Mediman

Everyone looks at things differently . For me at least we have speedway . The club was up for sale and nobody came in , as a sponsor for a few years now I could not see a way of making it work and I completely understand why Matt decided to open up a new business opportunity, however he could have just closed it down but didn’t giving us fans a chance to watch the sport we love. Now it’s up to us to support it or if we don’t then accept it could be the last we see of it. the sad thing is that the sport as a whole needs a revamp or the closure of clubs will continue. whoever you support just keep it up Save our Speedway

Josh Richie kyle Shanes i thoughtHarris but now possibly Kennett or Nicholls Cook ? gonna be interesting

I wou;s love to see top riders back but that is not going to happen why ride at £150- 200 per point in England when you can earn €1700 per point in Poland. The British promoters pay for mechanics even insurance at times and have to get the ruder to the track it’s not financially viable . Top rider scores 10 paid 12 £150 per point £1800.00 plus all the extras say total 2250.00 and that’s minimum for 1 rider at 15 entrance your first 150 people pay for the top rider and you haven’t even thought of all the costs involved you do that on a home and away basis then your first 300 people pay for that rider. Simply put British speedway cannot compete with the other leagues unless things change.

My company Medicare sponsors Poole not for any main reward but we love the sport and I go back many years working with the Knott family. it must be hard trying to balance books in a sport that has so much potential but continues to shoot itself in the foot. i have posted before that I have asked for fans involvement and to listen to some really good suggestions but the bspa turn a blind eye and work in their own universe of make believe. i could not run my business like they run our beloved sport. With a tv deal in place the powers that be should look to bring in more teams perhaps look at 6 man teams sort out the guest and rider replacement issues to allow for fairer racing and start marketing the product. Alas this won’t happen and each promotion will want to look after their asset which is understandable but we really need some joined up thinking. as for Poole next season who knows II don’t blame Matt if he decides to drop leagues or even quit he has done his best for Poole not everyone’s cup of tea but at least he has provided us with years of entertainment and his work with us has always been top draw.

Fair few riders now in Andorra 5% tax and good airports all within 100 miles with regular cheap uk flights you have to put down a small bond but it is returned when you leave seems a choice of many a sportsperson. hopefully Chris will get his issues resolved as he still has a lot to offer if he can get his issues resolved.

Steve you are right it’s not just about the riders and the points money it’s the cost of getting them here and rearranging flights , pay for mechanics and airport hotels. Some people think it’s just about points money if only . I can assure you that certain riders can cost more than heat leaders if you take into account the cost of getting them into your team colours .Losing the main team sponsor and a few other ones has made a major impact at Poole but I had a meeting with Matt this week about our sponsorship and he was still working hard on this season. Yes he has other plans for his future however to those who think he is disinterested in speedway this season I didn’t get that impression one iota. One good thing that I note is the viewing figures on but sport are up and that looks good for any new deal I would hope . There is another post on who will drop out I truly hope no one does we need as many top teams as we can staying in the league .

Nikolai I would expect.

It’s just not possible Riders are not employed they are self employed and can ride for whoever under European law. Sure the individual body can have some restraints like a cut off period to change but the way speedway is set up, to impose greater sanctions would weaken the product even more and discourage riders from riding. We have to accept that the sport won’t change unless a major league fails and riders are left without clubs and I don’t see the uk as major league. So much for one big league and all the changes we all mooted what we have is still what we have got. reminds me of a saying if we allways do what we’ve allways done we will allways get what we’ve allways got

Tomorrow’s news will show Poole as champion so will the record books. This season is now over and rather than moan or complain or gloat we should hope that the powers that be give the fans a better product next year. With leagues in Poland ,Sweden ,Denmark attracting the star names we need to do something combine the top 2 leagues north and south possibly 6 man teams play offs all have to be considered . comiserations to Kings Lynn on the night with a full team different story in Lambert you have the best British youngster and British speedway needs to keep the likes of him and Dan Bewley on these shores however the money on offer may well be a major factor

