acclennell

Good start with those two on their current averages - keep it going George and you might actually get me back next year

Woah I'll come back when a team is put out which is attempting to actually challenge to win things until then I will continue to have my say and if you and others don't like it then that is just tough - I will tell you one thing though that until it does happen the extra support that George was on about won't be there either.

I hear what your saying and I appreciate your opinion but if LL starts as a heatleader next year then I certainly won't be back. I've seen LL ride many a time and you just cannot depend on him at home and especially away. As a 2 or a number 4 I can get away with that. Anyway we will see what happens but in my opinion you can tell as soon as a team is declared whether it will be challenging. If George want's the crowds to improve the ball's in his court and I don't have the faith in that to be honest but we will see, Entertainment doesn't win you races though - I've got no doubt he will be kept as a heatleader though.

if LL as a second string i.e. number 2 or 4 then i would say yes but no way as a heat leader. I'm one of those non attendees also and it's the like of me who speedway requires to entice back expected better from you Dave.

All about the team in the first or second - get a good team and you will get crowds. However I feel if they drop into the 3rd the doesn't matter what the team is the crowds won't go back IMHO. I have a sneaky feeling though we will be in the National League next year just a hunch based on the promotion not/willing/not able to put together a team to compete at the top end. Hope I'm wrong but we will ind out tomorrow.

As a second string certainly wouldn't argue on that to be fair

nah need to change imho it's ok being entertaining but no use having a rider as a heatleader who gets beat off reserves as often as he has done.We need riders who will regularly contribute consistently away as-well as at home. For me LL, AR and CH need to be nowhere near the team next year and build from there. Must admit I'd be ok with the two twins and the two Lewis's returning also - big year if the team is running as need to be going for i otherwise i really thing the sport will be gone.

Dave is still jokie so looks like it's not bad news as I'm sure he will know mind you be could be just off his head also mind

i would not think it is bad news but if it is then it would be pretty poor leaving it until another two weeks as the supporters deserve to know straight away especially the ones who have stuck with the team this year - my guess it's not stating the closure as that would be a kick in the balls for the fans having to wait two weeks.

I've been very critical often concerning the team set up from day one and the lack of changes throughout - and still am very much so!, but don't think anyone can say that SW has not had a fine season and exceeded everyone's expectations especially mine. Mastered the BP track which is a massive credit to him as he struggled badly with it in the past.

Never mind a northern 4TT should bring back the proper 4TT back next season, I used to love going to the four/five tracks on different nights (usually consecutive)

It's not the fact he rode today it's the fact he didn't ride 18 hours earlier (seemingly) and that's not mentioning Hansen and do people really expect crowds to turn up when that happens. Not on in what was the biggest meeting of the season and I think there should be some explanations to the people who do actually pay their money it's them I feel really sorry for.

So two riders are declared unfit and then 24 hours later are both riding - you honestly couldn't make that up if true

If that is true then sorry that is shocking and makes a total mockery of the paying fan

Totally spot on my thoughts to a t

Howay Dave get the rose tinted glasses off - this team never was strong enough before a wheel has even turned. The fact that it wasn't and that changes were not made at a much earlier stage is the reason why the team is in this position and crowds are massively down. I know you have bias towards the promotion and I also know you love your speedway no matter what also. Nothing wrong with that but it is in the main only a ever decreasing minority of die hards who are attending but in the long term it won't save the sport in Newcastle. You need a competitive team to attract the crowds and sorry but this one certainly isn't and never was from day one.

Thing is it is not about NUFC and comparisons shouldn't be made as the football team is like a religion up here - what I did say is that the football team is my true number 1 passion and that will never change. 99% of people (if not more) in Newcastle would choose NUFC over the Diamonds if there was a straight choice between the two on which one to attend. It's about how to get more fans into the speedway and to get people like me to go back and new people to come. I went to both for 15 years as I said and currently in my opinion the Newcastle team and the speedway rules as well as the farce the way the meeting was run the two times I have been; have meant that I'm not going back until changes are made. This is all about my views on why I don't think speedway will continue in Newcastle unless big changes are made and a few of my own thoughts as to what speedway should do in general to improve the sport (i.e. turn back the clock). Sky viewing is also down and I would not be surprised in the future if that doesn't stop either.

NUFC is my true love and I wouldn't miss that for anything and actually Ashley has seen that season ticket sales have dropped and finally after the shock of nearly losing millions in May is looking like he is doing something about it and I agree about time too. There will always be a football team for years and years to come and is in no danger of closing so the comparison is not like for like. The points I have been trying to make, and I will put money on will happen; is that unless the team is strengthened considerable next year and is actually challenging and competitive, then Newcastle Diamonds will be closed by 2016 at the latest as the alarming drop in in crowds cannot be sustained. Do I want this to happen, no, and would I go again if an entertaining and strong team was assembled, yes, but the Promoters have got big decisions to make because as I said there is no way speedway will continue at Brough by making the same mistakes as was the case this season and last. They either want speedway to continue or they don't and some people will go no matter what but not enough to keep the sport from continuing in Newcastle. Speedway in general must change and I would suggest going back to the old way of point scoring and tactical subs, prompt starts at the designated time not 15-20 minutes later, two minute warnings to be sent straight after a race is completed. 4TT qualifiers should be brought back and the rule for guests and foreign riders certainly reviewed - to make this sport great we need to encourage the best foreign talent (especially young) to want to ride in the UK - I want to see the most exciting racers riding in the UK and not hindered because they are not British. If a British rider is good enough he will still make the grade.The unfair play off system should also be scrapped. The rider of the night and silver/golden helmets should be the finale of the meeting. The end of season Supernational or another competition may also be considered and the league campaign should start straight away after a few challenge matches. The SCB need to get their heads out of their backsides and stop ruining the sport and it's criminal when you consider most of the members have been involved in speedway for years. There are some of my suggestions anyway, I want to go back but it's up to the Promoters at Newcastle and the SCB to make me want to because the two times I have in the last two years I have walked out both times before heat ten because the meeting was being run like a farce and in my opinion the racing on show couldn't hold a candle to previous years.

I agree with what you say and the point that I am making is that speedway is no longer a thriving sport within the UK. Football is my first love and always will be but I still used to go to just about every home and away meetings with the speedway team also for 15 years - and we had on occasion teams who didn't win anything either also but in the main it was competitive overall at least. It's only the last couple of years that I have stopped going full stop due to various reasons. I agree on here with the many folk who can't fathom out how supposed promoters and authorities on speedway (our own included) sit preseason and come up with the most bewildering rule changes and decisions which are ruining the sport. I also can't understand how a team is put together which within the last two years has had no chance of being competitive before a wheel has even turned. The point I was getting at, was that in Newcastle to even attempt to compete with other sports, activities and social events; then there is essential requirement to have a competitive team first and foremost. If you don't then there is not a chance that you are going to get crowds coming back as there is just far too much competition within the city which for a lot of people are far more attractive than watching a team beaten more often than not. It's got nothing to do with going because your a 'super fan', as these peoples numbers are dwindling fast and will certainly not sustain a team over a period of time. It's the fans who don't go regularly anymore and new fans which you need to attract and the only way to do that is with a team which is at the very minimum challenging and there is no way in hell that was ever going to happen with the teams put together these last two years. I hear about finance and stuff, but in my opinion (and I respect others to have differing ones) it is financial suicide not to have a competitive team and let's be honest the team should have been changed at least two months ago when in was quite obvious that it was not strong enough. Anyway that's my last view on the subject but I know I won't be back anytime soon, some people will say don't need you back but actually you do and many others like me also.

Is that all you can do be personal is it and not answer the point I'm making, I can do that also arsehole

Because football is a lot more important to people in Newcastle than speedway as is rugby and basketball now also and that's why you need a decent team to compete with these other sports or can you explain another reason why crowds are so down since you keep going on about me being a glory hunter? It's not rocket science you know and you may have a few who will go no matter what but they are not the amount that used to be and that includes myself and a few others on this forum also. And by the way I am a season ticket holder at Newcastle United also so that dispels your theory out of hand also. Unless a competitive team is put out next season (if it goes beyond this season) then I will be very surprised if speedway continues beyond 2016 in Newcastle. As I said if you don't like what I said then tough but I know which view is correct and the decrease in crowds these last two years proves it.

Call me a glory hunter if you like and since I hardly missed a meeting for 15 year home or away that is a load of crap. The reason I don't go is I do not agree with the current policy of the promotion and have not for a few year now. One thing is for certain the only way a speedway team will be operating in Newcastle beyond next year is if a team is put on the track which at the very least competitive as otherwise it's not only 'glory hunting' supporters who won't go but also a lot who have been going for years also. That is why crowds are totally down this year again and will continue to unless this changes. I'm not forking out good money to watch a team beaten most weeks and in my opinion not very entertaining either and if that upset some people tough.

Give me a team which will be challenging and I for one will be back no problem - if not no chance and I bet there are more than a few with the same opinion.

Exactly I honestly believe some people are living in cloud cuckoo land sometimes

Being serious and not having snide jabs as has happened between us lately :-) messers Lindgren, Henry or Rosen would not have been anywhere near my team. I did say Worrall also as he always seemed to struggle in the past around Brough, but he has proved me wrong totally and well done to the lad for doing so. Far too many gambles were taken on riders hopefully improving their averages and it was never going to happen. You need proven heat leaders in a team to challenge otherwise you're always going to struggle especially on away tracks. I did think Kerr and Rose would do better this year also but I was never convinced either that Kerr would develop into a number 1 this year. People can quote money etc. etc. all day but the team was never going to be a success and the crowds also I hear have dropped alarmingly - there is too much competition in Newcastle with other sports and other events to sustain a weak team as the crowds will not come and that includes diehards who have been following the team for years. I'm not trying to be a right martyr here, I can just see speedway not being at Brough much longer and the season already is over in June - not good.