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foamfence

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Posts posted by foamfence


  1. It just seems as if we're existing to serve Poland and Sweden, there are very few Southern Hemisphere riders going straight into their leagues without first using this place as a stepping stone. Who pays their air fares if they come here and later in the season join a continental club? Obviously a club shouldn't have to guarantee places to riders who it doesn't think are worthy of them but at the same time it's madness to deny British riders racing at some level, do the Poles do that with their lower order riders? 

    • Like 4

  2. 13 minutes ago, martin297 said:

    Some parts of the stadium have been condemned, there is no track, pits or safety fence and there are new houses quite near but yes, if some idiot with enough dosh and the wherewithal to jump through the necessary hoops should come along, it could be 'good news' Don't hold your breath though.

    • Like 4

  3. 11 minutes ago, racers and royals said:

    Just imagine if BT got the Extraleague how they could advertise it against the Eurosport Premiership coverage- Watch top Brit Tai Woffinden and the other 14  GP riders battle it out in the best league in the world.( or watch Eurosport Premiership with 1 GP rider) ;)

    Tai isn't in every meeting, personally I'm not that interested if there are no Brits.


  4. 1 hour ago, Falcon1983 said:

    1 Wolves

    2 Ipswich

    3 Swindon

    4 Kings Lynn

    ______________

    5 Sheffield

    6 Belle Vue

    7 Peterborough 

    Swindon to win the play off final vs Wolves 

    I think your top two will be the bottom two but it all depends on what changes are made as the season goes on.


  5. 1 minute ago, Richard Weston said:

    Thanks for the reply, I hope we have an intelligent debate on this subject.

    Are we saying that, for some riders, you got to NDL level, but never got to CL standard,  so that's goodbye to semi-professional speedway?

    Personally, I am not sure on that but will love reading views.

    There are no guarantees what level any individual will reach, in nature it's called 'natural selection' where those who are good enough survive and those who aren't don't. Speedway doesn't owe anyone a living but it should give aspiring riders a chance. 

    • Like 2

  6. 16 minutes ago, Richard Weston said:

    At the moment, it seems that a number of 'established' NDL riders may not get a place in 2020.

    And, when it comes to 2021, the losses could be greater.

    It appears that the BSPA wants to rule out the perennial Div 3 riders from the NDL and make it once again a true training league. There would appear to be no place for 'established' NDL riders in future.

    My worry is that many NDL riders have found the step from NDL to CL too big in recent years. They have fallen by the wayside,

    If you accept that premise, it leaves a big question for the 'gap' between the CL and NDL in 2021.

    And

    You can also argue the CL is too close to the PL in terms of quality (just look at doubling up/down). Will action be taken on that?

    What's wrong with a proper Div 3 instead of the NDL?

     

     

     

    The clue is in the name, it's a development league and there is no shortage of young riders waiting to get into it, there have been too many long term career third tier riders blocking the way in recent years.

    • Like 3

  7. 16 minutes ago, Yampy said:

    Get the riders and a bike or two into schools, offer some free tickets out to the kids. It's not like the tracks have not to the space to fill. 

    I'm not sure of attendances nowadays up and down the country but surely if each promotion pick out 3 or 4 schools each week and gave them even 200 tickets between them to include a few adults to chaperone them, the increase in Programme sales, food sales and maybe a souvenier or 2 would help. If for every 50 tickets they give away, it peaks the interest of a kid who persuades a parent to bring them along in future, it has to be worth it.

    There has to be a "cub" or an asset, even a former rider who could be at the track and let the kids sit on a bike and help sell speedway..

     

    Bradford used to do that weekly and bus the kids in for the next meeting, it still died and most of them were more interested in making a nuisance of themselves after watching a couple of heats, they never came back.


  8. On 10/24/2019 at 6:05 PM, wealdstone said:

    Have sent for this film and awaiting arrival. My late mother always claimed there was a film about Speedway staring Jimmy  Handley    but I have never tracked it down.  

