g13webb

This is what is so wrong with the Rules and Bosses of our sport. Auty was given a chance to ride last year in our weakened league and performed well. Now he is classed as too good, but saying that, he is a long way from the class of Woryna or Sch-panick , who are benefitting for not riding here recently and have been given out of date averages.

Depends which world you live in. Rather then controlling the costs and concentrated on the sustainability of this sport, the bosses felt it right to pay the extravagant fees required by the top riders, even to the point of self destruction.... This has driven up admission fees, and by getting rid of the second half's , it cuts down on VFM once enjoyed by the fans... Looking at the majority of Stadiums , most are in a poor state of repair, this is also caused by the lack of funds. It appears to me the riders has all but bleed this sport dry and now turning their backs when their fees are questioned... Sometimes I wished, I never lived in the real world

Hi Sydney, 'So where did it all go wrong? ' such a simple question with so many answers, all from ones opinions, coupled with facts . I have often asked myself , had it not been for my upbringing of motorbikes, would I find today's speedway as appealing as i first experienced going to the Firs at Norwich all them years ago. acknowledging that time sometimes distorts the facts, but I can vividly recall those special nights... Living some 60 mls from Norwich meant an early departure, sometimes missing tea. The journey was log and tiresome, travelling in an old A35 along a narrow and bendy A47 always seemed a long way. The place was always heaving with car parking a premium . We usually arrived plenty early. As the start time got near so the shouting got louder, orchestrated by the man in the middle. " 1-4; 2-4; who the hell are we 4.;; N O R WI C H " everyone appeared to join in. The atmosphere was electric , even when the racing had stopped the buzz from the crowd was still evident... Everybody was happy and chatting away and each with a smile on the face. Strange part of all this, I can easily recall the occasions, but the actual racing becomes blurred with time. The vision I have, is everything was dark, the Leathers, the shale, the stadium , even the fans were dressed in dark coats and hats. even the token floodlights added to the atmosphere with everyone trying to get a better vantage point. Being part of it was all that mattered.... That smell would linger for days.. It was like we were the privileged ones to experience something so special... For 3 yrs we never missed a home meeting , each day was counted down until we went again. We had a good team Ove Fundin, Aub Lawson Billy Bales even a very young Terry Betts. Mostly we won but the competition was always tight. Results were not decided until those final heats meaning nobody left early. The journey home was just as tiresome, and it was gone midnight before we got to bed. Thankfully we always recovered with that Sunday morning lay-in. Jumping now to modern times, I can leave home with 20 mins to start time, and be back in by 10pm Car parking is not a problem, the place is usually empty and we have a choice where to stand, Light is plentiful and colours are so evident. The racing is ... ... faster and competition more spaced out. usually results are predicable, but not always.. What I miss most is the lack of connections, both with riders and the club, its as though we don't matter and are taken for granted. The biggest gripe I have is that the BSPA have concentrated all their efforts to keep the top riders here at the expense of everything else.... Excitement, and entertainment are in short supply. VFM is questionable and affordability borders on the line of madness. But they still never listen to the fans......... So to answer my original question, would the sport appeal to me like it did in them early days, I'm' afraid the answer would be a definite no...

What a rude person you are. I'm sorry if my opinion differs to yours, but that is no reason to start calling people names.... That says far more about you than it does me. For fifty odd years i have witnessed these assembled teams, so I feel I am qualified to voice an opinion. Realistic to the end, i always try to be positive, but in this instance you would have to your head buried not to see what's been put in front of you. Of all the teams and names announced so far, ours must rank amongst the worse. Take Niels out, and we wouldn't be good enough to win the 2nd division. Disappointed, you bet.... At least, in them good ole days we were in with a shout,.

