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Islander15

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Everything posted by Islander15

  1. Islander15

    French league 2021 fixtures

    In terms of speedway, does that really matter though? It’s clear that no French fans would travel to IOW and from an IOW perspective it didn’t matter if their meeting in France has fans or not. It would only be the riders and management travelling to France and they’re likely to need vaccines or negative swabs anyway, the same as anyone else travelling for business or leisure this summer.
  2. Islander15

    French league 2021 fixtures

    Barry Bishop confirms that the Isle of Wight have staged preliminary talks with the French League!
  3. Islander15

    Leicester Lion Cubs 2021

    I think it’s actually a very strong team. You honestly have to bear in mind how weak the league is this year! Lots of teams have 3 or 4 3pt riders but the Cubs only have 2 and they’re both at reserve. The second strings should beat all the other 3pt riders and hold their own in general at home, especially Halder who must’ve done hundreds of laps around Beaumont Park by now. Then there’s a proper heat leader trio. Lawlor looks as good as most in the league, maybe not upto a Clegg or Greaves standard, but he will regularly win races home and away. Then the Thompson twins are riders who should definitely put good points on their average. I imagine they’ll ride like genuine heat leaders at home and do pretty well away. Also remember they’re two of the few riders who can argue that they had a near normal season last year, so that should put them ahead in terms of development. If the play-offs existed, I’d have this team in my top 4.
  4. Islander15

    Eastbourne 2021

    Title favourites already!
  5. Islander15

    IOW 2020

    People keep mentioning what other teams would’ve come to the tapes with a higher points limit. But it’s been documented elsewhere that Mildenhall, Kent, Belle Vue, Plymouth (if they remained) and Eastbourne were all were happy with the usual points limit. I am not aware of Armadale or Newcastle’s opinion but they were both in the division for 2020. Only Leicester and Berwick definitely wanted it lowered who are actually racing. All the other teams who wanted it peered aren’t even NL clubs!
  6. Islander15

    Scunthorpe Scorpions 2020

    I don’t know who to suggest to sign but surely Rob can’t track that team! It’s hopeless. It’s miles below the limit and will struggle at home and get thrashed away. There’s no number 1 and barely a heat leader compared to some of the top heavy sides. The suggestion of Kennedy, McDonald etc disrupts the balance of the team too as one of the plus points was Lambert at reserve. But then he’s stuck at second string along with Pijper, who I personally think is a woeful signing anyway and will average around 4-4.5 even when he drops to number 7. Rob’s tried strength in depth before with Auty at number 1 and it just doesn’t work. The Scunny faithful respect that they have an entertaining track but they still want to see their team win and when they aren’t doing that regularly they vote with their feet.
  7. Islander15

