Grand Central

Like so many here I have been a weekly purchaser of the Star for my whole life. And for the last several years an online subscriber to the Exact editions e format. I offer no criticism of pricing or coverage. I certainly would never use the term 'crap'. It is a very pretty production and Speedway can expect no better. My 'beef' has always been over it's weak-livered editorial policy. On the whole, I actually think that Philip Rising (personally) does have the balls to give his honest view, when he chooses to exercise it. And when he does express a view I am happy to disagree with it, whilst appreciating his right to differ. Unfortunately the actual Editor - a Mr Clark I believe- seems to be devoid of any descernible opinion himself. But is happy to give full vent to the very narrow and restricted Burbidge-view of the Speedway world. Which is a pity. The Star's greatest failings IN MY VIEW have related to some of the biggest issues of the past few years. And it's very weak attitude towards them. Darcy Ward and the p!ssed up dehydration fiasco. BSI and it's "varied" record of performance (think Warsaw 2015) and Gelsenkirchen/Gothenburg and Cardiff before. Greg Hancock and the race fixing 'clutch' fiasco. Belle Vue and the hagiography of Gordon and Morton. All have represented very great lows in the life of the Star. It would not have cost a penny more than the good value £2.90 to have just done better with journalistic and editorial content.

Wrong, again. As is often the case. The reason I noticed the error was that my wife picked the card off the mat and said 'when is Cardiff this year?' My reply was 'not sure, why are you asking me it'll be on the card you're holding'. To be met with 'oh no it isn't' as she flung it down. So if that is 21st century marketing, I am a banana.

Mind you, don't be too hard on adamjohn. He might work for BSI. Those marketing whizzkids have just sent me two promotional cards "Christmas is coming ..." To promote ticket sales for Cardiff 2017.. Surprising no one thought it necessary to actually put the date of the event on the card.

It is occasionally useful to use an analogy or a metaphor. To shed light on a difficult subject and illuminate our understanding. After 'wading through that treacle'. I feel I know so much less.

It cuts both ways. Those BHS landlords would not rent it out at a knock-down rate, or at all, to the same sort of crap tenants they had last time, would they? The new guys in here, whether they are many calmouring to rent or not, will need to show they really can pay this time. No one can risk the same thing happening again

Err, well, yes. That does happen quite a bit. Have you not noticed how many town centres have large BHS stores all with no sign of new tenants.

They can only 'write off' debts to themselves. And they are probably not even able to do that, politically or legally. But the monies owed by the previous limited company to various third parties; much of it (apparently) predating the NSS, can be nothing to do with MCC and arrangements with new promoters.

That cannot be true. The Council can agree to arrangements about fees and monies they themselves are owed as they wish. The BSPA can come to it's arrangements with the old promotion via it's bond and disposal of Speedway 'assets'. But neither can conclude any 'deals' with new promoters that relate to the debts of the old promotion to third parties outside their own domain.

I can't imagine that BSI would be that keen on the idea of Belle Vue, right now. Having had to stump up the extra cash that PR has told us about just to get the damn meetings to go ahead last time. Surely they will want to have things sorted out before going back just yet.

There was some sort of industrial action at ITV in September 1979. This meant that the World Final never got onto UK screens and the only versions that knock around seem to have Danish (?) commentary. And, as you say, the WTC Final from White City was not filmed for TV at all, it would seem.

You are utterly deluded. It is not 'ideal' fir a wedding reception at all. What planet do you live on as regards modern weddings? The PC suite is a passable venue for some rather mediocre events. That is all. Up against the fantastic venues available within 5 or 10 miles it really does compare very poorly for a wedding. For Christ's sake, we haven't got the speedway side right yet. As a total package. So its daft to make really silly claims about things way beyond your expertise.

.Are you actually sure that is the true position. I understood that there was some sort of losn in place the 'rent' included some form of repayments on the capital. Are you really saying that in not the case and that BV Arena Ltd had NO capital repayments to keep up. That would be bizarre. But it seems to be what you are saying nonetheless. .

