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It has been mentioned a few times on this forum about atmosphere making a huge contribution to the experience of live sport. Recently I paid my first visit in living memory to a premier league football match, Huddersfield v Swansea to be precise. The atmosphere and noise was incredible, but as Tony Mac alludes to, most of the time nothing really exciting is actually happening. A huge cheer followed by fervent clapping as a player clears a ball away from danger – you would think the guy had just found a cure for some terrible disease. If you saw that same action with the crowd removed, there would be literally nothing exciting about it at all! In my opinion this partly explains the, ‘speedway was much better in my day’ viewpoint. The atmosphere back in the 60’s and 70’s clearly was superb and added hugely to the experience even if the racing was poor. A good example is the 1981 world final at Wembley. A fantastic occasion, for sure, but count the overtakes. Not many, and yet this is one of speedways best remembered meetings because the occasion and crowd elevated it to something way beyond just the racing.

This is very much par for the course. There is nothing on the King's Lynn website and nothing on the Leicester website. They are all in the same boat; i.e. attempting to achieve the impossible by selling a half baked, watered down, cobbled together, fifth rate product to an ever dwindling bunch of customers (aka supporters). Why should people decide to spend their money on this nonsense when they are treated with so little respect?

It's sad (that was edited!) that a serious attempt to make a point about the relative state of speedway in response gets petty point-scoring drivel from the usual suspects. Tony mentioned that he couldn't comment on ice hockey. I don't have involvement with that sport these days but their league structure until recently has been similar to ours, with a small top division supported by a middle section of around a dozen clubs but then, unlike us, regionalised hockey in the third and fourth tiers. I noticed when taking a look at the structure during the winter that their second tier appeared to have self-destructed with the former members now picking up the pieces in the regionalised minor leagues. Yes, we're not the only sport with problems but we are the only one where it ios pressures from overseas that are damaging the sport domestically. I've said before the BSPA has its great limitations but I rather feel sorry for them trying to face up to the onslaught of Poland, BSI and One Sport and having to surrender weekends for the top tier in response. They weren't really equipped for the battle. Football is a sport apart, if only for the money. You only have to look at the success of Manchester City and Chelsea, backed up by virtually unlimited subsidy from private individuals and their businesses to see that the sport side is rapidly disappearing. Sadly football has been relentlessly hyped so far in the 25 years since it sold its soul to Murdoch that normal economic factors are long gone. Despite protests the clubs can practically charge what they like and run up debts with impunity that they can walk away from, just creating new phoenix clubs where necessary when it gets too bad. People though let them get away with it because football is simply too important to them, and they will put up with anything and pay anything for their 'fix'. I use that last word carefully. Yes, UK speedway's in a state, but it's far from being all the BSPA's fault. With skills which they sadly don't possess they might have been able to deflect some of the harm done by foreign pay-days but. in reality they were on a hiding to nothing. It might help if the 'supporters' who mouth off here might actually see the bigger picture than whingeing about 'watered down' leagues and accepted that structural change is sadly vital and on the whole we simply can't afford to pay the top talent, although some are somehow finding the cash. More fool them. It's time for the genuine speedway fans to stand by their sport, make allowances and for those who are simply in it for championships and the 'glamour' of names to let the rest of us try to enjoy what we still have and work to rebuild the sport rather than play pathetic 'whooshing' and 'fishing' games in this forum. The BSF should be a sounding board for ideas to rescue and rebuild UK speedway. Sadly it seems that's beyond the playground mentalities of too many 'heroes' hiding behind their hilarious false names.

