Birmingham Speedway

[GiveusaB]

29 minutes ago, LagutaRacingFan said:

Fairly certain Sheffield got a facility for Woffinden.

Don't the rules say you can't have a facility for a rider who hasn't ridden for you.

Its ok....he rode for them last year ! 😀

They got a facility for him most likely due to the fact that he is a contracted Sheffield rider?

[LagutaRacingFan]

1 hour ago, GiveusaB said:

Its ok....he rode for them last year ! 😀

They got a facility for him most likely due to the fact that he is a contracted Sheffield rider?

That's not what the rules say.

[GiveusaB]

In speedway its ok to make/bend the rules to accommodate most situations.

I mean, how on earth have B'ham got an extension for MJJ, when the powers that be knew he had only signed till the end of May ?

Is it because he's No.1 in the averages ??? 😀😀😀

[tonyd]

1 hour ago, LagutaRacingFan said:

That's not what the rules say.

When have the rules in speedway mattered? Everyone knows they are written on toilet paper and flushed when they need re-writing .😉

[mikebv]

59 minutes ago, tonyd said:

When have the rules in speedway mattered? Everyone knows they are written on toilet paper and flushed when they need re-writing .😉

"For one night only" on several occasions....

[szkocjasid]

13 hours ago, Teromaafan said:

Do you realise that you’ve used ‘logic’& ‘BSPL’ in the same sentence.😂

That's why I'm looking for answers from others, because I can't understand it lol!

[szkocjasid]

11 hours ago, LagutaRacingFan said:

Fairly certain Sheffield got a facility for Woffinden.

Don't the rules say you can't have a facility for a rider who hasn't ridden for you.

That ruling has been used a few times, most notibly with Covatti at Plymouth, they were allowed a 28 day facility when he got injured before his first match.

I can't remember other examples of the top of my head, but feel it's happened often enough to believe it's a consistent ruling not a special dispensation for Woffinden / Sheffield.

[ouch]

15 hours ago, tonyd said:

When have the rules in speedway mattered? Everyone knows they are written on toilet paper and flushed when they need re-writing .😉

TBH this special dispensation is no different to when Belle Vue have benefited from such a thing.

 

Link to follow, still looking.

[orion]

On 6/2/2025 at 12:55 PM, arnieg said:

How about Exeter in 1984 and Ivan Mauger's away guest facility

You sure. I thought there were no silly rules in the old days and thats why the crowds were so big .

 

[foreverblue]

6 hours ago, ouch said:

TBH this special dispensation is no different to when Belle Vue have benefited from such a thing.

 

Link to follow, still looking.

Robert Lambert?

[NeilWatson]

On 6/3/2025 at 12:35 AM, szkocjasid said:

That ruling has been used a few times, most notibly with Covatti at Plymouth, they were allowed a 28 day facility when he got injured before his first match.

I can't remember other examples of the top of my head, but feel it's happened often enough to believe it's a consistent ruling not a special dispensation for Woffinden / Sheffield.

SR010.5(p) has been approved in a teams declared 1-7 at the start of the season but due to extenuating circumstances is not available, a facility may be granted, up to a maximum of 28 days, at the SCB Co-Ordinators discretion. In the NDL and NDT this only applies if the rider was in that teams 1-7 at the close of the previous season

[cowboy cookie returns?]

17 hours ago, orion said:

You sure. I thought there were no silly rules in the old days and thats why the crowds were so big .

 

By the time of the Mauger away guest facility of 1984 the decline had well & truly set in. Crowds were big compared to today’s levels but had dropped since the 1970s & track closures & those facing closure were increasing.

The whole reason for the Mauger ruling was to get Exeter to move up from the NL to boost the top flight & try to at least make them competitive.

The Mickey Mouse rules had started to erode credibility by 84 & that process has only increased since then, 43 years on & non of the warnings have been heeded & the sport now faces total collapse in the uk.

One or two promoters on the 70s/80s could see the issues coming John Berry was one as is clearly outlined in his books.

The other Stewkesbury who wasn’t everyone’s cup of tea fan the NL in the late 80s & ran the league without guests & some of the other daft rules that operated at the time in the BL. In addition the NL circuits had dirt on them which helped to improve the spectacle while offering lower running costs. 
 

The NL at the time boasted more tracks than the BL a more credible competition & better crowd levels. It ultimately met its demise with the amalgamation of the BL & NL prior to 1991. This brave new world was then doomed to fail because of the infighting by the former BL promotions not liking promotion & relegation.

30-40 years on nothing has really changed has it, apart from ever declining attendances.

[mikebv]

29 minutes ago, cowboy cookie returns? said:

By the time of the Mauger away guest facility of 1984 the decline had well & truly set in. Crowds were big compared to today’s levels but had dropped since the 1970s & track closures & those facing closure were increasing.

The whole reason for the Mauger ruling was to get Exeter to move up from the NL to boost the top flight & try to at least make them competitive.

The Mickey Mouse rules had started to erode credibility by 84 & that process has only increased since then, 43 years on & non of the warnings have been heeded & the sport now faces total collapse in the uk.

One or two promoters on the 70s/80s could see the issues coming John Berry was one as is clearly outlined in his books.

The other Stewkesbury who wasn’t everyone’s cup of tea fan the NL in the late 80s & ran the league without guests & some of the other daft rules that operated at the time in the BL. In addition the NL circuits had dirt on them which helped to improve the spectacle while offering lower running costs. 
 

The NL at the time boasted more tracks than the BL a more credible competition & better crowd levels. It ultimately met its demise with the amalgamation of the BL & NL prior to 1991. This brave new world was then doomed to fail because of the infighting by the former BL promotions not liking promotion & relegation.

30-40 years on nothing has really changed has it, apart from ever declining attendances.

And the "big crowds" were largely driven by being able to watch the superstars, on one of only three channels racing in top level individual meetings or the World Cup...

Nowadays there is a myriad of "entertainment" things to do which didn't happen back then, and also a huge amount of day to day living costs which, again, simply didn't exist 40+ years ago, which means today's disposable income is far more stretched...

 "Mickey Mouse" rules in a professional sport could be got away with in the days of no 24/7 information and instant communication..

Losing 100 punters a year was affordable in crowds of 5,000, however, it started happening year on year and nothing was done to listen to those fans as they walked as to the reasons why...

The operating model simply just doesn't stand up to modern day scrutiny and has created "lazy" practices..

Not enough riders? Then simply run with less riders per team...

How many per team? It depends on how many riders you have and how many "spare" you envisage you need..

Instead we have "let's plan this fixture in for this date, even though we know both sides will have key riders missing, as we can simply have a "guestfest".. 

The outcome being? Social Media spends the days leading up to the meeting ridiculing it, and, post meeting, those same promoters who planned it in, will scratch their heads trying to work out why the crowd level wasn't good..

It's 2025, not 1975, and, as with any business, (especially one that is struggling), you simply cannot run with the same operating model you used 50 years ago and say "Well, it worked then, so why not now?"..

[JackTheBrummie]

Team is suddenly very depleted, no number 1. Rew seems to be riding with an injury and Edwards taking a hit last night 😕

wonder if we will actually bring in someone to replace MJJ

[Youhave2minutes]

On 6/2/2025 at 4:48 PM, mikebv said:

"For one night only" on several occasions....

Well said,it had to be mentioned 

[GiveusaB]

2 hours ago, JackTheBrummie said:

Team is suddenly very depleted, no number 1. Rew seems to be riding with an injury and Edwards taking a hit last night 😕

wonder if we will actually bring in someone to replace MJJ

Wonder if they'll see the season out???

[IainB]

2 hours ago, GiveusaB said:

Wonder if they'll see the season out???

If Mr Tolley has any hopes of running Speedway again, I'd say yes. 

[THE DEAN MACHINE]

With Edward’s on the sidelines I think we need to take a punt on Vinnie foord ,he is enthusiastic and I can’t see anyone else available as a R/S that is any better 

[Petecc]

7 hours ago, GiveusaB said:

Wonder if they'll see the season out???

Why wouldn't they? Or is that what want so you can write I told you so.

[GiveusaB]

11 hours ago, Petecc said:

Why wouldn't they? Or is that what want so you can write I told you so.

Are you always so passive aggressive with your comments ? 😀

I don't give two shinny sh#tes whether they complete the season or not, I was just responding to the previous poster?

As to your first ? 'why wouldnt they'?....well, there's no Number 1 rider....the Number 4 is riding cr#p and the rising star has just got injured and there doesn't seem to be a competent replacement  (albeit there's an announcement today apparently...) the track is poor....the attendance is poor.... I think there's plenty of valid reasons why they wouldn't see the season out.... BUT....as IainB has pointed out, Tolley needs to stay on track (no pun intended) in order for his 'new' club next season!!!!!