hammer1969

Quite agree re training schools, thats where tomorrows speedway riders come from and to see riders in training means we get first look at them rather than having to rely on others to point out potential and then for other teams sign them before we get the chance. Also young kids deciding they want to train at speedway usually brings their parents with them and then hopefully extended family, friends etc. which in turn could hopefully improve supporters coming through the gates at meetings.

Anyone know who actually owns Robert Lambert's contract and if he would be able to ride for Rye if we went EL next year. On saying that if we do go EL I shan't be going there very much, I prefer Premier there is much more competition and more teams to race against.

Yes iv'e seen them and think it makes a much better start to the meeting, all they need now is some decent music.

Instead of 'Those Magnificient Men' how about this for an entrance. Do away with the truck, have the riders do 2 laps on their bikes (not too fast) with a couple of wheelies included whilst playing the following record https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cKnoffPV8m0 (Jasper Carrot) then stop at the tapes for the usual toss of the coin, it would certainly put a smile on peoples faces, maybe not for the whole season though. (lol) I also think put Craig Saul, in his warm coat, out on the centre green and also do the 50/50 draw from the centre as well, similar to Ipswich presentation. Would definitely be a bit more interesting than at present.

Hope we do stay PL, I dont think being in a league that only has 8 or 9 teams in it, where you play each team twice at home and away and where you only have to finish in the top half of the league to be in the playoffs is competition, whats the point of that but unfortunately that is what the Elite has. What we need is more local derby's to help attract more supporters but unfortunately with so many tracks closing that will probably never happen. Anyway Mr Scott if you are reading stay in the PL there's more competition and perhaps try reducing entrance prices, 2 people at £16 each = £32, 3 people at £14 each = £42, no brainer really but only if it brings in more people. Sorry I've if iv'e gone off the thread a bit but that's my rant for the day.

Chris Holder has just tweeted for fans not to donate to any accounts set up for Darcy as an official account will be set up in the next few days.

As I said Robert Lambert hasn't got Eddies experience but he now has the Rye track record - well done to him

If I'm the Hammer supporter you mean sorry if I upset anyone it was a genuine mistake on my part I wouldn't want to upset anyone I've not done many posts and got a bit confused over the thread, if its not me you are referring to sorry again put it down to old age creeping in.

Sorry to be picky but just had a quick look at other threads and the one started by Datodan on 22nd was re the match Newcastle v Rye on 26th at Newcastle when Eddie was in the line up to ride, this thread was started for Rye V Newcastle on 1st August when Eddie won't be riding for us and most of us Rye House fans are pretty fed up with the fact that he will be riding for Lakeside when we were told at the beginning of the season by Len Silver that he had been assured by Lakeside Eddie wouldn't miss any of our home meetings which is now what will happen on Saturday, no wonder Speedway is losing fans. I sincerely hope Lambert doesn't let us down, I know he will do his best but he really doesn't have Eddie's experience yet. If the same Danny Maassen and the same Luke Bowen turn up on Saturday that turned up at Berwick last week we may have a chance of winning - fingers crossed.

Len's statement on 27th March clearly says "I am assured by Lakeside that we will not have to use any guests for meetings at home". So why has this happened? perhaps Len won't be so quick to enter into a gentleman's agreement next season. Nothing against Robert Lambert but he hasn't the experience of Eddie I just hope he can score well for us.

What a result Well done ROCKETS, a similar score tomorrow at Newcastle would be good

Couldn't have put it better myself. as for Maassen "He's trying" yes 'very trying' for us fans but the team don't need 'trying' they need points. Luke Bowen - well I've said it before if he wanted to 'take a break from racing' he should have said so before the start of the season instead of leaving us in the lurch 5 meetings in but to have him back now, especially as he really isn't making much of an addition to the points tally is plain daft, they should have stuck with Dan Greenwood and just looked for a replacement for Steve Boxall, at least I could have cheered for that person, win or lose but I just cannot bring myself to cheer anymore for Luke. On saying all that I did enjoy last nights meeting even though we lost. Hurry on back Kasper we desperately need you.

Just wondering did Greg Hancock receive a fine etc?

From the Scunthorpe website "The referee said he didn’t see it. The clerk of the course, who wasn’t our normal clerk of the course, also said he didn’t see it." So apparently the referee must have made his decisions on what other people saw - what a farce. Apart from footage taken by fans was there someone there who videos the meetings for DVD's as there are at some other tracks? Send all the footage to the SCB, and on other point perhaps in future Referees should be instructed to watch the track from the time riders come out of the pits for a race and until they have returned to the pits at the end of the race, surely there is someone else in the box who can write down the scores, times etc.

Just seen the following on the Scunthorpe website "The Scunthorpe speedway club would be interested in hearing from anyone with video footage of the incident following Heat 10, so that the footage can be passed onto the SCB, so that they can independently look at the evidence and make any judgement they feel necessary after this unsavoury incident." In my opinion you and anyone else who has footage of the incident should send it directly to the SCB and let them sort out this sorry mess.

I wasn't at the meeting I've only read various comments etc. plus the match report on the Ipswich website, Scunthorpe haven't posted a full report yet but I will read that as well. My opinion is the same as the one I made a few days ago on a different forum, whether he/she is a good or bad Referee they are in charge and they should have the final say at the meeting, we supporters may well disagree quite a lot with what they say but they are there to make the decisions. When it comes to riders and promoters disagreeing with the referee for the sake of the sport DONT go and stage a sit in on the start line, or fight with fellow riders/mechanics in the pits put in a written complaint to the SCB, I dont know if there is anything in the rules about putting in appeals etc. but if there's not there should be. Any promoter who does what the Scunthorpe promoter did last night should at the very least be fined and perhaps banned from the next couple of meetings - similar to punishments that are sometimes handed out to football managers, they are setting a really bad example to their team. As for the fans who joined him on the track I can understand you were probably very irrate about what had occured but Speedway is advertised as a family friendly sport, supporters should in no circumstances be on the track. Yes Speedway does need more media coverage but not this type of coverage it reflects really badly on the sport, the promoters, the riders and the fans who on the whole are only there to participate in or watch a speedway meeting not to get involved in a 'punch up'.

That's where there is a problem as well, once the Referee is in attendance to make the decisions it should be their decision alone with no interference from anyone, if they feel they want to speak to riders and ask their opinions that is their perogative but the Referee should make the decision as to whether a meeting goes ahead or gets called off at any point. Sky might be televising a match but they should have no say whatsoever in staging, rules etc. Sky or any other TV company should only be there to televise and commentate at meetings nothing more.

I agree, there will be a lot of pressure on Luke I am keeping my fingers crossed that he can handle it and score some points and hopefully not decide to take another 'break from racing' before the end of the season.

Apart from all the in's and out's of the weather, officials, sky, riders, managers etc. one of the big problems in speedway is the heat 10 rule. A meeting has 15 heats and in my mind 15 heats should be completed before a result is declared if not the meeting should be re-run, the possible exception to this rule perhaps could be from heat 12 onwards if one of the teams competing has absolutely no chance whatsoever of getting a win or a draw then perhaps a result could be declared. To allow any meeting to be called off after heat 10 with in some cases as many as 5 races still remaining and maybe everything to race for re points for winning or drawing is a farce and is depriving speedway fans of seeing a meeting for which most have paid a full admission price and some have travelled miles to watch. I don't know all the finer details of what went on in this match as I don't have Sky and wasn't at the meeting but after reading various reports and comments I am of the opinion that if the referee/track official who said he would inspect the track after heat 9 didn't then he is definitely in the wrong and contributed to what is now happening and he should be fined and not be allowed to officiate at any further meetings.

I totally agree with you about stopping if your head isn't in it, safety must always come first and I don't like seeing any rider have an accident but for the sake of the sport as a whole I feel that if any rider packs up a couple of weeks after the start of the season with the reason being 'taking a break from racing' for the sake of the whole team and the supporters when a replacement is found they should be kept in place if possible for the rest of the year as it must be unsettling for other team members having to see changes other than those caused by injuries.

I just hope Luke can get a respectable score at meetings for the rest of the season for the sake of his fellow team members and the supporters. I still can't get my head around Len taking him back after his 'break from speedway' and leaving his team in the lurch. I was at Rye on Sunday but I couldn't bring myself to cheer for him and I don't think I ever will again even though he has in the past given many years service to Rye House. Perhaps it's time he considers riding in the National League if he wants to continue in the sport.

As a Speedway supporter I also don't want to see any more tracks/teams lost, I personally think Tendering is a bit out of the way to retain the support of current Lakeside supporters. What is needed is somewhere more accessible by public transport, we could do with some Speedway returning to the east London area if it is possible, surely there must be some disused brownfield sites somewhere along the A13 where it might be feasible. I personally would like to see a track somewhere in the Olympic Park as it seems to cover most other sports, it has good transport links and plenty of neighbourhoods nearby to attract new supporters but I don't suppose that will ever happen.

The nearest track to me is Lakeside but getting there is a nightmare, my only means of accessing it is by car and I don't think that helps with getting supporters through the gates especially the youngsters who may not even have a car yet. When I first discovered Speedway I was still at school and travelled every week to West Ham by bus, get people interested in the sport young and hopefully they will stay with it for the rest of their lives. There is a bus station at Lakeside would it be possible for Lakeside promoters to perhaps think about running a shuttle bus to and from the bus station on match nights? I know the clock can't be turned back but in the 60's there was more local rivalry giving supporters more incentive to travel to away matches i.e. West Ham, Wimbledon, Hackney to name but a few all within travelling distance of each other and also all fairly easy to reach by public transport, with today's petrol prices etc. and a number of tracks being difficult to reach other than by car I doubt many supporters are able to travel to away matches on a regular basis. There 8 teams in the Elite league playing each other twice and also how can it be called 'Elite' when most of the riders also double up for a Premier Club - where's the competition in that, sort out the leagues, Elite should mean ELITE, bring back the competition even if it means joining the Elite and Premier League together. Also Speedway tracks shutting because of lack of support is a major problem and needs to be urgently addressed and although people need houses local Councils and Planning Departments need to understand they also need places to go for entertainment and football isn't the only sport on the planet people want to watch, the bikes may make some noise but so what many houses in this country are built next to major road/motorways that generate more noise permanently than a speedway meeting. I for one would rather watch a speedway meeting any day at least when riders fall off they usually get up dust themselves off and carry on unlike a lot of footballers who roll around on the ground because they have banged their big toe.

Oh well perhaps Rye can go to Berwick and surprise them like they surprised us today. At least Eddie didn't come last in heat 15 and I know why because in my programme there wasn't a heat 15 as I changed it to heat 14 and a half just like I did at Ipswich last Thursday when he came first.