21st century heathen

Following a suggestion by a BSF member we have a new idea for 2013 to keep things neat and tidy where race cards are concerned. From now on we would like all links to race cards for SGP and SWC events to be posted in this thread. Please do not post new individual threads. There should be no discussion on this thread. Discussion about the events can still take place on a separate thread. Any discussion will be removed. If you would like to show your gratitude to the member posting the link please use the 'LIKE THIS' button at the bottom of their post. Anyone posting links to race cards should note that it is important to make clear which event the race card is for (include SGP/SWC, location and date of event).

Jayne - Thank you for confirming it is this rule you refer to. We now need to know specifically which meetings he rode in and in what capacity he rode. If/when I get time I'll try to find out.

Jayne - Specifically, which meetings? What rule are you citing? Thanks.

Which meetings that qualify him to gain an established MA did he ride in? I don't know. Also, which meetings did Jenkins ride in?

A guest rider assumes the position and average of the rider he replaces (19.13.1). A rider without an established average does not ride that meeting as a 3 point reserve. He rides directly in place of the injured rider and assumes his average for the night and could therefore, effectively, be a 10 point number 1 for the night. Whatever his heat results on he night riding as the guest number 1 (in the eg I suggesting here) will, as stated above, be ignored for the purpose of established MA's. A guest rider does not have to have an established MA but must be in a current team declaration (19.13.2) What confuses people is the two types of #8 we refer to - and we shouldn't. In the case of Lawlor whose rides for Heathens last year are being queried here were as an Additional Rider (AR) as per 19.12.1 I'll shorthand/paraphrase rather than quote it all. A team using R/R nominate an AR who can take the rides of the absent rider. A rider may only be AR if not in a declared 1-7 and his MA does not exceed 3.00. I assume it's 16.2.8 which is being cited and to that I can only conclude that at no time did Lawlor complete 4 NL league meetings. I would need more time than I have this time of night to try to find his meetings. Does this affect Jenkins too?

When I posted it I knew.

16.2 Match Averages 16.2.1 Established MA's are calculated... ...National League: League Meetings only. NB: ... Riders appearing as a Guest or as a #8 are ignored." Discuss ☺️

I posted it's 13th December about two weeks ago.

13th December

Do OAPs have an admission ticket with OAP printed on it or not? Also, how do OAPs prove they are OAPs and do they have to show said evidence every time they're admitted? (Genuine questions) You're right a comparison between meeting one and two would be pretty easy to do, but I went to both and as I've said the queue was and always is primarily at the adults turnstiles. There was no queue of students (whatever age as that matters to some) that have suddenly appeared. There's never really what you'd class as a significant queue for the concessions admission anywhere. It just, to me, has the feel of a panic reaction to what a few people have stated on forum/s and social media when in reality there would almost certainly be little genuine effect in the real world. We could all (not literally) go out and have a load of illegitimate children to claim the benefits and get a 4 bedroom house but in reality we don't all go out and do it.

It's getting quite tiresome reading people claim the system is being abused etcetera. What Coventry put in place before the season began, which is what been in place for years incidentally - it's nothing new, and what was clarified the other day is being used by some. It's not being abused. It's being used as stated clearly and categorically by the club. All this is achieving is create more negative PR for the club and speedway. Any 'solution' put in place now won't change that unfortunately. If Mr Horton changes the policy he will be at odds with what Coventry speedway's policy has been previously and thereby upset somebody. It will also be at odds with every other club in the land that offers concessions for NUS cards holders. He will also be refusing to partake in the biggest discount scheme of its kind in this country. A scheme that is used thousands of times a day online and in person without question. As with any walk of life there are always occasions when a small number find a way to screw the system - we all moan about people on benefits who we feel shouldn't be, right? If you have a successful business model you can take the odd hit on the chin. If Mr Horton decides to re-instate the policy as previously then he will have caused a week, or more, of negativity for nothing. As someone has commented before - with a gap between fixtures why not look in to this quietly this week before commenting? As I stated earlier; there isn't suddenly a 30 minute wait in the queue to get in as a student this season. There's no more than the odd person out of the queue going to the concessions turnstile. Comments on here suggesting that there is suddenly an influx of people trying to screw over Mr Horton are misleading and not helpful. In fact it's almost certainly comments on here and social media that have led to paranoia about this perceived overnight threat to the business. Of far greater importance than this is that there is, and has been for many many years, an opportunity to build the business by working closer with the universities to try to get more students in for a cheap night out. I can't help but wonder what would be the reply if I phoned Coventry and Warwickshire uni's last week, before this current withdrawal of concession, and asked them what they knew about the new low price admission for students to Coventry Speedway. Would the reply have been "Yes, we know about that and we're working hard with the club and our students to promote this." or would it have been "What's speedway?" How? The withdrawal of the concession was clearly a hasty decision, not a well considered one. There is no way that in the 6 hours or so between clarifying an NUS card should be used and withdrawing the concession that a full analysis has been done. I bet there isn't even a comparison between the number of student admitted in the first two meetings this season and last.

