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BREAKING NEWS Planning permission for new stadium granted with no more new homes to be built until it’s finished ✅ Have a lovely evening folks!

It’s funny how some supporters shout that the promoters should spend more money on gp stars, 2 minute clocks, electric scoreboards etc, etc, but moan at the price of entry/ programs. Youll never please everyone no one no matter what.

What a load of short-sighted, jealous folk there are about calling themselves speedway fans and gloating because a team's owners comes out and makes a statement. Sure Glasgow spent on trying to put a winning team together but what a lot of folk so blinkered they can't see past their own team is that the Glasgow Promotion also invested heavily in the community around Ashfield. When they bought the stadium they also guaranteed the continuation of the areas junior (equivalent of English non-league) football team and the money spent on the work on the stadium was mostly done by local companies employing local people. Yeah if the Facenna's walk away because of losses it's more than speedway that loses out. Think about the greater picture rather than gloat!!!

It is ludicrous isn't it? Winning can actually close a club down.. And one of the reasons is that the club doesn't get the chance to make more of its success financially due to the ridiculous fixture list... Winning three titles is a fantastic achievement but doing it all in a fortnight costs the fans a fortune, the clubs a fortune and has finals ran in the worst weather month of the season meaning fans could end up picking and choosing which final to attend!! Two of the Comps start months and months earlier in the season so surely it would be more beneficial for clubs to spread out that success across the season..? Having a trophy to be won in say June, one in August, and one in October would keep the interest going through the whole season and mean if one club dominates they get the chance to maximise each final to deliver the best returns, and if three separate clubs win the trophies it shares the opportunity to have 'bumper crowds' across the league... So many simple easy to do improvements can be made to this sport, many not needing any money spent, it just doesn't seem they can see them..

the comparisons with football are completely bogus. For one thing, a home team mullering the away team every week is fine in football but v boring in speedway. People keep going on about the product being lower standard but the product is racing not names. As long as the racing is competitive then the product is fine. In the good times of the 60s and 70s for every Briggs, Mauger, etc there were 2 or 3 journeyman riders making up the numbers. How do you think they achieved regular 11 plus averages? If Briggs, Mauger, Moore, Fundin, etc met each other once a week their averages would struggle past 9. Mathematical fact

This may strike an accord with Glasgow. I do hope they continue to run for many years, but i can't help thinking if over the past few years instead of flashing the cash at big riders and producing well payed teams (granted thats the way a club should be run with money!) But if they didnt flash the big bucks and focused on a more sustainable plan for the future such as building a balanced and budgeted team without huge demands then this type of statment might have been dampened or totally avoided in my opinion.

My understanding is that only 12 promoters turned up so guests were brought in from the Polish League. But most of them were late getting up so were excluded under the 2 minute rule. Rider Replacement was then applied which resulted in Matt Ford getting additional votes A number of promoters were excluded for having a different opinion to Matt Ford

Speedway is best as a team Sport, no doubt about it. The League and International Test Matches is what it makes it so unique and very special as a motorsport. Nowadays we have a full season of league meetings for the club teams, but what I miss most of all is some meaningfull International teams competition, like there was in the 1970s. When I watch the Rugby Union Autumn Test matches just this month, I realise what Speedway is missing out on big time.

Just the 1920s really. By 1929 (after just one year) people were getting fed up with what was more or less a meaningless succession of races that meant very little or nothing. Spectators were crying out for team speedway so they could get behind their riders and support them. I can't help thinking that would be the same feeling today.

Well that's why Workington picked a rubbish team by all accounts, with the aim to "just win" their home meetings and get to the end of the season, hopefully somewhere around the mid point, you know just don't get the "wooden spoon", Mid Table!!! Everyone wrote them off at the start of the season, a 16 year old kid with no big league experience; one heat leader; and not a very good one at that; and five second strings that quite frankly no one wanted. I blame them stupid riders for winning everything its their fault, what a bloody cheek turning the form book on its head and delivering a fantastic treble, no mean feat that and you can get lucky by winning one competition but all three that was some achievement. However on a more serious note how ironic is it that when you are successful in Speedway it costs you more money, how crazy is that, success should reap the rewards surely, shouldn't it? nope!!! success gets you a bigger wage bill, more stadium costs and more indirect costs. Yet every promotion chases the dream how bonkers is that. I cant honestly weigh it up. Be near the bottom and lose fans as your team is getting beat or win everything and near bankrupt yourself. So I think I have sorted the problem finish 5th every year and hope all your meetings are 49 - 41 home and away. Sorted If it were only that simple eh! Who would be a promoter? Regards THJ

It's not funny at all, it's perfect sense. Many fans are tired of paying the same, or increased prices for a product that is being consistently lowered in standard. No business can expect to survive in that fashion.

