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It's just too expensive to attract and keep new fans and particularly families. My speedway experience is to pay £16, enter a stadium which is dilapidated and, (unless I want to watch from behind the glass, which I don't), is in a worse condition now than it was in 1974 when I started going. There are no seats, just dusty steps. The pre-meeting entertainment is to listen to Now That's What I Call Music number 124 and watch a pathetic introduction of the riders by a half-hearted announcer. There is then about 13 minutes of action over the next hour and a half to two hours with a raffle akin to the ones people used to have for a tray of meat in the Working Men's Clubs of years gone by. There is no second half, nothing to entertain the kids or anyone else - nothing. The riders all seem to manage to ride around in vans as big as a starter home and even the reserves at 'Championship' level appear to be full-time. So, the equipment costs a fortune and riders want paying a fair return for the expenditure and the risks they take. I have no problem with that, but the situation cannot continue. The sport has to find a way of reducing costs of equipment and riders have to realise that it is not sustainable to be full time when they are riding in front of crowds of 500-1500 people. Promoters have to promote. All they do is to open the gates, expect people to come and pay their money and come back again the next week when many of them do absolutely nothing to encourage a return. Times are hard for a lot of people and there is better entertainment to be had elsewhere. I've been to the ice-hockey a couple of times recently and it's not my cup of tea to be honest. But there were thousands there, many in replica kits, games and entertainment for the kids, a brilliant arena and cheaper than the speedway. I prefer the speedway because I've been brought up with it but in terms of value for money there was no comparison. Speedway, on its's day, can be the best sport in the world but it needs someone in charge who has a vision and some radical ideas. The promoters have to promote and the riders have to be more realistic and realise that they can't all be full time.

UNDERSTAND they sold out of programmes last night. Hope that was indicative of a good crowd. Sadly, no meeting next week. And therein lays the problem... no momentum or continuity.

Thank god theres not a best second placed team qualifies for the final again or else we will get the Sheffield fans upset again starting another sham thread.

peter adams does thats for sure . anyway a good point for us last night

Well.done to young dan on the reserve birth dont think the track will do him any favours but will learn alot just being in the pits ,well done to steve lawson for getting him where he is .

IT was a generalisation ... tracks have a successful meeting then don't run for two or three weeks. Cannot keep blaming the World Cup. But if I said the sky was blue you would disagree.

Closer match than I expected...but once again fantastic night’s racing. I said to someone leaving... cracking night’s racing as usual His response was .. I haven’t been to Speedway for over 25 years.... Came to the last Aces match and enjoyed it so much I came back... My response was .... don’t stop now keep coming !!!!

I like Rosco. Always have. But Middlo is a far, far better manager.

Don’t worry about balderdash&pifle, he’s the resident Berwick pain in the #*&%, slags off anyone and everything concerning the promotion and organisation of all things Speedway ( Especially Berwick). Does a lot of brown nosing with riders and can’t see past them, While it was not perfect, your live stream was very much appreciated, Thank you

Jeez - park here, don't park there, arrive early, don't leave early, pre-book your seats blah blah blah. Should have just had it at Peterborough.

The OTA bathed in sunshine for the entire meeting is a sight to behold and last night temperatures soared into the 70’s which was a real treat. Brent Knoll looked a treat as a spectacular back drop, blue clear skies with seagulls regularly circling overhead. Despite (for the OTA) the lack of passing, I counted only 7 or 8 passes, it was a tense, exciting meeting and yet another last heat decider. Iversen was in a class of his own. Although matched from the gate a couple of times, his drive and speed over that 15 metres or so into the first turn was the telling point. Not once was he led out of the first and second turns the whole evening. Once in front he settled into the fastest line with ease. It always seems that when a rider is fast and comfortable with the track, they look like they are settling back into an armchair. Iversen epitomised that view last night. The Stars fully deserved their point and looked threatening throughout. With Palm-Toft at reserve and British Champion Robert Lambert in the form of his life, for the first time this season a home loss looked a possibility after heat 13. However, Doyle swapped to his second bike for the clash of the big guns in heat 15 and looked much quicker. At one point he came within a whisker of Iversen’s back wheel on the home straight of lap 3, but had to settle for second best to the flying Dane. Holder kept Lambert at bay to ensure a draw. Holder himself was lucky to avoid injury after rearing alarmingly coming out of turn 2 in heat 4. He did his level best to keep the front wheel down, but instead crashed heavily into the back straight fence. His machine catapulted into the air along side him, narrowly missing him and the following riders. As the red lights came on, Palm-Toft, hot in pursuit of Nico Covatti at the time, clipped the Rebel’s new signing’s rear wheel which sent him spectacularly into the home straight fence. For a second or two there lay two stricken riders on the track and one really did fear for both men. However, what seems to be so typical of speedway riders, both were up and walking back to the pits within minutes. One can’t help comparing what we are seeing on the TV currently with professional footballers in the World Cup hitting the deck at the slightest contact to these steely riders, many of which are very slightly built. Doyle described the reason Holder was up and on his feet so quickly as “he bounces easily!’ Once again new signing Claus Vissing looked very poor. Some derision from some supporters on the back straight was heard as the Dane finished last again in his final ride. Patience wears thin these days, and one wonders if his time is almost up after only a couple of meetings. Garry May will have been watching carefully. Finally a mention for Covatti who is a thrilling addition to the team. He showed his gating skills last night but his remarkable pass of Jorgensen in heat 14 after losing ground initially on the Dane and then hunting him down and passing him on the 4th bend to join Lawson up front not only won him race of the night, but rider of the night also.

