bellevueace

Sad day that Tony Mole leaves the sport, we certainly need the likes of him coming into the sport.

My first meeting was Belle Vue v Coventry in 1968, a 50-28 win if I remember rightly, been supporting the Aces ever since.

Surely it would be better for clubs to have good crowds all season long than just for play off matches of which only 4 benefit? Sky seem to want to manufacture results in speedway to keep the interest until the final heat, that dosent happen in other sports. Yes Rugby league etc have play offs but they also have a league winners shield so as not to demean the whole league season. In the NFL for example you can be league champions but the play off champions hold more kudos. In speedway topping the league means jack. I always say if it isnt broken dont fix it, in the days of 13 heats real second halves etc crowds dwarfed anything seen today, yes times change but looking around the terraces today said changes have not done anything to arrest rapidly falling crowds. I think compensation through the courts will be more beneficial to Belle Vue than their play off gate money tbh, all tracks need these play off crowds on a regular basis as used to be the case. Sadly the sport is now seen as a joke thanks to the array of new rules. The wishes of individuals obviously take second place to the needs of the sport, but those individuals appear to be growing more and more with regards to the rules, alienating those cant really be in the best interests of the sport, we are down to the die hards now and even those are now staring to walk away. Lets see what transpires at the BSPA meeting next month, hopefully for once they might get it right. How complicated does four men turning left for 60 seconds have to be?

In the golden eras of speedway when crowds packed the terracing there was not a play off system in sight. For clubs like Newport for example at the time 40 years ago they were always seen as strugglers, along with other perrenial strugglers they continued to pack the terracing in such numbers that would make todays play off final look paltry, for supporters of these clubs they didnt see matches as dead rubbers just because they had no hope of achieving success, they packed the terraces because they wanted to see good racing immeterial of winning the league. Sadly today we have sky trying everything to manipulate matches to a last heat decider for their tv viewers. In doing so we have the ludicrous situation where sheffield could be crowned league champions after finishing sixth in the league, we have the ludicrous double tactical ride, we have the its a knockout style joker in the wtc, its these silly rules that takes away credibility from the sport, and people wonder why the terraces have emptied. Wolves i think im right in saying have been crowned champions is it two or three times without topping the league table, that most people now only turn out in numbers for the end of season play offs means clubs ride all season to poor attendances where only the four play off clubs actually get any decent crowds at all , and crowds that would have been been seen as very poor years ago with no manipulation of the regular league. Many said regular showing on tv would increase crowds that too has never happened, in fact live sky matches have had the opposite effect. For the majority of teams in the premiership they have no hope of ever winning anything but the fans of those clubs still turn out in large numbers for said dead rubbers every week, perhaps its because they support the game? Only my view mate but im no fan of the play offs, the T/R rule, the joker etc. Perhaps im just a dinosaur

Whilst the crowds no doubt increase for the play offs they go the opposite way for the majority of the season as people know the regular league really is now nothing more than a qualifying process so why bother lets just turn out for the semis and final if we qualify. The crowds need to increase throughout the whole season for clubs to be solvent, not just four creaming it at the end of the season.

One minute people are saying speedway needs investment next minute when that investment is forthcoming as it is with the Faccenas at Glasgow they are trying to buy the title. Unlike football you cant buy the title as no matter how much money you have you still have to build to the same team average as everyone else, not exactly like Man utd fielding Ronaldo, Messi, Aguero, Suarez etc is it? More clubs need promoters like Glasgow that put in investment, upgrade aging stadiums and actually get out and promote putting the club and the sport firmly in the public eye, i say well done to them.

Thats a great result for Sheffield, theres no way i thought 8 points would be enough, full credit to them. With Stead, Garrity, and Berge they really would take some stopping.

Sat in car park just stopped raining at the moment hopefully it will now stay clear

Rain started

How about all the old dears on the old world of sport wrestling who rushed to the ringside to give the likes of Mick McManus or Giant Haystacks a good handbagging

Just a mention for Peter Karlsson he was instrumental in winning this title for the Wolves. Hes been a great professional and a tremendous rider throughout his career, totally loyal and someone certain other riders could well learn a lot from, total respect to the bloke.

