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Sorry this is a long one everyone, but the big chief Martin and I had to respond to Mr. Godfrey from this week's speedway star. I hope you will read it thoroughly and make up your own mind as to what is going on..... All the best Barry (and Martin) I have read with interest the statement by the BSPL’s Chairman Rob Godfrey in this week’s Speedway Star, which to me reads as an attack on me as opposed to any constructive debate about why the Warriors left the BSPL. From how I read it, it seems that Mr. Godfrey wants you the reader to think I made all these decisions, that I threw the rattle out of the cot because I didn’t get my own way. Martin and I find this personalisation of myself very surprising, hurtful, and factually wrong and very disrespectful to Martin and me. Firstly, every decision, including this response, with regards to the Wightlink Warriors is jointly taken by Martin and me. Not once has a single decision been made without the approval of the other. This is because, put very simply, we are a team and have been since we embarked on bringing speedway back to the Isle of Wight: equal investors who live and die by our joint decisions. It is the only way we want to work and can work. Secondly, it is the case that, except for one or two email requests for the date on the NL AGM sent by me when Martin was ill, that every single piece of correspondence between the BSPL Office and the Warriors was sent by Martin. Of course, we had worked on every email together and reached every decision together, but each email was sent by Martin and in many cases replied directly to Martin and omitting me, and in some cases using a personal email address which is hardly used. Now to the contents, Mr. Godfrey states that it was a directive of every club to make these changes. Our response to this is. 1. We have an email from the BSPL stating these were a Board decision and the email was sent the day following a Board meeting. 2. If every promoter stated it, please prove it. We already know this is not the case from our discussions with promoters but of course they could have been giving us sympathetic flannel, but we think not. 3. If it was the case – let’s say the statement is true. Does anyone truly believe that it is right for clubs who have no interest in the league or our business to state how the National League should be run, or that clubs who do have an interest in the National League should be allowed to contribute to decisions made when 2 clubs (Mildenhall and IOW) could not. Any club intending to participate in the National League should not have been permitted to participate in any rule making whatsoever unless they were part of the 2019 NL, as is the usual way during the NL AGM. 4. Why didn’t Mr. Len Silver attend or be invited to attend any of these meetings as the NL representative to relay information to standalone clubs? Note - Clause 3 of the Articles of Constitution states the BSPL was established to protect all its members. Clearly only some. Mr. Godfrey says that we had fair warning of the NL “returning to its roots” which is a true – he did say the National League will “return to its roots” during the AGM, but just what does this statement actually mean? Does it mean the BSPL can impose rules upon the league members? Does it mean the BSPL can choose which clubs have an input to the rules it makes? No, it doesn’t. It actually means as he said during that meeting it was seen as a way to “reduce costs of riders moving up to the Championship” (which by the way we have never disagreed with, clubs must cut their cloth accordingly in our view.). And to make the league more amateur than it already was. There was an addition to that statement about returning the sport to its roots, and that was that all standalone clubs would be invited to attend a Pre or Final Championship AGM to see if it was possible to step up to the Championship – that invitation was never received by us or to the best of our knowledge, by the other then standalone clubs. In the article Mr. Godfrey continues, the BSPL fully support that Isle of Wight run amateur meetings and this is true, here is a paragraph of the email. “The BSP fully support you running amateur and practice events with Nora 92. However, if you intend to expand your events outside of the amateur status the BSP will be forced to instruct BSP Registered Riders that they will not be permitted to participate.” What the BSPL omitted to tell us in the email was that even though the National League was always referred to as amateur, always development (how they love this word) the BSPL view the National League riders as professional riders, yet we know by any definition of the word “professional”, they are not so and do not receive all the benefits other league's riders have as part of their contracts – for example different insurance cover. So, how does this statement now affect the Isle of Wight? It means that any rider who has a contract in the BSPL would be instructed that they cannot participate in Isle of Wight meetings, and if they do they risk sanctions – as many clubs have told the riders we have approached to ride. Mr Godfrey quotes Rule 6 of SCB regulations which actually have no bearing over non SCB events (ie the Isle of Wight) so participating on the Isle of Wight is like doing road racing, grass track, trials, banger racing and other motorsport. We are outside of the SCB and therefore no sanctions can be applied against the riders or officials for taking part and the BSPL know this but in the current circumstances we can understand the rider's apprehension about taking part. He goes on to say I (we) left at my (our) our own request – again this is true, but he omits to say why. The fact is, we asked if in future years the BSPL Board continue to impose rules without a voting system on clubs and the response from the BSPL Office Administrator was “this could not be guaranteed” or even no, direct reply at all. Had we received this statement to say AGMs will start in 2021 again, that’s clubs can vote on changes to rule books and averages, we may well have put our license on hold for the year and return to the BSPL in 2022. Furthermore, he says, “no one wanted Barry (and Martin) to leave”. I put this to you reader… if you didn’t want a club to leave your organisation which if they did it would have a financial impact on your company, and you knew the club expressed a wish to leave, would you at least call them, request a meeting/zoom call, email them personally, send a personal text message, because I can tell you, even to today we have received no communication directly from ANY board member of the BSPL and indeed the only time we were referred to speak to Mr. Godfrey if we wanted to, was if we would like to sell the BSPL/Mr. Godfrey the promotional rights for speedway on the Isle of Wight. This is how much the BSPL did not want the Isle of Wight to leave the NL, BSPL and SCB. (Mr. Godfrey sits on both BSPL and SCB so one assumes both bodies were aware of the situation). Of course, we never say never to a conversation with Mr. Godfrey and a recent offer to the SCB to meet up with them and the SCB has currently met with no response however we do realise that circumstances are not the best when the likes of Somerset close, Birmingham is put on hold and Wolverhampton has pushed out a warning about their future operation. What we will say is that before any meeting about us returning to the BSPL, the BSPL need to clearly understand why we left, why we believe we are vital to the future of the sport and why we also believe we can help take all that is great about the sport to the next generation. Regrettably, we are again forced to clarify what statements are made by the BSPL when in truth, we just want to put on a show for the fans, sponsors, riders and volunteers at Smallbrook Stadium. This is not nor ever has been a personal competition between the Warriors V Mr. Godfrey/BSPL – we don’t view it like this and we never want to portray speedway negatively, we promote the sport at every possibility, especially now the sport is in crisis, one fact there is no escaping from. We did have a significant programme of various events planned to start at the end of June, which included a 3 round Individual Championship with quite a large prize fund to be distributed at the end for riders completing in all three rounds, but that will have to go on hold now due to riders not coming forward to participate. As this issue will not be solved quickly in the current climate, we are now working very hastily on an alternative shortened programme of events which we hope to disclose shortly.

