Bspa Kill Off Northern Junior League.

[StevePark 2,780]

Sorry backless i didnt think i needed to point out that for the MJL these were ridiculas teams because there is an abundance of young riders to pick from, were as in the NJL sikes was used in the first season to fill a team place at berwick because without him they wouldnt have had a 3 man team! its also worth mentioning the other 2 in berwicks team that year as it follows what your talking about, john mcpail in his early 20's benifitted massivly from racing with sikes and got chances at nl level the year after. but the 3rd rider was the little known 40+ rider ricky anderson who only the year before bought his 1st bike! he scored a few points but more importantly a 15 year old watching thought he'd be able to beat him, and is now berwicks #8!!!!

as i said before, these people Do have a place in the sport and anyone willing to take to the track shouldnt be told otherwise! everyones there to be beat from top to bottom, they all deserve respect!

 

40+ Ricky Anderson, 20+ (and been around awhile) John McPhail, already been mentioned the likes of Loof (Ex-PL), Sike etc. So which part of 'Junior' do we not understand?

 

By all means, give 20+ or 40+ riders a go, but for the Love of God, the 'Development' part of the name should be at least adhered to as well. In the likes of Anderson it clearly isn't.

 

If riders "have to be brought in to make up the numbers" then that, surely, must tell you something?

[Backless 538]

Sorry backless i didnt think i needed to point out that for the MJL these were ridiculas teams because there is an abundance of young riders to pick from, were as in the NJL sikes was used in the first season to fill a team place at berwick because without him they wouldnt have had a 3 man team! its also worth mentioning the other 2 in berwicks team that year as it follows what your talking about, john mcpail in his early 20's benifitted massivly from racing with sikes and got chances at nl level the year after. but the 3rd rider was the little known 40+ rider ricky anderson who only the year before bought his 1st bike! he scored a few points but more importantly a 15 year old watching thought he'd be able to beat him, and is now berwicks #8!!!!

as i said before, these people Do have a place in the sport and anyone willing to take to the track shouldnt be told otherwise! everyones there to be beat from top to bottom, they all deserve respect!

 

So "ridiculous" is now a geographic term?

 

I'm fully aware of what goes on at Berwick, thanks.

And Sike made appearances last year too - after it dawned just how far short of PL standard he was. Couldn't get a place in the NL because of nationality, so filled a space in the NJL.

 

MacPhail has been around for years & flirted with a few NL reserve appearances & it seems that's his level.

 

Anderson is one of a growing band of middle aged chuggers who thinks buying a bike & circumnavigating a track makes him a speedway rider. It doesn't.

A place in the sport? Yes, if you insist. That's what amateur meetings are for - and that's fine. People enjoy playing football on a Sunday morning, and that's both fine and dandy - but it's not passed off as a form of "entertainment" for a paying public.

 

 

"Berwick's #8!!!" Really??? Wow!!!

Except in the real world the kid is little more than a mascot, through no fault of his own because he's nowhere near, within a country mile, of being even an NL reserve.

That may well change in time, I believe he's having rides in the Midland Development League, which is a start.

 

So that's the purpose of the NJL, is it? There aren't enough actual "riders", so make up the numbers with anyone that has a bike, irrespective of ability?

It's to be hoped that John Anderson (or whoever, at other tracks with a similar policy) make sure any potential sponsors are dragged well out of sight before Rag, Tag & Bobtail take to the track (not exactly one for the teenagers that, but appropriate, given the age of the target audience) because (even though unpaid) if that's what's being passed off as part & parcel of a night out at a professional speedway meeting, they'd run a mile.

 

Which is probably the reasonbehind the BSPA having said enough is enough.

 

There's always more than enough hangers-on cluttering up the pits at the best of times without old blokes dealing with the onset of the male menopause by buying a bike, feeling the back end move a bit, buying a silly hat & strutting around like big Billy Bollocks "I'm a speedway rider, me". No you're not.

 

The next thing will be buying a clapped out van & a set of vinyl letters "Billy Bollock - International Speedway Rider" 'cos they've been to Armadale & that counts as a different country.

 

Years ago, Peter Waite tried charging the then genuine second halfers a tenner - he'd make a bloody fortune these days.

[speedyguy 20]

Some interesting comments throughout about the NJL. I just need a clarification please - is the league still going to function?