It's rare that I attempt to in any way defend the BSPA for its many perceived failings, but as a fan of numerous other major sports it's fair to say that speedway is not alone in causing angst and bewilderment among its followers and, just perhaps, we are all guilty at times of being over-critical of officialdom and what is served up in the name of sport and entertainment. Take football. It continues to price itself out of the financial reach of the average man and woman on the street and attending Premier League games now costs an arm and leg. Then there's the overpriced kits (three versions at any one time) and other merchandise clubs pump out to further rip off their loyal followers. Premier League chairmen/owners are widely regarded as the greediest bunch of governing parasites in world sport. People question the integrity and nous of some running Premier, Championship and National tracks. But look at the disastrous club ownerships that The Football League has stood by and allowed to wreck and ruin - my own club, Leyton Orient, almost went to the wall a year ago at the hands of our then psychopathic Italian owner, who treated us like his personal play thing with almost fatal consequences until the O's were saved in the high court. County Cricket has just entered another desperate new phase of trying to reinvent itself, with the newly-proposed '100-ball' brainwave set to be introduced in 2020 in an effort to attract new, younger fans and mums. It's a franchised based scheme, with a select group of players (not including the best English Test and one-day cricketers) chosen to represent new teams representing cities rather than counties. This, though, will effectively kill the current T20 domestic competition brought in in 2003. The ECB and county bosses are being publicly hammered and ridiculed for dreaming up yet another new format for a game that already has 5-day Tests, 4-day County Championship matches and two one day tournaments. Cricket clubs and the ICC at world level have spent fortunes improving their pitches and outfields but they still can't control the weather and, like speedway, matches are often postponed or abandoned after just a few overs play. These two national sports are awash with billions of TV money yet still, it seems, they couldn't organise the proverbial p*** up in a brewery. How many different 'World Championships' does boxing have these days? In recent years cycling has been totally discredited for harbouring cheats who take drugs to enhance performance. Which race teams and riders can be trusted? Greyhound racing has literally gone to the dogs, with more and more tracks closing year on year. I don't know enough about other sports, such as rugby and ice hockey, to comment here about where they come up short but you can rest assured they too will have their critics and be hampered by decisions (and indecision) taken by their respective rulers. 'Who cares about other sports, speedway is all we're interested in', I hear you scream! I hear you, loud and clear! But remember, there is a lot wrong with many other sports, too, including those with huge financial resources and tens of thousands more followers, and speedway is by no means alone in struggling to satisfy its loyal supporters. Should we keep questioning and challenging the BSPA and FIM (I would add the SCB, too, but they are toothless and have virtually ceded control of the sport to the men and women who run the tracks)? Of course. No-one could argue that speedway couldn't be much better organised and administered, and badly needs to offer more variety in its formats and competitions. The ridiculously over-complicated rulebook needs to be torn up and re-written in the simplest terms. Doubling-up and guests must be eradicated ASAP. There has to be more emphasis on British youth development, with team places made available to the best prospects. But speedway is plagued by many problems (bad weather; lack of stadium ownership; ill effects of the GP and other domestic leagues) beyond its control. So all things considered, while it doesn't solve problems to acknowledge the fact, we're certainly not alone among sports fan calling for more sanity and things to be run better. Speedway? It ain't so bad after all!

ah thanks .....enjoy your day at school

Any 2 point ish rider you sign will be a young National league rider who is only in the team so that you can have a top heavy 1 to 5(the managers choice) they are all just cannon fodder who will pick up the odd point here and there.They are all to young to be in the top league Jack was loved at Belle vue last year because he is a real trier and the fans got behind him and went crazy whenever he scored a point or so for us they were just chuffed for the lad.But we all knew he was a young kid and why he was in the team and never gave him any hassle at all. The only way you will get a better reserve is to drop one of your top 4 and bring in 2 four ish pointers like we have done this year if it turns out better for us time will tell. All i can say to you is take Jack for what he is a young lad at the start of his speedway carrier and get behind the lad he will be giving everything he has got but at best he will score a couple of points every now and then and when he does give him a massive cheer.

Speedways fan base has collapsed in this country, with the vast majority of tracks hemmoraging money. The British public has voted with it's feet, and I can't ever see them coming back.

Instead of going to Redcar on Thursday to complete my tracks a car load of Heathens have decided to go to Swindon to see the Wolves. Scary. What are we turning into. Hoooooowwwwwwl. Oh God no

Without wishing to get into the pointless discussion of what constitutes entertainment ( and let's not get into the silly argument Speedwáy only being 15 min racing) surely the point is that if 50,000+ are regularly paying an arm and a leg to watch a football match, it demonstrates that Speedwáy is not over priced , and that if people find someting enjoyable and entertaining they will find the funds to pay for it. Reducing Speedwáy admission to £10 won't bring more through the gate ( well not significantly anyway ) , good entertainment well presented will make a difference. There will never be football sized crowds at Speedwáy meetings but if Speedwáy tracks could put even another 200 on the gate each meeting of the season it would make a huge difference to the finances of most clubs, and to the future of the sport. Instead those in charge act as if lowering the standard is the way forward.

