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Honestly IMHO Dick has spelled it out quite succinctly and he is only stating what everyone is aware of, Workington went through this a few years back and the supporters club morphed into the Friends of Workington Speedway and then in to the Workington Speedway Supporters Trust and those bodies injected 20 thousand pounds into Workington Speedway over two seasons becoming the clubs biggest individual sponsor paying for things like medical cover ambulances and other sundry items that go into running a Speedway team and it still didn't save the club. As much as Dick can be a "dick" and isn't everyone's cup of tea he has hit the nail right on the head here and the new Supporters Club needs to support the club; its always nice to run subsidised coaches and give the riders lump sums but the priority has to be keeping the club afloat first and foremost otherwise you can raise as much money as you like but if there is no club to support what do you do then. You still go to the GP but pay for it yourself anyway! Watch TV Speedway and go to the odd meeting up and down the road rather than have a local club to support. Very short sighted in my view All revenue streams need to be coming back to the club to keep the thing viable and you don't need to hand over the cash because lets face it what the issue is here; is that certain folk can think that when they are handing over cash that the promoters just put it straight into their pockets and subsidise their "Playboy Lifestyles" which is not the case. (Courtney's Playboys lol, Sorry Scott) All clubs are operating on a shoe string and the difference to making a small profit or a small loss can be the lifeline that keeps the promotion operating rather than folding another club due to large debts and unsustainable losses. If the Supporters Club worry about where the cash is going commit to paying for something all season, Medical Cover doesn't come cheap pay this direct, the Referee needs to be paid for, meeting fuel and tyres possibly, security or stadium rent, whatever it is; it helps and takes pressure off the promotion. Also it needs to be stated transparency is the key and if you tell people where the funds are being spent and how they are benefiting the club most (not all unfortunately) come on board and understand why this course of action is being followed. Keep an accurate ledger and follow good governance. Keep the faith Bandit Fans and get behind your promotion to ensure you have a Speedway team in the town to support because in this day and age it will be very difficult to resurrect a club once it has gone Good luck with the new Supporters Club Regards THJ

Sam Hurst, only rode NL for Newport and Weymouth (well a bit of PL for Newport but out of his depth). Reasonable amount of talent and a good set of balls but lacked the dedication to make it any further.

Totally Agree. People need to be positive, although I know its hard. The period on ice will give the club time to sort its debts out, and regroup and see where they are regarding running again. The way things worked out, and the fact that no one expected the club's season to last until the end of October, meant they had precious little time to assess their situation, before the AGM came along and they had to start talking about 2019 !!! Plus, although I know its unlikely, it gives a whole year almost for them to find new sponsors or for one to come along of his own volition. I think the period on ice will be an opportunity for them to run more special social events this year, all hopefully laid on to raise cash for the clubs future, and not least to ensure fans stay interested ! WATCH THIS SPACE !!

Well said Norman

Scott Courtney praised the Supporters Club for having a bit of class last season. End of the season we handed over £1000 to the STARS project and in Scott's words bridges were being built. There has been a few digs lately in blogs on the Dirt Page regarding the existing supporters club, all I will; say is that if your going to put something on a website that is read by fans and supporters at least get your facts right.

There is one simple fact at Workington Speedway and a lot of other clubs. Not enough fans attending meetings to cover the costs. Sponsorship can only cover so much so for years Laura and other promoters have subsidised our speedway so we can still watch the sport we love. This is unsustainable going forward and Workington will not be the last club to close this year. I'm very surprised there were not more clubs closed during the winter. You only have to look to the premiership one man owns three clubs how can that be right ? The sport is sliding away to nothing and very fast. The riders spend a fortune on equipment and obviously ask for signung money and points money to achieve this but there is not enough money in the sport no more.

That the green isn't always greener on the other side?

Honestly!

Think many of the riders with a bit of experience will up their averages nicely like Mountain, Bacon, Bailey, Perks & Wood. Newman is more than capable but might be forced to ride a bit out of position in a poor side. My bigger issue is with the non improvers filling a place for yet another year, Kurtz, Covatti, Harris, Bates etc either riders on the way down lining pockets or going no further but still blocking up places for riders who might.

Reverse that order ol mate,Ipswich starting to take shape ........

