Racin Jason 72 1,283 Posted September 13, 2022 3 hours ago, Bagpuss said: The kids summer holidays should almost be a festival of speedway, as many meetings should be crammed in as possible. As others have said having outstanding fixtures in the middle of September in a six team league is unforgivable. I don't know who but somebody needs to grab British speedway by the scruff of the neck and run it properly, it's a shambles. It needs someone like Phil Morris to sort it out. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mikebv 10,278 Posted September 13, 2022 4 hours ago, Bagpuss said: The kids summer holidays should almost be a festival of speedway, as many meetings should be crammed in as possible. As others have said having outstanding fixtures in the middle of September in a six team league is unforgivable. I don't know who but somebody needs to grab British speedway by the scruff of the neck and run it properly, it's a shambles. To be fair... I do think that some promoters would agree... Just a shame not enough of them.. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mikebv 10,278 Posted September 13, 2022 1 hour ago, Racin Jason 72 said: It needs someone like Phil Morris to sort it out. He would certainly keep the dust down in summer... 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
4thbender 382 Posted September 13, 2022 1 hour ago, arnieg said: Lightweights. Is that all, a pathetic 11 meetings in 6 weeks. In 1992 Reading Racers rode 16 matches in 24 days (5-28 Oct) Lightweights. Between 1967 and 1971, riders representing British League teams took part in 36 league matches per season, plus countless world, European and British League Riders' Championship qualifiers, KO Cup fixtures and sundry open events. A glance at Sheffield's home calendar for 1967 shows a grand total of 31 Thursday race-nights, all with packed houses of paying customers. I even remember in the late sixties Sheffield hosting a 'B' team which raced on Sunday afternoons. By 1971 there were 36 teams in British League Divs. 1 and 2, all reporting good crowds. What would today's promoters give for that kind of support? 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Hawk127 1,359 Posted September 13, 2022 18 hours ago, WembleyLion said: Not being able to squeeze in 10 home league fixtures in the best part of six months is truly shocking although it is not that surprising given the way Speedway is run these days! The powers that be will sight many reasons why they could not run ten home meetings in six months but will miss the obvious one, utter incompetence by each and every track to work collectively to make it happen. It is a further endorsement that can added to another thread headed British speedway is a joke . When you take into account how it’s affairs are managed and the lack of respect each and every track has for its punters it is a miracle anyone bothers to turn out in September and October after all the fine weather had this year in the U.K. It is a mystery and the only way those in charge will learn is if the punters vote with their feet but that will not happen because for some reason many think they owe the club some debt of loyalty but I doubt each and every team owner thinks that way. So it is a Christmas festival to resolve the who will be champions. The weather should be fine, ask the club promoters, they are good at using a crystal ball. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
4thbender 382 Posted September 13, 2022 Judging by the announcement placed on the Tigers' website today, it would appear the home PL fixture with Ipswich will take place AFTER the play-offs. The announcement seems to suggest that Sheffield can still finish top of the Premiership table ahead of the play-offs if they win both of their remaining meetings at Owlerton against King’s Lynn and Belle Vue this Thursday and next. Now correct me if I'm wrong, but six points from those two matches will give us 43 points, matching the 43 that Ipswich already have in the bank. In other words, the outstanding (as yet uncontested) home match with Ippo would effectively be the decider, but it can't happen until AFTER the play-offs! In those circumstances, how will they decide which teams will race against each other in the semi-finals with finishing positions undecided? If I was confused before, my mind is now completely frazzled. Whatever else happens, I'm still betting the Tigers v Ipswich match will be quietly forgotten (or decided BEFORE the play-offs by the toss of a coin), once again short-changing the Sheffield paying customers. After all, when the play-offs have taken place and the league champions have lifted the trophy, what's the point of a further league match that can't have any impact on the result? Considering all the Thursday nights throughout the summer when there's been no action at Owlerton, this position takes some believing. You can't make this stuff up. 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
arnieg 3,643 Posted September 13, 2022 Finishing positions are irrelevant. It's positions at 22 Sept that count. There have been more than one instance of teams finishing in top 4, but not making the play-offs because some of their points were accrued after the cut-off date. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
4thbender 382 Posted September 13, 2022 7 minutes ago, arnieg said: Finishing positions are irrelevant. It's positions at 22 Sept that count. There have been more than one instance of teams finishing in top 4, but not making the play-offs because some of their points were accrued after the cut-off date. The rules state that the semi-final play-offs will be 1st v 4th and 2nd v 3rd. How will they decide who is first and who is second with both teams tied on 43 points and the decider yet to be contested? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Rob B 1,257 Posted September 13, 2022 46 minutes ago, 4thbender said: The rules state that the semi-final play-offs will be 1st v 4th and 2nd v 3rd. How will they decide who is first and who is second with both teams tied on 43 points and the decider yet to be contested? Points difference same as most sports! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
