Nostalgia

[THE DEAN MACHINE]

5 hours ago, bellevueace said:

This does seem to happen far more than back in the day when riders were loyal to their teams it was their club, and there was a real rivalry riders we,rnt seen stood in the opposite side of the pits chinwagging with rivals, there was far more altercations between them that created real atmospheres but they were not rivals one night and team mates the next. No wonder we dont see the characters of yesteryear.

I’m not sure it was different way back when it’s just the perception of it felt different but nowadays with social media we see a lot more of riders lives 

[orion]

Speedway decline was when Poland and Sweden overtook them in places Riders wanted to ride first . teams got weaker crowds dropped and the rest have been a slow death.Like many and like life itself some great memories that sadly you are  unlikely to experience again.

[GeneralMelchett]

1 hour ago, orion said:

Speedway decline was when Poland and Sweden overtook them in places Riders wanted to ride first . teams got weaker crowds dropped and the rest have been a slow death.Like many and like life itself some great memories that sadly you are  unlikely to experience again.

Oddly enough the fall of the Berlin Wall opened up eastern Europe like never before and the rest is hisotry!

You are right in so many ways in the late 90s and very early 90s the UK scene still was the top place to be now we are just the poor relations. 

[cowboy cookie returns?]

On 8/27/2025 at 5:04 PM, GeneralMelchett said:

Oddly enough the fall of the Berlin Wall opened up eastern Europe like never before and the rest is hisotry!

You are right in so many ways in the late 90s and very early 90s the UK scene still was the top place to be now we are just the poor relations. 

UK speedway was never ran professionally & the great chance of creating a future was blown when the Sky money was wasted. 
 

The fact that the poles have a product that attracts huge crowds, investment form business & more than one tv company broadcasting the league live is down to their hard work & running the sport professionally.

 

[Hawk127]

2 hours ago, cowboy cookie returns? said:

UK speedway was never ran professionally & the great chance of creating a future was blown when the Sky money was wasted. 
 

The fact that the poles have a product that attracts huge crowds, investment form business & more than one tv company broadcasting the league live is down to their hard work & running the sport professionally.

 

Sums up nicely want can be achieved with the right attitude.

In the UK they are basically clueless in terms of promoting, understanding what the punter wants to see, attracting the right age groups and pandering to every other European league. U K speedway needs to get a grip and recognise it is not on the same level as the likes of Poland and cut its cloth accordingly.

A shortage of riders is in part down to the way the sport is run and many a promising prospect has been lost because of the speedway hierarchy and its rules.

What will it take for the morons in charge to realise a radical change is needed. If you want just one reason why they have the wrong attitude, read the international thread and the topic on news from Poland where money and clout calls the tune.

The current custodians of the sport in this country should be held in contempt for the damage they have done by the crass management. 

Nothing will change, it will simply disappear into the annals of history. Well done BSPL and co.

[macky]

Speedway possibly needs go the same way as cricket. Look how the hundred has attracted huge crowds due to a different approach with the format with world class players performing every match. The cricket purists said it wouldn't work and have been proved wrong. Perhaps a similar thing should be tried and with a little thought and proper promotion you never know.

[Chris116]

On 8/25/2025 at 9:38 AM, Hawk127 said:

Bank holiday Monday meetings were always packed Rayleigh with speedway in the morning and Stock cars in the afternoon where Chick Woodroff was the promoter.

My parents used to take me to Rayleigh and we would enjoy both the Speedway and Stock Cars before rushing back to the station to travel back to Wimbledon for the evening meeting at Plough Lane. The last few years saw the Stock Cars replaced by PRI Bangers and Mini Rods or Anglia Rods, personally Stock Cars and Mini Rods would have been our favourite but the Stock Cars had been replaced by the PRI Bangers by the time the Mini Rods started.

Being a Stock Car, Speedway and Railway enthusiast I thought it was a great day and always looked forward to our Rayleigh visits.

[Glen]

I probably disagree with a lot that has been written on here - Seem to recall the best riders available riding in the U.K. when Sky were the paymasters. Tended  to think that the U.K. business model has been for promoters to run speedway not because it was seen as sport but simply as a way of making money. Consequently I think business tended to give speedway a wide berth over the years as the people involved were let’s say ‘in it for themselves’. We are now down to the enthusiast promoters who are in it for the sport and not the money. In some respects the arrival of Woffinden Lambert and Bewley is probably 20 years too late to have an impact in U.K. terms.

Poland has always been different go back to the 70’s and 80’s and they would get 40,000 at test matches - their league was football like in support and always has been but their rider quality wasn’t up to U.K. standard until the fall of Soviet Union and free enterprise took over. They were destined to become the power in speedway with that kind of support.

Sweden saw a renaissance when Tony Rickardson appeared and their club sides signed the best riders available. Sadly time has caught up and their strong tradition of developing riders has virtually gone. Clubs went bust and crowds disappeared. 
Denmark could be similar - when Ole Olsen became world champion they expanded their league and produced some of the finest talent. They are still a strong nation but like Sweden are finding it difficult to attract youngsters to the sport - golf is the new favourite.

I am now 2 hours drive away to the nearest track when 10 years ago there were at least 5 within an hour. Times change it’s a sad situation now.