g13webb

You're missing the point, Obviously the news is out there if you go looking for it, but the idea of Promotion, is to the promote the sport to people who don't know what's going on... Its very difficult to discuss any issues with you as you're one of the converted and see absolutely nothing wrong with Lynn Speedway. I admire your work and enthusiasm but it's just a pity it blinds you from the apparent problems with the sport......

We have never lived in Lynn and there is no mention of Speedway in the Wisbech Papers... We read the Daily Mail (A proper Newspaper) each day. When I have read the EDP it came across as glorified yellow pages where most spaces are devoted to adverts. If it wasn't for the Internet , the Forum and the SS I would struggle to know what was going on.... Locally or Nationally

It would be wrong to judge everyone like yourself. You probably don't like the sports you mentioned but you cant help but notice all the hype in the national press Social media is good but it does not tick every box. If you are not looking in the right places you will not see the media releases. Years ago we could always read about the Stars in the local rags but them days are long gone. Last year we were on the verge of success and there was not a word in the local press. No body knew anything about it, even the old speedway fans... Sports like Football, Rugby, Horse racing are on the back pages of every national newspaper, whereas Speedway is the biggest secret out there. If this sport has any future then it needs a professional Promotion Team to put it where the public can see it....

I appreciate your views and can understand that connection, but it was a two way thing. Riders rode for a club and belonged solely to that club, they didn't ride for a various others at the same time, so the loyalty was never in question. This belonging feeling that existed was paramount to the connection, the fans had with the club. This is why the terraces were always full. Every race meant something because the riders didn't want to let the fans down... It was as though you were a big family. Many nights after the meetings we stayed on to mix with the riders in the bar. Some nights it was so full you couldn't get in the place. But it all added to that emotional attachment. One of the big difference is now the top riders are free agents and ride for many clubs. They is no belonging to any specific club or their fans, the riders act like mercenaries, milking the situation that the rules have allowed . The powers that govern this sport have destroyed that connection the fans valued so much. the only attraction left is the actual racing on the track, and sadly , that at times is not very good... When I relate to the good times of yesteryear , I am referring to the whole package, the costs, the environment, the excitement, the belonging, the enjoyment, that all added to the actual racing that made it occasions you remembered...

Interesting to read your take on the sport and yes, I can relate with a lot of what you say. But the things you put importance in differs from my prospective greatly. Firstly the second halves were always received, not only by the fans but also the riders, yes occasionally a rider might stand down but this was an exception and not the rule.. Remembering Peter Collins and Michael Lee battling out for 4 laps in a tremendous second half final , yet you make out it didn't matter.... The race time are significantly faster, but that doesn't denote the racing is better. When Terry Betts won the first meeting at Lynn the track record was recorded at 72.8 sec. the track record now is 57.4 sec That 15 sec difference is all down to the machinery. Once upon a time the skill of the rider was the governing factor. that how now been equalled by the engine tuner... As you say the riders have become more profession, just a pity the powers in charge were not . Recalling an incident in the early 70's when Neil Street introduce his first 4 valver, Terry Betts remarked they should be banned because the sport could not afford such technology, he said when the riders ask for extra cash it means the crowd will have to pay more, As soon as that happens the number will go down. Reading your post, you identify the racing as the most important factor of the sport, but to me the occasion is far more important. I went to 10 or more World finals at Wembley and each were a wonderful advert to this sport. Always a full house made it a night to remember, but as for the racing , the good heats could be counted on one hand. For the sport to prosper like it once did, it has to appeal to everybody, and for that to happen, the occasion has to appeal to everybody... not just the purest who only recognise the best racing. Probably if speedway was run along similar lines to Moto GP or Formula 1, when the Elite rode their best equipment in World championship rounds, leaving the leagues to run a more affordable option the sport would stand a better chance of surviving.

I've always looked back on speedway with such affection. It seems to be an enjoyment that was always there. In my late teens a gang of us would first go to the meeting before hitting the drinks and dance floor, we use to plan our holiday around fixtures away, we even interrupted our honeymoon not to miss a meeting. When our 2 kiddies came along they joined in and went to most meetings, it just seemed the natural thing to do. Time moved on and your circumstances change, your children get married and the grand children arrive. They in turn are doctored into our beliefs in the hope they will continue our love for the sport. Its a wonderful experience seeing the complete family of 3 generations at places Cardiff and other big meetings. but it is unfortunate that the younger element don't appear to have the same enthusiasm as us old ones do. Please to report our son accompanies his ole man regularly, and both can be seen at most of the Stars meetings, Our grandson picks and chooses his meetings, but it gets harder to persuade the others to attend.... It appears the best days of the sport have long gone. The spectacle of seeing 4 men racing bike with no brakes is still the same but the environment has completely changed. Where once the terraces were packed enjoying a full nights entertainment, now there are just a few die-hard fans watching processional races that are over in no time at all.. I look back with envy of those wonderful times and am so pleased I was privileged to have been there...….

