Hawk127

Totally agree. The supporters who turn up are a secondary thought as far as some are concerned. Why we put up with being given two fingers by some of the riders does make you wonder. Still, no loyalty by most riders when it comes to the average punter, just taking the proverbial. Sad really and little wonder that numbers are dwindling when they show such contempt.

Not the best of racing and in reality you would have been better off without the USA. They made up the numbers but the lack of competitive riders sadly detracted from it being a good event to watch. The racing was not as good as the earlier rounds and with the Russians also being a little off the pace one can only hope that what is served up tomorrow Is competitive hard but safe racing. I do still wonder why this is an annual event and effectively a four team tournament rather than six or seven man teams in a knock out competition and perhaps every two years with the final eight teams then whittled down to then a 4TT final. Good luck to all in the final

I am not concerned. It was an observation based on his lack of ability to conduct himself in a manner required when talking to a wider audience and not his pit crew. No one condones his behaviour and that in itself does not in any way act as a criticism of his ability as a rider but for a guy who has done so much for charity and children's hospital he really needs to think about the privileged position he holds and frankly grow up. Not many reach the pinnacle he has and he needs to understand what that means. Sadly I don't think he cares.

It added nothing, showed him as lacking the ability to string a coherent sentence together without using swear words and frankly if that is the quality of a world champion who is obviously unable to conduct himself then it says it all about the lack of intellect and poor education he must have received. Tai I suggest you engage your brain before opening your mouth and think about the wider audience.

The Kennet brothers, Brian Foote, Ted Hubbard, racing every week, Friday at 8 at Hackney, Rayleigh Saturday, Crayford Tuesday and those East Anglian clashes, Ipswich/Kings Lynn, Rayleigh versus Eastbourne and Dave Lanning, Canterbury and Johnnie Hoskins and the Witches turning up on mass at Rayleigh, Arthur Price, Sunderland and Bradford visiting Rayleigh, Ivan Miller beating Arthur Price, Terry Stone and the shiniest bikes in the league. Characters in speedway both promoters and riders. Where did it all go wrong? I know people started to think it was a serious sport with no strange rules as television showed riders getting double points for beating an opponent, the same riders that they saw last week but riding for a different team to that shown the previous week and the use of a joker in the World Cup which made it a competitive sport thus leaving outsiders wondering if it was for real or a new cartoon series. Oh well.

Good thinking. Is he bored too

So what! No one is listening anyway and I was bored because no speedway again tonight in Ipswich

The real problem is that 'UK Speedway' is a shadow of what use to be a weekly team event that by and large you could rely upon. The conflict between riders availability and promoters desire to put on some sort of match in the face of adversity is sheer nonsense. The sport has to accept that the top names are not coming back, it is simply not convenient to ride in this country. The sooner people who run this sport start to think 'British Speedway' and basically sod the rest and start building for the future with home grown talent the better it will be. It has worked in Germany where attendances are up. So many are now getting out of the habit of going to live speedway in this country that those in charge need to do something now and not wait until the winter for more hot air and no action. It will be too late. I have never known such a poor structure to the fixture list irrespective of the weather and to have teams without a meeting for five or six weeks is p.... poor and those responsible should hang their heads in shame. You have let down every supporter in the country. I really think that the sport is on a knife edge and decisions need to be made now and stop tinkering about. Get on with change.

Do the top riders have time to ride in the UK even with a fixed race night? The additional costs of a squad such as air fares, transport from and to UK airports, not always having their best equipment in the UK, the unreliable weather leading to frequent postponements and as has been mentioned already, the lack of interaction with the supporters means that it is getting further a further from the sport most knew. Just look at the gap in the fixture lists currently for what is suppose to be a summer sport. Supporters are getting out of the habit of going and bringing top riders in on an infrequent basis is unlikely to reverse the trend. It has all been said before that a radical rethink is needed but with most promoters having their heads in the sand and unable see the real state that things are in, it will plod along as is with the number of clubs falling by the wayside for one reason or another and gradually increasing to the point where perhaps just a handful of tracks survive. Does anyone really have an answer that will be acceptable to all, I do not believe a consensus will ever be reached.

