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Agreed... Watching PC blast off into the distance, like he did in many races, certainly wasn't a 'spectacular' race... Nor was watching Mauger, Olsen, Michanek etc etc do the same to '2 point reserves'.. The difference was? These guys brought a crowd in through their reputations... When these riders, and more such as Penhall, Carter, Lee etc came to your town crowds were up.. A more modern, but lesser impact of the same were Nielsen and Gunderson, with probably the last rider with any 'extra pulling power' being Jason Crump.. These guys had reputations, THEY attracted the improved crowds NOT the team who were in situ.. Those who attended may not even attend again that season, however I am sure the racing on that night was improved considerably in the eyes of the regulars by the large attendance. (Even if tangibly it probably wasn't much better than normal).. Even in the 'good old days' it was the riders riding for, and bringing success to, England into your homes via World Of Sport that generated the interest in your local team... Racing today overall is at least on a par, if not better, than all those years ago I would say, as there now is much less of a disparity between riders in the meeting/races that there once was, so not sure the racing is to blame for the Sports decline.. British Speedway has virtually 100% lost its tribal, emotional connection that fans need to follow a team sport by the ludicrous, (almost comical if it wasn't so sad) way it has ran itself... I would suggest that this is infinitely more the problem than poor racing..

You've never said truer words in your life.... That is probably why many people no longer can be bothered with the Forum. I know, have been in contact with, a number of folk who have packed in due to the unpleasantness on here by certain people. I, myself, do not Post as much as I used to - I still read it though.

He just took his idea of what makes a great cycle speedway track and sized it up. Forgot all about speedway being a motorised sport and how they might pass. But then he got so much wrong about how to be a promoter,?didn't he.

Well the victory capped a fabulous weekend of results for the Comets . Regardless of how the Diamonds riders performed they were only as good as they were allowed too on the night . When i got into the stadium and heard that once again we had been unable to secure a guest and young Josh Embleton had agreed to step in i admit to being downbeat with all negative stuff that is going on in speedway right now. This didn't last long though because even with young Kyle who is finding life difficult in a tough league being unable to score the other four lads were just immense. I can't ever remember witnessing 4 Worky riders achieve 11 race wins in such circumstances on a track with such a big home advantage. The lads deserve huge plaudits for the way they attacked the track and once again young Cumbrian prodigy Dan Bewley demonstrated his talent and great racing acumen that deny his years and experience within speedway. I'm just so proud that he his riding for his local team this season, he is worth the admission on his own. I'm just so pleased for Laura the way things are going at the moment because if anyone deserves to be dealt a better hand than she has been dealt especially this season it is surely Laura. Thanks Laura for keeping things together when someone of lesser character may well have just given up . Your right up there in my book !

This could be just a ploy by the Tory party to take the limelight off them for a day or two. Nobody does a cock-up better than the BSPA.

rasmus has not been out of form, in fact he is having a great season and in the few home meetings that we have had, he has been brilliant , home and away he swapped places with mason and if rene had scored 7 or less from the home meeting v berwick , rene would have been @ reserve 7 days later ! worky rider averages are very close to each other . it is a different Jensen this year .

Having rubbish like last night's meeting on TV does nothing for the sport apart from put anyone off that may have accidentally tuned into it.

While I agree with your view, someone who uses terms like 'scum' and 'nasty idiots' to describe other posters doesn't deserve much sympathy when those others hit back.

I used to know Mc Caffery many years ago. He always struck me as a person full of his own importance who always acted as if he was an expert on all matters Speedway when in fact the reverse was true. When I knew him he dreamed of being the promoter at Rye House ( which was an impossibility then) si it does not surprise me that he had his nose put out of joint when Len Silver took over 2000 and resurrected the club. He talks utter rubbish.

Boris Johnson is looking for a job - he would fit in well at the BSPA!

CRUEL but ... Cook said after his last ride that he had tried something drastic and it worked. One wag replied: "He turned the throttle on."

Thank god for that, maybe now he will let Workington get their fixtures back on the Fixture List just awaiting a change in cut-off date for the play-offs to be extended til you's get some more points on the board ...He may even re-arrange coming to Worky now he has Worrall back , lets hope Worrall hits the ground running or dummy's will be well and truly out the pram again !!

Indeed, the dimensions of the track he built were remarkably close in proportions to those of the cycle speedway track in the city. He got a lot wrong. Some saw the signs early on and stopped going. Sadly the "improvements" have done nothing to attract me and others back.

Well done to Poole on their away win. It really was a poor meeting but a win’s a win. Onwards and upwards for the pie rats

SAY WE ARE, WE ARE TOP OF THE LEAGUE! Only half way through the season but a great achievement, especially to go and win at Wolves! Not bad for a team that 'isn't decent' either! Get on you Rebels!