Post of the day

Keep you're eyes on the Swindon Advertiser for leaks, Rosco just can't keep his gob shut for 3 days!

What isn't being recognised here is that Glasgow have put there money where there mouth is, on all threads everybody's solution to the sport's ills has been to "Promote" the sport. Get involved with the community, posters, radio, bus backs mailshots, kids clubs and more, Glasgow have done that they've tried to grow their attendance to a sustainable level and they have taken some very good riders to Ashfield. It hasn't worked and they now find themselves in the same difficulties as everyone else with no clear solution, for me the writing has been on the wall since the beginning of 2017 when crowds dropped back to the previous promotion's levels and that is when the cloth should have been cut accordingly IMHO not 2019. They got it wrong as far as managing their costs are concerned but don't be harsh on them for trying and next time somebody posts all the answers to getting more people through the turnstile point them in Glasgow's direction, there is no magic formula all the advertising posters in the local chippy will not save Speedway.

The SCB is not invited to the AGM as it is for the BSPA to decide the future formats of speedway, so why should you be looking for anything on the SCB twitter. Every year a press statement is prepared as they leave the AGM for the Present Officer to write up, and issue it usually the morning afterwards. The main points are included and smaller items immerse in the period afterwards possibly having been presented to the SCB for scrutiny and comments. It's only in people's twisted minds that it's a mushroom situation, but if you feel neglected so be it. Many times something is agreed but on reflection, when other decisions are later made, the original decision needs to be amended. If they did what you expect, you and others would be on their backs saying something like "why didn't they wait till the end and publish the findings in full' and not very professional. Can't win really, hence the reason trying to get it right is more important than feeding the crocodiles looking in and ready to attack.

The ridiculously REDUCED and STOP/START fixture list this year put paid to the excellent work Glasgow Speedway did to promote the sport over last year and during the winter. This, along with the inability to adhere to a regular race night destroyed any possibility of hanging on to any new or returning fans who were enticed through all the good work.

The fixture list F-Up’s, and those responsible, must have lost Workington much needed income and possibly their future - after the clubs most successful season ever. As you say, ludicrous. Totally unnecessary and avoidable.

We get that tripe EVERY single year. It wasn’t funny when the first biscuits “gag” surfaced years ago, now it’s just downright cringeworthy.

Grow up.

What attracted me to and kept me interested in speedway was following my team. I have very little interest, if any, in individual meetings. The erosion of the team aspect in the UK has withered my interest. As I've said many times before, some existing fans may want to tinker around with the product but I think it far more important that thought is given to improving the night out - then it becomes less important how many overtakes there were. If people go away having had a good time then they will return. I liked KTs idea of using interactive aspects - playing to peoples' obsession (particularly the younger ones) with mobile phones/technology. Standing out in the cold/wet is unpleasant, standing around watching a tractor or listening to 70s music is also not engaging. There could be other things on the terraces to do e.g. video games, bike simulators, bouncy castles/bungees, party events hosting, free wifi, a big screen - none of these are messing about with the racing but just trying to modernise the experience. If you then added characters for your team, with nicknames etc. as they do in other sports this could also add some atmosphere - this does need promoters to stop 'pass the rider' games and loyalty can be achieved if handled consistently. We'll always have the memories I suppose.

Don’t get too precious about it Starman. James went through the revolving door far too quickly and was only selected because his average was convenient at the beginning of the season. The promoter only signed Bomber when Noddy finally got his act together and told the truth about his work permit!!! Was Harris his first choice, no. Was Holder his first choice, yes. Would Shane’s have been his first choice if there had been a young Aussie on the same average as Shanes, no.. Get my drift, hope so. If not, I’ll make it easy for you, the Poole promoter will always go with a foreign (preferably Aussie) rider before a Brit.