I'm so pleased for Laura and the Promotion, she has put so much time,effort ,money into keeping Speedway at Workington. And us fans too, been years since we travelled to an away meeting and felt like we did after Sunday Its very early season but we will enjoy it while we can. Attendances were really good the previous couple weeks , hard to get the momentum going at Home with crowds with the fixtures the way they are but hopefully once June/July kicks in she will get a lot more down to support the boys

You are right about Nicholls and Richardson. They made a stand, as Tai did, and should be congratulated for having the morals to drop out rather than ride when its shambles from top to toe. They had to pay to ride for their own country and rightly refused. Woffiden would have lost a lot on money in sponsorship by not riding. Pat him on the back, do not give him a hard time, Team GB in a far better place now than before.

Come on everyone, all together now... "WE ALL LOVE SPEEDWAY STARS IS OUR NAME....."

From that comment , you are obviously in the 'Privilege few' that have been informed of the teams. It just illustrates the attitude of the club, that is infuriating the real fans by being kept in the dark. I am not particularly bothered who it is , but being kept informed is the important part Unless we are told of the team before the match , there is no way I will pay to watch speedway without knowing who I will be watching... I thought this Brundle chap was suppose to be take the club on a new direction, pointing out the Club and Fans being of one vision. This sure contradicts a of that statement ....

Yet another rider to attack. Still having a go at a critically ill rider as well I notice. Beyond despicable.

Well I watched it on TV and found it a very enjoyable meeting, excellent track and good close riding especially heat 9. No, I am not a sit at home supporter but live a 4 hour drive from both Manchester and Swindon

I believe they have actually made the decision(s) after the Friday night defeat but have not gone public until everything is in place.

Making of a good team is a proper No1 who can regularly go out and win heat 15 and two decent reserves. Until the Promotion understand that we will continue to struggle. Ellis Perks was going far better than Max last year and got binned. Not Max’s fault but he is a long way away from being the quality we need. We were lucky tonight and that luck will run out sooner or later.

and never likely to be again whilst they treat fans the way they do. You might be content to be taken for a mug but I have more self respect. Oh yes for 50+ years home and away from the very first meeting at Saddlebow Road. I'll leave it at that.

Yes, surely the promotion should have had the reports up as soon as possible. Jenga is right, these sort of things do matter, and when we have had a weekend like we have had they should be shouting from the rooftops to let everyone know we are a team to be reckoned with and actively encouraging as many people as possible to get themselves down to DP.

If Cookie pulled out last minute then no doubt Dale had to find a replacement, no point in putting a PR out naming Cook only to have to retract it with another one a few hours later? We now know the team, let’s just go there, pretend we are Polish fans and make some noise for our team :D There’s real needle in this meeting, something hanging on the aggregate score, something to get the adrenaline flowing

But most of those criticising aren’t paying customers are they??

Expected first line if someone differs to you. I'm not happy with riders missing,i want a full team every week.But currently GB is bottom of the speedway list and we will have to build our way back up somehow.Incidentally before the season had started just about everyone was for the FRN,now because it's gone pear shaped for a few meetings people are against it. And no i don't have one way vision as you put it.I honestly didn't know the exact timing of their press releases regarding the teams that's why i put an unsure emoji beside it.And in my honest opinion i still feel the same people would have come out with the negative comments had the team been announced two weeks ago for this match. Sorry for having an opinion that doesn't agree with yours.You sometimes seem to have a problem with me when my opinion is different to yours.

Because football is indoctrinated in the mindset as our national game hence the coverage it receives within the media. Personally I gave up watching football years ago with the amount of money now talked about in transfer fees and salaries.

According to a Guardian report on football finances, in the year up to May 2016 they lost £5m and the overall losses for the Premier League were £113m. Championship clubs losses were over £200m for the same season, with Bolton an eye watering £193m in debt. If speedway is propped up by wealthy owners as income cannot meet expenditure football is no different with Roman Abramovich reportedly having put over £1bn into Chelsea.

Figures often don't tell the full story, especially in this case. Thousands of Hammers fans have taken to social media all season to vent their disgust at how shabbily they are being treated by the owners, with many threatening not to renew their season tickets, claiming they have been "lied to". The owners are vilified and subjected to daily online abuse and, as of this week, a petition is running to have MD Karren Brady stripped of her newspaper column. The atmosphere at the Athletics Stadium has been toxic for much of this depressing season. The fact that there are new 'plastic' (and probably more gullible) fans/tourists ready to replace traditionalists like myself, and many thousands of others who are cheesed off about how money has morally corrupted the game, does NOT mean our club, or the game itself, is being run very well (which was my original point). It just means that there are many thousands more football fans with a sheep mentality, who are prepared to tolerate being mugged off, compared to speedway followers.

