Leaderboard

I am far from convinced that fans do either. They suggest that points limits, tactical rides, rider replacement and guests cause people to walk away, ignoring the fact that all have been in existence in the sport for half a century. Cut the prices they say, ignoring the fact that when that has been done clubs have usually sustained heavy financial losses. Its too expensive. Belle Vue costs £18 and I see at least one world class rider (usually two) every week. Halifax Town costs £20, and they aren't even in the Football League. By that comparison, speedway is cheap. They criticise the play off system, disregarding the fact that it is a huge success in terms of revenue and that it is now common practice elsewhere. They compare speedway to other sports, ridiculing its rules, its practices, its procedures. Speedway is about as similar to football as an elephant is to a haddock and any comparison is just as valid. I am sure I have even read that speedway should be marketed as a sport for those aged 40 or over, a bit like crown green bowling. Total nonsense. Speedway is for all ages, and should be promoted that way. As to the ageing attendance, I think that's a myth. Barry Bishop told me that less than 15% of his crowds are of pensionable age. But the most telling fact is that while some claim to have all the answers, ask them to put their money where their mouth is and they are running for the hills. Quite willing to gamble others funds, they won't stake a single penny on their - occasionally hare brained - schemes, which shows just how confident they are about their success. While I deplore the utter contempt that most - but not all - members of the BSPA have for this forum, they can justifiably point to that in describing us as 'keyboard commandos'. All I know is that speedway has to start treating its paying customers as paying customers and not run the sport for the benefit of the riders, because that's how it is at the moment. Even with things as desperate as they are, clubs still find time to treat its fanbase like dirt. Sheffield's Damian Bates, faced with huge criticism over an underperforming team and a dreadful track, found time to slag off the clubs fans last season. Faced with similar criticism over an equally dreadful track, instead of listening Plymouth's Mark Phillips chose to ban those who were being critical. When you choose to treat the lifeblood of the sport that way, you get all you deserve.

Attended Ted Hubbard's Funeral yesterday. It was by far the biggest funeral I personally have ever attended with (a rough guess) over 200 people there many trapped outside listening on a speaker. Teds Cortege arrived with a chequered flag draped over his coffin which was then carried into the church to a clever and tasteful medley of march out themes from Canterbury Hackney and Rye House. Hackney/Rye/Canterbury and Crayford were well represented by Barry Thomas, Bobby McNeil, Laurie Etheridge, Hugh Saunders, Graham Miles, Karl Fiala and Barney Kennett. Also spotted was Reg Luckhurst, Steve Weatherley, Trevor Geer, Paul Woods and Graham and Paul Hurry. There were probably more I didn't see or didn't recognise. Ex Ref Graham Broadie was in attendance. It was a fitting and special send off for one of speedways nice guys.

They have to.. Newcastle are a classic example of all that is wrong.. Riding on a Sunday (a key day for leisure time) should be a 'shoe in' for such a unique an entertainment as Speedway. . Especially as that club has had some of the finest riders of all time representing them so have an incredible history.. Instead, as a Sunday track they must have had nightmares trying to ensure riders turn up, given Sunday has become such a key day for all three Pro leagues in Poland with so many UK contracted riders competing in them.. When Poland became the 'be all and end all' the UK should have just pulled up the drawer-bridge and gone alone... Instead it went done the path of 'fudge' and 'appeasement'. A subservient "We will work around you" became the mission statement.. Newcastle must have god knows how many difficult variables when trying to get a meeting on. Will their own No1 be available? Or will their opponents No1 be available? And if not, do they run? Or do they run with guests which makes the meeting somewhat contrived? Either way the fans (the life blood of the sport) and therefore the club, lose out.. Clubs should just be able to publicise a fixture list, and then market it, safe in the knowledge that all riders will be there, which then ensures a decent crowd can turn up safe in the knowledge they won't feel short changed. .. UK Speedway should set it's stall out and say "this is us", and build to whatever level it can. On days and nights fans want to (and can) attend.. And not bother about the wider Speedway world as they at the moment play on another level.. Four lads of similar ability per race, with a decent off track entertainment package, at a reasonable value for money admission fee, will tick a lot of boxes for a great many British Speedway fans, (both regulars and, more importantly maybe, non regulars). Promoters, who are business men and women in their own right, must know that surely? As lets be honest, it is very, very basic..

It baffles me when people make judgements when no one has been announced! Plus staying away on a permanent basis only means the club would be lost. Surely if the racing is good does it matter who the riders are? I think the standard in the CL is more level than in the PL, so should be close.

The Fours qualifiers were always a great crowd puller, certainly in the northern section, and of course they should return.

On the first point, you are absolutely right. But there are so many on here who think they have all the ideas, only they don't. And as I said, the crucial point is that while they are very happy to speculate with others money they won't risk a penny of their own. On the second point, I can't be certain of how much money riders make or don't make although be very surprised if any rider doubling up between the Premiership and the Championship 'barely makes a profit'. Very surprised indeed. I consider that uncontrolled doubling up is a blight on the sport in this country and we only have it so that riders can double their earnings. Because of that we have fixed race nights, and that has closed one club (Rye House) put another up for sale (Sheffield) and meant that a third (Poole) has had to drop out of a league which they have pretty much dominated. Riders demand that tracks are prepared how they want them, not what is best for the spectator and thus the sport itself. Its little wonder that in a facebook post recently Gordon Pairman said that while fans point fingers at promoters for the sports financial difficulties, riders are to blame. I don't totally agree, but he has a point.

But we have had live speedway on TV for 25 years now and the crowds are what they are today. Where are the new fans from all those hours of free publicity?

When it is a new venue or the re-opening of a previous venue, it's understandable to a degree, that people living locally will have concerns. The majority of the concerns will be honestly made but there will always be the few "professional" moaners who will do everything they can to influence that majority by the spreading of some quite ridiculous tales. At Birmingham, we convinced the City Council to give us a temporary planning consent for a trial period of three years. When the trial period was up, we had to re-apply and inevitably there was a hard core who became more and more desperate in their attempts to block it. Four residents wrote to the Council to say that they could put up with the noise, (they had little choice because the Council's own noise tests showed that the sound of the bikes was inaudible from their houses), but said that the "evil smell of the petrol was making them ill!" We even had people claim that people living several miles away from the stadium were subject to louder noise "because they didn't have the sound of the heavy traffic to drown it" - seriously trying to imply that whilst the noise from a very busy road decreased with distance, the noise from the speedway didn't! Over the last six years, Birmingham Speedway has received just one complaint - and that was about noise from the tannoy not the bikes. Although we can never completely eliminate the attentions of the nimbys, I always found that whenever we could have a face to face meeting with local residents, they were invariably reasonable and willing to listen to our point of view - and the biggest mistake that we can make is to try and ridicule what are people's genuine concerns.

Lack of opportunity is certainly a factor, as is cost, look at the equipment some of these beginners have, I can remember the day when some internationals turned up with one bike on a rack on the back of the car. It's good that we now have more opportunities for under age riders but a young bloke should be able to afford to race and many can't.

I take it, that's the KL team you'd like, not the witches

Would it be impertinent of me to suggest that future contributions on this topic should be made on the "Sheffield 2020" thread on the SGB Premiership Speedway League forum?

I certainly believe that more could be done to make the racing better, but once again it seems to me rider interests are put above those of fans. I once complained about the dust at a track and asked for watering, only to be told that the riders don't like it so it wasn't going to happen. If the sport continually puts the needs of paid employees above paying spectators attendances will go down - that's pretty obvious, and it has to change. I have always believed that trying to get people back is a waste of time and speedway should concentrate more on new fans. Those who used to go tend to complain about matters that have been in force for decades, trying to give the impression that they only came in two or three seasons ago. They are overwhelmingly - and occasionally bizarrely - negative in an attempt to justify why they don't go, and make unreasonable demands as conditions to return. Why on earth chuck money at such people ?

The 24-year-old has been impressed with the professional set up at Ipswich and said he wants to remain with the club in 2020. “Compared to every other club I have dealt with during my time In England for a couple of years they are very professional. They want you to do well as much as you want to do well. There has never been a problem if I have asked for advice or help. It was a good for me to go to a new club and I am glad it was Ipswich. I have really enjoyed my time here and hopefully if all goes to plan, I will be here next year and for years after that.” Yes I know what people say and yes, this time of year riders do trot out the “I’d like to stay” line when pushed, but his comments from only a few weeks ago go above and beyond the standard line IMO. I’d be very very surprised if he goes elsewhere but let’s see, money does talk loudest after all.