I'm not one of Buster's disciples who cant see no wrong in what he does, but to call him 'bent' is over the top and a insult to his character . Like him or loathe him, we have to remember if it wasn't for Buster we wouldn't have Premier league of Speedway . Remember when dishing out personal insults, Buster, of late, has done more for the sport then anybody..... And I'm no Buster lover.....

These are not arguments, merely opinions.. I waited along time for us to be champions of that top league, and unfortunately last year we missed out yet again. I expected far better from the Stars management this year enabling us to be in contention from the start for that elusive crown, but again have been let down. My opinion is that standard of the league is probably the weakest we have ever seen. Our team, as it is, although a spirited bunch, is a top rider missing. If the team is retained throughout the season ahead we will struggle to make those PO's , whereas if Niels ( or similar) is co-opted in as second heatleader we immediately come comparable. For that to happen, the number game will be governed by the rider who is under performing ... Then Riss will make an excellent 3rd heatleader......

Its about who I prefer, Batch is a person we don't like, but he will still scores quite a few points. No doubt he will outscore all our riders, with the exception of Lambert... Hans to me represent reliable points. yes, he may be past his best but he can still win important races. A consistent gater who score points on any track. Riss, exciting as he may be , he struggles on tight tracks and needs the open spaces to come into his own. cant see him outscoring Hans this year anyway....

Weak compared to other teams. Each of those mentioned teams have a much stronger back-up, Swindon has Batchelor; Ippo has King; Peterbor has Andersen, Poole has Holder and Belle Vue have either Bewley or Bjerre. Take Lambert away and Lynn are precariously weak. with Lambert we could cover any missing from the rest of the team, but without Lambert, we can forget it...…..

Come on !! surely you didn't expect that.,

When looking for answers there is nowhere better than the internet. I agree with you, when you go looking for results and features they can always be found. From someone who spends half his time on the keyboard (the wife said That) come Thursday I will always find articles that I was not aware of. What I like about the S/S is that it will give you the opportunity to read about every aspect of the sport, not just the article you are looking for...…..

Not quite !!! Still feel us fans have been treated like mugs. Although I can see the merits of this team, as it stands it will be someway short of the competition. Governed by the numbers, Niels was never going to fit into the allowance, but for Lynn to have any chance of making it into the lottery , then he will be drafted in at some late stage, when the numbers allow, inducing added pressure on the declared riders to perform.... Just a pity the fans weren't brought into the equation from the start so we knew what were their intentions. That's not asking for the world, surely I have voiced concerns in the past how local derbies were badly missed and that our crowds have suffered through this. This year we will have them in abundance, so hoping the attendances will improve,.Just a pity we cant be more optimistic about the early confrontations...

No not at all, you don't have to DO anything to be a fanatic. But if you were that interested and keen, that your whole life revolved around it , I would have thought reading about others clubs, other matches, other riders, other countries, it would be essential to purchase the S/S just to keep up to scratch..... But then again we all think differently.....

Same old same old, nothing new there.. NKI just saying he wants more time off as he's getting older but would help Lynn out if or when needed. Strange he drops Lynn from his schedule, but says very little about signing for a new club in Sweden. (Money talks the loudest) Also in the S/S is stated that Riss is expected to be unveiled tomorrow.....

You pretending to be speedway nut but don't have the S/S really surprises me. Leads me to think your only interested in the Stars and not the bigger picture. You disappoint me ….. I always gave you more substance then that...…...

Probably the most information we have heard for some time. Are you sure you're allowed to post that? usually all that stuff is kept most secretive..

That's the biggest problem with how this sport is run. Instead of listening to the moaning and negativity from once die-hard fans, it is constantly swept under the carpet allowing the sport to descend into the mess we now have. I'm not a doubter, nor a happy clapper, more of a realist who can see the obvious decline that continues with this sport. Probably if more people were to open their eyes and voice their concern, perhaps more actions could have been taken to retain the status our sport once enjoyed...

8, probably 6 years ago I thought Lynn was the best run club in the league by a distance. But since son Jonathon left the promotion, it has gone so downhill. I talk to many fans and most now have negative comments instead of good ones. Quite a few have stopped going and others now only go occasionally. Everyone talks about the poor racing and bad entertainment, but nobody has a good word to say about Buster. Now Robert Lambert has the same pulling power as the once great Michael Lee , as soon as he goes there'll be no one left to pull in that crowd. I fear then that Buster will realise too late for the damage that has done..

Are you sure you're not Theresa May??

