Great Central

It is indeed a complex situation over there and the more you ask, the more complicated it seems to get. Cutting riders costs would help reduce that annual deficit as would not competing in the NL Trophy which generally is run in the less popular times of the year in terms of spectators. The air fence issue was a smokescreen since a number of offers of fences and sponsorship seem to have been rejected, and has diverted the attention away from the fact that the Chairman doesn't want to run speedway anymore. How that sits with shareholders I don't know since they all bought into a Company to support speedway, not to make money, and all they would be left with is being a shareholder of a stadium and its subsidiary "income streams". In fact Speedway is in the name of the company so it is totally clear what the Company was set up for. In my view the decision not to run was made ages ago but deliberately declared so late that other parties and additional financial assistance couldn't be found in time to rescue it, unless of course somebody with real money comes in with a business plan that works. That of course is highly unlikely given the timescales and the attitude of the Board. I don't know the answer but I do know that this is a unique case of a team closing not because of houses being built on the land but because of other issues and therefore every effort has to be put into finding a solution somehow because without the Islanders, British speedway at NL level will be worse off.

And of course ferry space then becomes a problem. I am sure that Wightlink would not want to give up valuable space to non paying speedway riders and officials but no suggestion should be put down without adequate thought.

You are spot on. The financing of the air fence issue is something that can be overcome, not easily, but can be overcome. It is the losses that have been sustained and look like being sustained going forward unless something is done to turn it round that is the real problem. There does seem to be some negativity that seems to be preventing people working together to come up with solutions which is a pity. Maybe the mystery backer came up against that negativity in his short discussions with the club? I sincerely hope that the club continues since NL speedway cannot afford to lose it. It is unique and the people involved are good, passionate people but that won't pay the bills. What is clear is that Kevin and Chris and several others worked their socks off this year trying to turn it round but it needed something extra and that is probably more advertsing revenue and more promotion of what is a good nights entertainment at a stadium which some clubs would love to own.

Good signing and a fairly local lad as well. I wish whoever posts the press release would check their facts though. The following is posted from the press release. "Kent are delighted to announce the addition to their 2014 squad, teenager, Brandon Freemantle who appeared last season for the Isle of Wight and who made rapid improvement in the latter half of the season." He rode for the Islanders on the 2nd July, was injured and took no further part in racing in 2013. His average is only 3 though which is a steal.

I thought that the deal that they had going in partnership with Wighlink and Ryde taxis was a fantastic deal ie £22 all in but I am not sure that it was publicised enough. Yes it is on the website, but not in the easiest place to find and quite a few people that I talked to weren't aware of the offer thinking that driving across on the ferry was the only way.

Not the case anymore. The very generous sponsorship package by Wightlink Ferries ensures that all riders and officials get across to the Island and back free of charge. Very efficiently they do it too!!

No. I am presuming(don't know) that the BSPA will be informed before releasing any news to the wider world. There has been a lot of work going on everywhere to keep the club alive and there was even a big pledge today from across the water but whether it is enough to sway the verdict I don't know. It is disappointing that it has been left so late to take action since more could have been done before the season ended.

Bryn, Is it possible to get the website updated with the correct amount raised. It has sat for ages on £9135 yet the GoFundMe appeal has been boosted by a very generous anonymous donation of £100 only yesterday. Thanks to all who have pledged donations. Martin

I think you will find it is Reading. Read it in SS recently.

No it is more than the £20k. I thought that but was advised differently. As you point out money has to be found somehow to advertise the product on offer.

Bryn, It is Great Central, not that young upstart Grand Central from the New World!! I think that Halifax Tiger is spot on with his comments about advertising being so important to the Isle of Wight. If it is a lost cause trying to stir up support in the Island, and I don't think it is which is why I keep helping out in the background, the tourists who come across are therefore the lifeblood of speedway at Smallbrook but if they don't know it is there then they won't go. I also don't think that the air fence is the issue here. Yes the club is about £10k short right now but how long has the campaign been running. Not that long and a protracted campaign over the winter will bring in the additional money, and the Supporters Club have offered some help going forward with any instalment payments. What it needs however is a unified push on air fence fundraising and also how to improve attendances and I have offered my help in any way that I can. Why am I bothered about whether the IOW runs or not? It is because in this case it is not about the land being sold for houses but being viable going forward. It is a great club, run by shareholders in a not for profit context which is a great ethos. It will affect the NL and British speedway if it doesn't run and who cannot be excited by its unique position. I was involved to a small extent in Leicester coming back and am trying to get a home for the Long Eaton Invaders and like many on here who have tried to resurrect speedway clubs, it is nigh on impossible to do. Much easier to keep it going rather than trying to start afresh which TMW was alluding to. The focus should be therefore on clearing the debt and improving visibility of speedway to the tourists and the air fence will take care of itself. At the moment, in my opinion, it is acting as a smoke screen to the real problems behind the club's vilability. Martin

Bryn, I think you know my views on the IOW and where they should go in the future but with Mrs W(TMW) watching my every move, I could not possibly commit on this forum to such a generous offer from you. As the Government would say "We are currently exploring all avenues and opportunities"!! Martin

Some great ideas coming up all of which I hope will sway the decision the right way on Tuesday. I think now the issue has come out onto the forum it is showing how people are willing to help with ideas. Of course they have to be translated into action by someone but at least the ideas are there. Leaflets should be placed in every tourist attraction on the Island and maybe a deal struck up whereby a purchase to one attraction gets you reduced admission to another. There is a small advert on page 61 of the Wightlife magazine right down at the bottom but could be easily missed since it seems to blend in with the ones next to it. A thought would be for the Supporters Club to try and fund a full page advert next year if they run. What about contacting former riders(there are some illustrious ones that have cut their teeth around Smallbrook) and ask them to donate one item for auction on ebay with funds going to the Supporters Club to pay for increased advertising. What about advertising on the TV screens on the ferries - more expensive but for about £2k I think, it appears that you can access a potential of 800,000 pax for three months(June, July and August) with over 400,000 opportunities to view the advert on the 5 ferries Portsmouth to Fishbourne route. It would be better than watching the garlic growing!!