Yes this is correct.... we wanted to introduce to the 2020 NT 2 new innovative rules. 1. The team manager of each side could choose two heats in which to select 1 rider from the oposing team to put on 15m in two heats which may not include heats 1, 2, 3, 4, 8, 13, 14 and 15 and it cannot include a previous heat selected for 15m handicap. The away team manager would chose the first heat, home TM 2nd, away 3rd and home 4th heats. A brilliant yet simple rule to inject more action to the racing and a rule which is already used (tapes rules) so confirmed as OK for safety and every UK track. This for sure will feature in our meetings this year should we find ourselves in a position to actually race. 2. When 6 points behind the team manager can choose gate positions. Again a simple rule that could have a great affect on the match. Note - during the AGM it was AGREED to introduce both these rules by the NL only for it to then be stopped at a later date saying no clear rule could be written. !!!!!! Or was it a fear that this was the NL once again leading the way forward However, even with these great enhancements to the show, along with all the other ideas we will implement, I also refer to Poland. They use the same thing (all be it with different rider positions) but 4 bikes, 4 laps, 15 heats. The greatest part of going to speedway in Poland is 100% the atmosphere - the crowds 100% back their team, chanting, applaudings, scalves, massively sponsored, rider interaction with fans and what does this all equate to....... a show, theatre, drama....... all what is missing in British Speedway save for the play offs. Perhaps controversially, the Polish squad system works well in my view too, forcing rider to ride to the best of their ability or be dropped as opposed to virtually guaranteed a team spot regardless of performance due to lack of riders. I am not saying our riders do not really put their best efforts in, they do, but there is not consequences for behaviour, or poor performance. Finally another huge difference is ethos.... In poland is club, club, club - one for all and all for one... yet in UK is about the rider who rides for a club... If a team makes a change (which none take lightly and for Martin and I we would do anything to avoid it because of the fan / rider relationship) the club get totally hammered online and the rider complete sympathy - but I can assure you there have been occassion when riders behaviour would disgust you all but to protect the club and to a degree the rider it is hushed up and the club in general takes the negative PR on the chin. Then sponsorship... in Poland it the club and brand where most sponsorship is directed where as UK its, in general, rider related. Even when clubs get sponsors, riders do their very best to get in there with them which in turn reduces the club sponsorship money available. As a club that relies heavily on our brand and sponsorship this is something that really hurts us both in the bank account and credibilty when it goes pearshaped. We did introduce something else at that AGM too, we asked to have a promoters end of season dinner (yes that is right little old IOW) to celebrate all the great in speedway much like the WSRA dinners. Of course it was immediately shot down until we offered to organise it, Mark Lemon seconded it.... then the BSPL agreed to stage and organise the dinner and it was a HUGE success. Anyways... Now I am off to study Mr. Godfrey's statement in the speedway star and I am sure we will be responding with some clarity #truths As I always write support your club they need you. These are troubled times and stay positive / constructive and we will all come through this. Stay safe and all the best,

