Little Thumper

What will the admission price be for 2017? Probably, £12/£13 do you think?

When people get offended for no apparent reason, it always reminds me of Monty Python's Argument Clinic sketch:- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kQFKtI6gn9Y

Soldier Boy, a Leicester fan? I don't think so! Soldier Boy was always stood in the same place at Hyde Road, right next to the start line. This was the ideal position for bellowing at whoever might be the subject of his attention. As I was a season ticket holder and had my own reserved seat (wow), I always positioned directly behind SB and was ideally placed to observe the looks on the riders' faces when they received a verbal lashing.. Now, perhaps like some on here, he was an International Man of Mystery hiding behind multiple identities and so might have popped up at Leicester. But I don't think so as he had Hyde Road blood running through his veins but hey, you could be right.

Hey, watch it, matey. I might be offended here.................if I could remember what it was that I was going to be offended about. Yeah, remembered now. What have you got against pipe smokers?

nw42, whilst not wishing to be seen to be fighting The White Knight's corner, as he is perfectly capable of fighting it himself, I am not entirely sure where you are seeing the twisted views and bile in this thread to which you refer. I have read back through the thread and have struggled to find anything which might be considered offensive, so perhaps you might do me the kindness of highlighting the comments in this thread that have offended you. Whilst not for one minute suggesting that nw42 falls into this category, there are people who seem to go out of their way to be offended by something or other, even when there is no offence intended or detectable. Namaste _/\_

Hey Danny! Respect to you for your enthusiasm. All the best.

Fair enough but I believe that Terry-Daley has made other arrangements and will be re-kindling his interest in earthenware and ceramics, if you know what I mean. I would love to see Ben Hopwood at Buxton again because I think the guy is a trier and it would be good to roll him out when the Stoke Poachers are coming to visit.

And the answer is.............................?

I don't think you need to bring religion into it. I don't remember anybody saying that they hated anything. Have I missed something?

Hopefully, when the situation with the Covchester Cut n Shuts has been resolved one way or the other, then perhaps some riders might be better placed to plan for 2017. Just been watching a video from 20 years ago of a challenge race (the Golden Shoe) between Peter Collins and Chris Morton riding their 2 valve Jawas on the old Buxton track. I wonder if they could be persuaded to do a re-run because some of us couldn't make it first time round?

Danny Connor, 31 years of age and 21 posts to your name. As your age and experience of life grows, you will come to realize that there is a very thin line between negativity and realism. Many people on here have heard and seen it all before and have been conned by far better exponents of the art than the current spivs. I admire your blind optimism and I wish the Leicester Lions the success that they deserve in 2017.

Hardly, he's been dead for years! I used to go past his club quite a lot when I was based in that area. Always, looked a bit of a dive to me but fortunately I never had to go inside. Anyway, what has Bernard Manning got to do with the Trafford Centre?

All a bit quiet on the Covchester Cut n Shuts front. Is this team still a goer or has it been consigned to the round file?

I love it when the Brummies come to visit. Their enthusiastic and colourful fans do their club credit. Mind you, I didn't enjoy their visit to Buxton in 2016 quite as much as usual because they fairly hammered the Buxtonians! As Jayne says it makes things difficult when the club down the road nicks a rider that you thought you had signed by offering them more money. It is particularly galling when the club that is allegedly doing the nicking hasn't got a particularly great reputation either with supporters or the riders' bank managers. But what goes around, comes around and when a certain rider from a certain club comes to the speedway track in the clouds, we will do our best to remind him what he is missing out on. With friends like these, who needs enemies?

Jayne, That's all good to hear! Just tell me that you shall be taking over writing the blurb on the website and I shall a happy camper.

I'm really hoping that Buxton have a half-decent season after last year's pretty dismal showing. I don't expect Buxton to be top of the league or anything like that but I do want their opponents to know they have been in a tough speedway race and not just assume that a meeting against Buxton means that the points are in the bag. I want all the Buxton riders to get as much support and encouragement as possible and I do not want to see riders binned before they have been given a fair chance to show what they can do. But most of all, I want someone other than Friend Pipe to do the write-ups on the website as I do not believe that I can endure another season of delusional monologues and tales of ifs, buts and maybes. Not much to ask, really.

