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shanes the sacrificial lamb whilst the other foreign scrap under perform

No they shouldn't. It's you who shouldn't respond. Try and chill out a bit or take a break off here.

you must understand starman that there are other posters on the forum who have had serious health problems,some not as bad as yours some far worse,but they havnt used it as an excuse to be rude.i wish you well for the future but if you post on the forum its likely i will disagree with you on occasion and you with me,its always been your rudeness ive primarily objected to

If anyone deserves to go it isn't Shanes and i think he has been treated very badly. Neilsen to come in for Szczpaniak i would understand.

Mike, you have gone through a very difficult time in the last 6 months. I am sure the doctors do not want you at all stressed. Stress is very bad for anyone, especially so with someone recuperating from a serious head operation. This forum is full of banter and bullies and is perhaps not the best place to spend time if you get at all stressed. Time out away from here might make you feel better and your health will improve because of it. Absolutely no point in getting wound up on posts by people you don’t know. You don’t have to react to every post. It will do you more harm than good.

it's more that Shanes is the one taking the blame for Poole's poor form

I can see the thinking, as a short-term move that may bring a few more points from that reserve slot. Then it will be a matter of working out the permutations once the averages have kicked in, at which point Shanes might well be back. Of course, missing those top-flight matches will hardly help him in the interim while being dropped is not exactly a confidence booster either. And, as alluded to elsewhere, it's a bit harsh when a top-heavy team fails (so far) to perform and it's the two-pointer whose neck feels the axe.

Cant believe Poole have got rid of Shanes. Build a top heavy team and then expect a 2 pointer to get 5 or 6 a meeting because the top end isnt performing. Ford says its for a month then Shanes might come back in................if i was Shanes i would tell him to stick it where the sun doesnt shine and concentrate on Sheffield

Good job you didn't reply to him

Heard that the current deal is only about £3-5,000 a meeting which is way down on last season and having signed a deal why would they want to buy and give away a thousand more tickets when some tracks are struggling to get that many in already. crowds at Belle Vue have been shocking and with the highest rent fees in the sport and numerous overheads it's worrying that this country is still trying to field riders that they can't afford. Although people want to see the better riders, the sport needs to be looking at one league raced on whatever night that track wants featuring riders like Danny King, Edward Kennett, Scott Nicholls, Kyle Howarth etc as number ones and having a fixed pay policy. if these riders can have six rides and look at picking up £1,500 a meeting in meetings giving plenty of places to young National League riders coming through then admission fees could be lowered to £10 for adults. It's new fans we need and £18 standing in old stadiums with inadequate facilities isn't going to attract them regardless of advertising. New fans don't know Max Fricke from Ashley Morris or Jason Doyle to Dan Bewley but for a night of racing at £10 and 18 heat league matches and 6 junior heats could attract new fans with the right promoting. Bigger crowds will create the atmosphere and the best marketing anyone can have is word of mouth and people going away and talking to friends in the pub or supermarket that they had a good night at the speedway is how the sport needs to go. Lower the standards, the wages costs, the admission prices and fill the stadiums and get some atmosphere in the place. Too many die hard fans are turning their back on the sport and not enough people know what the sport is and with the average age of crowds here in their fifties, it needs new blood getting in before the current fans go into voluntary retirement.

Is there not another Friday that P'Boro could have ridden at Edinburgh when their Danes weren't in Denmark? If I had a pound for every time teams have been scheduled at Armadale with riders committed elsewhere.....

Felt sorry for Jack. He'd done nothing wrong; he was in the correct gate with the correct helmet colour on. Then, despite the team being 20 points ahead with the match won, he's not given the 15m restart with an almost guaranteed minimum of 1 point for his pay packet. As you say, what was that all about?

Right just got home from tonight's meeting and where to start. Firstly speedy recovery for Danny we need you back as soon as possible. Secondly credit to Cam, Michael, Connor & Danyon for not giving up and racing to the end. Now onto Rory, after a very good heat win in heat 1 his attitude stank for the rest of the meeting and he just gave up. After we lost Danny he should be setting an example to the rest of the team but he attitude was disgraceful. He gave up and retired while last in heat 13 and a few of us thought that after Michael's heat win in heat 14 that it would be Michael & Cam nominated for heat 15. We were surprised when Rory was announced in heat 15, but then he really took the p*$$ and missed the 2 mins and got excluded. From someone in the pits I found out he wasn't even in the pits and Connor already had his blue helmet cover on ready to come in. As far as I'm concerned Rory can go and do one and should be replaced. Why should I pay my hard earned wages on someone who can't be bothered, as in the end of the day we the public pay his wages. I want to see a team who try and don't give up. Rant over!

There’s been some cold meetings at the OTA, but last night felt like a November night with a bitter wind slicing through whatever outer clothing was worn! One guy showed me two pairs of thermal gloves he was wearing, another guy’s teeth were literally chattering as he spoke! May the 2nd it was !! The first 5 heats were the most pedestrian I have ever witnessed at Somerset The track resembled a ploughed field with around six inches of excess shale appearing mid bend Some riders, notably Lawson in heat 4, literally trundled round like a novice, a full straight behind Stark contrast to watching his two lightening starts in his next two races where he scorched to two brilliant wins. Jason Doyle took to the centre green microphone to explain to to the crowd the dilemma facing the riders Thankfully, the grading, scraping and watering, eventually seemed to do the trick, and after heat 6, the meeting came alive. There were some fine passes, especially from Kildemand on the final bend in heat 6 A bewildered Jake Allen could only watch as the spectacular Dane blasted around the outside to pip the Aussie by a tyres width on the line Heat 9 saw Charles Wright hit the deck hard and disappear under the air fence He limped back to the pits complaining of a sore coxicx, but came out for the re-run and stormed to a 5-1 with the impressive Jack Holder Both Somerset riders not giving an inch, and clearly battling between themselves for the race win A strange sight, but I guess nowadays it seems riders value the race win more than anything Heat 12 saw BWD execute a brutal pass on former Rebels skipper Grajczonek which left the Aussie non too pleased The Pirates skipper made his feelings clear to the New Zealand champion after the race with some fierce finger wagging Good to see Jonas Jeppesen win his first race and he certainly looks very combative and another decent Garry May signing Poole certainly looked under cooked, but I’m not one for joining the ‘sack the lot’ brigade, although Matt Ford was apparently on the road back to Poole by heat 14 James Shanes was always in the mix despite his feeble final score, and he has very tidy style Brady Kurtz looked fast and Graczjonek hadn’t forgotten the quickest way around the OTA The Rebels look a force around their home track, and I’ve probably said it before but this is a team of racers assembled by Garry May and the Somerset crowd can look forward to being royally entertained every week

So I assume you will now be attending the meeting rather than reading updates seeing you’ve got the change you wanted.

Absolutely. James hasn't progressed since last season in an arguably weaker league. I don't see him much above reserve in the CL but would love for him to prove me wrong.

Yes as that would be a great move with James riding for Sheffield on a Thursday night like most of Swindon’s home meetings.

Hilarious, you were calling people corporal Jones yesterday. . .more sides than a 50p.

Stefan Nielsen 16 + 2 from 6 rides for Scunthorpe tonight

Can’t be dropped and then reintroduced or is that going to be changed to suit Poole

They can't drop him and bring him back, there is a rule to stop that, but there again this is Poole

I seem to recall just after I joined the BSF a particular Poole fan posting this when another club made an early change.

Although of course, if you drop a rider they can't be broughht back in the same season.... unless we're ignoring that rule. The rule of course is there for this very reason, to stop a team dropping a rider, waiting a month for the averages to change and then fiddling him back in.

So Poole have sacked James Shanes and brought in Stefan Nielsen What a crazy move. The sign of a desperate struggling team I guess.

Very much personal opinion. I defended Baldy as I know its his genuine opinion of racing at Arena. I dont actually agree with him. I have enjoyed many meetings at Arena although it is much more enjoyable when rooting for the home team! Whilst supporting the Witches it is generaly less attractive!

Get shot of him and bring greaves back.

Learn fast is definitely the answer. Personally i think its one of the smaller tracks that can handle grippy preparation. Far too many slick tracks these days which is why riders at this level can struggle as there is just not enough opportunities to gain experience on them.

That rather depends on the deal on offer doesnt it....

Can't see Freddie riding for anyone else other than Wolves.

55-40 Lisa???? Good luck with that score - anywhere!! I'll go 52-38 again. (ps. Just waiting for Gavan to come on stating it'll be a cast-iron Pirates win!!)

It has missed many

But it will be the Newcastle 'Patched up' Diamonds Vs the Ipswich 'Walking Wounded' Witches, it's evens it out!!

What's wrong in that? If we have to have guests then at least this one isn't attached to another CL club and is a different rider for people to watch.

Late start was for track work. It was a really good meeting. Lots of passing too. Lots of positives

I agree Nilsson would be great if necessary, but we can’t reinstate him to the team without permission from SCB management committee. Whoever they may be. Wishing a speedy recovery for Danny though.

