Teromaafan Posted Sunday at 07:17 AM Report Share Posted Sunday at 07:17 AM 3 minutes ago, heathen52 said: I think the (Top) hat has other irons in the fire, very much closer to (his) home 🫠. Oh dear, is he following his passion for red and yellow? 😩 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wolfie456 Posted Sunday at 10:08 AM Report Share Posted Sunday at 10:08 AM 2 hours ago, Teromaafan said: Oh dear, is he following his passion for red and yellow? 😩 No green and white me thinks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teromaafan Posted Sunday at 01:41 PM Report Share Posted Sunday at 01:41 PM 3 hours ago, Wolfie456 said: No green and white me thinks. Sounds promising then, be great to have another midlands track back. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SJA Posted Wednesday at 08:14 AM Report Share Posted Wednesday at 08:14 AM I like the concept of Northampton becoming a speedway track but looking at a map its hard to see where a "local" crowd will come from. I think its pie in the sky to expect Peterborough and Coventry fans to make an 80 mile round trip for home meetings. Depending on where a Peterborough fan lives Kings Lynn or Leicester could be closer. I hope Northampton does become an active speedway venue I just hope they have been realistic with a business plan. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Normski Posted Wednesday at 10:37 AM Report Share Posted Wednesday at 10:37 AM 2 hours ago, SJA said: I like the concept of Northampton becoming a speedway track but looking at a map its hard to see where a "local" crowd will come from. I think its pie in the sky to expect Peterborough and Coventry fans to make an 80 mile round trip for home meetings. Depending on where a Peterborough fan lives Kings Lynn or Leicester could be closer. I hope Northampton does become an active speedway venue I just hope they have been realistic with a business plan. 80mile round trip hmm. In 1981 when Berwick had no home track we had to make to begin with a 340 mile round trip to Barrow, 240 mile round trip to Workington, and a 200 mile round trip to Glasgow for our home meetings. Even now a large percentage of our fans can make a 50 - 120mile round trip for our home meetings. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SJA Posted Wednesday at 10:56 AM Report Share Posted Wednesday at 10:56 AM 14 minutes ago, Normski said: 80mile round trip hmm. In 1981 when Berwick had no home track we had to make to begin with a 340 mile round trip to Barrow, 240 mile round trip to Workington, and a 200 mile round trip to Glasgow for our home meetings. Even now a large percentage of our fans can make a 50 - 120mile round trip for our home meetings. 1981 is a lifetime ago when we had limited entertainment options. That is not the case anymore. Speedway fans don't travel. I think I am one of the few exceptions, but I don't fit the average speedway fan demographic. When I have attended Birmingham, Oxford or Leicester during the last two seasons I have seen very few Wolves or Coventry fans. Looking around maybe Leicester does the best out of the three venues I mentioned with maybe 20ish a meeting. If speedway fans travelled then their would be greater support at away tracks rather than a hardcore 5-30 away fans at league meetings. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
therefused Posted Wednesday at 12:43 PM Report Share Posted Wednesday at 12:43 PM i wouldnt travel every week to a fixture if it wasnt my team, i daresay a lot of the wolves/coventry fans feel the same 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Normski Posted Wednesday at 04:05 PM Report Share Posted Wednesday at 04:05 PM 3 hours ago, therefused said: i wouldnt travel every week to a fixture if it wasnt my team, i daresay a lot of the wolves/coventry fans feel the same Not the same i agree, but we have at Berwick Newcastle fans even a Rye House fan who proudly wear our merchandise Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bojangles Posted yesterday at 11:46 AM Report Share Posted yesterday at 11:46 AM 23 hours ago, therefused said: i wouldnt travel every week to a fixture if it wasnt my team, i daresay a lot of the wolves/coventry fans feel the same Same at Oxford. There are numerous Reading (and even a few Swindon) fans who attend each week, wearing their old club kit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SJA Posted 4 hours ago Report Share Posted 4 hours ago 20 hours ago, Bojangles said: Same at Oxford. There are numerous Reading (and even a few Swindon) fans who attend each week, wearing their old club kit. In the hundreds from each? As that is what I imagine Northampton would need from each of Coventry, Peterborough and Birmingham as their natural catchment area is not that highly populated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arnieg Posted 3 hours ago Report Share Posted 3 hours ago 4 minutes ago, SJA said: In the hundreds from each? As that is what I imagine Northampton would need from each of Coventry, Peterborough and Birmingham as their natural catchment area is not that highly populated. Northampton, a mere 5 miles away has a population of 240,000+. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IainB Posted 3 hours ago Report Share Posted 3 hours ago 8 minutes ago, arnieg said: Northampton, a mere 5 miles away has a population of 240,000+. Greater Manchester has a population of 3m on the doorstep of the National Speedway Stadium but couldn't attract a crowd for a POSF... no doubt there'd be some novelty to the opening of a new track but inevitably crowds would eventually drop off. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SJA Posted 3 hours ago Report Share Posted 3 hours ago 5 minutes ago, arnieg said: Northampton, a mere 5 miles away has a population of 240,000+. So less than 10% of the population of the West Midlands (3,039,203) that cannot support a team. Even though Cricket and Football both have a footprint in Northampton it is basically a rugby town. I hope I'm proved wrong but I am fearful for the success at this venue. It will be one I attend as its an Uber away from a late night train back to London. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arnieg Posted 3 hours ago Report Share Posted 3 hours ago 2 minutes ago, SJA said: So less than 10% of the population of the West Midlands (3,039,203) that cannot support a team. Even though Cricket and Football both have a footprint in Northampton it is basically a rugby town. I hope I'm proved wrong but I am fearful for the success at this venue. It will be one I attend as its an Uber away from a late night train back to London. The West Midlands can support more than one team. However dense urbanisation means a lack of suitable sites. Berwick and King's Lynn have both survived for over 50 years. The problem for Northampton is not population based, it is that there is no history of speedway in Northampton [just 1929-30 in town, and 54/5 & 66/7 @ Brafield - all at a fairly rudimentary level] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
40-38 Posted 3 hours ago Report Share Posted 3 hours ago 36 minutes ago, arnieg said: The West Midlands can support more than one team. However dense urbanisation means a lack of suitable sites. Berwick and King's Lynn have both survived for over 50 years. The problem for Northampton is not population based, it is that there is no history of speedway in Northampton [just 1929-30 in town, and 54/5 & 66/7 @ Brafield - all at a fairly rudimentary level] Perhaps the novelty factor would lead to more interest then? I know that's probably naive but I'm trying to be hopeful...! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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