Pinny

Agreed, I cant see Crump being left out

Would you really want worldwide speedway audience seeing it at Scunthorpe? Good track maybe but a basic at best stadium

Exactly my point.

Hardly out of order, he was well beyond his sell by date before he retired so a has been is probably a fair comment. He was without doubt a very talented rider but way too reliant on sponsorship. At the end of the day he was self employed - same as me. If i turn up to work with inappropriate tools I lose work so I dont see how speedway is any different.

In all honesty there is zero point having a GP in Cardiff if no crowd is permitted .

They are allowed to leave and return if given an exemption for work/business/funerals etc.

I think we may see quite a few ex riders coming out of retirement now , leagues that weak the likes of Crump and Sullivan would still average 7+.

Jesus christ.

Any Aussie rider will be able to leave here whenever they want, depending on what restrictions are like in the UK. They can also fly back in to Aus when they like , as long as they spend around $3500 for two weeks in hotel quarantine.

McGowan?

Exactly.

During lockdown I watched a lot of videos from The 1997-2003 era at Newport. Anders Henriksson was a pure fans favourite and the way he bonded with the crowd is like nothing you see today. There were a few others also, Neath and Eldridge. Eldridge was nothing more than a 3.5 reserve for Newport but the fans absolutely loved him because he was a tryer and an entertainer.

I entirely agree that the sport should be a weekend only event from now on. Friday night/Saturday and Sunday. If there are no riders who ride in Poland and over seas riding in the UK, it should not be an issue. Fans, after a while, will forget the top stars being missing has watered down the league. There will always be a top dog. If that is someone like Daniel King, so be it. If he is the top rider in the league, fans will look forward to seeing him. British Speedway desperately needs to start again from the bottom. If not, there is absolutely no hope at all. One big league, only one competition (league). A riders championship at the end of the season with each teams top averaged rider. And maybe a pairs event. Just no tournament that requires qualification meetings as there will be way too many fixtures and fans get fed up of seeing the same team visit each season. It has to be worth a try as absolutely nothing else has worked so far. No air fares, no prima donnas, no living expenses for foreign riders etc will mean clubs can charge a lot less for entry. Speedway, like it or not, is a ten quid sport. There would obviously be way more planning involved than this but its the basics of a restructure plan that needs to be put in place. Two clubs have dropped out before the AGM outcome has been revealed, how many more are going to be announced as closing by the time the outcome of the AGM is known? Id guess at least one more. Probably more. Youd think that half head Godfrey would be pushing things for the better to sort the sport out, I hear Scunthorpes crowds are low more often than not.

How long did it take to think up that sentence? Ill start the betting... i reckon about 4 hours. Anyone else?

Not another witch hunt against Doyle at all. I only recently on the KL thread on how he has been a superb servant to UK speedway. Its more regarding other GP riders who over the years have picked and chose, pulled out last minute meaning clubs have to use a 3.00 rider or no rider at all to replace them. They have been nothing but a hindrance . If UK speedway is going to rebuild, it needs to start at the bottom.

If what I am hearing is true, how many more clubs are going to finish up for 2021? Somerset and Swindon, there is bound to be a lot more. If I am being honest, all promoters who intend to run beyond 2021 should get together and plan a decent product for 2022. One league instead of two, which consists of mostly the same riders anyway. One big league. Do away with the knock out cup, premier trophy etc and have one big league campaign and top four to the play offs. Ban any GP riders or other high ranked foreign riders who only want to ride when they fancy it. You only see one team visit every year instead of 2/3 or even 4 times a year. It is clearly obvious nothing will be happening in 2021 apart from maybe a few meetings at the tail end of the season. The country is rife with this virus , its in complete lockdown near enough and there is no way in hell by even May you will get the green light to have as many fans as you want into a stadium. No matter what a few of the fans think, I have seen it happen in Australia. There are no new cases in Victoria or active cases, yet in 6 weeks the F1 opener has been cancelled already due to no fans being allowed in. And I read somewhere that the UK want to follow Australia and NZ's examples in order to get back to some sort of normality. So prepare for another cancelled season of speedway. Idiots like Godfrey will keep you believing it is going to happen, but it wont.

Your Belle vues resident thicko fan and everyone knows it

Nah, just called being realistic. youll be one of the ones up in arms when the season doesnt start and keeps being delayed yet cant see the bigger picture.

The F1 in march in Australia has been cancelled already . Its held in Melbourne where we have no active cases. So what chance have around 500-1000 people got of gathering at a third rate sport (as thats essentially what it is to joe public) in March in the UK? Where there are a huge amount of cases. It wont be happening. And the promoters know it so i dont see why they are pretending only to let fans down at the last minute. The season will be pushed back and back and before you know it will be October.

In all honesty , whoever is saying forget 2021 is right. The virus is miles away from going down to 0 cases , and even when it does they wont allow fans to flock back to stadiums. Its being realistic to think 2022 is the earliest crowds will be back in

The end of Swindon Speedway. Another Southern track gone. No way will a new stadium ever be built, this virus is the perfect excuse to close the place down once and for all. Used to love my trips to Swindon with the Wasps , watching on the fourth bend. Quality.

Seems I replied to the wrong thread , was meant to reply to the one with the list of British riders with someone with an idea for a league structure. My bad.

Victoria for the last 3 months or so, maybe less, has seen a slow return to normal life. Masks no longer compulsory outdoors , social distancing relaxed etc. Up until two weeks ago, masks weren't compulsory inside either. We had 60 days of no new cases and 0 active cases but just before christmas a couple came over from Sydney with the virus so a small spread started again but it was stamped on pretty quick. Anyone coming from overseas has to isolate in a hotel for two weeks on arrival , costing around $3500. So still far from normal and whilst most of the rest of the world is still suffering big cases and numbers, that isnt going to change. I remember back in March/April 2020 some said this virus could be causing carnage well into 2022 and at the moment that looks like being the case. my old man was due to come this Christmas just gone and obviously had to cancel. We said dont worry as next year would be better with the Ashes being held in Australia. Now its looking increasingly likely he wont be able to come this christmas either.

It shows how poor a standard the country has slipped to when you have riders like Ellis as heat leaders. What a sorry state the sport is in. Its on its death bed for sure , in the UK at least.

Have to disagree. Doyle has always doubled up and rode as often as he can. Before settling with a family and after. Its that constant determination that seen him become a world champ. Everybody knows he probably has less skill than most former world champions but he worked his balls off and reaped the rewards. I remember him at Newport, he was only about 50 percent fit during the bulk of his spell there yet tried his nuts off in every race. Compare his attitude to Lamberts and there is no comparison I am afraid. The theory that Lambert has it all to prove now and Doyle is proven is also nonsense, it would make sense riding more often at a younger age. If he wasnt a Lynn rider I am sure attitudes would be a whole lot different off their fans.