Stan Duppcomic

I agree with most of what you say, SK, but changing the team order right now is akin to shuffling the deck chairs on the Titanic. The Management know they have to change things and I am sure they will. They are going to have to wait until mid to late June to act unless they see the first move is to replace Joe Haines, who, lovely lad that he is, is really struggling at the moment and will do whether he rides at 2,3,4,or 5. A reserve can get away with popping out of the gate once a meeting for a win and hoover up the odd third; your top second string can't. At the moment both Facu and Joe are doing that. For me though it's a case of drop a reserve (or both) and bring in what will effectively be a fourth heat leader with the points we will have. That will drop Facu to reserve and with Joe as the second second string you can put him at 2 and see how he fairs. I know Neil was going on in his notes about how much it would cost to bring in Andre (or I suppose someone similar), but the cost of not bringing in someone of his calibre to keep the fans that we have could be far more than the lay out needed to secure a new rider. Either way a lot of thinking to be done in the next couple of weeks befoire definitive action is taken. Expect to lose to Berwick and then see the changes. Depressing times but I hope they act appropriately to rescue what is left of the season. It can be done as we have a strong foundation to build on in the three heat leaders.

Don't build your part up Odsal boy, the announcer's comment (it wasn't a rant or a slating) was over this misguided post but as usual the accuracy level was about as close as you normally get so I certainly ignored it. As for limiting your activity - don't bother. Be forgotten next week - just hand your notice in at the MET office.

Firstly, Odsalboy you have excelled yourself again when it comes to going into print before thinking. You clearly have a very short memory. If you believe that David Hoggart is solely responsible for the team building then in 2011 he built one of the best teams on paper that Sheffield has ever had. Unfortunately the riders didn't deliver and we STILL finished second. They made a massive error in 2012 letting Ashworth go, but there are several rumours about why that had to happen. The year before In 2010, they won the pairs and reached the final of the fours. so I don't think it was too shoddy then. Yorkshire Tyke, I think your right about Neil Machin losing interest, so would I if I was losing money and getting sh** every week from people. I could cope with one of these if I was him but not both. Expect the shutters to go up if both continue. Sadly it is the vocal minority who Messrs Machin and Hoggart listen to. There is no doubt things need to change. So far all 4 of the gambles have not delivered regularly, so any or all of the bottom 4 are vulnerable. But they need to wait for the averages to change. I am sure they will change things as soon as they are able because if things don't change the inevitable would happen. Hopefully they will have had their eyes peeled over recent weeks and will have some ideas as to who they need to bring in and who to drop. As for all the positive noises in the press (if it's true), the promotion knew they couldn't change anyone until the assessed riders had proper averages, so they're hardly going to slag them off whilst they still needed them to try and at least score some points are they?

Probably because he didn't crash! I was there and I didn't see him touch the fence - i was too busy watching the leaders!! But apparently he did

Not sure the TV coverage should be linked in any way! OK Monster are sponsors, but sponsors come and sponsors go. It's not THEIR series, they're a commercial partner like everyone else including Eurosport. Fact is there is probably no better option than the commentators we have, otherwise Eurosport would probably have employed them. I think Wooooooooaaaahhh is a catch phrase used by lots of Speedway spectators when something happens; I don't think it qualifies as a catch phrase !!! (they can keep Woffy Woofy Woffy though! He must cringe when he hears that!)

Don't ever go to a Pantomime. you'll be calling the Police to arrest the villain! That's all Hoggy is. a Pantomime Villain. You lot ought to know. He's been at Worky enough times!

It WAS Joel in the Peterborough Kevlars.. He won't come in on anything because he had a career ending injury.

There are very few (if any ) experts on track preparation on this forum, but there are plenty of experts who know what a decent Speedway race is. Personally I couldn't give a monkey's whether there is x tons of dirt on a track or whether the riders think it's great. what I as a paying Speedway supporter want to see is racing. If there's no racing and no passing something needs to change. I've never baked a cake but I know when one tastes like sh**

Don't think it was Sheffield fans complaining. Just Odsalboy being Odsalboy. Obviously didn't understand what was going on. Bless.

No point at all as usual. Perhaps if riders used less flashy equipment the sport wouldn't be hissing what little is left of its cash into the hands of people tuning / selling equipment. Chico did a good job for us on that "crappy and dated " equipment and the wheels well and truly stayed off the team after he was injured. Seen to recall Skiddy having a good season on Chris Louis old equipment too. It's not how new it is it's what you can do with it!!

