Star Lady

No sometimes there are only three!

Me for one. If the yellow is slightly faded it can be difficult to tell it from a dirty white.

The discerning amongst us prefer quality to quantity. Not sure that's a concept the person you replied to would understand

I apologise for my tone. I'm just sick of money making enterprises telling the sport what to do when the people that should matter, the fans, seem to be totally ignored.

Why would BSI be told before clubs and fans. Oh yeah forgot they and Sky are gods that we should all bow down to!

You'll be telling me you believe in Father Christmas next!!!!

Stuff the big boys. Job share will just increase costs. They will both want vans, bikes in the UK, mechanics, drivers etc and that means more costs for the clubs. People are saying now that the admission prices are too steep, can't see increase in admission bringing in any extra fans. People who do not attend speedway now don't have a clue about the difference between say Jason Doyle and Jason Garrity yet one is a GP rider who will want paying a GP riders rate and the other is an up and coming Brit. The only way doubling up will increase crowds is by tempting back the "do not goes anymore" and here's one of them that will not be tempted back by job sharing buck chasing GP riders (I doubt I'm the only one). There are far more cheaper things could be done that might tempt us back. Getting rid of stupid rules would be a start and wouldn't cost a penny piece!

Uh oh, lock up your daughters

What I cannot get my head around is the whole of British speedway seems willing to change for the sake of 15-20 riders that want less meetings. What about the rest of the riders who make up the bulk of the Elite League, does no one care about them. I could not give a flying fart for GP riders (or others who think they should be) who fly in rider 4/5 races and then hightail it back to the airport to their next big pay day. I'd far rather watch a race with riders of maybe a lesser standard who race in closer proximity to each other. Those "lesser" riders in my experience seem to remember that there are paying customers who expect some kind of recognition if it's only a wave as they go past on the warm down lap. From my limited experience this season (4 away meetings) I got far more pleasure watching the likes of Kerr, Rose, R Lambert fighting for points than I did from watching Bjerre and NKI riding off into the distance because of superior machinery. No disrespect intended to the 2 Danes I can watch the top riders virtually every week on the TV if I choose but young riders (especially Brits) making their way up the ladder are my preference. Quite a few things would have to change before I became a regular again at Lynn. A presenter with personality and knowledge of the sport would be a start (that's an NA prob) most of the other probs are sport wide. Stupid rules, meetings that are far too drawn out, too much gardening etc etc. Just my opinion (I was a bit bored )

Pretty sure Oxford had some paint on their centre - think it was a road network thingy for go karts or something. Didn't save their track tho

Proves yet again that Middleditch can see no further than the Dorset border and stuff the wider world of speedway. Maybe he dislikes the FIM because they cannot be manulated as easily as the BSPA.

Very good H Subtle very subtle

Agreed that should happen in 2015 and in 2016 it should be 2 Brits at reserve and at least one in the team. As for the EL, they already have 2 Brits at reserve so anything less would be a backward step. I don't care what the EU law says, Poland and Sweden manage to get round it so it can be done.

It took a while tho

Maybe if there was some kind of distraction the tractors would be less noticeable. If all that is going on is the same bland godawful music that passes for entertainment at tracks nowadays there is nothing to take your eyes and ears off the tractors. Even a mic man commentating on the tractor racing would be better than nothing. Interviews with riders/team managers/promoters....anything that actually adds to the entertainment would help. I don't say it would solve it but might lessen the impact of tractors circling like vultures over a dying sport.

Not sure how this would work. Some fans ideas are as off the wall as the BSPA

It does make you wonder what their mentality is. The number of times I've seen riders vans with International Speedway Rider sign written on it. Who the hell cares really except themselves on an ego trip. It's a bit of a reflection of the attitude of the times IMO. Youngsters want to be the best at things (nowt wrong with that) but don't seem to want to put in the hard work that's the foundation for success. On the subject of engines, I had a conversation with Buster Chapman many years ago and he said he would like all promoters to own a stable of engines and maintain them with riders drawing lots for them before the meeting. That IMO would slash costs immensely and possibly improve the racing quality. I've not spoken to him recently about it so he may well have changed his views. It would mean quite an initial outlay by promoters but think of the costs that could be cut. There would be no suspicion of illegal engines either. Cloud cuckoo land probably like many good ideas that are just too difficult to put into practice

The incident took place on lap 2, therefore it could be argued that the ref was slow to stop the race. It may well have been within the letter of the law, but it certainly wasn't in the spirit of sport. Anything could have happened in the 2 and a bit laps remaining on a track that was tricky to ride. Just my opinion.

Read it again. I didn't say anyone was corrupt or bent. I said I prefer officials to be neutral .....do you have a problem with that?

Do you have to ask after that race was awarded?

This neutral prefers the officials to be neutral too.

I see you graduated from the Shovvy University of Posting

I don't think the state of the stadiums has that much effect to be honest. Yes clean toilets should be a must. As should a safe environment, not crumbling terraces. However some of my favourite venues are those that have grass banks, where in good weather you can sit on a blanket and have a picnic and enjoy the sun. You can wander round and talk to folk, some of whom you know and some you don't. Terracing is fine but not as nice as grass to sit on or look at. I hate being confined to a seat in a stand. You are stuck next to someone you possibly can't abide or someone who smells and cannot escape without a fuss. Half the fun of an away match is a wander round the terracing/grass banks trying to spot people you may not have seen for years or watching the racing from a different viewpoint. Stadiums like Cardiff have their place but in all honesty I'm far happier on the back straight grass at Peterborough or Stoke. Maybe I'm just strange The sport needs to attract newcomers, of that there is no question but I doubt many will be tempted by a sparkly new stadium whilst the same old farcical rubbish is shown on TV. Once that is sorted out may be the time to reconstruct or build. Buster Chapman has turned what was more or less a ploughed field with terraces into a great smart, stadium with seating, accessible safe terracing, clean toilets and all that goes with it . Apart from the WTC round I doubt the attendances are any higher that they were before he started, probably less.

