singy13

They are on here giving expert advise as to how to remedy UK speedway's slide into oblivion. And apparently most favour Two visions - so if that happens the 'slide' will obviously continue !!!!!

That first sentence says one of the best solutions for UK speedway, and you're right re who to target. Your next line is the great mystery of how to achieve this....not easy for sure. All (or mostly)who come on this forum are already speedway fans - so we are clearly always 'preaching to the converted'..What else can we do to help the sport we love?

That's a brilliant post. It quite clearly highlights why so many people see speedway as a fake sport and don't follow it. (us converts just suffer the silly rules whatever).

Give over...........lots of teams take part in the full competition. Anyway wouldn't a speedway diehard like yourself enjoy seeing more teams face the Lions throughout a season?

But come on which TV Channel is going to televise a sport with 6 combatants in their league table - not really countrywide for them is it? So despite being told on here a one division of at least 16 teams won't work I bet the TV folk would prefer it.

But that doesn't mean it's right - or popular with cricket fans? I assume the players opt for whoever supplies the most cash a la speedway?

But those who prefer to mock speedway (and sadly they are in the majority) tend to see doubling up as a comical trend. I often have tried to defend doubling up (and guests) when arguing with folk who call it 'strange when a rider can star for two teams' ???. Often saying such as Ronaldo playing for both Man United and Real Madrid too (notice I've used different leagues Mr. Cheese😁) it's never gonna happen in football is it. But speedway allows it. I suppose us speedway diehards begrudgingly accept it along with comments such as 'first rider to reach the first corner always wins the race'.....And re "fixed race nights" that's another case of UK speedway shooting itself in the foot 🤢. BTW there are no inter-league meetings nowadays -yes sadly lost like so much other speedway fun we used to have..In 1976 Workington Comets of Division two beat 1st. division Ipswich and also Kings Lynn both at Derwent Park and both by 40-38 ....doubling up would probably scupper any chances of that ever happening again.

BUXTON BULLETS !!!!

Well there you go.....it's no wonder the sport is seriously ill in the UK is it ?

Yes sport teams have many varied structures for sure. And in many ways speedway is unique. But the sport in the UK is sadly going down a whirlpool of despair and something drastic is required to avoid a complete disaster - and in my view I see one division as worth trying. Worth trying is all I'm saying. BTW I think one bad influence is the GP system. One example of how it affected Workington was when Stoney qualified as a GP rider. We then realised that for several Saturday nights a guest rider would appear at Derwent Park to cover for Stoney - I think we got very accustomed to seeing Sean Wilson as a regular Comet. OK he scored well but personally I missed my fix of Carl Stonehewer speedway and I wasn't alone with that.

The current attendance issues are due to fans not liking guest fests and doubling up. Both of these rider problems dilute the sports integrity for so many fans. Lots have abandoned ship because they have seen too many teams use three, or more in some cases, guests. I often talked with Workington rugby directors, who were anti-speedway, and referred to the sport as having a strong likeness to that comical one called WWE (or is it WWF?)...anyway they said guests undermined the sport big style - and yes they were/are correct. Personally I just think the one division would bring more variety to a quite stagnant round of fixtures. And so what if Poland claim the best, every race has a winner, and loser. We used to have wobblers yes fifty years ago but shouted encouragement to one and all....let's do it via one league again !!!!!!

So we draw nearer to the 'big decision' regarding UK speedways future. Hopefully the right call is made to assist clubs long term involvement. I like a bit of nostalgia so I looked back at my first season of watching speedway. It was 1970 Workington Comets giving fantastic thrills via Bob (Mr. Excitement)Valentine and co. Do you know there were 19 teams in Division One and 17 teams in Division Two = 36 teams in that season? So each team with 7 riders times 36 = 252 riders...Yes I've been told some doubled up on previous posts I've made on this forum - but hey not a great many riders did that. Which makes it most likely 200 + riders made it a sport to be proud of and well loved by many fans.(Apparently the third most popular UK sport then). So nowadays the sport struggles along via 16 clubs, most riders using the doubling up farce - probably less than 100 riders entertaining us. I have no advice to give a cure all to keep UK speedway afloat other than I think one division needs to be given at least a fair trial???? Who knows, if successful, fans and riders may well flock back.

Surely it's gamble worth taking because the current rock bottom attendances need a major boost. I think those who watch speedway nowadays will stay loyal whatever. And the only way to attract the 50/50 followers back through the turnstiles is via a more varied fixture list. Meeting the same teams 4 or more times each season just breeds complacency. Not that the riders care, of course, but Joe Public needs more variety.!!!!

By using guests and riders doubling up?..........nah not good for a proper pro sport is it?

And in the none GP/Poland's supremacy days attendances would be double those.....more teams in each UK division made for greater 'spectator variety' - and the public and media outlets loved the sport. One bigger league for 2026 can recapture some lost support.

Yes that's what i was hinting at...fans will clearly support a winning team !!!!!!

One league or two that is the question? So you list a crop of 'top riders' who won't be able to ride in a one league system. And so many, too many, double up to make a living?...So the loss of those star performers will affect speedway attendances will it? I don't think it can do so as attendances are surely already dire. Let's have a guess at how many watch the current batch of stars i.e. GP level and "the so called lesser riders"....lose them all and attendances will plummet?..But come on how many teams get a decent crowd nowadays? So I think one league is the best format and hopefully the stars will re-consider deserting the UK and eventually return. Can anyone tell me approx attendances for each UK team - I bet not many attract 1000+???

I wouldn't say "rather than gate receipts" though because the wealthiest must surely be a fair combination of all income strings in their bows. Sponsors probably do rule though I admit. But full terraces are also good for gaining the sport points via strong media coverage - ha ha ha.

Does that imply that those two are the worst supported clubs?.................I THINK NOT!!!!!

So the Polish teams, 8 of them says the post, only have 7 home fixtures from let's say April to September (24 weeks)???? My calculation has them with 17 blank weeks during Summer. How do they survive that ?

Just been catching up on these posts. Where on earth have you got the 200 crowd figure from ? I'm a regular and haven't seen any crowds at Northside that poor. Show me proof that I need to go to specsavers.

Yes very unlikely is how it may well be..But I think east Boldon greyhound/speedway stadium is only 5/6 mile from the large catchment area of Tyneside so it's surely worth some wealthy promoter at least running the rule as to reviving speedway - maybe some already have of course?

Just before the 1970 season started when interviewed on Border TV Ian Thomas labelled Vic Lonsdale 'The King of crash',,,,,but soon the crowd got tired of Vic's low scoring and booed at the mention of his name, he was hopeless. Then yes Chris Blythe got that title - not exactly one to be proud of eh. (I think Chris passed away this year?) And yes two unlikely lads won that 'best pairs' - I was there watching it.

What about Odsal?

Yeah chunky mentioned him.....Taffy Owen did a bit of doubling up too.