Ta. I expect a 10 point home win at least for the Robins.

Not sure what you’re construing as negative - it was merely an observation that the backroom team is going to be bigger than the riding team. Of course some will believe in anything, regardless of the economic realities of the sport. ‘Where is the money is coming from’ is just about the most important question in anything in life, because that determines the sustainability of whatever you’re doing or planning to do.

I think you're burying your head a little bit here, Back in the 70s the wage was around £50/60 a week, and petrol was 6 bob a gallon ( 30p), I could take the wife and the kiddies, buy 2 programmes, drinks and burgers all round for less than a tenner. The night was full of enjoyment and exciting races that kept everyone interested. Looking back at a 74 programme that cost 1 shilling (5p), here were 23 races starting a 7.30 pm on a Saturday night against Hackney, (we lost 36-42.) The tenner probably equalled a 1/6th of your weekly wage, but we had nearly 3hrs of enjoyment watching 23 races. The same day out now is very different, with considerably less to watch, A lesser program, perpetually drawn-out to make it last does nothing to enthral the fans. Everything you buy, you pay through the nose,. Petrol £ 7/ gallon, Admission £18 a head, Programmes £3 each Drinks £3/4 a throw. Before, it was excepted as a normal price for a night out and each believed they received VFM, not any more.... It would be wrong to pin all the blame on costs, for the sport was much different then, the Bike were slower and the competition was much closer. Missing the gate wasn't the be-all importance then as it created more excitement. Every race was competitive and closely fought. Today's super fast bikes, that cost the earth, produce a different race from the ones we use to watch. All the low torque engines have been replaced with high revving ones. Exhaust and tyres play their part . The throttles now are either open or closed, very little control how there once was. The emphasis has moved from the rider to the bikes, meaning far more follow the leader races, and these don't pull in the punters. You only have to look at the dwindling number over the years to see the effect it has had. But nobody takes any notice of these facts and continues in the same old pattern. Regardless of how you dress it up, the sport today is not working. and unless they address the important issues of Costs, VFM and excitement, the sport will continue to die ...

Not sure with me Steve ,I started going to Monmore in 99 and after 10 years I nearly went to the dark side especially after Billy joined . In 2009 I went home and away and after a narrow defeat at Swindon I was really annoyed and realised I was almost a Wolves fan. I decided in 2010 I was going to convert but then out of the blue we came back and I was back to Wolves being the enemy. However let's be honest were never coming back in the true sense so Wolves mean more to me than any other team except the heathens of course. Strange but true

Both...if true.

You go better at our place than we do at urs. We are underdogs over the 2 legs

I can only wish you the very best with your health.

If the BSPA don't go down something like this route, to totally rebuild the sport, instead of staring extinction in the face, speedway will be extinct.

Just a slip of the finger I think as she's better at scores and statistics than me and even I know it can only be 50-40 or thereabouts.

You just cannot help yourself can you. Small wonder why i do not reply to posters like you, and many others on here.

Hopefully - I might have a couple of newcomers with me this evening so I’m hoping the Witches put up a good fight!

This idiot idea of suddenly changing the averages was not the fault of Ippo management. Who' allowed such stupidity mid-season( well maybe not mid...)? However, the injury to Danny brings the poor start to a head.....

Just published today - the prequel to Pie 'n' Mash, "Cracked Eggs & Chicken Soup." "Cracked Eggs and Chicken Soup" is about growing up in the East End of London, around the Whitechapel and Bethnal Green areas, between the Wars. It is the memoir of my father, who came from a large family and talks about what it was like growing up in poverty during that period. But as well as being a family story, it is also a social and political history of its time. There is much about the shops and stalls of Petticoat Lane, Brick Lane and surrounding streets, their owners and stallholders. The itinerant street vendors and street entertainers. Also the rise of the Blackshirts and the fear amongst the community, culminating with an eye witness account of the Battle of Cable Street that turned the tide. But in spite of the difficult times, it is also a story of the love and community spirit of the East End and above all, the book records with affection the area and its people as well as now-vanished aspects of everyday life. The story is full of hardships but also of the hope and pride that defined the working class families in the slums and Buildings of the East End. There is even the odd mention of pre-War speedway too!

I haven't seen the Speedway Star but wish you luck with the project. Anyone who can get sponsorship into the sport has done well. We have some good young talent and I hope you have Woffy involved too. You will get negativity on here, I often wonder if some posters like the sport or prefer moaning. Ignore people like Humphrey. Hope you have some success.

Actually no he hasn't