If Dyson made a Hoover they'd be in breach of copyright!! Yes I'm nit picking - but then pot, kettle, black!! If Stead gets a 10 point average (which I'm not saying he will), then in Speedway terms he'll have cleaned up.

This has given me an idea. I am going to bung the local McDonald's store Manager £500 and go and set my Burger stand up in the Mc Donald's Entrance. I can sell my Horse Burgers with my special sauce for 89p and everyone will be happy! The punters will get much cheaper but tastier burgers and the store manager earns more than he would normally do on a Saturday! Result!! Who could ever complain about that? You see! I am far more visionary than Mc Donald's

The point is there wouldn't be an exciting and dynamic league. The series is devised to make money from one off individual events not to suffer the pain of a Glasgow v Plymouth league match financial disaster or similar week after week

What a Great idea! Run a handful of meetings that all make a profit and ditch the bread and butter ones where the riders earn their money all season in front of a handful of spectators netting the promoters a loss. All Promoters should do this. Scrap the League, scrap the Trophy, Scrap the teams, just run a couple of profitable individual meetings each year and everyone will be happy. Anybody know the definition of a parasite?

Ah you have fans that take care of their riders. there's the difference. So instead of the promotion having to pay the riders high points money because of the cap, the fans give them a bit of nice tax free sponsorship. Maybe that's why they pay less for the tickets: they're paying the riders direct. No sign of any Supporter backed support for Sheffield though. From what I see on here, people just whinge and hope it all goes wrong.

Why do people compare Speedway with football? Football doesn't rely on its gate money to pay its way because of the Sky contract, Advertising, and the sheer volume of punters. also if Sheffield charged £28 (TWENTY EIGHT POUNDS!!!!! to watch a bunch of overpaid fairies kick a bag of wind about) for full admission I am sure that they would be happy to discount it down to a mere £17.82 a match. As for using Berwick as your benchmark - wasn't this the club who signed a load of expensive riders and then said they may not be able to run because they hadn't got a sponsor? Be lucky if they complete the season - maybe that's why you "break even" after so few meetings.

Just Curious. Why if Koppe is the best of the three would you put him at Reserve? Granted he could have more rides but you're giving Albin more difficult ones and Koppe easier ones. Of course you could swap them around and experiment until they get a proper average but If you're right about the relative ability you are potentially setting Albin up to fail

And all completely irrelevant

Face. Bothered

I heard from someone that the new drainage on the Greyhound track caused an issue with sand getting washed off it onto the Speedway Circuit, and that affected how the shale was binding. But if that IS the case, can anything be done to get the track as Stead and Hall want it? I know absolutely nothing about track preparation. Anyone who has actually prepared a track know the answer ?

Maybe if he did that he'd get sponsors to make up whatever his shortfall is! Riders who look as though they enjoy themselves and inter act with supporters will always find a few quid going their way. churlish ones won't.

Oh yeah. Team refuses to pay average rider more than he's worth shock. Contrast with Berwick's great exciting team . Oh, and no sponsor so they might not run. I know who the laughing stock is more likely to be.

Maybe we wait for Berwick to pull out of the league and sign Kozza. Job done. Perhaps Machin should have gone out on a limb, signed lots of fancy riders on money he couldn't afford and then threaten to shut up a few weeks before the season unless somebody gave him some money to carry on. Or maybe not.

Sorry Halifaxtiger, I don't agree. Wells was signed last season as someone with potential. He started the season on a 6.46 Average and finished it on a 6.47 average!! For most of the season he flattered to deceive. It's not like he was in his first season in the league. If he thinks he's better than what he's being offered then he needs to prove it on the track. He hasn't convinced me at all

Spot on Montie! Maybe they signed Wells last season on a pay scale based on his potential to be a 7 or 8 point rider. He proved he was only a 6 point rider. OK he improved a bit towards the end of the season but he wasn't great was he? Also I worry that if the track is prepared to suit Stead and Hall, Wells will be less effective. He certainly didn't like going out in the dirt, and did you notice that his good rides usually came towards the end of meetings when the track became more slick? Usually his first rides seemed to be his worst ones. I'm not worried. There seem to be more 6 point riders unattached than ever before and only a couple of teams who can fit them in.