Halifaxtiger

Are you suggesting that a better way to attract new or old fans is to have a big screen in preference to improving the quality of the racing ? At least I suppose they can watch the same old rubbish several times rather than watching something far better once.

Say that to a Birmingham fan

I agree. Reading the council's report I can find no occasion when they have accepted the blame for anything. Its all to do with Belle Vue or ISG. In fact, its a typical report from someone most carefully and anxiously making sure they don't cop for anything. To be fair to David Gordon, at least he said he was at fault. I must say I also agree with Ouch. If the council did nothing wrong, there is no need to keep anything under non disclosure. I fear that's about it unless we get some intrepid dirt digger from the MEN who doesn't favour one side or the other.

Flagrag has said several times this is nothing to do with viewing figures - indeed, Sky were very happy with them. This is about Sky overstretching themselves because of the cost of Premiership football and ditching some of the minority sports to make ends meet. I think that if 1 match costs £10m and speedway's entire season a fifth of that they seem to have got their figures wrong. Then again, I'm biased. I am sure there are one or two who couldn't wait to blame the BSPA, dropping standards and rubbish racing but, unfortunately for them, this is nothing to do with it. Glasgow's success - and its fair to say that gates have doubled at least - has been built largely on the influx of a substantial amount of capital investment from new owners. New stadium, by all accounts astonishing pay rates to get the riders they want and the large amount of publicity such outlay gets. I very much hope that every speedway team can do the same, but that's most unlikely. If you want a blueprint for clubs to follow I'd say Isle of Wight are as good a model as any.

There are 150 names mentioned. They include : Iverson, Jonsson, Woffinden, Lindback, Zagar, Ulamek, Gjedde,Stead, Karlsson, Walasek, Fisher,Lyager, Skidmore,Bager,Boxall,Mear,Hummel, Karger,Lanham, Castagna,Holub, Sissis,Greenwood, Halsey. GP riders, retired riders, some I haven't even heard of. Draft in a few NL boys (although some are already in that list) and maybe a few newbies and you might just do it. That, however, depends on all of them fitting in and being willing to ride in the UK and, of course, none getting injured. Very, very easy to point to numbers and say there are enough. Much, much harder to make sure that it works.

I think Steve is right. A quick count up of Championship riders doubling up and there are about 20. Take in the boys doubling up between the NL & SGBC and it becomes 30. Allowing the latter, that's 20 new riders we have to find but its not just that because those 20 new riders have to fit in with the league structure. While there are 150 names on the BSPA website, they include Connor Locke, Richard Andrews, David Mason, Tony Atkin, David Speight, Anders Rowe, Tom Woolley and many more. With respect to those riders, if British Speedway had to start drafting them into its top flights it really would be in trouble. And yet over half of those in the Championship only do one league here. Take away the NL boys doubling up and it becomes over two-thirds. I think Brian is right. With the exception of the top boys, speedway is not a full time occupation even in the season yet some treat it as though it is or expect it to be so. Nor has that ever been the case. I have cited elsewhere the case of Tony Davey, a 9.00 rider in the British League of the 1970's who struggled to make it pay. While I am not opposed to doubling up, it has become (for some) simply a method of boosting their earnings rather than a tool by which younger riders can gain experience and knowledge.

I don't think she is. In fact, I think that most would agree with her. Its not so much a question of extra entertainment as ensuring that people are not left standing around for ages getting bored or developing advanced frostbite.

Bit of a blow, that, depending on who they get in. Richter is one of a handful of very capable track curators.

Took my wife away for a holiday on our 25th wedding anniversary. We went to Swindon, Plymouth, Rye House, Eastbourne & Sittingbourne ( I should say that any grievance on her part was wiped away by a stay in the stunning Canterbury Cathedral Lodge, which I had brilliantly predicted).

I remember speaking with Kyle Newman's Dad a few seasons ago when Kyle was really struggling in the EL. I said that he couldn't get much out of it but he totally disagreed, saying that the experience was hugely valuable. Any doubling up rider will gain that, be it from the NL to SGBC or SGBC to SGBP. For that reason, I think that doubling up is OK - after all, its been around for decades. I can recall Gary Peterson, for example, doubling up between Nelson & Wolverhampton in the 1960's. The problem is not doubling up, but the fact that it got completely out of hand. Should have been two riders at most and only then when all riders had been sorted for a team. It also should have been Brits only, if that was possible. Its rather ironic that Coventry riders are being named as being without a team or only one team yet they had no less than 4 doubling up riders while the likes of Stefan Nielsen and Joe Jacobs didn't have a team at all.