So what does that make every other team

g13 It was a big bad error and the consequences for KL went far beyond it and no question you guys came off very disadvantaged. I suppose the easy answer is oh well it’s speedway but it does not help the showpiece final of a sport that is trying to attract a new and bigger audience. I don’t have the answers but I have a lot of questions for the people who run the Sport and have voiced these in many emails all of which have not even had- a reply. When administrators won’t engage with fans they miss a real opportunity of listening to other views some of which would be well worth looking into. As a business owner I regularly seek the views of my staff and customers to make sure I am not dropping a ball and it’s a great way of keeping things in perspective , speedway has lots of loyal fans and at times it seems that have to put up with what is served up and what is decided by others . All promoters want the best for their teams and will know every possible way of exploiting any loop holes that’s knowing your business perhaps some non promoters and business people and marketers should be invited on to a management committee whose job it is to protect the integrity and future of the sport. Best wishes to both teams tonight may the winner be Speedway

Put some sense to it ELLIS / MORRIS after many people questioning the decision including me and many on this board stating how stupid it was to allow a rider to ride for two competing teams in the same final a decision had to be made. The decision had to be agreed with by a number of parties in the end commonsense prevailEd. As to whether you think Poole got the good or bad end of the deal that is open to debate but I think all would agree in the interest of the integrity of the sport the compromise though perhaps not ideal is the best arrangement. PALM TOFT/JACOBSEN From watching the meeting for my position next to the referees box when I saw the incident live I felt that Jakobsen Had got to the inside of Palm Toft who unsettled went down I didn’t think at the time and nor did some opposition fans see it as any more than a 50-50 call and some thought the KL rider might be in trouble. When watching it on TV its to me it was pretty clear that Frederik caused MPT To fall and should’ve been excluded. The referee appointed had plenty of time to make a decision with cameras and monitors there and in my opinion got it wrong. It is not the first time nor will it be the last that referees in any sport will make the wrong decision even using technology and when the imistake seems clear cut very few officials are going to admit to making mistake or justify the decision you just have to put up with it . Suggesting that collusion of any kind in this decision is unbelievable quite frankly some of the comments on here are libellous.

This isn’t about Poole whom yes I support it’s about the sport. It needs new investment and new governance or it will fade away. The Tv deal shows how much pulling power it has but the sport is still thrill a minute stuff.

If it is found that any individual has sanctioned this and I say if then all of us should show solidarity and make sure that person knows his position is untenable. we might not govern the sport but we are paying customers and sponsors and we want to make sure our sport is not a laughing stock. forget our differences over the teams we support and unite behind a campaign of good governance.

One despairs the people who run the sport and allow this sort of thing are a laughing stock No wonder the sport is going downhill if this is allowed.The question of integrity in sport becomes an issue surely. Perhaps in the next few hours common sense will prevail and the matter resolved if not to those who have sanctioned this ‘get your heads out of your buttocks and leave before the AGM because if this is the sort of rational thinking you display then lord help us” is it really April 1st

Its that time of the season again and to all in the play offs may the best team win. For me as a Poole fan i hope its us but lets hope that all the meetings are great to watch and will be well received by any new viewer on Tv. We all have our favourites and teams we like to have a pop at, but and its a big but, Speedway in GB is at a real crossroads, we do not need any teams to close we need a few more to come in and make the product more marketable. The sport needs new blood and a new identity to do that all parties need to work in unison rather than having their own agenda , it can still be a great sport to watch and the thrills and spills will never be replaced. To the riders we wish them all the best. to the fans support your team but support speedway. To the Promoters you may only have this chance to make some needed changes do it for the good of the sport as a whole, look at the bigger picture, You will get the backing of the fans if the right decisions are made.

