Big Meeting At Poole

[Steve Shovlar 10,439]

Seem to think your last post on there was moaning too Steve.

 

Not in the same vein as the usual mob.

 

The Poole forum has been ruined in recent months by a certain few who have personal grudges against Matt Ford, and post negativity at every possible moment. Why the Poole management haven't banned these indivisuals is beyond me.

 

 

 

 

[rabbit 1]

That thing called freedom of speech Steve. Those with unjustified attacks have been invited to discuss them with Matt on a personal basis - whether they've taken the invitations up I know not. But others are allowed to voice their views...we don't want to turn the forum those from other clubs where only nice things are allowed.

 

Sube..i did see that I was hoping for BP to see it too and respond albeit on a private level.

[Steve Shovlar 10,439]

That thing called freedom of speech Steve. Those with unjustified attacks have been invited to discuss them with Matt on a personal basis - whether they've taken the invitations up I know not. But others are allowed to voice their views...we don't want to turn the forum those from other clubs where only nice things are allowed.

 

Sube..i did see that I was hoping for BP to see it too and respond albeit on a private level.

 

Yes I agree with freedom of speech but when you get a guy on there whose sole aim is to critisize and moan ad finitum, it gets to the stage where the whole forum is dragged down to their level and ruins what should be a good place to visit.

 

Nothing wrong with putting your gripes on there, but when its rep[eated every day for the last year, if can get to the stage where it would be better to remove the individual rather than ruin the forum for everyone else, which has happened.

[hellsbells 0]

To be honest i will be pleased when this meeting is over and everything has got back to normal. Many but not all are happy with the pricing of this meeting, and certainly the riders on show either match,or better the gp field. I do understand its difficult for some families to afford the £ 25 a head plus booking fee,its really a no win situation. The way we looked at it was for the 4 of us to go we had to put aside just £ 7 a week from the time it was announced until the week of the meeting. I think it made the event both affordable and achievable for us and the kids as a family. Someone mentioned they were on hols in the area at the time but wont go due to the kids prices and the fact they show no interest in the sport, well if thats the case it wouldnt matter if the event was £ 5 to get in, they still wont enjoy it. Maybe its time to lay this to rest, if you would like to see a wonderful meeting with many stars we have small chance of seeing at other times in 2008, then head down but if not thats your choice. What is clear is that it doesnt matter if its Plymouth, Belle Vue or Glasgow, i wish every club and its promoters every success as we need them all to prosper.

[Pollyanna 1]

Well, first of all, hello to all my friends at Wimborne Road.

As you know I don't bother wasting my time on the Pirate Postbag any more. I get all the info I need from The Echo.

i think it's disappointing that even when we ("We" = Poole Pirates" of course) get a great meeting sorted out, some idiots have to criticize and moan. This is why Speedway is not moving forward - and why I feel so much better about not bothering with such negativity on speedway message sites. I am completely in agreement with Matt Ford, and others who say they do not read the comments posted. It is definitely in their best interests.

 

No need to reply because I won't be back on here for a few months.

 

However, I do miss a lot of my friends on Postbag - hope to see you in real life in a month or so.

 

Best wishes

 

The (Ex) Bredon Pirate.

 

 

You are much missed on the Poole Forum, (ex) Bredon Pirate and it's a great pity that you stopped posting because of some little idiot who insulted you without reason.

I sincerely hope you will change your mind and return to the Forum, perhaps when the new season starts again.

[BigFatDave 258]

Just realised, shouldn't this thread be in Individual Events and not Elite League. Bit late now, I know!

 

Couldn't agree more, dj350z, so I thought I'd open a thread up over here for people who actually want to find out about the meeting without reading through 40-odd pages of the usual dross and drivel which seems to surface whenever a Poole-centric thread is penned in the Elite League section.

 

Some friends of mine are travelling down from Lynn for this one; should be as good as any GP meeting for sure. Its even made it into the hallowed pages of The Australian! Today's Sport Section refers to it as "The richest race in British Speedway history" - $AUS130,000.00 up for grabs.

 

The report contains a quote from Jason Crump - when he was asked about his chances by the ravening hordes of Muck Street - aka the British Media - he allegedly replied " I'm as hungry as a Butchers Dog for this one!"

 

Let's face it, the Pommy Media are about as sharp as a billiard ball – y’know – boofheads who are one chop short on the barbie and about as useful as a chocolate teapot.

 

Dunno where they got that one from, we usually say "As Fit as a Butchers Dog" down here - and as for bein' a bit peckish - "I’m so hungry I could eat a Horse and chase the Jockey".

 

Anyhow, I'm sure with the class of field here with Leigh & Noddy et al he'll be busier than a one-armed dairy farmer tryin' to take out the A Main.