The fact that this is the Hammers sole home meeting in July speaks volumes for the state of modern speedway in UK. The Hammers will be back to tracking our full 1 to 7 and, hopefully, an entertaining meeting will ensue.

16 minutes does that include foreplay lol sorry you meant the speedway

Probably get recalled once the Cook signing gets vetoed. My understanding is GP riders couldn't ride in the championship, unless it is with Workington who he rode for when he qualified. Can't see how this can happen.

but only allowed to ride for the club that he was with when he gained G.P. status and that was WORKINGTON . dream again baby .

hi , i would like to thank Workington speedway for allowing me to continue my support for my local team . . no promoters or fans have been harmed in this thread . we will have all learned a thing or two and that we need each other in order to survive . i thank supporters from other tracks for their input . some good and some bad . also the number of pm,s that i had . . did not think i was that popular ! i thank you all J .

As long as Kyle gets good track time this year i'm happy as he still has years to go in Speedway. Workington have certainly opened peoples eyes this year with their turnaround from last season.

When reverting to pathetic, childish name calling then the argument is lost

One home meeting in a month, when we are enjoying our best summer since 1976 says it all really. If people won't come when the sun shines, they never will.

We have suffered a lot of different initiatives from our beloved BSPA over the years. A recurring theme is that as they seek to address one problem they cause another and the spiral continues.

That's one way of looking at it isuppose ? Another view is maybe other fans don't participate in as much inane drivel, that has nothing to do with speedway as Poole ? Is that a possibility ?

Accordingly, each season the SCB produces a Rule Book entitled The Speedway Regulations, that covers all the rules applicable to the sport in Great Britain. It is available in booklet form at a small cost from the SCB Office or as a fre download from the SCB Website www.scbgb.co.ukFinanced entirely by fees generated through the issue of Track Licences, Rider Registrations and Officials Licences the SCB seeks to act as the independent body to ensure that the BSPA, Member’s Tracks, Riders and Officials all act within the Rules and Regulations of the SCB and most importantly within the best interest of Speedway motorcycle racing.The SCB is managed on a day to day basis by the SCB Co-ordinator (Neil Vatcher: neil@scbgb.co.uk) and an Administrator (Nikki Jameison: info@scbgb.co.uk). They are augmented in specialist areas by Track Inspectors (Alan Bridgett: alan@scbgb.co.uk & Mick Bates: mick@scbgb.co.uk) and a Technical Advisor (Jim McMillan: jim@scbgb.co.uk).Further specialist advice concerning Medical and Environmental matters are obtained via the ACU Committees; Environmental Advisor (Peter Gregory: pgregory@ntlworld.com), Medical Panel Secretary (Debbie Walmsley: dg@acu.org.uk)The Bureau consists of 4 nominated Members, two representing the ACU are Tony Steele and Graham Reeve (ACU Members) whilst Alex Harkess (BSPA President) and Gordon Pairman (BSPA Promoter) represent the British Speedway Promoters Association under the independent Chairmanship of Tony Gillias (a former Rider with Coventry & Scunthorpe).

My name is firmly out there - having the balls to use his real name is irrelevant with him. When he doesn't like what someone says he throws a hissy fit and goes off on some rant trying to prove he's better than someone. Take a look at the poor Lakeside chaps trying to do a youtube video thread. He's rude and condescending.

From the Bandits' facebook page 15 minutes ago NEVER IN DOUBT! We’ve been made aware that rumours may have circulated possibly suggesting that this weekend’s match vs the Scunthorpe Scorpions could be in doubt due to the football but we want to make it very clear that we will be in action Live at Shielfield Park Stadium on Saturday the 14th of July at 7pm! #BacktheBandits

Strange.You tell him not to rise to the posts,but don’t tell him to stop calling people scum or morons,which he generally calls half the forum!!! As far as I know there are only a couple of people who used to be here who you could rightly call scum.one,a convicted drug dealer,who is now pushing up the daisies and the other was convicted of possessing child pornography.Just because some on here don’t agree with Rob,doesn’t mean we can be called morons and there is absolutely nothing I have posted that makes me scum Bottom line is,it is a fact he goes to Rye once in a blue moon and unless Rye arrange meetings when a blue moon falls on a weekend then the likelihood is Rob won’t be there

I do not know the chap, but I do know this forum excels at character assassination. Character assassination usually comes from people with an alias, whereas Rob has the balls to use his real name. As Rayleigh says, take no notice Rob, by trying to get at you, it is distracting their minds from the crisis in speedway!

Using Somerset as an example again, I frankly don't really care much for who Jason Doyle rides for in Sweden, who Jack Holder rides for in Poland or who Richard Lawson rides for in the Championship.... I only care about when they ride for my team. It's irrelevant to me who else they ride for, when and who with elsewhere. Speedway is still very much a team sport in my eyes.

