Swift Saint

Was certainly not directed at you and you are entitled to your honest opinions of course. But we are not cheats and it is a local derby so perhaps we have some licence. But its a talking point on a wet night. Malcolm Vasey

Three points Lorna Dudley have replaced their No.1 and rightly so in my opinion with an excellent choice. Ashley Birks will form part of a new declaration by Stoke this week anyway There is the important matter of entertainment and supporters are entitled to expect that. It is imperative that we provide folks with an entertaining and competetive speedway match. We agreed with Dudley in advance that neither would not be bitchy about changes to the regular line up with these issues in mind. Some have interpreted this anxiety to please the paying customers as cheating. That is utter bosh. Throughout my time in speedway I have paid great attention to the rules but in Challenge matches there are different needs to satisfy. Anyone who calls me a cheat should justify their remarks. I dont believe they can do that which is why they resist the invitation. Naturally, I do everything within the rules and what we agree in other circumstances to help my Club. That's my job. Would anybody really expect me to do anything else? Malcolm Vasey

Sorry I had gone and have just seen your greeting a bit like the ever critical Builder Bob who never backs up his perverse remarks. Malcolm Vasey

Still waiting for some clue as to our cheating Bob. Or was there none? Malcolm Vasey

Please detail our so called cheating or is that just keyboard bravery? Thank You Malcolm Vasey

I think he is till digesting that huge defeat we inflicted on them last season at Monmore. He wasn't quite so prominent after that Malcolm Vasey

We are sacred of noone believe me. But we dont run ore-season challenges in June Malcolm Vasey

Well we have stock cars at Loomer Road on 28th April and we really want our pre-season challenges to be just that - pre season. Added to the fact that it meant Isle of Wight at Loomer Road twice in three weeks due to the official fixtures ignoring our Challenge on 31st March - our supporters deserve better variety. And nobody else has ridden a League fixture yet either. Nothing is as simple as it seems. Malcolm Vasey

I will not get into an argument about this and we have broken no rules at all nor do we intend to. Our initial declaration includes Adam McKinna. The teams we have selected for the two Challenge matches reflect how our team will be if/when we redeclare. Is that so hard? Would you not want entertainment at a certain level in challenge matches anyway? With Rhys unfit we included Oliver Greenwood as a thank you for riding in the Cup Final and he has never ridden at Monmore before. The declarations on the BSPA website are not the official 1-8's. We have submitted ours. Other teams have not up to this morning despite reminders. We stick to the rules and requests you see. Others do not. I do not have to state on here in advance what my future plans are. If you are clever enough and know the rules perhaps you can work them out and stop calling us cheats. That is not clever and we are most certainly not cheats. But I make no apology for looking after the inetersts of my Club. Would you wish for some alternative approach? Malcolm Vasey

As usual June your post is eminently sensible describing the needs of the developing riders. The only additional point that I would make is that matches should be no less than 15 heats and possibly more giving more paid rides and more experience especially important away from home. I would never favour a reduction to 13 heats and a second half since these days riders at all levels require expensive engine tuning to maintain their equipment at a competitive and viable standard and so often do not want second half rides. Such races are generally unpaid and to increase the frequency of tuning during the season without payment is unfair and would not be utilised by many riders Times have changed since the 13 heat formula was dropped and it would never work effectively to bring it back. Clearly there is a balance and events like the Midlands Development League, which is also unpaid, may involve one rider from each team from a preceding National League match. But it would be wrong to force riders to participate and this League is, in my view, primarily for those without a National League berth. Costs are all important these days with the price of fuel so high and possibly rising further quite quickly. We have to apply ourselves to the practical needs of riders and cost is a huge factor. Malcolm Vasey

