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Sidney the robin

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Posts posted by Sidney the robin

  1. Posted

    Sadly no Speedway - but a fantastic Stadium none the less.

     

    One can always dream - but I have been dreaming since 1974 with no result.

     

    I don't think it will happen in my lifetime now.

     

    'Crazy' Jack, Graeme Smith, Russ Dent, George Barclay and in an earlier incarnation (1964) Jim Airey, Gordon Guasco and Ken Sharples - yes - happy days and happy memories.

    And the sadly missed Vic Harding never see him ride for Sunderland but see him ride for Weymouth/Hackney welcome back WK.
    • Like 3

  2. Posted

    Theres a thread on What speedway fans want, and some say the same thing... a well run meeting,no delays, good prepared track, good close racing, a second half with juniors but we give them that but still decide to stay away,i believe we were down to the die hard fans last night, but even some of those were missing, i dont just mean individuals as other commitments can take place but groups of say 4 or 5 were missing who were there at the start of the season.and people wonder why we never sign a Stead or Lambert or King or get Thomas back?,Even if 300 were in and everyone of them paid £15 thats £4500 before riders wages.if Josh was on say £80 a point he earned £1280 last night, Wilko scored 15, he probably got £700 so thats £2000 gone before you add on the other riders.then a £500 air fence panel needs replacing..i still believe the floating fans were watching on updates before deciding wether to come next week,,,As PhilWhiteWasMad said, once we start winning they will come.

    Are season tickets the answer? if dont turn up then your robbing your self and not hurting the team

    I don't know what the answer is Tony to be honest, at Swindon our crowds are getting lower by the minute maybe 1000? were there against the Aces.Scunny have a great track have exciting riders has a promoter that listens but still the crowd is low.This week for example Swindon have a free week, i believe people can get used to not going now with alot more things to do.
    • Like 3

  3. Posted

    A good result for Scunthorpe last night. Not able to attend but picked up the scores online. Great that Josh B is getting some real help from you guys. We supporters of KL young Stars are very proud of him and it was good to go to Pboro and support him (despite the score), also met some great Scunthorpe fans . His rides for Scunthorpe have been excellent for him and he was very impressive at KLYS first meeting of the year, he was flying . With some (not all) negative publicity for the new 3 point system , it helps young riders like Josh, and the others, on the ladder. A great battling rider who will fight for every point. Please keep supporting him and look after him. We need young GB riders to come on otherwise we shall be supporting teams with few GB riders like PL football, it is great to have the imports but even nicer to see home riders establish themselves.

    I predicted Josh would average well over three in the PL,and all the Scunny supporters seem to have really taken to him.A three point plus average seems easy to get but for Josh it is a huge step from the NL he is at the right club in Scunny also having a great home racing track helps.
    • Like 1

  5. Posted

    Wouldn't have signed Watt at his peak so certainly don't want him now! Despite what others say about him I'd not be upset with Bjarne, always quite liked him - ok he's not the best option but he's far form the worst! In fact I'd guess that on a bad day he'll match anything that Woryna has scored on a good day.

    Are you saying that Woryna has no ability?if you had assembled a half decent side you would be able to give Woryna the time he needed.With the horrific injury he got i doubt he will be back this year anyway but when i have seen him he looks half decent.
    • Like 1

  6. Posted · Edited by Sidney the robin

    Not a bad prediction there NBT.. Little Josh got his win, and a fine ride it was too... his riding deserved more than his paid six tally.

     

    Big Josh and Wilko came to the fore too... match winning performances.

     

    Plymouth didn't really have a potent point scorer tonight.. Scunny fully deserving the win.

    Surely big Josh will be in the Scunny WC semi final ? saying that knowing how British speedway is run they will probably bung him in at Glasgow.Two big sixteen point home totals out of four matches be great if Josh can really get some continuous double figure scores.

  7. Posted

    Now that's what I call a proper WOOOSHHHH moment...I know you like Capitals BWitch, so I added some just for you ;-)

     

    I like the way you've completely missed the point...Rosco was obviously pointing out that the track is such, that no one has a chance of overtaking on it.

     

    Like many tracks these days...the slicker they are, the less chance you have of passing if you miss the gate.

     

    Like you CORRECTLY say...most races are won from the gate and always have been...but at least in the past when tracks were set up grippier, deeper and with more racing lines...riders at least had a chance of catching up and passing on a more regular basis.

     

    I do however, bow down to your logic in nearly every response, that speedway is pretty much the same as it's ever been...even if I think it's deluded and WRONG ;-)

    Speedway now is nothing like Yesteryear not in my Opinion anyway.
    • Like 1

  9. Posted

    My pleasure EIA.

     

     

     

    If it wasn't for a similar great club man in Charlie Benham, I would probably have adopted Stan Stevens as my favourite too, after he had left West Ham, following the Lokeren disaster, and moved down and over to Romford. Stan rode his first meeting for the Bombers against Rayleigh on 17 July 1971, after a less than successful return from his Lokeren injuries at West Ham at the beginning of the season. Stan recorded two heat wins and two last places in that meeting in the No. 3 position. Stan was never particularly at home at Brooklands but, of course, never complained and just got on with it, always giving of his best with a smile never far from his lips, always making himself available to the fans for a chat, an autograph or even a photo - not as common then as now, with the advent of cameras in mobile phones - who would've envisaged that development back then? Stan's best results came on away trips to Hull and Sunderland, when he top scored for the Bombers.

     

    With Romford's forced closure, due to one dissenting local resident (Mr Stretch), Stan then found himself back at Custom House in 1972 with the Bombers relocation there, and was appointed captain, moving on when Custom House closed, to Barrow. I lost track with Stan for a while after that, but was delighted to regularly see him ride at Mildenhall in 1975 and 1976, when in his early 40's. Still the 100% committed club man, still with the smile and the ever approachable nature.

     

    Riders like Stan are the backbone of the sport and he added a lasting treasured memory of those days.

    Stan Stevens for me remind me so much of a Mike Keen and a Clive Hitch all of them fans favourites none of them world beaters but for me made speedway a special sport.That is what i miss in speedway the most now, teams never stick together continuous team changes the fans can't identify with them anymore.I wish we could have the days back of riders being long club servants, won't ever happen now.
    • Like 3

  12. Posted

    Does anyone out there recall this era?? I remember an article in the Star or Post at the time that said something like "Brian Brett- in the winter he cleans windows , in the summer he cleans up at speedway" and Brian was a top guy in 64-65. I also recall Ron Bagley being a taxi driver, Tommy Roper running a hairdressers shop(which I think became a chain and he did well), George Hunter being a long haul truck(lorry) driver, Jim Lightfoot being a panel beater(does that job still exist)?? Any other thoughts re this. I have not posted for a while because the topics are after my time which ended with the sixties-maybe we should have another section that is titled "Really Old Years gone By"!! Norbold,. Iris 123 may recall this era plus others of course.

    All those riders you mentioned "BOBBATH" we're all pretty hard riders fair of course, Tommy R only see ride four or five times decent and tough as old boots.George Hunter also was a very good tough fair rider remembered for his fateful spill with Pete Craven but in his own right George was decent.

  13. Posted

    You sure do Siddo, and you are famous for it and for getting suspended. A legend in your own lunchtime.

    But if we can drag this thread kicking and screaming back to topic, I see Mick Horton made some interesting comments in this week and last weeks Speedwáy Star about Poole. It's all very well for Ford to be disparaging about other clubs but when people like Mick Horton and Neil Watson feel they have had enough and are disheartened by it all the alarm bells much the same way as the fans feel should be ringing . It doesn't seem that all is well at BSPA towers.

    You would think i was the only one who has ever got suspended on this forum.And talking of Legends you certainly are one of those, i will let people make there own judgement on why.

  14. Posted

    Not surprised you think it's great stuff Sid , given your own record of abusing other posters, but the bottom line is this is a Speedwáy forum. Go back to his post #315 and you will see he has made 13 posts since then, not one of them constructively about Speedwáy and all of them sniping at other posters . Not only against forum rules it's pretty childish as well. Most of us would like to see the sport discussed even if you like reading boorish tripe .

    I give people abuse who deserve it,i would include you in that but i don't know you from Adam ( thank god he says ) My take is if you think it is boring tripe why are you reading it? get a life stop the moaning.☹️

  15. Posted · Edited by Sidney the robin

    What a really good performance from the Budgies, the Aces looked really slow from the tapes and looked rusty.The track was quite slick and it was not a great nights racing Doyley really on it and i am chuffed Sedgy looks like he has turned the corner.As for these stupid RULES in speedway what muppet make them up ? moving draft riders into a heat leader position and well the R/R rule what a farce that is.

    • Like 1

  17. Posted

    Yes that super Robins side that topped the league in 2009...Sir Leigh hugging the white line, and Matty blasting round the boards, wish he was still riding for Swindon.First saw him ride for Reading at Worky in 2004, some good battles with Steady, both top 2 PL riders, Simon should have been up there with Zagar, and James Wrighty should have been a top rider by now.

    James at Buxton in 2003 was terrific really gutted how he did not progress some of his passes were top drawer.
    • Like 1

  20. Posted · Edited by Sidney the robin

    Yes , more than enough. Half a dozen posts sniping at other forum members with absolutey nothing constructive to say on the thread topic (i.e.trolling as defined in forum rules ) followed by seven boring paragraphs about you and your boring wife and your boring son, it's far more than enough. You are not funny, not clever, just boring.

    Now toddle off and troll some other forum and leave this thread to those of us that prefer to talk about Speedwáy.

    Disagree great stuff for me, where are the same old suspects bullies of the forum where is Witcher? ( who does not understand the word Opinion).😀😀
    • Like 1

  21. Posted

    Atmosphere is as huge a problem than anything else. For me proof was in the pudding i.e. World Cup meetings at King's Lynn. On the backstraight a lot of us were bouncing up and down singing songs. Now, if I try to do that at King's Lynn for a league match it will be a case of "who's that d!k". Even a bit of shouting you get told to "wind it in soon".

    In general, Norfolk folk are a boring bunch and difficult to 'fire up'. This is also proven with the football at Norwich City. The dreary "on the ball city" is sung and to increase noise they get given clappers. CLAPPERS ffs. Norfolk for ya.

     

    After all that, for me you are correct. What makes speedway boring?-

     

    Watch a race - have a chat

    Watch a race - listen to crappie music

    Watch a race - stand and stare bored

    Watch a race - go have a sh!+ to kill more boredom

    etc etc

     

    I'd like to have some Norfolk folk that feel like me and want to get a bit singy shouty as I'm quite energetic and need to be doing something all the time. No matter how crap the racing is it would still be a good night

     

    Absolutely spot on

     

    "BRING BACK GRIPPY TRACKS"

    Can you remember Danny that WTC meeting at King's Lynn when the track had loads of dirt on it god it was grippy.Even the great Gollob found it hard to ride more mistakes more excitement.

  22. Posted

    I think for everyone Sidders speedway was better in years gone by for reasons that have been brought up many times.. we remember the good stuff etc..

     

    However, one of the biggest factors that made it all seem so much more exciting in years gone by were the larger crowds. The bigger the crowd, the better the meeting seems. Wembley 1981 is the biggest example of that.. take that exact same meeting, run it in front of 500 people and nobody would call it a great meeting.. but the racing wouldn't have changed.

    Good points.
    • Like 1

  24. Posted

    It depends on how you define 'perfect pitches better for action' as a spectacle.

     

    I look at most sports nowadays, including speedway...and they have become more 'perfect'.

     

    In that, I mean...Technology has taken over, pitches, tracks etc perfect, tactical awareness, fitness, health, Professionalism etc...all perfect.

     

    I look at Sport, and when it's done perfectly it's often seen as boring.

     

    It's the mistakes and imperfections that make sport exciting.

     

    Imo...there was a pinnacle where technology got to a point and sportsman got to a point...and when the both mixed, it made it exciting.

     

    I look at Sport from the 60's,70's and 80's...and visually it was more exciting.

     

    The majority of motor sport and sports like football, tennis, golf etc were exciting to watch.

     

    Technology was developing and Athletes (riders) were less fit and less professional.

     

    The mix of the two at that point made it exciting. They complimented one another. You had the technology that gave a certain amount of reliance...but still had the skill of the individual and the slight imperfections of pitch/track. These combined made for Entertainment...often down to the slight imperfection of it all.

     

    Look at football...and it is statistically analysed to within an inch of it's life. Teams are so good...that they cancel one another out. It's often like watching a game of chess.

     

    Speedway has made everything too easy. Slick tracks, Bikes that are easier to ride, very few mistakes compared to the past.

     

    Back to the era I mentioned...the mix of skill and mistakes made for high entertainment.

     

    Remember....this is coming from a lad who only caught the tail end of the 70's and the majority of 80's and 90's.

     

    I find myself watching sport from the 60's and 70's...before my time, and it's far more entertaining.

     

    My interest faded when tracks became really slick and the introduction to laydown engines and bikes covered in plastic covers.

     

    Poor racing ( entertainment ) and aesthetically not pleasing to the eye.

     

    Ask any footballer to go back to pitches from the 70's and leather footballs and they'd scream no.

     

    Ask a Speedway rider to go back to deep tracks with dirt, and upright engines etc...and they'd also scream no.

     

    Ask fans of football to rather have terracing and an atmosphere, even hostile, to get away from the sterile feel of stadiums ( often like a shopping mall ) and many would be flocking back.

     

    Bring back more of a team feel to Speedway, and better prepared tracks ( deeper and with more dirt and riding lines ) and bikes that were able to be ridden on them (ie uprights ) and a way of keeping machines from being highly tuned by individual riders...in other words, relying more on riders skill than a highly tuned engine...standardise team bikes....and I think it would go a long way to making Speedway entertaining again.

     

    Most races that are entertaining are from riders of a same ability ( not always the very best ) on similar standard machines, where a rider makes a mistake and another uses his skill to take advantage of it.

     

    Just my opinion...based on watching and playing Sport of all sorts since the 70's.

     

    Like I mentioned on another thread...I still go to watch/partake in Football, Rugby, Cricket, Golf and Skiing regularly and have done since the 70's...I did with Speedway...Unfortunately Speedway is the one sport that has taken a back seat and at one time it was my favourite.

     

    For a Sport to go from second highest watched...to what it is nowadays is a travesty...especially when most other sports like I've mentioned are still popular and highly attended.

    A really interesting post and i agree with nearly all of it, myself and others get accused of living in the past with the things were always better then quote.For me Speedway certainly was better in the 60s,70s,80s it was in my humble OPINION anyway now it is a lot different.Brilliant at times but i often think if the GP series was around in those era's ( and i am not a fan of the series) god it would of been exciting.
    • Like 3
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