Also of importance in my opinion is whether or not student season tickets been withdrawn too? I think what we have here is actually nothing more than a knee-jerk reaction due to panic about a perceived rather than genuine threat to the business. I've been to the Bees fixtures this season and have I seen a queue across half the car park of new student who happen to have, 'coincidentally', all signed up to the same evening class at the same time, which just happens to be precisely when the speedway season starts? No, obviously not! You cannot realistically put an upper age limit on it in my opinion. It would be foolish and alienate students if anything I believe. I don't have exact current figures but Coventry and Warwickshire universities (the obvious main targets to attract the next generation to speedway in Coventry) have around 50,000 students between them. Around 15,000 of those are postgraduate - so you immediately rule 15,000 potential customers. Of the remaining 35,000 a lot (but I don't know the split without contacting them for information) will be over 21/22 (for example) and not necessarily all school/college leavers continuing their education with no break. Again, there are potentially thousands of lost customers if you take this approach. It would be crazy. Also, any SU president who accepts in consultation with Coventry Speedway to offer a concessionary admission price to some but not all of its members is not doing his/her job properly as they should be representing the best interests of all their members, not a select number. If Coventry Speedway could attract just 1% of this local student body to part with a fiver it would rake in an extra £2½k a week. Okay we're not setting any kind of records here but that's not to be sneezed at and more importantly it will far outweigh the few dozen quid you might lose from a tiny number who may try signing up to a course just to get an NUS card. This is the basis on which every other business in the country, EU and beyond operates an NUS card discount scheme. As I said earlier do you think everyone has to take an admissions letter to Co-op to get their 10% off? I know it may sound sarcastic, but seriously, think about it. The answer is no. You present your NUS card, and that's it. Perhaps Mr Sandhu could be approached to offer, in conjunction with Coventry Speedway, a discount to students? I'm sure 20% (for example) off at the bar along with just £5 at the gate will be a good offer to approach the universities SU and external relations/marketing team. You might even open up the door to do some mutual advertising on a quid pro quo basis. Universities work very hard to set themselves apart from their competition and spend an awful lot of money doing so. Being able to advertise free of charge a local cheap night out may help them and the speedway club may only need offer putting up some posters advertising the next open day for example. There are very few late teens and early twenties at speedway compared to older persons so there's a massive untapped market. Most clubs will be close to a university/college, though some will be a more difficult 'sell' due to track location. It just requires that speedway embraces the world it lives in, gets off its collective backside to actively, not passively, promote the sport. Has anyone, from any club not just Coventry Speedway, ever approached the SU at their local uni and invited them plus 10 (for eg) guests to come along as VIP guests to see what it's all about for themselves?

What rules are you referring to? The club clarified more than once that the rule is that you must produce an NUS card. The statement is short, simple and absolute. What scam? Those producing an NUS card are legally entitled to one. Unless of course the NUS have illegally issued one or the card produced is a forged card, neither of which I believe we're debating here. You also seem talk about speedway in general which is unfair on other clubs that have not taken this stance. Incidentally, also a stance never before taken by Coventry Speedway (that I'm aware of - apologies in advance if this statement is inaccurate) which has accepted an NUS card to qualify for a discounted admission cost in the past.

Clarification was sought pre-season by some and it was stated clearly by the club that an NUS card constitutes that required to be admitted at the student cost. I've not seen it myself but I've seen two people mention, including the text quoted above by SCB, that the club even posted yesterday afternoon stating an NUS card is required to gain entry at the student rate only to withdraw the offer completely a few hours later. There is nothing on the website admissions page suggested that there are any Ts&Cs beyond this statement (that an NUS card will suffice) nor that the offer is at the management's discretion and may be amended or withdrawn at any time etcetera, as you would usually expect to see stated if there were any kind of question mark over how long an offer may stand (at least by any professionally run business!). As usual the sole problem is speedway living in the dark ages and not understanding the world changed around it about 30 years ago. I bet students don't have to take an admissions letter to Co-op to get their 10% off every time they do their food shopping, or remember to apply for a special card prior to visiting one of the many thousands of attractions/shops to offer discounts to NUS card holders. This season so far, and I can't see it getting any better, has been a complete an utter PR disaster for British Speedway. So sad, so very, very sad.