Well Montie you are misinformed as far as Stoke are concerned. Ben Reade averaged less than 3.00 last season whilst Ashley Morris averaged over 4.5 in his first season at Scunthorpe. And look at the fuss that was made because we left him out for two matches I do not criticise what Scunthorpe are doing there has to be room in the National League for all. At Stoke we are changing our overall club model to try and link Training Schools, Amateur Meetings, Midland League, Second halves and our senior team or teams. We are trying to put in place a career path for young Brits because we feel acutely that the sport is ignoring them to a large extent. We are trying to do what we can within the framework available. I understand that many years of supporting Scunthorpe United has made you cynical and embittered but point your vitriol at the those in the National League that sacked British reserves not us. There is at least one club that dispensed with the services of three such riders and they are lauded as good for developing young talent! If you want to know more about our plans for Stoke and to put details on here please call me any time. Then you can add meaning and accuracy to your statements at least as far as we are concerned. Malcolm Vasey .

I don't care if you call me Shirley its up to you Phyllis Now the secrets out LOL Malcolm Vasey

[ Not at all. Just seeking clarification because your post was not sufficiently clear. It was a massive argument that mad us friends with, I think, respect for the other's point of view so why change the habits of a lifetime. I don't remember you ever holding back from an argument and, indeed, that's what this forum is for. I agree with your cardinal point that 14 is too young for the National League but not for a League of their own. If only.................... Malcolm Vasey

Well we will have 3 riders with averages withiin a whisker of 3.00 points. One of those will be Ben Reade and it is our intention to provide an opportunity for an array of three point riders to take part in one of our Amateur Meetings and then we can make a choice based on actual experience and knowledge. We have not planned a date for this yet because of the volume of rain that has left the track underwater but work is ongoing to remove that now and we will soon start issuing invitations. Any rider interested in this event is invited to contact us. (07768 073284) You will appreciate that as a stand alone club we wish to perform well on track for our loyal supporters. That is why we have named an outstanding squad of riders so far but we also wish to develop riders for the future at Stoke and for speedway in general and that is the reasoning that underpins our approach. We wish to secure the best available and they will be encouraged to use the practice opportunities available Loomer Road throughout the season to build on their skill set and ability levels. We may also enhance these opportunities with workshops on machine maintenance and other aspects of the sport. We take these issues very seriously at Stoke and the sort of opportunities we will offer will compare well with those available elsewhere. In Tony Atkin we have one of the best Captains I have ever met in speedway and he assumes so adequately the role of rider/coach for us. We can also call upon the experience of Nigel Crabtree most home matches and Nigel is without peer in putting across technical info and aligning that to riding skills. Similarly, Dave Tattum our Promoter has a lot of experience in training schools and such like. We also plan to participate in the Midland League and that will offer opportunities to one member of our team and to riders just outside the team squad looking to the future. I hope this demonstrates that at Stoke we are trying to be competitive and yet provide opportunities for inexperienced riders. Malcolm Vasey.

I don't think that is what Simon Barton is suggesting at all. He is suggesting that young riders compete against each other in an organised way on suitably sized machinery. Such schemes are long overdue. The rest of the advanced speedway world has organised many racing opportunities in such a way for years. Unlike most other sports we do almost nothing. The proposed development should extend to all teams in the upper echelons being required to use a quota of British riders in their declared teams increasing this as the throughput of young riders takes place. Our failure to introduce such measures has left us well behind in world speedway and I laud teams like Rye House who are predominantly British. Malcolm Vasey

Great result in South London today Postie. The one thing you and I always agree on Malcolm Vasey

Well I have no objection to these riders including Cameron but I think he should not have ridden at reserve and that's my point and the same for anyone who has experience elsewhere British or not. Malcolm Vasey

I knoiw Tai Woffinden is English but he was also never a three point rider with great experience when he arrived. But if you want distorted results Parsloes something you always advocated when Wimbledon were once given a major advantage over the rest of us who am I to argue. Malcolm Vasey

This really is an interesting thread and Halifax Tiger is to be commended to try and get to the bottom of the "Heeps Affair" and I think that Jayne's response achieves that. I think that this is a basic problem affecting the sport with riders who are qualified to ride in our League in terms of patriality but who have gained considerable experience elsewhere in the world effectively distorting the system we put in place through points limits and averages to ensure a level playing field. All such riders previous experience should be assessed in advance of their declaration and an appropriate assessed average given to them. This would prevent those well skilled from taking seven rides every week from the reserve berth to the total disadvantage to the teams that meet them whilst they are at reserve. What is the point of going to such trouble to achieve a level playing field and then allowing such distortion to take place. I have made these comments before many times earning last season the ire of Chris Louis but any remarks I may have made last year were not specifically at Cameron Heeps but the warped system. It was just as bad when Todd Kurtz (very effectively used to beat Mildenhall in 2009 one Sunday), Tai Woffinden, Jay Herne et all were all deployed in this way. I believe that steps may be taken to improve this situation and I certainly hope that this is the case. Surely we all believe in fair play then the rules should support this. They must in fact do so because we would all use the distortion as it currently stands given the opportunity. Malcolm Vasey

Don't expect Montie to have a sense of humour. A lifetime spent supporting Scunthorpe United has left a broken man bewildered by life and embittered due to lack of success at Glanford Park and The Old Showground. As a youngster he watched his side swamped at places like Shrewsbury, Walsall and even Gateshead so how could he see humour in anything. . No doubt I will receive a reply about hanging monkeys and how socialism from the north east is decamped in a local Conservative Club but I am used to his sabre like remarks. Have a great Christmas Montie and I really wish the Saints every continuing success. Malcolm Vasey

First let me say I know nothing more of this issue than what is written on this thread. I am a Team Manager these days only and do not any attend meetings of the BSPA. However, I am very sympathetic to the issues surrounding rider development and track development and would quote an extract from my latest book "British Speedway National League (Incorporating All Third Tier Leagues Since 1994) The Continuing History Part 7 - 2010 "I also think that we must as a sport do more for our development but as we suffer the ravages of inflation clearly the pressure on Promoters is even greater than usual. That corporate development initiative should, in my view, embrace the development of Clubs and Tracks as well as young riders and perhaps in order to maximise our opportunities we must make every effort to improve the complete façade that is speedway. The administration, the staging of the sport and all other aspects should be reviewed and refined with attention paid to the finest detail. Without reforms the sport cannot develop. Encouragement should be given to the small area competitions like the Midland League to ensure a lower rung of the ladder is available everywhere. We should seek to provide third tier level speedway from Cornwall to the Lothians in Scotland and even beyond. Perhaps to minimise costs there could be more travel sharing by clubs perhaps with the use of very large vans to transport machinery. There are of course snags to that because riders do not always live near to their home track. I once had a Boston team that featured Wayne Barrett who lived in Truro at the time and David McAllan who lived in South Queensferry next to the Forth Bridge and to transport those two together would be a logistical nightmare. But perhaps Clubs should be mindful of this when recruiting riders. That surely is why we need the sport based in the farther reaches of the country. Cornwall is a traditional hotbed for grass track racing and we need to have a speedway track there. Sittingbourne is a possible focal point for Kent and I cannot believe that there is no site in Scotland for third tier speedway. I am not sure of the current most northerly third tier track it has to be Belle Vue and I feel strongly something further north is an absolute essential. This needs corporate investigation, investment, planning and enthusiasm to take the sport to new levels. To be fair speedway administration recently has been more like fire fighting than planning but surely if these matters are improved the rewards will be more British riders which will lead to the next British World Champion. That should be the brief for a speedway ‘think tank’ surely “How Do We Go About Discovering the next British World Champion Speedway Rider”. This inquiry need to have an infusion of new blood together with experience so that some workable Corporate Development Plan for speedway in Great Britain can be established. I doubt if that’s about to happen because development in speedway seems to be carried out because of individual circumstances in specific areas with no Corporate Development Plan that I have ever heard of or been aware of. We have made improvements of late in the provisions for Youth Speedway but that really seems like shoe string stuff. As a sport we need to capture the hearts and minds of youngsters before their attention turns to other things and there is little impact made in that area. I am sorry to be so serious but these issues are vitally important for a number of reasons. Finding new riders in abundance and developing new tracks leads to more supporters and greater awareness of the sport and this would create a need for better media coverage. The results would soon be noticed I feel sure and would begin to reverse the downward trend in popularity that has occurred in recent times". Clearly Mildenhall would form an essential part of the development chain and I don't think anyone would question that. We are looking to improve and co-ordinate development facilities at Stoke through linking up out Training Days, Amateur Meetings and a team in the Midlands Development League. Extensive training activities take place at Kings Lynn, Scunthorpe, Rye House, Newport, Lakeside and I also believe at Northside in Workington and maybe elsewhere almost certainly at Sittingbourne (Iwade) and Lydd. Forgive me if I have missed sosewhere and please include yourself in this thread. There is also a training track at Burton on Trent. But this activity needs to be linked corporately to maximise effectiveness and extended to the provision of third tier teams somehow in the far west (Cornwall) the far North (Scotland) and the South East (Kent) and that should be just the start. Football is a massive sport compared to speedway and spends tens of millions on development. I know there is absolutely no financial comparison between the two sports but if we are to grow this is a nettle which must be grasped throughout the sport. We need a National awareness campaign in schools, clubs, everywhere and that can only be done effectively in a top down manner, The tail cannot be expected to wag the dog.. Perhaps this needs a different thread but what seems to be happening at Mildenhall seems a little out of place to what we need in this sport if we are to survive in this modern world where at present we do not seem to compete at all. When did anyone without SKY TV see speedway adequately covered on TV? Malcolm Vasey

