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Dave Stummings

Is Rye House the worst stadium in the Premiership?

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 And possibly in the Championship to!

Let’s look at the reason Rye House is such a mess after so much was promised a few years ago by the wealthy owner Warren Scott.

Firstly the ludicrous decision to make the long bar a motorcycle dealership. Can someone explain how this benefits anyone?

The presentation is awful. That’s no criticism to Craig Saul who does a sterling job alone, but it’s basically flat!     

The way the meetings are run as though no one has a care in the world, well the Rye management may not have, but the few paying punters that are there most certainly have. The meeting against Belle Vue, one of the air bags was punched. Already delayed by a sun break the replacement air bag was sought and it took ages to come from the pits. Surely they should be on the bends ready in case of such an instance!

Then we come to the moto cross effort that is now in place of the centre green. Are they getting massive crowds for these events? Have they actually had a meeting yet as such on the jumps?

The awful stand by the starting gate which has steps that are so steep! How on earth the H&S people passed that I have no idea what’s so ever.

The viewing platform by the top bar [by the starting gate] on top of the container is an accident waiting to happen with uneven planks of wood!

The suicidal decision to move to the top league and loose there Saturday race night was probably the biggest mistake they have made.

Even with good crowds last year there’s been money spent on the stadium no doubt but I’m not sure in what part.

Who’s to blame? Ultimately the promotion but the also the blame is partly with the cronies at the BSPA.  

If speedway is to continue at Rye House then it needs a team the club can afford, race on a Saturday night and Bank Holiday Mondays and in a lower league. Unless the dithering idiots at BSPA HQ decide to make more changes next year [which they’ll have to] speedway really will be on its last legs in the UK. Probably six man teams and have a combined 1st/2nd Division and a NL for those who basically can’t afford to run higher league speedway, which will probably be most teams.

One final point the start line girl who holds the blue umbrella needs a new one as its basically had it!    

Edited by Dave Stummings
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Rye used to be a nice place to watch speedway in the uncle Len era, although the stadium was starting to look shabby in his latter years. With the cost of repairs and a shrinking fan base, Len decided to jump ship, who can blame him. Rye has become a very uncomfortable place to watch speedway, and dragging over there on a Wednesday night has become a real chore for me. Still old habits die hard, and I have not missed a home meeting this season. Will I get to see another one, that is the big question.

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It certainly looks like the worst stadium, as seen on TV. I have not visited it since the change of promotion but the motocross course looks terrible unless it does bring in a new income stream/ fans. On TV the stadium it looks as if some awful natural disaster has recently taken place there. It reminds me of King's Lynn in the early 1980s before major work took place. 

Edited by waytogo28

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Most certainly the worst stadium in the Premiership in my opinion, and in view of the nasty accident my wife had trying to climb those dangerous steep steps in the main stand, it's a venue I never intend visiting again.
It's a shame, as over the years, I've attended hundreds of meetings there, but these past couple of years, it's become an unpleasant place to visit.

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Everything is unfinished but if they haven't got the money coming in...? 

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5 minutes ago, Mafiarule said:

I recon Swindon far worse. Rye house best chips in league

Ah yes but Swindon have a new stadium coming dont they. 

Its due to open in 2017 or is it 2018 now or maybe 2025 or more likely probably never as the Housing development takes over and eats up more and more space.

There was a lot of hype over this new Swindon Stadium or rebuilding it on part of the existing site but like much in  respect of the sport going forward in UK it hasn't happened (so far).

We have seen Coventry go (and no way they will be back at Brandon). Rye House (we are all left currently guessing). Not counting others who have slightly deeper pockets or good sponsorship that are keeping their heads above water but only just FOR NOW.....

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I think the Rye management are doing their best, the problem for them is the BSPA, and certain other promoters.  For starters, the fixed race nights have crucified the crowds there.  Premiership last season on a Saturday was a great success.  Very convenient for me who lives 80 miles away, to go on a Saturday and Bank Holidays.  Wednesday is a terrible journey by train, returning home around midnight or later.

Yes, the stadium needs further work, I stand by the tapes now as the wooden seats/stand is just too much for an old man to sit on. I don't want splinters in my buttocks nor can my back stand the low trajectory.

It isn't just Rye House, but speedway itself that is the problem. Referees are complicit in ruining meetings by not helping slick presentation, and the FIM board need replacing forthwith, along with the stupid start rule.  Touching the tapes and "rolling" was all part of the drama of the start years ago. Today everything is clinical.  You can't even be "excluded" but must be "disqualified".  I've never heard of such nonsense since Bernard Manning invented "climate change"  (He didn't believe in it by the way and nor do I).

Unless we do actually put the clock BACK - speedway will die on it's feet, quicker than it is now.

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1 hour ago, Mafiarule said:

I recon Swindon far worse. Rye house best chips in league

Yeah real hole

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1 hour ago, Mafiarule said:

I recon Swindon far worse. Rye house best chips in league

My mate hates the chips at the Rye.  He ballooned up to nearly 20 stone simply by eating them every week for five seasons.

He goes football occasionally, and the chants of "YFB" resound round the stadium.

It's all Uncle Len's fault!

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1 hour ago, Mafiarule said:

I recon Swindon far worse. Rye house best chips in league

Mildenhall is the king of fish & chips in British speedway!

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For me the chippy at Rye is horrid. Had them twice in the Stars PL days, never again.

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2 minutes ago, Orbiter said:

I used to like Long Eaton (Station road) myself 

Providing you did not try to use the toilets! I never saw speedway at Long Eaton but it was an excellent stock car track. 

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