, and he has always offered ongoing support to the Campaign. He spoke as passionately as ever on the issues and his continued engagement, both locally and in Westminster, is of huge value to us. The meeting presentation took the form of a descriptive slideshow which first briefly summarised events leading up to the previous Public Meeting in October 2016. We then updated the events of the last year, including the further inadequacies of security at the stadium prior to the settlement of the Council’s Community Protection Order, the submission of planning documents and public reaction, the Local Plan hearings, media coverage, and other events/meetings attended. There was then a discussion of the Local Plan process, why we sought to strengthen it in terms of protecting facilities such as Brandon, and what the Government-appointed inspector said following the hearings. We then provided a selection of material produced either by or on behalf of the developers seeking to prove the stadium was disused and unviable with no interest forthcoming for re-opening – and then their subsequent, recent submissions stating there was no ongoing need for Brandon due to an apparent range of ‘alternative’ venues elsewhere in the Midlands. Whereas much of the developers’ information was based on misinformation and untruths, we were able to provide clear, indisputable evidence to disprove their claims. We also discussed the ongoing Brandon & Bretford Neighbourhood Plan, and following a brief Q&A session we ended with the following conclusions and recommendations: This meeting: 1. Endorses the ongoing activities of the Save Coventry & Stox Campaign Group including its representations on the Rugby Local Plan, Brandon Estates’ planning application for residential redevelopment on the site of Brandon Stadium, and the Brandon & Bretford Neighbourhood Plan; 2. Calls on Rugby Borough Council to a) reject Brandon Estates’ Planning Application and b) support reinstatement of Brandon Stadium for Speedway and Stock Car Racing at the earliest opportunity. 3. Confirms that the Coventry/Brandon Bees should race in the Rugby/Coventry area and that the relocation of the team to Leicester Speedway is not a realistic solution. But the most important part of the evening was the reaction and turnout from the sporting and local communities. To fill a room with over 300 people on a midweek evening was further proof of just what this issue means to everyone, even though there has been no racing for over two years – something the developers will never understand. Campaign Group Spokesman Jeff Davies said: “From our perspective, the meeting could not have gone better. The media coverage with local radio stations and BBC Midlands Today present throughout was brilliant and the messages of support, both directly and via a massive social media response is incredible. “People who attended the meeting are now better informed about the situation, understand what the issues are and why the process is taking so long. “We have put an immense amount of time and effort into this fight and to see so many passionate people supporting the campaign makes all that effort worthwhile. “Speaking on behalf of all the members of the Campaign Group, I promise speedway fans, stock car fans and local residents, we will fight this to the very end and will not give up. “Despite being up against wealthy developers, with their PR people, their solicitors and their consultants, it's a battle we've always believed we can win and eventually bring the sports 'home' for future generations to enjoy.” *WE have had various requests to make the slides from the presentation available to view online. We have respectfully decided that would not be appropriate, due to the fact that taken in isolation they could cause confusion – we ran the meeting with the slides complementing the narration, and they by no means provide a full record of what was said. However, we are more than willing to engage with anyone who contacts the Campaign Group, and are happy to take them through any of the issues discussed in as much detail as they wish.