Leaderboard

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....

You don’t understand this ‘arrogant’ tag nor do you believe ‘nobody’ chokes but the 3 posts, all from Poole fans, sum up perfectly why the vast majority of speedway fans root for ‘anyone but Poole’.

I'll drink to that.

I really hope that the meeting goes ahead t'morro and the bad weather doesn't materialise for 2 reasons, 1, so that I can enjoy a Mexican takeaway and, 2, i think it's our best chance to overturn the deficit, especially after tonight's result, when the Bears are under pressure, just from a purely motivational point of view, of course.

Must say, hard lines to the Bears, were in it till the end. I wonder if Stewy had found one of those posters

Togliatti GP......I feel about of depression coming on.

I just want them to have a decent lead to make the second leg interesting!

If you ever need to quote the word 'karma'.......

Not read for a long time TBH, I found the last time I picked up a copy randomly from some shop I didn't expect to stock it the news was (by that point) old and more about club and BSI party lines press snippets, rather than it feeling like independent, thought provoking opinions that fans could relate to. I think Pearson was in that edition, and one of many reasons I don't like his commentary is that he doesn't have a fan opinion, he's a talking/walking BSPA/BSI mouthpiece. I also felt there was far too much grasstrack stuff which didn't interest me (I accept it will many). Maybe it's nostalgia, back in the day when Long Eaton were around (shows how long ago I had a subscription), back then it felt relevant, and it felt (but maybe I am wrong) like there were opinions (not always in agreement, but that's fine), but generally it felt like fans were being represented. Obviously rider interviews have always been pretty good, with great images and that was still good in the last time I read a copy. Not that I expect anybody to listen or change the content of the magazine, but I hope this is constructive feedback which you can use to guide you what this fan (and I guess some others too) might like to see in the magazine if I was buying on a regular basis.... Apologies if you do now do any of these. Less grasstrack (as mentioned above - but some may like) Less of a focus on previous weeks results (internet means that's kind of not needed anymore), but more focus on what's actually going on at clubs/teams with interviews and editorial pieces. Bigger feature on the Polish and Swedish scene. Not just results, but interviews and features to help us understand the scene over there. After all, it's where speedway is right now. Focus on a different team each week, team pictures, history of that club, how to get there if visiting, where to stay, transport links etc etc. Historical look back at 70s, 80s, 90s looking at existing and defunct clubs. Interviews with stars of those era's. I know Backtrack does that but as a fan who doesn't have a team anymore that would be relevant to me and encourage me to buy more frequent. Technical features, maybe looking at different parts of a parts of bikes and types of bikes (maybe monthly if not weekly). That is one area where Kelvin's knowledge is fascinating on commentary. Rider and key people interviews are great, generally I always thought Star got them right mostly (depending who is interviewing), but should also be honest rather than bland PR pieces. Weekly (or monthly) thought from editors on what the sport/British speedway is getting right and wrong and maybe a fans forum views to comment to ensure wide ranging thought provoking piece. Maybe regular features looking at behind the scenes (i.e. follow a busy rider for a week to see how they get from country to country, how they remain fit with so much travel. How does a club prepare a track, How does BSI convert say Cardiff for a SGP etc, etc). My own view is thought provoking, if controversial always makes for a great read. (but not Piers Moron deliberate controversial comments for click bait.)

It's all she said, he said and a bit boring now though. We only need to bother about where we go from here and forget (or at least not keep trying to make sense of it) about events around this time last year. Chapman said in Aug: "We have made mistakes along the way but they are honest mistakes and we will try to learn from them" - so after a dogs dinner of a season lets hope that statement is correct, as it is when Johnson says "No-one wants to finish bottom of the table and, as I promised the fans at the end of our final home meeting against Wolverhampton, we’ll be doing all we can to get into the play-offs next year."

The Referee warning them for doing so, think it was a certain Mr Ebdon

Bears will be too strong in my opinion with Ellis in there and us doing r/r that lead will not be in any danger .

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.

Since you are so cock sure of your self,,,, if it's closer than 30,,,,,you come to Foxhall next season and do a lap of the track in ya underwear only. How's about it? Come on back ya big gob up for once?

I’m backing Ipswich to win because we will see a similar disappearance of a certain Poole fan in the same manner as 2010, and than can only be a good thing

Understand your points 100%... Given the number of riders needed, my own personal choice would be (temporarily), five man teams to deliver the highest standard attainable and also mean the talent pool is then stretched across as many tracks as possible. . I just think the time has come to be radical and almost 'start again'.. With three main reasons for this. . 1. The crowd level Speedway gets now is pretty much down to die hards only, and most of them have proved, particularly over the past five to ten years, that they will attend the sport whatever is put out in front of them... 2. There are literally tens of thousands of ex fans on the tracks' doorsteps around the country, who no longer attend regularly because they either became disillusioned with what was being presented to them, or the cost to attend frequently became prohibitive, or not seen as Value For Money. An admission cost that was wishfully based on paying rider salaries far in excess of what the crowd level could sustain, rather than reflecting what was on offer. Therefore a lesser standard should be reflected in lower admission costs.. And 3. There are literally millions of people who live within say an hour of tracks around the country who have zero idea of who any of the riders are, GP down to NL standard, so won't have any pre conceived ideas of the actual standard disparity, so would attend (if you could get them engaged), with a completely open mind.. Therefore surely it's about time to be radical and try something very different? Put out a heat structure that doesn't mean top riders race against NL riders, but instead delivers every heat where four riders of commensurate ability race against each other.. Heroes can be delivered at any level, meaning fans can develop an affinity towards them regardless of their standing in the 'world order' and more 'local derbies' against teams several clubs haven't raced against for several years (or maybe even ever?) can only stimulate interest surely? Interest that may lay dormant in many of the thousands who live in close proximity to the tracks and possibly spur them on to attend again? Speedway seems to try all sorts to generate 'new fans', when just getting half those who used to attend regularly, who have either left the sport completely, or now just visit infrequently, would make a huge difference to its success.. Maybe doing 'something different' whilst reducing costs, would see some of them return and kick start some momentum? One thing is for sure, doing the 'same old, same old' as has happened for so long, (and all crowd level evidence shows), definitely wont..

Were you a politician in a former life. Back tracking at it's worst there

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...

I'd say Carter is the obvious comparison, with injuries and refereeing decisions hampering them. After the 81 world final, who would have predicted that neither would make the podium in any future world individual final.

I have noticed that meetings this year have started much sharper at 6.30 and most weeks I have been back home by just after 9 even though I live roughly 45 minutes away. Suits me fine.