Halifaxtiger

Have to agree with Teaboy. There must be at the very least some serious interest in moving up for the BSPA to announce it. No doubt its a major financial gamble but I can't believe the two clubs haven't considered that.

I think the thing is they are strongly rumoured to be going up. There's no rumours about Doyle & Buxton to my knowledge. Its anything but unheard of in such circumstances to make a statement denying rumours, or clarifying why they aren't seeking to make changes. Truth is, I have heard it is Eastbourne but that doesn't make it any less surprising to me.

Presumably that is this one : The following statement has been authorised by Eastbourne Speedway Club chairman, Martin Dugard. “Forman IT Eagles are aware of the Speedway Control Bureau indication that two National League Development clubs will be moving to the Championship League in 2019. “We will be issuing a full, detailed statement about our intentions for 2019 by the end of next week." Does it say they are moving up ?

I'll be surprised if its Eastbourne because Martin Dugard has been complaining about attendances at NL level. With Lakeside closing and Kent requesting changes to planning permission so they can ride on a day other than a Monday, I think it might be them.

They have certainly asked for a change to their present planning permission. https://pa.midkent.gov.uk/online-applications/applicationDetails.do?activeTab=documents&keyVal=PF1IT2TYMVN00 Some of the objectors seem to believe there will be speedway 6 nights a week...……….

I am fairly sure at least some of the Premiership ones didn't either.

Yes, they do. They are usually biased, though. In my experience, its better than you have stated but I can say that in a straight comparison between Premiership and NL racing at the NSS the former is far superior (although the NL racing is definitely better than Premiership or Championship at other tracks).

https://pa.midkent.gov.uk/online-applications/applicationDetails.do?activeTab=documents&keyVal=PF1IT2TYMVN00 Hmm...………..once a week with additional time on Fridays and Saturdays Its interesting reading some of the objections - they seem to believe there will be speedway 6 days a week

You're right and it just goes to prove that for some the BSPA are wrong what ever they do, period. To me, that just shows how viciously biased some are. There's lots to criticise about the sport but heaven's sake lets keep it balanced and give credit where its due.

Part of my point here is that there are some who can't wait to stick the boot in, no matter what. If Peterborough had closed and the Premiership disbanded they would have taken great delight in blaming Chapman for that. I don't think its just the clubs that owe him a debt, its speedway as a whole. He has been much maligned over the past year or so and some it was fully justified, but I really don't see how anyone connected with the sport can give him anything but praise and credit where this is concerned - money where his mouth is comes very much to mind. As to integrity, I think speedway (again as a whole) lost that some time ago.

If two of the other clubs(or maybe even just one) had pulled out, the Premiership would have folded no matter what Chapman did. It isn't just down to him. However, it is down to him buying into Peterborough & Ipswich that the Premiership is able to continue in 2019. It is typical of the attitude of some members of this forum that a man saving not just a team but an entire league can be twisted into something suitable for negative comment. Its little wonder that the forum itself is often regarded as utterly without credibility.

None that I know of. Indeed, its possible that tracks will close if it is that low, as there is a belief that people won't pay to watch little more than a training session. I really don't see why the NL should be forced to do something that the majority of its members simply don't want, whatever that may be. They should be left alone to decide their own destiny.

Even if that is accepted, it doesn't mean by a long chalk that speedway is under the control of one man. You overlook the fact that without him the Premiership probably would have closed down.

Nonsense. He doesn't even have a majority in the top flight and there are (at present) 20 other clubs.

Absolutely delighted for you and all the other Comets diehards, brilliant news.

I'm impressed that there are more clubs in the top two flights in 2019 than there were in 2018. How many of us thought that would be the case ?

If it is, the NL in its present form is finished.

Is it the case that they have said that if there is no buyer the track will close ? Or will they carry on anyway ?

Birmingham have already mentioned it as a possibility. Could be Kent because they may pick up some with Lakeside closing. I'll be very surprised if its Eastbourne. They only other is Plymouth, Mark Phillips having talked about it. Its easy to be negative here but all clubs - with the exception of Lakeside - are coming to the tapes in 2019. Given the rumours and speculation, that's welcome news.

The problem is that they treat speedway as a full time occupation and consequently they expect to be paid accordingly. Until recently, and with the exception of the top stars, it never has been. A few years ago, the then Somerset team manager Mick Bell criticised one of his riders for expecting to make a living from the sport. As a second string/reserve in the old British League (who won three winners medals) Bell said that when he was riding speedway was no more than 'a good paying hobby'. What we get from rider demands on the basis of full time occupation is pay of - to use your figures - £1,200 a week or so. For one rider, on gates of 6-700, that's absolutely unsustainable. Worse still we get the nightmare of uncontrolled doubling up which has undeniably been a disaster for the clubs. Dean Felton has repeatedly said that the 'tail is wagging the dog' ie its all about riders, their wishes, needs and demands. He's right. It means that one thing is absolutely certain : when decisions are made regarding the future of the sport and its ability to make ends meet, it cannot be the case that the matter of rider pay is not considered. As one of the major costs, it should be near the top of the list.

I'd be surprised if 'most' top Championship riders are paid that amount. If they are, it doesn't take the genius of an Einstein to work out why speedway teams are in desperate financial straights.

I think you are absolutely right and this simply has to be addressed. The pay rates that I have heard Glasgow were offering were unbelievable, and I got that from several sources. Its all very well to bleat about huge losses but when part of that is down to unsustainable wages responsibility lies significantly with the promotion themselves - they are the ones who are just ignoring the income they have when they consider their expenditure. Glasgow might be the worst example but there's no doubt in my mind that others are almost as bad. I have said several times in the past that aside from the very top boys speedway has never been a full time occupation - at whatever level - and the sooner we get back to that the better. I am sure there will be riders who really won't like it but they need to get a grasp on reality.

If I had the money to spare I'd certainly prop up a speedway track even if I didn't actually get involved in the promotion, and I can think of several Workington fans who would do the same. According to Ged Rathbone, someone has bought Peterborough so there are still people - as we have seen many times - who will purchase a speedway team.

Daft, isn't it ? We also get some bemoaning how teams are split up so there is no continuity for the fans and others desiring wholesale sackings The team I stated earlier - Fricke, Bewley, Tungate, Pickering, Cook, Nielsen, Berge - would (I think) fit under the existing points limit. There is continuity in the team and potential for scoring improvement within that continuity. To be fair, Tungate isn't likely to go up much but I would retain him anyway. The 'new blood' is Nielsen and Pickering. Nielsen has the potential to make mincemeat of his average and Pickering would be absolutely sensational at the NSS.

Tungate - based upon Premiership matches last season - actually averaged over 6 away from home (not including bonus points), two rubbish performances at King's Lynn putting a major dent in that figure. Could be better for a third heat leader, but most certainly not 'very poor' or a 'liability'. He's a big scorer at the NSS and, what's more, is hugely entertaining.