Word I got was that it was totally due to the ridiculous amount of money they paid for football viewing rights and a desperate need to cut costs elsewhere. In addition, I am pretty certain flagrag has said that in the past speedway viewing figures were comparable with the likes of rugby league and cricket, so there was no issue with that at all. Speedway does have a watered down product, some of the meetings put on have been poor and, on occasion, the BSPA do the sport little good. None of those, though, are the reason for this decision.

Actually looking at the predictions thread most agree with him. Belle Vue, Eastbourne, Mildenhall & Cradley are the 4 most fancied teams. He has said the first three and has Cradley 5th.

To get the deal, I phoned. Mind you, if the Sheffield lot go there I'd think again -idle, uncouth layabouts, the lot of them.

No comparison. About half the price, drink before, during and after the meeting (if you want) because you can walk to the track and a huge breakfast thrown in. Don't be put off by the slightly scruffy exterior. For the price, its the best you can get in the area. The only thing I would say is you're probably better off eating and drinking in Wetherspoons (that's in walking distance too).

I think I paid £40 for a single room last season. They have bumped me up to a double before with no extra charge. Its within walking distance of the town and the track and its better than anywhere else I have stayed overnight when I have watched the Comets.

Can recommend it, too. Pretty reasonable, clean, comfortable rooms and a buffet breakfast.

At a rough guess, gates doubled for Aces meetings. Colts were pulling in 5-600, which was about two thirds of what the senior team got at Kirky Lane. The difference between the two stadiums can't be under estimated and while Kirky Lane wasn't as bad a track as some have said the new one is world class. Gates can be increased. Its about three things : advertising, product and attitude. Make sure people know about it, give them a good time and treat them well. Isle of Wight did it superbly it 2016 and there's no reason why everyone else can't do the same.

You must be having a laugh I can think of a few people to blame here but Laurence certainly isn't one of them. I think you are just about spot on here. A friend of mine did some research and found that there is a lot of circumstantial evidence links Sandhu to Brandon Estates and you have hit the nail on the head : What did happen about the damage being reported to the police ? I don't think Mick Horton is entirely without fault and it may not be a coincidence that this is announced immediately after Belle Vue's confirmation of running. However, there's only one party who trashed the stadium and that's where the real blame lies.

Belle Vue Eastbourne Mildenhall Isle Of Wight Kent Cradley Plymouth Birmingham King's Lynn Lakeside Buxton Stoke

While I would say that every other club in the country (and quite a few across Europe) has reason to be envious of Belle Vue's stadium, I don't think there is anyone on here (or elsewhere) who genuinely wants the Aces to fail and, from that, cease to exist. They are the most famous name in World speedway, period. Having said that, there was a great deal of cynicism and scepticism about the stadium being built at all and that extended from the ordinary fan to the BSPA management committee.

I am not sure if you are saying whether Belle Vue will be top or bottom. What I know is that with Bewley, Smith, Bickley and the Woodhall brothers they will be one of the most attractive and exciting young teams I have ever seen. I think Turn Two is (almost) spot on. I differ because I was impressed with Walker last season and Atkins is better than he makes out. However, it needs Boxall to be committed and Compton to stick to his average for Plymouth to compete and there surely has to be some question over both.

Sheffield did amazingly well last season, but have a look and see what their fans think of their ex rider team manager (now ex team manager). Gary May has certainly been one of the most successful, but he never got beyond being an NL reserve or so. John Campbell often manages Edinburgh, who have also been very successful recently and he has never ridden. Eastbourne's hail of trophies over the last two seasons has been impressive and they had Glenn Martin and Connor Dugard (who have also never ridden). As you say, Peter Adams has been hugely successful and it would be unfair to say that that is down to being with top riders - the 1978 speedway yearbook (his first BL win with Coventry) states that he played a major part in that win. Thee was no way on this earth that the team manager at Plymouth was going to be anyone but Laurence. I am biased, but I really don't see why they would need or want anyone else.

He needs to join the 20th century

I can't deny any of that. But what we had was a very relevant party saying on a very public forum to a lot of very interested people that he would make clear his views on a very emotive subject. If there was the slightest trace of doubt that he would do so he shouldn't have said so in the first place and it just gives further credence to the belief that criticism of the bspa by one of its members will not be tolerated.

Then he shouldn't make idle threats.