It’s raining outside, the wife gone shopping, with an hour or so to kill, my thought turned to speedway and the coming year in the Premiership. I have always tried to be realistic and show an illustration of my thoughts on how the team compare. In the table above I have placed all the riders in the starting position of their respective teams and made comparisons with each of the opposite numbers. I have given the best rider 1 and placed them in order, the worse getting 7. At the end of the placements, I have then totalled all teams to get their final score, the lowest being the best and again the highest being the worse.. Results show, the Panthers are top, followed closely by Swindon and Poole with Wolves and Belle Vue contesting that last play-off place. Both Ipswich and Stars are well adrift. Studying the table illustrate the different ways the teams have been made up. Some prefer to go with being top heavy, others, like Poole, have gone for strong reserves. Belle Vue have gone for a solid 1 to 6, all they need is for Lidsey to come on good and they will be in prime position. Although both Ipswich and the Stars are some way short of the rest, all they need is another TOP rider to bring them into the frame. For example bring in Niels at 2, would in affect push everyone down a place, when the comparisons would fair better... Hope you enjoyed the illustration.......

It’s raining outside, the wife gone shopping, with an hour or so to kill, my thought turned to speedway and the coming year in the Premiership. I have always tried to be realistic and show an illustration of my thoughts on how the team compare. In the table above I have placed all the riders in the starting position of their respective teams and made comparisons with each of the opposite numbers. I have given the best rider 1 and placed them in order, the worse getting 7. At the end of the placements, I have then totalled all teams to get their final score, the lowest being the best and again the highest being the worse.. Results show, the Panthers are top, followed closely by Swindon and Poole with Wolves and Belle Vue contesting that last play-off place. Both Ipswich and Stars are well adrift. Studying the table illustrate the different ways the teams have been made up. Some prefer to go with being top heavy, others, like Poole, have gone for strong reserves. Belle Vue have gone for a solid 1 to 6, all they need is for Lidsey to come on good and they will be in prime position. Although both Ipswich and the Stars are some way short of the rest, all they need is another TOP rider to bring them into the frame. For example bring in Niels at 2, would in affect push everyone down a place, when the comparisons would fair better... Hope you enjoyed the illustration.......

Aces Stars Witches Pirates Panthers Robins Wolves No 1 HL Max Friske Rob Lambert Chris Harris Jack Holder Craig Cook Jason Doyle Sam Masters preferrence 3 2 6 7 4 1 5 No 2 HL Dan Bewley Ty Procter Danny King JosGrajczonk HanAndersen TroyBatchelor Rory Schlein preferrence 3 7 5 6 2 1 4 No 3 HL Kenneth Bjerre Erik Riss Krz Pieszczek Brady Kurtz Ronan Tungate Tob Musielak Jacob Thorsell preferrence 3 7 4 6 1 5 2 No4 S/S Stev Worrall T Jorgensen Richard Lawson Nicolai Klindt B W D Adam Ellis Nick Morris preferrence 3 6 5 2 7 4 1 No 5 S/S Ricky Wells MPT David Bellego Richie Worell Charles Wright David Lampart Kyle Howarth preferrence 5 7 6 2 1 4 3 No 6 Res Dimitri Berge Lewis kerr Jake Allen Nico Covatti Lasse Bjerre Zach Wajknec Luke Becker preferrence 4 5 2 1 3 6 7 No 7 Res Jaimon Lidsey Kas Andersen Cameron Heeps Busk Jacobsen Ben Barker James Shane Ash Morris preferrence 7 5 4 1 3 2 6 Totals 28 39 32 25 21 23 28

Like you say, changing one rider don't seem a lot, but when we are referring to an absent GP rider who rode in the hardest races being replaced by a second string , the difference is phenomenal. Niels may have had a hard time last year but I lost count of the 5-1's he scored with Robert in heats 13 and 15 to win matches. He was one of the few riders who performed well away from home. We can all remember how we performed without him in the finals last season..... I wish I could be more optimistic , but trust me, without a second heat header we will struggle... Yes, Procter and Riss are exciting riders, but when comparing them with their opposite numbers from the other teams they pale insignificance. When comparing them to Peterborough, they are a gulf apart...…..

Have to agree with you there Sidney, I have tried to see the logic of this stagnated announcements but fail miserably in understanding their reason. To the promoters this may seem like a big laugh but the only people they are penalising is their own supporters. Although there has been no official word, you didn't need to be Einstein to guess the outcome. Like most have said, the team has been as expected, so there has been no surprises. . . . . . . . so far. In trying to understand the reasons why they would leave Riss till last, prompts the question of, is he ???? Remembering a comment Dale made in the SS a week or so back about some excitement coming at the end makes me think there could be a change in store. Could be a white elephant, but either way, I'm not holding my breath. Looking at the 6 riders named so far, I struggle to see how people think it will be strong enough to be competitive. With the help of the track preparation, we may win a few at home, but on our travels we will be up against it.... Take Robert away, and all we have is a second division side.