racers and royals 8,730 Posted September 13, 2022 11 hours ago, arnieg said: Lightweights. Is that all, a pathetic 11 meetings in 6 weeks. In 1992 Reading Racers rode 16 matches in 24 days (5-28 Oct) I know i`m still recovering 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Roger Jacobs 554 Posted September 13, 2022 2 hours ago, 4thbender said: The rules state that the semi-final play-offs will be 1st v 4th and 2nd v 3rd. How will they decide who is first and who is second with both teams tied on 43 points and the decider yet to be contested? Points difference. Assuming Sheffield win both of their other home matches, then they will be worthy Champions, sorry, first place in the League. The Pools Panel and Duckworth Lewis would give Sheffield a win against Ipswich. Also, the Witches have three bonus points from Stupid Heats, so they're currently on 40. I know "rules are rules", but the Stupid Heat really is the most pointless rule since the Tactical Joker. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Roger Jacobs 554 Posted September 14, 2022 11 hours ago, arnieg said: Finishing positions are irrelevant. It's positions at 22 Sept that count. There have been more than one instance of teams finishing in top 4, but not making the play-offs because some of their points were accrued after the cut-off date. Which is a remarkably poor situation to be in. Acceptance of that enables the continued mismanagement and decline. 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
RobHowe 56 Posted September 14, 2022 On 9/12/2022 at 7:05 PM, 4thbender said: With the cut-off date having been set as the conclusion of fixtures on Thursday September 22 and the meeting with Ipswich next Monday having been cancelled, I'm guessing that the match with Ipswich won't now take place at all. The ridiculous prospect of having to organise a last-minute 'double header' (or determine final league positions on the toss of a coin!) just adds further hilarity to the laughing stock that is premiership speedway. Between April and September there have been 26 Thursdays and 26 Mondays, yet the league management and Owlerton hierarchy have conspired to make a cock-up of fitting in ten home league matches. Considering the vast length of week-after-week inactivity that have dogged us throughout the summer, it is yet another shameful spectacle that we should encounter such a backlog of fixtures at this late stage. But the season's not over yet.... as well as the Ipswich fixture, we have home matches with Kings Lynn and Belle Vue also to fit in, and just nine days to do it! What's the weather forecast for this Autumn period? Sheffield’s “inactivity” on Thursdays through the summer: 9th June - home v Wolves 16th June - Pairs at Ipswich 23rd June - away v Kings Lynn 30th June - no meeting 7th July - Pairs at Kings Lynn 14th July - home v Peterborough 21st July - away v Ipswich 28th July - SoN 4th Aug - home v Wolves - called off due to work on the dog track 11th Aug - no meeting 18th Aug - home Pairs - rained off 25th Aug - home v Belle Vue - rained off 1st Sept - home v Wolves 8th Sept - away v Kings Lynn 15th Sept - home v Kings Lynn So there were two Thursdays when it might have been possible to run a meeting if an opposing team was available. Hindsight is a wonderful thing when you’re sat behind the anonymity of a keyboard and a made up Username, but the reality is without the unfortunate and unforeseen issues with the stadium and some terrible bad luck with weather we wouldn’t be in the position we are in. But you knew that before you posted. 1 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mikebv 10,278 Posted September 14, 2022 2 hours ago, RobHowe said: Sheffield’s “inactivity” on Thursdays through the summer: 9th June - home v Wolves 16th June - Pairs at Ipswich 23rd June - away v Kings Lynn 30th June - no meeting 7th July - Pairs at Kings Lynn 14th July - home v Peterborough 21st July - away v Ipswich 28th July - SoN 4th Aug - home v Wolves - called off due to work on the dog track 11th Aug - no meeting 18th Aug - home Pairs - rained off 25th Aug - home v Belle Vue - rained off 1st Sept - home v Wolves 8th Sept - away v Kings Lynn 15th Sept - home v Kings Lynn So there were two Thursdays when it might have been possible to run a meeting if an opposing team was available. Hindsight is a wonderful thing when you’re sat behind the anonymity of a keyboard and a made up Username, but the reality is without the unfortunate and unforeseen issues with the stadium and some terrible bad luck with weather we wouldn’t be in the position we are in. But you knew that before you posted. Maybe not starting the flagship competition until June didnt help? And they havent finished the other one yet have they? The one that meant the flagship competion started so late... Not to mention the pairs havent been completed yet either... Maybe given it is only 6 meetings they should have done the pairs during October and tried to fit them in Mon/Thu for 3 weeks..? Would have kept interest too, unlike now where it has dragged on... And meant the league took priority as well as was finished by the end of September... 4 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
RobHowe 56 Posted September 14, 2022 7 hours ago, mikebv said: Maybe not starting the flagship competition until June didnt help? And they havent finished the other one yet have they? The one that meant the flagship competion started so late... Not to mention the pairs havent been completed yet either... Maybe given it is only 6 meetings they should have done the pairs during October and tried to fit them in Mon/Thu for 3 weeks..? Would have kept interest too, unlike now where it has dragged on... And meant the league took priority as well as was finished by the end of September... I don't know about any other team but Sheffield's league campaign started in May. However I think the TV coverage and their requirements may well dictate when the league starts and, especially, when it finishes. Given that in reality every club currently has circa 13-14 home meetings, not counting Playoffs, to schedule over a 20-25 week season, had they run everything on a week by week basis the season could have been done and dusted by the end of July. Had that happened I'm pretty sure the usual suspects on here would have been complaining about not spreading the meetings out over the whole season. I completely get the frustration though, however we are where we are and complaining after the fact doesn't help. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