Traditionally tracks in this country staged a full season of meetings. My team Wimbledon ran 38 in 1980!. It works for Len Silver at Kent, less isn't always more.

Not sure where Bickley is going to get a ride now Workington have closed and struggled for much of 2018. Best of the NL guys coming up and most likely to progress imho are Kemp and Brennan and Flint. I am fearful some NL to CL are sacrificial lambs to just fill a slot. Looking at those with some CL experience Shanes ; Mountain and Bowtell should improve average considerably.

I hope the new 2 pointers grab their chance and make great strides led by Kemp Bickley and Flint

With the 4 point decrease in overall points limit, shouldn't riders averages improve naturally? Because primarily of a lower standard most seasons?

Of course, you are assuming they can read!

Arguing with yourself now Geoff!!

Nah I'm sorry. I don't buy the whole "use it or lose it" speedway is way beyond point now. The diehards don't cut it anymore. Promoters need to work on the sport and make it worth the admission and the only way they're going to do that is working on the overall presentation and quality. If it's not there, the sport will die regardless. The sport is absolutely on its arse and scaremongering has never saved a club and it never will.

Been on this forum a long time over 5 years..............took plenty of abuse , flack call it what you like But ive never felt the need to either delete my account and start again or change my name which makes people look a bit sad, needy and a tad pathetic Never had more than the one account.....if people dont like me or what i post then it doesnt affect me that i feel the need to be someone else. To be fair even people like Starman and Shovlar with the amount of stuff they get thrown at them have only ever had the 1 account

Tony Jackson represented the Comets at the AGM in Chepstow.

I just don't understand why today's meetings take so long. My Dad used to take me to Hackney every Friday, on the proviso that we didn't stay for the 2nd half. The meeting would start at 8pm sharp, 13 heats, and my Dad would be back in his local by 9.30. Nowadays you would be lucky to get to the last bell!

I think the low points limits also have a lot to do with rider loyalty (or lack of). The very nature of it dictates riders moving clubs year after year. It also means riders can do themselves a favour by dropping the odd point her and there. Plus you get clubs making changes to strengthen as the averages allow. I appreciate that some clubs also need a low limit in order to be competitive, so it is something of a Catch 22 situation, but I don't think it does the sport many favours.

Interesting the BSPA web site lists Eastbourne and Birmingham as being in the Championship on the same day as Workington pull out. What would a conspiracy theorist make of that? My view? Someone realised how threadbare both the top two tiers would look and 'arranged' for everything to drop into place so the two new clubs could be listed. Your guess will be as good as mine as the workings of the BSPA remain much of a mystery to the likes of you and me.

Better if I don't reply , I get some fun out of it when people create an argument about themselves, then wonder why one does not reply . You couldn't make it up could you.

That’s the attitude that closes clubs down your called a supporter to support the club through good and bad times how many worky fans are now thinking wish I had supported my team now they don’t have a one

This is interesting and perhaps we are slightly different to other clubs but our demographic definitely is not over 60s, its kids to 50s mainly (or perhaps I am blinkered as I get older of age ) We do have senior fans for sure, but as to them being the majority our gate tickets tell us otherwise, as does the fan base, and while we are not talking thousands through the gate, well not yet of course, our fan base is definitely less than 50. This has been our objective since the start. To start from the ground up, attracting a new demographic while engaging and supporting those who have been for year. I cannot say that we have cracked it for sure, but in general I think we are working well with both groups of fans. Our parties are always full of families, which is really where I want it to be. Our season ticket sales goes across the spectrum of course but we do have youth pricing for season tickets and we have sold them. I walk our stadium every meeting and engage with the fans and not one traditional speedway fan has said they didn't like the new things we were putting in to attract fans... I feel that they actually enjoy the fun filled show we try to put on more than just 15 heats of quality racing... For us, making speedway an event is our target and to make each week better than the previous one is a business objective along with have a business that is sustainable and can fund itself. That's our view on it and it is a challenge to think of great ideas, have them copied and have to think of new ones to keep being innovative but thats the plan moving forward... continue to improve the stadium, continue to engage, continue to promote, continue to build a rider base, continue with the show and continue to innovate... all to the best we can and all within a budget. .......... see you trackside.