Sargent10

Afternoon John it’s Billy’s dad, absolutely gutted for you guys especially sonny, I remember us all having dinner together in Edinburgh couple of years back after a youth meeting and we all said at the time about the costs of the game and we all said then it would kill it, it’s all well certain individuals spending whatever they want and good luck to them, however we said who the hell are they going to race against if they price out the majority!! I don’t know how much I spend and have spent and I really don’t want to know and we like you are at the same end of the ladder (or was), but if we can’t afford it next year we know that is it, I like you will certainly not bankrupt us for speedway. Sending you all best wishes 👍

Last time I went to Poole my lad and I who’s now a rider himself went to watch Poole against Belle Vue and magic was in the Poole team and track wasn’t great, seen plenty of times on tv since but it is really a shocking sight, still bumpy as hell in turn one and so slick it is embarrassing, watching it must be hard

That’s not going to happen because he might tell them a few things that they don’t want to hear!

My post was on youth level speedway not premiership speedway!!! I made my point that they (muppets) not Birmingham fans general posters, you should read the post correctly, however, so what if every other club folded in the midlands that doesn’t give Birmingham the divine right to expect other supporters to attend does it?? He incidentally put on coaches for wolves fans when they shut but nobody used them! Get your facts straight before posting

Laurence Rodgers gets some shameful treatment on this forum from complete and utter muppets, some of whom are supposed to be speedway fans and incredibly Birmingham fans, not one of whom has actually played any part of bringing anything to the table in regards to introducing a single rider into the sport (probably), gave any encouragement to the same as making a point of chatting with juniors before meetings asking if they require any assistance in the sport, (if so they are hiding behind a keyboard which is even worse) personally I have had dealings with Laurence for a great many years and his encouragement and support is beyond any other promotion, he’s always been very supportive to all the juniors and young riders and always keeps in touch regarding the next meeting, how many clubs are actually doing that?? And to think all clubs are still required to do something to promote junior level, he’s doing it every week not just once. Remember once it’s gone it’s permanent and then you have nothing to moan about, however, judging by some he is getting the blame for that also! Shameless

So to clarify, you come on speedway thread, about in your opinion a shambles of a event and tell everyone that they should attend BSB or something like that, saying how it’s done so much better and haven’t even been yourself??? Behave, like your previous comment embarrassed for you,

Why would they want to attend any your obvious favourite events? They were just there to watch speedway, Cardiff was a shambles for years and all this fanny about the experience, do me a favour, a joke of a fan zone so far away from stadium you needed new shoes after walking there, couple of street sellers and pubs (which every city has) so what, the GP is 2/3 hours long not all day and certainly apart from this particular time not a weekend, I suggest if you are not happy with what the majority enjoyed last night walk away, tap your keyboard and see how happy that makes you. Embarrassing post

As much as I agree with your statement about pre season predictions and lack of interest on social media etc, these leagues are designed for young lads and maybe girls to enter a competitive league and build on their experience, virtually all the teams are doing a great job having rookies in their teams and first and foremost that should be welcomed, whoever wins or finishes bottom should not be the aim.

I was talking about the fact that they want riders to travel north and it’s a long way to lots of them and they are rushed on at the end of a meeting that has meandered on in a time constrait which is ridiculous and everyone knows it and if it’s too late they just say sorry but it’s off, and that’s happened plenty (Berwick twice in our case) in one month and it’s 4.5 hours and 300 miles home without the journey up, anyway you reap what you sow and it’s going over old ground which I’m sure nobody is interested in

Looking at youth get together at northside it seems strange clubs have difficulty getting 125cc riders to turn up judging by the number of youngsters, however, parents are the drivers, mechanics and everything else and as much as clubs treat them with contempt the parents will select what meetings they attend and the league system will suffer, only way to improve things is for clubs to stop burying their heads in the sand

Extremely poor taste comment, good lad is Ben and he will be okay imho

Really good idea, keeps the team on track, gauge crowd levels and potential for seeing how team members pull together, before entering league next year

