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Hammers Vs Stoke 3/9

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Maybe it is different with sport. Maybe you have a point Liam.

 

Because, along with Kev, my heart will always be at Waterden Road, Stratford E15. Nothing comes close to the racing I witnessed at that track; nor some of the characters we had (including Uncle Len Silver).

 

But here's the difference. These days, it's an ever-increasing and rare occurrence to see your actual team of 7 riders. Guests are, more often than not, relied upon. Add into the mix the intermittent fixture list. There are weeks without any Home Meetings. At Hackney, you'd make it a date, Friday at 8, throughout the entire Season.

 

Riders attitudes seem different as well. Many appear to be so far up their own backside - with a raft of mechanics, etc. You see it now after a false start - they ride back and have 3 blokes standing ready simply to adjust a poxy clutch! Perhaps if they hadn't been poncing around and gardening at the tapes for 5 minutes, it wouldn't need adjusting!

 

Out on track, I rarely see team riding these days. Most riders don't even bother looking around for their partner. It isn't a team; it appears more often than not, a group of individuals who happen to be wearing the same racing colours.

 

I've been to all Midlands tracks since moving up here; but can't get into supporting any of them. My actual passion for Speedway has been killed off if I'm totally honest; and I used to go to 3-4 meetings each week throughout the 1980's/90's - because I could watch any team and enjoy the racing. This season, it's often a chore even bothering to watch it on BT.

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Maybe it is different with sport. Maybe you have a point Liam.

 

Because, along with Kev, my heart will always be at Waterden Road, Stratford E15. Nothing comes close to the racing I witnessed at that track; nor some of the characters we had (including Uncle Len Silver).

 

But here's the difference. These days, it's an ever-increasing and rare occurrence to see your actual team of 7 riders. Guests are, more often than not, relied upon. Add into the mix the intermittent fixture list. There are weeks without any Home Meetings. At Hackney, you'd make it a date, Friday at 8, throughout the entire Season.

 

Riders attitudes seem different as well. Many appear to be so far up their own backside - with a raft of mechanics, etc. You see it now after a false start - they ride back and have 3 blokes standing ready simply to adjust a poxy clutch! Perhaps if they hadn't been poncing around and gardening at the tapes for 5 minutes, it wouldn't need adjusting!

 

Out on track, I rarely see team riding these days. Most riders don't even bother looking around for their partner. It isn't a team; it appears more often than not, a group of individuals who happen to be wearing the same racing colours.

 

I've been to all Midlands tracks since moving up here; but can't get into supporting any of them. My actual passion for Speedway has been killed off if I'm totally honest; and I used to go to 3-4 meetings each week throughout the 1980's/90's - because I could watch any team and enjoy the racing. This season, it's often a chore even bothering to watch it on BT.

I can't disagree with anything you have said bal, my speedway education doesn't go back as far as yours and I only really started getting into speedway when arena essex started so they have always been my team. Speedway has changed a lot since then and I wish it could go back to them days. I have drifted away from the sport at times but always came back to arena and now lakeside. I like everyone else hopes that things can be done to make it better again and would love to be able to watch speedway every week. I also understand why people have had enough or would now choose to go rye house.
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I too agree with Voice of Reason - this time! - but that's an argument about speedway's problems rather than specifically fans' reasons for moving from one team to another. My roots are with West Ham, so I found it relatively easy to start supporting a team called the Hammers!

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My roots are with Wimbledon, although I did attended Wembley and West ham on a regular basis as a kid in the 1970's. So you could say I'm a speedway fan first and a dons fan second.

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All of the above is true, but the plain fact is that for most of us the team we grew up with is th one that gets in our DNA.

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I agree with Liam, cudnt ever imagine supporting another team. No chance, if cradley stopped, wudnt support anyone else

Edited by Heathen1984
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After years without speedway i started going to Monmore in the late 90s and even started going home and away but always supported the opposition of course. Then when Billy Hamill joined the Wolves I started to waver and finally in 2009 at the end of the season I decided in 2010 we were never coming back so I was going to support the Wolves or at least try. Within months we announced we were coming back. What a close call that was I even had Steve Brum trying to tempt me to the dark side. I still wake up now and again in a cold sweat!!!!

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I could make the same analogy with Eastbourne, if they were closer to us, in other words genuine local rivals its the one club I would never be able to support in a million years because they are the arch enemy, always have been.

It's one of the main reasons I have never liked Jon Cook being involved with our club, he's the enemy by association, I know that was a long time ago but I have a long memory.

We had Dean Barker ride for us for a couple of seasons, not to mention Lewis Bridger more recently, I was never able to take to either because in my mind, they were Eagles first and foremost.

And if you ever done word association with me and said Eastbourne Eagles, the answer would not be printable on these pages.

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Having read the recent posts and being an Eagles fan it does seem the main problem is management who don't want to be in the NL and have never embraced it for what it is. When Eastie went to the NL, the new management of Connor and Martin Dugard gave the club new impetus after being also rans in the Elite and brought a breath of fresh air to the club, helped being pretty successful from word go.

In nearly 3 seasons in the NL , cannot remember any posts at all like the recent pages on this segment being anti club, looking to support another one or being anti management.

Don't like to say it but unless the club can adopt the attitude of the Eastie management, don't hold out a lot of hope in any league really.

Edited by gazzac
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The biggest millstone for lakeside is the M25 and the Dartford crossing. Add this to the huge shopping complex across the road, makes it a recipe for disaster attendance wise. The vast increase in the volume of traffic over the past few years have strangled the life out of the track. These problems will be impossible to overcome, regardless of what league the hammers decide to ride in.

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The biggest millstone for lakeside is the M25 and the Dartford crossing. Add this to the huge shopping complex across the road, makes it a recipe for disaster attendance wise. The vast increase in the volume of traffic over the past few years have strangled the life out of the track. These problems will be impossible to overcome, regardless of what league the hammers decide to ride in.

Like or loath the track, I suppose we forget how lucky we are with Arlington and it's location. Edited by gazzac

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As somebody that has switched from lakeside to Rye I have to ask myself several questions:

 

1. Journey time - Rye is 15 minutes further.

2. Cost - Rye is cheaper than Lakeside (last year) for admittance and program

3. Officials - Rye staff always seem happy and part of a team

4. Promoters - Huge respect from what they are trying to achieve at Rye and I just cannot trust Cook ever again. To much negativity and talking rubbish.

5. Viewing - Much closer viewing and plenty of seating at Rye

6. Weather - Rye stadium is much better protected from the weather

7. Atmosphere - Positive atmosphere and sense of belonging at Rye. The opposite at Lakeside

8. Racing - Maybe its the better viewing but I think the racing is better at Rye. The comments following the TV match were very positive.

 

Before anyone says where is your loyalty, well that will always be for Waterden Road.

 

So will I be back, Nope.

Couldn't agree more Kev , well said.

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