Glen

The hundred is only there for the summer holidays before and after cricket lapses to its county tradition in front of the few committed followers. cricket was a huge summer sport which in its long form no longer appeals to today’s young. speedway has had to fight for its share of entertainment with people no longer rocking up week in week out. Times change and without blaming anyone it’s still here in a smaller way.

I probably disagree with a lot that has been written on here - Seem to recall the best riders available riding in the U.K. when Sky were the paymasters. Tended to think that the U.K. business model has been for promoters to run speedway not because it was seen as sport but simply as a way of making money. Consequently I think business tended to give speedway a wide berth over the years as the people involved were let’s say ‘in it for themselves’. We are now down to the enthusiast promoters who are in it for the sport and not the money. In some respects the arrival of Woffinden Lambert and Bewley is probably 20 years too late to have an impact in U.K. terms. Poland has always been different go back to the 70’s and 80’s and they would get 40,000 at test matches - their league was football like in support and always has been but their rider quality wasn’t up to U.K. standard until the fall of Soviet Union and free enterprise took over. They were destined to become the power in speedway with that kind of support. Sweden saw a renaissance when Tony Rickardson appeared and their club sides signed the best riders available. Sadly time has caught up and their strong tradition of developing riders has virtually gone. Clubs went bust and crowds disappeared. Denmark could be similar - when Ole Olsen became world champion they expanded their league and produced some of the finest talent. They are still a strong nation but like Sweden are finding it difficult to attract youngsters to the sport - golf is the new favourite. I am now 2 hours drive away to the nearest track when 10 years ago there were at least 5 within an hour. Times change it’s a sad situation now.

What’s probably needed is a couple of Premier clubs say they can no longer afford to run in the league and need to run championship. Then we will see a change of mind to the current set up

I get the feeling a few clubs and their promotions dictate the rules for the rest. isnt it time to reorganise the whole system with one league, team strengths, number of riders per team, number of rides per match and the riders costing clubs a fortune and giving very little in return.

What goes around comes around the saying goes - reading mags from 1960 said much the same thing.’’ Where are the new riders coming from - races are too spread out - watching same tracks against each other’’ In 1960 there were 10 top league tracks and 10 second or provincial tracks. Most commentators said the sport had been given a new lease of life by the introduction of the provincial league - better racing (more mistakes) and cheaper to run meetings. The 2 leagues wandered along for several more years until the top stars began to disappear ( Craven Moore Fundin Knutsson ) then in 1965 the leagues amalgamated. Probably saved speedway as we know it. Lesson over!

I’m sure Osbournes lawyers are primed for that to happen.

1965 is always mentioned as a defining moment in the framework of league racing - and it was. Would it work today I doubt it - not enough riders and vested interests (financial) way above what was then with rider control able to dictate team strengths rather than averages. A ‘second’ division wasn’t established then so new riders only had second halves and open meetings to get experience. It took the second division to bring about the revival in the sport. I recently attended the Eastbourne v Lakeside match at Iwade run with 6 man teams over 12 heats. Then 3 heats of bottom , middle and top scorer and made for an interesting match but with more scribbling of course!