You go to a restaurant and are first in?.. You get put by the window... You have the first table booking of the night?.. You get put by the window... A fruit and veg man makes his living from what's on display at the front of his shop, hence all the best fruit and veg is there for those walking past to look at. What you then buy in store may not be quite of the same quality but you already have a mindset of good quality so invariably don't even notice... As you say, people are sheep and will often follow what they are told is the latest fad or see what is successful and attacts a crowd, and then latch on to it.. With Speedway being one of this countries best kept secrets, it is simply screaming out for someone with real marketing skills to grab it by the balls and move it forwards. And with the right contract from the BSPA, given the huge potential audience to aim for who don't go, they could end up very wealthy.. British Speedway doesn't seem to even consider the TV meeting being beamed into tens of thousands of homes as a chance to showcase the sport. (And when you look at the BARB figures Speedway certainly more than holds its own, often outperforming more well known sports).. They seem content to portray the image of a crowd level of 'one man and his dog' and it appears even more embarrassing when Nigel mentions the 'good crowd in tonight Kelvin' as the camera moves around a crowd 'one deep' at best with many, many gaps in between.. For me, if you are not willing to drop the price and promote the event to try and grow your business long term then the least you could do is cordon off parts of the stadium to 'squeeze' the crowd together and put huge advertising banners blocking the empty terracing left behind in places. (Like UEFA do with the front rows of the Champions League).. Possibly it could actually be easier to get companies to pay to have their names emblazoned across tens of thousands of TV's in Britain in large letters, than attracting income generated by getting a crowd in? Sadly, virtually every time you watch a British Speedway League match on TV your heart sinks just that little bit more. .

so funny … everyone has been complaining about luddos away form ……. then people demanding know why he's been dropped luddo has ridden redcar well before …. but his form hardly warrants him being in the team and he might as well have a weekend with his family

Poole wouldn't have done such a thing would they.Soon got rid of Shanes for Nielsen when the averages allowed.Seem to remember you saying it's a sport it's about winning,this is why Ford makes changes.So you can't argue what Somerset are doing if this is the case.They may feel this is their best chance of silverware. Now you know how many other fans feel when they face Poole after making a change or two,or pulling a fast one.

Sadly the BSPA don't understand that fans are actually customers. A fact that seems to be lost on many promoters too.

Zero - but had as much merit as your post re Redcar Its called communication - well done to Redcar for being proactive in setting out what they are doing to help the day run as smoothly as possible

No your not,you are complaining about him and saying he should be replaced at every opportunity, It is destructive not constructive and if you were a Poole fan you would not be saying it but we all know you are not.

Such a sad loss. The track is everything and we have been spoilt with such a brilliantly prepared track over the years.

We can't and we are not, the whole forum knows,its just you are in denial.

Holder and especially Ward were going to be world class no matter who managed them.

We can't all be wrong!!!

Calling me childish haha!!! Your the one getting hot under the collar with your swipes at Middlo, if you were really a Poole fan you would understand why so many of us think so highly of Middlo. It has been said by many that were there that Woryna only showed he was going well on the night in heat 14.

I went to the meeting and although we lost it was a good meeting. Listen stop being an irritating troll with your pathetic cheats post it's not necessary. Grow up.

Nice to see another team taking advantage of the rules currently in place and doing nothing wrong, I cannot imagine who they got that from but Garry May does live in Poole.

Knowing the promotion and the lack of understanding in track matters he has probably ordered 10 tonne of hardcore!! LMFAO

It could pay you to talk to a few of your Poole/Somerset contacts regarding the actual truth behind your above assertion!...........In the meantime, I think you should file it along with all those America didn't go to the moon theories.

In the modern day when we're told speedway riders are more professional than at any time, why is it that the sport seems more amateurish with each decade that passes? This isn't a dig at the sport, I think it's more a reflection on the people who have arrived to run teams, most of them long-time fans, and have no blinking idea what they are doing. To them, it's better than setting up the spare PC in a back bedroom and playing a speedway promoter game on an old Spectrum. In the old days, the sport was run by distinguished-looking men in nice suits who were located in salubrious offices in London. Perhaps we should have seen the writing on the wall when an arm of the sport began being run above a corner shop and promoters were happy to wear red jackets and Wulf coats.

