Humphrey Appleby 13,960 Posted October 19, 2017 I remember watching the 1989 Commonwealth Final on Channel Four (?) and the amounts quoted were ridiculous...I recall either Martin Dugard or Troy Butler saying if they were earning a fraction of what was quoted it would have been nearer the truth. Of course, there were always riders who pled poverty, and in the next breath were telling you about how they went off jet skiing during the week! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ch958 2,395 Posted October 19, 2017 Of course, there were always riders who pled poverty, and in the next breath were telling you about how they went off jet skiing during the week! Neil Collins had to eat his pigeons 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
steve roberts 9,246 Posted October 19, 2017 Of course, there were always riders who pled poverty, and in the next breath were telling you about how they went off jet skiing during the week! ...happened at Cowley when a certain rider was without a motor and a collection was held only to learn that he owned a jet ski! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
waytogo28 2,054 Posted October 19, 2017 From afar wrote " Most No1's will think they are a top rider and can't see all the rest of the team riding for less than1/2 there team mates.In 2007 I spoke to a rider who was earning £80 appoint as an Elite League reserve." Therefore the £100 per point in the Elite league ten years ago ( at reserve ) is quite likely to at least be £200 per point in the main body of the team - as a minimum. I am not putting down any rider - they are heroic - to race at close quarters into the first and second bend at the speeds they do. It can be a dangerous motorsport.Some have paid a terrible price for their efforts. And yes it is a private matter and I don't want to know what Bomber or X might earn, I just wanted to demystify the I can't make it pay" - as some riders claim - aspect of modern speedway. I still believe that a doubling up rider averaging above 6 points per meeting is going to earn at least £250,000 from their racing ( gross ). Plus any sponsorship. That is 10x the average wage, so it's a good life if you have the ability and bottle. It cannot be that they can hardly make it pay. To get what they deserve we just need average crowds to be around 3,500 and that is what is impossible it seems. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
iris123 20,997 Posted October 19, 2017 (edited) Neil Collins had to eat his pigeons I remember we were so poor we couldn't afford our own pigeons ,so we ate the neighbours pigeons.....and their rabbit Edited October 19, 2017 by iris123 4 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bruno 1,790 Posted October 19, 2017 I earn £8-08 an hour...the reality of working within the tourist and leisure industry in York! I think I might be on less than that Steve and usually only get about 18 hours but it suits my lifestyle and financial situation now. It's not to many years ago I was on 4 times the amount I'm on now and it was still not enough 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
4thbender 382 Posted October 19, 2017 Neil Collins had to eat his pigeons .....and lived in a cardboard box on the hard-shoulder of the M60. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Fromafar 10,375 Posted October 19, 2017 .....and lived in a cardboard box on the hard-shoulder of the M60.I know someone who offered to buy Neil Collins a drink one evening at Powderhall to which he replied "No but you can get me a packet of fags" Won't repeat the answer!!! 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Lord Skid 425 Posted October 19, 2017 The art is to make people think you're struggling to make ends meet, then get them to sponsor you, while your still making a very nice living. The Aussies are masters at doing it. 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
WembleyLion 413 Posted October 19, 2017 .....and lived in a cardboard box on the hard-shoulder of the M60. Luxury - we used to have to get out of the lake at three o'clock in the morning, clean the lake, eat a handful of hot gravel, go to work at the mill every day for tuppence a month, come home, and Dad would beat us around the head and neck with a broken bottle, if we were LUCKY! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Hawk127 1,359 Posted October 19, 2017 I think in Poland riders get a siging on fee and then points money. I read this on the International page a short while back. I wonder if UK teams pay a fixed fee and the points money is on top. A bit like sales with a basic that is just enough to keep,the wolf from the door but the opportunity to earn more if you (get sales) read score the points. Surely they have a basic pay scale and the rest is up to individual negotiations including the 'additions' such as van, flights etc. No one begrudges them earning a living but I think it is some pleading poverty and treating the fans with contempt. Most of the young riders ought to know that most supporters were not born yesterday and do not like having the p.... taken. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
cityrebel 2,960 Posted October 19, 2017 Luxury - we used to have to get out of the lake at three o'clock in the morning, clean the lake, eat a handful of hot gravel, go to work at the mill every day for tuppence a month, come home, and Dad would beat us around the head and neck with a broken bottle, if we were LUCKY! you still lived better than me Eddie! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Speedy swindon pete 509 Posted October 19, 2017 From afar wrote " Most No1's will think they are a top rider and can't see all the rest of the team riding for less than1/2 there team mates.In 2007 I spoke to a rider who was earning £80 appoint as an Elite League reserve." Therefore the £100 per point in the Elite league ten years ago ( at reserve ) is quite likely to at least be £200 per point in the main body of the team - as a minimum. I am not putting down any rider - they are heroic - to race at close quarters into the first and second bend at the speeds they do. It can be a dangerous motorsport.Some have paid a terrible price for their efforts. And yes it is a private matter and I don't want to know what Bomber or X might earn, I just wanted to demystify the I can't make it pay" - as some riders claim - aspect of modern speedway. I still believe that a doubling up rider averaging above 6 points per meeting is going to earn at least £250,000 from their racing ( gross ). Plus any sponsorship. That is 10x the average wage, so it's a good life if you have the ability and bottle. It cannot be that they can hardly make it pay. To get what they deserve we just need average crowds to be around 3,500 and that is what is impossible it seems. Talk us through your maths on how you get to £250k. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dontforgetthefueltapsbruv 10,706 Posted October 19, 2017 Talk us through your maths on how you get to £250k.Its only about 300 meetings using 6 points a meeting half at £100 per point and half at £200. Dont they all do 2 meetings a day 5 days a week with no gaps through the whole season 😛 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Terry 1,319 Posted October 19, 2017 Luxury - we used to have to get out of the lake at three o'clock in the morning, clean the lake, eat a handful of hot gravel, go to work at the mill every day for tuppence a month, come home, and Dad would beat us around the head and neck with a broken bottle, if we were LUCKY! Paradise! We used to get up in the morning at half past ten at night, half an hour before we'd gone to bed, eat a lump of poison, work 29 hours a day at the mill for ha'penny a lifetime, come home and each night dad would strangle us and dance about on our graves. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites