The Voice Of Reason

Can't agree. To the best of my knowledge, pecking order in the first round was Belle Vue, Coventry, Kings Lynn, LAKESIDE, Leicester, Poole, Swindon, WOLVES.

So many results this season have been dependent upon the returns from the reserve positions. So this result really could be down to a much needed improvement in Adam's consistency, and a fully-fit Steve Boxall. The remaining riders (and guests within the main body of both teams) are pretty evenly matched; all guests of course having considerable experience of the Lakeside track. It could potentially have been a banker home win; had our promotion had the foresight to sign Lewis Blackbird from the outset. I see he's riding for Poole tomorrow. No prizes for guessing who I believe will be pivotal in the outcome of this meeting. Hate to say it but I can only see this being Lakeside's third home loss in succession; bearing in mind also that we've lost our last four; with confidence seemingly evaporating as each meeting passes by. Fail to win this one, and our season is basically over - during the first week of May.

"Morning Noel, I'd like to swap Michael Bech please". "And what would you want for him"? "Can we do a swap please for Hans Andersen"? "Failing that, we'd take a Stylophone, an Etch-a-Sketch, or 10 Marvel comics".

Well, one can certainly see the similarities in profile between UKIP and Speedway. Primarily they're both followed by a bunch of supporters who are white; 65+; generally financially secure 'Saga Louts'; probably think that everything was much better in the World 50 years ago; and are generally totally confused with modern day events. Meanwhile, what they support is on borrowed time. Hang on, was the geezer with the UKIP sign Peter York?

Dusty track, wet track, slick track, heavy track. It's not a cliche, it's FACT - it's the bloody same track for everyone! So well done some Lakeside riders - you can look for excuses for your p!ss poor performances all day long. But I do know one thing. In all his years as a rider, I never heard Barry Thomas ever moan about a track. He just got on with life and attacked it to the best of his ability. And from that era, there were many others like him. But those were the days when we didn't have Facebook, Twitter and other options for riders to whinge on. Mr. Bech in particular - basically grow a pair son, or sod off!

But I doubt they'd want to swap tracks!

Really looking forward to this meeting. I like the set-up at Leicester. On paper, we probably have more strength; particularly with Andersen guesting. However, this is 'Lakeside on Tour' - so we'll probably be hard pushed to grab a point. Mr. Vatcher, if you are reading this, please remind the team that a meeting goes beyond 8 heats. If we fail to come away with anything from Beaumont Park, and with NO disrespect intended towards the Leicester Lions, then basically the writing will already be on the wall for the remainder of our season.

Just Formula 1 holds my interest - particularly with the Mercedes Team now doing so well (I'm a Classic Merc nut). Football - my life-long love affair ended about 4 years ago. Probably due to being a Leyton Orient Supporter. There's only so much punishment that a human can take.

Bit hasty? PK returned to Wolves around 28th July. When should we have made the change - Christmas? PK's form dipped woefully last year - following his bad crash at the end of the 2013 Season. At times, he just didn't look the same rider. I, and I'm sure everyone who supports Lakeside, are delighted that the return of The Prodigal Son to Monmore Green has worked out so successfully for him. He's a Class Act and an absolute gentleman. mdmc - Boxall isn't riding tonight through injury; and his rehab period is unknown at this time. His replacement tonight is James Wright. Apparently, Ashley Birks is 'not available'. I'd have loved to have been ear-wiggling on that particular conversation. I'm pretty certain that the word 'Off' would have been mentioned in there somewhere!

A few fingers being pointed here; in particular by two people who's respective teams have hardly been beyond reproach over the past few years. Suffice to say that we know the extent of AJ's injury now. People that cast doubt upon whether it was genuine, now look just a tad silly. Moreover, how would AJ have been riding in Poland today? To the best of my knowledge, I don't think that there are any meetings (apart from a Junior event). PK discarded - was he? I thought he agreed to leave by mutual consent. That's what he said. Maybe he was lying. Doubt it. He's a great guy. In any event, I always look forward to my visit to Monmore Green - the best track in the EL serving top dollar food. Result-wise, can't see us getting sod all. Sky are in town, and errrrrr, we're riding away from home.

He'll never get a boyfriend then - even with those earrings!

Have to agree with the so-called 'energy' drinks. Back in the day of course, there was only Lucozade (Original) - apparently to give you energy and get you better. As it tasted worse than the medicine you'd been prescribed, it often appeared to do the trick. Maybe it was just purely psychological. These days, the only thing I've tasted, and believe me once was enough, is Red Bull. It smells like a kid that's thrown up after a party; having eaten too many sweets. Absolutely vile stuff.

Thanks for posting SCB. I can't begin to even think of the emotion, thoughts and memories that must have been going through his mind that day. What a brave guy; and maybe a lesson in there to us all. Absolutely brilliant!