After over a year of preparation during enforced lockdowns , and all the positive messages in the speedway press stating everyone was ready to go for 2021 in May, sadly for the fans this has been proven once again to be just propaganda . Birmingham couldn’t have opened in a more disastrous fashion, failing to have a rideable track prepared for their opening meeting, failing to complete a fixture in front of a reduced capacity sell out crowd. Poole beset by problems with their landlords, “discovered “ their grandstand was being used as a covid 19 test site! and their car park was being used to run a profitable business. Wolves seem to have just got their calculators out yesterday and discovered that they are either paying their riders too much or not charging enough for admission into what must be a very small stadium. All the BS about stadium capacity , ( and we still aren’t told what the stadium max capacities are) and surprise surprise one by one tracks are now finding their sums just don’t add up. Where was all the planning that they made when deciding to re open? All the talk of being prepared to reopen and raring to go...... sadly preparation and planning has been shown to be inadequate. Should restrictions not be lifted on 21 June the entire season will likely be suspended. Even if they are lifted - withe the current product being offered I can see a few clubs still struggling to complete 2021.

Extremely well put and the first of the Objects for which BSPA is established is to "protect and represent the lawful interests of the Members" This is not me making it up but is from the Articles of Association produced when the BSPL was formed. You could say that they aren't doing a very good job but like us they have been battling with Covid keeping their own businesses going, as well as trying to run the BSPL. This may come as a bit of a surprise but I do have some sympathy for the "Top Table", because trying to plan your way out of Covid restrictions has been difficult but in my view there was no better time to shake the tree and come up with something new. Barry came up with an idea to liven up the 2020 NT competition but it was rejected as being too difficult or something like that. We have ideas on how to change the look of speedway as we are also very conscious of the criticism of the "same old same old with tractor racing" and I think with our team challenges, Best Pairs, 3TT, Handicaps etc we were doing a pretty good job. Yes we sometimes did have problems with our track but we normally filled the interludes with news, interviews or action for the kids. Nothing works 100% of the time but if you don't try, nothing will change. Martin Widman

it's time to scrap the fixed race nights, if riders want to ride in Poland etc let them, but only have teams of UK based riders, and let clubs race on the day/night that suits THEM and their support. the old National League (2nd division) worked well until Rye House changed everything

Ahh.. the good old days. In the height of summer me and my dad would often go to Wolves on a Monday, Milton Keynes on a Tuesday, Long Eaton on a Wednesday, Sheffield on a Thursday, Peterborough on a Friday, Coventry on a Saturday and then an individual meeting on a Sunday, KL, Bradford or BV... oh how times have changed! They were happy days

How can there be a huge crowd at the cricket in Birmingham, but not allowed at speedway just up the road?