And those are your examples of how to pay for a multi-million pound stadium in Gorton. It's business 'acumen' like that, that has GOT them into this mess.

According to the MEN things are worse than we thought. Yesterday they were talking about a £7 million stadium. Today it is £8 million. Is financial incompetence catching?

From the accounts we have had so far ithe NSS could be a money pit for some time to come.If it is really impossible to get any sane person to have their wedding reception at the place and there are no other viable weekday sources of income there is every possibility that each time the place is opened for Speedway it actually costs more than it can ever bring in. And then to service the debt? Is it really true that 'what is spent is spent'. That is the sort of attitude that fuelled and excused the stupid deal to West Ham.

One thing that should be remembered in the future by some here is that when others raise concerns about the people, management or long term viability of a plan. Is to give those concerns a little more consideration. This thread, and others, had some very reasonable questions raised by those not-so-blinkered and they were shot down in flames time and again. And by some pretty heavy artillery. The NSS is a magnificent facility and we all want to see it suceed. But honestly, there were alarm bells ringing in all directions for a very long time and not a word featured in print. The PR spin was always in the promotion's favour. Everywhere. Being a little cynical on some matters is not a bad thing. Blind faith in outlandish promises just because of 'plausible words' gets you in a whole heap of trouble. The Emperor's new clothes, and all.

It was not my intention to be just negative. I just cannot see anything actually radical. I see a fair bit of tinkering with the inner workings of the sport. Averages and altering points limits again! But every time we make changes to those areas it just give rise to more acrimony when certain promoters are able to make use of new and juicy loopholes that had not been thought of at the AGM by the less astute. And I see very little change to the actual product. I had been waiting for something to come out at the AGM about the various 'test meetings' from earlier in the year. Some truly 'radical' ideas were being mentioned about the product on the night. Have they been binned?

And THAT is deemed radical? It may be mindbogglingly fascinatingly for stattos. But nothing to be printed on billboards.

Are you really being serious?This has been tried in this form before and been utterly pointless. For gods sake Rye House and Somerset have just been promoted without a race bring run. What's the big deal?

Just which changes are actually radical here?

You would have thought they would get their press release right though, wouldn't you. With the potential for some people to get confused between Premiership and Championship. It''s p!ss poor that the BSPA themselves confuse the two in relation to Workington straight away.

Actually within the burburblings of Burbidge are two references to the correct make up of the FIM Jury in Melbourne. Not even HE could get that wrong. But in the spread across P2/3 with quotes from Hancock and the unattributed 'comment' piece entitled 'Jury Justice?' Morris is mentioned by name more than once. Plus is the Page 3 FIM column there are comments & quotes by him that are all about the Jury actions. At no point is it actually written "Race Director sits on the Jury but has no vote" as PR has done just here; which is so easy to do just for clarity. .

I understand the sentiment and reasoning. But have doubts about what even attempting to 'ban' him would actually achieve. Everything about him screams to me 'keep him away' and 'steer clear'. But that is quite irrelevant. The trouble is he seems well liked by many of those that matter. And there will be absolute zero understanding among them at what, to me, seems so obviously odious about the creature. You won't change the prevailing culture by calling for action against him that no one will even consider. We would just get 'Martyr Joe' rather than 'Monstrous Joe' After all, he IS the sponsors representative so, hideous though he seems, one has to hold one's nose and accept him. .

Errmolenko's behaviour on the first lap in Vojens 1996 was just as blatant as what we saw in Melbourne 20 years later. I can't remember if he claimed his 'clutch' was a problem on the 'straightaway'. But at least he recieved his just desserts.

RPNYC ... you are to be commended in your dogged belief in the geniune goodness in others. The total absense of any cynicism must be difficult to live with when faced with so many aspects of modern life. It must lead to so much disappointment when one finds that this faith in others is misplaced.