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"Doing exactly the same thing over and over again and, each time you do it expecting a completely different result" is oft quoted as the definition of insanity. ... 2022.... Seven man teams - Tick Fixed race nights even if not the best night to race on - Tick No aspirational growth of the sport due to teams deciding themselves what league they race in - Tick Employees own agendas dictating your opening hours - Tick Guests galore - Tick Sharing riders across both divisions - Tick The same teams and riders visiting frequently so a lack of variety for fans - Tick Increasing admission costs to pay for full time professionals in a sport with such a low following - Tick Using averages delivered by many variable reasons to build the teams to be 'equal' - Tick Minimal transparency of rules so they can be circumnavigated or, if needed, completely ignored - Tick The shelving of a Five Year Plan well before the five years are up - Tick Every rider being eligible to ride for every team on an adhoc basis thus ensuring that winning has no kudos or relevance - Tick Etc. Etc. Etc.. All boxes ticked.... Wonder what 2022 will turn out like?

Two things here, for someone riding a lawnmower he has consistently had a good average. And if you mean he's budgeted sensibly, kept his costs down by not employing expensive tuners then good for him. Yet again we have a 'fan' wanting a rider to have super quick bikes at a time when most fans recognise the need to keep costs down. You couldn't make it up.

Knowing the averages allows fans to make educated guesses on who will be in teams, not knowing the averages makes it less fun as you don't know if your "dream team" is legal!

I am Indian, originally from northern India. Have been following the Wolves since 1967. Used to go away as well but stopped going about 10 years ago, although still go to play-off finals if we get there. Been to approximately 76 tracks but my list needs updating. Only current track I haven't been to is Kent, but also never got to the Isle of Wight (and never got to West Ham either, but remember our 29-49 win in 1969). Even my own family take the mickey out of me for this 'unusual' interest. But there again I also like rock/ambient music, real ale and sci-fi and they take the mickey out of those as well. I collect Wolves programmes and have them from 1950 onwards. I also have all of the World FinaI programmes from 1936 onwards. I really have to assume that I am not typical of my generation ! I did take my son when he was young, but it did not stick, like virtually everybody else, football is the be all and end all for him. And bloody Man Utd at that. I, of course, support the football Wolves. Very handy that the colours are the same.

I think the person that needs replacing is Mark Lemon, made mistakes in the final and although may not have made a difference to the eventual outcome the decisions he made certainly didn't help.

Both Worralls ? You really are a sadist.

I’m sure while Jordan is improving he will be at Scunthorpe for the foreseeable future

Matt still very much pulls the strings on riders and contracts!

There are so many problems for today’s speedway clubs to deal with, some (most) problems have been self inflicted and allowed to happen through incompetence or head in the sand management, the blame is 100% with the promoters running speedway but some are as a result of the many other leisure opportunities to spend your money on. To be the owner/promoter of a speedway club at this time must be a financial nightmare and seriously nerve racking as many promotors will have there own money invested in a business that’s falling apart year on year with very little chance of turning things around. The BSPA can fiddle about with helmet colours and tinker making daft rule changes BUT there are no simple answers, no silver bullet. It’s not rocket science to see the sport in unsustainable with more money going out than what is coming in and speedway has sadly reached the point of no return.

Finding a 40 yr old on 4.33 or less may take a while

On the subject of Knutsson and Nordin, my first Wimbledon Internationale was 1965. Both were competing, as were Fundin, Briggs and Harrfedt, along with a rider I came to admire, Charlie Monk. Knutsson won the world title that year, Briggs the previous and following years. Harrfeldt was second in 1966 and Fundin champion the following year. Nordin was a previous world number 3. It’s almost worth growing old to have memories and watching such great riders at the top of their profession.

Barker can be as good as he is bad. Don't know wot else to say

Today the issue of linking Cycle speedway would probably be an obesity problem and the lack of willing youngsters to drag themselves away from the on-line electronic world. If they could be attracted how many could ride/manage laps needed to complete a race? Whatever most forum members offer in terms of ideas and opinions about speedway those in charge are delusional and treat the punters with contempt. Those that watch and support the clubs simply want to be entertained. Finally the riders seem to think that they are owed a living and expect punters and sponsors to subsidise their ambitions and as a consequence spend thousands on machinery to race hoping to make up their lack of ability when in fact many could achieve greatness If that actually tried to hone their motor cycle skills rather then rely on a over powered piece of machinery which is not suited to most tracks in the U.K. Riders are not in touch with the fans and the club owners could not give a fig what punters think. To those in charge everything is hunky dory. Dream on you fools.

He didn’t.

Agree only the 2 Danes will score decent ISH away from home & Barker if he's the last 1 will get the odd decent score of around 7 & maybe a 1 off of a 10+ score !! If his equipment is on song

Speedway had, and probably still could have basic appeal as it can be viewed on different levels - from 4 riders racing for 4 laps, to the different match tactics, to the intricacies of team building and heat formulas. It clearly got me interested at some point, although looking back the presentation was a bit dated even in the 1980s, and some of the rules have always been a joke. It's hard to know at what point it lost youth interest, but I suspect it's a combination of becoming somewhat expensive whilst the stadiums and presentation stayed the same (or even got worse). The rise of football along with its generally improved stadiums may also have had something to do with it, although that's also suffering from an increasing aged viewership. The loss of urban tracks probably didn't help. My father probably didn't even know about speedway so if I hadn't been able to cycle to the local track with all the kids that also went from my neighbourhood, then I may never have got interested in the first place. The same when I later went to Hackney and Rye House - only because I could get there on public transport.

