mikebv

Course it was.... Never a true Yorkshireman!!!😁 Flag of convenience because he couldn't get in Lankys team!!!😀

Best of luck to England in the World T20 on Sunday.. Hoping that Eoin Morgan (Irish) can lift the trophy. He will I am sure need a good game from Ben Stokes (Kiwi) or should that be 'Ben Stoked'? As well as vital contributions from Jason Roy (South African) and Chris Jordan (Barbadian) Cannot wait to cheer on the lads to possibly the greatest victory against the odds since Andrew Strauss (South African) lifted the 'Ashes Urn' in 2005. With Kevin Petersen (South African) playing a major part in the success with his superb batting and Geraint Jones (Papua New Guinean) having a great series behind the wickets... With the recent five nations victory at Rugby led by great performances from Mako Vunipola (Kiwi) and Billy Vunipola (Australian). It could be a great few weeks for 'English' sport.. Let's hope Tai Woffinden (English) can win the World Title this year....

Will their be an inquiry into tonight's result?? All down to Belle Vue I believe...😄

Ha Ha, You spotted it......! The ironic thing is that Tai is giving up one (definately within his reach) individual medal potential to focus on 'The Big Prize'... I would suggest that with all due respect to the British Final, the winner (even if Tai won it) won't be on Breakfast TV, Talksport, 5live etc the way Tai was when he had became World Champion. So I would suggest no great impact to the sport over here whether he is there or not... I would also say that as Tai was coming 'through the ranks'in Aussie, he would have had more chance of team success nailing his colours to the Oz mast through residency application.. Instead he chose to throw his lot in with GB.... A GB team for whom he has been outstanding, and hopefully in front of a full house at Belle Vue later in the year will be outstanding again... Possibly being born here, and for the first few years of his life living here, and with both his parents being British, has gone some way in him wanting to ride for GB? Who would have thought?

Of course Tal chose to be British rather than Aussie because it was easier to get into the GB team.... Everyone know his natural talent would never have got him in the Aussie team as they are so good and even now after two world titles he would stuggle to get a place I am sure.... He also knew that staying in Oz at 15/16 years of age would have stagnated his growth similar to the way their youth system held back for example Adams, Crump, Holder and Ward who must all deeply regret remaining in Oz through their formative years as they only had World Titles, SWC victories and GP wins to show for riding for Aussie.. Lucky for him he came to Britain and the BSPA were able to take him under their wing and nurture him through their extensive, in depth youth training programme.. I am sure Tai thanks the lucky stars everyday that he got all that help and support from the BSPA yet he won't contest the National Championship....! I don't know, some people eh?.. Don't know their born, wouldn't have happened in my day, etc etc etc

Because they needed someone available quickly.... And when they asked him "when can you start?"... He replied " Straightawayyyyyy"!.... Buddum Tish.. I'll get me coat....

Agree, (only used Bomber as an example as he is held up by many as THE rider who gives his all for his country).. However that is maybe part of why the two riders have had the careers they have had? Tai is first and foremost out for himself and in an individual sport, nothing wrong with that at all.. Bomber always comes across as a 'great guy' who has time for everyone and seems to worry what fans think of him eg last week getting on the mike at BV. Again nothing wrong with that approach in any way.. But maybe that lack of cold eyed, clinical, almost ruthless focus has held him back? (Well, that and his gating obviously)! Anyhow, back to the "Tai is a disgrace" thread...

Let's play "Tai Bingo"... Print out and mark off these phrases as and when they appear over the next few pages.. "He's a disgrace", "He's letting the fans down", "He's not even British", "He's an Aussie", "I be if it was at Wolves he wouldn't have missed it", "He doesn't care about British Speedway", "First Belle Vue, then this, no wonder nobody goes to Speedway anymore", "He seems to think he is better than everyone else", "When there is no Speedway left in this country, maybe he will think what more he could have done to help it", "I hope this backfires and he fails in winning the World Title", "I bet he will want us to support him at the SWC, yet he couldn't support British Speedway", "They shouldn't let him ride in the SWC", "I for one won't be supporting him in the GP this year" "My five year old son is heartbroken as we had decided to go and watch Tai in the British Final", "He's a disgrace" (again), "He's an Aussie" (again ad infinitum), "He's not even British" (again etc etc etc).. Most bases covered there I would suspect... Oh hang on... "You never see a 'True Brit' like Bomber doing something like this", "He is not only disrespecting the British Title and it's previous proud winners but the Queen and all her subjects too"... There, now that ought to cover everything... I didn't fight in six World Wars for my King and Queen for this, Disgusted of Tunbridge Wells..

Looks like Sky were right... Be interesting when BV eventually get up and running how the track covers perform (when they eventually arrive).... If they prove a success in getting on those frustrating meetings where on the day the weather is fine but the damage is done to the track leading up to race day, then maybe Sky will start to insist all get them?...

Maybe Sky feel that they need to take the decision making process away from the clubs? Is it over 100k that I have seen quoted per match to set up their equipment? Many have been the comments on here suggesting that meetings only took place in poor conditions "because Sky was there"... Well they won't be the scapegoats anymore by the sounds of it... And given the usual adverse impact to attendances of a Sky meeting. Will the Promoters be secretly pleased if Sky duck out now and again?

