heathen52

Current UK inflation rate is 5.4% and forecast to rise further Pensions will rise by 3.1% in April so how is that rising by inflation ?.

UKm I take your point about Sponsors sponsoring the Team, Riders or anything else available to sponsor, and being in the 2nd city I would have thought some sponsorship would be out there to obtain. However I was referring to the fact that so far as im aware it used to be and probably still is, if anyone wants to employ anyone that requires a visa said employer requires a sponsors Licence and as we are now no longer members of the EU do European riders now need a visa ?, This kind of thing https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1024033/Sponsor-an-International-Sportsperson-10-21.pdf it can be a bit of a minefield.

The longer this goes on the more worrying it gets with regards the 3 as yet unsigned riders, I have no idea if Birmingham have a sponsors licence or not because if they havent then the riders available on UK licences are pretty much all signed up, I have no idea what the position is with regards European riders and visas since Brexit if indeed Visas are needed that will then depend on if Birmingham have a sponsors licence or not. What I will say is if Birmingham cannot sign riders with the ability to make them competitive then crowds will suffer badly and they will be on a hiding to nothing financially, I have said elsewhere that whilst LR may be good at many things his record as a Team manager above the NL is pretty poor.

Its rapidly getting to the stage that LR needs to pull 3 rabbits out of a hat, I can understand that he/they are negotiating with riders but to still be 3 riders short coming into the middle of february is starting to become worrying, it badly needs the Brummies to put out a competitive team at the very least otherwise all the goodwill in the world wont see them get the numbers needed through the gate.

Im sure the Management will try to avoid any clashes with the Commonwealth games Athletics being staged across the Park at the Alexander Stadium.. https://www.birmingham2022.com/venues/alexander-stadium/

Maybe the leaseholders decision to stop running Greyhound meetings is all part of the plan to reduce the community use of the Stadium, and then get the Stadium designated for future redevelopment, mind im stuggling to work out how Stadia UK will benefit financially from redevelopment unless there aim is to be the developers.

In answer to your final sentence re Cradley Fans attending other venues, Im told there are a fair few Cradley fans that attend Monmore reguarly at a guess somewhere between 50/100 it may be more but certainly not less than 50, as for Cradley fans that attend Birmingham there are a few, I myself go on the odd occasion and always see Cradley fans sprinkled around.

Correct, Trials to start in April but when will the actual Greyhound racing start ?, If he cant get any Live streamed meetings then he wont/cant run without any spectators, which then begs the question what happens with the Speedway. Boothby aint got the money to repair the Grandstand otherwise it would have been done.

If the Stadium has got Planning Permission for 80 Houses then whoever has made an offer must be offering big bucks. https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/local-news/speedway-continue-armadale-despite-permission-21277831 Eighty Houses at todays prices is a lot of money, Speedway rent is loose change by comparison. Seems it is under offer but reading this advert there is only one way it will go... https://www.realla.co.uk/details/24115510

THJ The HSST were set up from the old Cradley Heathens supporters club, and were advised and guided by Supporters Direct then when HSST was formed we became a member of SD until the end of 2018 when SD merged https://www.thenews.coop/130902/sector/mutuals/supporters-direct-merge-football-supporters-federation/ with the FSF, and became more or less a Football focused organisation, HSST then continued on without being members of any organisation so maybe they now need to update who they are namewise and go back to being a Supporters Club which in essence is what they have always been but the thinking back in the day was that being a member of SD would bring them added benefits though Iv always wondered what they were.. Incidentally when I was a board member and HSST were members of SD we always had to submit our accounts to the FCA Iv no idea wether or not this is still the case.

I think a NORA/IOW type meeting may be feasible perhaps once a month, however I guess the Moss family now have other interests and it is no doubt time consuming even running once a month, it cant be under estimated the time and Staff needed to run even once a month. I guess its a case of where there is a will there is a way but is there ?.

Im surprised by what you have said as you are usually right, however down here we have the "Heathens Speedway Supporters Trust" who have been in existence for a number of years now, and while they are not set up to promote/run a Speedway Team they are there 100% to support any promotion that runs Speedway for the Heathens and have funds available as when and if ever a suitable piece of land is ever found, I know this for sure as I am a previous Vice Chairman which is why im surprised by your comments. Stay safe have a Merry Christmas and goodluck with whatever project you support for 2022, Im guessing its Northside .

I thought a Supporters Trust was the way they were going ?, for sure as a supporters Trust you can hold shares.