Honestly You can not fault the promotion in any way here really they get ten out of ten for effort, even if it is considered that they went about team building the wrong way their promotion of the sport in Glasgow has been magnificent and can not be faulted, (and it has been effective to a certain extent) although it hasn't put high numbers of regular fans on the bottom line crowd figures. I was recently working with guys from Balornock and asking some of these chaps on the job what they thought about the Speedway in Glasgow and although none of them were fans they had all heard about the team and the Facenna family and what they were about and what they done, and more importantly what they do, (these guys to my mind were surprisingly quite knowledgeable and interested in their local area). They also said the Facenna family were recognised as good employers and had done a lot for the City and especially the local area. The question is this "Yes " the club are running at a loss at present, however what value do the Facenna companies get out of the team in advertisement and subsequent sales with their presence in Glasgow with the Glasgow Tigers. Is it not the case like Mike Ashley and Newcastle (on a much smaller scale of course) that they have an exclusive advertising mechanism which they can readily associate with (Ashley only bought Newcastle supposedly to advertise his business world wide) However what we have here is something bespoke to Glasgow and this advertising must have a positive effect on the Facenna businesses, however how do you measure this value or worth; and as a businessman I am not advocating that they are correct in running the club at a loss however local clubs in any sport have a marketing value and give the Main Sponsor of a club a higher profile locally. Positive advertisement reinforcement through the Glasgow Tigers of the Facenna brands in the local media and press has to have a value or benefit to the companies involved (surely). Also the type of businesses they run seem a perfect fit. I remember working for Rok when they were the main sponsor of Whitley Bay football team here in the North East when Bay won the FA Vase and played at Wembley getting national (and local) recognition with the Rok company name emblazoned on the front of their shirts; and at the start of the season everyone queried as to why such a big company like Rok were sponsoring such a small provincial club, now honestly Rok hit it really lucky to be fair with Bay getting to the FA Vase final (and winning it) however it was reckoned that this sponsorship brought in over 4 million in additional orders within the local area alone. I don't know how the bean counters came up with that figure but they did. (although football does carry a much higher profile even at the lower levels) So the club do need to be cost neutral that's for sure and need to live and operate within their means, breaking even is a prerequisite as a minimum (not just for Glasgow bye the way but for all clubs) however I believe the Facenna group of companies will be seeing the benefit of the advertising vehicle they have in the Glasgow Tigers especially at a local level where they can target around 650,000 people in the city and around 1.8 million in the metropolitan area. Although a small demographic in the scale of things Speedway fans cover a large area. The question is how can you put a value on this advertising? how many people read the local paper Sports Section and see Glasgow Allied Vehicles Tigers and the Tigers at the Peugeot Ashfield Stadium and this subliminal messaging aligned with positive reinforcement must have an impact in improving sales. So hopefully the Facenna family and their companies will recognise this value and as long as the Tigers can get their house in order with regard to mitigating the losses I believe there is hope for the club. It won't be easy and you may no longer see the marquee signings you are used to of late which will invariably come with prudent financial management however this is surely a small price to pay to retain Speedway for the city. Also I believe that the advertising and marketing potential is to valuable to lose IMHO and will be recognised in the final decision regarding the clubs future. (Hopefully) Regards THJ

i hope you dont move up , we will miss those points you give us most seasons ... good luck if you go up tho .

We do! £18 every match, sadly if I did have the money to buy a club I wouldn't be able to change anything anyway, the only way to do that would be to buy the majority of clubs

Your talking about a sport where last place in the Premiership gets a income of over £100million and a sport that can gain sponsorships in seven figures to be connected to clubs. Speedway cant ant invest the figures required here anymore and the foundations are smashed to pieces so unless they rebuild from a fresh again it can't be rebuilt until they go back to basics and cost effective.

It was the promoters from years ago when the sport was making loads of money who maybe should have invested in the future, now the promoters are having trouble just keeping their heads afloat. That's why they make short term decisions, to keep in business for another year, I'm glad I'm not in their shoes, most of the fans on here think they have all the answers but need to put their money where their mouths are, plenty of clubs to take over now, do it and sort the sport out!!

No question money is a factor as it has been for at least 50 years. And although an independent chair to take the sport forward in the way others have done with darts and snooker would be ideal, the promoters are just not going to give up the control. Just sad that so many short sighted decisions have been taken to look at the sport on a year by year basis, rather than having a serious focus on increasing the income into the sport rather than the continual cutting of costs. The sport has been on a long downward spiral because of that approach and is crying out for a root and branch review and the introduction of a figurehead with some cash to promote the sport and bring in more fans and TV money. The only saving grace is that the sport itself remains a great spectacle.

Yes it may be their money, but look where that has got them. I am in no doubt the dire situation the sport is in is totally down to the rules and decisions made by the BSPA. Decisions governed by personal agendas. They have this one last chance to make a new start and rise from the ashes, but quite honestly I don't have any confidence in them doing much to change it...

Us the public all want something different. Some 2 leagues some 3, double ups and non double ups, frn and ride when you want. What hope do they have really. Whatever they do they will be lambasted. Listen to the fans. The fans are as divided as they are on brexit. Presentation and race night experience then yes listen to us but in terms of structure and team building plans then they are the ones putting their money’s whete their mouths are for now. Until there is a independant governance for us to lynch because we alllike to have a moan.

I find calling them lesbians often gets get a response

it could be that there are a few more clubs hiding their financial problems from others , inc the bspa etc . clubs like my own are struggling to get to the tapes in 2019 . lakeside .newcastle and a few more may not enter the league . its time to shove ALL the big lads up a league and not allow them back . time ti stick together , promoter wise and not sign any big names . what do you want to do . sign a big name and see your team go down the pan while the big names milks the lower leagues ? thses are our clubs . we cant support them any more than what we are already doing. so big names must not be signed . i would rather see a team like workington built last season than see 1 man milk it and still be in a job the following year , while we are stuck with Saturday night tv . so come on promoters . stop signing the likes of nicholls,cook morris and co and give British speedway a chance . its your choice . use it or lose it . sorry for hijacking the thread , but it seems to be the correct thread to put it on .J long live the tiggers and the cornets !

A registered member for nearly 7 years but only 16 posts more than half of which have been in the last hour and claiming to know all the answers..... Rather strange but very BSF!

Starman, speedway is about watching good motorcycle racing not, just about winning a trophy that the supporters don’t get to see or celebrate. Holder was a part of the “whole” team as selected by the promoter at the beginning of the season, as was Szchepaniak. Holder didn’t get out of the blocks and poor old Szchepaniak couldn’t! But, neither went through the revolving door as quickly as is common practice for under performing Brits. It will be interesting to see how many Brits are in the starting line up for 2019!

I don't know how many attended the last few meetings but if say Worky had picked up to two trophies by the end of August I am sure the attendances would have been very good from then to the end of the season as they could have marketed a potential 'treble' each week to the local population.. By the play offs time I am sure the whole town would have been acutely aware of the importance and size of the achievement that potentially lay ahead... They would have had weeks of hype and advertising rather than just a few days in which to generate interest which I am sure would have delivered several hundred more fans over the period that they actually got cramming in meetings at the end of the year... Speedway really hasn't a clue about marketing itself has it?

This is meant to be a thread for VOTING on the awards If any insist on dragging out the pointless prattle take it back to the meeting thread please

I'm not always "Itch & Scratchy" Dot honest I do have a day off from time to time and for all my Glasgee pals who enjoy their Speedway it would be a travesty if we lost Glasgow (and not just Glasgow but any club for that matter) I enjoy my Speedway and the craic and as much as we can get "Bolshie" at times we all have a common interest and that is seeing the sport firstly survive and secondly progress and gain strength A guy in Newcastle does a fantastic if not poignant web site called "Defunct Speedway" the link is below have a look as there are a few entries for Glasgow (Hampden Park!!! Celtic Park!!! amazing!!! oh and don't forget Nelson Athletics Grounds the first ground in Scotland to have dirt track racing; White City and Shawfield which I can even remember) and I do genuinely hope Ashfield is not the next in a long list http://www.defunctspeedway.co.uk/A to Z.htm Good luck to all the Glasgow Fans; Sponsors; Supporters far and wide and Promotion, here's hoping!!! Regards THJ

Bit of humility in order here jamlad. For what i'm hearing things not looking good for Comets coming to tapes. Don't like to see our wonderful sport on its knees. If the Tigers are struggling every club must be.

A few years ago we had a couple of promoters willing to invest to make the product better, it led to a winter of discontent. Look where it's ended.. Frosty out of the sport altogether, thank the gods for Ged Rathbone, and no Coventry at all.. Tragic or what. So, I'm going to say my 2 pennies worth....we need to build rivalries.. something for the press to build up, something for the promoters make a fuss about. It's no secret that the best crowds for Peterborough in recent years have been when we have had Ipswich for home and away matches on a bank holiday. Image if we then had Stars and Lions home and away derbys, surely the travelling fans would make a big difference. I'm not advocating a north south split either, we'd just end up seeing the same teams, riders every other week, I just loved watching Adam Ellis beating all our riders for 3 weeks running! When I was young I supported Rayleigh and remember the coaches being organised for the annual northern tour. It might take some organising but surely a tour taking in Glasgow Edinburgh and Berwick with maybe Workington and Newcastle thrown in would be an attractive proposition for a modern version. Imagine the fans and riders staying in the same Hotels. The fun we had at our end of season party..... If it attracted an extra 100 fans on a holiday style weekend.... the Northern Clubs getting together to offer a special tour price to get in. What would those 100 extra away fans mean to somewhere like Workington or Edinburgh or Redcar, not just financially but the atmosphere as well. Surely the biggest bug bear is the doubling up thing, riders cannot make a living on one league as it is. But if they rode in say 32 meetings wouldn't that make a big difference. There would be some riders who wouldn't want to do that many meetings in the uk but I'm pretty sure there would be others who'd come back. A few years back I remember seeing Kevin Wolbert at the showground, didn't the Monarchs call him the Kaiser, if his performance that night was anything to go by it was with much justification.... Ahh well, lets just hope they come up with something that enables us to turn the corner...

Trouble is that even if you did buy the clubs you would not have a vote for three years and by that time your investment would be worth very little!

The Championship has been a great place to be - Ive really enjoyed most of it and wouldnt be at all unhappy to stay there However I do think this year may be the right time particularly as it seems very likely Boro are switching too All comes down to the terms and set up agreed at the AGM though and then its down to those in control to make the decision as they have to 'sign the cheques' so to speak

Everyone is entitled to an opinion but in Gavan's case its just so repetitive. He seemingly can't help himself whenever it has anything remotely to do with Poole!! Yes he checks the stats, results, scores, performances - in fact anything that shows Poole in a poor light or Poole's opponents in a better light. Its just so transparent. I understand not everyone has a degree in psychology but its so obvious even to the layperson.

Similarly, reading the various fan comments in the SS, there are no easy fixes to satisfy all fans. Their comments are wide and very varied.

I also support Wolverhampton Wanderers football club. They were taken over by new owners in the early 80s who saw the club were losing money so reduced costs and bought in lower cost players. Then attendances fell further so they reduced costs further. And they carried on doing the same for the next three years by which time Wolves were in Division 4. Since then the club have had more forward thinking owners who have invested and taken the club forward. Its taken time but the benefits are there for all to see. And the new owners are making far more money than the owners that thought cutting costs was the answer

So the Premiership wins on this particular poll. If they reduce the strength of the Championship by as much as rumoured, then I’ll be bitterly disappointed if we decide to remain in it. With Peterborough also seemingly moving up, its time for a change IMO. We need some local derbies and I’ve personally missed the Lynn clashes terribly for too many years now. A home and away Good Friday double header would be just what the doctor ordered.

Sounds rather like the Brexit discussions to me!!

There is absolutely no reason to be losing over £100,000 a year in speedway.

I dont see any good reason to be gloating or laughing about the Glasgow situation Regardless of any financial budget reduction that is coming I think we should all hope that there isnt a similar reduction in interest in the sport generally The overall approach and attitude to club and community (IMO as a neutral outsider) has been a breath of fresh air I very much hope that continues and others decide to follow

Stop trying to buy the league championship , not rocket bloody science ..got them nowhere since they took over , yet now the threats are looming , looking for volunteers , seems the money pit is beginning to empty ! I’m afraid they only have themselves to blame , throwing cash at riders reeling them in, must have been paying Cook and co a bloody fortune and for what , squiddly jack s***. Who would have thought the smugness from the tigers camp last season thinking they were home and dry and off to that wonderful premiership ,would be turned on it’s arse and they are in the same boat as every one else !! Aye it’s a funny old world

Hearing that one huge decision has been taking today, after much debate the BSPA decided to ditch the Custard Creams they have had for years with their morning coffee in favour of Chocolate Hob-Nobs. Revolution is in the air.