brianbuck

This list just highlights the sheer folly of allowing riders to ride for more than one team. The riders are griping that they can only make a living if they ride for two (or three) teams but they should stop for a minute, and consider that by doing this they are depriving 40-odd of their fellow riders of the chance of earning any money at all.

800 seating plus approximately another 700 standing.

Does seem a very strange arrangement to me - especially as Manchester City Council have been repeatedly quoted as saying that they want the new stadium to have the maximum usage!

I've also had information to the effect that Belle Vue will be in the National League in 2017, and think this is very good news. It seems a pity to me that there is this hard core of posters who can never be anything but negative. The NL promoters will meet today and do their best collectively, to try and ensure that the league is competitive and operates smoothly. They won't solve every problem and doubtless other problems will surface during the racing season - but they'll do their best, knowing full well that whatever changes they make will be criticized by those who just can't wait to have a go at them. I wish them well in their efforts.

Dudley is the largest town in England with no railway station and with no professional sports clubs. Yet the Council's Head of Sport keeps telling the local press that they are "passionate" about sport. You could have fooled me Mr Ahmed!

For the sake of all the genuine Cradley Heath supporters, I'm pleased that we have been able to help resolve a tricky situation for them. I believe that the BSPA will not be so lenient with clubs who fail to complete their fixtures this coming season, and I don't think they would have accepted a club unless there was a cast iron guarantee that they had sufficient dates available to be certain of doing this. We (Birmingham) and Cradley are rivals on the track but surely no one wants to lose one of the more successful clubs especially with doubts about at least two of last seasons National League clubs being able to continue? Good luck to the Heathens for 2017 - let's look forward to some cracking encounters with each other, and let's not be negative.

You will be more than happy with Jack Smith. He will probably crash a few times, but he is a real racer and a really genuine bloke. I wish him every success.

I agree with that. No one is fooled by these fancy names - it is Divisions one two and three, so why not do the commonsense thing and call them this?

Theoretically, they will, but I would expect them to either come to some kind of arrangement with another club to "keep" their assets for them, or else they would "cash them in" as it were. Birmingham were deprived of the admittedly few assets that they held, when the Brummies dropped down to the National League in 2015 and were also not allowed to retain the four riders who were signed on at the start of the 2015 season when the "no assets" rule was introduced.

I am retired but once a month I meet up with 8 or 9 of my old workmates for a breakfast and general chat about old times etc. The sports talk is as would be expected, mainly about football but as they know I am a speedway enthusiast, they always bring this into the conversation, and it's interesting to listen to their take on the peculiarities of our sport. All of them think the points limit is a very good idea - and say that they wished there could be something like this in football to curb the way it is now being driven by money. They understand and appreciate the need for speedway to have guest riders and rider-replacement - recognising that it is different to football inasmuch as in football, a team can cover for an inexperienced "passenger" in the way that speedway can't. They realise that speedway has to be competitive to maintain interest, and that one-sided matches are usually a bore. Football, they agree, is a results-only driven game - none of them care how badly their team plays as long as they win. What none of them can get their heads round though is when I tell them that one of my team's riders can't ride for us because he is riding for another club on the same night. (ie doubling-up). They can't work out how a professional sport allows one rider to ride for two different clubs and they are amazed to find that it is so widespread. I couldn't agree more with this view. Doubling-up has been of no benefit to speedway in any way. All it has done has been to create the shortage of riders that promoters are now moaning about. The supposed objective of giving a rider the chance to "test the water" with a view to moving up a league has never ever been followed. Doubling-up has just been the easy option, and it astonishes me that so many supporters still seem to think it is a good idea. I have never been in favour of it and strongly believe that "one-man-one-team" should be strictly enforced although I accept that this can't be achieved overnight now that doubling-up is totally out of control. The very least that the BSPA should do is aim phase it out over a period. I am also strongly opposed to the so-called "squad" system which is being proposed by so many supporters. If it is introduced it will be nothing more than a free hand for those riders who want to pick and choose when and where they ride -and there are already too many instances of this happening. Does anyone seriously think that overseas stars will come flocking back to ride for British teams for half a dozen selected matches and do it for peanuts? They won't. They will expect to be paid the same money for riding in the odd few matches they want to ride in, as they would be for a full season. If this ill-thought out idea is ever implemented, it will be a disaster.

Don't forget - National League clubs aren't allowed to have assets.

As a long-time Birmingham supporter I would urge Lakeside fans not to dismiss the National League as an inferior product. My club was brought back from the brink of extinction through taking the seemingly risky step of dropping down two divisions, but it has been our salvation and has enabled the club to reconstruct itself from the ashes of the former promotion which left it financially destitute. The National League has provided us with racing at least as entertaining as it was in our Elite League days. Crowds have improved from our time in the top league (although they have dipped a little this year, and we would all like to seem them better) but the important thing is that the National League is financially viable and much more affordable for all parties, and will provide Lakeside with a platform for them to eventually expand again. Good luck to Lakeside and their fans in whatever they decide to do.

Before people decide on who has to be blamed for this, let me quote some of the comments made by Connor Dugard on the Eastbourne website: The rule book caught out Birmingham. We were not aware of a problem - it is weird that it was not noticed. Eastbourne knew nothing about this until an hour before the start - we did NOT object and would have been happy for things to have gone ahead (ie with Shanes riding.) We agree with Graham Drury that the 8 day rule has been breached on five occasions this season. We did NOT protest - this was something that came from the powers that be to Graham. It was lucky for us on the night - but I have to say that Birmingham have been treated harshly. Having read these comments, I would congratulate Eastbourne on their winning of the trophy. Well done Eagles.

Eastbourne will be going all out to redeem themselves in front of their own shell-shocked fans, so the stage is set for a terrific battle. Good luck to both sets of riders and here's hoping for a great day's racing.

There has always been a swingeing financial penalty from the BSPA for clubs who fail to complete their fixtures - but I'm not sure whether this is applied to the National League.

Watched the meeting alongside some really nice supporters from Eastbourne whose sportsmanship and good humour helped make a very competitive match even more enjoyable. Both clubs have had to endure a number of very one-sided home matches this season, so it was a pleasant change to be kept on edge throughout Wednesday's fixture. Congratulations to both teams on their efforts. Hopefully, the second leg will be as close and as competitive. Adam Ellis though, doesn't seem to have improved at all from when he was at Birmingham last season!!!!!!

How many promoters would come onto a forum like this to respond to criticism the way that Jayne Moss has? Surely everyone is aware of the problems that Buxton have in attracting riders for their team. Plenty will take advantage of the opportunities to practice on the Buxton track but will then go off and join clubs with more financial resourses. Buxton are a great little club and I wish them all the very best for the future. I have been a supporter of Birmingham for the past 63 years and I naturally like to see my team win - but winning away from home by a 61-29 scoreline doesn't do any favours for the winners or the losers so I feel that the time is long overdue for us to find a better and fairer way of balancing team strengths than the points system which is repeatedly abused and in my view has been shown to be unworkable. This can only be some kind of grading system for riders and needed to be framed in a way which does not permit the top teams to take the pick of the riders in the best grade. Not easy to set up I know, but something that needs to be worked on.,

Emerson Jones rang Graham Drury on press and practice day to say that he had changed his mind about racing and had decided not to bother! A relative of his whom I know slightly, says that his parents spent a small fortune on buying him new equipment and weren't too pleased about this!

Whatever I write will not convince those people who are determined to believe that there is some kind of conspiracy behind the decision to re-schedule the Birmingham v Cradley fixture, but I set it down all the same: If the original staging date had stood: 1. The match would have clashed with the re-arranged Wolverhampton v Poole Elite League semi-final which would have been taking place on the same night. 2. The match would have clashed with the Sky television coverage of the Wolves-Poole fixture. Both would have prevented those people wishing to see both matches from doing so, and would inevitably have affected the attendance - surely every sensible supporter understands that all speedway clubs have to pay their way and can't afford to deliberately throw away the chance of a good crowd? 3. Wolverhampton and Birmingham do not have "the same" track staff - but do share a significant number and sensibly avoid running home meetings on the same night whenever possible. 4. Birmingham were likely to be without 2 (possibly 3) of their better riders and Cradley without 2 of their top 3. If the meeting had been put off a week until the following Wednesday, Cradley could quite possibly have been in the same situation with 2 of their heat leaders unavailable. Again, the fixture would have clashed with the Sky screening of the Elite League play-off final. As the stadium is only available to the speedway promotion on Wednesdays or Thursdays, the only realistic solution is what has been decided.

Very surprised to read comments like this. I made my first visit to the stadium for the Belle Vue v Birmingham National League match and was outstandingly impressed with everything about the venue. It is just what speedway needs and I can't wait to make another visit. With relatively small crowds expected for NL matches it makes sense to only use part of the stadium, and the air horn ban (which I was not aware of), is understandable when the stadium is so close to residential housing. Really, I couldn't fault the stadium in any way and it seems rather pointless to make comparisons with Hyde Road which operated in the days of crowd levels that just don't exist anymore.

The race format should be revamped and teams should consist of three pairings and only one reserve who should be given two programmed rides. With having only one reserve, and only obliged to use him in two races promoters would be more likely to persevere with him all season rather than chop and change trying to get the extra point. Currently, the reserves play far too big a role in matches with a free scoring reserve taking seven rides completely distorting results. A six man team proper with just one reserve was successfully used for several years in the mid-1950's. This apart, the rules relating to starting should be revised. There should be no replacement for a rider excluded for tape touching or for exceeding the two minutes time allowance. Too many riders consistently try it on at the tapes and are encouraged to do so by team manager's secure in knowing that they have an often better replacement waiting in the wings. The rule book should also clearly define what "two minutes" actually means. I think there should be a line drawn two metres behind the start line, and riders should have to have their front wheels on it within two minutes of the warning being sounded - and having reached it,they shouldn't be allowed to turn back!

My first visit to the new Belle Vue and I was outstandingly impressed. Couldn't fault the stadium, the facilities or the viewing. Thoroughly enjoyed an excellent meeting and look forward to more trips to Manchester before the end of the season. Disagree with the last poster though. I was seated directly in line with the start and JPB definitely did touch the tapes so the decision was a fair one. Having said that, I thought the exclusion of Dan Bewley in heat 15 was unnecessarily petty. He was on the point of being pushed off when his exclusion light came on, so as the Brummies were then six points to the good and couldn't be caught, the ref could have made a commonsense decision and given the crowd the chance to see what had promised to be a good race. Fair enough, the referee applied the rules but given the circumstances he could have been a touch more lenient. I must say though that each time I have seen Bewley I have been impressed with his skills. He is an outstanding prospect and I wish him well - and he impressed me even more by the way he calmly accepted the decision in that last heat. Well done Belle Vue though on a well-presented meeting. The track was a bit dry but then, it was a baking hot day, and I know they were pleased with the attendance, and we were pleased with another Brummies win, so it was a good day all round!

It beggars belief that after their planning committee had voted 9-2 in favour of rejecting the application to demolish the stadium, and having declared the venue to be a Community Asset, Birmingham City Council have now reversed this decision and have approved the plans to build 210 houses on the site. This is less than a month after the original decision of the planning committee! Is it any wonder that the general public have such a low opinion of politicians? The landowners of Hall Green Stadium can appeal against the refusal of their plans as many times as they like, but once they are approved, the "opposition" have no right of a counter-appeal! Just another example of how the system is weighted in favour of big business!

Last night's meeting was definitely nothing like the one-sided event that the score suggests. Mildenhall still made a match of it despite their misfortune in losing their best rider in his opening ride, but they could not overcome having two complete passengers in Widman and Ruddick. Armstrong had a poor night and although there was plenty of effort from Bowtell, he still wasn't able to beat an opponent. Connor Coles was very impressive and Dan Halsey was unlucky to lose points through an engine failure. Connor Mountain's crash was a bad one and I hope his injuries are not as serious as they initially appeared to be. I don't think there was a problem with the track shape as has been suggested - he just seem to pick up a terrific burst of speed in the middle of the bend and it was pretty clear to those of us on the centre green that he wasn't going to make it all the way round. Overall, the Brummies were the better team and deserved to win, but had the Tigers been at full strength, the score would probably have been much closer.

This topic has now had a very good airing and we have read through the views of all sides - from the outraged saintliness of a few partisan Kent supporters to the defensiveness of one or two diehard Birmingham people - with quite a few pertinent and sensible comments thrown in by others. I am a lifelong supporter of Birmingham, but I wasn't at Kent on Monday so I only know what I have read. I am prepared to accept that Graham Drury probably cashed in on the situation and used it to the advantage of his team. Some would say that the team manager's job is to get every advantage for his side that he can, I wouldn't personally have done this - but then, I'm not employed in a position in which I am paid to get results am I, so my thinking may have been different if I had been! This kind of gamesmanship is not new. It has been done before and will more than likely be done again - and given the same circumstances I would suggest that most team managers would have done the same as Graham did - including Len who hasn't been averse to pulling a few smart tricks in his time (and I'm not having a go at him when I say this.) I'm not saying it was right - just saying that human nature will usually take over. There were clearly many delays to the meeting in the earlier stages which could be put down to poor control by the referee and by the Kent pits staff which produced a situation which could easily have been avoided. Theoretically, the referee could have put his finger on the 2 minute button on the stroke of 6.30pm and done the same immediately after each race was finished (as was the case at Perry Barr the other week when black clouds were gathering), but probably most referees would have considered this to be over officious, but the lesson to be learned here, is that the supporters come to watch the speedway - not pre-meeting presentations or parades or to listen to the inane chatter of centre green presenters who think they are the star turn of the night! The best option is always to crack on with the racing - the incidentals can then come when it is clear that there is time to bring them on without running the risk of not completing the meetings. As far as Jack Smith is concerned, no one who knows him even slightly, would describe him as a "spoiled brat." Jack is a good natured lad with a sunny disposition who would do anything to help anyone. On the track, he puts everything into his racing, and he wants to succeed. He is as much a racer as is Danny Ayres who is of the same mould and is a rider I admire very much. Jack was wrong to react to the provocation from the crowd in the way that he did, but he is young and impetuous and will no doubt learn from this experience. I hope though, that this incident will not sour the relationship between the Kent and Birmingham supporters in the future. The Kent people have been very welcome visitors to Perry Barr in the past and have made our people equally welcome when we have gone there. I can well appreciate their frustration in losing a match in these circumstances, but whoever gets the bulk of the blame, it shouldn't be the Kent or the Birmingham supporters.