Port Gunner I would remind you of the libel laws either get your facts straight or keep your ignorance to yourself. You clearly know nothing about me Be very careful there are laws to control your ignorance. Malcolm Vasey

Thanks for the Kev He was actually added to our squad on 10th September and his name appears on the latest list issued on 15th September by the BSPA. However, as a new three point rider we could have used him anyway. Malcolm Vasey

Obviously the play-offs must be concluded first they are only semi-final with a further round to take place. It has been so difficult to fit this series of matches into aa logical sequence, both clubs allow for a Play off Final also and other logistical issues. It is also helpful to supporters that some of the travel costs for Fen Tigers fans at least are spread. It is very easy to criticise but there are so many influencing issues. Malcolm Vasey

In fact as Parsloes has said it was the Conference Shield to which you refer but there have been other instances where teams competed in the Trophy only. For instance Wolverhampton and Swindon in 2002, Sheffield in 2004. Whilst this is better than nothing there are a number of drawbacks not least of all the riders concerned at these Clubs would not get many fixtures and the Trophy was dropped this season for the other tracks as it was always seen as a poorly attended event for Clubs also competing in the League and did not cover costs. In these circumstances too many fixtures that lose money are not viable, operating costs are high enough and spiraling especially as we are seeing rising inflation and in the light of ridiculous fuel costs. I think that as the Government's deficit reduction measures continue all sports are likely to suffer a downturn in attendances as folks' disposable cash diminishes visibly. I think team sharing is the way forward on the lines of Scunthorpe/Sheffield methodology but the naming problem is one and there was clearly a degree of antipathy to Hackney at Rye House where the Cobras and the Raiders had always been regarded affectionately by the Rye House fans. However, I imagine Len Silver entered into the Hackney experiment to cut costs. Surely we need to have as many teams as possible in The National League and I wonder if a shared arrangement involving Lakeside/Eastbourne and Birmingham/Coventry would be a way forward for those Clubs. I hope we will hear news soon about Bodmin and I would love to see the third tier return to Scotland with a shared team between the two Scottish Clubs if that could be agreed. Also the most northerly English Clubs could perhaps sort out an arrangement that would be helpful to themselves and the League. If we had that many teams we could throw the doors open to young Australians in a controlled fashion and I can think of numerous ways that the present League could be improved. For instance, for the integrity of the League more rapid adjustment made to the average of riders clearly assessed way below their true value indeed this could be done with reference to Australian results ahead of their commencement. The are a number of other anomalous rules that could be looked at and the League has to sell itself to the speedway public with high level;s of consistency in its approach and more professionalism. Malcolm Vasey