RobMcCaffery

I suspect that a few speedway suicides have been kept very quiet over the years. There is still such an unnecessary stigma. The families suffer enough. It is brave for Danny's family to confront the situation. May they find relative peace in time. If the sport can learn and save just one life then this desperately sad act night at least have one positive.

Yes

The best tribute to Danny is if you see someone in the sport showing signs of distress, depression or worse, to just ask "Are you ok". You never know where it might lead. A silly act of kindness can be so effective when you're that low.

I wish I had such certain knowledge of the future. Got any future winning lottery numbers?

Not all speedway injuries are visible, tragically in this case. Fortunately other sports are waking up to this so speedway won't be alone in this. Ironically the root of individual cases is often a sense of being alone.

Nothing released yet. I'd expect late April/early May, as with BT.

I think there were seven dirty Coventry riders at Poole after the 2010 Elite League Grand Final............

Bad enough to lose one of our family at such a young age, but also someone whose racing and relationship with fans was so loved. We need our entertainers. Whatever the reasons, rest well, Danny.

Thank you Chris. There are two aspects - firstly giving supporters like you a track they can get to and help in a small way to keep RH solvent: secondly....there's more to sport than money. A little sentiment does no harm and helps people to keep an attachment to the sport. Sadly there's very little room for sentiment in society let alone sport. Anyway, it's academic. I do hope you have a speedway track soon that you can get to - and I know how much you'd value a stock car track. Anyway, enough from me and the sport has sadder matters to consider tonight. For those who are unaware go to the speedway news section.

Having posted the above I have a couple of final points, and they are final. My ideas were formed last year when it was highly probable that I would be playing a part in running the club and would resume my place on the mic for the first time in 20 years. Since then it is clear I won't be doing either. I'm trying still to voice ideas to hopefully help the club. I had plenty more in development for presentation. They are best left where they are. I get frustrated when Ideas not just mine are either misunderstood as in this case, or dismissed out of hand. Unlike others I haven't just walked away from the sport although I have been kept away for a while by ill health. It's probably best from now on that I keep my thoughts to myself. I wish whichever promotion gets the rights to Rye House have huge success and it would be nice to think I could see a few more meetings once more there. I hope my thoughts have been helpful. If not they were at least well-intentioned. Time moves on and people like me are speedway's past, certainly not its future. I'll still enjoy my speedway but firmly back on the terraces. What is the point in expressing ideas if they aren't understood? You do get tired of fighting. Rob.

Of course nobody's doubting you wanting the return of Rye House and of course the supporters of most closed tracks have walked away from the sport. You yourself are proof that not all have. A third of course is that Rye House needs to draw its support locally, but not as narrowly as Hoddesdon. The successful years saw support coming from large parts of Hertfordshire, notably Ware, Welwyn and Stevenage, plus the likes of Cheshunt and Harlow. To make Rye House work comfortably it needs a mix of local support and any of the floating fans that can be attracted. It would indeed be folly to only seek to attract the latter but even a few dozen or a hundred of such fans could be the difference between success and failure. It costs little to make them feel at home at Rye House and pay due respect to their past. I see frequent comments from forum members lamenting the closure of Rye House who attended even though their own track had long gone. We had supporters from Hackney, Wimbledon and further back such as White City, West Ham, and even Romford and Rayleigh. Speedway needs new thinking and rather than chase the impossible 'yoof market' needs to be realistic and draw back some of the fans it has lost, perhaps those who gave up to bring up a family and now have the time and money once more to resume. Making strangers part of the family doesm't cost much and the benefits can be rewarding. I'm not talking huge numbers but how often do we heear "If only we could get another 100 fans on the terraces". Rye House as the unique survivor has an equally unique chance to do so. I can think of a dozen non Rocket fans on here who state that they would attend Rye House and that's just a small sample. Despite the beliefs of some the BSF is only that small sample. If whoever opens Rye House think that only the old ways will be good enough then I hope they have plenty of capital to shore up the losses. Rye House can be a success but like all successes will need to attend to the details and use some lateral thinking. I'm not talking about filling the place with Hackney and Wimbledon fans, but a few would help.

It's less uncertain than you think. Just be patient please.

I think it's just a case of waiting for one obstacle to be removed - in time.