This has nothing to do with how well or otherwise the club you support did but how the sport as a whole did in 2014. Injuries - bad - could it have anything to do with the silencers as many have suggested, if so at least that can and should be sorted. Fixture List - bad - stop go, no consistency at all. Big gap in the summer months. Easily sorted, just need some thought and co-operation. Get it out early to avoid foreign fixture clashes. Track prep - some good, some dire and some in between - at the very least each track should have the equipment, materials and knowledgeable personnel to provide a safe, reasonable track. Any that on more than 2 non weather affected occasions do not comly should be fined and if no improvement demoted. Referees - some good, some bad and some in between. Ms Turnbull showed how a meeting could and IMHO should be run. I got the impression at the back end of the season an edict had gone out about riders returning to the pits unneccessarily so maybe someone listened to the fans (has to happen sometime). Long may they listen and act. Basically we want consistency. Rain-offs - never good. I've long advocated that the final decision should be taken by he REFEREE (not a meeting steward) after consultation with all 14 riders. That should be done by secret ballot. Quite simply each rider is given a piece of paper they put a cross for continue or stop. Ref adds them up and vote can and should be made public. No names should ever be given. It's the rider's lives on the line and they IMO should have the final say with no pressure put on them. Fans might not like the decisions at times but that's tough. Guests - never good. They have always been a necessary evil for the near 50 years I've followed speedway and in the case of a No 1 rider, I think clubs should have that option. However I've long advocated that each EL club should have a tie up with 1 or 2 PL (depending on numbers in each league), PL in turn with NL clubs and except for No 1s use those associated clubs riders. It may take some working out and a certain amount of co-operation but it would solve the "select" sides we've seen in 2014. Play Offs. Never been a fan, so yes I'm biased. I see no reason why the league winners cannot be crowned as such and then the top 4 teams compete in a comp the same as the play offs to be crowned Supreme Champions (or any name a potential sponsor might come up with). Encouraging British Talent - some good, some not so good. The under 16s from what I saw was a great success and shoulc be applauded and supported in future seasons. The Fast Track system had some success. Without it I'm not convinced the likes of Kerr, Newman, Garrity and some others would have improved as fast as they have and certainly wouldn't have gained the EL experience they have. For others, who I will not name, it was maybe a step too far which hopefully will not have knocked their confidence too much. The system needs tweaking but it has to remain in some form or other IMO. Not impressed either with the regs that denied a young Brit, Robert Lambert, the chance to double up when quite a few foreigners of the same and at times lower standard were given that chance. That has to change. Change the rules so that they favour British riders above foreigners. All the other leagues do it, let's copy them. Communication - mostly poor. Clubs not releasing details of away fixures, not giving riding orders or even telling fans that a rider will be missing. need to show fans some respect, give them the information. I doubt very much more than 4-5 fans will print their own progs and not buy one. Rider Loyalty - some good some bad. I get really annoyed by what I call the journeyman riders, who fly in ride, collect their money and fly out again then the following season go to another club cos they pay more (well that's how it seems to me). Maybe some kind of system should be introduced which gives an average reduction for each years service to a club. I know it would be complicated but as it stands now kids especially build up a following for a rider and then the following year that rider disappears and rides for a different club. Sky - difficult one this. Yes TV coverage is good. I don't know enough about the financial details to know if it's good for clubs, but have to assume it is, if not why do a deal. What hasn't been good is the influence that Sky has had over the way the sport is run. Double points thingy - I've never liked but that's an old issue, Play-offs - see above. The main problem for me is that they dictate the timing of the meetings. It was made so obvious this week when the semi was not shown as a live prog, and the bad weather was incoming that the sport can and did get a meeting run to it's conclusion. A day later, same situation, bad weather incoming at more or less the same time and Sky prevaricated, showed unnecessary VT, had unneccesary interviews etc result a meeting curtailed unfinished when it could quite easily have run it's full course. That is not good for the sport. So speedway has to decide IMHO whether the sport or Sky are the most important. I'm not sure if Sky had any influence in the result stand after 10 heats or not, but that sucks as well. Nothing wrong with going to Heat 12 and in any 2 legged comp i.e play offs, KO cup if the first leg is curtailed the second leg should be over the same number of heats. That's quite a diatribe from me, but it's from the heart. I used to love this sport, gradually that love has changed to like, after this season I really ain't bothered too much one way or another and that saddens me cos I know how wonderful 4 riders going for it hell for leather over 4 laps can be one of the best sights there is. I wonder what everyone else thinks about 2014, and PLEASE PLEASE don't let any discussion descend into a bullying, slanging match based on club loyalties. The sport is too important for that. Save that for other threads.

Yep you witnessed Sky taking the p&ss out of paying customers on the terraces again and they do it superbly. They knew rain was forecast so waffled on , had numourous rider interviews when they could have been left till after heat 15. All super stuff!!!