I see no harm in what type of rider initially takes a place in a team - in the end those with ability will get the team places as and where they exist.

Competition always sorts the "wheat from the chaff" in any sport.

[snapper-racing.co.uk 6]

Clearly a bee in the bonnet of this kid!

 

You sir are a disgrace and should crawl back under the rock you came from

 

What's the harm in using an Amateur in what is supposed to be an Amateur league.... Surely this is a goal ALL amateur riders should be making, it's a dream to break into a team.

 

Mid life crisis etc... It's actually the time when you have enough money to do things....not all kids have a rich daddy who can bank roll.

 

Why shouldn't these guys use their hard earned money on something they enjoy.... And you should shut up and leave them. We only live once and we can't all be world champ or a pro rider...but at least this can emulate it on some small way and bring a sense of achievement.

 

The racing at amateurs is actually better than some elite matches.

 

Now quit your bitchin spineless

[Backless 538]

If you could actually spend the time to read the post - maybe your mate Greg Hancock could read it to you after your finished your collaboration on your next Amazon best-seller - I said "that's what Amateur Meetings are for".

 

Anyone can spend what they like on what they like - I don't recall typing anything to the contrary.

 

But don't try to pass it off as "real speedway". The BSPA evidently don't agree with such tomfoolery, and neither do I.

 

If 50+ chuggers want to aspire to be in a team, form one "Beer Belly Banditos", or "Hancock Stalkers" maybe.

 

At least the BSPA have decided there should be some sort of criteria applied to those who appear during what is an event under their banner.

[StevePark 2,780]

Clearly a bee in the bonnet of this kid!

 

You sir are a disgrace and should crawl back under the rock you came from

 

What's the harm in using an Amateur in what is supposed to be an Amateur league.... Surely this is a goal ALL amateur riders should be making, it's a dream to break into a team.

 

Mid life crisis etc... It's actually the time when you have enough money to do things....not all kids have a rich daddy who can bank roll.

 

Why shouldn't these guys use their hard earned money on something they enjoy.... And you should shut up and leave them. We only live once and we can't all be world champ or a pro rider...but at least this can emulate it on some small way and bring a sense of achievement.

 

The racing at amateurs is actually better than some elite matches.

 

Now quit your bitchin spineless

 

Wrong. It's called a 'Junior' League... as Backless has already quite plainly stated "this is what Amateur meetings are for."

 

Agreed, let them spend their money on whatever they like, if that is a speedway bike, fine, I haven't got a problem with that. What I do have a problem with is, a league called a 'Junior' League and having 40+ (or however old, certainly over 'Junior' age) 'riders' in it, when, quite clearly, they aren't and never will be good enough, even for NL level.

[snapper-racing.co.uk 6]

I don't think you can say they will NEVER be good enough.... Some guys have bad luck, some just not enough track time or backing.

 

It really should be renamed and the word Junior outlawed in racing..... I don't think anyone over the age of 15 is really .

 

 

The negative comments on here are disgusting and you should have a real look at yourselves. The sport will only survive if new people are introduced, but they quickly walk away when there is so much venom aimed at anyone who wants to have a go.

 

The guy who scores a zero one day could be the one who scores 12 another! That's sport for you. Everyone should be given a chance regardless of age, sex, race etc. And you should keep your bitter vitriol to yourselves as its not effecting you in any way really!

[RCF 10]

So what would you do Abbott and Backless, you've got strong views on the subject, how should we be running it?

[StevePark 2,780]

I don't think you can say they will NEVER be good enough.... Some guys have bad luck, some just not enough track time or backing.

 

It really should be renamed and the word Junior outlawed in racing..... I don't think anyone over the age of 15 is really .

 

 

The negative comments on here are disgusting and you should have a real look at yourselves. The sport will only survive if new people are introduced, but they quickly walk away when there is so much venom aimed at anyone who wants to have a go.

 

The guy who scores a zero one day could be the one who scores 12 another! That's sport for you. Everyone should be given a chance regardless of age, sex, race etc. And you should keep your bitter vitriol to yourselves as its not effecting you in any way really!

 

I think I've been around speedway long enough to say whether (in my opinion) a 40+ rider (nearer 50+ I believe) will or will not ever be "good enough", which was the point I was trying to make.

