marko

My criticism of Plymouth is purely down to the track, not the size, not the shape, or the standard of racing, just its seemingly bad rep for having rain offs based on how much disruption it caused to the Championship last season which I grant wasn’t helped by the promoters arranging the season as they did. Lakeside used to get far more criticism for being a poor track, not because of rain offs but because of its size and home advantage and your quite far away from the action, that’s the way it was though, track didn’t care, it didn’t have any feelings.

How is that ironic? Do you realise that despite the name, the track at Arena Essex was much higher than any water table in the area? But even so over the years the drainage was improved upon so that the venue wasn’t so vulnerable to rain offs which can cost clubs a lot of money. on another point though, why are you always so defensive about Plymouth when your own team is Birmingham? A track which itself has come under scrutiny plenty of times over the years.

If that’s the case why wasn’t the track built higher? They must have know before the track was put in that susceptibility to unfavourable conditions was likely to be high and potentially very costly as a business model.

Are you saying those of us who have lost our tracks are no longer proper fans? Even though many will continue to buy the speedway star week in week out and watch as much of the sport online or on telly as possible? Very strange considering the fragile nature of your own clubs future.

Serious question, it’s a good team Plymouth are building but what work is taking place to ensure they will be able to take to track more often this season? For example Is the drainage being improved? So that the track has a better chance of recovering from the elements, and allow out and out racers like Howarth to thrive.

I will be more than happy to support this as well as the Championship package, BSN do a cracking job.

This should happen every winter but it does not, it’s like the BSPA wants to keep it a secret, just like those promoters who won’t publish starting line ups for matches because people might print off their own programmes. The fans will find out eventually what everyone’s average is, might as well just tell everyone now so at least fans can speculate and play team manager over the cold winter months.

Nothing happening there, just gathering weeds, it’s not just a crying shame, it’s criminal but whilst the place still stands, there is hope. All it would take is some good will and some hard working volunteers to have that track back into race state, the main problem would be it would likely needs a new fence and not just on the corners. If it could be done at Oxford, no reason why it cannot be repeated at Arena.

Does Oxford have a live streaming service for a cost? If so it’s almost like the promoter doesn’t want fans in the actual stadium? £22 for second division speedway in the current climate is irresponsible, cut costs if they want to be more viable, not keep hammering the paying supporter. Said it so many times, cut costs for riders will then trickle down the line, it’s not rocket science.

Would never have ANY rider like Batchelor in my team, I have no time for riders who only race when they feel like it, in individuals where your only representing yourself that’s fine, but when your part of a team you shouldn’t do that, you might as well empty your bladder into a team mates fuel tank, because that’s what your effectively doing. Anyone can have a poor night but when it’s so obvious your not even making an effort, your conning the public and the promoter who no doubt has already agreed to pay you X amount regardless of what you actually score.

BSN is great, just have to hope that the powers that be give them a product worth showing next year.

I might have missed any announcements but are they (BSN) including the second meeting tonight as part of the package?

Best of luck to both teams. Lets just get this over and done with and put this farce of a season to bed.

Totally disagree with going past the 31st, it just means next season will be the same, no rush, no hurry, because they can always use November if needed. Personally I don’t care who wins it now, and I hope those outstanding fixtures are not given a chance to take place by our friend, the weather. (Shock horror, I’ve turned into a Plymouth fan, hoping for rain offs JOKE)

If today is called off the play offs should be listed as Uncontested, no winner, every club is complicit (some more than others) of failing to run meetings or refusing to run/continue meetings during the season where they could have, that has led to this stage of events. I once heard someone say “f**k around, f**k around, soon you won’t be around”

I don’t believe that Leicester are playing around here, they are the victims of certain other club dragging their heals all season which has led to this final having to take place at a time which should be reserved for end of season bashes.

I would say keep the play offs but have a cut off date of 31st August, the top four (regardless of how many teams in the league) then play off over two semis and a final. Caveat to that, any team that fails to complete 100% of their HOME fixtures by said date are excluded from the competition.

Should the weather intervene again and the final cannot be contested, the title should default to the team who finished top of the regular season table. Just an opinion

That’s a shame to hear, I know he rode for Arena Essex, I think it must have been 1996? doesn’t seem that long ago at all though.

As a Lakeside fan, I would like to comment on Ben Morley, no, he will never be a solid 2nd division second string, he’s a good reserve and on his day can score quite well, the Hammers did have success with him as a number two at home, but that was with a big home advantage, away from home it was always a struggle, but you know what you will get. Alfie Bowtell on the other hand, who knows how far he can go, he’s a swashbuckling rider that never gives up, I imagine he is just as popular at Plymouth if not more so as he was at Lakeside.

If Leicester have already announced that, then fair enough.

Doesn’t matter how long a meeting goes for, BSN always fills the time, there is dead air at all, always something going on, and is very informative. In all the years SKY/BTsport etc have been around, they never once in my memory have interviewed a ref, BSN ticked that box first season. The track walks are so much better than Kelvin sticking a screw driver into the track (nothing against Kelvin I should add)

It being Plymouth is irreverent, I would same the same if it was any other club that is announcing a rider or riders that had still meetings left with their current clubs. As good a signing as it is, there is a time and a place.

Doesn’t seem very classy naming a rider for next year before he has finished his commitments with his current club.

I recall a similar instance way back in the early 90s at Peterborough in the fours final, Arena Essex wanted to use Moggo in a nominated heat but as the number 5 reserve he wasn’t allowed so they declared Jan Pedersen instead and then when the two minutes came on they were all sat there having a laugh until the clock ran down, I was right next to the pits, it was funny to see it play out.