    IOW 2020

    Hi all, Take your time reading this as it’s a long one and please read the article too. I feel we must respond to the article below in this week’s Speedway Star, not to cause confrontation but it is very clear that the BSPL and National League Co-ordinator still do not understand why Martin and I took the decision to leave the NL and BSPL. So here goes. It is correct to state that we do not agree with the 35 point limit, but more importantly we do not agree with how this limit was imposed on the league without discussion or agreement of the NL members at an AGM or any other meeting. It is also true to say that during the 2019 NL AGM, the Chairman of the BSPL in heated discussion about the then attempt to reduce the points limit from 39 to 37, told NL clubs “well it’s coming, the NL will revert to like the Conference League”…. And that was it, it was a statement of change, not a method to change and how that method would be achieved. It is not true to say that we were made aware of what was happening before 2021. At the 2019 NL AGM, yes, we were told, as detailed in the NL AGM minutes that the Chairman reiterated that the league will be tailored more to a development league but being a development league does not mean you must reduce the point limit. Even with a year of no racing, so time to discuss plans, theorise how to implement any such changes that were in place, the next time there was any communication on how the NL will be run was in February 2021 when we received an email with the following statement in “The Board of Directors have discussed, at length, the NDL and agreed the following changes to the current regulations …… regulations listed” and finished with “if you wish to participate in the NDL with these regulations please respond so that you can participate in a zoom call to discuss who will be taking part and NL fixtures…” There was no option to ask questions, which we obviously wanted to do, just a simple statement of are you in or out. None the less, we did ask some questions. We asked if the practice of the Board of Directors deciding the rules will continue at the end of this season. Response – could not confirm this but would look to league members to have an input going forward. We asked if Mr. Len Silver attended any meetings in which this was discussed – no answer. We asked if we had additional restrictions on the IOW like fewer ferry crossings and could not fulfil our fixtures that we would not be fined –Response - that could not be guaranteed. So, you see while we do not believe in the 35 point limit, equally we were not allowed to discuss it, buy in to it, share our opinion as to why it could have a terrible effect on our business, offer advice as a club that runs NL speedway how we think it should be. If we had, and still did not agree with 35 points, we probably would be still in the BSPL with our license on hold looking forward. Furthermore, the 35 points limit is a perceived short-term fix and yet it has clearly increased the number of mid average riders being pushed out of the league just when they need to push on with more competitive racing to step up to CL standard and when all the teams are announced, how many new riders are introduced this year who were not already named in 2020 line-ups? The article states “the points limit was the will of every PL/CL promoter to implement these changes” – will the Chairman prove that? And if it is the case - doesn’t this mean clubs who’s second team are NL should not be included due to conflict of interest? Will he also prove that the NL representative Mr Len Silver attended, or was invited to attend these meetings during which the NL was discussed, as per the reason for creating that position, and if he was why wasn’t these messages passed on to NL members. Let us now analyse why were we told in 2019 about the desire to change but heard nothing about the method of change until just before we had to agree to it to be involved. As we said earlier during the 2019 NL AGM, it was said that there was a requirement to bring the league to be more like the Conference League. However, at the time the reasoning for change had nothing to do with rider development and everything to do with wage costs for those riders exiting the NL and going up to the CL. Why? In the National League a rider can earn X but, in the Championship, unless that rider has a guarantee he may well earn less. Meaning NL riders looking to progress to the higher leagues (and leave the NL with no double-up) ideally need a guaranteed amount to be able to do so. This “guarantee” is not out of greed but so as to not affect their income as they turn professional and stepping away from semi-professional/amateur. The problem with this is we were told CL clubs feel this level of pay is too high for them to commit to provide a comparable income. So, in short the plan was to take semi-professional riders, make their status professional to earn less. Our view is that any points limit change has in reality nothing to do with producing riders at all because the NL has done (and will continue to do) a great job in this regard plus natural talent will make it regardless of a NL or not. So if we now look to the view of costs, the only way to reduce cost is to have more supply than demand (more riders than jobs) and you achieve this by encouraging new clubs and teams to join with a structure of development – Speedway School, MDL, NL, CL, PL plus of course the Youth Series and amateur tracks. What you don’t do is cut off the very supply of your next riders. Let’s also touch on Kent and Plymouth applying to go up in the Championship because of the NL changes. As far as we know, this is not true. Neither club would have known the changes to be implemented as they were only decided and communicated in February. Kent have stated for some years, depending on planning, it had been their wish to go up and Plymouth applied in 2020 only to be denied, before any changes were imposed or decided, before a successful application this year following Somersets exit. Then there is the comment that PL/CL clubs subsidise the NL. This has been a bone of contention at every AGM we have attended and at every NL AGM, especially requested by Mr. Len Silver an explanation of this statement was requested and never supplied. They say the NL has reduced BSPL Fees – true, but standalone clubs are not full members only Associates Members and receive no TV money (so now the only club in the sport to receive no TV money is Mildenhall). They state we have reduced referee’s fees. That is true, but these are charged by the SCB not the BSPL and it is the referee’s contribution to grassroots league speedway. They will say our insurance is cheaper – again true, but only because the benefits are much less than in the other two leagues. So, please, if as the BSPL say they subsidise the NL – tell us how so that clubs can understand the valuable contribution it makes to the sport, because the answers we have been given at the AGMs we attended stated it was because: That’s why you don’t get TV money, It pays for your fee reduction, You get it cheaper because you are Associates and don’t have full membership rights… the list of “reasons” goes on. The new National League at 35 points will develop riders, for sure it will, but it will not develop any more than it always has. So why would Martin and I let decisions imposed upon us, that will not produce more riders moving into the Championship than previous years, risk our business, our product, our fans entertainment, and our credibility? There is no just reason, because the only benefit is the perceived view that CL will start to pay less for their reserves, which if doubling up to the National League is prevented, has a very low likelihood of being a successful strategy. Our view is, if the BSPL truly wanted to develop they would have invested a percentage of the TV money (and other revenue streams) into the grassroots and youth of the sport instead of spending on ever increasing wage bills. For example, if you look at the US and its new stimulus package, everyone who works in finance expects the result of this to be inflation solely because there is extra money in everyone’s pocket to spend. Now back to our sport, the BSPL announce they have a TV deal and what happens? Wage expectation goes up because clubs have cash to spend when the BSPL should investing in youth, stadia (invest in an asset and build the sport on it), promotion, advertising but our sport spends it on short term, “quick wins” and investment that has zero return for the organisation. They could also make commitments in higher leagues to have 3 riders for example under 21, or an experience restriction in the NL for example number of meetings at certain levels, or every UK club staging second halves, but restrict the travel to get there to encourage more local riders and for sure, bring back nomadic clubs in the MDL. The last thing to say on this report…. Where in the report is there any reference to you the fans, to your night out, to your club, to your investment both financially and emotionally? Do you feel like you have been taken into consideration with the new league? All the best and Tomorrow will be a better day Barry and Martin.
  8. Islander15

    French league 2021 fixtures

    Is Matias Tresarrieu related to the older Tresarrieus?
  9. Can they only ride to cover riders out with Covid? Also what does the Warsaw contract mean?
  10. Islander15

    IOW 2020

    Even if they were ‘told’. Why should the NL suddenly accept being told what the rules were when every other year they’ve had an AGM to discuss it and the higher leagues got that privilege this season too?
  11. Islander15