Regarding the music. I keep hearing this old chestnut. As if playing the latest dross one hears on Radio 1 and Kiss FM is going to suddenly get youngsters flooding through the gates! To my mind, the main problem with Elite League Speedway is simply that it isn't a value for money product in its current format. Just 15 heats, strung out over two hours in the cold, isn't exactly going to get ANYONE rushing through the turnstiles.

There was certainly no champagne handed up onto the rostrum by the Poole Management to Coventry in 2010; when they won the league title. Quite ironic really as the terms 'alcohol-free' and 'Wimborne Road' don't really go hand in hand these days, do they. Mind you, the fireworks were cancelled as well...........and one bloke in particular causes most of them too. As for the boozing aspect. I think that the alcohol tests are performed pre-meeting. I don't think the customary few swigs is going to cause much of a problem - most of it gets sprayed everywhere but down their throats. Quite right too - it's bloody awful stuff.

Ah, I wasn't aware of Iversen's complaint. That said, I don't think he'd have lasted too long in Sunday League football back in the day. But then, our priority was getting scrubbed up ASAP to get down the pub; not to go whinging on Twitter!

And so it goes on and on. To reiterate, Lakeside does have changing rooms; along with showers, sinks and toilets. I'm not quite sure to what degree of any substance this issue started from? Just to add in the time that I worked there, I never heard a complaint from a single rider.

Not sure whether the showers have been nicked as scrap by visiting gippos watching the banger racing on Sundays; but there certainly used to be showers in the changing rooms? And just to add that they normally get a coat of paint before each season starts. Changing room maintenance, cleaning them out each week, along with the bogs, etc. (not the nicest of jobs!) all falls down to the often-forgotten heroes of Lakeside Speedway...........namely, the track staff.

I assume that you mean best 'stadium' in the history of the Universe? I think the best 'track' accolade went to a particular place not a million miles away from Custom House; just over in Waterden Road, E15! Even my parents admitted it; and they were West Ham die-hards; from its opening through to its sad closure. Agree about the youthful eyes though. Sitting here now, I can hardly think of ever having a bad night out at Hackney. As far as Lakeside is concerned. It is what it is. I too hated the place when it opened - plastic sticks as a perimeter marker and flat as a pancake - no possibility of overtaking around the outside without drifting out onto the tarmac car circuit. However, the track has improved greatly under the current promotion. It's far from perfect but they do what they can with the money available, and within their rented accommodation. Track-wise - over the past few years, I've seen more close racing/passing at Lakeside than any other circuit apart from Wolves. That includes quite a few visits to nearby Brandon as a neutral.

Why's that - because you lost? From reading the Speedway Updates site it may not have been a classic (are any meetings these days?) but there certainly seemed to be a darn sight more overtaking and close racing than I witnessed at your place on Tuesday night!

Uncle Len at Hackney used to at least try, now and then. I remember in the mid-80's, two of his particularly memorable 'top turns'. First, we had Eddie Kidd who was going to jump over some cars via a ramp. However, the ramp was apparently too wet, so that idea quickly became a non-event; despite the pre-meeting build up for weeks. Wet ramp my @rse. The Speedway riders in the pits must have been peeing themselves that such a 'celebrity dare devil' bottled it. It didn't stop them going out and risking life and limb in the good old 'Rider of the Night' event. The second act was booked to great anticipation. It was a tribe of REAL Zulu Dancers, who were appearing at The Hackney Empire the following week. Most probably Uncle Len got a nice little £arner from the management of the theatre for their promotion. The only problem was it was October. It was freezing cold (isn't it always at Speedway in October). Anyway, out from the pits appear these dozen geezers, war-painted up; banging drums and shaking spears. Only one problem........They were all wearing anoraks! Remember the old zip-up type that cost about 30 Bob in Millets or the Army & Navy? You could literally see them shaking with the cold. Anyway, they get up to the starting tapes, started their routine of banging drums and singing...........and the heavens opened up! All around were cries of "They've done a f&@kin rain dance!" People were literally creasing up with tears running down their face as these poor Zulus all went running back to the pits after 2 minutes. I now go to Brandon for my regular fix but gawd, the atmosphere is pretty non-existent. Given most tracks love affair with playing old numbers, I reckon we should all keep warm and entertained by doing a conga; then all onto the centre green for the Okey Kokey. Gotta be better than standing there shivering, watching a tractor go round for 20 minutes, surely? And while we're out there, I'll try and nick Peter York's radio mike, and do us all a favour!

Who should, or shouldn't, ride on the truck is immaterial to my mind. The fact remains that it is an absolutely woeful, half-hearted attempt at professional presentation.

No mate, they all ride in the National League.

Are you running the Colin Pratt Fan Club for 2015 then 'mouth on a stick'? One two-bob article in the SS from a Pratt really seems to have taken over your entire life this week. Sad.

It's not a case of 'shooting from the hip' It's a case of having an opinion. As of the time of this post, you appear to have had 2,722 of them. Just to add, it's just a tad difficult for me to consider someone's comments in the Speedway Star, when I don't get it.