 

Yes, for every "Ricky Anderson", there will be a "Max Clegg". My argument is, the likes of Ricky Anderson should have no place in the Junior/Development Leagues. Amateur Meetings and 'open' second halves, yes. After all, we are supposed to be debating the future of British speedway.

 

I'm not (and never have) knocked anyone for "wanting to have a go", good on them, but the idea of some of them in the Junior/Development Leagues just doesn't lie well with me.

 

That is my opinion and if you don't like it, well, sorry, but tough.

[SarahLapworth 79]

I have read some of the comments on this thread with interest and I would like to put forward the policy behind the MDL

 

The word development was added to the league rather than junior because that is what we are, a league where riders can develop regardless of age. We prefer and encourage all teams to be made up of youngsters where possible but adding the odd "older rider" to the team can be usefull to the kids as they can benefit from it. Also there has been a lot of ex Moto X riders come over to Speedway recently who are in their late 20's to early 30's who are showing good potential. Just because they are over 21 does that give us the right to descriminate against their age and tell them they are never going to make it? Greg Hanckock and Tomasz Gollob have both proven older riders can still be at the top of their game.

 

Kelvin Lapworth - MDL Co-Ordinator

[Backless 538]

I have a dream … where no one is discriminated against because of age, colour, creed & ability. A dream where sportsmen & sportswomen aren't judged merely by competence & results, but recognised as being special in their own right and so that they can all be accepted as winners in their own way.

 

Perhaps all of which highlights why there's a lack of British talent - years of non-competitive education in schools.

[Dekker 239]

Perhaps all of which highlights why there's a lack of British talent - years of non-competitive education in schools.

 

If only that was the real case.....

 

So backless while i agree with your POV re old/amateur riders in NJL, how would you fill the 3rd slot if there are no available juniors?

[crescent girl 1,905]

To confirm my earlier post: On Saturday night, Alex Harkess, the BSPA chairperson, apparently told the NJL co-ordinatordone. the NJL would be permitted to continue as long as their rules on rider elegibility were brought into line with the other two leagues.

 

Presumably this has been done, or shortly will be.

 

However, I've been told by a friend in the junior/development/amateur/whatsinaname scene at an Anglia track that these rules make absolutely no reference to the age of competitors,

 

So what's all the ageism hassle on here?

 

Let's just get three lower leagues running throughout the country and through them, let's hope for just one lad (or lass) to benefit enough from the discipline of competition to "make it" to a level that will silence even the sternest critic.

[Backless 538]

 

 

If only that was the real case.....

 

So backless while i agree with your POV re old/amateur riders in NJL, how would you fill the 3rd slot if there are no available juniors?

 

So what is "the real case" then?

 

As to how to fill the hole left by excluding 40+ year old chuggers from a Junior / Development league, I'm not sure - if there arent the numbers, that's a fact of life.

 

For the few number of meetings involved, with the number of ex-riders around any given pits on any given night, could they not be persuaded to have a blast & at the same time provide a bit of tuition?

At least there would be a credible reason for them being out there. I wouldn't need to be the same guy in the same team for all meetings.

 

There would be some purpose to that & it would be "real speedway" as opposed to old blokes with a bit of cash who bought a bike.

 

I don't have any problem whatsoever with Amateur Meetings. If blokes want to have a go, good luck to them. But don't pass it off as anything other that what it is: pub football. Pub football is both fine and dandy - but it'll be Euro 2012 that'll be on tv.

 

Speedway has always had " exceptional circumstances" ways & means to accommodate err exceptional circumstances, so that if some mid life crisis suddenly makes John Louis' debut at 29 look lite a whippersnapper he can be absorbed into the NJL on his way to NL, Pl, El & undoubted SGP glory.

[TMW 533]

So what is "the real case" then?

 

As to how to fill the hole left by excluding 40+ year old chuggers from a Junior / Development league, I'm not sure - if there arent the numbers, that's a fact of life.

 

For the few number of meetings involved, with the number of ex-riders around any given pits on any given night, could they not be persuaded to have a blast & at the same time provide a bit of tuition?

.

 

Maybe you should read the rule book. The new BSPA rukes make it impossible for anyone with more than 5.00 in the NL rider or a rider with more than 50 NL meetings under their belt to ride anybody who has competed in the PL has no chance i'm affraid.

 

Would you like to try again.?!!!!!

Edited May 9, 2012 by TMW