old bob at herne bay

Odds on favourite NKI back to Peterborough “ on loan” imo

With so few teams (6?) putting together a worthwhile fixture list for each club. Season could be very short if it’s just 6 league matches and a KO cup

Probable hold up reading the Speedway Star article is whether Cook has a promoters licence. So whether its M Dugard and T Geer or AN Other promoting a Championship side is thei probable issue. Cook madea pretty good pitch for the job in the Sater this week and its a good read throughout with lots of interesting articles around the promotoers Xmas bash ( AGM ) Cooks promotoers licence allegedly hangs on Lakeside's ability to clear debts primarliy caused, I have to say IMO by Mr Rob Godfrey and the cancellation of Friday fixtures. (Restraint of trade claim surely could be brought against he BSPA? )

Things were very different then......... and yes they were each rider had ONE bike in the pits. If that failed he would pay to use the "track spare" . riders would have their bike loaded onto a bike rack on the rear of their car, others had a bike trailer. riders would use the same bike season after season , not sell off all their gear every season and buy new. riders owned one crash helmet and put a different colour cover RED BLUE WHITE or YELLOW/BLACK riders owned one set of leathers and kept them for years. You can see why the riders costs have increased...... IMO things began to change when the late great Ivan Mauger came onto the scene with bikes located in every speedway country. "professionalism " came into speedway. Now it seems every rider from a National League reserve appears on a brand new bike with glitter guards and all the trimmings. They all expect speedway to provide them with full time employment.

Official attendances at Speedway Meetings in the UK are classified as Top Secret under the official secrets act. Nobody knows. Not even HMRC. So how anybody can talk about attendances being up down or anywhere is purely guesswork. My take is that "promoters" only reveal attendances it supports ther argemnet, and even then I frankly do not believe them. As for Rye House... I thought all clubs had to pay a bond to the league upon entering the league - surely this should be used to settle outstanding debts ??

Skidder1 , thank you - I guess Monday’s will be speedway on BT day

Any news of potential buyers for the Poole Pirates ? Or is Matt Ford happy to carry on running on a Monday evening? (Surely Swindon will have prefernece on the Thursday)

Sounds like Buster is bringing in some cash ££ to keep the P ship off the rocks and Ipswich are a convenient choice for Buster. MAybe KL will loan some of their riders to give Witches a chance of some success.

Good Luck Peterborough fans .... with ou , KL and Ippo all in the Premiership and only 2 fixed race nights how does Monday night racing sit with you all ? Ipswich surely are not going to be giving up theri "regular" race night ?

Oh and TM Cook

Morris Ellis Lawson Brennan Wood Edwards Powell Bowtell

Well I do not get the private mails from Len Silver, but do get letters from Swale Council advising me of planning applications from the Speedway, having previously written to the council supporting Kent Speedway planning application. There has been a further planning application to allow speedway on Fridays. At present they they can only race on Mondays , with a curfew I believe at 8.30pm. Without the ability to race on a Friday Kent cannot run in the Championship. With the planning application still to be heard, surely Roger Cearns would not pre empt the councils decision by declaring to race in the Championship?

Got to agree with Cliv Clav. I can see the now unemployed Jon Cook doing a deal with his good friends at Eastbourne as Team Manager and bringing the nucleus of the now defunct Lakeside team to bring the Eagles up to Championship standard. All of Eastbourne’s assets were signed over to Lakeside for “safe keeping” after the NL banned clubs holing rider assets so Eastbourne would appear to have a competitive side at least at Arlington. As a TM Cook used to be OK, but IMO out of his depth as a “ co promoter” at Lakeside. Maybe a return to the Sussex coast away from the traffic jams of the Dartford Crosing will do him good.

Great news that Blunsdon will be available for speedway racing in 2019.

Can they build a track BY next March ( so much for spellcheck)

Speedway 28 ...there has been no evidence of any sign of constructive behaviour from any of the promoters in British Speedway throughout the 2018 season, so I don’t see any hope that an away day in Uttoxeter over a few drinks will bring about any changes. Much like our politicians .... I have no respect for any of them.

Can they build a track ivy next March ?

So with KL running on a Wednesday, you Premiership Panthers must be looking at Monday nights ......

What’s your preference for race night in the “premiership” at Foxhall ..... Monday’s or Wednesdays?

So much surely depends on which race night is available in 2019. Midweek racing at Rye early this season was a disaster from what I am told by fellow supporters. TBH Friday evenings at Rye ( Lakesides traditional race night) are a challenge with traffic for fans from Essex and Kent . Saturdays seem the best comprimise if Rye is to be resurrected - but it certainly needs BMR racing to regain their enthusiasm after their shafting by th BSpA

Whisperer , He can sniff about all he likes, until he gets his wallet out loaded with cash nothing will happen.

Argos , Yes I agree it would all seem to fit EXCEPT for the recent statemnt in the Speedway Star from Martin and Connor Dugard raising doubts over the financial viability of Eastbourne moving to the Championship, and their enthusiasm to continue operating a sppedway track. . It would seem that although a succesful team , crowd levels in the NL arent great. Where would any extra support come for a Championship side - I cannot see a huge number of fans venturing down to EB every Saturday evening/Sunday afternoon ?? from the Essex area. Unlike Stuart Douglas,, who has clearly brought financial backing to the Lakeside Hammers, I am uncertain what Jon Cook brings to the party for Eastbourne, other that being a friend of the family ?

There must now be several speedway licences "on ice" Hope the BSPA have a big freezer and dont suffer a power cut in the winter. Seems to a be a stampede of "promoters" wishing to leave or have left the sinking ship that is British Speedway. Ford, Jolly, May, Douglas, Martin Dugard, BMR racing at Rye , the Plymouth promotion. Probably time for the resurrection of the Black and White helmet colour at the AGM ??? As for the departure of Stuart Douglas, would just like to say thank you for hte memories Stuart you certainly cannot be faulted for having a go at promoting in the "Premiership" Lets just remember that the "promoters" are not to blame for this mess it's all caused by "the Fans" who have let the club down by not turning up . (No comment for reasons of public decency)

So with the "promoters" AGM in mid November (2 weeks away) how the devil is Jon Cook and/or Stuart Douglas (whoever are the "promoters" of Lakeside Speedway Inc.) going to be able to declare that they are running a team in whatever league the AGM are proposing in 2019 ? Rye House - been there in Len Silvers days - I would rank it similar to Lakeside OVERALL . Both must rank amongst the poorest speedway track facilities in the UK. RYE - Terrible car parking. Terrrible access. Track no better or worse than Lakeside (slick ) . Viewing poorer overall but does have seating albeit in odd places. Good Fish n Chips. Seems that it now sports a mud heap in the centre of the track adding to the ambience :-( Biggest problem for me is its a bridge too far (pun intended) being a round trip of around 170 miles from my home. LAKESIDE - Cold at any time of year being exposed on the Thames Estuary. Food - well after food poisoning from a dodgy burger - I only drink their tea. Toilets dark and often unlit. Standing only on a grassy muddy bank or in a shed on the home straight. Only bar and covered facilities are strangely located miles away from the action on the first bend with useless viewing. Round trip of 100 miles from my home is now a pain with useless tunnel to negotiate.

I wonder ......... what win bonus the Lakeside riders were offered if they won the p.off and shield ? what win bonus the Workington riders collected ? what members of the Lakeside promotion were present at Workington's Derwent Park?