    If you mean Jimmy Hanley, the only film I know of where he rides motorcycles was The Black Rider but it wasn't Speedway.


  9. On 12/2/2019 at 7:22 PM, BOBBATH said:

    Enjoyed your post Norbold-where was Ron Johnson riding in 1960??wish I could have seen him although I guess he must have been a shadow of himself. I know Geoff Pymar kept going for a long time -was he in a Prov. League team when you saw him?? Think I may have only just missed seeing Cyril Brine and Wal Morton but not sure.

    I saw Johnson in a second half race at Odsal about 1960, it was terrible to see, he wasn't even sliding the bike. Pymar and Morton were both in the Bradford team in 62 at Greenfield stadium, I don't know how long they carried on after that but I seem to remember Geoff saying that he hadn't intended retiring but his mother had bought a caravan park and wanted him to manage it.    http://www.defunctspeedway.co.uk/Bradford Greenfield.htm


  10. 14 minutes ago, Sidney the robin said:

    Was the late great Peter Craven off a handicap in the race that led to his untimely death.? 

    No, it was a challenge match and he was at the tapes at the start, there was a suggestion that he let the others go but he wasn't handicapped.

    • Like 1

  11. 21 minutes ago, Dandelion said:

    Anyhow... Back to what this thread is all about... My predictions...

    1. Poole - Even though they're not complete, if they do finish with Adam Ellis as their other heatleader I think despite whoever else they sign the top 3, plus Stefan and Josh at reserve, will be more than enough to beat most teams at home and away, yes I know they're not the most popular of clubs, but you can't just forget about them. I am struggling though whether to put them of Leicester as favourites and maybe the final 2 signings for Poole will dictate that for me (Revisit in the future).

    2. Leicester - Despite having two 16 year olds at reserve who have zero experience of the CL whatsoever, the reports coming back from them are unreal!! Sounds like they're the next big things... At least at home they should cope, but if they can pick it up away Leicester look stand out favourites to me, but riders like Ty, Kyle and Nick CAN be a little inconsistent at times also... Hope the Thompson twins have a strong and successful first year at this level.

    3. Glasgow - Changes to be made at some point I'm sure, but the current Glasgow 1-7 look pretty good regardless. Second best rider in the league and probably the best reserve too. Not sure if the likes of Ricky AND Justin can both recapture their form of old, but if only one of them does, Glasgow could be a big force in the league once again. Hope Connor and Broc have a good year again.

    4. Eastbourne - Done great on keeping the main spine of the team together and I think they look pretty strong, solid 1-5 all the way through and decent young reserves, glad they resigned Tom Brennan in a team where it looks as if there'll be little pressure on him at number 2? Have a lot of respect for Eastbourne and I can't wait to see them in action next season.

    5. Redcar - *shudders* I am predicting them to scrape into the playoffs, with the best rider in the league and the second best heatleader trio they've got a VERY powerful top end... If Jordan and Kasper kick on as well the top 5 could win the meetings all by themselves... Look extremely weak at reserve though, they desperately need either Joe or Jordan to have their breakout years this year... Good luck smoggies :t:

    6. Birmingham - Solid team of racers, I really like the look of their team and all of them give 110% to the cause!! Would think the Brummies fans are much happier with this team compared to last year, I see them pushing for the playoffs but not guaranteed on making it, potentially down to the inconsistency of THJ (I hope I'm proved wrong, big fan of his) and the injury proneness of some of the other riders (Again, hope I'm wrong on this).

    7. Somerset - Their weakest looking team for a while!! Losing Nick Morris, Chris Harris and Nico Covatti was bad enough... But they've not exactly replaced them very well... Josh and Ben likely to not do a whole season (For one reason or another) and despite them being very entertaining, I really don't see Somerset as a very strong title contender at all, which is what a club that size should be aiming for every season. Think once Bradley's average has dropped 1/1.5 points changes will be made for sure and maybe that will push them higher up this list, but for now... They remain JUST outside the playoffs for me.

