Crump99

To be fair, the other meetings thus far have been run quickly and efficiently and this just had the usual organisational and big crowd issues, coupled with lack of urgency in running problems associated with a Bank Holiday meeting at the EoES. On a normal night it will not be like that so don't base your view of returning on what went on yesterday.

I'll not even entertain the first paragraph because I don't want you to keep digging that hole, you might never get out. As regards the EoES: for 30 years on a regular weekly basis we were the prime valued user of the site with only the annual agricultural show otherwise taking place that I can recall. A change of administration with different priorities in a shrinking showground being sold off for housing, the consequent reduction in access roads, the Arena springing up and much more use of the site gave the perception (and fixtures, health and safety issues would probably bear that out) that speedway is now an afterthought and source of regular, if not particulary significant income. Annoyance isn't the right word but they certainly wag the dog as no home fixtures from July 15 to Sept 2 indicate. The product has been dummed down for years, that's why people talk about survival. The tracks were always fine but the rider quality has got worse. You can have your most perfect track in the world but if you're not putting out riders of sufficient quality to do it justice then the product will be poor. That's the key that we wasted over the Sky years which is why speedway is continuing down the Hahnenkamm.

True but I prefer fast with extra bite and the potential to improve further on that. That's what Chapman has bought to the EoES in 2019 so I'll settle for that at the moment.

I said that it changes the dynamic however it is done. Doing it by moving the inside worked perfectly well and improved a track that already provided tremendous action. Whether moving the fence out, if it could have been done, would have had the same effect is open to question. The thing that is missing is proper banking but that's never going to happen.

Not sure what difference that makes; width is width and changes the dynamics however it is done. It was done to give David Howe his home shot at the World U21 title and done within the confines of what the EoES allowed, if that's cheap as you say then it is what it is. When Mercer and crew arrived as EoES administrators shortly afterwards they got upset about sponsor boards on the fence and number of cars allowed inside the showground so basically you're lucky that it's as wide as it is because I doubt that those works would have happened afterwards. More importantly, given the shrinking showground and the running problems we've had over the last 15 years you should really just appreciate that you're still able to visit one of the best speedway locations in the country. I'd worry about improving quality on track before I'd worry about shapes and stuff.

Hopefully I'll never have to put my trust in your leadership in a combat situation. I know which I'd be happier facing armed only with a rifle

Rather interesting strategy if true given that his fellow co-promoter was an apparent significant part of that previous management team

I thought that is was in a jeep, Kenny Everett style

Owner of the finest collection of Peterborough golf balls to be seen in the Czech Republic.

That's the one although I seem to recall that it wasn't so much that NBJ turned right rather that he didn't turn left. Others said that Allen shouldn't have gone where he did in the first place so it was a case of you pays your money and makes your choice along tribal lines.

Think that the stand somehow upsets his sense of direction. It wasn't so long ago that he turned right (IMO - not everyone agreed) and caused (can't recall who it was) someone to have a very nasty high speed crash as they headed towards the bar.

Amen to that. I thought the clock in the car had bust again when I checked it driving out. Top effort from all concerned thus far

He's not wrong though.

Jeez, how wide do you want it. You should have seen it before it was widened for the 2001 World Under 21 Championship.

The point is that he didn't disappear in that context. I'm well of what you're saying, we had to suffer Kenneth Bjerre 3,3,2,1,0 for enough seasons.

Rubbish - 8 points then misses one start and gets roughed up on the first turn in a tough heat. After the start and first turn it's basically follow the leader because you will not go round anyone and unless they move off the line then where you were are is where you stay. That's what happened to Kurtz.

I think we know that the initial signs of a similar policy are not overly positive.

That's handy. I started in Lynchwood on April 1st and do get a bit stuck sometimes for lunch. Where is your McDonalds?

What you say might be valid and more of a case these days especially but we have to factor in the highlighted bit in terms of stage of his career. Whichever it is, it's not good for club business and needs sorting unless it improves very quickly; and that starts in the Premiership on Monday!

Same problem as the last few years. Struggles too often from the gate, over 30 yards and gets beat up on the first turn. Time waits for nobody and this isn't the barnstorming Andersen that Panthers once knew. He may have been testing equipment or something and there could be improvement in there somewhere from tonight but the decline is only going one way IMO.

All going well in Buster's Pantherland then? As Blackadder said " Well it started badly, it tailed off a little in the middle & the less said about the end the better ... "

Because we need to win away as well.

Yet another cracking thought provoking post from Scrutton. A bite on a Thursday, good effort

And bearing in mind that first night is one of the best crowds of the season as supporters old and new test the ground then this fell well short both on and off track, and complete entertainment package it certainly wasn't. I don't think that we'll be seeing this too often, Chapman said: “We had a good crowd and I’m pleased about that. Fortunately visiting fans might swell the future numbers to give some comfort but that will probably mask the underlying damage being done. My take was that it started well pre-meeting with PA at nice level without bloody irritatingly loud pit interviews booming out, then the Peas played as a welcome bikes at the start introduction returned. After that is was all downhill with a team, on first look, I wouldn't particularly cross the road to watch, 15 heats of basically, gate, 1st turn and fill in your programme and a distincly flat atmosphere, not uncommon over the last few years, especially since airhorns went AWOL. Is that a bit too much after one meeting

First night of any season is usually decent but will they return based on that is another matter. Irrespective of cobwebs, relatively meaningless fixture if they want to use that as an excuse, and Belle Vue blowing off their cobwebs somewhat on Saturday, it was poor from the home side which looks distinctly average now and you wouldn't put a fiver on any of them to win a race that mattered against Fricke, Bjerre etc when they turn up during the season. Tungate was better than I expected though and I think that he can hopefully kick on during the season. Anyone turning up to see Andersen from memory will have seen that he is a pale shadow of the once barnstorming hero of the past although he did nearly wipe himself and someone else out on turns 3 and 4. Not sure whether that was by luck or judgement that he didn't