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So after all the hand-wringing and gleeful doom-mongering from people only taking a passing interest in what has been going on with the Abbey Stadium saga, believe it or not the opening night on the modified track went pretty well. Not that that would be of much interest to some of the idiots on here. Firts half of the meeting might as well have been on the old track it was so dull, but in the 2nd half the racing got better and better. Crucially, there were no signs of it cutting up or becoming tricky to ride at all. Credit to Ron Russell and everyone else for putting in the hours to get it ready, especially as it sounds like Tuesday’s test didn’t quite go to plan. Particularly pleasing to see it go well in front of a huge crowd. Proof that there are still plenty of people out there who want to come out and pay to watch speedway. Hopefully some of the more casual attendees last night were sent home happy after watching a great few last heats racing, a tight score line and a tense finish, and are planning to come again soon based on the evenings entertainment. Thankfully this forum barely represents 1% of most speedway crowds. Reading some comments on here you’d think everyone would be avoiding the meeting for fear that the track would be unridable, and those that did attend would have been sent home disappointed after watching another National Stadium disaster unfold. Thankfully most attendees don’t think like that, they just want to turn up and watch some blokes bang handlebars for 4 laps at a time with a close score line and hopefully a home win. It’s not that complicated. The big crowd did create its own problems with getting in which the promotion really need to sort out. The car park was full by 10 past 7 (not a lot they can do about that admittedly), but the queues for the turnstiles were huge, with only two of them open, and there was no signage (that I could see) saying where people should go. I assumed as with previous years, pre booked tickets should go through the cabin at the top, but that apparently wasn’t the case, and it was being used as a normal turnstile, which I assume everyone queuing up for the main turnstiles didn’t realise. They were also telling everyone in the queues that they would be delaying the meeting by a few minutes to get everyone in, only for the tapes to go up 30 seconds later. Thankfully it sounds like Lampart got a late memo about the situation and decided to lay the bike down to buy everyone another 5 minutes. That aside though it was a decent evening. It shows that with some decent weather, the crowds are still there and not everyone has been put off by the daft rules or politics of the sport, we just need to try and make them come back as often as possible. Again, it backs up my theory that as long as the club is running with healthy attendances, it’s much harder for Osbourne to come up with excuses for not sorting the stadium out and trying to get rid of us completely. Well done to the club for getting the meeting on with their hands effectively tied behind their back until the very last minute.

Have you Poole boys thought about getting Lawrence of Arabia in as a heat leader? Could be a decent point scorer, particularly at home.

Quite agree, but there obviously wasn’t enough water put down before the meeting to soak the base. Tracks should be prepared and maintained for spectators not riders.

Riders didn’t want the track watered once racing had started. Riders should realise fans pay their wages so fans come first. Watering with bowsers happens every few heats in Poland. Riders don’t seem to have hissy fits over there about it. Promotion should tell the riders bowser will go out every 4 heats so get used it it.

Please enlighten us then all knowing one.

Nonsense. Belle Vue started at 1pm yesterday and Scunthorpe at 5.30. At both (especially Belle Vue) it was very hot and breezy. There was no dust at Belle Vue and very little at Scunthorpe. Neither track had a blue line and the racing at the NSS was decent, at EWR very good. I am not aware that Andy Meredith or Rob Godfrey have a magic wand, so if they can produce good racing strips for riders and customers alike so can anyone else. I should point out that the crowd at Belle Vue was the biggest I have ever seen for a Colts meeting and at Scunthorpe it was at least double that of last Sunday (word was they ran out of programmes). Bank Holiday afternoon meetings work extremely well if you can be bothered to put the time and trouble in to make sure that the track is up to scratch.

Promoters keep banging on about rain being the biggest enemy of speedway. when you can't prepare a track on a fine day early in the season you really have problems. Yes we have seen similar at some National League tracks but at Poole you are having a laugh. Jon Cook keeps banging on nothing is wrong with the product its just getting people in to watch it. I beg to differ, who in their right mind would return to watch that again if it was your first speedway experience ? As Rome burns Promoters just can't see it or don't want to see it.

Who is in charge? The riders or the owner/ promoters. Both the riders and the promoters need to think of the fans. I know that's a novel idea but at the end of the day it's the promoter who has the responsibility to consider all of the relevant issues and to make the decision.

Some people make their mind up before the event. I can only speak as i find, see and hear with my eyes and ears. Eastbourne v Birmingham Some dust but not excessive in hot sun. Track graded and watered every 3 heats. Had a walk on track after meeting, actually a lot of dirt on it as some stunning outside passes late in meeting indicated. Massive free car park, well marshalled and full to overflowing Crowd excellent, no complaints from anyone I heard about dust. Real buzz about the place and lots of children and families.Nice touch to have community team people outside turnstiles helping whittle queues down and point out which ones cash and card. Meeting Parade started no more than 10 past 3, first race went off at 3.15 Presentation excellent from the Cardiff GP guy, lots of crowd interaction and rider/management interviews etc, liked proper Parade, minutes silence for Colin Goody; home riders ride round stock car track after every race up close to fans.Excellent programme, good read and lots of quality articles and pictures. To say Officials and Riders not bothered is just a joke, some good competitive racing, Heat 14 re-run 3-4 times as neither Ashley or Wood would give an inch, some excellent from the back rides by Wood and Lawson for them and Shanes for us, Paco and Ulrich started well and passes almost every race. All Eastie pit crews in snazzy t-shirts and all Officials and track staff kitted out in team gear, hardly suggests "not bothered" attitude. Great viewing access in Pits after meeting.Good food and loads of outlets. Not seen Laurence so animated in a long time by Heat 14 and some Refs decisions debatable. Still a lot of folks in Pits and mingling round 30 mins after end of meeting. Complaints (if you can call them that) - young start marshall seemed to make a few mistakes, I missed my easter egg for grandchildren and late due to traffic (my fault), toilets a bit tired but clean.PA a bit loud but no excuse for not hearing results and times. Staying down in South for meeting at Kent on Monday - hope woofers not going may be a few specs of dust. We have to enjoy our speedway while with can with some many tracks closing or reporting difficulties, great to hear big crowds at Scunny and BV Colts too....

The track is the most important part of the business, but the majority of the promoters just don't get it.

So, so far @ Poole they in the first meeting had a delayed start cause they couldn't be arsed to pump up the fkn air fence at practice meaning leaving it to race night, then 2nd meeting the dust was so bad and no water bowser out really turning into a joke at wimborne road already.

No reason for no bowser apart from couldn't be bothered as far as i could tell. It wouldn't have made a difference to the result but would have made a difference to the paying public who once again are treated with distain.

They manage to prepare a track at NSS on the hottest of days that doesn't produce dust. They also regularly water with the bowser during the meeting and it doesn't appear that the riders complain. Yesterday was an example, extremely hot (for Manchester), watered every two or three heats and no dust. Andy Meredith and his team do an excellent job but then the management have invested in ensuring that they can.

How about an apology from the riders who didn't want the track watered once racing started?!

Poole missed a trick by not signing Chris Harris. He was the glue that held that team together and won the league.

Two national league meetings today both using RR sorry this is a development league clubs should use a unattached rider to fill the place.

Spot on re moaners you do despair at times .One suspects none of them within 100 miles of the meeting.Max Fricke a joy to watch

Despite all the criticism I enjoyed the meet. Some good races in great weather. The team mascots are great and kept my kids entertained throughout. Line up was never going to have an impact if I turned up or not but as an Edin fan was good to see a few monarchs legends in there. Crowd was decent not sure how it compares to a usual league meeting.

With all of his teams/experience in speedway and he can only attract that lineup? Surely says a lot about the man himself.

Away back under your rock

The riders shouldn't have been granted their wishes, most of our team rode they didn't want to be there anyway.

Plus home and away wins over Leicester

No. Speedway riders get injured and/or are unavailable sometimes. The teams aren’t pretending to have seven riders...

At Belle Vue, Palin, Rathbone and Woodhull all had extra rides. All up to standard and all developing. What on earth is wrong with that ?

Well deserved win for a very solid Leicester side who just about all contributed to a good away win. Nicholl's best meeting at the STMP by a long way and excellent back up from RTR, Douglas and Perks (lucky to get a second chance in Heat 1 though). Special mention to Connor Mountain who was very good to watch. For the Bears the meeting started badly and never got much better. You can't win with just one Heat leader riding well - Wright was as excelllent as usual but Barker had his worst home meeting in a very long time and MPT is a pale shadow of the rider who rode so well as a visiting rider here over the years. Stewart picked up after a slow start and the reserves battled.Hope Tom isn't to badly hurt. Still some cracking racing (a lot of it by the visitors) and it least we get some entertainment. Results like this will happen to this Bears team because we have a very fair and good race track.

I thought this was a splendid meeting for a number of reasons. First of all, there was a very healthy attendance - certainly one of the biggest I have seen for a Colts match - and it was brilliant to see so many youngsters there. That's certainly influenced by the low entry fees for adults and letting children in for free, so credit there. The racing was decent enough, and its always encouraging to see some of the youngest riders put in excellent performances - Flint and Palin especially this afternoon. I have never seen Perry or Coles give up in a race and they didn't today, so it was more competitive than the score suggests. Hayley, Neil & Chase are the best presentation team in British Speedway and with games and free chocolate for the children, interviews with the riders and Chase's usual antics they proved it again today. There was also the most welcome sight of Adrian Smith working the crowd - something I very much approve of. Finally, on a very hot day with a breeze 10 out of 10 for trackman Andy Meredith. There was absolutely no dust at all, no blue line and you could clearly race on the surface. Major effort to attract fans, decent racing with young riders, superb presentation and interaction and an excellent track. They are four factors which, if copied, might just turn the sport around.

Reminds me of a Bank Hoilday at Rye House. How on earth does any promotion think that is acceptable ?

Can we get on topic please ...Glug Glug Glug Glug

Who granted them.. I thought Ford was going to fly in for home meetings.Looks like take the big crowds money, and keep the riders happy ,if Skidder is to be believed.. Something wrong here. Poole is a money maker for Ford. He has done a good job over the years ,because it has always been his interests. Now it might be not.

Why would anyone go to a meeting where you dont know who is riding, bit of an own goal from Mr Cook.

Nope he's not in the line-ups even though Bewley & Garrity aren't riding. McDonald has withdrawn from the mascots race to participate in the meeting for Workington though.

They can't afford to wait until the new averages kick in if they want to replace Simon. His average is dropping, however Max's average is increasing by more than 2.00 with the rest very much of a muchness (Danny will always be a minimum of 2.00). This means we will be over the points limit when new greensheets are introduced, therefore if Simon drops to 3.5ish then we will only be able to replace him with someone who is below 3.5, which is approx 0.75 his current GS figure.

Farce

The reason for the outage was that there was a power surge which caused the lights to fail along with those of the neighbouring estate. Also an ambulance had to be called for a spectator who had taken ill and it was not known how long it would take. The driver of the ambulance tried hard to demolish the referee's box on the way to attend the ill spectator.

The plot thickens...

Since he got 13 there last time, better change it to 6-13

I'd suggest you go to Coventry but it has closed.

Craig was advised that all his personal sponsors had to be in black and white. The only coloured one on Ipswich is Tru Plant and I can’t see any on the Lynn kevlars. Troy can do what he wants as he isn’t a Chapman rider.

So a guess it's a waste of time trying to get a bus for Leicester next Saturday then.. got to look at our 2 & 7 positions now Lambert nice kid as is Danny but if our promotions wanting to win things they must do something when the new averages come into force

You call it what ya like fella, it's no more a development league, then the the championship is to the premiership. And despite it back firing the reason Len took the decision to use RR was so he could give our own youngsters an extra heat. I ve done over a 1000 miles this week travelling to meetings from top flight to national league and spent a fortune, and Plymouth v Kent had more passes then I had seen in the other meetings this week put together. You add in more unattached wobblers especially in Kent's case at number 1, the less fans will come to watch.

Drove long way..., we got stuffed, a bit of dust and you moan??? Biggest crowd I have seen at Eastie I think, I sat in Grandstand, fans were really buzzing. Got talking to a chap next to me, first time he'd been in 3 years he told me and he was loving it. I was delayed on M40 and M25, got there 10 to 3 big queue, chap came out in a yellow top and apologised for queue and said they were delaying start by 10 mins, parade started at 10 past 3, first race at 3.15, hardly massive hold up. Some strange referreing didn't help. Thought the announcer was super, isn't he Speedway GP guy?? Heat 13 - despite the cone incident was worth admission alone? Alright saying run at night, who would go top speedway if they have been on beach or in the sun supping all day. Some folk don't deserve a speedway team with moaning attitude like that.....

Palm Toft rode for the aces in 2014

There wasn’t even a hosepipe on turns three and four, until just before the nominated heats. Was there a reason the bowser didn’t reappear? I couldn’t see a thing from heat nine onwards, although I suppose under the circumstances that may have been for the best. I agree with you regarding the team, Holder will sort himself out, and Worrall seems to be doing pretty well for Leicester. The others are performing pretty much as expected. Also, Swindon’s top three were exceptional, so it’s a bit silly to be reading too much into one meeting.

Danny Phillips has got to go waste of time don't care if his father has a say in the team need to get a reserve that shows some b##ls

A dummer you are indeed.

It appears that all we are going to be told is that ''he's a nutter'' and ''has the Samaritans on speed dial.'' All I see is that he's a very exciting speedway rider to watch, happy to chat to his fans, is a crowd pleaser and always appears professional in his approach. Can't please 'em all!!!!

Yep. Well I think so if I can make out whats happening in the billowing dust!

Before the days of "press releases" (which turned press reporters into press repeaters) we used to have these people called investigative journalists who would sniff out local stories and print the results in the local rag for all to see. Why don't some of you Worky fans get on to the sports reporter of the News and Star (might I suggest jon.colman@newsquest.co.uk) and suggest to him that, for once, rather than waiting for the news to come to him, he might consider getting his finger out and going out to discover what the hell is happening to Workington Comets.

You get a free programme and Easter egg as well. If you don’t want the programme go and sell it to someone in the programme queue and you’ll make a profit on it. Cash only I’m afraid but there you go. Upsetting I’m going to assume you guys don’t like Easter eggs so you can give that away and make a child happy though you’re probably be contributing to his early death due to child obesity so you can still be upset about that.

It was 2008 when speedway began its current decline. Before that is was having something of a minor revival, with radio 5 even running a report on how Speedway had become "cool" at one point. Then, with crowds relatively healthy, the introduced low points limits and "cost cutting" measures time after time, and each time they did it the crowds dropped. So, each time the crowds dropped, they did it again. So they dropped again. It always amazes me when people say that the future is about cost cutting. That is what caused the trouble in the first place.