Halifaxtiger

I am not sure there was any difference between last season and all the years before. Some of the stadiums were half empty last year whereas on Sky - and Berwick spring to mind here - there were occasionally large crowds helped by reduced price entry and good promotional work. In truth, I think the promotional work at Belle Vue was of more importance because it got the word out that there was a big match, it was reduced entry and it was on the box. After all, there's no point having £10 entry if no-one knows about it. Having said all that, I think you're absolutely right that clubs should go all guns blazing for the live matches.

You might be surprised - the roads aren't that bad and Keswick is only about 20 minutes away. I must admit I was pretty sceptical about getting the word out but agreed to do a stand at a show for Isle of Wight last season. I had that opinion rammed down my throat as I couldn't believe the interest, counting 10 people at the stadium on race night that I had spoken to on the preceding Saturday. One thing is certain. Within 20 miles or so Workington have an area that attracts huge numbers of visitors. If you don't get out there and make the Comets existence known, you won't get anyone. Has to be worth a shot, surely ?

Not true. Belle Vue's crowd for the TV match against Wolverhampton was by far their biggest of the season. To be fair, it was reduced entry and promotional work was undertaken before hand.

I hope so too. I think the Comets are in last chance saloon this season. Either the club comes close to break even (or better) in 2018 or that will be it.

I think he's OK but I completely agree - attempting to make comment or commentate while a race is on is most annoying. Its also widespread. I think that's one of the principle reasons why Kevin Long was so good. You always felt he was part of the show, not the star of it.

To my knowledge, yes. He's always been a speedway fan - which is one of the reasons why he was such a fine presenter.

Completely agree - in fact, I could have written that myself His 'Staying Alive' was just priceless.

Unfortunately, he was at Leicester when I went to a meeting there. You have got to be having a laugh. He has all the charisma of a moose and is nearly as bad as that dreary bloke at Birmingham. Best presentation team is unquestionably at Belle Vue : Neil Drummond, Hayley Bromley, Chase the Ace. Shouts for Michael Max (Glasgow), Dave Hoggart (Workington), Clive Fisher (Swindon) Roy Clarke (Newcastle/Berwick/Redcar) Andy Young (Lakeside). The master sadly no longer does it : Kevin Long (Mildenhall/Ipswich).

For me, Tungate would be just about the first name down for the team. Many of his home performances were brilliant last season and the way he scored his points was equally as good. Haven't seen a better potential line up than Aces 51's and that must be a very real possibility.

That's impressive

You could just as easily argue that the three who voted for more than one did so to give themselves unfair advantage.

Jayne Moss put an excellent post on about NL clubs and assets a while ago and although I cannot remember it all she said that it is very much a double edge sword.

The problem with that is that it allows promotions to blame fans for not going no matter how bad the product is and do the same when they close. The fact is for an awful lot of fans bad speedway is not better than no speedway, because after being treated as fools, taken for granted, watching crap teams on dreadful tracks in filthy, decrepit stadiums and being subject to abuse and vicious criticism, they simply decide its not worth it any more and stop going. A significant percentage of the thousands that no longer attend fall into that category. I went to 74 meetings at 22 tracks last season and spent a huge amount of money watching the sport, but there's one track I refuse to go to because of the way I was treated there. If they close, I won't miss them and there's no way on earth I will stomach being blamed for that. I don't want to see any track close. The very real prospect of the loss of a track like Workington, where they put on a good show every week, is an awful prospect to contemplate. But there simply must be a duty on promotions out there to ensure that the product is as good as it can be (as you would in any business) and 'bad speedway is better than no speedway' allows them to cop out of that.

True, but that could apply to quite a few others. Great track, great racing, great people. Needs a bit more getting out there and spreading the word - the Lake District is as big a tourist area as anywhere - but otherwise they don't do a lot wrong.

There's no question that Workington had financial difficulties last season as they were well documented. On occasion, gates were disastrous and I (and I suspect many others) feared for 2018. Change of nights is a gamble but it isn't a big one. There are genuine - and reasonable - concerns that locals will stay in to watch Cook on a Saturday night rather than go to Derwent Park and there was a chance that gates might improve on a Friday. They - once or twice - couldn't have been much worse. As SCB has said, its difficult to see how Glasgow - who changed from Sunday to Saturday only last season - and Scunthorpe - who decided Friday's didn't work a couple of years ago - got priority over the Comets. The only good thing is my driver couldn't come up on a Friday so I retain my lift. Workington is one of my very favourite destinations

I wonder what the criteria are for change of night. Given that Glasgow changed last season and Workington have seniority over Scunthorpe, I'd say the Comets should have priority.

I very much hope I am wrong, but I suspect there maybe a doubt over Plymouth.

I think teams will have a choice of Monday or Wednesday to run their home meetings. Thursday-Sunday for the Championship. 7 home league meetings plus KO Cup ? Would that really be enough for the fans ? More importantly, (perhaps) would it be enough to pay the rent ?

Looks like the Comets are back. Fantastic news, more trips to Cumbria on a Saturday with the mad chauffeur

Somerset (along with Leicester & Rye House) will have to switch whether it is Wednesday or Thursday.

I think it is more likely to Monday & Wednesday for Premiership clubs. If it is Wednesday only Swindon and King's Lynn (who rode on Wednesday for years anyway) will need to change. If it is Thursday, Poole, Redcar, Sheffield & Ipswich will. Having said that, it will depend on stadium availability.

Its quite ironic that there are those who criticise British Speedway for owing riders money yet point to Polish Speedway as the way forward. They aren't that much different where that is concerned, nor are Sweden. The huge amount owed by Indianerna to the likes of Lindgren & Iversen from 2016 is a very good example.

I think there would be very little and what there was would overwhelmed by the pleasure of most seeing him back where he belongs. Chris Morton is (with Peter Collins) Belle Vue's greatest ever rider. He holds the club points and appearance records and was capped 128 times for England, captaining his country on many occasions. He was a world champion at pairs and team levels and a top rider in the world's best league for 15 seasons - a record matched by very few indeed. His service to the Aces doesn't end there. The NSS is a world class stadium with a world class racing track. Many on here were sceptical, cynical, critical and even abusive about whether it would ever be built - as were some at the highest levels of the sport - but it was, and its existence is largely down to Chris Morton (and David Gordon). Most (if not all) will recognise his contribution to the Aces and welcome him back.

Another excellent 'point of view' Phil. As I said before, lets have some more. As you rightly say, David Gordon is fully entitled to have the truth of the matter disclosed. Clearly, MCC don't want that and its not difficult to reason why. I particularly agreed with your view regarding Chris Morton - Belle Vue's all time highest points scorer and appearance maker, a World Champion at team and pairs level and a consistent top performer at the highest level for 15 years. I don't know the extent of how what happened has affected his private and personal circumstances but there should always be a role for him at NSS. Criticise Gordon & Morton as much as you like, their legacy for me is a fantastic purpose built speedway stadium with an equally fantastic racing track.

I don't think they are 'slagging off' Peter Collins so much as his view on this particular issue. As Orion has correctly said, just because someone is a legend in speedway doesn't mean that any remark that they make or view that they hold must be exempt from criticism. Phil Rising's excellent piece in speedway star clearly states his huge respect for Collins (and that's an understatement) but makes it clear that Collins is wrong on this issue. I suspect that almost all of us would agree with that position.