Sheffield -V- Belle Vue POF Leg 1 Thursday 8th October

[Bagpuss]

17 minutes ago, Steve Irving said:

Couldn’t disagree more. You seem to be forgetting that 2 teams this year were at a severe disadvantage to the other 4 and that meant the league lacked any kind of fairness or integrity I’m afraid.

Someone made the point that other teams in the past haven’t been competitive but that’s just not the same is it. They had just as much chance as anyone else to build a side but blew it. Tough.

I get that and as a competition the Premiership needs a massive overhaul but I really don't think the season itself has been any worse than the last two or three , although I accept the bar is a low one.

We desperately need new teams and riders, less guests, less doubling up and a better fixture list. And for promoters to follow Mr Coleman. 

In the meantime congrats to Belle Vue, this title doesnt and shouldn't feel any different to any others.

[ouch]

What a night and what a hangover yesterday. Had a wonderful time celebrating with the lads in the Craven suite after a terrific season and a superb finish. More of the same next year please.

Just a note about Mark, yes he’s no Stewart Dickson or Rob Lyon but to achieve gold at domestic and international level again is no mean feat. 

[Bagpuss]

22 minutes ago, ouch said:

Thats a pretty poor statement from Doyle, hes either intentionally or unintentionally annoyed a lot of Ipswich fans by saying that. Can't believe he didnt enjoy winning the league last season so presumably means enjoying 2026 again but should have worded it better.

[ouch]

23 hours ago, mikebv said:

Me and my lad met up last night with eight others who also had only attended the PCMT and the GP's .

All had the very same reasons for our non attendance...

In no specific order ..

We mentioned the lack of atmosphere at the run of the mill meetings due to the half full stadium...

The lack of any threat to the Aces qualifying which renders the qualifiers easy to miss .

Monday nights not great for many to attend...

So few teams means zero variety...

Jason Doyle riding for Sheffield to help them qualify and Max Fricke sabotaging Kings Lynn's chances by riding in the qualifiers for Sheffield were also mentioned, as was the glaring fact that Nicolai Klindt has zero connection to BV, as one said to me, "try and sell that to a major TV company"...

(Well done Nicolai by the way, you Aces Legend!!😁)..

What was interesting as two of us discussed the UK Speedway issues four people, two couples, stood behind us said they had been listening and said they thought the same!!! They too were at their first meeting of the season..

You would think some surveys would be carried out via club Facebook pages wouldn't you to get some feedback as to the main reasons why, and why not, close followers of the sport attend, or don't, as the case may be ...

It was clear well over a thousand others were not regulars looking at the crowd size, with Sheffield having hardly anyone, (as is usual), there..

As for the night itself, all agreed the presentation was hugely better than we have previously seen, (is that a one off or is that the usual?), the PA system worked well where we were, the food and drink areas were quick and efficient, plenty of toilet facilities and the presentation kept momentum going in between races...

It certainly looked like a lot of planning had gone into the night to ensure a good impression for those who were non regulars, hopefully it can pay off early next season..

For a Friday I thought there would have been more kids watching, so maybe a "family area" would help? Ensuring they all can watch together? One "pen" would do it. Maybe at a Special Offer rate for the Adult, (kids are free on the South Side) with someone doing giveaways, face painting etc. .

In short, if they could deliver nights like this as "the norm" then UK Speedway would be wondering why they "only get 3,000", rather than it being a "bumper crowd" nowadays...

Speedway forum access

 

Well done to the Aces, the engine room, once again, delivered, and Luke Killeen certainly showed some real potential to go forward in his career...

Let's hope that far too long overdue reset is delivered this winter...

The product can attract decent crowds, the infrastructure around it, not so...

So you don’t attend due to other people not attending. 

It wasn’t a given that The Aces would qualify until part way into the season. Why did you not attend for those earlier meetings?

PCMT was on a Monday. Hope you enjoyed it. 

If you like variety just watch the other teams visit once, like the good old days. You would get your variety and the club would get five extra ticket sales. 

