The White Knight

A sense of surprise, the possibility of something different. Even if this hypothetical Rider embarasses himself - at least he has had the opportunity. If Jack Young could do it - maybe somebody else could too - given the chance. It COULD be possible, even today, given a level playing field. It won't happen though - the System is rigged so that the so called 'Superstars' get into the Grand Prix EVERY year. If that isn't rigging - then I'm not sure what is. I know I am/will be regarded as a bit of a Dinosaur - but whatever happened to honesty, integrity and straightforward good sportsmanship. I don't see much evidence of that in the Grand Prix selection System. Ooops!! - should I have said Qualifying System??? - I DON'T THINK SO!!!.

I can only mention Jerzy Scezakiel (spelling) 1973 - was a no hoper who was allowed to chase his dream in the World Championship. He took his chance and won it after no less a Rider than Ivan Mauger fell. THAT is a great example of the unpredictability of our Sport. Jack Young won the Title as a SECOND Division Rider. He would not be able to do that today. Why??? Because of the System. Why should Riders be SELECTED or given Wild Cards.?? I doubt very much whether a Premier League Rider could win the Championship these days - why??? Because of the System. The Speedway GPs are rigged - they always will be rigged as long as Riders are selected and do not earn their place. It is not enough to say that because they finished in the top eight THIS year that they should be invited back the next by right - that is wrong. Half the thrill in the old days was to see the odd 'Star' fall. Not much chance of that these days - it's just not allowed to happen - how can that be right?? The reason the 'Stars' are 'put through' is because of that magic word MONEY. BSI are only in the GP Series to make MONEY - nothing wrong with that - but - it is not in THEIR interests to have a Star Name tumble out in the early Qualifying Rounds. So currently the System AWARDS places to quite a lot of Riders. Those places should be EARNED not AWARDED. Because of the Awarded positions - and I include Wild Cards in this - the System lessens the chances of a 'bread and butter' Rider getting through - it can happen in rare cases but the chances are considerably reduced. All I ask for is a fair and even playing field for ALL. How can anybody argue with that???

Yes - but you are not a Formula One Driver. In my Post - I DID Stress Riders. I implied Speedway Riders as this IS a Speedway Forum after all. Ooops - I DID say Speedway Riders. We meet again Philip. Greetings - I hope I can say - my friend

Grand??? Prix Speedway!! The WINNER is World Champion - what a JOKE!! MOST Speedway Riders never get a chance to ride in it. Ohh!!! I forgot - unless you are SELECTED of course. How can you call yourself World Champion with MOST Speedway Riders excluded from the Competition. Seems plain bloody DAFT to me. Just my opinion.

Perhaps we Scots should ban BURGERS!!!

GREAT to see you on this Forum Rod. Ian Muir Martin

I couldn't agree more BOBBATH.

It looks as if the Christmas goodies are getting to you. Not me!! It gives us something to read during this freezing cold Winter. It's all speculation of course - who needs facts??? I love a good novel.....................................

I try NEVER to attack the Poster - and - I couldn't care less about your daughter's education PRIVATE or otherwise - BUT - YOU SIR - ARE A SNOB!!! I too was privately educated (and come from the North - and am proud of the fact) - but - until today I did not feel the need to register the fact on a Speedway Forum. Dorset MAY be a beautiful place to live - but - it needs to teach some of it's citizens about how to be a GENTLEMAN.

Hi Bobbath Ray Day is still very much with us - I spoke to him only a couple of months or so ago. I was hoping that he would be able to attend our Sunderland Reunion this year - sadly he couldn't. He was, though in reasonable health and very cheerful. He did attend one of our Reunions about four or five years ago. He rode for Sunderland 'Saints' back in 1964 for a short spell. He is a smashing chap, and is still interested in his Speedway. If you look at the following Link - there is a Photograph of him in Sunderland's colours: http://www.sunderlandspeedway.co.uk/html/1964_gallery_.html I hope this helps Ian

Another super read. I particularly liked the pieces on Colin Tucker and John Hack. Looking forward to Issue 42 - can't wait!!!

You could be right EW - it could have been others exerting pressure on CVS and Mr. Ford - on the other hand - it COULD have been CVS and Mr. Ford putting pressure on the others. It may have been neither of these scenarios. I was just trying to make the point that Democracy has to be a free Vote. As I said in my earlier Post if any pressure was applied to anybody - then that is wrong. As you rightly say the pressure thing has been a reoccurring theme on this Thread - so - I thought I would just add my take on Democracy. Hope that helps.

Sorry Steve - you are wrong on this one. IF undue pressure was put on other Promotions to Vote a certain way - then that is wrong. That would mean that the ONLY way to protest would be to walk out. I am not suggesting that this is what happened - I don't know, neither does anybody else except the Promoters, we weren't there - but if it had I might have walked out too and so I suspect would a lot of other people. Even in a democratic Vote there needs to be fairness and equality. Bully boy tactics can be employed by both sides in this sort of situation - so your statement COULD apply the other way round. The bully boys COULD be the BSPA. The real point here is - WE DON'T KNOW.