    8. Newcastle - I could have been bias and put them at number 1 ;) But realistically I know we don't have the strongest looking side so far and unless we manage to get Kenni in on a 4.00 assessed average we don't look to be too threatening either, but the team is still decent considering our uncertainty at the beginning of the season and how much later we had to start than everyone else. Btw best reserve PARTNERSHIP in the league... And I'm really looking forward to seeing James, Connor and Max improve next season and some of Mattys impressive inside passes on bend 4 :D

    9. Edinburgh - Despite the fact I think they will make pretty drastic changes at some point in the season and will look much strong because of this, the team Edinburgh have now I reckon will finish around about here. Of course very strong top end as usual for Edinburgh and James Sarjeant at reserve is impressive, but I'm not sure how the two new faces will do, especially considering one of them will be at number 4, would like to see them both kick on though, obviously.

    10. Scunthorpe - Pretty usual, boring looking Scunny side, but probably one of the strongest they've fielded since they won the little knockout trophy at the end of 2012 when the Diamonds were LEAGUE winners :) Simon Lambert is a great reserve and I'm sure Jordan Palin will increase his 2.00 average significantly... Josh Auty easily the weakest number 1 however and will only really do ok at home... Think Jake Allen will kick on though and the likes of Tommy and Danny will increase on their averages also... Jealous Tero is riding for yous and not Newcastle like

    11. Kent - Think the first year for Kent was always going to be a struggle, and they do have top riders like Scott and Cameron in their team. Not sure how Nico will handle being the second heatleader, especially away and they don't look massively strong at reserve, even though I'm glad they signed Dan as I think he will be great next year!! Kent, another team I have a lot of respect for.

    12. Berwick - Look pretty weak despite having some good racers in the team in Aaron Summers and NBJ, like what they've done at reserve though, two young local(ish) reserves who will form a good partnership imo... But that still doesn't take away from how weak their team looks overall... Sorry Berwick.

    Feel free to counterargument in a polite manner :D

    Obviously an anti Redcar bias, or is it just the inferiority complex emerging?


  12. 8 minutes ago, E I Addio said:

    Arthur and I think Alan as well, were BSA works riders. Martin, I am pretty sure was Arthur’s son. Arthur was known as a pretty fast starter ( I can’t really say gater in Moto Cross ) and was often first away but had a bit of a problem with fitness. I remember him once stopping at a pub in a pretty big trial , and having , in his words, “a couple of dinners “ !

    Back to the point of the thread, Vic Eastwood one of my heroes as a youngster, but it broke my heart when he left Matchless and rode an ‘orrible two-stroke, although with hindsight I can understand that as a professional rider he had a living to earn, and the big heavy four stroke Matchesses  had had their day by then. 

    In memorium, Vic Eastwood, a great rider.

    Martin wasn't Arthur's son.  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arthur_Lampkin


  13. 1 hour ago, PotteringAround said:

    It was Martin Lampkin and his brother Arthur.   Think there was another brother too, but I don't remember any Dave Lampkin.

    Of course Martin's son Dougie Lampkin later went on to become more famous than all of them.

    They lived quite near me, I remember Martin riding second halves at Halifax, there was another brother Alan, I think he was also known as Sid.


  14. 13 hours ago, poolebolton said:

    But you win the league on increasing averages. And from what we saw last year he isn’t a 4 point rider in this league. 

    While this side has a fairly solid look to it, too many here won't improve their averages and the latter heats might be something of a struggle.

    • Like 1

  15. 11 minutes ago, 25yearfan said:

    I see a couple of posters on the Oxford Mail website have suggested that its madness to contemplate spending a load of money on Oxford stadium to reopen dying sports like speedway and greyhound racing!

     

    While the slow demise of both sports is very true they aren't terminal and there are other agendas to consider as well like the stadium would be used for other activites and the over social beneifits to the local community would be benefical!  

    I think they might have a point, particularly as there look to be some reasonable alternatives mentioned, that would retain it for sports use.

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