Jason didn’t help Sheffield qualify at all. Take his points away verses Kings Lynn and it would have been 2 points off the tigers and 2 to the stars, meaning Sheffield still qualify. Take his points off for the lions meeting and Sheffield would still have won the meeting.

All the TV deals done for the last 30 years have all been clinched whilst the guest system was in place. The guest system has been around for (what feels like) ever. Why is Nicolai so different to Jim McMillan guesting for The Aces in our most famous KO cup win in 1973? I do agree that a new signing should be allowed but with this site as evidence the majority of fans wouldn’t like it and prefer guests. 

There was a lady offering free face painting for kids and adults alike. 

The presentation was our usual apart from the flames near the start line. 

[Bagpuss]

22 minutes ago, ouch said:

Thats a pretty poor statement from Doyle, hes either intentionally or unintentionally annoyed a lot of Ipswich fans by saying that. Can't believe he didnt enjoy winning the league last season so presumably means enjoying 2026 again but should have worded it better.

[Wee Eck]

2 hours ago, Steve Irving said:

Couldn’t disagree more. You seem to be forgetting that 2 teams this year were at a severe disadvantage to the other 4 and that meant the league lacked any kind of fairness or integrity I’m afraid.

Someone made the point that other teams in the past haven’t been competitive but that’s just not the same is it. They had just as much chance as anyone else to build a side but blew it. Tough.

When a consortium took over Belle Vue in November 2006, it was faced with having no team. Jason Crump had been bought by Poole and Kenneth Bjerre, having been ring fenced for Belle Vue by the BSPA management committee was poached by Peterborough. Even as late as Christmas Eve, the new promoters were trying to get that overturned. That meant come January 2007, a team was still needed, with few riders available. Simon Stead became the number one with Joe Screen and James Wright being the only other riders retained from 2006. Ultimately the Aces came to the tapes with these three plus Kevin Doolan, Kai Laukkanen, Adam Skornicki and Ryan Fisher. The only promoter who helped Belle Vue was Colin Pratt who organised the signing of Fisher. 
Belle Vue 2007 most certainly didn’t have “as much chance as anyone to build a side”

[Steve Irving]

18 minutes ago, Wee Eck said:

When a consortium took over Belle Vue in November 2006, it was faced with having no team. Jason Crump had been bought by Poole and Kenneth Bjerre, having been ring fenced for Belle Vue by the BSPA management committee was poached by Peterborough. Even as late as Christmas Eve, the new promoters were trying to get that overturned. That meant come January 2007, a team was still needed, with few riders available. Simon Stead became the number one with Joe Screen and James Wright being the only other riders retained from 2006. Ultimately the Aces came to the tapes with these three plus Kevin Doolan, Kai Laukkanen, Adam Skornicki and Ryan Fisher. The only promoter who helped Belle Vue was Colin Pratt who organised the signing of Fisher. 
Belle Vue 2007 most certainly didn’t have “as much chance as anyone to build a side”

Let me clarify. I was talking about the recent past when Mike the Belle Vue fan was referencing Birmingham and Oxford struggling at the foot of the table. Yes they struggled, but thats on them. They had as much chance as everyone else to put a team together.  2006 is an awful long time ago and to be honest, has little relevance to this season when 2 clubs only got confirmed in March leaving basically a 4 team league with 2 fillers. 
 

The fact Ipswich scraped in to 4th is also irrelevant and says more about King’s Lynn than anything else!!

How anyone can say this season “hasn’t actually been all that bad” with a straight face i’ll never know.

It’s been a shocker. 

[Pinny]

3 hours ago, Bagpuss said:

Thats a pretty poor statement from Doyle, hes either intentionally or unintentionally annoyed a lot of Ipswich fans by saying that. Can't believe he didnt enjoy winning the league last season so presumably means enjoying 2026 again but should have worded it better.

Gotta be honest, thats one hell of an over reaction from you considering some of the stuff I have seen you defend on and off track over the last few years . We get it, you don't like Doyle. 

For me , there has been no better servant to GB speedway over the past 15 or 20 years. He genuinely gives it his all in every ride , is pure entertainment and a great guy to boot. He was having a rough start to 2026, went to BV and hit form. Anyone who sees it differently is either stirring the pot or a complete thicko and I dont think your the latter. 