You can't be much of a Matt Ford Fan 'cos everyone knows that Middlo and Ford and joined at the hip and the manager is going nowhere!

Definitely correct Naj. Before tonight, the one & only away rider to score two maximums at the OTA, and now it's three

I hope to be there,I really enjoy the racing at Worky.

if anyone is interested Kent beat Coventry 46 - 44

2 good teams. 2 good teams going for it Right result Heat 14 WOW. Just WOW Thank you to all 14 riders. Monday nights at the NSS are special

Just to let you know that we had an interesting, absorbing and emotional evening. Robbo picked up a late guest booking at Sheffield so our guests were Paul Ackroyd, Adam Roynon, Garry Stead and Ricky Ashworth. Bert Harkins also supported the event and joined the panel for the second half of the evening. After presenting Ricky and Garry with their 2006 British Final race jackets and framed photos from Jeff Davies the audience were informed and entertained by our guests. Most were surprised as to the lengths the SRBF goes to and the speed with which they offer support to the injured riders' families. The SRBF is unique in the speedway world and should be cherished and supported wherever possible. At the end of the evening we'd collected £410.10 for the Ben' Fund......Bert Harkins drew his own ticket in the raffle......and there was a standing ovation for Ricky Ashworth. The NSSC will round up the collection to £500 and donate it to the Speedway Riders' Benevolent Fund. A huge thank you to our guests and also the audience for giving so generously.

NO, Pete Adams is at Wolves!!!

Yes, it is why I put 'imo' at the end of my post! If Madsen wanted to ride in England he would be here, I'm sure he's had a fair few enquiries.

Ive just got back from a fantastic meeting at the NSS , and full credit to riders like Kurtz and Woryna Heat 14 between Woryna and Tungate was one of the best ive seen at the track !! All this "Middlo cost us the win"..is utter bulls*** , and slightly disrespectful to both Poole and Belle Vue riders

Admittedly Woryna should have had more rides , but you do realize Belle Vue riders rode well tonight ?, and if not for a uncharacteristic low score from Dan Bewley And Fricke shedding a chain on the start line, we could have well hit the 50 plus mark . So spare us the "Poole would have won with a different manager " line , thanks

So Garry has out Matted Matt Ford.

Speedway is like that nomad rider at the end of his career, flitting around the country in search of rides. Almost two decades at the top with Sky, all the lavish money, but now has to ride for nothing. I looked down the team order for one of speedway's prime draws, Poole, for tonight's match at Belle Vue. I don't think I'd leave my keyboard for that, never mind the house, or pay the gate money. That is just one problem, a side who'd once bring the likes of Rickardsson and Adams in the same side is reduced to seven-second strings. The needless stop-start at the beginning of tonight's TV offering makes me want to reach for the remote. Don't feel tempted to visit the track, and TV is driving me away. Speedway in this country has a simple vision to answer the falling attendances - to raise admission prices and weaken the teams.

Ha ha, no I was replying to both of your accounts! You know the first one where you said he was rumoured to be coming, which NOBODY believed except you

It was a uneducated guess as per usual, I don't think anyone fell for that one.

Hold on !!! not everyones been complaining

The train station car park is only £2 After 4pm.

Tell the . . . . ing truth

Ive edited my reply no digging out or offence meant merely my opinion.Apologies if you took it that way. That will teach me for posting so late at night

Firstly, thanks for your reply, but please tell me where I said it was ok? Secondly, the quote above was in reply to Tellboy & was about Michael Palm Toft in Heat 14 & not Doyley, so it may pay to read the post correctly before jumping in with both feet. Thirdly, regarding Doyle's retirement in Heat 13, you wrote this........ To which I replied, "Appeared to come out on his second bike for Heat 15, certainly looked like a fresh bike to me", which I now believe to be true. If you have a problem with Doyle's performance, fine, I don't have an issue with that but please at least read the posts correctly if you're going to try & dig me out over them.

What a great report! You really painted a great picture of events last night. Thanks.

When the price of speedway went up to over a pound a race, The writing was on the wall.

Come on Steve O, the sight of riders roaring around the outside in thrilling passing manouvers took me back to Sudden Sam and PK at their best.

Attendances haven't gone up at Rye House despite more big names being on show. I suspect that if they returned to the Championship the crowds would not fall so people aren't just going to watch Doyle, Lambert, Cook etc. If anything they make the racing more predictable as the top riders rarely make a mistake. If you could take up the sport on a relatively low cost, part time basis combined with it being easier to get a team place (remember 'Vultures' races?) more individuals may well be inclined to give it a go therefore increasing the supply of riders. How about appealing to existing moto-cross riders in the same way that grass track riders used to be encouraged to give it a go. Make clubs more like clubs so a longer term view is taken of riders' development. It's first and foremost a team sport for me.