Lakeside V Birmingham 28july

[E I Addio 15,843]

why bother to stage speedway at lakeside, the club is fast becoming a joke. Hardly any home meetings are run anyway, and now this.

i

 

The irony is that we, the fans, were told that one of the reasons for dropping down was that we woukd get regular meetings.

The club has been falling apart ever since Stuart Douglas left, I assume he has left? you never see or hear from him and i very much doubt that he would stand silent in the background and let things get to where they are now.

The club is probably in a worse state than it has ever been in its entire history and there is only one person to blame for that.

Stuart is still the owner but the problem is that for business reasons he I'd based in thecUSA and very rarely gets to meetings.

 

Things have undoubtedly unravelled though. It is both ironic and sad that Jon Cook who did so much to turn the clubs fortunes round and double the attendance when he took over from Ronnie Russell is also the one presiding over dsuch a dramatic decline. Virtually everyone I speak to feels that Cook has lost interest and it's difficult to disagree with that opinion. Unless had starts trying to re-connect with the fans instead of going through the motions I can't see things changing.

[Paul 67]

How can you pull out of a cup in JULY because of no available dates, that can't be right surely?

Are they not running in the KOC now? Lakeside has only had a handful of meetings!

I’ll be lucky to get to 30 meetings this year. Gone are the days when I was doing a 100 plus a year.

With Lakeside running every few weeks and in Rye Houses case it seems every couple of months I'm loosing interest in speedway.

But in saying that I’d like to think I’ll go this match, providing the meeting isn’t beaten by the weather tomorrow. Being as it’s a Lakeside v Birmingham thread I recon quite an easy win for the Hammers, rain permitting!

[Daytripper 1,123]

I've made no secret of my disdain for the Lakeside track in the past and I was hoping I would never have to visit again after our drop down to the NL, but here we are, and as one of the easier NL tracks for me to get to I suppose I'd better make an effort, although looking at the weather forecast that might put pay to that idea as I'll have to make an early call on whether to commit or not.

 

As per usual around here I just hope we don't embarrass ourselves, keep it competitive, and maybe give ourselves a sniff of a point going into the last couple of heats. I'd hope fitness permitting that Hampshire can go to town at reserve, and based on Laurence's home record so far Cupitt should hopefully have the better of him at #2. Carr had a decent meeting at Eastbourne this season which you'd like to think is a good omen, JPB is flying, but ultimately our guys look like they have very little experience around Lakeside and with this track at this level, coupled with the strong top 4 the Hammers have regardless of that, pretty much writes you off before you've even started. Should be a comfortable home win.

As with most of the visitors Brum not only have the team to beat but Kelvin's guidance to the lesser riders is invaluable. Kelvin is experienced enough to spot little mistakes and put them right far quicker than young inexperienced riders would. In the Buxton meeting for example the Lakeside reserves were slow off the gate and Kelvin had them switching to the inside round bends and picked up several points that way from poor starts.

 

As for your disdain of the track you presumably didn't see the Twitter from Buxtons No 1 Matt Williamson, who said the track was well prepared and he enjoyed racing there, so it's all a matter of opinion.

[Islander15 1,062]

Drury on Hampshire He had a quick spin after the meeting and he felt okay so he should be fine for Friday." Translates to a discussion along the lines last night of 'we've won now so take a break. Don't bother riding for your home fans but start preparing for Friday and thank me with big points then'.

[Leicester Hunter 381]

Learned this morning that we have pulled out of the KO Cup because we have no available dates.

What a load of old rubbish. And before anyone starts, I'm not having a pop at East End Fan.

 

How can you pull out of a cup in JULY because of no available dates, that can't be right surely?

No, it isn't. I'd really love to be able to talk speedway in general up, but with the Championship Fours already this week and now this, it's rapidly becoming an even worse joke in incredibly bad taste. Those supposedly in charge of the sport really are making this up as they go along.

 

It's bad enough a team just 'dropping out' of a competition, but to give the reason as 'not enough dates' when you've only got eleven teams in the league currently, that's not credible excuse by a long way. Lakeside fans, if there are many left, really are being short changed here. And what about Belle Vue? They've just lost another home fixture for no good reason. The Lakeside promotion should be taken to task over this, but of course, they won't be, the way speedway is run these days.

 

Hammers fans, you have my deepest sympathy, because you really are being taken for mugs.

Edited July 27, 2017 by Leicester Hunter

[GWC 495]

The weather looks a bit iffy

[cityrebel 2,960]

Speedway is a bit iffy!

[TonyE 822]

Having looked at the BBC weather time map I think there is a good chance of tonight's meeting being on provided the initial showers are not too heavy.

[tocha 306]

No Zach for the remainder of the season following a crash at Swindon last night.:

 

http://www.swindonrobins.co/news.php?extend.2931

 

Get well soon.

[liam 376]

That's terrible news, gutted for Zach firstly as he looked a star this season. Not sure what this does for Lakeside apart from most probably mean less people through the turnstiles. He can't be replaced.

[waco 1,026]

Rider replacement for the unlucky Zack tonight which will undoubtably cost us several points and possibly lose us the meeting,,surely a top guest could have been found, ..Some fans may decide not to attend and who could blame them,,But the weather may still be the deciding factor....

Edited July 28, 2017 by waco

[CUFC_Brummie 132]

All the best Zach, terrible luck.

[eaglesno1 43]

Rider replacement for the unlucky Zack tonight which will undoubtably cost us several points and possibly lose us the meeting,,surely a top guest could have been found, ..Some fans may decide not to attend and who could blame them,,But the weather may still be the deciding factor....

You couldn't have a guest for him as he isn't your number 1, however when the new averages come in at the end of the month he will then go to number 1 so then you will be able to get guests for him.

[tocha 306]

Rider replacement for the unlucky Zack tonight which will undoubtably cost us several points and possibly lose us the meeting,,surely a top guest could have been found, ..Some fans may decide not to attend and who could blame them,,But the weather may still be the deciding factor....

Zach is currently second in the Hammers' averages so RR is the only option. However he will go top from 1st August making a guest facility available..

[marko 955]

Latest projections are for 80-90% chance of heavy rain between 7 and 9pm

 

Sorry to hear about Zach, was always going to be a risk with him riding so much for different teams.