1. Bowen 8.52 (Kent) 2. Carr 7.73 (Coventry) 3. Perks 7.14 (IOW) 4. Kingston 5.84 (Cradley) 5. Bacon 4.42 (B'ham) 6. J. P-B 3.00 (B'ham) 7. Andrews 3.00 (Cradley) Total = 39.65

It's fair to state it'll be a much tougher season for Zach but I believe he's the real deal at this level. That's not to suggest he can't progress beyond it, just that it's yet to be proven one way or the other. I didn't go to every B'ham meeting but saw Zach have some terrific from the front and the back last season. I've not done it but if you made a list of the likely top heat leaders next season Zach would probably be somewhere in the middle. If that comes to fruition then there's nowt wrong with that in just his second season.

Thing is both lads have been around a while, by which I mean that 2106 isn't their 1st/2nd season, so their reputation for binning it is a well established one. I hope to be proven very wrong but I can't see why the latter part of the coming season should suddenly be any different. Like I say; hope I'm wrong though. From a neutral point of view it promises to be another fascinating season. From the riders named so far I see B'ham and Mildy as faves. Eastie will be up there if/when they make changes for the second half of the season. KL look much better. Buxton continue to improve after some poor back-to-back seasons. Cov are solid enough assuming Dan and Martin maintain last season's form and Liam progresses as expected. Kent, Rye and Stoke will spring a few surpises. IOW may struggle away but once dialed in they could be useful at home. Bit of a question mark as to where BV fit in to all this at the moment but I suspect they'll be at least middle order to challenging for a PO spot.

I can't help but think this Cradley team is either a genuine title threat or a barely mid-table also-ran, and I really can't make my mind up which. So much rests on Kingston and Chessell (as I think we're very good at the top end and okay at the bottom end). They can both be match winners or cost you dearly at any given time. 1st or 7th?!

Nailed it. It's a decision based on clicks on the turnstiles and nothing to do with the integrity of the league. ---------------- I don't think it automatically makes the currently named Eastie team the favourite. Cradley pushed them close last season with far from a full strength team. I think what's more relevant is that I suspect Eastie will look to change the team around the second half of the summer.

Ash should get 10+ with Monmore as his home track.

To suggest that it makes any difference to Wolverhampton Speedway, or CVS due to his involvement with it and Cradley Speedway, in which town, borough, council area a site for a new track is found makes no sense to me. So heavily populated is the area that the borders are blurred anywhere around here. Take Coseley as an example of this. It's controlled by DMBC, has Bilston in its address, a WV postcode rather than a D and sits very squarely in the middle of Bilston (Wolverhampton), Sedgley (Dudley) and Tipton (Sandwell). Why would quarter of mile this way or that to technically place a new track in any of these (as examples rather than to be taken too literally) make the slightest difference to Wolverhampton Speedway or Birmingham Speedway? (I name Birmingham too as I would also suggest any site on the north western side within its control should also be considered) The two clubs are currently operating at the same stadium let alone in the same city/borough anyway! If CVS had an objection to this we'd not have made a comeback in 2010 nor continued at Monmore Green. Last year's move was nothing to do with an objection by CVS or Wolverhampton Speedway. So all the real world evidence, rather than the initial projections prior to the 2010 season, is entirely in support of my opinion that Wolverhampton could and should be looked at.

I couldn't have told you where was referred to either but based on the comment above I assume the land is where I've circled (ish) in green and the intended tram line where I've marked red. There is plenty of land between Birmingham New Road and up to Castle Gate but having been refused it for two decades it seems somewhat pointless to continue targeting it now. I've asked a couple of times whether anywhere in the Wolverhampton area rather than Dudley and Sandwell has been looked at but I've had no reply to that. For those unfamiliar with the area - The outskirts of Wolverhampton is only about a minute drive from where is shown on the photo as this is where the three council areas meet. At least Wolverhampton is known to be speedway/sport friendly whereas the others pay lip service but never act on it.

Hmm... does look suspiciously convenient that Chapman and Shuttleworth just fits. It would make the Brummies a tough nut to crack.

If Chapman rides and is fully fit he will improve his start average, no doubt about that. He had a few impressive performances before that horrible injury early last season. What would be left for the last rider?

I don't know what they averaged previously but from comments made I can infer that they rode enough to be considered to have some experience of significance but didn't make any sort of major break through. Assuming this accurate I consider 3½/4 to be perfectly fair. It gives them a route back to the sport without tempting a club to choose them directly over a 3-pointer.