E I Addio 15,845 Posted August 9, 2020 2 hours ago, BWitcher said: Rule changes were agreed to that benefited certain clubs, ones that wouldn't normally have past. It was you scratch my back, I'll scratch yours. Lakeside were infamous for rolling over to Poole. Lakeside were the club that asked the SCB to investigate the claims of Poole cheating in 2009. No other club . So much for rolling over to Poole. Not that it did any good because the investigation was a stitch up, but that’s a different story, not under discussion now. Quite apart from Lakeside, how did he pander to Eastbourne to buy their vote ? What rule changes were agreed, and which clubs did they benefit ? When were these rule changes agreed ? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bagpuss 10,780 Posted August 9, 2020 4 hours ago, Dave Jones said: I had it in my mind that it was more about the conversion rate for riders moving up a league which was agreed prior to the AGM at a meeting that Coventry weren't invited to.Consequently that screwed up the bees plans as they had got deals to take two riders from the lower division Kenni Larsen being one (can't recall the other ). Fisher I think? And Sundstrom at P’boro. orion hit the nail on the head with his post. 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
one of clubs 116 Posted August 9, 2020 Matt Fraud is one of the reasons British Speedway is in terminal decline, even before Covid. Whilst being brilliant for Poole, British Speedway has been decimated. Now he reaps what he has sewn. 3 2 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BWitcher 12,453 Posted August 9, 2020 52 minutes ago, E I Addio said: Lakeside were the club that asked the SCB to investigate the claims of Poole cheating in 2009. No other club . So much for rolling over to Poole. Not that it did any good because the investigation was a stitch up, but that’s a different story, not under discussion now. Quite apart from Lakeside, how did he pander to Eastbourne to buy their vote ? What rule changes were agreed, and which clubs did they benefit ? When were these rule changes agreed ? Just go back and read the threads at the time. Ford was the biggest cancer in the sport, hundreds, if not thousands walked away from it in disgust at his actions season upon season. 4 1 1 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Steve Shovlar 10,439 Posted August 9, 2020 As I asked earlier, how did Matt Ford screw over Coventry and Peterbough. He didn’t Coventry were Screwed over by their portion. Trump caused many of the issues and was righty banned from the sport for life. If Frost thought he was being screwed over, why was he a friend of Matts and sponsored the Pirates over the following seasons? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Steve Shovlar 10,439 Posted August 9, 2020 4 minutes ago, BWitcher said: Just go back and read the threads at the time. Ford was the biggest cancer in the sport, hundreds, if not thousands walked away from it in disgust at his actions season upon season. Rubbish. When Poole turned up other clubs had their biggest attendances. That’s a fact. Success is always viewed with bitterness and jealousy from rival fans and here’s a prime example. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BWitcher 12,453 Posted August 9, 2020 15 minutes ago, Steve Shovlar said: Rubbish. When Poole turned up other clubs had their biggest attendances. That’s a fact. Success is always viewed with bitterness and jealousy from rival fans and here’s a prime example. Yes, very jealous of seeing crowds fall year on year with scandal after scandal, almost always involving Poole. As has been said, you reap what you sew. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
E I Addio 15,845 Posted August 9, 2020 (edited) 50 minutes ago, BWitcher said: Just go back and read the threads at the time. Ford was the biggest cancer in the sport, hundreds, if not thousands walked away from it in disgust at his actions season upon season. You are not answering the questions. We are talking specifically about him allegedly wanting to put Coventry and Peterboro out of business I wouldn’t go as far as to say he was a cancer but. The controversy he attracted, some of it justified, was not good for the sport, nor were some of his tactics, but they weren’t aimed at one or two clubs in particular. I am thinking , for example of Joe Screen being declared unfit the night before the new greensheets were compiled yet fit enough to score a 15 point maximum in Denmark the next night , but maintained a British average just low enough to fit Hans Anderson in the team. Then of course the dodgy heat 20 rain offs in one or two TV meetings. Those things I know sickened many fans but the reality is most other clubs were up to similar tricks, it’s just that Ford seemed to do much more of it. However , I don’t accept Ford master minded the winter of discontent. Rules were passed in the absence of Coventry any Peterboro because they chose to walk out of the AGM. Certainly Ford wasn’t pandering to either Eastbourne or Lakeside. Edited August 9, 2020 by E I Addio 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
E I Addio 15,845 Posted August 9, 2020 50 minutes ago, Steve Shovlar said: As I asked earlier, how did Matt Ford screw over Coventry and Peterbough. He didn’t Coventry were Screwed over by their portion. Trump caused many of the issues and was righty banned from the sport for life. If Frost thought he was being screwed over, why was he a friend of Matts and sponsored the Pirates over the following seasons? Not often I agree with Steve , but yes, I agree with that . One might also ask, if Frost thought he was being screwed over why did he let Lakeside sign Piotr Swiderski while it was all going on ? He spent a lot of time behind the scenes with Jon Cook trying to resolve it, and those two remain friends. Its just a shame Rick Frost got caught up in something he didn’t have enough experience to foresee at the time. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dornier 795 Posted August 9, 2020 7 hours ago, Dave Jones said: I had it in my mind that it was more about the conversion rate for riders moving up a league which was agreed prior to the AGM at a meeting that Coventry weren't invited to.Consequently that screwed up the bees plans as they had got deals to take two riders from the lower division Kenni Larsen being one (can't recall the other ). Yes you`re right it was that. the two over eight rule was another year when the bees were penalised. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Steve Shovlar 10,439 Posted August 9, 2020 2 hours ago, E I Addio said: Not often I agree with Steve , but yes, I agree with that . One might also ask, if Frost thought he was being screwed over why did he let Lakeside sign Piotr Swiderski while it was all going on ? He spent a lot of time behind the scenes with Jon Cook trying to resolve it, and those two remain friends. Its just a shame Rick Frost got caught up in something he didn’t have enough experience to foresee at the time. The winter of discontent was not caused by Coventry winning in 2010. It was caused by a couple of clubs jumping the gun with team building before the AGM. Some clubs in the top flight were struggling financially and didn’t want a higher points limit at the time. Matt Ford, devil incarnate for some and a promoter who could afford to put together a team in the higher points bracket, realised it would turn the EL into a have a have not League, which was basically half the haves and half the have nots. Whilst it is not good to pander to the lowest denominator, it is no good having a league of 4 clubs, with a further 4 or 5 making up the numbers. The idea of a points limit is so that clubs can all start on a fairly level playing field to give the sport some credibility. Matt Ford backed this idea. I am sure if Eastbourne and another club had been able to afford a higher points limit he would have gone along with that as well. Alan Trump stormed out of the AGM, and was naively followed at the time by Rick Frost, who regretted it later. Trump, a property millionaire, backed by Sandhu, could afford the best. So a high points limit was no issue. Same goes for Rick Frost. Take that against Eastbourne for example should couldn’t and wouldn’t afford the top stars. What’s the point of whipping boys? We see this current season what that’s like in the Polish leagues. Matt Ford said at the time that he was very disappointed in the outcome of the 2010 playoff finals. The bending of the rules by Coventry left a foul taste in the mouth but that had nothing to do with what happened that winter. It was all to do with keeping the EL to the maximum amount of teams and to keep it competitive for Sky. Matt Ford can be an easy target but if the sport had other promoters with the same brains and drive then it would be in a much better place than it currently finds itself. My opinion and many of course will disagree. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wealdstone 3,454 Posted August 9, 2020 IMO Rick Frost was allowed to contribute by others a pot of money which was used as revolving back scratch . They allowed him to do it knowing that the team that he had in mind would not be allowed. He did not understand that Speedway even then was in the hands of Spivs and wideboys, and run under a totally different set of rules ,decency and morality than the business world he was used to. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JamesHarris 390 Posted August 9, 2020 I realise that some people will not like Poole. As a Coventry fan I understand that. In football depending on who you support you may not like Man Utd or Liverpool. But I will say this, I have been disgusted by the comments I have read on here and social media from so called fans who seem to be gloating at the fact Poole may close. Poole have been the best team for years. Love em' or hate em' hats off to Matt Ford. If Poole go under any true speedway fan should take heed. 9 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
orion 7,615 Posted August 9, 2020 (edited) 5 hours ago, E I Addio said: Lakeside were the club that asked the SCB to investigate the claims of Poole cheating in 2009. No other club . So much for rolling over to Poole. Not that it did any good because the investigation was a stitch up, but that’s a different story, not under discussion now. Quite apart from Lakeside, how did he pander to Eastbourne to buy their vote ? What rule changes were agreed, and which clubs did they benefit ? When were these rule changes agreed ? All the rule changes quite clearly had a direct effect on cov ...the rule changes had little do with saving money (as Ford care about that at the time ) he was bitter and got a little gang together to teach Cov a lesson .a million ways someone like Ford could get Eastie on board You got to be really naive to think that those rules that destroyed the 1 to 7 that cov could have tracked were just a concidence and had to do with the final defeat , What is even more amazing even after the stunts and cheating he did somehow he would never been involved in any of the above and was working for the good of the sport .. . Edited August 9, 2020 by orion 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
E I Addio 15,845 Posted August 9, 2020 5 minutes ago, orion said: All the rule changes quite clearly had a direct effect on cov ...the rule changes had little do with saving money (as Ford care about that at the time ) he was bitter and got a little gang together to teach Cov a lesson .a million ways someone like Ford could get Eastie on board You got to be really naive to think that those rules that destroyed the 1 to 7 that cov could have tracked were just a concidence and had to do with the final defeat . The AGM was in November. The season didn’t start till March. Its the same every year. The team building rules are agreed at the AGM and then everyone has a level playing field to build a team within the rules set. Ford didn’t get a “little gang “ together. Every promoter left in the room after Cov and Peterborough walked out voted unanimously for the team building rules, including Ronnie Russell. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites