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No they won’t - sadly. Top riders means more costs means higher prices means less crowds!

I don’t, it’s boring, tiresome and wrecks the thread.

I suppose this could be classed as a yokel derby

Well we did pay for those dropped points as I feared. Still a good effort by the lads to take it to the last heat. Thanks to Jake Allen again for his excellent service the last 2 nights. Congratulations to the Lions, they’ve been the best team all season and I hope they go on and win it. Bears deserve something out of this season so hope they can pick themselves up for the second leg of the KOC.

Personally I dislike the term 'choke' being used to describe any team that's beaten. Nobody chokes, they are just beaten by the better team on the day. All the playoff teams are there on merit and nothing is guaranteed. I would suggest that most premier League riders, while some obviously more consistent than others, are capable of beating each other on the right night. I also don't get this 'arrogant' tag on Poole and I'm sure they didn't believe they were already in the final but if any team comes back from a 12 point deficit to win by 10 then they're going to celebrate aren't they? What would you expect them to do? As for the final I think Ipswich have every chance if their key men turn up. Danny King is capable of beating anyone on his day likewise Richard Lawson and we all know what Bombers about in play offs. I'm rooting for Ipswich anyway. I'd love to see them win on their return to the top flight and see the Brit's shine so good luck in the final Gav.

Yes you can....though i would prefer it to be play off matches because when the pressure is on Poole crumble Yes please........every play off semi final every season please

If I’m not working I always pay to get in and normally pay for the guests I take with me too. But it then again you’re a multi who never goes to a match and just plays with himself on the internet so your opinion counts for nothing

I have to say having read quite a few of your posts this season through following Redcar on here with their Lynn connections you are one of the most articulate, fair minded, unbiased and balanced posters on the forum. This post sums it up well.

I thought this was the Ipswich v Swindon thread, Poole lost get over it........

But crowds plummeted whilst top riders rode over here so how does that work? Woffy rode as World Champ for a season at Wolves but I didnt see any 'full house' signs going up at Monmore or indeed anywhere else.. Woffy,, Emil, Majic, Doyle, Ward, Holder, NKI, Nicki P, Zagar, Lindback, Lindgren and Hancock have all rode over here in the timeline when thousands of punters decided to stop going.. Maybe due to the annual inflation busting price increases to pay for them? Or maybe due to the ever changing fixture list to accommodate their own agendas? Or maybe down to when these guys had a meeting clash due to their full calendar (as so in demand), you ended up with a plethora of guests to replace them, thus rendering meetings with minimal credibility and fans feeling short changed? It's £18 to watch second, third, fourth and fifth level riders now.. How much would be charged to watch the top guys? They don't come cheap and are there enough sponsors willing to cough up what will need to be a whole leagues worth of superstars, as if each team doesn't have one then those without will struggle.. Thousands have deserted the domestic product over the past ten years or so.. Having Global superstars in front of them each week didn't prevent this exodus.. NB As an aside, the best meeting I saw this year was the Colts v Kent. All for a tenner for me and free for my 16 year old lad. I would actually defy any world class riders to have delivered better such was the quality of racing and entertainment on offer. Hence we went back six more times this season.

I wou;s love to see top riders back but that is not going to happen why ride at £150- 200 per point in England when you can earn €1700 per point in Poland. The British promoters pay for mechanics even insurance at times and have to get the ruder to the track it’s not financially viable . Top rider scores 10 paid 12 £150 per point £1800.00 plus all the extras say total 2250.00 and that’s minimum for 1 rider at 15 entrance your first 150 people pay for the top rider and you haven’t even thought of all the costs involved you do that on a home and away basis then your first 300 people pay for that rider. Simply put British speedway cannot compete with the other leagues unless things change.

I’d have agreed with you a few years ago but not today. Over half of the Premiership riders ride in the Championship. In the Premiership only Doyle, Lambert, Iversen, Fricke and Batchelor, in my opinion, are ‘elite’ riders, all of the other good riders currently ride in the Championship or have similar averages. Poole were beaten in the play off semi final by a side comprising mainly of Championship riders. We have see some terrific racing at Eastbourne this year, my first experience of the Championship League and it hasn’t disappointed. Your statement effectively says you are only attending to watch the No 1 riders in each team.

You are so wrong the points Mike make to me are sound exciting even.The crowds have dropped because people have become disillusioned nothing to do with the standard of rider they have found other thing's to do in there life to replace speedway.There is one great guy on this forum who is a great example last year i recon he went to about 50/70 meeting's at various tracks in the uk He loves speedway he was an ex rider but he has only been to 7/8 uk meeting's this year he has replaced the uk with European meeting's.He says the variation is poor poor facilities and generally speedway in the uk is poor value for money entertainment wise nothing to do with the level of rider.

But...but....! Come on, I know it's been a while since I have seen a bloke with no trousers on and it is unlikely to happen again in my lifetime but I really don't want to be scared (or scarred) off for life just in case!

MOST Swedish tracks probably have bigger crowds and far less overheads but more and more riders are opting to just ride in Poland.

I’m not post quoting but can I just say that I am not related to Bagpuss and no money has been exchanged. Thanks for the kind words. Bears gave it their best shot but were beaten by a very good team, so no disgrace in that. Always try to give credit to the opposition if I feel they deserve it. Desperately wanted the Bears to win but wasn’t to be.

We were celebrating the win which was fantastic after being 12 down, nothing more, we knew it would be tough to get the win overall, we were not thinking it was all over. You are the one who keeps ruining threads by your constant sniping at Poole and your ongoing feud with you know who. I do hope Ipswich give a good account of themselves to make it a decent final and not roll over like Wolves did.

Seems the Redcar fans have taken this well unlike the losers of one of the Premier league semis

A great meeting and a right nail biter. Some cracking heats early doors but became a little bit of a one line track when it slickened off. Thought it would go to the wire and any result could have been possible in heat 15. Credit to both teams and the noisy away support, all the best for tomorrow in cup.

Big thank you to Jake Allen for his guest appearances for the Bears this season you've been immense for us and I'm sure I speak for all Bears fans when I say he's a top man thank you

We didn’t “stand a prayer” of making the play offs by most on here at the start of the season, and we didn’t “stand a prayer” of making the final either when your lot fought back to take a 10 point lead after the first leg. One thing is certain, the majority on here are absolutely dreadful tipsters!

Let’s be honest - we have no way of knowing what might have been - only what actually happened and your boys took one helluva beating! Now have some humble pie and get yourself off on your jolly holipegs!

So they really choked at Poole. Let’s be honest we would have had 60+ if it wasn’t for the rain just before the meeting. Their doctored track in the second leg wouldn’t have mattered. Just bad luck for us at the wrong time. Just the way it goes sometimes.

A dead cat bounce Steve.. Happens every time a world class rider returns.. A few weeks after the novelty has worn off we are back to the same crowd levels ( but with a huge earner now to pay).. Fixed nights meant superstars would come back and we wouldn't need guests to replace them anymore as the nights were fixed and fixtures were in stone.. What happened to that? Did they not get the memo? Or was the stark financial reality of bringing them back more the issue?

How awful to be so bitter about defeat Personally, if this meeting goes ahead, I'm going to enjoy the experience. I'm proud of my team, and what has been achieved. A great bunch of lads who hopefully several will be back wearing the Witch next season.

I was given all kinds of wind up posts by the troll .......just enjoying giving it back........good luck in the final i think we have our work cut out but hopefully keep it close

Bring back top riders crowds will increase. Heeps, Howarth, Worrall, Morris, Etc etc bring in zero extra fans. Emil, Woffinden, Zmarzlik, Hancock, etc would bring many through the turnstiles. Of course large sponsorship required to tempt them over in place of riding in Sweden.

Yes on here https://sport.tvp.pl/44764987/zuzel-polska-reszta-swiata-w-tvp-sport-aplikacji-i-tvpsportpl-transmisja-stream-na-zywo-gdzie-ogladac

That's what Poole probably thought against Ipswich in there semi play off... But there again the bears top 3 + Anderson will do enough I think.. unless clegg can show his early to mid season form & worrall & bjerre produce at least 10 points apiece I can see us maybe pulling it back. But it will have to be by heat 6 to give us a chance lifting the cup but whatever the result let's hope it's a case of all riders put on a good meeting without any injuries,, at least the gems have silverware tho.. I hope the diamonds can do the same but it will be tough

if newcastle all fire together they will win overall, but Clegg wethers bjerre and even worrall isnt the same rider these days are all down on form atm and with no guest for jorgensen anything can happen imo only ostergaard on form

As the diamonds used r/r for Jorgensen surely they should've named club asset josh as number 8 incase of any sort of problem to the other 6 diamonds....

Sorry I don't see the connection between the 3 posts and me not liking the choke term. I did say I didn't like it used to describe 'any' beaten team as I don't think any team chokes they just get beaten. God yes there are plenty of arrogant fans from all sides on this forum but I was referred to the team, not fans as Gavans post said a 'team' that celebrated like they were already in the final but even so, of course people will celebrate pulling out a 10 point win from a 12 point deficit, that's not arrogance is it?

I only picked up now that my “namesake” is no longer with us. So sad to hear that Split has died but his name will come up again and again as one of the best riders (or maybe THE best rider?) never to be crowned World Champion.

Pooles season finished the moment they stopped using r/r at 2 and lost Covatti into the main body If they had operated that against us with Klindt , Josh and Covatti taking r/r rides and Covatti having 6 or 7 rides from reserve they would have won THJ at reserve with Wells and Covatti at 2 cost them any chance of the league

You mean an epic choke like Poole, the team who finished top, so how exactly do you quantify a choke? only winning or losing by 2 on aggregate?

You are a TROLL, end of and you have not got a clue what you are on about.You supported Swindon originally then swapped ship when it suited you. Now you say you might not bother with Poole if you change league's.? stay away you are not a fan not really.

I couldn't remember the year, but yes, wheelies were banned for a while. Caused a big stink...

Club website 27/03/19 PETERBOROUGH Speedway have reluctantly agreed to release Craig Cook from his verbal agreement to ride for the club.Great Britain international Cook had agreed terms with the previous management - but no contract was signed and despite great efforts by the new promotion the decision has been made to move on.

Anything can happen but not counting my chickens since Riss has been signed the Bears have never been beaten by more than 10 points, I think that shows the size of the task for the Diamonds

According to Shovlar he wont go Poole to watch lower level racing as he doesnt want to watch wobblers...............well Ipswich had a team of 6 wobblers that beat his Poole team........

As much as I like Lewis he is no good away. We need riders who can also ride the away tracks but unfortunately he does not cut the mustard away. And we had too many of them riders last year

It’s a good question. Why bother at all... But yes it would be. Getting through from the quali and riding in the final would make the prize money big enough for any of it to make sense financially. We’d get national press coverage over here and our riders would get better deals in the future because they have (they’d had to if we qualify) beaten quality opposition on live tv.

Yeah, 12 is good, but I did expect it to be a bit bigger. It's a bit like when you go somewhere, it seems a long way but its always easier to get back.

you sandbagging there ruff ?

Like Gordon Davide or Con Jook?! Anyway, it’s been done by, amongst others, John Berry, the man who walked away from speedway with two million quid but lost it all as a Lloyds “name”. But that’s for chapter 21

This certainly isn't the foregone conclusion some think, Ipswich are a good side, will the occasion get to them or inspire them, over 2 tightly contested meeting I'll go for a 95-85 agg to Swindon, but if Ipswich win they will have deserved it and be a new name on the Trophy which is always a good thing. Hope the weather is kind and we have a cracking final.

if i still lived in Surrey Poole would probably be my 'go to' track, even if to chear the opposition. no way they will drop down a league, and if Ford has suggested that then it will just be a different way of putting 'support us or else'. to me, the difference between the leagues this year has been the RACE tracks in the CH. Ok in the PL there is Belle Vue and Peterborough, but in the PL they have excellent RACE tracks in Scunthorpe, Redcar, Somerset, Glasgow and Sheffield. years ago when it was BL & NL, i prefered going to NL because of the British/Commonwealth rules, but as soon as Ronnie Russell did what he did at Rye House with Peter Schroek (top bloke by the way) and Jens Rasmussen, then that was the start of the downfall for speedway in the UK

IT will save you £36 a year and have it delivered to your door

It’s been done with supporters in mind who may want to keep the day free to travel. We were thinking of our fans, not ourselves and we have stated ‘should’ we progress.

Think there is a natural change in the mentality of the Aussies who now ride in Poland every week from those who don't. . When they came over the UK was their 'bread and butter' and the only ticket in town for them to earn enough to stay being a pro rider.. Now, for several, Poland will be their priority given the potential earnings out there, even in the lower divisions.. And do well there, and the top league may come knocking moving you into the mega bucks league... Fair play to Doyle who still seems to treat the UK with the same focus as he does all his racing...