As with all teams in their respective sports , I try to evaluate the riders / players with other teams . Which other top teams are clamouring for their services. In this case I look at the possibility of each of our signings , riding for say Poole , or Wolves, Belle Vue and more recently Swindon. Would they believe that each of them riders are the best about on their average, and/or capable of scoring more than. I doubt it.... The history book of the STARS winning something, is not good reading, so taking a leaf from other teams that are successful, ought be the first step forward... ...... Probably Lambert would the only rider that EVERY club would want to sign.. ... Potentially and Capability he is up there with the best of them. No doubt, some would want Niels depending how their team is made up. There might be one or two offers for team Lewis and Jorgensen, but not one club or promoter has mentioned Proctor. That in itself speaks volumes. I remember him from years back, his bad meetings out numbered his good ones. When we are expecting to incorporate a new Danish rider at reserve, we need to be solid in them other positions. They say this new boy Andersen comes with pedigree, but they said that about, Porsing, and Huckenbeck, and other new riders..., and they all found it hard to consistently score well. Riding on new tracks of various shapes and sizes, I cant imagine he will find it easy.... This has to be a signing for the future... I wish I could be more positive, but all I see is yet another season making up the numbers..... But that won't stop me going and shouting from the rooftops..... My wife has often called my devotion to speedway mad, I'm beginning to think she maybe right ...

You cant knock other teams like Poole just because we name a suspect team. I'm not a lover of Matt Ford's idealism, nor his perpetual rule bending, but you cant argue about the teams he put together. Every year they are in the mix with a chance of winning. Probably if we followed their philosophy, 'The Stars' would appeal to more supporters then we do at present and recreate those exciting night we use to enjoy. I haven't seen anything yet that suggest 2018 will be any different then us making the numbers up.

After our poor showings in recent years, I was optimistic that 2018 would see a change, giving us plenty to shout about. No wonder these plans have been kept secret, amply assisted by slow meticulous planning, again we have been taken as mugs. The team assembled is disappointing, Initially, I was pleased Niels was back, but if that is the reason for the remaining cheaper options, then probably it would have been better to have forgot Niels and look for newer talent. This team could quite easily become a one hit wonder, and when them meetings come and Niels is unavailable, what happens then. As good as Niels is, he alone wont be enough to keep getting the fans through them doors... For more years than I care to remember, I've attended the supporters meeting for the announcement of the team. I have lost count of the times I come away thinking this was going to be our year. We were always allowed those few weeks preseason, when we thought we had a chance....... They have even taken that away now, only a fool would fancy our chances with that team..........

No, we weren't given the race nights, but we were offered the preference of using them. They were two days the other countries didn't use or want. To change them once they were agreed was a massive backward step..... Probably my wording wasn't right, but the meaning was the same.....

Cant help thinking this is another botched up rule that wasn't thought through. In the wonderful world of ideal scenarios , when every body is fit it should world ok. if a lesser rider or reserve requires covering there are possibilities, but when a team loses their top man, there will be no cover, as all the other teams will be riding They are then, in deep trouble, resulting in a severely weakened team . Also, I can understand Ipswich and Redcar wanting to retain their Thursdays race nights , but surely they cant over rule the FIM and dictate what leagues runs on what nights. Having been given the preference of Monday and Thursdays by the FIM, I cant believe the BSPA would allow personal preferences to ride roughshod over the whole sport. Surely the decision here should have been : The Premiership WILL run on Mons and Thurs, the Championship WILL run on the other days, then ask the teams which league they wanted to ride in . Looking at the quality there don't seem to be much difference between the two leagues.....

I was at both of them matches, and yes there were good turnouts, But they didn't come close to them derby matches when John Berry came to town. You struggled to find standing room in those days. home or away.....

I think it's too late for that now. No doubt it was a consideration, one that had to have serious thought. Probably at the fans forum, Buster will enlighten the fan, all the reasons why we stayed in the top division, probably it was became a condition of having Brundle on board, probably he had this assurance that Niels will be back, who knows. When looking back over the years, the majority of matches that are remembered are always those with close neighbours. Local derbies were the highlights of the year and created so much passion and excitement. Most of these derbies were packed out with many fans travelling away to the nearby venues.... When we done home and away on the same day, the roads resembled a massive convoy. Horns blowing, flag waving, banner in the back windows, sure was wonderful times and great memories. I've got nothing against teams like Poole, Swindon, Somerset, Wolves, or BelleVue, I've visited them all many times, but these distances represent a step too far to travel for the working man, for those midweek fixtures. so any thoughts of getting many away visitors is mostly pie in the sky . It wont happen. In these troubles times, we need to run a viable structure that could work in making the club more appealing. I am in no doubt, Stars matches against the Panthers or the Witches , would draw a bigger crowd then ones against say Poole or Wolves, Likewise , I cannot see the Stars being much of a draw down South. So had the ideal of local rivalry been uppermost when thinking of the season ahead, probably, everybody could have more of them local derbies....

Thanks for your information David, I don't doubt your honesty one bit. This more than anything illustrates just how much the sport has become too expensive and unsustainable. A sport where attendances struggle to reach 1500 it is ridiculous economics for a new rider to contemplate in participating. Top riders are expected to earn decent money which would more then cover those costs, but the majority of riders are less prominent and would struggle to make them ends meet. It is little wonder the riders need that amount to compete and also see why the promoters are flogging a dead horse. Many years ago, in conversation with Terry Betts when riding a 2 value Jawa, he said he purchased a new bike every year, keeping last years as a spare. After each meeting it was hosed down and the chain oiled. Additionally, after each month, the chain and tyres were replaced. He commented this would guarantee competitive equipment for the whole season. How things have changed!!! No the races weren't as fast but the enjoyment was just as good... We need new ideas to control those costs. David has just illustrated the outlay is way out of line....

Them good ole days. Like you say Mr Kings Lynn, Terry Betts was the ultimate professional. Mr Reliable would never say a word out of place, and yes he would use any which way to squeeze a few more quid in contract talks. But Bettsy realised it was 'Bums on Seats' that made the sport work and would never say anything detrimental which could be deemed as negative....

I cant help thinking Lambert has this attitude problem, that's not conducive with communicating with people. Always keen to confront contentious comments from the crowd , a behaviour more suited to lesser lights. He has to realise, most place him on a pedestal and expect a bit of servility. He is good enough to walk around with an air of confidence, a presence you only get when you reach that quality level. I haven't seen this in Lambert yet, mostly its a solemn face showing worry and concern. I appreciate not everybody is built the same way, but being a professional in any sport you have to appear aloft and confident, telling your opponents you are more than ready. I was disappointed at the article in the Speedway Star. I wanted to read that Lambert had again signed for the Stars and was looking forward to the coming season. I wanted read how happy he was, how confident he was of doing well, and his positive views on the assembled team. But all I read was how negativity his views were of the sport, and putting excuses in place for when they were needed.. Sure, the asset system is wrong and dated, but this was not the place or time to put emphasis on it . His sponsorship is also a private matter , I am at a lost why he decided to opinionate that. He has never openly declared his previous deals with the public, so why include it in this article unless he was putting excuses in place... I've got no problems with Lambert earning big money, but he needs to start scoring big every time.

No one can doubt his obvious ability on a bike. Probably it would be best if he let his riding do his talking, and forego airing his views in the national magazine...

There seems mixed feelings from a majority of fans for the coming year. We, more than any other club, have a massive mountain to climb to get back to the exciting existence we once were. The sport is not exactly brimming with confidence that guarantees success, and drastic measures are in place just to maintain any interest still abode. With Television contracts up for renewal, and top riders thinking twice about coming here, it can only mean we have hard times ahead of us.. I feel this year is of doubled importance for this club, a make or break period for the Kings Lynn Stars. The fans made no secret of their feelings last year at the way the club was run. The promotions have been given another opportunity to change things round and I really hope this new brush will be allowed to work. From a professional aspect, Robin Brundle could be a breath of fresh air that blows positivity right through the club, From the riders, through to the fans, to the sponsors and the management. He has to be given this chance to work his magic... If he can make this work Lynn can become immense and spectators will again come back . My one fear though, is that Buster won't take that back seat.......

As expected, the two latest additions to the Stars line-up are Robert Lambert and Lewis Kerr. Both having taking it upon themselves to release this information prior to the official announcement. Two riders who know the Lynn set up well and have ridden here for many years. Strange point of interest with these two, is that Kerr is probably the most consistent 'Gater' in the team, whereas Lambert would love to add that pedigree to his armoury. Probably with Kerr and Lambert as team mates, Lewis could learn Robert some inner beliefs needed at the starts, that would not only benefit Robert, but also the Stars team as well. We can but hope.....

Forgive me for my feelings towards Lambert, but to harp on about sponsors and equipment shows a lack of professionalism . When the season ends all top riders make the sponsorship business their first concern. They all want to be assured the deals are in place to cover most of the expected expenses. If someone like Lambert, who is regarded as the best English hope, is struggling for support, something is drastically amiss. However, probably it was my up-bringing , but airing ones washing in public is not the behaviour, you expect from a member of the exclusive top earners in the sport, and I feel this information should be kept private. Pleading poverty doesn't do the sport or anybody any good..

The Lambert article in this weeks Speedway Star indicates he has agreed to ride for the Stars this year only, but it also says he didn't want to , He wanted to go elsewhere but his hands were tied... It also said he would be riding old equipment because he needed additional sponsors to finance new machinery. As a Stars supporter, it wasn't good reading at all, he appears to be moaning about all and sundry, instead of being happy and looking forward to the new season. I read it as though he cant wait to leave..........

There are some strong looking teams being assembled, Leicester, Swindon, Wolves, Lakeside have all been very positive in the team building, but to me it is Poole who have the team the rest have to beat. However did they manage to acquire such class riders like Woryna & Sch-paniak on out dated averages is beyond me..... It makes the team building so unfair..... Every year, there must be more deceptions occur over averages than any other part of this sport......

Riders like Kerr, Rose , Jorgensen, Lambert have all got something to give but when it comes to class, they don't come close to the standard THJ has achieved. If he wants to ride, and can acquire decent machinery, I think it would be a no-brainer to turn your back on him. Looking down into the pits from our high vantage point THJ helps more riders with his knowledge and enthusiasm then anyone else. If Brundle and Allitt can squeeze him in it would be an astute signing...

Its so much easier being a big fish in a smaller pond....

Of course there are many fans who want to see the top guys, me included, but we don't provide the support needed to finance their inclusions. Your example suggesting 5 clubs, yet only 3 teams managed to run a viable existence last year and I have heard 2 of those were in the 2nd division. I have read all your posts, and understand your idea, but to me we are 10yrs too late. Something like this could have worked when the top guy rode here and a good TV advertising and promoting all that is good in the sport, but as with everything else we missed the boat. We have very little left to offer these top riders, We cannot afford them . so we need to build a new product, staring from the bottom, and hope in years to come we will have that support to welcome back them top riders...... ....... .. But on our terms....

Your vision of 2 -3 top liners in teams competing in the SC would push expenses through the ceiling. Lets imagine, each of these T L's wanting £3k a meeting, That's £3K x 6 = £18,000.00, plus 8 other riders earning lets say £12,000.00 totalling £30k just to cover the riders wages... Add to that all the other expenses needed to put on a meeting and the figures become very unrealistic. Working on the bear essentials you would need attendances of 3000 just to cover the costings, Probably on a one of meeting it might be possible but not on a regular basis. I cant see that happening. Lets imagine SC goes ahead, the attraction of the normal league would diminish and crowds would suffer. Probably to you that wouldn't matter because you would have your wish watching those TL at a few tracks, but the damage to the rest of the clubs would be immense. You seem to have great difficultly understanding our sport cannot compete with the foreign pricing structure employed by other countries...

Welcome to the Forum 'TOOMUCHGRIP', new members are always welcome, especially those who supports East Anglian Teams. A sensible posting which most supporters would have to agree with. The team, although has yet to be confirmed, but it appears a lot of expected names are already known. Must say, from the comments from the club that we are doing it different this year, I haven't notice much change as of yet.. Looking at other team announcements I admit, most are stronger than I first imagined they would be , and can foresee some good exciting meetings ahead. As for the Stars team, Niels is a massive plus for any team, I just hope the rest can back him up in what looks like a close contest for Play off considerations... Cant wait for it to start........