Tsunami

Yes they do. We don't have enough riders of our own to run the current leagues.

You are not reading me correctly, but I do understand why you might think that. Fans are genuine people who love the sport of speedway, and would usually attend meetings. Some don't, or can't, due to no track or no finance. Some just don't go, but still have a love of the sport, maybe following the team by reading their results and reading about club activity. Folks who always condemn, and run the sport down, who never go or will never go, usually have an axe to grind, and I don't think they are really in a position to be considered a fan with the sports wellbeing at heart. This basis usually gives them a platform to use for their own purposes. As there are an increasing number of this type of 'fan' on here these days, what or why should a promoter take time out to converse with them when their views are always critical. WOULD YOU. Even the critical fans on here don't agree with each other on most issues, so how would a promotion learn anything from what fans really think or want.

Wind ya neck in. Many sports decide their league titles by playoffs, and you can't deny that cos it's true. It is regardless whether that sport does it for SKY or anybody/anything else.

Surprised there was only one. There's usually the bar terrace full of them.

Nobody 'loses' the title till they have won it, Ian. Playoffs are exciting, and in line with what other sports are also doing because of the interest that they create.

Cutting your own nose off to spite your face. Nobody is complaining about the enforced RR, especially with the winning and the standard of racing again this year. Enjoy your bangers.

Was he going to pay to get in.

Lewis is a very stylist little lad who I see regularly at Northside, along with all the other riders that were appearing last night. Very pleased he was not hurt when he had several attempts to got free himself of the second bend fence, before unfortunately succumbing to it. He was shook up and very shocked but with the delay he calmed down and in fact could have gone in the rerun but for a broken clutch lever which needed to be replaced. Next ride his bike failure, but he showed he was back with a bad gate but made a brilliant safe pass under young James. Had the crowd 'ooing' but it was safe and nice to see he had fully recovered from his crash. Good advert for the youngsters and many thanks to the NEDL chairman Jamie Swales and 125cc meetings overseer Jason Pipe. I thought it was a bit disrespectful to break up their meeting by letting senior riders test equipment. Not sure how Richie was allowed out with red lights on, but was told that Robbo and Compo were out testing the official rev limiters. We knew about the first ride so no problems there , but to be shoved out a second time, without being told, was a tad disrespecful IMO. Many thanks to all the fans who stayed on, getting behind especially the two Newcastle young riders, Archie and Jack Flash, at 8 and 9 years old being the youngest riders on display. Well done to both and all the other riders. Good win for Kyle. Good win for the Diamonds, So easy from a poor performing Tigers team. Pleased to see that the two reserves were relatively uninjured in heat 2. Could have been a lot worse but neither needed an ambulance which was good. Although Koppe was eventually withdrawn from the meeting, poor Albin had to continue with his injury, which I am told meant that he had to be lifted on and off the bike for each ride. I guest he won't be walking straight for awhile. Whilst we in the crowd were hoping both were OK, think what the Ladies Newcastle Football team must have thought on seeing it. They were first timers at Speedway and, as our guests, were on the centre green behind the startpost. I think they were quite shocked when they saw Albin catch the homestraight fence and tumble, only to be runover by his teammate, which left both lying not moving on the track. We take these things in our strides with Speedway, as it is part and parcel of the sport, but I know some of the girls were a bit shocked at it. Tully on fire at the moment and showing the form that the promotion had expected with his signing this year.

Sorry to hear about Ricky's bad smash, Hope he is OK and gets well soon.

The green shoots are out there Baggy and the British Youth Championships are funded by the BSPA which employs Phil Morris and Neil Vacher. As you know I am pretty close to these things and you will see a great new crop coming through in the next couple of years. What we need is for it to continue and also start poaching more MotorCrossers as good as Birks, Worralls, Kerr's etc.

I am sure I read it on here that Richard was living or had been living with Andre.

Agreed. Bjarne against Paul Fry at Swindon, I was there and Exeter took the title on aggregate. Try also 2002 when Sheffield pipped us on aggregate points,(robbing us of back to back league titles) and we had also won more meetings than Sheffield. New rules that are in force now is so much more fairer and a lot of the massive home win teams had to change their tracks, and/or sign riders who had the potential to be better riders away than at home,

Didn't the Glasgow and Edinburgh riders try that in June 2012 at Armadale.

Sad but very true. Society has changed and attitudes to bikes and other sports are not the same as it was in the heydays. We don't have the catchment area of say scrambling anymore, and kids are not even as interested in riding bikes these days as they would rather wait and get some super duper little Corsa. Someone told me not so long ago that motorcycle tests are down 80% so either kids don't ride as much, or there are more on the road without licences. Even kids riding offroad are now punished, so there does not seem many areas where kids can have a try riding a bike. Strangely enough, countries like Italy, Spain and Portugal who have just about everyone riding bikes or big scoots, do not produce speedway riders in any numbers, but of course do have quite healthy numbers participating in say Motocross

Good post and I agree with a lot of it. Explanations of some things needs to happen, and I think that is an area that both the BSPA and the SCB could be more forward with. Unfortunately many on here want and expect then to tell everything about a subject(the far end of a fart) but that will never, and sometimes can't be published for either business reasons or confidentiality reasons. I have disagreed with you on many subjects(especially when you claim bollocks when I am telling you something you wanted to know, remember) so you have to be receptive to what others do say. I know you sometimes say things just for effect, but you have proved in the past(Cov & Pet issue) that you are single minded with your views and don't mind going against the pack. It is interesting that you mention a good experience of Hoggy. For you it was a welcome change for a promoter to explain things, but for a 'you' there is always a few who will crucify him for being honest to them and then a promoters says something like 'why do I bother'. So sometimes the responce of a promoter can be based on unhelpful slagging off in previous encounters. So why try to pacify them and get slated for doing so. Promoters are human after all, although if that went to the vote on here I think the vote would be lost. Beware, he will only try and BeLittle you.

Thanks for constructive reply mikbv. BTW. A lot of the serial attackers of the sport on here are not regular attenders, and some have no intentions of ever going again, even if they had free passes to try it again. This has been said in their posts so it is not made up by me or anybody else. A lot of the more genuine members have steadily left because of the attacks and tones of debates, and it has been regularly reported that 'so and so' seems to have had enough of the forum. Unfortunately that then increases the %age of the more vociferous members, who do all the negative stuff regardless. Most Promoters do know when something is on here about their club, as there are several, me including, tell their club of anything that can be damaging, so that they can comment or do something about it. We appeared to have a problem with a certain supporter in the crowd at Newcastle last year, and I was involved in identifying and reporting it. What promoters don't do, because of previous occasions, is get involved in an issue with some on here and it just ends up with them being a sitting target by unidentified vociferous 'fans'. Once bitten twice shy. Why should they be attacked unless someone is doing it for their own pleasure or for elevation of status within their pack.

I am quite aware of your previous support to the sport. Others have PM'd me about you. Unfortunately you choose once again to attack someone else who does not share your view, then accuse me of lowering the thread. You never change do you. Time and time again a thread is railroaded by you trying to BeLittle opponents, and they come back on and say they are leaving the thread because you cannot debate. We can't all be wrong can we. You can be a decent contributor, and I have 'liked' many of your postings, and you have on mine, but the attack rather than the debate usually ends most decent threads. BTW. I purposely didn't contribute to this thread earlier, as this response was soooo predictable.

Good post and I agree with all of it. The difference is that you are talking about customers who have contacted you, presumably identifiable, and with whom you can continue discussion and/or agree with or disagree with their comments. Not the same case with forums. Forums probably only represent about 1% of those attending meetings, the real fans turn up at meetings, or contact promotions when they don't want to. That is feedback, and woe betide businesses that ignore or ridicule what a sincere customer has to say. You don't have to agree, or give all your reasons for either agreeing or disagreeing but acknowledge their points and give something back with info you choose to share with them. That would be the case also with forums, but the usual 'regular' posters are not always fans attending any meetings and/or just use the forum to have a go and knock something that they choose to object to. If those posters were even handed and praised where necessary, did not invent situations and respected those who run speedway and those who choose to support and attend speedway, the scenario in your post would be appropriate. We all know that the BSPA is not perfect, and does not get everything right, but at least they have chosen to try to keep alive a sport with their own time and considerable money in order to do so. Having not to suffer the consequences of their comments, unfortunately some forum members think that others who have the responsibility should do everything that they say. What world do they live in. Fans are divided sometimes as to what should happen so in a lot of cases 50% will be right and 50% will be wrong. But it is someone else, the promotion, who will suffer the consequences and I think it is therefore their prerogative what they do do. Given the history of some forum members, there is no way that promotions are going take the time to read everything on forums. Why should they have to. They are usually busy people and will listen to those fans that have the decency to contact them with their concerns and comments. Why have to take time and read everything written by the 'wrecking balls' on here, and get the flack when you do do that. Several riders and promoters have ventured on here but in practically every case, there are the ones that choose to have a go at them with the result that they don't come back on here. They have better things to do than put their heads on a block, for some constant critic to drop the blade. Appropriately, on a thread headed "Why the Animosity", the guy who has made the most posts happens to be a fan living in Portugal, who hasn't a good word to say about anybody, who shows no respect to others who dare to differ from his opinions, and only occasionally/rarely attends a meeting here when in this country. Step forward Mr BWitcher.

It explains nothing. Rather immature to out someone out of spite.

The fact that you choose to put your name in your posts means you have outed yourself. I was outed about 3 times in my early days and, in conjunction with the Mods, they removed the offending posts. It if is not in the rules, or the spirit of the rules, why did they do that. Of course, regardless of rules, there is the aspect of respect toward fellow forum members and their chosen anonymity status. I see you as someone who does have that respect and, if I was Rob Godfrey, I would be careful what I told you in confidence. As I said in my other post, a cheap shot from a supposed journalist.

Thought 'outing' someone was against forum rules. Cheap shot that Rob, but you have not surprised me.

It's actually 'professional' to do announcements correct, with everyone on board.

Amended for truth Ian.

Have you seen the two photos that Jonny has posted on Facebook. The rain was expected to stop at lunchtime but it got harder about 10.45 and that was probably what changed the plan. The whole of the back straight under water and 3rd/4tf bends about 3/4 of the way across the track.

Jonny went in early this morning to start pumping the water off the track. We have cancelled the training school, which was due to go on at 1.00pm, and that was to allow him and his team the full afternoon to work on the track. It is expected to stop raining midday, so he has about 6 hours to get it raceable. Remember that last year Jonny produced some superb tracks in similar circumstances to this, so I am very hopeful as long as the raingods do their bit and stop the rain at the planned time. Unfortunately with this last increase in rain it is now advised on the Diamonds website that the meeting is OFF, postponed.