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I am far from convinced that fans do either. They suggest that points limits, tactical rides, rider replacement and guests cause people to walk away, ignoring the fact that all have been in existence in the sport for half a century. Cut the prices they say, ignoring the fact that when that has been done clubs have usually sustained heavy financial losses. Its too expensive. Belle Vue costs £18 and I see at least one world class rider (usually two) every week. Halifax Town costs £20, and they aren't even in the Football League. By that comparison, speedway is cheap. They criticise the play off system, disregarding the fact that it is a huge success in terms of revenue and that it is now common practice elsewhere. They compare speedway to other sports, ridiculing its rules, its practices, its procedures. Speedway is about as similar to football as an elephant is to a haddock and any comparison is just as valid. I am sure I have even read that speedway should be marketed as a sport for those aged 40 or over, a bit like crown green bowling. Total nonsense. Speedway is for all ages, and should be promoted that way. As to the ageing attendance, I think that's a myth. Barry Bishop told me that less than 15% of his crowds are of pensionable age. But the most telling fact is that while some claim to have all the answers, ask them to put their money where their mouth is and they are running for the hills. Quite willing to gamble others funds, they won't stake a single penny on their - occasionally hare brained - schemes, which shows just how confident they are about their success. While I deplore the utter contempt that most - but not all - members of the BSPA have for this forum, they can justifiably point to that in describing us as 'keyboard commandos'. All I know is that speedway has to start treating its paying customers as paying customers and not run the sport for the benefit of the riders, because that's how it is at the moment. Even with things as desperate as they are, clubs still find time to treat its fanbase like dirt. Sheffield's Damian Bates, faced with huge criticism over an underperforming team and a dreadful track, found time to slag off the clubs fans last season. Faced with similar criticism over an equally dreadful track, instead of listening Plymouth's Mark Phillips chose to ban those who were being critical. When you choose to treat the lifeblood of the sport that way, you get all you deserve.

Attended Ted Hubbard's Funeral yesterday. It was by far the biggest funeral I personally have ever attended with (a rough guess) over 200 people there many trapped outside listening on a speaker. Teds Cortege arrived with a chequered flag draped over his coffin which was then carried into the church to a clever and tasteful medley of march out themes from Canterbury Hackney and Rye House. Hackney/Rye/Canterbury and Crayford were well represented by Barry Thomas, Bobby McNeil, Laurie Etheridge, Hugh Saunders, Graham Miles, Karl Fiala and Barney Kennett. Also spotted was Reg Luckhurst, Steve Weatherley, Trevor Geer, Paul Woods and Graham and Paul Hurry. There were probably more I didn't see or didn't recognise. Ex Ref Graham Broadie was in attendance. It was a fitting and special send off for one of speedways nice guys.

They have to.. Newcastle are a classic example of all that is wrong.. Riding on a Sunday (a key day for leisure time) should be a 'shoe in' for such a unique an entertainment as Speedway. . Especially as that club has had some of the finest riders of all time representing them so have an incredible history.. Instead, as a Sunday track they must have had nightmares trying to ensure riders turn up, given Sunday has become such a key day for all three Pro leagues in Poland with so many UK contracted riders competing in them.. When Poland became the 'be all and end all' the UK should have just pulled up the drawer-bridge and gone alone... Instead it went done the path of 'fudge' and 'appeasement'. A subservient "We will work around you" became the mission statement.. Newcastle must have god knows how many difficult variables when trying to get a meeting on. Will their own No1 be available? Or will their opponents No1 be available? And if not, do they run? Or do they run with guests which makes the meeting somewhat contrived? Either way the fans (the life blood of the sport) and therefore the club, lose out.. Clubs should just be able to publicise a fixture list, and then market it, safe in the knowledge that all riders will be there, which then ensures a decent crowd can turn up safe in the knowledge they won't feel short changed. .. UK Speedway should set it's stall out and say "this is us", and build to whatever level it can. On days and nights fans want to (and can) attend.. And not bother about the wider Speedway world as they at the moment play on another level.. Four lads of similar ability per race, with a decent off track entertainment package, at a reasonable value for money admission fee, will tick a lot of boxes for a great many British Speedway fans, (both regulars and, more importantly maybe, non regulars). Promoters, who are business men and women in their own right, must know that surely? As lets be honest, it is very, very basic..

why are they still on prem page

The 24-year-old has been impressed with the professional set up at Ipswich and said he wants to remain with the club in 2020. “Compared to every other club I have dealt with during my time In England for a couple of years they are very professional. They want you to do well as much as you want to do well. There has never been a problem if I have asked for advice or help. It was a good for me to go to a new club and I am glad it was Ipswich. I have really enjoyed my time here and hopefully if all goes to plan, I will be here next year and for years after that.” Yes I know what people say and yes, this time of year riders do trot out the “I’d like to stay” line when pushed, but his comments from only a few weeks ago go above and beyond the standard line IMO. I’d be very very surprised if he goes elsewhere but let’s see, money does talk loudest after all.