I guess it all depends on how many riders have the skill and track craft to ride a speedway machine versus those who can ride but don't have the track skills and rely on speed and effectively hold on for dear life. This assumes a thought process that every other rider works on the principle of those on track at the same time are a danger to your well being. This may explain why close racing and team riding is long gone as most riders no longer have any real control over their machine. Take on some of the suggestions in this thread with standard engines etc and if necessary make a 'British League' only then let's see who really can race rather than gate and go. Some great comments on here and reasoned debate for a change. A great pity that those that look after the sport don't take on board some of the constructive comments. If they want to experiment with standard engines/bikes start in the NL, after two years it applies to the PL and after a further year the Elite league. Those who cannot handle this can ride abroad.

Sorry to see that this situation has arisen and again the fans/supporters have been let down by so called 'Suffolk' people. What is going on? Where has it all gone so badly wrong for what was once a hotbed of riders here in Suffolk. The sport is hitting rock bottom and is in danger of totally imploding and this is probably down to the self interest of those running the clubs. Every manager and promoter is guilty of allowing this once proud two wheeled sport being so discredited and it is becomes harder to see a way back. To every promoter, please start listening to the few supporters you still have that are prepared to part with the hard earned cash to watch a poor imitation of what speedway use to be. Love him or hate him Len Silver knew about putting competitive teams out and looked to entertain the punter as did Dave Lanning etc whereas today the rules, regulations and bureaucratic nonsense and with most promoters having never ridden a bike or have very little idea about promoting it seems almost inevitable that the days for genuine league racing are numbered all because no one is bringing it all together. Please think how to remedy the situation before it is too late

Such a proud name in speedway which has been run into the ground. What has gone so wrong? If the current encumbents have not got an answer they should hang their heads in shame. To let the name and legacy end up like it has is a unforgivable. Having said this, the sport in general is an absolute shambles and spineless bunch running the shop. Back to Ipswich, is it too late to stop the slide into oblivion? The schedule of meetings has been a gamble that did not pay off. The weekly fix has now been lost forever, poor results poo management, woeful promotion, track prep poor and performance that shows the riders do not care. It beggars belief and yet CL and Co seem disinterested. Let's hope that this is not the end. A message to CL, fix it or pull the plug, don't take the p... as far as the supporters are concerned you owe it to the Ipswich supporters and the town.

Sorry for being daft and out of touch but can someone elaborate on next year. is the club to be sold and is the plan to race in th E L?

Well it could be depression, perhaps I should keep off this forum

If you believe all the gloom and doom about various clubs and the tales of woe, what is the betting likely to be on the following happening in 2017 No Coventry or Swindon - Tracks closed Leicester taken over by one of the promoters who currently run one of the above mentioned clubs and change the race night to Thursday/Friday Ipswich return to the Elite League and pick up riders from Swindon & Coventry Scunthorpe and Redcar go NL due to costs and lack of PL riders and end up in the play offs. Wales and Cornwall both get a new track/club All Elite clubs run a NL to fill in the gaps in the fixture list and give some continuity to weekly speedway Season to run from April to September - Pre and post this clubs can be allowed to run any number/type of individual meetings with whoever the like Return of Test Match series against Australia or Sweden or Denmark in Elite League Test matches in the PL against Germany and Czech Republic and Easter European Select team NL series against the USA or Benelux Select All riders of UK birth only to compete in National Championship over 12 rounds with four rounds being held at a track in each of the EL, PL and NL culminating in the highest scorers competing in a final in Manchester. The riders do not necessarily have to be riding for a UK team to compete. Entrance fees across the board reduced to £10.00 adults £5.00 for Children under 18 and OAPS. Family tickets for two adults and two children £25.00 BSPA to sell books of tickets and fans can use them at any track they like Odds on each one happening??? Pretty long I guess. Only trying to lighten the gloom and have some fun. It is not a slight on any club but some of this might just be the way things end up.

