Starman2006 2,354 Posted September 12, 2018 41 minutes ago, lisa-colette said: What a stupid thing to say. Im not sure why we are talking about this. We still have 2018 play off's to go yet, and nothing is done till its done. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
scottyfan 824 Posted September 12, 2018 Think the other interest could be the sheeps bladder kickers over at the Tatnum. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Aviator 213 Posted September 12, 2018 9 minutes ago, Starman2006 said: Im not sure why we are talking about this. We still have 2018 play off's to go yet, and nothing is done till its done. Seems like “head in the sand” response from somebody who might be looking for something else to do on Wednesday evenings in 2019. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bluebee 199 Posted September 12, 2018 I heard rumours this was coming and decided to make a return to forum after confirmation came elsewhere. As an ex-Coventry fan I would like to offer my commiserations to some of the Poole supporters on here. If Ford goes it will be a big loss to Poole but you Poole fans will know that he will have the left the sport in a much better position than when he became involved in it! His service to the well being of the sport and its fair and honest running is second to none (and none is pretty bad). Oh, and if the stadium is unfortunately converted to student flats or a Wetherspoons I suggest a certain Mr Shovlar could come up with a good name for the new facility. Must go and get a tissue to wipe my tears away! 5 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Gavan 5,049 Posted September 12, 2018 2 hours ago, Arthur54 said: Even if he made Ipswich the best team in the championship Doesn’t bother me wether we are the best or not The sport as a whole is what matters not just one club. Ive always said Matt Ford has been good for Poole as a business but he certainly isn’t good for the sport as a whole and it has to be said that some of Pooles title wins have had controversy about them. So no I would rather have my club run the way it is right now and keep the sport running 6 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Starman2006 2,354 Posted September 12, 2018 1 hour ago, Gavan said: Doesn’t bother me wether we are the best or not The sport as a whole is what matters not just one club. Ive always said Matt Ford has been good for Poole as a business but he certainly isn’t good for the sport as a whole and it has to be said that some of Pooles title wins have had controversy about them. So no I would rather have my club run the way it is right now and keep the sport running Matt runs his club how he see's fit . Yup all 7 league titles start counting... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Hodgy 976 Posted September 12, 2018 (edited) 2 hours ago, Gavan said: Doesn’t bother me wether we are the best or not The sport as a whole is what matters not just one club. Ive always said Matt Ford has been good for Poole as a business but he certainly isn’t good for the sport as a whole and it has to be said that some of Pooles title wins have had controversy about them. So no I would rather have my club run the way it is right now and keep the sport running The word is ‘whether’. If 10 clubs had 10 Fords I believe the sport could be in a much better place. Yes he has created controversy, who hasn’t in this game? Appears he’s had enough. Love or loathe, Poole have set the standard for several years. If they go it will be much worse than it is now. In my opinion. Edited September 12, 2018 by Hodgy 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bald Bloke 3,284 Posted September 12, 2018 (edited) 1 hour ago, Starman2006 said: Matt runs his club how he see's fit . Yup all 7 league titles start counting... All promoters run their club as they see fit.... Why wouldn't they. Matt wants to win at all costs, we know that...Same as most of the fans....Why wouldn't he, it makes him money... He made money as a result of winning. Hence win at all costs... Could it be now that Poole can't dominate and the crowds are down, he is making little or no money. So no point, in his eyes...Can't see Ford plugging on for the passion of Poole speedway, or the sport in general, like lots of promoters seem to do for UK speedway. Either that or he wants to influence the AGM in his favour. Edited September 12, 2018 by Bald Bloke 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Sidney the robin 4,735 Posted September 13, 2018 Poole have the best destination for speedway only Poole fc and maybe Southampton as a competitor.Ford has done a great job for Poole and himself but has he been good for the sport as a whole??? i have my doubts.I dont agree with the win at all costs mentality the first priority for me is to get the entertainment level right winning and losing come after.Are people happy to see crap everyweek but go home happy because they are winning? i go to see good racing winning/ losing means nothing to me how important is winning to fans.? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Steve Shovlar 10,439 Posted September 13, 2018 4 minutes ago, Sidney the robin said: Poole have the best destination for speedway only Poole fc and maybe Southampton as a competitor.Ford has done a great job for Poole and himself but has he been good for the sport as a whole??? i have my doubts.I dont agree with the win at all costs mentality the first priority for me is to get the entertainment level right winning and losing come after.Are people happy to see crap everyweek but go home happy because they are winning? i go to see good racing winning/ losing means nothing to me how important is winning to fans.? AFC Bournemouth are a premier league football club. Forgot about them? Five miles from Wimborne Road. About the same distance STFC is from Blunsdon. A bit different in status though. What have The Robins got to challenge them? As many have said, if the promoters were all like Matt the sport would be thriving in the UK. Easily the best current promoter in the country and has been since the start of the millennium. Sport is for winning. People who say win at all costs mentality is bad clearly support a team with little in the way of trophies in the cabint over the years, as winning is everything in sport. We are lucky to have a combination of Matt and Middlo. They will be a hard act to follow when they go. They have brought great teams, and so many league titles. As for crap racing, it’s not something we suffer down here compared to Blunsdon. Racing is good overall. I know because I watch speedway away from Wimborne Road and there isn’t much on offer that’s better. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Pinny 2,536 Posted September 13, 2018 1 hour ago, Steve Shovlar said: AFC Bournemouth are a premier league football club. Forgot about them? Five miles from Wimborne Road. About the same distance STFC is from Blunsdon. A bit different in status though. What have The Robins got to challenge them? As many have said, if the promoters were all like Matt the sport would be thriving in the UK. Easily the best current promoter in the country and has been since the start of the millennium. Sport is for winning. People who say win at all costs mentality is bad clearly support a team with little in the way of trophies in the cabint over the years, as winning is everything in sport. We are lucky to have a combination of Matt and Middlo. They will be a hard act to follow when they go. They have brought great teams, and so many league titles. As for crap racing, it’s not something we suffer down here compared to Blunsdon. Racing is good overall. I know because I watch speedway away from Wimborne Road and there isn’t much on offer that’s better. Hard to disagree with that Shov, Ford has without doubt been the best promoter of the last 20 years as trophys and crowds show. I just think he has lost a bit of interest now the top dogs arent riding here anymore , he loved having world champs and top riders at Poole and that doesnt happen anymore. The continued watering down of the league as well. if I was Ford and was able to walk away with a profit and sell the club on, I would definately do so. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Sidney the robin 4,735 Posted September 13, 2018 1 hour ago, Steve Shovlar said: AFC Bournemouth are a premier league football club. Forgot about them? Five miles from Wimborne Road. About the same distance STFC is from Blunsdon. A bit different in status though. What have The Robins got to challenge them? As many have said, if the promoters were all like Matt the sport would be thriving in the UK. Easily the best current promoter in the country and has been since the start of the millennium. Sport is for winning. People who say win at all costs mentality is bad clearly support a team with little in the way of trophies in the cabint over the years, as winning is everything in sport. We are lucky to have a combination of Matt and Middlo. They will be a hard act to follow when they go. They have brought great teams, and so many league titles. As for crap racing, it’s not something we suffer down here compared to Blunsdon. Racing is good overall. I know because I watch speedway away from Wimborne Road and there isn’t much on offer that’s better. I feel you are in your own little bubble Ford is a good promoter but does he do what is best for speedway as a whole.? Lets see if Ford could be a success in say Teeside/ Sunderland/ Barrow ? Poole is by far the best destination for speedway a mini Monaco around Sandbanks/ Bridport.Also as for your continuous slagging off of Swindon and the Abbey you need to look at the quality of Wimbourne Rd it is a million miles away from the track it used to be. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
A ORLOV 8,628 Posted September 13, 2018 1 hour ago, Pinny said: Hard to disagree with that Shov, Ford has without doubt been the best promoter of the last 20 years as trophys and crowds show. I just think he has lost a bit of interest now the top dogs arent riding here anymore , he loved having world champs and top riders at Poole and that doesnt happen anymore. The continued watering down of the league as well. if I was Ford and was able to walk away with a profit and sell the club on, I would definately do so. I cannot see many wanting to pay much, if anything, let alone Matts valuation when he wanted Somerset to buy C Holder for £20,000, for Poole Speedway. To start with the riders are not financial assets of any value, as they can just walk away and refuse to ride for any new owner, so Matt has a couple of tractors and other equipment and an agreement to hire the track when he needs it. Add to this the state of speedway in this country and the way it is run. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bagpuss 10,779 Posted September 13, 2018 This has been discussed many times, Mr Ford has been excellent for Poole but along with a weak governing body and rule book his time in speedway has been pretty disastrous for the sport in the UK as a whole and the rule bending has contributed to crowds falling along with other factors. He would not be missed by many people. 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
lisa-colette 6,024 Posted September 13, 2018 4 minutes ago, Bagpuss said: This has been discussed many times, Mr Ford has been excellent for Poole but along with a weak governing body and rule book his time in speedway has been pretty disastrous for the sport in the UK as a whole and the rule bending has contributed to crowds falling along with other factors. He would not be missed by many people. When he first took over at Poole, he did think of speedway in the UK as a whole especially at the AGMs, but he got burnt a few times by other promoter's so he decided to just put Poole first. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites