Jump to content
British Speedway Forum

MattJ81

Members
 View Profile  See their activity

  • Content count

    153

  • Joined

  • Last visited

Posts posted by MattJ81

  1. Posted

    Glad to see Tom fixed up, he was an entertaining part of the Heathens team last year with an unorthodox style and bravery that meant you had to keep your eyes on him, his knock at Leicester was a nasty one but I'm sure he will progress this year.   

  2. Posted

    A shame that Reading aren't able to compete if they are willing and able to do so.  I remember something about the Cradley situation whereby we were allowed to use Monmore for as long as the club were actively seeking a new stadium of their own (this may be something I've made up or confused admittedly) - would this be a sticking point?  It may be that Cradley were already in place by the time the powers that be made any change to the rules, or they are looking to increase the link between the Top leagues and the NDL by trying to get as many second teams involved as possible rather than stand alone clubs?

  3. Posted

    The Cradley statement says that "The aim is to ultimately return the third tier to a junior development league" - could it be that with that in mind teams need time to assess whether they can take part?  Depending on how it will look I'm sure admission costs would need to adjust accordingly which may not suit standalone clubs with fixed costs

  4. Posted

    Hi, really sorry for the delay my daughter had filed the programme away!

    Heat 1 58.14 (Stoneman)

    Heat 2 57.76 (Clegg)

    Heat 3 58.01 (Greaves)

    Heat 4 57.08 (Clegg)

    Heat 5 57.86 (Lawlor)

    Heat 6 58.48 (Stoneman)

    Heat 7 56.94 (Clegg)

    Heat 8 56.83 (Lawlor)

    Heat 9 58.06 (Edwards)

    Heat 10 58.31 (Stoneman)

    Heat 11 58.09 (Clegg)

    Heat 12 59.21  (Perry)

    Heat 13 59.97 (Greaves)

    Heat 14 58.23 (Clegg)

    Heat 15 59.58 (Perry)

    Final 58.65 (Clegg)

    • Thanks 1

  5. Posted

    CVS is attending the AGM representing Cradley so there is some hope that we will continue, although I wouldn't imagine it's something he could do alone.  Wolves will have between 14 and 17 home meetings (I think!) depending on progress in playoffs/supporters cup so there will be a few free Mondays; although as this season there wouldn't be much room for manoeuvre when a few fall foul of the weather. 

  7. Posted

    1 hour ago, PotteringAround said:

    Cradley also sounds unlikely.  Patchett is going (some would say no big loss to the sport) and Pearson is busy making money selling his cloned programmes where you can read the exact same programme column at opposite ends of the country in any week.  But surely there's enough support to keep Cradley going?  Is there a businessman fan or two who could join CVS and Will Pottinger to keep them going?   

    That must be the hope, coupled with possibly fewer teams in the top league CVS may like Cradley to fill the gaps (assuming it helps with rent or what have you)?  In an ideal world the supporters trust would take a role although I'm sure that depends on many factors/costs.  CVS still being around is the only thing we have to indicate any future interest, Will I believe has a full time job outside of speedway and is busy with Eastbourne so understandably this limits the time he can dedicate to Cradley.  New faces and investment are definitely required.

    I'm sure identical programme columns have been around for many years haven't they?  

  8. Posted

    I can pay for an ice cream from the van in Monmore using a contactless card but the turnstiles are cash only.  Appreciate it's probably not going to be top of the list of things that need attention, and with speedway often being tenants it may be outside of their control but in an increasingly cashless society especially younger people would perhaps appreciate the option of payments by card.  Not so much an issue with the current demographic and folks who know the setup but another thing that could make it look old fashioned to new attendees

  9. Posted

    15 minutes ago, ProudtobeaBrummie said:

    I have never really understood the gripe with any management making money out of a speedway club ? 

    surely if your club makes money year after year is a good thing ? 

    I would be delighted to hear the Masons make a healthy profit at Birmingham as would give me assurances of our longer term future.

    Do speedway fans want owners to take risks but not take any rewards ? if so why would anyone bother ?

    I think, although I can't remember exactly, some of the criticism is making a lot of money from large crowds on NL racing when the appetite and support is there to move into the higher leagues.  I think this increased apathy with NL racing links to the reduced crowds - certainly away from Monmore.  I can't see that there are nearly enough dates as we stand at Monmore to consider moving up and Perry Barr has been shown not to attract enough for whatever reason(s), which brings you back to finding land and building a place of our own.

    As you say on the face of it surely as long as they aren't ripping off supporters and paying the bills on time it's a good thing if any promotions are managing to make any money, fair play to them

  11. Posted

    22 minutes ago, Old Crusader said:

    I hope you're right about riding sensibly for this one because they won't win the playoffs if this is their best. To be fair to Rob it was his 1st meeting back after a long layoff. But two last places for Drew is not good perhaps it was machine problems?

    In Heat 15 he straightened up across bends 1 and 2 first lap and ended up a distance behind Smith in third - he gained a little over the race but didn't seriously threaten

  12. Posted

    Very nearly got all 30 heats in before the 10:30 strict curfew and some decent races especially in the Kent meeting.  A mention to Harry McGurk who completed 12 rides last night and along with a couple of the other Cradley riders was visibly shattered by the end!  Great result against Kent in a close meeting, Clegg was rarely troubled after Heat 1 of the first meeting to stay unbeaten in 9 rides and Luke Harris had a good night using the Karlsson korridor to great effect several times.

    Agree with those above who mentioned that Drew Kemp doesn't quite look his old self, it almost seemed he was riding with a slight injury the way his body language seemed after Heat 15 in particular.  He was very good around Monmore last season but didn't threaten a big score at all.  The track was dusty from pretty early on, understandably with the rain earlier in the day

    Mildenhall need to gain maximum 4 points at Plymouth on Thursday to take the last play off place

  14. Posted

    1 hour ago, Sings4Speedway said:

    I would be gutted is Kent didnt return with all the points as i would love to see IOW in the play offs. Ledwith returning is obviously a risk but he has taken his tie to ensure he is right, Spooner at reserve will be a trump card providing he stays out of trouble as Sam Woolley seems unlikely to trouble the score card too heavily. For the host Clegg present is an obvious boost & Coles is more consistent than the enigma Halsey this year. Is Spencer out with concussion again? He rode at Plymouth recently so guessed that the suspension was up? Either way the visitors should have enough to take the away points and keep the Warriors fans happy. 

    I believe Tom is still suffering from the concussion despite having ridden and put in one of his best performances of an encouraging season at Plymouth.  R/R is never easy in a double header but can't be helped - Cradley do usually name a number 8 which may help keep things ticking over 

    Raining at the moment but due to clear up before lunchtime all being well, fingers crossed it goes ahead as planned as they have the potential to be two good meetings

    • Like 1
    • Thanks 1

  15. Posted

    That's a real shame.  Obviously have some vivid memories of our time there in 96 along with fainter ones from previous trips to watch the Potters (including I think with a very young Jason Crump in opposition).  Visited for the NL fours recently and enjoyed the evening, it has its charms the old place - I'm still a sucker for a big grass bank to watch speedway on

    Thoughts with the Potters fans

    • Like 1

  17. Posted

    2 minutes ago, Sings4Speedway said:

    The massive plus side is that the vast majority of the list either do or have occupied team places in higher leagues and many will be looking at pushing on next season much like Mountain, Bacon etc did this year however it will be quite a substantial amount of riders who step up out of the league if it is to be the case. Providing the rules in the Championship are accommodating then the conveyor belt is slowly springing into life and the sport might start making positive steps forward for once. 

    Sorry Sings, made the same point I was just a bit slower doing so!

    • Haha 1

  18. Posted

    Of those there are several who may well be ineligible for NL next season, rule changes not withstanding of course -  Ayres, Flint,  Brennan, Morley, Bickley, Perks, Wood, Clegg and Rowe are over or around the 4 point mark in the CL (that's still the benchmark for not being able to double down isn't it?).  That's almost half of the list moving on which should clear space for others to move into, in theory anyway!

     

    • Like 1

  19. Posted

    Was planning to start a topic for this one as it has become play off defining since last week's win at Plymouth.  Sadly the weather has won but it has been re-arranged for next week (Monday 16th) as part of a double header with the Belle Vue cup semi final.  Not starting til 7:30 which may be optimistic to get 30 heats in but fingers crossed we can get two positive results

  20. Posted

    Sounds broadly similar to the Cradley match last week, my first visit to the NSS and enjoyed the experience (if not the actual match!)

    Seeing the Colts guys deep in the dirt was a pleasure, especially Flint who has a fantastic style leaning over so far.  Cradley couldn't lay a glove on the Colts, I can't remember the last time Clegg went a whole match without winning a heat, nor the last time he registered a last place but none of the Cradley riders were able to live with the home team.  Harry McGurk was unlucky in the reserve race where he was in the mix for the lead and suffered engine troubles.

    Great value NL racing for sure at a fantastic venue, kids for free and £10 per adult is great stuff

    • Like 4

  21. Posted

    Match re-arranged for this evening, Cradley without Harry McGurk who has school (!!), Sheldon Davies is taking a break from the sport and is replaced by James Chattin.  Tom Spencer is still missing due to the crash in the first staging of this meeting and there are fears his season is over as it was a nasty one.

  22. Posted

    6 hours ago, Sings4Speedway said:

    Any news on Jack Smith after his spill last night?

    I believe Jack has posted on FB with a picture of his bashed up crash helmet (which seems to have done a great job considering part of Andrews or his bike hit him in the head), he also suffered soft tissue damage to his arm.  It was a pretty direct hit as Andrews was so close behind him he couldn't avoid it - really glad the result was nothing more serious and he should recover quickly

  23. Posted

    3 hours ago, bigred said:

    Probably a daft question, but,

    every year “the management” bang on about selling the club...What are they actually trying to sell ! ? 

    "Heathens Speedway Limited" is the company with Messrs Pearson and Van Straaten as directors, so I would imagine that along with the right to promote Cradley if such a thing exists?

     

  24. Posted

    41 minutes ago, bigred said:

    The silence is deafening on the cradley front .Have all the supporters given up on there team ? No pre meeting thread or post meeting comments.wow.

    Not at all, I was planning on commenting or starting a thread for last night if nothing else to say how impressive Nathan Stoneman looked (how is he on a 4.5 average?!).  Good performances from Luke Harris and Harry McGurk too.  I don't think there's too many Cradley fans on here; I'm not sure about the various Facebook groups that exist - I left most of them as I didn't have the time to keep up!

    The noises coming out of the club are that we will be in a similar situation in the Winter to every other recent year waiting on the availability of Monmore and the league structure before being able to make too many decisions.  Not sure how many times the management/club can go through that until motivation runs out while a permanent home appears no closer on the horizon.  I'd say it's obvious we wouldn't have come to the tapes this season if other NL teams hadn't have dropped out therefore reducing the amount of meetings.   I'm trying to get the kids to as many of the remaining meetings as possible, we haven't been to Belle Vue yet so that's in the diary next week and then what will be will be I guess

    • Like 1
×

Important Information

We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue. Privacy Policy

  I accept