4thbender

As it happens I have a grandson who was in the training academy of a South Yorkshire football league team and gave it up completely because of the corruption and unfairness that is rife within professional football. He took up American Football and Rugby instead which he regards as "cleaner" sports. I also have a granddaughter and grandson who both play regularly in Sheffield amateur teams. Although I support all three of them whenever I can, I nevertheless wouldn't attend football league matches just to pour money into the pockets of overpaid prima donnas, sponsors and hangers-on. And if you think football violence is a thing of the past you're kidding yourself.

No, it's a football thing. Tribalism is a curse which pervades the footballing fraternity and for decades has erupted into violence on the terraces.

Presumably you've not witnessed the Battle of Bramall Lane whenever Wednesday and United meet in our great city.

One of the great joys of speedway is that you get to meet supporters from every team that visits and, whatever the result, there is no animosity. This puts our beloved sport in a league above football, where fans of different teams have to be segregated to avoid violence. Surely one of the main functions of any sport is that people from different geographies, races and cultures can meet together in mutual respect to enjoy a sporting spectacle. As soon as ignorant tribalism gets in the way of human interaction the whole purpose of sporting endeavour is lost.

Should have kept them both and forgone the King signing. If King had been riding for Redcar on Sunday and Wright for Sheffield we'd have won by 2 points!

Coincidentally, this is exactly the same juncture at which the Tigers' 2018 season went pear-shaped. Having won all our early home matches, from July onward we never won another one. I have a theory that, unlike every other track in the league, Sheffield offers no home advantage whatsoever. As soon as we suffer the odd injury or minor loss of form, away riders can come to Owlerton and score a hatful of points. I'm fearing the worst.

Although I just remembered, I do recall Nigel Boocock riding at Owlerton in the 60's in a world championship qualifier only a week after breaking his collar bone. The referee excluded him after falling off - presumably to save him more pain - but Booey pleaded with the ref to let him back in and I think from memory he won the rerun. But that was in the days when speedway riders were made of sterner stuff.

A broken collar bone is usually about a six-week lay off, which should neatly coincide with the end of our season, so I wouldn't expect to see Broc in Tigers colours again this season.

Aussies... they call us the whinging poms but when things don't go their way (e.g. like certain well-known cricketers who got caught cheating), they cry like babies.

I've said it before and I'll say it again, you inexplicably have a 'downer' on Kyle. I made the point last week on another thread and you denied it. But here you go again having a dig at the lad for no reason. What's your beef?

Just enjoying the atmosphere and racing might suit YOU, but judging by the numbers that use the bars and restaurant, there are lots of people that expect a more rounded evening of entertainment, with food, drink and excitement thrown in. Corporate entertainment is what pays the bills for other sports such as football, rugby, cricket, greyhounds, tennis and ice-hockey, etc., and I've thought for years that speedway is missing a trick by not exploiting the full potential of the "prawn sandwich brigade." With the facilities that Owlerton offers, there's no reason why there shouldn't be a "Tigers Enterprise Club" meeting two hours before the start of every home match. Small businesses like nothing better than the chance to meet, greet and network with other business people like themselves. It gives them the chance to build trading relationships and explore marketing collaborations; and if it involves a couple of hours of exciting sport afterwards, so much the better. From the management's perspective, it gives them the chance to widen their business base and attract more sponsorship. Before I retired I used to run a business club that met (of all places!) in a wholesale supermarket and we used to get over 60 business people attending regularly and inviting their mates along. The only thing we offered was a cup o' tea and a sandwich. The supermarket loved us. Having said all that, it wouldn't work on a Sunday - business entrepreneurs like their day of rest!

Some people simply have no class.

Zucchini, potato rosti with feta frittata accompanied with a little rocket salad.

Beer and fags in a muddy field might satisfy a Neanderthal like Jenga, but 21st century shale fans like the option of a civilised G & T in warm and friendly surroundings before we enjoy our Guinee Fowl Blanquette, served of course with a pinch of thyme and a few alliums and hazelnuts.

Here's another one you should try explaining to a young kid... Broc Nicol scores 5 points for his team (Sheffield) on Friday night against Scunthorpe; on Saturday night he goes out FOR Scunthorpe and scores 15 against Eastbourne. How can anyone take this sport seriously?

This is a massively unfair indictment of the stadium owners, who have been very enthusiastic landlords and given successive promoters every encouragement. Where else in speedway can you find facilities like the ones enjoyed by Sheffield? The stadium management have invested heavily over several decades, providing the Panorama Room, executive boxes, the restaurant and shortly to incorporate a swish banqueting suite. All this is far superior to what is provided in any other speedway venue, including the National Speedway Stadium at Belle Vue. Promoters have always been at pains to point out that they have the best landlord in the business, and there is no evidence whatsoever that we have "greedy landlords that don't care about the sport" as you suggest. Owlerton Stadium and Sheffield Speedway go together like fish and chips and long may the two prosper together.

Notice how quiet it's gone in Jenga's corner?

On 2nd January 2017 you said "is this the same kyle howarth that couldnt be bothered to turn up for the end of season doo a while ago and rode like a pure dooosh bag cos he could not be bothered. some captn he may turn out to be."

What have you got against Howarth? Even when he was a Workington rider you didn't have a good word for him, but he's always shown himself to be a regular double-digit rider for the Tigers. Did he once ravage your grannie or something?

One sane voice in a cacophony of baloney.

Don't know where you get your ideas, but you couldn't be further from the truth in suggesting the Bates family have run the club down. We've been greatly blessed at Owlerton down the years with having promoters who have done the club and the city proud; from Frank Varey through to Neil Machin and latterly the Bates family we have been lucky to have promoters who have placed the interests of the club as first priority. People like me have criticised specific decisions (which, as paying punters, we are entitled to do) but we have never doubted the promoters' commitment to the wellbeing of the Sheffield Tigers riders and fans. Unfortunately the same cannot be said for the legions of numpties on the BSPA who in recent years have made decisions to feather their own nests regardless of the impact on the sport as a whole, and whose ineptitude has got the sport into the mess it's now in.

If Sheffield goes - as seems distinctly possible (if not likely) - with so many other clubs teetering on the edge, there will come a point when competitive speedway in the UK will reach a tipping point. Running two leagues with only 7/8 teams in each will not provide a viable option for the sport. At that point, combining the two upper leagues will be the ONLY option for survival of the sport. But I fear it will be too late to resurrect teams like Sheffield that have fallen along the way. Once they're gone they're gone for good.

Nine points in Glasgow is a good result against a quality field. Hope he hasn't driven back from Glasgow overnight and is too knackered to get out of bed.

Click here for picture: https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@53.4055911,-1.4940825,57m/data=!3m1!1e3. The turnstiles are the white-roofed building on the right. The front row of parking bays are designated for disabled parking. Entrance to the car park is on Livesey Street (S6 2ET).

In the car park, as close to the turnstiles as you can get.