    Birmingham Brummies 2020

    Grobauer signs. It looks like a team of second strings plus Bomber so I hope they can at least find a proper second heat leader.
  12. Islander15

    Eastbourne 2021

    Good luck Chad. You should do excellent in a watered down league.
  13. Islander15

    Berwick Bullets 2021

    Exactly. £24 is a lot for speedway, let alone middle and bottom tiers. For a couple that’s nearly £50 just in entrance fees before food, petrol etc. The hard core fans won’t be bothered but it will make the take it or leave it fans think twice, or attend less regularly especially when Covid has hit lots of people’s finances.
  14. Islander15

    Berwick Bullets 2021

    It’s not my opinion, in fact I think it’s excellent value for money. But it’s been said before by fans of clubs that they’re being forced to pay extra for a meeting they have no interest in.
  15. Islander15

    Eastbourne 2021

    When 2 riders were on the same average previously then the rider who’s previous average was higher was declared higher in the team. However if both riders have an assessed average (like 2 3.00 men) then the club could choose which way round to put them initially. Unless this has changed for 2021.
  16. Islander15

    Berwick Bullets 2021

    This is true. Weekends do facilitate an earlier start time in terms of work but what about those people desperate to spend time with their families that they haven’t done for months. The bigger issue though is there will be a section of supporters who are unhappy to pay £3-£4 more for a double header entry when they have no intention to watch the NL meeting.
  17. Islander15

    Berwick Bullets 2021

    Will starting at 6:30pm harm your Bandits crowds though? That’s a relatively early start time.
  18. Islander15

    Newcastle "BTS" Gems 2021

    As long as it is genuine improvement and not just the 3.00 riders beating the other 3.00 riders that they beat in the NJL anyway.
  19. Islander15

    Newcastle "BTS" Gems 2021

    Clegg should go through the season pretty much unbeaten home and away! But there’s not even a third heat leader there, let alone a second heat leader. Howeber Embleton and Alcock will probably get dialled in at home pretty quickly to provide some useful back-up and hopefully RTD can too to pack in for the 3-3s behind the league’s numerous big hitters. With the league generally so weak otherwise, I actually think it’s a decent bottom 3. Dugard has been around long enough to hold his own at number 2 and beat the countless newbies. Whilst Freeman looks one of the better 3.00 riders, especially at home. So I think the Gems will do just fine. They might not win by much very often but it looks like a side that should have a useful home record as a minimum.
  20. Islander15

    Scunthorpe Scorpions 2020

    It would be harsh to drop him at this stage of the year. But he’s the most uninspiring signing, not likely to put much on his average, only in the team due to tragic circumstances and there’s no obvious replacement for Allen. The team didn’t look world beating in the first place and I hope whoever is signed at least makes them competitive at home.
  21. Islander15

    Berwick Bullets 2021

    The BSPL said that some Championship meetings will be streamed. So presumably it’s being set up at the stadium for Edinburgh, so may as well be used timely to prevent any risk of a fixture pileup.
  22. Islander15

    Armadale Devils 2020

    Their averages can’t fall as they’re already at the minimum. It depends if the reserve duo increase their averages.
  23. Islander15

    Berwick Bullets 2021

    Armadale have confirmed 2 meetings before May 17th. So no fans!
  24. Islander15

    Armadale Devils 2020

    Decent top 3 but an awfully weak bottom 4. I feel for which 2 of the newbies are stuck at number 2 & 4 unable to get a reserve race to score any points.
  25. Islander15

    Whats actually going on?

    Another statement from Barry Bishop here after the comments by Jason Pipe in this week’s Speedway Star. ‘Of course it is 100% our business to know why we didn’t take part of the NL in 2021 and leave the BSPL. We know why, that’s why we left. However, I have to say that if I was coordinating anything from a picnic to a trip to Mars and one of the most popular, level headed members of my team/association, who incidentally was a big award winner, including amongst my peers, decided to leave and leave the governing body, I would at the very least want to know exactly why that member had left. Why would I do this...... 1. To find out why they left for example - better pay, better organisation, interpersonal issues, bullying, corruption, job opportunities, lack of progress or personal development - you know this sort of thing. 2. To find out how I can improve my picnics or trips to Mars so that my other valuable members don’t follow suit and leave too. 3. For my own self development and the betterment of whatever I was organising. Where have I gone wrong or how can I improve. But no, back in the real world, not one Director of the BSPL or its “coordinator” gave a hoot if we left or not. You see, not one of them contacted us, spoke to us, emailed us, called us, texted us, watsap’d us, or sent a pigeon. Because they view it as “it was our business to know why we had left”......... NO ITS YOUR BUSINESS TOO..... a question in itself.... Then there is a final question, is the leadership of the National League and BSPL fit for purpose ? Fit to lead the sport out of its current position....? I also note that none of the 8 teams taking part said a word of the 35 point limit, yet unless I have enjoyed very vivid dreams with fellow promoters and people throughout the sport, we know (and NL fans know) this isn’t true - so why keep up the false pretence that this was agreed and not imposed with no other option. Take it or leave it.’
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