I don't think comments like that are very helpful, I don't think there's anybody on here that wants to see the death of Speedway or hate Speedway. We're all on here because we love Speedway and want it desperately to succeed, we just have different opinions on how to get there. Admittedly we don't have skin in the game other than tipping up our admission fee with an expectation to be entertained for the evening. Has anybody said this is the wrong decision? All I'm reading are a lot of people asking why several clubs haven't done their sums.

It's not even close. Bristol, Milton Keynes, Reading & Torquay United are all awaiting a new stadium from Mr Osbourne as promised. At least the new Swindon stadium is built & safe in storage at a Unicorn farm in Wales

Speedway has been practicing social distancing for quite some time though...

Although Holder doesn't even ride in the Premiership when it doesn't suit......

Coventry Saturday, Birmingham Monday and Leicester Tuesday for me, plus the occasional Wolves Friday.

That will also allow floating fans to attend multiple events, I wonder how many people used to go to Peterborough and KL but now have to choose

Let’s see if Swindon start again in 2022 before saying that.

No sympathy I am afraid - it was a daft idea to launch the season without being able to have maximum capacity and they wont be the first to stop. Its an absolute farce. Should of forgot about 2021 and planned ahead for 2022 - looks like Somerset made the right call.

i would think they are absolutely pig sick seing the huge crowds going into edgbaston for the cricket yesterday and the crowds due at wembley for the football. where is the justice there. hope the masons can weather the storm and get back on track asap.

Said the same when he first signed for Glasgow - on board good bikes he will be a prolific scorer in both leagues.

Sorry Dan,I was a bit riled by the original post I suppose.Think covid posts should be banned by the admin on here,it's been a stressful 18 months for everybody,let's just talk about speedway.

Promotions must have realised when they decided to run in 2021 that the same expenses with less crowds wasn't going to work, sad as it is.

Sorry " Ringitsneck", but history has shown that UK speedway administrators have repeatedly failed to change the sport to attract and entertain new spectators to the sport, failed to attract new investment into the sport and failed to provide a fair, transparent and democratic leadership structure. Any attempts of new ideas brought in by "others" have always been debunked. They are still marketing the same old 15 heat 4 laps a race clutch start 7 man team format for every meeting , all riders messing around endlessly before every heat. TIRED is one word that sums up the entertainment offer. They have sensibly made their group a Limited company, in anticipation of the day when they have to wind up. You would have thought that the admin. would bend over backwards to ensure as many clubs line up to tapes every season ...... but we see a steady loss of venues and the remaining "clique" of promoters just shrug their shoulders. Will the Premier League complete the 2021 season ? We started with only 6 and might only have 5. The lack of action on the top table to promote and market the sport in the UK is reprehensible. Speedway will survive IMO, but run by a disparate group of promoters who will rent a venue on an occasional basis for individual invitation meetings, with token prize money offered (just like UK grasstrack). This perhaps is not dissimilar to the ideas of the IoW promotion .... but this is where the sport is heading, and what the public will pay to watch in numbers. People want an afternoon/evening out, to be entertained, with plenty of track action, and not be be subjected to 15 drawn out heats of tyre warming , 2 minute warnings, separated every 3/4 heats by tractor racing.

I'm reading about the possible closure of Wolverhampton due to Covid restrictions. While I agree with the sentiment surely having 90% of you team consisting of foreign riders is going to give unsustainable overheads. Would it not have been more realistic to hire local and national riders thus balancing the accounts given that Covid could change the situation overnight?

Couldn’t agree more with your last sentence I like many other’s had to make do with the stream and whilst it is appreciated it is a distant second to being there in the flesh. Unfortunately Herr Furher will continue with her policy of crippling the economy and deprive the majority of enjoying themselves it’s what she enjoys, telling people what they are not allowed to do.