It looks like The Mary Celeste at Arena Essex. Has anyone other than the track staff turned up This surely a poor advert for the sport. Why don't Sky just show highlights and do a weekly summary programme rather than the live event ITV knew this was wrong so many years ago and nothing has changed. A real shame that it has come down to one man and his dog plus the two commentators

What I find difficult to understand from some of the comments I s that the riders have to start somewhere. All those fathers who stand on the touchline and watch the son play football in some meaningless game, what is the difference between that and watching new riders develop. The youngsters need encouragement and having a few genuine supporters watch them go through the paces has to be good for their morale. All the riders have to start somewhere and learn their track craft. It is not 'rose tinted nostalgia' The second half was often a continuation of the 'needle' factor amongst certain riders. When people refer back to how good it use to be, the riding may have been the same but at least you could support a team of riders who basically were your team year on year whereas today it is a lottery. It included those at 6 and 7 who were often less than capable but they developed because of the experience. Today it is essentially a bunch of individuals wearing 1 to 7 but team riding, working the fans and putting themselves out for the team simply does not happen and team riding is a lost skill amongst the gate and go merchants. Everyone who rides deserves support and staying on for effectively another 10 minutes or racing is not that much of an hardship. I guess it comes down to do you support and watch speedway or are you simply a team supporter and not a speedway supporter/enthusiast.

Would Ipswich be better running NL with the gaps filled by 'open meetings' and getting sponsors for top class riders to attend. In other words plan the meetings around quality rider availability and get good sponsors to support these individual meetings with good prize money to make it tempting enough to get the NP's of this world to cross the Norh Sea. Maybe better to have regular speedway rather than eratic meetings where you simply no longer get your weekly fix. It has to be worth trying something different rather then let it die a lingering death as appears to be the case. Perhaps the current promoters have given up, otherwise why no drastic changes to save the good name of the Witches. So sad the way it is going.

I think in the 70,s and early 80's it was the promotors who were the real characters as they knew how to put on a show and I can recall vividly the wind ups between Uncle Len at Rayleigh, Dave Lanning of Eastbourne over the use of fuel additives, Johnnie Hoskins and again Uncle Len going toe to toe and then when Ipswich came calling at Rayleigh the banter than went on with fans and the promoters. All good harmless fun added to which you had the villains on two wheels, Ted Hubbard, Brian Foote, Arthur Price, Jack Milne etc. And then you had the good guys Geoff Maloney, Trevor Barnwell, the Kennett brothers, Dougie Templeton, Hughie Saunders, Dingle Brown Terry Stone etc and so many more. Ivan Miller the grass track rider who took up speedway and whooped Arthur Price several times in one home match against Boston. Poor Scunthorpe being lent Red Ott from Rayleigh who scored 10 Of the their 19 points. All good memories and it was a joint effort with riders and promoters plus local derbies which mad such a difference. Whether regionalisation could recreate the the 'needle' factor and more teams keeping a settled 1 to 7 from one season to the next would make any difference but I guess we will never know. Team riding rarely takes place and it has become more like drag racing then a competitive team sport. I guess it is what it is but I wonder how many of the current crop of riders and promotors have the sort of charisma and will be remembered in 40 years time. As some have already said, it has to move on but perhaps by adopting some parts of what once worked might not be that bad a thing to do if it turns the fortunes of what is basically a simple fast and exciting sport in the right hands on the right tracks on the right days

I thought it was just me but some of the feedback would suggest otherwise. Now before anyone lambasts me about the good old days, yes I did use to visit Rayleigh, Hackney and Crayford in the same week, three decent meetings per week all of which were one hour maximum drive and from what I can recall good crowds because they were 'local' teams. Even Ipswich, Canterbury, Eastbourne and Peterborough were within reasonable distance and you had good travelling support. If the sport is to survive within a reasonable budget then regionalisation and not inviting the top riders is the answer. Year end British domination would be North versus South but good competitive racing and British pride as opposed to gate and go merchants who cream off the income simply to.balance over stretched books is not the way forward Allow doubling up, give decent tracks that allow good competitive racing and start treating the paying punter with some respect might be a start. Thanks to all who have given some feedback, it's much appreciated and I feel a lot less guilty but I really do hope that someone is brave enough to take on the authority and tell them as it is. I think this topic is now exhausted, time to call a halt Onwards and upwards.