 

As for me, I'd love to get over there for it but at the moment I'm flat out like a Lizard drinkin', goin' down to Adelaide Easter for the Oz Sidecar Champs, so sorry cobbers, I gotta go, I'm as dry as a Pommy's Bathtowel. See Ya!

[orion 7,615]

To be honest i will be pleased when this meeting is over and everything has got back to normal. Many but not all are happy with the pricing of this meeting, and certainly the riders on show either match,or better the gp field. I do understand its difficult for some families to afford the £ 25 a head plus booking fee,its really a no win situation. The way we looked at it was for the 4 of us to go we had to put aside just £ 7 a week from the time it was announced until the week of the meeting. I think it made the event both affordable and achievable for us and the kids as a family. Someone mentioned they were on hols in the area at the time but wont go due to the kids prices and the fact they show no interest in the sport, well if thats the case it wouldnt matter if the event was £ 5 to get in, they still wont enjoy it. Maybe its time to lay this to rest, if you would like to see a wonderful meeting with many stars we have small chance of seeing at other times in 2008, then head down but if not thats your choice. What is clear is that it doesnt matter if its Plymouth, Belle Vue or Glasgow, i wish every club and its promoters every success as we need them all to prosper.

 

What a dumb post i know plenty of people at swindon who take there kids who know nothing about speedway for i family day out i tell you what thou if it was 25 quid they would not bring them.

 

As for laying it to rest people have tried before next week no doubt another press statement telling up to hurry up and buy tickets before they run out even thou there are plenty left .

 

[Steve Shovlar 10,439]

Suprised at you Orion. For someone who kows a lot about the sport and is a fan, you come across with every post as someone who is hoping and praying it will be a big failure.

 

Fact is tickets sales are strong. Sure there are plenty of tickets left, but they will sell. The grandstand tickets are now 3 quarters sold out, and there won't be any left by the time the meeting comes around. Want to stand 6 deep around the track? Get there early!

 

And yes, there will be a lot more press releases in the coming few weeks leading up to this event. It's called promotion. With the Echo well and truly on board you can bet it will arouse a ot of interest from people living in the area who have never been to speedway before and may well come along to see what all the fuss is about.

 

As for tickets being expensive, this is a falicy. £25 plus free program worth a five, plus £5 voucher off the first meeting against Lakeside.

 

Cheap as chips to see such a lineup if you ask me.

[orion 7,615]

Suprised at you Orion. For someone who kows a lot about the sport and is a fan, you come across with every post as someone who is hoping and praying it will be a big failure.

 

Fact is tickets sales are strong. Sure there are plenty of tickets left, but they will sell. The grandstand tickets are now 3 quarters sold out, and there won't be any left by the time the meeting comes around. Want to stand 6 deep around the track? Get there early!

 

And yes, there will be a lot more press releases in the coming few weeks leading up to this event. It's called promotion. With the Echo well and truly on board you can bet it will arouse a ot of interest from people living in the area who have never been to speedway before and may well come along to see what all the fuss is about.

 

As for tickets being expensive, this is a falicy. £25 plus free program worth a five, plus £5 voucher off the first meeting against Lakeside.

 

Cheap as chips to see such a lineup if you ask me.

 

 

Don't want it to be a failure steve my axe is that tickets sales are going well the fact is they are not promote by all means but don't try to scared people into buying tickets when it not going to be a sell out before the day .

 

Speedway is a family sport and needs young people to watch it 25 quid for a kid is a rip off end of story .

Edited February 16, 2008 by orion

[Steve Shovlar 10,439]

Well just to not dissapoint, there's a new story in the Echo today, just for those that are interested!

 

Millennium man's Diamond ambition

By Echo Reporter

 

CHRIS Harris has promised British speedway and Pirates fans that he will be going all out to capture more "Millennium magic" at Poole's Diamond Jubilee meeting and raise the roof at Wimborne Road on Sunday, March 9.

 

Bomber' Harris, 25, produced arguably the greatest Grand Prix race ever last June when he won the British GP at the Millennium Stadium in a last-to-first heroic four laps to land the home prize in front of 40,000 ecstatic fans.

 

Now Truro-born Harris hopes to be able to lift home fans again to land the sport's record-breaking £60,000 first prize.

 

Harris told the Echo: "The last big individual meeting in Britain was the Cardiff GP, so to be able to repeat the feat at Wimborne Road would be very special indeed.

 

"There's only two Brits in the field - myself and Scottie Nicholls - so it would be wonderful to give fans an opportunity to enjoy a home victory."

 

Harris has spent the close season keeping fit by playing squash and is part of a regular five-a-side soccer team, so says he is fit and raring for the start of the new season.

 

He added: "It usually takes me a couple of meetings to get into the groove in a new season, but having this event so soon, I have made plans to get quite a bit of practice before the meeting in just over three weeks.

 

"I like riding at Wimborne Road, I had a successful few meetings with Coventry at the end of last season. But I know there is a world of difference between team speedway and the sort of field that has been assembled for the Jubilee meeting.