Agree with that mate big time but haven’t we slightly missed the point that for some it’s still a part time job so too speak? So yeah championship level and above where the lads it’s there job, however we class that, below that level you’re hoping to get lads who might have full time jobs to comply with all the regulations that top tier riders have to deal with and then travel and ride for peanuts and be happy to try and as you said progress up, um as KK said I’m not sure but let’s see

I truly believe all the lads we know have always been wanting to progress otherwise there wouldn’t be a youth series, it’s after that it’s just more difficult I think, seeing both sides of the arguments lads say dad we will get through it and be great other lads have said o stuff it can’t be arsed with it anymore and good lads at that, lads that wanted to progress even further but were fed up with things around the sport, that’s more the point I’m making, we should be trying to make it work for everyone rather than a limited few otherwise we all know what outcome will come

You know full well pal the reality of riders wanting to progress fell on its arse a few years ago, look at how many young lads are no longer riding, regulation amongst other reasons is because of that, and the rev limiters is a joke, how many riders are up to 13,500 revs at any time especially NDL lads, Andy your right rules are rules but as pointed out lots of people it’s not helping youngsters continue.

The added cost of the silencers rev limiters will undoubtedly increase the chances of riders saying thanks but no thanks, especially when they find out how much money the clubs are allowed to pay, I hope I’m wrong but it’s certainly not getting riders queuing up to ride, you only have to look at how many don’t enter amateur meetings anymore for prove of that.

They don’t seem to want to travel that far north even on a Friday, perhaps because of the expense and if they don’t get a ride through a incident of some kind, but that’s fact, there simply isn’t enough 250 riders for all the teams imho who’s going to commit either, you’re idea about GP style events is good but look at the youth series this year and last and numbers are not always good.

Monday night is never a good night for parents, school next day etc, just times we live in

Factually slightly wrong, in the NJL case it’s more likely that teams can’t get 125cc riders to travel to various northern clubs, even though it’s mostly Friday night, and it’s only been this this year when there’s been a couple more 250 riders, however, not enough for all the teams, secondly, the MDL was supposed to have been extended this year by various clubs but as usual they dropped out before a wheel was turned and Laurence did a good job of staging meetings with what was available, again, riders in younger groups were simply unavailable, remember that they are reliant upon the parents to get them there and that’s difficult in this moment

Absolutely a nightmare for managers Andy, how can it work if say one team has 2/3 125 riders and another has same 250, ??? It simply can’t work, unless riders of either category are willing to travel, it’s not an easy fix and it’s a bloody shame

Personally I can’t see how the NJL in its current form can possibly run, massive shortfall of 125 riders willing to travel north and that’s the reason why NJL has to adapt, possibly a 500cc schedule like the MDL but I’m not sure even that will work, I hope it does because it was a fantastic experience for the young riders and they do deserve a chance, lots of questions need to be answered by the scb and promotions on this because without the junior teams where are the next few riders coming from

Idiot end of, go away

Apologies for being abrupt but ask yourself why this is happening and you might be closer to the answer! As a dad who’s son has raced for 5 years in NJL for one team and has done thousands of miles guesting for other teams you simply don’t understand how it works pal, turn up and hope to get a ride on a track that is knackered and you are rushed on and off to get it done before curfew then supporters normally are not even bothered to stay and watch, plus you don’t get any help with expenses from most clubs, it’s something you are aware of too being with but lots of parents look at it all and are now saying thanks but definitely no thanks

Annual cost of license is about £140 now, that is ACU/SCB, but it is travelling and machinery costs are very expensive, the deeper your pockets the better your rider will be, because you are looking at parents who either have available time and financial resources to take the rider wherever possible and not have to worry about working arrangements, it’s not easy for parents to say travel to tracks Mondays and Thursday or other days to have a skid after a meeting, also providing the rider gets on (depending upon curfew etc), additionally the amount of tracks having practice sessions is limited compared to years ago and one might not be local so extra travelling at weekends is necessary. So people say if you are committed you do it, but if you don’t have necessary funds it’s difficult