Well I, for one, am glad that Coventry are back - if this is confimed. I only hope that Peterborough can return too. If not - I will miss my trips to the EoES. As I have said many times - we need MORE Speedway Teams and Tracks - NOT less.

****sigh**** NO Starman - it is NOT the Play Offs - I said a different Competition A LEAGUE CUP (containing the Teams that would have been in the Play Offs had there been any). My idea was to stop all of this hostility by having TWO Competitions. The League Championship (Won by the Team collecting most Points over a Season) and The League Cup which would be competed for by the top six or eight Clubs. Two Trophies = a possibility of TWO seperate Winners. Now, at present, there can only be one Winner - and - that is what is causing all the trouble here - as far as I can see. I am only trying to get a positive argument aceross to stop people feeling robbed of their rightful place as League Champions. I am offering a way that the top Teams can play each other for a Trophy SEPERATE to the League Championship. This way it would stop CVS, Mr. Ford, Mr. Sandhu and Mr. Trump or anyone else for that matter cribbing because they lost the Play Offs. I give up.

Get over myself!!! I think you need to take a look at the Posts of some of your compatriot Supporters on here. I have never read so much vicious bile in all my life. Mostly, it must be said, from Poole Supporters. Obviously, to me anyway, all this bitterness towards Coventry must come from somewhere. I can only assume that most of the Poole Supporters are very bitter about losing the Play Offs - I know I would be. Granted Coventry were the better Team over the two leg Final - BUT - League Champions - I don't think so. My way would solve that problem - can YOU think of anything better??? Remember Speedway is a great Family Sport - we, it's Supporters should be all pulling in the same direction to end all of this friction. This rubbish isn't why I go to Speedway - I go for the love of it, the excitement and most of all the companionship of ALL Supporters no matter who they may support.

If you read my Post properly - you would see that I suggested a Competition made up of those who had qualified for the Play Offs - in simple language, so you can understand: the Teams who are under the current Play Off System would play in a seperate Competition. It COULD be called the League Cup. The Trophy (Cup) would be competed for by the Teams over the SAME NUMBER OF MATCHES as the Play Offs. Had it been in operation THIS Season - Poole would be League Champions and Coventry would be League Cup Winners. Now I have tried to explain things as simply as I can to you - as I see them. NOT "mad" just an alternative viewpoint to yours. I could call you a lot of names too Starman2006 - but what would that achieve??? Even MORE hostility on here. I think there is enough of that already - dont you???

There seems to be a lot of bitterness on here from Poole Supporters - I wonder why??? Play Off Final perhaps - I think that this all (over a number of Threads) backs up my argument that the Play Offs are UNFAIR. Poole were properly the League Champions this year - Coventry were Play Off Champions. All that has happened this year is that a mid - table Team (Coventry) beat the best Team in the League by a country mile (Poole) in the Play Off Final. What is the result of all this??? Trouble at the AGM some Promoters wielding daggers, others doing a runner. I maintain that without the bloody Play Off System all this CRAP could have been avoided. The BSPA are at fault - THEY sold their souls to SKY and brought in the Play Offs. Before anyone says that everyone knew the Rules before the Season started - this is true - BUT - Speedway is certainly paying the price of those Rules now. Supporters will also say that the Play Offs are exciting and well attended, ALL true - but surely a Competition run for the same Teams as those who qualify currently for the Play Offs would attract just as many Supporters AND be just as exciting. Obviously the big advantage of this would be that Promoters who had won the League FAIR AND SQUARE would know that they were League Champions as a RIGHT - therefore no need for all the backbiting, backstabbing and hostility that seems so prevalent at present. The Supporters too would not feel so robbed of their rightful delight in winning the League. To sum up - I think that the unfair Play Off System is to blame for most, if not all, of the strife in the Sport at the moment. PLEASE BSPA drop the Play Offs and let's get back to some sanity. I have put a lot of thought in to this - and - I am sure it is the right way to go.

9 Pages!!!!!

I just wish this situation could be settled amicably. It has done the cause of Speedway a great deal of damage. We say we want greater exposure for our Sport in the media - I don't know why when things like this go on. I think that the lack of media interest is a bit of a positive at the moment. Not only are we lumbered with quite a few stupid Rules - we have self interested Promoters (on BOTH sides) trying to prove themselves right and Speedway is the main thing that suffers. For those with the best interests of the Sport at heart - let's just hope that a workable agreement can be sorted out and that Coventry can ride in the Elite League. Might it also not be a good idea, in the interests of harmony, to allow Peterborough into the Premier League. If it can be done at this late stage - then - it SHOULD be done. The door to the Premier League was slammed on them far too quickly, and, it seems to outside observers like me, with nothing other than vindictive intent. Revenge is never a good thing.

Not a lot of point to this Steve - there is no Vote for the neutral like me. To say those who are neutral "don't Vote' means quite a few folk are disenfranchised. You never know - they may even be the majority - BUT - we will never know - will we??

NOPE!!!

At the end of the day he was a Quitter - pure and simple. Let's move on............................

So you don't approve of him Dirt.

That's GREAT news Rob - Thank you for the info.