Maybe the smooth talking Laurence could persuade one of the following to make another go of Speedway in the Uk, Mason Campton, Lewis Rose, Victor Palovaara or even the Zak Wajtknect who would probably put a few bums on seats as he was well liked when he rode for the Brummies, mind im fully expecting to see either Vissing or Adam Ellis announced as one of the Team for 2022.

Such a shame Buxton cant find someone to takeover the reigns and enter Buxton back into the NDL, no no-one is going to make a fortune running Buxton but by the same token I wouldnt think anyone would make a big loss either and running some Flat Track and Training schools could subsidise the Speedway promotion. I always enjoyed my annual visits up to Hi edge and on a sunny summers afternoon it could be breathtaking up there, but on a bad day it is enough to freeze your wotsits off..

Are The Brummies a new company If so can they get a sponsors licence for overseas riders ?, If not then there options may be even more limited.

I know Brum will have a tight budget to work to but this will need to be balanced against having a poor team without having a proper No1, past history over a number of years have shown that Birmingham fans will not turn up to support a poor Team, so far no rider has been announced that makes me want to go and watch them. I know its not easy but Tolley, Rogers and Co need to give this a great deal of thought, Thomas will be a big miss for Birmingham as i think he has more scope for improvement than either Morris or Shanes.

Couldnt have put it better myself Yep thats whats needed, Im a Cradley fan and so far no Brummie signing has given me the Wow factor in fact exactly the opposite, now wether or not such a rider is out there Iv no idea but riders that put bums on seats is whats needed, so far the riders signed wont be costing a fortune which leaves more money for a genuine No 1, how much would Nicki P cost ?.

Let me say what i do know about Laurence Rogers, Firstly I have no idea if he owes anyone any money or not, he is a Speedway Fan above all else, he lives, eats, sleeps, breathes Speedway and has done for many years, yes its true that many of his Speedway projects have fallen by the wayside Mildenhall, Newport, to name a few and he has been involved with other Teams such as Coventry and more recently Plymouth, then there was the young American touring Teams put together by Steve Evans and others. Laurence is an ordinary working guy just like you and I who has done his best to try to keep these teams going, yes primarily with other peoples money but had he not tried then the majority of these Teams would have closed down sooner rather than later, Its surely better to have tried and failed then to have not tried at all, he is always willing to give young riders help and assistance to get on in the sport, The other thing that I know about Laurence is that if I contacted him wanted some help with something to do with Speedway he would most likely never say no and that maybe that is his biggest failing if it can be called that. I agree he is probably not the finest team manager that there ever was but thats possibly more to do with budget restrictions than anything else. My final word, It would probably have been easier for Laurence to walk away from Birmingham speedway and let it be consigned to the history books than to have the hassle and ingratitude of some by trying to keep speedway in Birmingham, but NO speedway is in his blood just like you and I, agreed maybe its not his money but no-one forces these people to put money into clubs that are struggling to survive, one thing is for sure Speedway will be the poorer when he finally decides enough is enough.

Is Luke Becker available to ride in the Championship ie does he have commitments elsewhere in europe ?, I would have thought he would be a very good rider to build the team around.

Nicolai Klindt

I suspect that you will see at least 1 if not the 2 of them back next season, but your correct both of them flattered to deceive last season.

Really sorry to read about the goings on up at Northside this type of travelling commnity really are the scum of the earth, its exactly the same around here in the Midlands from time to time they turn up at various sites, Car Parks, Waste Ground, Sports Pitches and Parks, they cause no end of grief whilst they are there, then when they leave the rubbish they leave behind is horrendous, usually they leave a calling card whenever they visit premises in the form of human excretia. All the local councils have fixed sites for these so called travellers to go to but it has made little if any difference, until the big knobs down in London pass a stronger law this will continue throughout the country. A few years ago they had set up on the car park of a local playing field I wanted to go onto this playing field so walked across the Car Park, next thing a big 4x4 was heading for me I had to rapidly jump out of the way before I got hit, the driver was just laughing as he went past Barstewards the lot of them..

Im surprised that there has not been any mention of any non League Football Club that may have the ability to stage Speedway, surely there must be at least one ?.

According to this Yes.. https://buxtonraceway.com/ and its next door to the Speedway track, incidentally there is activity at Buxton Speedway with Ride and Skid days apparently run by ex riders Aiden, Les Collins and Adam Allott. https://rideandskidit.com/