I'd have him as my top NL star. If you are going off the top riders to race National League then it's the Crumps, Louis etc of the world. But if its long term quality service to a single club its Steve Lawson all the way for me. It was also his level. He tried the BL with Belle Vue, wasn't quite up to it, but found his level at NL and was an incredible servant. There are others for who the NL was a stepping stone to the top and there are others - and I would have Joe Owen in this bracket - who spent a few years taking easier pickings when they probably should or could have been in the BL. Lawson was at his level and was an excellent servant. He was also 100% committed and could stretch himself for the cause at times. I think it was in the early 90s when Arena had a ridiculous team for the NL with Bo Petersen and Brian Karger at the helm - they were world class riders! But Lawson got Glasgow a replay in the KO Cup Final by beating them at Purfleet. Really, those guys were a cut above him, so to get that win spoke volumes.

Well apart from the result, I really enjoyed it. The stream (although it went off briefly a couple of times) was excellent quality, decent commentary, interviews and a good production. Well done to Glasgow for providing it. Bears were never really in it but battled hard and were involved in some excellent races, Wright and Allen in particular. MPT started really slowly and whilst both of the reserves gave it their all they weren’t quite on the pace. Anders struggled and r/r only got 3 points so that tells it’s own tale. Glasgow have an excellent, well balanced team and have a cracking reserve in Jensen so will win many more matches, home and away this year. Hume rode brilliantly at reserve too and was more than an adequate replacement for Jack Smith. Track got very slick and dusty at the end but there was some really good races. No disgrace to get beaten by Glasgow (we will do well to beat them at home) and will give some teams a proper hammering I’m sure. They look like the team to beat to me and as was said on commentary things seem to be falling nicely into place for them.

Speedway has such a marginal existence that it would probably have been sensible to simply not run in 2021 either. But as the hospitality industry is now finding out, many workers have moved found other jobs and aren't interested in entertaining the uncertainty any more. Added to that, you can't even find any foreigners to do the job either...

Pity they seem to keep using one of Baldrick's cunning plans...

It was certainly heads in the sand, going ahead with the season so early, with no major hope that restrictions would be dropped. It might just have made sense to allow those that were ok to start home meetings and those that were doubtful just to ride away at first. But it might just have been sensible to wait until all was ok before even starting......

https://m.vk.com/video246397852_456239938?list=b2c3e5cccc02db7ab6&from=wall-53550004_32749

I bet a lot of people said the same last week about Edinburgh v Newcastle Y look how that turned out(on track & not on paper). Speedway is speedway at the moment so enjoy it while you can.

Any information on why phones couldn't have been used to book tickets? Or were they? Surely people are able to ring up, use their card to buy, and either have them sent to their home, or the barcode sent to their phone? Or even pick them up on the night..? There is a though a myth that 50 somethings dont use computers. Most of us are extremely computer and internet savvy.. Especially when the wife suddenly walks in to the room..

Thanks. Bad news for Brummies at the moment, hope it all works out well in the end.

Will be both. No sense in running away meetings an incurring more costs with no home revenue coming in.

And back to chumps

You know as well as everyone that something’s gone on here as the rest of the Ipswich team are on June GSA. I dare say things will be a little clearer next week when the chance to discuss it with others will reveal the real reason Cooks average of 7.59 stands for June but I suspect it’s all down to rider availability here in the U.K. and the ongoing problem with flying riders in and out due to Covid. These rolling averages are calculated by Alyce at the BSPL office, I could be kind and say it might have been a mistake on the June issue but I doubt it.

Rob has always been one of the best in the business if not the best. Much of Lynn’s success in the last twenty years is largely down to him IMO.

One problem with British speedway is that it is NOT organised as clubs, as in Poland. I was once told by a promoter - and this is when it was in the National League - that "*** Speedway is a commercial organisation ... it does not do training". Which, of course, explains the attitude of most promoters, who comprise the membership of the BSPL.

Haven't Somerset closed down completely, so hardly looking ahead to 2022. If any team made the right call it could turn out to be Swindon - providing, of course, that they do run in 2022 as they say they will.