What do you mean, you don't know Rob Maxfield! Rob was a great hard-working rider who put in the hard miles, travelling the length and breadth of the country chasing his dream to the best of his ability. And who could forget Aces v Bees in 1979. Reserve Rob Maxfield was given the tactical ride in the final heat after having a great meeting at reserve. The Belle Vue fans groaned when it was announced that Eric was putting Maxi out in the decisive heat. But I knew if Rob could get out of the gate and get onto his tight line on the kerb, then the Bees would be breathing exhaust fumes. Rob was that excited that he fell off his bike as he rushed up the little ramp that led onto the track. Another groan from Soldier Boy and the rest but I had my fingers crossed. The tapes went up and Rob and PC were flying in perfect formation. Peter high, wide and handsome and Rob's front wheel gripping the inside kerb like a terrier. Collins constantly looking back at Olsen in the effortless way that only a true master of their craft seems able to achieve. Olsen and his chum probed and prodded but there was no chink in the Belle Vue armour. 5-1, 5-1, 5-1 Hooray, Hooray, Hooray. Aces win the day. The Aces give the heroic duo the bumps at the pit gate and the Cathedral of Speedway goes totally and utterly wild. So, what do you mean you don't know Rob Maxfield. If you don't know Mr Maxfield then your knowledge of speedway must be a little limited. Rob Maxfield and his Falcons. :party: :party:

Well, possibly so. But just because someone is a good rider doesn't necessarily mean that they have the ability or the inclination to be a good teacher or mentor. I don't know Matt Williamson so I've no idea whether he is a good team player but let's hope so.

John Leslie, you are indeed an astute and knowledgeable contributor and perhaps indeed Lee was approached whilst Friend Pipe had gone walkabouts and was signed by the Moss family rather than Monologue Man. But it is what it is. Yes, I am aware that Lee has been around for some years in the junior leagues but as we well know, there is a world of difference between junior league racing and the rather more serious business of the National League. So he might be a slightly more mature novice than some of the young whippersnappers that appear but in terms of serious racing, I still regard him very much as a novice and I stand by my comment that the majority of riders in NL can learn something from a Tony Atkin type character. I wish Lee well in 2017.

Hey, perhaps Rob is Rob Maxfield, one time captain of the Exeter Falcons and a rider that I supported at Ellesmere Port and Belle Vue? Then again, perhaps he isn't.

For the first 70% of last season. you could see that Lee had a grasp of the basic speedway techniques and was very enthusiastic but had little flair and was out of his depth when needing to move off his safe line. Towards the end of the year, as his confidence grew, he was able to develop as a racer and experiment with his lines. I do hope he gets some good support at Buxton and it's a great shame that there isn't a Tony Atkin type of mentor there, as developing riders can gain so much confidence and knowledge from some of the elder statesmen of the sport. Give it Large!

So all is revealed! The latest addition to Friend Pipe's equipe is...........................................Lee Geary. Lee made some good progress last year and I think that, given the right support and mentoring, he can develop nicely this year. Plus he comes across as a decent, well-spoken, hard-working kind of guy and that gets a few plus points in my book. Hooray!

Mosque, where? Jeez, I thought it was the Trafford Centre.

The site will probably be re-developed to better meet the needs of the local community. Here is a visualization of how the re-developed site might look:- If they get good turn-outs like this then the scheme may be rolled out across the country and a site in the north of Manchester has been ear-marked as potentially suitable.

Well, clearly they would declare it a major incident and send for the cavalry. But the important thing is that they would have the ability to prioritize and administer treatment accordingly and thus save life. Medical staff are now far better trained in dealing with neck and head trauma and the focus is on stabilization. In Alan Wilkinson's day, the emphasis was on clearing the track quickly and keeping the show going and if that meant scooping a guy up and wheeling him off on the bone-shaking stretcher to sort him out in the first aid shed, then so be it. Alan Wilkinson's crash was nothing out of the ordinary and it shouldn't have resulted in him being confined to a trundle buggy for the rest of his days.