This is by far your best post ever on this forum. Any ideas about trying to move British Speedway forward that incorporate doing away with team events would be the end for me. I support Somerset Speedway team... Not a load of pointless irrelevant races at Somerset as the previous poster suggested all in the name of a jolly good day out! Team Speedway isn't the problem - how it's executed, is though....

BSPA General Council meeting today ... will anything happen and if it does will they even tell us?

Slightly better racing later on when an outside line developed but generally it was soul destroying to watch as a speedway fan and a dreadful advert for British speedway. Says it all when a gating tart like Klindt can look like World Champion. Bizarre crash in heat 14, looked completely different from the two angles and Worrall's apology showed that he thought it was his fault. Tend to think the ref got it right though.

I think Leicester should be charged with theft, nicking Poole's blue groove like they have and then allowing it to spawn a second one!!

Take a look at Swindon. We won next to nothing for forty years but we are still going. We have not based our club on winning at all costs or sacking riders for lack of form, but at the same time we have not been able to keep some riders due to their averages (hence our useless Scot Nicholls’ side a few years ago). I remember a 70s team of Ashby, Hunter, Kilby, Andersson, McNeil, Bouchard and David Ashby. Both Jan Andersson and David Ashby were useless - it was Jan’s first season, and David was always a mystery! - but the team did OK in mid table and we kept it the next season and again it did OK, with Jan improving immensely. We won no trophies. The point is, keeping the same riders kept the fans happy because everyone identified with those riders. Admittedly we won most home matches (and lost most away) so that would be the only caveat, but a mid table team with continuity and more home wins than losses can be more of a commercial success over time than the “winning at all costs, use every trick in the book, constant chop and change” club (Poole). Indeed, I doubt modern Poole have kept a 1-7 from one season to the next and that their fans have ever identified with 7 riders the way Swindon’s fans of the 70s did. So, no, big names and trophies are not necessary.

Wolves tail way too long to cover for Howarth. I'm an infrequent visitor to Monmore these days but big gaps on the terraces last night. Can he afford to try and get a number 1 in or can he afford not to? A decent reserve is a must though and that's not Riss on last night's showing

Surely it’s time you thought of (yet) another multi so you can troll (yet) another team? It’s getting a bit bit tiresome on the Swindon threads.

All round to Rob’s for a cup of tea, his kettle boils the quickest.

I'm glad you've responded about the campaign and clarified the group's position on Bees at Leicester. You shouldn't have to defend yourself. Keep it going Jeff, Dave and all.

Rob,, please don't rise to the replys, People who were there in 1999 especially know what you sacrificed for the club you don't need to explain yourself or ask for validation form strangers, you know the truth.

but the FACT that some people in the sport both fans and others incharge seam to forget is ALL THE DATES Workington have been asked to rearrange along with a couple of other teams were arranged and agreed before the season started if there was a problem it should have been sorted BEFORE THE OFFICAL FIXTURE LIST was agreed for all the teams in the league

You sure ? all the people I know who go anymore don't want the likes of Tai and co to come back ..they want 7 juniors who wave at the crowd and have a pint in the bar after . We got to cut costs so even less people go and we get yes sponsors press coverage etc ..it's the way forward

Iv'e seen posters of you up around the stadium

Great win by Somerset and top of the shop as well, great performance.

So it should, because its nothing less than a bloody disgrace . Workington had their fixtures and dates approved by the BSPA and they aren't being told to change 'a few' but all of them, regardless of the arrangements they and their riders have made and whether their stadium is available on other days. What makes it even worse is that the very promoters who are responsible for this action now will not co-operate and bring their teams to Derwent Park when asked, and the icing on the cake is that this is almost entirely at the behest of one promoter who agreed with it and then changed his mind when he couldn't get guests for injured riders. An appalling example of just how badly speedway promotions are motivated entirely by self interest without any regard for the needs of others or the best interests of the sport as a whole.

And there lies the problem, BSPA don't seem to listen to ex riders.

I'm sure they would both be happy to go anywhere to earn money.

I was talking to a speedway rider this morning who used to ride in the 70's and I used to sponsor him and he thinks the only way the sport can continue is on an amateur basis like it was when he first started. The riders costs are too high resulting in them needing payment for riding/points that the promotions cannot afford with current attendances. He says riders would have to cut their cloth to suit and promoters need to be transparent about their costs and finances so that supporters trust them. Unfortunately a generation of supporters have been lost and he doesn't see a way of attracting new fans at current prices for a family with the entertainment value on offer. We had a very interesting conversation and he talked a lot of sense not that we agreed on everything!

%99.9 of home fans are happy with kyle. he is learning and he is doing it in front of marras . one day it will come . management and fans are backing this young un all the way . we no panic .