 

"I've invested more money in my equipment than ever before, I've got former Danish international Brian Andersen working on my engines and in my side of the pits.

 

"I know Pirates fans would like to see their own riders like Bjarne (Pedersen) or Davey (Watt) win the event, but I'm also pretty sure they would be just as pleased to raise the Union Jack and see a born and bred Brit take the chequered flag and the prize.

 

"If I am fortunate enough to finish in the top four and qualify for the final, I will certainly not be fazed by the occasion. Winning at Cardiff last year has helped me so much."

 

And what will Bomber' be spending the money on if the home hero can produce another Millennium moment?

 

He laughed: "It will give me the perfect financial package to plough straight back into my racing equipment to push on further in the 2008 GP standings."

 

Tickets for Poole's Diamond Jubilee meeting on Sunday, March 9 at 3pm can only be obtained via the BIC Box Office - 0871 111 3000.

 

This meeting is not being televised, so the management are advising supporters to obtain tickets at the earliest opportunity to avoid disappointment.

 

Fans who obtain tickets to the Diamond meeting will be entitled to a discount for the team's first meeting of the season against Lakeside on March 12.

 

[Grachan 7,362]

I think Orion makes a very valid point actually. If too much emphasis is put on tickets then it will deter people from turning up on the day as they might feel they won't get in. Or is that the case anyway? Is it ticket only?

[frigbo 518]

Someone mentioned they were on hols in the area at the time but wont go due to the kids prices and the fact they show no interest in the sport, well if thats the case it wouldnt matter if the event was £ 5 to get in, they still wont enjoy it.

 

 

I detect this could be a futile exercise, bur here goes anyway.

 

The point I'm making is, if there was a reasonable concession for the nippers it would be a no-brainer for us to attend. The Kids wouldn't be interested, but I'm sure they can sacrifice one afternoon of their holiday - and paying £5 or even £10 each for them to be bored is not a problem - they'd have to accept that it's our holiday too. Nobody in their right mind would shell out £50 for two kids to be bored for 2-3 hours.

 

The inflexibility of the pricing structure is keeping me away, I'm sure I'm not the only one. That's particularly disappointing as I'll only be approx 8 miles away at the time!

Edited February 16, 2008 by frigbo

[KEITH M 850]

I would just like to say that I applaud the Poole management for what they are doing and I honestly hope the meeting is a success and I for one would love to see Bjarne Pedersen walk away with the winners prize.

 

The thing that gets to me though is this meeting was announced November 22nd and certain people are going on about how there is going to be a mad scramble for tickets yet it has taking nearly 4 months to sell just 5,500 tickets and it still isn't a complete sell out.

Edited February 19, 2008 by KEITH M

[rabbit 1]

Just a few bits of info and news about the meeting, some known, some perhaps not.

 

Just to please some of the ticket-obsessed, sales are going well, with last week being the best week for sales since the week the meeting was announced and they were first available. As Steve has said, grandstand pretty much sold out bar a few seats and restaurant getting there. Matt is more than happy with the way things are going so far. Reason for comments in the press about buying tickets is simply that if more than the maximum number allowed turn up on the day - the doors will be closed and people will be shut out. They are well on their way to that number. That is fact.

 

If the day is wet and the 3pm is in jeopardy, then the meeting will be attempted at 7pm that evening, so if Mother Nature is being a bitch then at least there is some leeway to work on the track with a delayed start. The stadium is then booked for the Monday night in case the weather really is that bad.

To answer Jac's question about refunds for not being able to make a re-arranged running of the meeting, Matt says this is no problem, you won't be left out of pocket for your ticket.

 

Buying an advance ticket will get you a free programme for the event to offset the cost of the booking fee charged by the BIC. Pay on the day and you will have to buy one if you want one - I believe that the cost of a programme will be more than the booking fee so make your own conclusions as to whether it's better to book in advance.

 

For those wondering about what happens if a rider(s) pulls out of the line-up, there is a list of riders who have been on the phone desperate for a place, so rest assured there's some quality names who'll be there instead. There's only one name Matt seems a little worried about, but if the worst happens, he won't be missed (have to say I'd rather see one of the replacements! ). Crumpy and Nicki P are well up for it and have been on the phone about the meeting again in the last few days.

 

Gates will open at 1pm as there is no car-boot in the stadium carpark that day clogging it up. As parking is always a pain for big events and one of peoples gripes I'll post a link to other carparks closer to the day for people travelling who maybe don't know the town centre as there is plenty of additional parking all within a 5-10 min walk.

 

Hope that helps :-)

Edited February 16, 2008 by rabbit

[shazzybird 10]

That said, I do hope the day is a success for the promotion and I am still gutted I can't go.

 

If the promotion are looking in you might get a freebie for all your hardwork on the updates CS but I wouldn't hold my breath