lisa-colette 6,018 Posted October 11, 2018 3 hours ago, cityrebel said: I remember watching them demolish poole 64 - 26 at wimborne road. They certainly were a great team. I was there for that as well! Didn't they get Gollob in on a 6 point average? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
cityrebel 2,960 Posted October 11, 2018 20 minutes ago, lisa-colette said: I was there for that as well! Didn't they get Gollob in on a 6 point average? I can't remember, it seems like a lifetime ago. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dontforgetthefueltapsbruv 10,695 Posted October 11, 2018 22 minutes ago, lisa-colette said: I was there for that as well! Didn't they get Gollob in on a 6 point average? 7.5 - which at the time was the entry average for new GP standard riders Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mikebv 10,240 Posted October 11, 2018 1 hour ago, Steve0 said: Your pub analogy is fundamentally flawed because one pub does not depend on the existence or otherwise of another. - whereas a speedway club does depend on other clubs. No point in being well supported if you have no one to race against. Also, a lot of people tend to pick and choose meetings they attend depending on who they are racing against and what competition it is for e.g. the KO Cup fails to attract the same level of support as league racing and some people do not bother going to see some of the weaker teams either. The business model for speedway is a precarious one in the current climate which is why there won’t be a big queue of interested parties IMHO. Correct... No point in buying into a business where all the businesses around you are closing down.. Retail businesses often close due to foot fall dropping due to other outlets adjacent going bust... Put Simply, Team Speedway needs teams (and a wide variety to maintain interest)... The Sport desperately needs a clear direction and an injection of radical ideas... With I would suggest a collective 'Brand Speedway' marketing plan... Instead of individually paying thousands out each week to riders who put hardly a bottom on a seat, pay a marketing company to achieve exactly that.. Work together and not against each other... It might already be too late but has to be worth a go.. 4 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
STEVENGREEN739 8 Posted October 11, 2018 (edited) 22 hours ago, jrs said: Ford probably thinks it's time to get out whilst the business still has some value left in it. And I doubt he wants to stay around and try to help speedway in the UK recover from the mess that he has contributed to in a big way this century. So you are pretty much saying that the current state of British speedway is mainly Matt Ford's fault ? Utterly utterly staggering, the absolute drivel that all you poole haters spout on this site is mind blowing! What a sorry, sad bunch you all are. If there were a few more Matt Ford's about British speedway would not be in it's current state, FACT ! As some posters say on here, the product is getting watered down every year, something Matt Ford has been opposed to for many seasons, and if he is still around next season, trust me, Poole will again be the team to beat because he wants to provide his customers with a winning team, it's called SPORT!!! Maybe Poole did get a little lucky this year, but guess what, the harder you try the luckier you get !!!! Edited October 12, 2018 by STEVENGREEN739 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
waiheke1 4,295 Posted October 12, 2018 19 hours ago, Grachan said: When you look at Cradley Heath 1983, I don't think there will ever be a team to top that. Just the sheer quality in that side - not even from 1-7 but they had Simon Cross at no 8 instead. Four riders with averages over 9. Two riders over 8. And at number 7, with an average over 7, was World Champ to be, Jan O. Pedersen. Just a remarkable line-up. And the other reserve (Peter ravn) made that year's world final as reserve. Including Ravn they had 4 world finalists that year, the others would ride in a world final within the next two seasons. Aces still beat them in the premiership though! By far the best team I've seen, built I believe to a 50pt limit. A better side imo than the unbeaten Oxford team of 86 that was built to 45 with a compulsory junior. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Grachan 7,314 Posted October 12, 2018 20 minutes ago, waiheke1 said: And the other reserve (Peter ravn) made that year's world final as reserve. Including Ravn they had 4 world finalists that year, the others would ride in a world final within the next two seasons. Aces still beat them in the premiership though! By far the best team I've seen, built I believe to a 50pt limit. A better side imo than the unbeaten Oxford team of 86 that was built to 45 with a compulsory junior. Did Alan Grahame ever make a World Final? I think the points limit was 48 at that time, but sure that, in itself, would make them a better side than the Oxford side with a compulsory junior. It depends if you compare them to others in the same year or as an individual side I guess. The 1980s points limits certainly led to dominant sides. Coventry had a couple too where they were easy league winners. I guess that's one reason the limits kept coming down as other sides tried to compete. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Terry 1,319 Posted October 12, 2018 Alan Grahame was reserve in 84 and scored 5 pts from 2 rides. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
waiheke1 4,295 Posted October 12, 2018 8 hours ago, Grachan said: Did Alan Grahame ever make a World Final? I think the points limit was 48 at that time, but sure that, in itself, would make them a better side than the Oxford side with a compulsory junior. It depends if you compare them to others in the same year or as an individual side I guess. The 1980s points limits certainly led to dominant sides. Coventry had a couple too where they were easy league winners. I guess that's one reason the limits kept coming down as other sides tried to compete. Was definitely higher than 48 limit in 83. It may have cone down to 48 in 1984. It may even have been 51in 83. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
hyderd 1,216 Posted October 20, 2018 On 10/10/2018 at 10:15 PM, Sherborne Green said: Agree there are no Turbo Twins anymore but the top riders have abandoned GB. Poole beat the best of the rest. Why not accept that we have what we have. I wouldn't call a patched up team the best of the rest. The records will show Poole as 2018 league champions, the question was, are they the worst team ever win the league. IMHO yes. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Aviator 213 Posted October 20, 2018 1 hour ago, hyderd said: I wouldn't call a patched up team the best of the rest. The records will show Poole as 2018 league champions, the question was, are they the worst team ever win the league. IMHO yes. That’s being pretty disrespectful of the other hard working teams who lost to Poole in some hard fought matches. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bruno 1,790 Posted October 20, 2018 I don't think the comparison is with the other 2018 teams but the team's who have won the league in the past. I'd say yes they are because the league is with it weaker this year Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Sherborne Green 320 Posted October 20, 2018 6 hours ago, hyderd said: I wouldn't call a patched up team the best of the rest. The records will show Poole as 2018 league champions, the question was, are they the worst team ever win the league. IMHO yes. Everyone is entitled to their own oplnion. This is the weakest top level league we have seen in this country. Riders now ride for so many teams around Europe They are bound to get more injuries leaving a weak league with R/R and or Guest riding nearly every match. Remember when a rider only rode for your team. That's when you really got team spirit. So yes with this weak league the team that won it probably are the weakest there has been and would not have beate past winning teas. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
one of clubs 116 Posted October 21, 2018 Whilst we all know Poole are champions they certainly had lady luck on their side, and as we know any team that has bad luck wins nothing. From the moment Rye closed down and Chris Harris went to Poole the writing was on the wall. Poole certainly benefitted in a perverse way from the injuries to two key riders and that is the way it goes sometimes. That is the truth of the matter. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
lisa-colette 6,018 Posted October 21, 2018 13 minutes ago, one of clubs said: Whilst we all know Poole are champions they certainly had lady luck on their side, and as we know any team that has bad luck wins nothing. From the moment Rye closed down and Chris Harris went to Poole the writing was on the wall. Poole certainly benefitted in a perverse way from the injuries to two key riders and that is the way it goes sometimes. That is the truth of the matter. Agreed, also got lucky that Harris couldn't sign for Somerset and Klindt was very close to signing for Leicester before we got him. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites