East End Fan

Blueherb speaks for most of us I think. Shame about Covatti, but not a surprise. He will not be the only rider from Europe not racing in UK in 2021. Next season will see some big changes, but it will also be a time for all our lives to settle down to normality and I would expect riders like Covatti to return to UK in 2022. I don't fully understand the things that Poland want to do that will affect us. In any case the number of riders rushing about all over Europe every week will not be the same as I'm sure that the cost of travel will increase.

Here, Here to that.

Some government cash for dog racing announced last night. Nothing for Speedway. So unfair. Bit concerned at the big increase in Covid 19 inputs of Kent. Will the new vaccines arrive in time to get us going at Easter ?

Rye House seemed to go into decline very suddenly. When my team went there when the Rockets folded, it was far from successful and as a Hammers fan I did not enjoy it at all, unlike the days when I used to go ther as a visiting fan to follow my team (and a few others on occasion) when I really liked the place. Such a shame it has been lost for ever.

Traffic must be awful when the M20 is used as a car park. Glad I don't live in Kent and really only use the A2 to get to Sittingbourne. I wasn't able to see the British Final, but note that Australians were a big prescence ! No objections from me in these starnge times. How did Paul Starke do ?

I wonder what that has got to do with Kent ? Posted on the wrong place I think ?

I was pleasantly surprised when I was told that Daniel Gilkes had only droppedd one point in the Under 19 meeting at Scunthorpe. Have watched his progress over the last season ( 2019) and he simply got better and better. Will be a big influence in the Kings success or otherwise when Championship racing begins again. Keeping my fingers crossed for March 2021.

Such a fence would seem to be wholly inadequate if comparewd with what we have at Central Park. There, the acoiustic fence is 6 metres high, and that sits on top of steep banking which I guess is 3/4 metres above track level, so a total of about nearly 30 feet in old money. The cost of such a fence around a new track would, I guess, be prohibitive. You need a Council who approve of Speedway in the 1st instance, not one opposed to it. I hope the various councils in the North East are the right kind.

Very dismal view..But I am fairly sure that the Kent dogs boss also owns the Speedway, so I do not see a problem unless it is a problem for both.

Thank you for that, I might even make my first trip there for the British Championship in September. Must remember to wrap up warm !

I am very curious to learn what it was that you did to try to save the Rockets ? Did you offer to be the new promoter ? Or offer cash ? Every post I read from you seems to indicate that Speedway is on its knees because all your expert offers of help have been declined. In the days when Arena and the Rockets were in the same league, I was often a visitor to Rye House. I don't remember you ...should I ?

All this logical thinking is too much for me to take in all at one time ! I have never been to Ipswich so have no idea what the plavce is like.

Thank you for that. Ipswich seems a strange choice, why not Belle Vue, the "National" venue ?

News of a British Final has passed me by. Can anyone elaborate..when and where. Will public be allowed ?

But isn't vaccination the only way out of the Coronavirus horror ? We cannot look at the future without looking at an end to what we have been going through. And not just medically. Financially we can only get back to normal when people can live normally. How do we do that without a vaccine ? So although there is an argument for not wishing to take a jab, the arguments in the other direction are IMO overwhelming. Maybe one of those suggesting that they would not take the vaccine tell us how else do we get back to a normal life ? And MY normal life includes a weekly dose of Speedway..at present totally absent.

Agree with that 100%

TV news on Sunday reported that 50% of the population would refuse to be innoculated anyway. Find that hard to believe and certainly hard to accept. There can be no doubt that the only way out of the present mess is for a nationally administered vaccine.

What changes would you like to see ?? Has to be some doubt about certain overseas riders and availability. Already doubt about Nico Covatti in the Kent side I believe. Seems he only wants to race at week-ends in Italy. He would not be the only one, I'm sure, unless there is a vaccine On TV last night the programme about vaccines suggested that clinical trials were already taking place.

Thinking about the financial future. what will be the effect of millions of unemployed people come October when government furlough scheme ends ? None of those will be able to afford to attend speedway, or anything else for that matter. Could be the catalyst for basic changes to Speedway as we know it. And many other mass entertainment businesses too, even football.

In this situation everyone is a loser and unless we see a vaccine within the next few weeks. we will all still be losers.

Are the public allowed to attend dog meetings ?

Thanks. Common knowledge now of course and no surprise really. Note the optimism at Central Park already announcing their opening date next year !!!!

I just had a phone call from a guy I have become friendly with at Sittingbourne and he says that he's heard that no racing will happen there until 2021. Has anybody heard the same ?

How do you know that ? Is it just for 2020, or permanent ?

Suggestions generally seem to be that racing might get going in October. Could be too little too wet.