Whilst its disappointing news, I wouldn't say its unexpected if I'm honest. Hopefully this action helps to preserve the club long term so I don't disagree with what they have done. If the government delay freedom day then I would think the season would have to be suspended anyway. I do think there are a number of additional issues affecting the club at the minute. Obviously the vandalism was huge and costly for the management, in that regard its remarkable we even came to the tapes. The road works around the stadium are awful, apart from speedway I avoid Perry Barr all together. It can take 30-60 mins if your come from the city centre in evening rush hour, thats from Aston six ways island to the stadium, probably about a 1/2 miles. In addition there's the sprint bus works being done the A34 from Great Barr. I don't know how bad they are but the ones on the Coventry Road are a disgrace. Then we have the train station situation with no trains stopping at Perry Barr till 2022 due to major work. As bad as these issues are, come 2022 it will be much better if they are completed on time. However currently its bound to impact at the minute of course completely out of the clubs control. The issues around the first meeting with track and the whole experience were really damaging. It was one of the worst nights for me at PB in 14 years of going. I wasn't sure whether to go to the Glasgow match but you cant turn your back to your club in their hour of need. I'm glad I went because the track staff worked their socks off to get it rideable and even raceable given what happened. Fingers crossed we are able to come back whether that's this season or next but sadly i don't feel the Brummies will be the last club to announce this.

The decision to start the season will prove an expensive mistake for most and potentially terminal for some. Looks like it should have been left well alone until all restrictions are lifted

Whilst it seems ever unlikely that the easing on the 21st will happen im not entirely sure what the BSPL can do on this occasion? Scrap all non league competitions and allow the season to be pushed back a bit? The riders won't take kindly to that for a start. There are plenty of restrictions in place and many are still wary of heading out at all and certainly not for a night at the speedway where they are marshalled to the hilt rather than standing in their normal spot etc. Its going to be a tough year for all clubs and sadly i don't see them all getting out the other side. That said the thread title is a little misleading. Wolves possible Closure is more true but sadly that header could now be written against most teams.

All the very best for the future Tom. Been a pleasure knowing and watching your progress. Achieving competitive rides across all 3 leagues is something many dream of. Sadly injuries have taken their toll and potentially even higher heights. Enjoy your retirement and thanks for the memories. I shall miss Bacon rolls from the updates.

Doubt very much Birmingham will be the last in making such an announcement. Better to suspend than go bust.

Shame for the lad but at least he lived the dream

How can anyone justify allowing 17/18,000 at the Cricket today which equates to roughly 70% of capacity, yet only allow a tiny fraction to attend other Sports.

Wolves for many, many years adopted a foreign policy on riders...I recall a year when they had five Danes riding for them and then throw in the odd Yank. It's never been that much of a hotbed for British riders during my years following speedway.

I can say something visa versa about Wolverhampton / Brighton but I won't because I'll probably be banned. My ex wife comes from Brighton,and I've been going down there for over 30 years,and believe me I've seen things down there that wouldn't happen in Wolverhampton.So don't talk such rubbish.Covid cases in Wolverhampton are no worse than anywhere else in the country.

There are zero issues with the twins - both have increased their averages as heat leaders in NDL (second stringers in 2019) and this is their first year in the championship where they are outscoring their allocated average to such an extent that if (say)the other 5 riders improved by the same percentage the Lions would be scoring close to 50 points every meeting. At the moment Bates and proctor are not riding as expected and clearly from comments made by the management and NM it is something that all concerned are aware of. However, first things first and give the riders a chance to get back into the groove after a long layoff from racing and deliver what is expected of them, especially at home. making any changes after three meetings (two away) is way too soon whilst three home meetings would be a better base to make longer term judgments if needed.

For Christ’s sake Take you conspiracy sh*t back on to the non Speedway threads and play with your mates

I think some councils see sporting events as a risk due to the possibility of the fans getting excited and shouting, which can then transmit the virus into the air... Obviously it would appear that a fair few councils haven't ever been to watch the Speedway served up at some of their local tracks.... Edit: Just had a brain wave actually.... The clubs could invite the local council leaders to a meeting and let them observe it... At the end of it the promoter could then say.... "See? No one shouted. No one cheered. And no one even moved their camping chair by so much as even one millimetre. In fact, the only time the crowd got excited was when we announced that the Bovril in the catering van was ready and that they could come and fill their flasks".... No masks the week after guaranteed..

There are not enough riders of suitable quality for one big league so it’s impossible. I’m glad that’s the case too. They aren’t gone. They are on hold, more teams to announce this until the ridiculous restrictions are lifted.