Not sure if it happens.... However the way the sport allows riders to double up and then not use the EL average for team building, can only lead to speculation if in the PL a rider often gets beat by riders that he regularly beats in the EL.. Similar with riders who don't have an EL average because they dont have a PL average to convert, hence come in to the EL as 'second reserve' Savvy teams looking for a good tier 2 reserve next season could pay decent NL riders this year not to ride in the PL just in case they score 'too well' thus meaning they come in on the lowest possible average to the EL... A loophole that needs closing. Instead of being a breeding ground for GB talent the 'fast track' berths could end up with 'professional reserves' who will be able to negotiate good deals knowing the impact they can have on a match result..

Looks like it will cost Poole a good few quid in points money this year.. Luckily they have the fan levels to support it.. Be interesting to see though if that is still the case after a couple of months of '60-30's every week, which could easily happen given the level of many of the other teams... Not having a go at Poole by the way, they have put a team together that is within the same limit every team worked to. However I would suggest that it will soon be pretty evident that their 'real level' is well ahead of the 'theoretical level' that someone came up with using I presume some kind of calculus for team building purposes... The problem the sport has is that this 'theoretical level' number will be used all year for teams to 'strengthen up' even though a team can be miles in front of this number. Ultimately meaning hardly any real strengthening takes place at all, as it's more 'tweaking with cosmetic changes' rather than "with this team we can win the league changes" that many teams often find they need to keep an increasingly disenchanted fanbase turning up weekly.. Maybe finances, and/or rider apathy to riding over here, may dictate that teams can never turn their season around, but the system should exist to allow a team to improve up to the level of 'the best' if they could.. That could only make for a more competitive league surely? Reading the many 'from the gate', 'pirates gated in front' comments, and the massive margin of victory, I wonder how many of the as quoted 'huge crowd' will be enticed back the next time Swindon are in town? Especially when they have been, by then, potentially not the only ones to turn up and offer meagre resistance...?

Dont forget the Boat Race.. Always hits attendances that......

Surely any meeting scheduled is 'on' right up till 'tapes up time' unless called off previously? If the weather was poor leading up to an event, and a track was unfit, as a fan you would expect the club to try everything within their power to get the match on with track work taking place right up to start time (seen it loads of times).. Therefore as the track is unfit at BV, the management team are doing everything they can to correct it and get it fit for racing... Just the same as any other track would.... (Subject I presume to permission from Cradley, Edinburgh and Wolves being granted)....

The 'American model' is something that I have believed for years could be perfect for Speedway.. However,.. The NFL, NBA, NHL are ran independently with pretty much a 'rod of iron'.. Therefore all teams sign up knowing the rules are for the collective good not any individual.. Any team bleating and making threats of closure if they cannot get their own way doesnt get allowed to do what they want, but are given short shrift and faces the wrath of the lead body with real consequences.. Ironically in the worlds most regarded capitalist country their sports are run on almost socialist lines... The weakest can survive over there because they are still financially very solvent through the strength of the collective, and the equal financial rewards through the shared business plan... Imagine that happening in the BSPA?

Year and years and years of 'survival of the weakest' has helped deliver the current situation... With the ultimate irony being for even those 'successful' the costs involved in bringing that success can threaten their very existence.. And all to win something that no one outside a meagre following even recognise as an achievement... A very strange business plan indeed... Maybe less teams with the inevitable less team places could provide higher rider supply than demand and help clubs with what they have to pay out whilst providing more quality riders per team? Less actually may mean more with regards to Speedway?

Think the plan is to always get the 'bumper' meetings in on Good Friday and Easter Monday... The earlier the Easter, the more likely preparation gets impacted by poor weather.

Saw a couple of the lads practice today for a few minutes.... Cannot wait till tomorrow now!!!

I can only presume the only thing left for any 'green eyed monsters' to criticise is the sun might be too bright!!!

Pretty sure, given the size of the stadium, that after a few meetings you will have plenty of room in the 'standing area' to get out a fold away chair and watch the meeting sat on that.... With a tartan blanket across my knee, a flask of bovril in my plastic "gola" shoulder bag alongside my tupperware box of corned beef and beetroot butties, a new 'home made' programme board done for 2016 and 'robert' will indeed be my uncle... Now where have I put my denim sleeveless jacket, I must make sure that there is at least one space left on it to sew on my new Aces patch.... Happy days, roll on 2016....

If what is being described happens, it could look similar to the way cycle speedway is run... I.e. in cycle speedway, the Elite League team will have 'top riders' from various teams, who usually represent 'their own' clubs in various regional comps, taking to the track for them... In the regional comps, the EL team still put out a team of a lesser level of 'their own' riders.. The regional comps are the usual weekly matches with the EL running around once a month, with each team meeting home and away once... Might be an ideal solution for British Speedway to get the top riders back, create more 'local derbies', and equalise team strengths better for the non EL matches which would make up the majority of the seasons fixtures..? Throw in a national cup and/or a play off system for the 'bread and butter' league based on the top regional winners and you may have a decent, consistent, product to sell?

Looking at the 'banking' of the track with even the straights not being level, I am sure that the drainage system will be excellent... Especially considering that the 'centre green' is G4 so any large amount of water running on to it wont soak the same as natural grass.. How many meetings get called off due to damage done leading up to race day and then on the day itself you have 'perfect speedway weather'? Well hopefully that will be minimised massively and allied to this those 50/50 matches also go ahead more often than not meaning fans turn up rather than not risking their cash....

Who said it has ever started????

I think this rumour came about because a bspa forum attendee heard someone from KL say that they were "going for a Gerd Riss" !!!! I'll get me coat.....

Really? Airing your dirty laundry in public never makes for good PR does it? Bet the promoters are impressed...!😯