There are two ways to look at professional. Professional as in 'run professionally' or professional from the point of view the riders earn their living from speedway. As we know, riders do earn money from speedway and in my opinion, this is where the problem is. In the 'old days' most riders in the 2nd tier leagues would be semi-professional riders, they would have a job too, which made up their money. Yes, probably most of the top tier riders would have been fully professional. This has been mentioned many times and to cut to the chase, the costs riders spend on their gear is astronomical, with no sign of reducing costs. The gates are reducing each year, so the circle is not being squared. You either radically change the sport/activity or watch it go up its own fundament!

You beat me to it.

...it attracted me as a 12 year old in 1972 and many others no doubt. Trouble is the powers that be have so diluted/messed around with the product it no longer attracts people of all ages in any great number.

Sorry when was I critical? I put forward an opinion based on my observations, followed by its an improvement on 2021. Isn't that what everyone does this time of year?

As you have appointed yourself as Plymouths biggest critic Could you list all your complaints and pm them to me and I will do my best to make sure we take absolutely no notice whatsoever

Which is why they set the date at Jan 1st and not season start

Good signing in Gilkes happy with that one

Leaves a lot for last rider? Richard Lawson maybe?

He won’t as then in his eyes he becomes less relevant, at a guess he knows as much as us hee-haw.

Cos Mr Godfrey said Workington can't ever run on a Friday

I think often a lot of any "critism" towards clubs is generally aimed at being constructive because theres not a fan out there that wants to see another track closed. Stoke was a dump but i miss it, Buxton was basic and possibly ahead of its time. If clubs embrace the challenges they face and are open and honeat about them you will often find the paying public are far more supportive.

bang

To paraphrase Bruce Forsyth from Play Your Cards Right:- "You get nothing for a pair - not in this game."

Could not agree more

Saturday afternoons mostly? Occasionally Fridays. Another point on my idea if a joint venture, could be any day/ night at ashfield

Ben Barker can be erratic but he’s a good watch every meeting plus for home meetings he’ll be refreshed from the hour journey to home meeting instead of 6 hours plus

At Monmore Green I always considered Gote Nordin & Bengt Jansson as the best stylists.

yup and underwater too!

They needed to do it at least a week ago tbh!

Thanks Steve :-)

You may be wrong you maybe right,let’s just see what other teams lineups are before your critical of ours.I no they never won the league last year but didn’t Scunthorpe make the playoffs solely on there home meetings.

Pickering Richie Tj Kildermand Lawson Kerr Rowe/Thomas

Used to being the operative word there

At Edinburgh enough said.

It's called opinions and people are allowed them about all teams not just their own This is a forum not a propaganda leaflet.....

Tell yer somet take Basso out and that looks a very ordinary side. So u Tigers better hope he signs coz u will av even more stripes taken off yers if not!

That is true, but I don't think the rate of closures we have seen over recent years, was seen in the 60s and 70s, but maybe I'm wrong?

RT 6.59 KB 7.75

Am I missing something? I have read through the thread and there hasnt been any real negativity re the fight to get Rye House reopened.. A few people have expressed their doubts but surely that is natural given the precedents set so often when tracks close down. ie they usually dont come back.. And it is only an opinion of someone on a forum, nothing more and nothing less. It hardly makes any difference to whether Rye House come back or not I would suggest... Likewise, nor will the many positive messages of best wishes that seem to outnumber any 'doubters' comments considerably.. Forums are about opinons, otherwise it isnt worth having them... Taking any comments from others with a different view to you ultra personally definitely isnt worth it... Best wishes to Rye House, been twice and enjoyed both visits..

I couldn't resist reading the rest of this thread, it was just too tempting. Absolutely hilarious, better than even I could have imagined I would have said depressing but speedway fans (myself included) are older white men so these opinions are dying out and gradually society is improving and healing In response to the brilliant comment about Black people "NEVER" taking an interest in motorsport while one of the most successful british drivers and reigning world champion is a black chap, I could go on about it not being about black people being interested, it's about being given a fair chance......but I'll keep that to my snowflake, woke bubble

Haha - no. I’m just a fan who’s intrigued by the negativity and criticism made by fans of other teams of my team.

Their home form was so bad i remember a French team beating them 10 - 66

I stopped my subscription to speedway star for that very reason. Most of their “news” has already been online before it’s published and if I wanted to look at speedway in the 50’s I’d look it up elsewhere. Someone said about marketing, I own two pubs. Nothing big but I have one full time and one part time member of staff handling social media, concert organisation, advertising, posters, liaisons with student groups / businesses etc. With the amount of money that’s spent in speedway it shouldn’t be too hard to get someone who’s forward thinking and internet savvy. But then again the will to do it needs to be there.

its completely ludicrous to even attempt to run speedway at an arc venue, they are mercenary in every way and if the masons did their cobblers in htf can anyone else make it pay with double the rent. Just be realistic, arc dont want speedway at birmingham, kent, anywhere.