Halifaxtiger

Completely agree and it is remarkable how widespread that view is. It pretty sums Havelock up when you have to rely on the weather to get a decent - in fact, very good - meeting.

Really ? I must have misheard Rob Godfrey last season when he said (several times) he was going to shut the track if crowds didn't improve.

Havelock is fortunate because Redcar's gates seem to hold up no matter what. I am sure all the Bears fans will be delighted that he has made money given the poor team he gave them at the start of the season and the rubbish tracks they get week after week. That will lose him a few, I am sure and heaven help speedway if Redcar are the blue print. The principle reason why Plymouth are in trouble is because they have finished at tge bottom of the league for years. The sadness is Workington have tried hard - a lot harder than Havelock for a start - to pull people in. Its still the cheapest in the PL, the racing is good and the presentation excellent. Laura and her team deserve better.

I never thought it way his way or no way, just that he tried to do everything himself rather than letting others help. Other than that, cracking post and I agree with every word. PS. Try Isle of Wight. Barry Bishop spends the entire meeting with the fans.

Lets not forget that it is not that long ago that Scunthorpe weren't that far away from this, and Plymouth neither own their own stadium nor have stock cars to subsidise the speedway. I would say that the major reason that Plymouth have failed is because since their elevation to the PL their teams have been poor. Fans will stomach a season or two near the bottom, but not 5 or 6 continuous ones. That's harsh, Bob. I suspect you know more about this than I do but I am struggling to see precisely what Plymouth have done so wrong to justify the tag how 'NOT' to run a speedway team, aside from losing at home too often. Others, in my opinion, are far worse. As you rightly say, it is a brilliant little track with some superb viewing and racing to match. That, alone, means that Plymouth have got the basics right. The only major criticism I have heard of Ashley Taylor is that he tries to do everything himself. He certainly hasn't walked away from the club despite all the difficulties and undoubtedly will have personally lost a great deal of money. I have always found him to be approachable, decent and a man of integrity (although I would of course accept that the riders should have been kept informed) and I have far more time for him than others in his position.

I have been told that Rye House and Sheffield have already refused.

After heat 9 (in which he had blown a tactical ride which could have cost Wolves dear) he made a point of shaking the hands of Richie and Steve Worrall. It showed how sporting he can be when he's not being abused for no reason whatsoever.

As far as I was concerned they were too and I'd say he had a right to say it as well. Woffinden did nothing before some in the grandstand started on him other than turn up. They then barracked him throughout the meeting whenever he was on track, totally unnecessarily. What precisely had he done to deserve that ? As I have said, I don't like riders taunting the crowd but when they have been at one for the entire meeting its very hard to be critical if he gives it back.

Cracking meeting although a little bit went out of it after heats 10-12 because it was clear we weren't going to get the knife edge finish a lot if us wanted. Didn't understand the grandstand booing Woffinden. He's the British World Champion for heavens sake and hadn't done anything but turn up. If he referred to 'some idiots' he was probably right and, indeed, had a right to say so. I don't like riders goading the crowd - and he undoubtedly did that - but when that rider has been barracked all night its much harder to be critical. Those questioning his attitude clearly didn't see his handshake with Steve & Richie Worrall after heat 9 - a race in which he blew a TR that could have cost Wolves dear. Some of you watching on the box probably had a better view than me but I really didn't think Lindgren did anything wrong and thought that Cook - not for the first time - was just pathetic. Still, a bit of handbags doesn't do any harm. I like the presenter at NSS - better than that clown they had at the start of the season - but his digs at Wolves 'trick track' and 'second string' Woffinden were unnecessary and possibly counter productive. Couple of other things : the oft maligned Zagar stepped up to the plate and showed what a world class rider he is, criticism of Jacobs was unwarranted to the extent that there were better targets and Clegg deserves a bucket of praise for that huge effort in heat 12 which finally killed Belle Vue off. Finest sight, though, was Karlsson. Not quite the master he once was, his battling performance was superb and, in my view, decisive. Overall, a brilliant advert for the EL, for Belle Vue and for British Speedway

Hope its half as good as my last PO final - mildenhall v Scunthorpe, 2011. Amazingly, 3 who rode that afternoon are racing tonight.

The rider above had, I was told, been paid something but not all. Apparently his other club pay on the nail every time.

Got told a couple of weeks ago by a riders sponsor that he was owed a lot of money. I was surprised by that, given the information above.

I am saddened by this for a number of reasons. Firstly, its one of my favourite tracks and, at its best, is as good as anywhere. Secondly, I know Ashley Taylor a bit and he's a man of decency and integrity who has put everything into the club and remained in place throughout all of the difficulties. He deserves better. Most of all, though, its for my pals from the Devils on Tour, a great bunch of lads who travel everywhere, regardless of results or weather. Speedway, for me, won't be the same without them. Fingers crossed there is some light at the end of the tunnel.

Me too. By far and away the best track in the country. I sincerely believe that home supporters are outnumbered by others (neutrals, aways etc) at all meetings simply because of the quality of the speedway backed by Rob Godfrey's centre green performances and the fact that he has no unnecessary delays. I agree (and I know several others who feel the same) - nowhere near as good as it used to be or could be.

This neutral fan is looking forward to it hugely. 10 points would have been better but its not impossible that the Aces will run close. I also know a few Sheffield fans who now believe in miracles.

For what I think, read Tsunami and Montie's excellent posts above. Bluntly, I think you are trying to blame the rules of the sport for the fact that Newcastle lost - rules that, as I have said, have been in existence for half a century - while completely ignoring the performances of all the riders (not just the guests) on the night.

And if you had won, would your daughter be wanting to go back ? If the answer is yes, this is about the result not the make up of Sheffield's team (and, I daresay, the fact that you thought this was going to be a stroll in the park). You know, I know and everyone knows that Sheffield had to have 3 guests because they simply had no choice. Much more about losing than speedway's rules if you ask me.

​I think that it must be realised that even with the fans contribution without a number of members of the BSPA putting their hands in their pockets every week many (if not most) tracks would still close.

Quite agree and in all the meetings I have done over the last few years I don't think I have ever seen a team put one rider out in heat 15. Decent enough meeting (especially for a very low key end of season one) , with Hansen the star of the show.

I went to a meeting over bank holiday weekend at Isle of Wight in the last season of operation under the old promotion in 2013 and I thought there were about 300 people there. I went to two meetings this season in August and there were 5-600 at both. It just shows what a determined, customer focussed and capable promotion can do.

Completely agree Good tracks (because a lot of them most certainly aren't), no unnecessary delay (which means no intervals), good presentation and stop the cheating and rule bending by transparency and responsibility. I am not sure that will work, but its what most current fans want. More like Isle of Wight's Barry Bishop and Martin Widman than Matt Ford. If Poole had won the EL this season, people would have left the sport because of the disgraceful circumstances surrounding the signing of Antonio Lindback. The BSPA are culpable, but Ford will pull tricks that go beyond what most will accept. I don't deny his success in promoting the club and putting out good teams, but do we really want them all to be as ruthless as that ? Bishop and Widman (backed by a small but totally dedicated band of supporters) have worked unbelievably hard to make Isle of Wight speedway a paying concern. They have done everything that people on here suggest (and more) and they have done it without the taint of cheating. By far and away my promotion of the year.

Don't totally agree because people have been predicting the death of the sport for 30 years or more and they were doing the same thing in the 50's and 60's. It'll survive although in what form I am not so sure. Its financial position isn't much different from other sports, in that it is propped up by wealthy owners and sponsorship. Speedway's losses are positively tiny compared to the £170 million owed by Bolton Wanderers, for example. Having said that, it clearly isn't in the peak of health. Get back to basics - good tracks, no delays, good presentation, no cheating or rule bending. Transparency in decision making. I can't say that will definitely work but its clearly what most existing fans want. Isle of Wight's entry, programme and parking for 2 adults and 2 children is £24.50. That's comparable with any other form of evening entertainment.

Closet Redcar fan, David ?

I think it has more than that. The last two meetings (Glasgow & Ipswich) I have seen at Workington have been very good indeed so I am coming for this one, too.

The problem is not the scams that they pull, but the fact that they are allowed to do it. Its all very well to blame Matt Ford, but to my mind every single other member of the BSPA is culpable because they let it happen. Its far from just Poole either. Bewley can double between clubs that ride on the same night but Cook can't. Hall has an NL average from years ago but Bowen has a converted PL one. Davey can guest for Bewley but not Ayres. All of those rulings are from 2016 season, all of them are contradictory and all are almost certainly made from self interest. I'd say its more like the pro Poole brigade desperately trying to justify both a rule that has unquestionably been broken and a bent BSPA ruling.