Next weeks main match-5 camera production is Smederna v Masarna

The best freebies are always in prime position overlooking the tapes

It was a treat to watch dan bewley last night on a super duper track .thats been starmans attitude since day one in which i dont understand why

Nuh its called keeping the forum topic interesting. It might work or it might fail. Who knows, but for those of us genuinely interested in the sport doesnt do any harm to try and engage in sensible dialogue rather than personal peeing contests ;-)

The fans think so as they go ..at speedway they don't

Hello from the studios.

Ashley Morris is the guest at 6 for Somerset. I think Swindon can run this one close, going to go for a 46-44 win.

Got my copy yesterday. Again I have to echo the sentiments of Steve and TWK, it is a superb publication. Well done to the Backtrack team!

It seems the new broom isn't sweeping clean. I thought the new man Brundle was going to correct all the mistakes the club made last season. He is as bad as Buster in not telling the fans what's going on. So sod tomorrow's meeting he can have whatever team he likes ,l won't be there supporting them.

Think some may have missed my point about football, or perhaps I didn't make it clearly enough. My point is that football is Britain's No.1 national sport, is awash with insane amount of cash (especially at the highest level) . . . but in many respects it's as poorly run and administered as speedway, and treats its loyal followers with utter contempt. Cricket is a much more relevant analogy. Constantly trying to reinvent itself for a new audience it think it needs to appeal to (many women are insulted by the notion that a new 100-ball format is what they crave) , while the bedrock of the game - County Championship and Test matches (outside England) - are teetering on the brink of self-destruction.

It's interesting that Worky have never track their full Team this season so far,guest or R/r in every match.

See the usual Woffinden d1ckheads are out in force. Tai has an issue with the way the team was being run. That has all changed for the better and he is back. still we get usual morons moaning

Correct. It's fantastic Woffinden has sacrificed his own personal glory for the good of those coming up in the ranks providing them with a better organisation in which to showcase their skills and reap their rewards. If only more riders were as selfless as Woffinden. Tbf Nicholls and Richardson tried to do the same previously but they didn't have the same clout as the double World Champion does. Still, success breeds jealousy and it's always pleasing to see it spewing out from certain posters. Little point you posting about the Speedway of Nations, as you've said, you won't be watching.

I always felt with speedway attendances, that we were one season away from disaster. It seems to me, that time has arrived.

With all due respect to Steve it's ridiculous that the track photographer knows the team but customers don't. There should have been a press release yesterday morning let alone this morning. The club really don't help themselves.

Over the years many of the best riders have been very lightweight, and the great Peter Craven never had a problem ! Hopefully his feet are kept firmly planted on the ground as he has a fantastic opportunity to develop into an incredible rider. Disappointed to here Pearson and Tatum constantly rabbit on as if he is unbeatable. A bit more maturity and common sense approach from them is more likely to be helpful to Bewley.

If most meetings were of that standard I for one wouldn't have walked away from the sport. I'm not in favour of super tuned bikes but last night didn't come across to me as a track simply for fast bikes. If you think Batchelor has more talent/trackcraft than Bewley for example I suggest you are rather biased.

This is a thread about a seriously injured rider who's livelihood has been wrecked, and who is going to need a lot of support this year to get him back on his feet, let alone earning money. It's not another thread about Poole. It would be nice for once if people stuck to the thread title.

As ever,the person doing the petty point scoring is you !!! You have your usual attempt at putting someone down,then go on to agree with the point that football in your words is 'a sport apart'.What you should have said was it was foolish to use football as an example,as I was pointing out.But thanks for backing up my point

Your just a troll, and not a funny one !!!!! One disrespectful post after another......

Doesn't even know now when to do it. Thinks it is funny.

If more tracks in this country could serve up racing like the Tungate and Musielak heat then the sport would be in a far better state. That was class.

If there is I will chuck in a tenner.

just got in, what a night, fantastic racing, great presentation and chase the Ace. Race of the night or even season up to date Tungate and Musielak just fantastic, Dan as usual is awesome. Swindon deserved an away point, but it just slipped away in the final few heats, Belle Vue well deserving of the 3 points.

Dan bewley for me what a talent the track awesome as well we can only dream