Anyway it was part of the considerations last year by the Mead group. Who knows who will be the chosen promotion? I suspect there will be a choice and RHG will not allow other activities to get in the way of the new promotion. It was worth getting an indication of the response to Fridays and I wasn't surprised by the outcome. There's little I can do now to help get the Rockets back except observe and try to explain. It's not a case "I know but I'm not telling" I'm just trying to calm the more extreme reactions that have been appearing online. As before, it's a case of showing patience and let the situation resolve itself. I think there will be good news in the end.

Of course that would be Rye House Group's choice (or BMR if they're still managing the place). You would want to think that a public speedway meeting would be the most lucrative option but as Ray points out, in one case you're paying the talent, in the other, they're paying you. Take out all the extra costs of organising a public meeting under SCB regulations and with BSPA fees to be paid and you start to realise why it's more tempting to just run private events. I'd expect Rye House Group's choice would be for all three events to be held, including flat track, hence the suggested Friday alternative. It would not be first choice, but what if it were the only choice? Would you prefer the prospective promoters to give up?

Yes it was a 4.30 start on Sundays, half an hour later than in open licence days. Ron Russell started with 4.30 then tried later times in a desperate attempt to build the crowds. There was no lighting , although Ron had bought a set towards the end but hadn't had the chance to install them before the closure. Rockets did run evening meetings occasionally during Len Silver's original period running the place, using Mondays as off-nights against fellow Sunday tracks that couldn't be accommodated on bank holidays. This worked fine in June with light lasting well past 9.30 but late July was used disastrously one year. One Rocket came out for a race with a bike lamp fitted to his forks. He was quite justified to make his protest. Having asked about Fridays I am actually fully in favour of Saturday nights. Perhaps if our presence is sufficiently valued there won't be any flat tracks or speedway practices on speedway race days, otherwise it could be a problem? Anyway, there are bigger matters to deal with first. I can't agree with Hawk's comments about transition from Rayleigh to Rye House, I absolutely hated losing the Weir and it took me a very long time to adjust to Rye House. I too travelled on the coach from Rayleigh during 1974 and most of 1975. It wasn't easy.

I think you'll hear of several plans, and that can only give hope that so many are interested. It's vital after BMR that it goes to the right people. Right now, I don't think the stadium is fit or safe for public meetings. Wait until Rye House Group have finished the rebuild.

Thank you for your responses. I worked enough Fridays over the past forty years to know it's a working day ;-) Yes there are consequences for getting there but for most the evening is the start of the weekend with a day of rest to follow. The reason I mentioned the possibility was that it might, just might be necessary to use Fridays due to possible lack of track preparation time at weekends, assuming the practices and flat track continue. Friday would not be ideal but much better than a Monday or Thursday. Of course it's all ifs and buts for now. The key thing is to get the place back - when it's ready.

The point is that Friday nights aren't really considered midweek.

This is blatant discrimination against the disabled and possibly in breach of disability law. I am investigating whether a formal report of a breach has been made with the relevant authorities. As you may have guessed I am a blue badge user and also a Motability user. The latter has a magazine for its members which I have contacted suggesting that they advise their readers of the situation and to take this into account before attending the arena. I absolutely hate having to pass on negative publicity for once but this is a dangerous precedent. Speedway's ability to make insane decisions still astonishes me after all these years! A line has been crossed here. Speedway may be immune to logic but not to the law.

No. The row was between Virgin and UKTV (Dave, UK Gold etc) and was swiftly settled. Discovery and Sky need each other too much

Would you accept Friday nights? There could otherwise be a lack of time on Saturdays to prepare the track after a day's speedway practice or flat track which also are staged on Saturdays? Yes, it has to be balanced against the M25 problem.

I fully agree with you about commemorating the 1980 team but I think that Sunday afternoons might be out. Bear in mind the stadium is still earning revenue from the speedway practices and private flat track events then. I expect racing will be Saturday nights, or maybe even Friday nights?

1000 would be remarkable. I seem to remember when the Rockets relaunched in 1999 hearing that many NL tracks' break-even crowd figure was as low as 250. It'll be interesting to see what the rent will be for the refurbished stadium. Whether the team race in tier 2 or 3 would, I expect, be greatly determined by how much capital the prospective promotion has or is willing/able to risk. The main thing is getting the place back once it's ready.

There's clearly some serious investment going on. I see they're using the term "Rye House Group" for the karting and laser fighting activities, and now the speedway. It looks like the main stand is being rebuilt rather than demolished. It looks far too early to hold public events since it truly is a building site. I'd say this is another reason for optimism. Bear in mind the flat track and speedway practices are technically private events so the safety standards are more relaxed. Thanks for posting this.