[Pinny]

3 hours ago, Bagpuss said:

Thats a pretty poor statement from Doyle, hes either intentionally or unintentionally annoyed a lot of Ipswich fans by saying that. Can't believe he didnt enjoy winning the league last season so presumably means enjoying 2026 again but should have worded it better.

Gotta be honest, thats one hell of an over reaction from you considering some of the stuff I have seen you defend on and off track over the last few years . We get it, you don't like Doyle. 

For me , there has been no better servant to GB speedway over the past 15 or 20 years. He genuinely gives it his all in every ride , is pure entertainment and a great guy to boot. He was having a rough start to 2026, went to BV and hit form. Anyone who sees it differently is either stirring the pot or a complete thicko and I dont think your the latter. 

[Bagpuss]

2 minutes ago, Pinny said:

Gotta be honest, thats one hell of an over reaction from you considering some of the stuff I have seen you defend on and off track over the last few years . We get it, you don't like Doyle. 

For me , there has been no better servant to GB speedway over the past 15 or 20 years. He genuinely gives it his all in every ride , is pure entertainment and a great guy to boot. He was having a rough start to 2026, went to BV and hit form. Anyone who sees it differently is either stirring the pot or a complete thicko and I dont think your the latter. 

Thanks 😁

I don't dislike him, I think he can be reckless at times but I've have him in the Lynn team tomorrow given the choice. Just think hes made it sound like he didnt enjoy his speedway last year and I don't expect he meant that at all, he was happy at Ipswich by all accounts.

[SUPERACE]

2 hours ago, Bagpuss said:

Thanks 😁

I don't dislike him, I think he can be reckless at times but I've have him in the Lynn team tomorrow given the choice. Just think hes made it sound like he didnt enjoy his speedway last year and I don't expect he meant that at all, he was happy at Ipswich by all accounts.

He clearly meant he wasn't enjoying his speedway at the start of 2026 and coming to BV gave him his enjoyment back.  Clearly nothing to do with his time at Ipswich.

We ha e enjoyed having him as much as he enjoyed being here.  Got to have a chat with him Friday night in the Craven suite, throughly nice guy, world class rider and great servant to British Speedway. 

 

[mikebv]

4 hours ago, Steve Irving said:

Let me clarify. I was talking about the recent past when Mike the Belle Vue fan was referencing Birmingham and Oxford struggling at the foot of the table. Yes they struggled, but thats on them. They had as much chance as everyone else to put a team together.  2006 is an awful long time ago and to be honest, has little relevance to this season when 2 clubs only got confirmed in March leaving basically a 4 team league with 2 fillers. 
 

The fact Ipswich scraped in to 4th is also irrelevant and says more about King’s Lynn than anything else!!

How anyone can say this season “hasn’t actually been all that bad” with a straight face i’ll never know.

It’s been a shocker. 

Birmingham had to sign riders knowing they would not be riding a full season, and on made up averages to make them look competitive...

Since Sky pulled out its been a constant falling off, with doubling up, and Guestfests, becoming the default mechanic to use...

There is so little prestige in winning the top tier, both Oxford and Poole decided to ride in the second division, as it more suited their business model..

A sport where you can choose which level to compete in? An interesting concept!!!

Over the past few years, five teams seems to have become the maximum that the UK can adequately ensure all are competitive...

And as for winning the title? Bald men fighting over a comb just about sums up the last decade or so...

With this season being pretty much on par with the others of recent times...

 

[mikebv]

42 minutes ago, SUPERACE said:

He clearly meant he wasn't enjoying his speedway at the start of 2026 and coming to BV gave him his enjoyment back.  Clearly nothing to do with his time at Ipswich.

We ha e enjoyed having him as much as he enjoyed being here.  Got to have a chat with him Friday night in the Craven suite, throughly nice guy, world class rider and great servant to British Speedway. 

 

"Sign Jason Doyle, Win Titles", seems to be the mantra to follow..