I use to be a regular attendee from the late 60's until around 2012 and the four main tracks were Rayleigh, Rye House, Arena Essex and from the early 90's Ipswich plus Mildenhall. It all became a bit run of the mill and for me the real entertainment when the likes of Mark Loram were lost to the sport. The enthusiasm went therefore it was just Sky sports a more latterly Eurosport were the one way that one could get some sort of speedway fix. Then those in the know sold out the so called Jewel in the crown to BT and with the cost of Sky Sports beyond a joke, the only affordable access for many is the highlight on Eurosport plus the pairs meeting. Given the way things have gone is it any wonder that many people like myself are almost lost to the sport. The live version may be ok up to a point but is it real entertainment and value for money. Sky repeats of Elite league meetings (even on catch up is poor) and BT is not good value hence a very disillusioned former advocat has all but given up on what could be an exciting form of two wheeled sport. Rain offs, poor presentation, the failure to have track covers after far too many years, the GP taking precedent and Mainland europe offering attractive options for riders compared to racing in the UK plus fans with limited budgets who simply do not follow their team away from home, Is it any wonder it has sunk as low as it seems to have reached Are those in charge seem so far removed from what the paying punter would like to see? Are they hell bent on making it even more of a minority sport? Is it any wonder that the open spaces on the terraces continue to increase. Will it become an amateur sport and just a few surviving tracks offering the equivalent of NL racing which in itself is very good as the lads that are riding seem to want to race, not simply go through the motions. What is the future and can new fans be found and old ones enticed back. I know that no one in authority really listens to the fans/supporters but is it a case that the new breed of promoter have lost their way and as a business case financially it no longer stacks up. A shame that a once great sport has reached such a low. Anyone else feel the same?

I use to be a regular attendee from the late 60's until around 2012 and the four main tracks were Rayleigh, Rye House, Arena Essex and from the early 90's Ipswich plus Mildenhall. It all became a bit run of the mill and for me the real entertainment when the likes of Mark Loram were lost to the sport. The enthusiasm went therefore it was just Sky sports a more latterly Eurosport were the one way that one could get some sort of speedway fix. Then those in the know sold out the so called Jewel in the crown to BT and with the cost of Sky Sports beyond a joke, the only affordable access for many is the highlight on Eurosport plus the pairs meeting. Given the way things have gone is it any wonder that many people like myself are almost lost to the sport. The live version may be ok up to a point but is it real entertainment and value for money. Sky repeats of Elite league meetings (even on catch up is poor) and BT is not good value hence a very disillusioned former advocat has all but given up on what could be an exciting form of two wheeled sport. Rain offs, poor presentation, the failure to have track covers after far too many years, the GP taking precedent and Mainland europe offering attractive options for riders compared to racing in the UK plus fans with limited budgets who simply do not follow their team away from home, Is it any wonder it has sunk as low as it seems to have reached Are those in charge seem so far removed from what the paying punter would like to see? Are they hell bent on making it even more of a minority sport? Is it any wonder that the open spaces on the terraces continue to increase. Will it become an amateur sport and just a few surviving tracks offering the equivalent of NL racing which in itself is very good as the lads that are riding seem to want to race, not simply go through the motions. What is the future and can new fans be found and old ones enticed back. I know that no one in authority really listens to the fans/supporters but is it a case that the new breed of promoter have lost their way and as a business case financially it no longer stacks up. A shame that a once great sport has reached such a low. Anyone else feel the same?

I have not read through all the posts but perhaps all the clubs could have a trial run in August where they charge £10 per adult and Children up to the age of 16 £1.00 and instead of a programme a score sheet for 50p and try and run meetings swiftly where as soon as a race finishes, the riders for the next race are ready to come onto the track. Have a 15 minute interval after heat 10 followed by four heats of 125/250 c c riders and then the grand finale of four heats followed by a public vote for the riders in heat 15. A bit different but something needs to change or it will be amateur speedway in years to come. Try and avoid the Polish aspect of fast bikes at all cots to win races and aim to bring skill and entertainment back into the equation as well as making it fun to watch. One can but hope.

The time taken to complete four heats is not a good advert for the sport irrespective of the reasons and is probably why live speedway is not a good idea. Highlights is probably a better option and a slicker presentation might encourage some new supporters. No criticism intended on the riders etc but just an observation. Now a further delay for tape breaking. Oh well back to the Eurosport highlights.

It is actually creditors not debtors. Debtors owe the company money whereas creditors are those owed money by the company. For example a rider is a creditor.Notwithstanding, good luck to all who are trying to save the team and hopefully it will not be long before the Devil's are racing again.