Nah. Once you become a member of the Ipswich golf club then your place in the Speedway team is guaranteed

The problem as I see it is that fans & sponsors have lost the feeling that the 7 riders representing your club are yours. We have almost completely lost this connection. Most if not all of 2019 championship teams consisted of 7 riders that also represented another U.K. team. This is also a huge problem with credibility when trying to convince newcomers to support our sport. Equally wholesale team changes during the season do the sport great harm as do the huge changes season on season. Question: As a sponsor would I buy rider X (my local team favorite) a new bike, only for it to be used while riding for another team? NO.

Scott nicholls confirmed

If Newcastle go (and let's hope not), that's 13 gone in 19 years.. Thats 1 club going every 1.46 years... Surely someone who is involved in running the sport can see that what they currently have (and have used for far too long) as an operating model and business plan simply doesn't work..? How many will go before it gets sorted? Best of luck to the Diamonds... NB Did all these 13 clubs get £5,000 fines for closing?

Doubling up matters to me but I respect your opinion.

But fixed race nights are way up it! Doubling up removes much of the sport's credibility, you see a three quarters empty and decaying stadium on TV and Pearson busily telling everyone how many teams each rider will be riding for this week, It's just Mickey Mouse stuff.

Fixed race nights. To ensure that riders can double up, leagues have to ride on different nights and that has meant that some have had to change the traditional one for racing. It genuinely does surprise just how much that affects attendances, but Rye House closed down as a result, Sheffield went up for sale and Poole dropped out of a league that have graced for decades.

Well done Kent. Look after him -- he has served most teams well and been a great Captain. Leicester's loss but Kent's gain -- wishing you well Scott and hope you have a great season.

The cynic in me suggests Plymouth were turned down to ensure the NL has enough teams in it to be viable?

Agree to an extent, he WAS disappointing if truth be told but on the other hand, we know he’s a quality rider and what he’s capable of. Maybe a full season and starting from the beginning we’d see the rider we all know? He also has an attractive average for a rider of his pedigree that he’d surely increase. We simply can’t go in to next season with Klindt and King as our heatleader duo, that has disaster written all over it. We’re gonna need another top end rider from somewhere and I personally think we’d be mad to turn Iversen down on an average over just over 7.

Poole fans should defo put scunthorpe and Redcar on the list of tracks to visit.

Do the promotions really listen ? I remember about 7 years ago when Adam started riding in the UK one of these “how do we gauge public opinion” threads came up on here and I suggested a simple questionaire slipped into a program and a suggestion box near the exit. Most if not all people who buy a program have a pen (or can borrow one). A few questions filled in with their contact details at the end isn’t the hardest thing in the world. 1, you know really what the punters think and can maybe act on some of the suggestions 2, with their contact details you straight away have a database where you can contact people with offers etc. its really not that hard eh ?

Just have to correct the statement slightly We knew there were a host of teams looking to sign him, so we had to act fast offer a shed load of money to get him on board.

There you go people a thread just for you.Whinge away and leave the other threads to people who still like and enjoy talking about the sport.You have helped drive a good few away from this forum so let us please keep the ones we have left. Thanks in advance I live in hope (well at least until the first reply).

Why not have all four Lambert Cook Iversen and Riss

Would like to see Robert Lambert 7.81 Craig Cook 7.78 Niels k Iversen 7.54 Erik Riss 6.61 Ryan Douglas 4.66 Broc Nichol 4.00 Jonas Jeppersen 4.00 42.40 More like to be Robert Lambert 7.81 Erik Riss 6.61 Mpt 6.30 Chris Harris 6.16 TJ 5.90 Lewis Kerr 5.57 Kasper Andersen 4.00 42.35

Loads of reasons ahead of doubling up why speedway is where it is ie poor racing, poor stadia, too expensive etc. I don’t believe doubling up really matters to many people and certainly doesn’t have anything to do with attracting new customers. I accept that fixed race night has had a negative affect on a few tracks but IMO they are essential if people want to avoid fixture clashes both in the UK and abroad. You simply can’t have riders needing to be in two places on the same night like we’ve had before.

Not bothered at all. I quite like seeing what Swindon’s riders can do in other leagues. Can’t see the slightest problem as long as the turn up for Swindon and do their best. Fixed race nights removed any clashes.

So far as I am aware the Newcastle promotion have a similar reputation, yet still struggle to attract riders. The point is that, whether it's Poole and/or Glasgow or not, there is a disparity between what some clubs can afford. Not the fault of those clubs, they live within their means. My point is that their isn't sufficient clubs left to sustain the three tier structure so the Championship needs to be a sustainable standard for the majority, which inevitably means less professional and featuring less expensive 'international' standard riders. But whilst clubs with larger budgets remain in the Championship the rest will try to be competitive on the basis that if they're not the crowd levels fall. Either way is unsustainable in the long term unless you can reduce costs. You could argue that if speedway in Newcastle is unsustainable (due to a Sunday race night and/or high stadium rental etc) then they should drop down to the National League but that's the problem. Even if Belle Vue and Cradley continue it's a maximum six team league which just isn't viable and not great news for the development of young British riders who struggle to make Championship level pay (Thomas, Wood etc). With only 22 tracks in operation, now would have been the opportunity to have restructured to two tiers, widening the gap between both and getting rid of doubling up for all bar British development riders. Workington's demise last season should have been the tipping point. How many more will fall before it's inevitable?

Pleased to see the humour bypass operation was a success.