And that is at the root cause of the problem. Apparently there are speedway supporters on the Island that will not go and support NL racing which they see as being of a poorer quality to PL racing. Well they should watch some old videos because the NL lads race just as hard with probab;y more passing. The Club really needs to attract the youngsters in the Island since not many turn up on a Tuesday to watch the great racing but you can't fault Chris Hunt, Kevin Shepherd and a few others that spent their weekends trying to drum up support attending every possible venue that they could, displaying bikes and handing out promotional material. .

It is my understanding that there are no more 2nd hand air fences left on the market so they have to buy a new one.

No sorting necessary. If a rider under 25 has a PL average above 4.00, and is in a declared PL 1-7 then he can't ride in the NL. Simon did have a PL average of around 5 at one point but finished the 2013 season on 3.00 so can ride.

Fully echo your sentiments. If this comes off, it will be good for the NL, for the riders in the south west who have been "frozen" out lately. Full credit must be given to the Plymouth promotion for even considering it and I hope they get the same level of crowds as they did when previously in the NL.

So that must be at least 4 different definitions of a NL rider. I see Poole are aiming for Kyle Newman who last rode NL in 2011 with PL/EL since then. Perhaps because they are having trouble fitting in Holder and Ward into the main team, Ward will be the other NL rider having riden for Boston in 2008!!

Glyn, a great session yesterday. It was a little bit cool but then it is November. I don't think anyone went away short of laps with some having over 10 rides of 5/6 laps each. Plenty of youngsters on display but nice to see some NL riders using the opportunity to try things out on a well prepared and well maintained track. Next session is the 30th November which was designated as an amateur meeting but is now a training session.

Massive generalisation on your behalf and I don't know where you get your information about foreign riders but it is not my experience. As for going out advertsing themselves, chasing sponsorship etc, the Swedish clubs picked their riders in October and their fixtures were settled before our season finished. With exceptions, most British riders won't know who they will be riding for until after the AGM this weekend and for the NL riders, the vast majority won't know until well into the New Year. How can you chase sponsorship in those circumstances?? The AGM's should be held at the end of September. There wasn't much else going on. As for getting out training, along with many other British youngsters, my son was at Leicester today trying out different equipment and settings in order to build on his recent progress and tomorrow morning (0600)he is at work trying to earn money to stay in the sport he loves. He doesn't expect anything on a plate and that goes for the guys he races with.

I don't think an equal share is right but it should be shared out and there shoul be no middlemen negotiating on behalf of the BSPA. I think that in football, the revenue from the the TV rights does filter down into youth development so why in speedway does it not do the same or does it?

Now that must be the first radical change for years ie Poole abiding by the rules!! And before anyone bites, it's only a light hearted jibe to warm up the dark nights before the life changing AGM.

As a suggestion, you are probably not far from the mark with the EL but not sure about no GP riders. As far as NL clubs movng up to Divsion 2, my own view is that only Dudley, and possibly Kent and Mildenhall would be able to sustain the increased costs so where do the riders go from the other 5 teams?

When you read the article on the IOW County Press Online posted below, it is a different story. Now we all know how press articles can get distorted but it appears far more serious than just waiting for the outcome of the two AGM's. The club clearly needs some additional support to keep going and for the sake of speedway in the UK, option 1 is not one that should be contemplated but it is not my money that has been put in to keep it going this year. "SPEEDWAY fans have been given a month to come up with a plan to save their cash-strapped side. At the club’s AGM last night (Tuesday), after almost three hours of discussion, it was agreed to postpone any decisions until December 17, after the AGM of British Speedway’s National League. The options for Wightlink Islanders tabled so far are to fold the club, run it on a shoestring budget or find a single benefactor or sponsor. The sheer cost of running the team, falling crowd numbers, and the cost of installing an air fence — a compulsory rule-change to improve safety for riders — are the reasons behind the need to decide. • To read a full report of the meeting, see the Friday, November 15, County Press".

I hope that young Bryn doesn't mind but I have copied his press release from IOW Supporters Facebook page. "WILL THE WIGHTLINK ISLANDERS FUTURE BECOME CLEARER AFTER TONIGHT? That's the question being asked by all connected with our Speedway club as they look ahead to tonight's shareholders AGM that gets underway in the Premier Lounge at the Smallbrook stadium at 7pm. Most who follow the exciting, family orientated sport of speedway will know that we and all other clubs have been instructed by the sport's authorities that they must have air-fence protection in place at both ends of the race track before the beginning of next March to allow a club to continue to operate. That's understandable as any measure to provide extra protection to the riders that thrill us when racing their highly tuned 500cc motorbikes with no brakes around circuits such as ours must be welcomed but air-fences are expensive. An update on the cost of buying and installing such a fence at Smallbrook is expected to be given at tonight's meeting as one item on the agenda is listed as, "Air-Fence and the cost of running Speedway." No doubt there'll be plenty of discussion on these and many other points tonight and hopefully there'll be some positive news to report tomorrow." Let us hope that tonights meeting is well attended by as many shareholders as possible and a way is found not only to fund the air fence, but how to increase attendances at the home meetings. The IOW provides a unique speedway experience in terms of getting there and also seeing speedway run by people with such a passion to make it work. It is a fast track that when well prepared provides such great racing in a stadium that some clubs would die for and British speedway cannot afford to lose it. Let's hope for positive news but it will be a difficult meeting for sure. Share This: