BWitcher

Yep and as you say, many of them no longer exist and it has had a massive detrimental effect on the sport.

Agree again. From a Wolverhampton point of view, the biggest blow was the loss of Cradley. It has never been quite the same since. I also think it was of the biggest mistakes the sport has ever made. When Dudley Wood closed, instead of moving to Stoke, Cradley should have moved to Monmore Green at that time whilst continuing to look for their own place. If, as has turned out, they weren't able to find anywhere, so be it, they would still have been running. Both clubs would have benefited. Cradley in continuing to run and Wolverhampton in continuing to make money from the big crowds the derby matches produced. And of course both sets of fans in continuing to enjoy the rivalry. Indeed, the matches may even have gone up a notch with both sides effectively racing on their home track. More recently there has been problems with dates and fitting them both in, but had they been long established it may have been much easier to work around. The sport would be in a much healthier place with Cradley still operating in the top flight.

Absolutely spot on. When I sit and think back to the late 80's, early 90's and the era at Wolverhampton of Sam Ermolenko, Ronnie Correy etc all I remember is sheer excitement, every single race as being fantastic etc. Then I pop in a DVD and watch and see countless processional races, riders literally on the back straight as the winner crosses the line etc. Does it change the way I feel about those days? Hell no. My heart still tells me it was infinitely better then, my head says in terms of the actual racing the reality is different. As an aside, the abolition of bonus pts on averages had a negative effect from a purely psychological point of view. When a 10pt+ (or even 11) rider came to your track there was a sense of awe and excitement. Even the high 9pt average riders. When bonus pts were abolished and averages dropped much of that awe seemed to be taken away, even though in reality it had no impact on the ability of any said rider. That point can of course be expanded to the heat formats. When the 15 heat format came in and the top two met in Heat 13, plus the nominated in 15, again it had an effect on averages of riders. It's part of why folk think there were so many more 'stars' back in the day. League size plays a big role in that also.

Except they didn't. It's staggering how often these falsehoods can be spouted even when there is readily available evidence that shows otherwise. Speedway has ALWAYS been mostly first from the gate wins. There isn't more or less passing now than 20, 30, 40 years ago. As always, we only remember the good races.

Yeah you're right. No company would ever touch anyone with tattoos. I feel for someone like David Beckham.

Steve agrees with you, he's just pointing out the nonsense Stevebrum is talking regarding Perks.

Irrelevant as a totally different format.

This is another issue that is becoming more prevalent. It didn't used to be the case.

Totally agree with this and can understand why he hasn't fitted into Belle Vue. It's a reality though any other top flight club would have to be insane to sign him. I mentioned earlier the only solution in a case like this is to have one average if he signed for Belle Vue and another if he joined another club.

I know, I've been following the thread. It doesn't even it out at all though does it. It demonstrates what has been said, he is good at one track. So he quite simply isn't a viable signing for any club other than Belle Vue. In other words, to every other club he is.. no good.

As said, it's fact.

I didn't say that. Belle Vue fans are the ones who are claiming how well Jacobs did and how good he is. Yet none of you seem at all keen to have him in your side, but expect others to do so? It's not stupid, it's not rubbish. Belle Vue leaving Jacobs on his average has finished his top flight career and seemingly his career entirely. Again I re-iterate I don't blame them for not picking him. Perhaps there is a case in a situation such as this where a rider has such an extreme split between home and away that if he signs for another club there is a form of average reduction... unfortunately of course it would be open to abuse.

So?

Remind when Perks achieved his average with Poole?

Always an excuse. You didn't use him last year or this. He rode out of his skin for the Aces and you've effectively ended his career.

And the team most to blame are......

Of what relevance are his home scores when he wouldn't be riding for Belle Vue? There is only one team where it makes any sense whatsoever in signing Jacobs, that is Belle Vue. However, they kicked him into touch.

Of course it doesn't end there. As you say he was brilliant at the NSS but to be frank at some away tracks he beyond struggled and at times looked like he'd never rode a bike before. It's for that reason why I suspect many promoters were reluctant to take him back. Let's face it, if Belle Vue haven't signed him 2 years running, on a track where he is superb, he's hardly likely to be picked up by others.

But isn't Jacobs retiring because he can't get team places in BOTH leagues?

They wouldn't. The majority of fans would go to the senior team and skip the 'reserve team'. Where are you getting £12-15 from? Second division teams are already charging nearly as much as first division sides as it is, i.e. more than £12-15.

They don't need to entice. You'd simply promote lower riders. There are more than enough. Not that I am advocating that as the way to go.

Reserve teams are not popular.. in any sport.

Other than it had already been stated he had been re-assessed.

We can't afford Lindgren... so little hope of affording three of them.

Still not grasping it are you. The article was written in 1981. It was already discussing the MAIN issues that have contributed to the continued demise of the sport. The Grand Prix was 15 years away by which time a vast number of fans had already walked away.