Nah. Once you become a member of the Ipswich golf club then your place in the Speedway team is guaranteed

The problem as I see it is that fans & sponsors have lost the feeling that the 7 riders representing your club are yours. We have almost completely lost this connection. Most if not all of 2019 championship teams consisted of 7 riders that also represented another U.K. team. This is also a huge problem with credibility when trying to convince newcomers to support our sport. Equally wholesale team changes during the season do the sport great harm as do the huge changes season on season. Question: As a sponsor would I buy rider X (my local team favorite) a new bike, only for it to be used while riding for another team? NO.

Scott nicholls confirmed

If Newcastle go (and let's hope not), that's 13 gone in 19 years.. Thats 1 club going every 1.46 years... Surely someone who is involved in running the sport can see that what they currently have (and have used for far too long) as an operating model and business plan simply doesn't work..? How many will go before it gets sorted? Best of luck to the Diamonds... NB Did all these 13 clubs get £5,000 fines for closing?

If baffles me, when people don’t let you make a comment. It’s my opinion based on the side or an atypical side Poole will put out. I don’t need to see the actual side you are putting out. What difference will that make! You forget, that people aren’t going against better sides but suddenly with a team in the Championship they will hold up or improve. There is nothing, absolutely nothing, that will make me go ‘Wow, I was wrong. That was a good decision by the Pirates to go to the Championship’

When it's said Swindon bite the bullet and re shaped,,, they had no choice did they if they wanted speedway to continue at that venue. Didn't mean to quote, didn't know how to get rid

Huckenbeck?

They might want to wait until they know who'll be taking part first. A suppose they could do a quick reccy and if someone does drop out, they could give them to someone else who might want to take part

Let's hope they include Newcastle

That makes the problem worse. If all of the northern teams best all of the southern teams, home and away, you’d still have three southern teams in the play offs. At least with one league table there would be a chance for four or five northern teams to make the playoffs.

So teams in the North wouldn't meet teams in the South (in the league) and have home and away three times (15 home and 15 away matches)? Then fans would complain that they'd only seen five different teams in the league!! I reckon they've (just about) got it right the way they've done it.

Doubling up matters to me but I respect your opinion.

But fixed race nights are way up it! Doubling up removes much of the sport's credibility, you see a three quarters empty and decaying stadium on TV and Pearson busily telling everyone how many teams each rider will be riding for this week, It's just Mickey Mouse stuff.

Fixed race nights. To ensure that riders can double up, leagues have to ride on different nights and that has meant that some have had to change the traditional one for racing. It genuinely does surprise just how much that affects attendances, but Rye House closed down as a result, Sheffield went up for sale and Poole dropped out of a league that have graced for decades.

Well done Kent. Look after him -- he has served most teams well and been a great Captain. Leicester's loss but Kent's gain -- wishing you well Scott and hope you have a great season.

The cynic in me suggests Plymouth were turned down to ensure the NL has enough teams in it to be viable?

Agree to an extent, he WAS disappointing if truth be told but on the other hand, we know he’s a quality rider and what he’s capable of. Maybe a full season and starting from the beginning we’d see the rider we all know? He also has an attractive average for a rider of his pedigree that he’d surely increase. We simply can’t go in to next season with Klindt and King as our heatleader duo, that has disaster written all over it. We’re gonna need another top end rider from somewhere and I personally think we’d be mad to turn Iversen down on an average over just over 7.

Poole fans should defo put scunthorpe and Redcar on the list of tracks to visit.

Do the promotions really listen ? I remember about 7 years ago when Adam started riding in the UK one of these “how do we gauge public opinion” threads came up on here and I suggested a simple questionaire slipped into a program and a suggestion box near the exit. Most if not all people who buy a program have a pen (or can borrow one). A few questions filled in with their contact details at the end isn’t the hardest thing in the world. 1, you know really what the punters think and can maybe act on some of the suggestions 2, with their contact details you straight away have a database where you can contact people with offers etc. its really not that hard eh ?

Just have to correct the statement slightly We knew there were a host of teams looking to sign him, so we had to act fast offer a shed load of money to get him on board.

Sadly colin has passed away in a freak accident at birmingham wheels last night. Colin was a massive supporter of speedway and a brilliant sponsor to many speedway riders and speedway events. Sending my love to all his family and friends

Theres bound to be at least 1 signing you wont see coming

Because Plymouth have said that the extra financial implications meant they couldn't move up, I don't think that will happen.

But it’s not a good idea to have a league table skewed by teams racing some opponents more than others. That’s just daft. Why not have a proper league with 22 fixtures, one home and one away against each of the other opponents, and a separate competition divided into north and south conferences? Instead they’ve combined the two and made a pig’s ear.

Well, if I was a Poole fan and I had to pay the same price or even a £1 less than last season for that line up, or anything similar, me and speedway in the UK would be done. I cannot believe that Poole fans will be turning out in their hundreds let alone thousands to see a line up like that. I think Poole will regret the next two seasons. Just my opinion.

That the king size double Duvan thingy

It doesn’t matter if it’s old fans coming back or new fans coming for the first time; if the racing is rubbish they won’t come again. Swindon bit the bullet, redesigned their track and the racing has improved. Every track that currently doesn’t work needs to do that.

Agree with all above. Eastbourne, I believe it was their last season in the top league. Sent someone out on a Saturday after to Eastbourne beach to hand out 500 free tickets, of them 500 tickets 12 came back. They had a tick box on the back saying would you have attended without this free ticket, 9 of the tickets had that boxe ticked.

No. Exactly not that. Fixtures as have been announced. 10 home against your five conference rivals and (i.e. twice each) plus 6 home against the teams from the other conference (i.e. once each) making 16 fixtures. My point was that there shouldn't be one league table as the mix of fixtures could mean that the total points could be skewed if one conference is weaker than the other. So there should only ever be two conference tables with the top three in each progressing. Not the top six in a combined league progressing. This is perhaps a subtle concept but it's the only way of ensuring that the league standings are not skewed. i.e. everyone in the same conference has rode against the same opposition the same amount of times. It has the added benefit of their being two conference champions and also makes the play off's a little more distinct from the league. Should have done it years ago.

Redcar but I'm not a frequent visitor, I'm getting on a bit, not always well and unfit to drive, I started in the 50s and would travel all over to the big meetings or away matches for my local Halifax and Bradford clubs.

Would like to see Robert Lambert 7.81 Craig Cook 7.78 Niels k Iversen 7.54 Erik Riss 6.61 Ryan Douglas 4.66 Broc Nichol 4.00 Jonas Jeppersen 4.00 42.40 More like to be Robert Lambert 7.81 Erik Riss 6.61 Mpt 6.30 Chris Harris 6.16 TJ 5.90 Lewis Kerr 5.57 Kasper Andersen 4.00 42.35

It's been a long time since the last post on here but does anyone know how Blair (and his family) is getting on? Hope he is doing well addiction is a terrible thing to live with, go through or recover from.

Jordan Stewart & Erik Riss confirmed tonight. Very happy with that.

Not bothered at all. I quite like seeing what Swindon’s riders can do in other leagues. Can’t see the slightest problem as long as the turn up for Swindon and do their best. Fixed race nights removed any clashes.

I hope the AGM have addressed the farcical double-up situation where your very own 1 to 7 are all riding for different U.K. teams the following night! this has gone completely out of control & unless addressed our sport will never have any mainstream credibility.

So far as I am aware the Newcastle promotion have a similar reputation, yet still struggle to attract riders. The point is that, whether it's Poole and/or Glasgow or not, there is a disparity between what some clubs can afford. Not the fault of those clubs, they live within their means. My point is that their isn't sufficient clubs left to sustain the three tier structure so the Championship needs to be a sustainable standard for the majority, which inevitably means less professional and featuring less expensive 'international' standard riders. But whilst clubs with larger budgets remain in the Championship the rest will try to be competitive on the basis that if they're not the crowd levels fall. Either way is unsustainable in the long term unless you can reduce costs. You could argue that if speedway in Newcastle is unsustainable (due to a Sunday race night and/or high stadium rental etc) then they should drop down to the National League but that's the problem. Even if Belle Vue and Cradley continue it's a maximum six team league which just isn't viable and not great news for the development of young British riders who struggle to make Championship level pay (Thomas, Wood etc). With only 22 tracks in operation, now would have been the opportunity to have restructured to two tiers, widening the gap between both and getting rid of doubling up for all bar British development riders. Workington's demise last season should have been the tipping point. How many more will fall before it's inevitable?

Aarnio and Ayres, more of a personal note not a fan of howarth.. Kinsley was impressive this year, but wouldn't have him back with Jordan (had we not committed to Jordan, Ryan would have been my no 1 selection) and Stef I personally think has let us down a couple too many times this season