MajorMauger

Hopefully there'll be some new teams in the NL to make up for the likes of Bournemouth closing along with others and Plymouths proposed move into the PL but I'm not holding my breath! Bournemouth was run under the Poole promotion which is very possibly the best supported track in Britain. If they can't make NL racing viable then it doesn't give much hope for others? As for for new standalones, well if any were intending to open for next year we'd of probably heard about it now. The (possible/probable?)reopening of Mildenhall is all we'll get in this area I suspect? The likes of Norwich Great Yamouth, Iwade, Bristol, Exeter, Cornwall, Long Eaton, Boston, Ellesmere Port, Crewe, one in Scotland, Sunderland, Milton Keynes/Northampton, Hull, Wimbledon, Swansea and probably others could support 3rd tier racing and maybe higher but the chances of any of these and other surfacing in time for next season would be extremely low!

Well done Buxton who have been in the 3rd tier since day 1! The place is never going to attract big crowds and therefore move up so it has to be run on a shoestring but Buxton speedway is the almost perfect 3rd tier role model club! I've said many times that if the National League had 5 or more Buxton like set ups dotted over the Country then British speedway would be in a much healthier state!

Wishful thinking I suspect but it would be nice to see a stronger 3rd tier! The Heathens are a different entity to any other club because they were the best supported club in the Country, their closure is still reasonably recent (1995 at Cradley) and they have 2 tracks Wolves and Birmingham that are 15-20 miles and under away from their heartland which is not such a chore for fans to get to! The idea of resurrecting defunct clubs at neaby tracks sounds good in theory but in reality existing tracks are stuggling with poor crowds and one track supporting 2 teams has never been financially viable not even in better times. Also fans of defunct clubs don't really see their ressurected teams running at another team as being the real thing so don't support it. The Boston operation of 2000-2008 was born out of a desire to persuade the local Council to provide them with land to build a new track. When that became obvious it wasn't going to happen interest in Boston home meetings at King's Lynn dropped big time! Crewe last ran in 1975 so their can't be that many around who'd remember them although I know efforts were made a few years ago to build a new track in the area! Leicester will have enough on their hands running for the 1st time since 1983 without having to worry about starting a 3rd tier team as well! My old team Norwich last ran in 1964 and I don't think running a 3rd tier Norwich team out of King's Lynn or Mildenhall would see loads of fans flocking in from Norwich. Afterall I bet not that many fans from Norwich go to speedway anywhere at present. Mind you a new track in the Norwich area would be very well supported I suspect! Running 3rd tier speedway at Iwade (who called themselves Sittingbourne) is difficult and I'm no sure if the owners wants to or not so I wouldn't hold my breath there! As with any defunct track, reopening after closure is rarely straightforward so Mildenhall returning is not by any means guaranteed particularly with the rather awkward stadium owner who wants too much rent money! I think Plymouth have now got to the stage where they need to move up in order to maintain/increase crowd levels but their promotor is well known for making big statements that end up not materialising! Hopefully Weymouth will be bought out by people capable of making a good go of it! Also hopefully the owners of Oxford stadium will see sense and let speedway return but again no guarantees! I hope the 3rd tier survives but like in the past it has a struggle cause speedway as a whole in this Country is struggling at League level!

Phil Clarke R.I.P Norwich Stars speedway legend!

I understand your frustrations but I'd suspect if every club stopped running cause it didn't make money one year we wouldn't have many tracks left! Like others I have heard stories originating from people close to the management at Mildenhall about what happened and it certainly sounds different to whats been said in the speedway star. This season was certainly a sad story regarding Mildenhall speedway but whats done is done now and those involved in trying to resurect the Fen Tigers have to look to the future and hopefully learning the lessons from the mistakes that have been made this season. Mildenhall speedway in the 3rd tier of British speedway is viable if ran properly by those in control of the club!

The too small EL with its twice at home and twice away fixtures is repetitive, offers no variety and combined with foriegners missing, not enough British riders, racenights all over the place - doesn't work! What needs to happen and what most people with an interest in British speedway would know deep down is that the EL needs to amalgamate with the PL and have a new top flight with 16 teams and a new 2nd Division featuring the 7 former PL teams not in the new top flight plus Plymouth, and any other 3rd Division team wanting to step up and any possible new tracks like Leicester, Sittingbourne, Oxford. This new top flight would be at a level inbetween the current EL and PL but closer to the PL. The new 2nd Divison would be at a level in between the current PL and NL. A proper 3rd Division for any standalone tracks not wanting to ride in a new 2nd Division and reserve teams from senior tracks would be formed and would feature British riders only! As for Birmingham not being able to afford the EL. Well that could probably be the case but I bet that Birmingham get bigger crowds than at least one EL track. The bottom line is that the EL is unaffordable for neary every track in the Country apart fom 4-5 tracks! Anyway Birmingham have got to gain full planning consent before they can think about next season!

What an amazing life!

Very sad news indeed! I respect the fact that Ray Mascall put his money where his mouth was (unlike any of us!), he is the wrong age and mental state to be a promotor, hes had big traumas in his personal life recently and being in charge of Mildenhall speedway was very difficult for many reasons but - The very reason for Ray Mascall buying the club before the 2009 season was to secure its future. Pulling out mid season this time around has effectively pulled the rug out from Mildenhall speedway. Ray had been making it known to various persons from before the start of this season that he wanted out! More delegation and better comunication could of seen a solution found to see out this season, then set about securing the future of Mildenhall speedway when there'd be more time in the close season to sort things out. I could go on but I've said the main bits that people involved in Mildenhall speedway will think but won't say! Lets hope that Mildenhall speedway can be resurrected in the future which I believe stadium owner Dave Coventry wants!

Joe Abbot rode for many years from the early beginnings of the sport in this Country in the late 20's until he got killed at Odsal I think in the late 1940's or early 50's when he was in his late 40's I believe.

Ivan Mauger Barry Briggs Hans Nielsen Tony Rickardsson Ove Fundin Ole Olsen After that I can't think of any definates though the likes of Jack Parker, Peter Craven, Peter Collins, Jason Crump, Eric Gunderson, Nicki Pederson, Ronnie Moore would have to be considered for the last spot!

In todays EADT it reports that Mildenhall speedway are close to folding! Worrying news indeed.

Todays EADT reports that this Sundays scheduled NL match between Buxton Hitmen and the Mildenhall Fen Tigers has been postponed due to the ownership changes taking place at Mildenhall speedway! Lets hope that Mildenhall haven't got problems.

Jean had some far out views on speedway but she was an out and out passionate Mildenhall speedway supporter, the sort of regular that all tracks needs to keep going! She was part of the fixtures and fittings at Mildenhall speedway for seemingly as long its been going and the place won't be the same without her!

Bernie must of been very elderly because when he rode for the Witches in 69-70 he was in his mid to 40's then! Another one gone from the great pioneer days of the modern Ipswich era!

Joe Owen was a great rider who without that big crash at Hull could of gone further int he sport! Tony Mole had 2 applications to reopen Ellesmere Port in 2001 turned down bacaue of the noise and parking issues! Would make a great venue for National Leaue racing in present times!

Despicable and narrow minded atitude! Don't they see that if they were in favour of suc a move they would look better in the eyes of the local community and therefore more people will use the store?

I know the trouble Andy Galvin has got himself into must be painful for his son and his family, but they also must realise that he was a very successful speedway rider so its enevitable that once his troubles became common knowledge, it would be talked about on this forum!

Great 2nd Division rider who never seemed the brightest spark and always seemed the sort of 'playboy' person who wasn't keen on having to work too hard! Sad news!

Absolutely magic in the mid 70's! Great passer who was unlucky to not win more than 1 world title!

I'm calm apart from when I see boy Chapmans smug ignorant face in the speedway star as part of the BSPA committee who are supposed to be guiding our sport in the right direction! It wouldn't of had the same logic as the Rayleigh-Rye House and Crayford-Hackney switches cause those venues wern't to far apart and some fans would of switched over but Rye House is a long way from Yarmouth! Though I'm sure it was probably one of the many unfounded rumours about track openings that go round all the while. I know Ronnie Russell looked at Swaffham raceway a while back but that'd never be a goer being to close to King's Lynn in a low populated, low income area. I laughed when Laurence Rogers was going round TALKING (unfortunately nothing else!) about reopening at Caister Road by building a speedway track inside the stock car track - had he even been to the stadium? - no room for such a move! I like Malcolm Vasey and indeed Keith Farman when he was alive think that Yarmouth could support a speedway team though I did disagree with Keith cause he wanted to see the Bloaters in the Premier League which I didn't think would be viable! I've had my fingers crossed for a double Norfolk speedway reopening at Norwich and Great Yarmouth since both closed just like Keith did!!

Great Yarmouth Rockets! What a ridiculous name! Keith wouldn't of had that nor would any other sane long term speedway fan! Nearly as bad as daddys boy, big mouth, little action Chapman suggesting if he'd of been reopening Birmingham speedway (which in reality he would never do cause he wouldn't be capable unless his old man was pulling the strings!) he would of called them something other than the Brummies which is the original, traditional nickname of Birminghams speedway team which has a link to the area! Yes speedway reopening at Great Yarmouth would be a fitting tribute to the late, great Keith Farman but they'd have to be called the Bloaters! Like Malcom said, 3rd tier racing at Great Yarmouth, particularly during the late May to the end of August summer period would be viable!

I suspect that like some others US riders Lance King was from a wealthy family so speedway wasn't the be all and end all and in those days you could get good money riding in California!

Ipswich Witches only rode in the old 2nd Division when it was called the National League in 1989 and 1990. They wern't allowed in the 1989 4TT because of their late entry into the League but I know rode in the 4TT finals in 1990 so that would be the year!

One of the classiest Ipswich rider I've seen in my many years spectating at Foxhall! It was a shame we didn't see more of him but I'm sure his wealthy financial state meant that once he had any serious injuries like he did he wasn't going to stay in the sport until he stagnated!