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Its hard to knock him really. Shows hes a grafter. Plastering alone is a physically demanding job and riding in two leagues plus abroad , hes making a very decent living for himself.

Following the Bates announcement on Monday, it's clear that the Premiership can't continue to exist in its current form in 2027. In the past 18 months we've lost Oxford and Birmingham and it seems certain that Sheffield won't be back for another year. Decades of the sport's mismanagement has finally come to a head. Bending over backwards to comply with an agenda dictated by Poland has had its day. British speedway needs to set its own agenda and not kowtow to foreign stipulations. If it means saying a permanent goodbye to riders preferring to seek their fortunes elsewhere, so be it. For survival we need a single nationwide league of 12/14 teams of riders committed 100% to British racing between March and October. A 24/26 match league programme plus a further 8/10 matches in a split north-south KO cup competition will guarantee teams a weekly match programme (just as it used to be!) The loss of a few "fancy-Dan" racers to Poland will mean much more money available to the rest who wish to compete in the UK, and a sensible rider payment policy will provide ample earnings potential for riders over a guaranteed 36-match season. It now really is a battle for survival of the sport; was it Einstein who said that to go on doing the same things expecting different results is the definition of madness?

Up until a few years ago I never missed a meeting home or away,, now I hardly ever go,, once this year so far. I'm sure I will be the same next year. Same old teams every few weeks, racing more or less non existent, no real characters you look forward to seeing, presentation still the same as 50 years ago, just bored of it now. 25 quid to stand around getting bored doesn't do it for me

I think you're right. Speedway has bred a generation of riders who want to have their cake and eat it: they want to earn their bread and butter in the UK leagues and chase the Polish Zloty to put the jam on top. This forces the British promoters to dance to the Polish tune when trying to plan the home fixture list. This can't go on. We've blamed the promoters for years for the mess we're in, but nobody points the finger at the greedy riders whose jet-setting international ambitions leave the promoters tearing their hair out week after week to put on a do-able programme of racing. If British speedway is to survive, 2027 has to be the year when we revert to a single nationwide league (see my previous posting) and riders are forced to decide: either sign a contract to race exclusively for one of the 15 teams in a revived British speedway league, or clear off and ply their trade elsewhere. I reckon the promise of 36+ guaranteed matches per season without the need for expensive international travel - albeit in a slightly less competitive league - will be more than attractive to the vast majority of riders. For the rest we're probably better off without them. And for those people who always argue that there aren't sufficient riders around to run a 15-team league without doubling up, it may come as a surprise to learn that the list of registered riders on the BSL website runs to 249 names. It's time for speedway to bite the bullet or face the inevitable.

This is such an uplifting forum. When I’m feeling a bit down I love coming on here to read everyone’s cheery positive thoughts on the ol Speedway 😁

I'll still attend, probably until the bitter end, but I'll no longer be attending matches where a rider has decided that he'd rather be elsewhere. Dan Thompson did that when Lions visited Sheffield earlier in the year and I made my protest then by not attending. Injuries are part and parcel of the sport, but riders not showing for their clubs due to riding or being sat in the pits elsewhere is the final straw for me. The reasons why attendances are down are numerous and have all been discussed ad infinitum across this forum, so I'm not going to rehash them

Doesn't make you any less of an idiot.

Yep he is the blue print for any UK rider that realises they won't reach the gp aside from needing to work on his presentation skills when turning up for a meeting he has played the game like a finely tuned fiddle in both leagues in the UK.

Doesn't Lawson work as a plasterer as well? If so good on him for earning a living away from the sport. At least he isn't one of these teenager prima donnas who get everything top of the range and turn up and span yet do sod all on track.

Yep and you reap what you sow. Don’t start bemoaning that punters have walked when you failed to listen to feedback. All on here and probably some lapsed supporters would not want the sport to disappear altogether but those in charge are testing the loyalty and patience of supporters across the spectrum. They do not appeal to the younger generation and are ostracising the hard core fan base who have been so loyal over the years by failing to be proactive to arrest the situation and put the sport on a firmer footing. None so blind as those who do not want to see sums up the BSPL and club owners/promoters who believe everything in the garden is rosey. Dream on the bunch of custodians who supposedly have the best interest of sport at heart, they don’t and they are failing every supporter and worse still every aspiring rider who wants to succeed but is not given the breaks they need or deserve.

...More depressing than a Smiths album cover!

Don't be so mean Iain Kind Reageds Iain

Because it's 2026 and not 1986

Where do live mate?.. I'll be around about seven tomorrow...

That's a good quality reserve.

Until speedway has a credible product it will be difficult to get the tv coverage it needs. You won’t attract a decent sponsor until the tv deal is in place. we need two equal sized leagues with promotion and relegation so all meetings are relevant. Champions of the league decided by who tops the league and play offs for promotion and relegation. for this to truly work it must be run by a independent board with financial backing for the teams getting promoted to not only survive but to actually compete with the others

👋 Surely the likes of Dan Thompson can't make a living from watching Speedway sat in the pits in Poland? And he needs to remember that when signing his contracts.

Crowds will probably return for the pay offs (the effort matches)... and who can blame them? Where's the jeopardy in the rest of the league meetings when the top 4 in a league of 6 qualify🤷‍♂️ It's truly laughable! Although, perversely, the injury to Jack Holder has probably made Sheffield's season a bit more interesting with King's Lynn on their heels for the final pay off slot.

Does this mean you'll be leaving the forum? 🤞😉

Kennett guesting for Poole at Scunthorpe, at reserve

then in 2027 we can hope everyone limps through to 2028 and repeat

He is a true old National Leaguer in many ways - combined both and probably did / does pretty well out of it. Means he has an income out of season too.

He is actually, possibly, the perfect kind of rider the UK version of the sport needs.... A part time Speedway rider.. Six months work riding Speedway, 12 months doing some other job...

Doesn't Lawson work as a plasterer as well? If so good on him for earning a living away from the sport. At least he isn't one of these teenager prima donnas who get everything top of the range and turn up and span yet do sod all on track.

Wow!! Marketing....????? Who knew?????

There has been numerous mentions of significant dropoff of attendances within the Premiership clubs. This would be of have concern to many clubs but why? Will you / won't you continue as a fan in 2027 under the current structure? Why are attendances down? Why are Promoters so blind to public opinion?

Never said he couldn't. I was questioning others saying it was a signing. You totally missed the point as per.

You'll go where I tell us to go, sorry we

Announced teams & riders for Nora Pairs Championships sponsored by "Racing in the East" Saturday 25th July 1. Mildenhall Fen Tigers Alfie Bowtell & Harry Sadler 2. Kent Eagles Ben Morley & Jack Kingston 3. Cradley Heath Heathens Luke Harris & Seth Norman 4. Anglian Angels Simon Lambert & Tayla Street 5. Wisbech Mickie Simpson & Sam Woods 6. Ipswich Adacamy Ashton Vale & Harrison Rogers As always subject to change (esp. Kenzie Cossey, who broke ribs at Iwade on Sunday) Edit Tayla Street replaces Kenzie Cossey.

Those in charge ought to take a look at the comments on here and get some understanding of why they have failed the punter.

I'm still happy to have a track again after so long so I'll pop along to the odd meeting - I've done 3 so far this year and might do another couple with the team being what it is. If things stay the same, probably the same again. If things change, I may go a bit more. And if Northampton ran on Fridays, Saturdays, or Sundays? Probably a few more than that.

Thanks for the advice. We will try…. Have an advert on local radio over an extended period of time. Have an advert in local newspapers over an extended period of time. Have an advertising board on some of the busiest roads in Manchester. Have posters in shops and businesses. Had out flyers in local shopping areas. Have a float or attend local fairs and carnivals. Attend local trade shows. Give out free tickets to schools and businesses. Take bikes and merchandise into schools to accompany the talk they deliver on the sport. Be featured on local tv news’s 4 or 5 times between March and October. Have a regular editorial in local papers. Form a tie up with local groups and offer free entry and supporters club membership. Attend (and win) local sports team of the year awards. Constant bombardment of social media posts across all the mayor platforms. Again!

One final look. in the hole he goes.

1. "f*** me! This is boring" - Newcomer after only 3 heats and 1 hour into the meeting. 2. "We're not getting value for money" - Disgruntled regular who leaves after heat 14 even though there is a junior second half as well and then has a whinge about promoters not doing enough for youngster on the forum when they get home. 3. "It's all fixed for Poole to win everything" - Everyone else apart from Poole Fans 4. "Come on' Bomber!" - Most speedway fans cheering on a popular British rider as he's usually racing for their team. 5. "Hit Him" - most speedway fans whenever any riders/officials have handbags next to the pit gate. Doesn't matter who they are (hey they could be team mates for all we care) but someone's having a scrap!!

I now have no local track This season I've been to 2 Northampton meetings (3 hour round trip) with a further one planned plus 1 visit to Ipswich (2 and a half hour round trip) That's my lot and will probably remain so each season under this format

Ultimately though, it all goes back to the lack of any major prestige, publicity and financial rewards for winning any of the competitions... If the "size of the prize" was massive, so would the crowds be... If winning really meant something, people would attend... The crowd numbers reflect the apathy that UK Speedway engenders by being so (almost), irrelevant within a sporting context... How do they get that major financial backing?.. With such poor "optics" across a breadth of issues, when looking into the sport from the outside, I am sure it must be truly difficult, if not maybe impossible, to deliver that game changing, fundamental to success, major backing...

As someone else mentioned on the forum if you factor in the loss of the tv deal and main sponsor pulling out they were possibly 100k down on 2025 from the get go, plus it seems some promoters helped get Northampton started if Sheffield chipped in that could be another 10-25K ? (guessing). Throw in all the problems over the winter making it nigh on impossible to plan things also, I do also remember someone saying the Bates main business was also struggling so wouldn't be as much money available to bail out the Tigers. Really hope they can pull through but looking at the above there's a lot of headwinds now really hitting speedway and the possible saviors are thinner on the ground than twenty years plus ago.

What does everyone think about the streaming of meetings across the League in general? Personally I don't see the logic in it because it encourages fans to stay at Home and watch the meeting for a cheaper price which surely has an impact on Clubs attendances and finances. Fan staying at Home watching a live streaming means a Club is potentially losing out on the following. £10 per an Adult for a ticket, £4 for a Programme and potentially another couple of quid for a Hot drink and parking. x that by 100 for example and a Club is losing out on £1,600+ per a race day.

Should be a cracker. I’ve asked if they will name the final in your honour as they have used your ideas to run the show. No expensive GP stars. Check. Run at weekend. Check. Cheap entrance fee. Check. Appeal to families. Check. Quick turnaround in the 30 odd heats, so no getting board in between heats. Check. Bringing on the next generation. Check. An event where you don’t need to worry about guests or du’s. Check. Jeopardy. Check, or as much jeopardy as we get in the other individual meeting Belle Vue run (PCMT). Nice modern facilities to view the racing. Check. The only thing holding us back this weekend is the podium, unless you can think of anything. The golden era starts here.

You’ve got to feel for Sheffield here. It can’t be understated how much of a blow losing Tru7 must have been, especially when no replacement was forthcoming,, To then lose your GP star through injury who without question would have put bums on seats, is another kick in the nuts. Hopefully they can limp through the rest of this season, get a new main sponsor on board this winter and then go again in 2027.

Imagine if you bought a luxury car for say 30k. Then they removed the electric windows, the air conditioning and stereo and still tried to flog it for 30k.

Klindt for Jack Holder 😂😂😂😂

Yawn fest because one team so much better on their track If you want to see close racing try Ipswich v Northampton or Leicester v Northampton where the racing would be closer and require all round skills

Apparently clashes with some sort of football match on the telly.

You are a vile idiot.

Great punting,going to have to go all in to get anywhere near you only bonus is I had a small bet on Thompsen to win at 20/1👍

Simple solution. Increase the car park charge by £25.00 for that night, but give everyone who uses the car park a free ticket for the speedway that night.

I'm a very keen speedway fan, but I've seen very little about Mildenhall, especially upcoming meetings. I'd suggest they need to advertise better, especially on free social media platforms.