Totally gutted but 18 points was too much the damage was done at Monmore. Congratulations to Wolves on the aggregate win, I was speaking with a group of Wolves fans throughout the meeting a great bunch. What a race between Zagar/Cook and Lindgren, total commitment hard but fair imo the handbags afterwards added to the atmosphere as speedway used to be years ago its called passion. As for the stick Woofinden got come on it was pantomime booing, it was common place throughout the seventies when this type of crowd was commonplace and we had atmosphere in stadiums, obviously it got to Tai hence his response, he shouldn't have let the fans know they had got to him, premier league footballers take far more vitriolic abuse but rise above it. Talking of Tai did he give his medal away? The WTC silver he said was worthless so this one must be more so considering his bit part contribution to the cause. So Wolves take revenge for 1993 fair play to them. But its hard to feel a loser when we have this track/facility. Lets hope the whole sport can now kick on and every club can look forward to much better times ahead.

All tracks need big crowds through the regular season

We are going to have to have all seven right at the top of their game tomorrow with wolves carrying a few riders to even have a sniff, cant see it happening to be honest, in fact I think wolves could even have a chance of a double as its possible we could be that fired up we actually over ride. Appears cookie is the only one to be able to handle the pressures of these play off finals.

Why would anyone ask for refunds? You support a team win or lose, plus the racing on the wide open spaces should be superb.

And there i think you have nailed the real problem

Its not as if Woofinden banged in 13 or 14 either was it? The NSS will certainly suit him much better, we need to be 110% up for it weds, have the speed and the determination. Fricke and Jacobs will certainly score far more at home, Zagar we can all but hope. Even though i think we,re doomed Captain Mannering if they can put 54 past us down there why cant we do likewise up here?

Whats the betting Zagar has a soggy bottom

Ive said for a while that when it comes down to it you wont win the big meetings with a misfiring number 1 Zagar is just not reliable, Fricke should have come into this meeting with his confidence way up after saturday and no excuse that he cant ride small tracks after Edinburgh and Kirky Lane, Jacobs has been superb at home but apart from swindon has been as poor away from home. I remember pullin back 22 points at Hyde road against Exeter one season cant see that happening on weds tbh. The bottom line is like last season the pressure appears to have got to them, they have been brilliant all season but come the big meetings and i fear that winning mentality isnt there, they dont appear to handle the pressure. So a packed NSS and sadly its looking like an anti climax, its disappointing to top the table and then to put in a showing like tonight. All you can do Is congratulate Wolves and hope theres some terriffic racing for the tv viewers on weds night. One other thing when Tai gave his WTC medal away he said it meant nothing to him which at the time i thought demeaned it for the other lads, so surely a title winning medal cant mean much to him after giving the whole season a miss just to come in on the back of the other Wolves lads success? Just a thought.

We need to keep it close tonight as I think pulling back any deficit at the NSS will be a harder task than at the dog track. I think weve looked a more solid unit away from home. We have had to dig deep in many home meetings as the opposition just love the place. It could come down to which reserves perform the best on their own track.

The score belies the racing, Lakeside gave it a go and contributed to some good action, Bridger,s win after a great four lap battle with the Worralls being the pick of the bunch. Rob Branford was on the pace and deserved his race win. The Aces all came to the party and the determination was 100%, we need them to all replicate this over the two legs in the final, that wont be easy against a formidable Wolves side. Both teams ride each others track well so not much advantage there, really hope we can finish the season off now, the final is too close to call.

Win or lose the final if we get there im glad we kept with our original 1-7 throughout the season, no ringers, no dodgy average lowering for injured riders no strange disappearing reserves, just good old fashioned principal and integrity. Up The Aces

If the Hammers are on it it could be a tricky first leg for the Aces a potential banana skin and as we have seen any team can come to the NSS and do well. I certainly wont be counting my chickens. Also like to say i always enjoy my visits to Lakeside, ive seen some cracking racing our last meeting there being a prime case, also like the people there a friendly bunch.

I know injuries loss of form play a part but im happy Belle Vue are finishing the season with the same seven riders they started with, it would have been easy to replace Joe early doors for example but we stuck with him and he turned it round. It might cost us in the play off but im glad we stuck to our principles rather than bring in a ringer for the business end of the season.