Re the tide issue it is a genuine problem at Poole. When the new police station which is further away by 50 mts or so was built there was one hell of an issue with the water table and tha amount of piling and concrete base that was needed was massive simply because of the tidal issues. My office is 200 mars as the crow flies from the stadium and we have a massive pump station on site as when the tide is really at its highest we get problems. i know that it does cause issues at Poole it allways has and allways will at Poole we have 4 tides a massive harbour and lots of inland areas that suffer because of the tides. why other tracks near the water don’t have such an issue I can’t comment on but it’s an issue at Poole and my office

I think it’s great to give as long as we know about it. There’s nothing stopping anyone contacting any rider to make a personal donation if someone organises a fund then anyone can give or not according to their own thoughts. Lets not make any issues on this just be glad that people are donating. as an employer myself I would not like it if staff wanted to collect for another injured employee through the company It would prefer it if they did it privately as it sets a precedence . I know that I once wanted to arrange a staff collection at my football club for a player who broke his leg and was informed that they did not want it to be connected with the club in any way because of the above.

The track was excellent and the comments frankly are disgraceful. There was no issues at all and to think that if oil was on the track during the meeting the riders of both teams would not have had the ref and officials take a look. Why would we put oil on when we were so far ahead. Kings Lynn just not at the races tonight simple as that . We’ve all had meetings like that when it doesn’t happen and for them tonight it didn’t happen. But to make comments like that is totally out of order and does nothing to enhance a sport that is struggling as it is.

It doesn’t matter where you start it’s where you finish that counts. Still a long way to go but I would not want to pick us if we get in the play offs. The addition of Bomber has given us some much needed experience , still would like to see more from Josh and Ritchie but they are picking up points. The team looks balanced all round, The new averages may have an effect let’s wait and see. Felt sorry for Leicester tonight a few more meetings like that and we could see another team disappearing hope not we need them all , but they ran into a resurgent Poole side. looking forward to Wednesday AGAINST KL . Lambert for all his youth looks class and I hope he gets a wild card pick in the GPS next year ,

Thank you Daniel for that superlative comment very enlightening. Good to know that quality debating is alive in Kings Lynn. Perhaps you now need to lie down brain cells quite rapidly die and you may not have to many to lose. i hope it’s a great meeting and keeps interest in the sport I love , I hope it attracts a big crowd and may the best team win. i hope it’s Poole but KL have some quality riders.

Any owner,promoter , manager has to use the rules as they are that’s it, I expect my accountant to look at my companies figures and get the best reduction he can in my taxes as long as it is legal and will not cause any issues, that’s what I pay him for. No more than a team manager who uses rules to bring in a reserve or make changes to give his team a better chance. Every promoter and manager who knows the rules will know how to use them for their own advantage this applies to most sports it’s not cheating its using set rules to gain an advantage . You might not like it but all teams use it If you change the rules the smarter promotions will look at the new ones and still manipulate them to gain any advantage. thats knowing your sport your business or your rights.

Why are you trusting a rule speedway is an individual sport wrapped up in a team package. Let’s say I am a promoter , riders are paid as individuals so if I have a rider who is not performing I don’t pay however I know the fans want the team to win so as they are my income stream I know I have to replace an underperforming rider with another even though I know I will probably be paying more to keep the fans happy I accept that. now if my attendances are down and most are the only person who is losing out is me. As a sponsor I want Poole to do well even though I know my money could be spent more beneficially my marketing team keep reminding me that but I love the sport and my team so I put some money in . In Matts defence he treats his sponsors well arranges good social events and promotes local businesses , Not everything he does do we agree with but his commitment to Poole over the years has seen us do well, ok we have had a few bad moments and well done to the other teams in their success Rather than looking at individual promoters and teams we need to keep as many together if we want the sport to survive , the rivalry’s are great the opinions we all have are our personal views but let’s all agree the sport needs changing and the rules regarding team changes we’ll perhaps we can have a squad system or limits ‘What I do know is every team can make changes most promotions do they have to but I’d still be happy to have a forum to air our views on Matt Ford Poole pirates Swindon robins Belle Vue et al in a couple of years from now as I will still be watching speedway

Just to clear up one point I sponsored Linus and his stepping down is right. He really wasn’t hitting the standards he sets and felt it best to step down and discover the form he knows he is capable of. As to team changes during the season it’s surely doing your best for your team within the rules and regulations. Wether they are right or wrong is a different issue and surely one of the many that surely needs looking at.

Meeting for Poole rescheduled till sept 5th I know I’m sponsoring it hope we are World Cup winners by then