WembleyLion

Speedway riders are not employees so does not apply to them anyway!

I seem to recall that Jiri Stancl of Reading and Ole Olsen of Coventry both scored five ride maximums in the same meeting at Smallmead!

I have witnessed two of the worst examples this season (Peterborough v Coventry and Leicester v Swindon) and in both cases it was obvious well over an hour before the scheduled start time that there would be problems and yet absolutely nothing was done!

I always enjoy reading the foreign section and if one feels British Speedway is on the decline you'll read Speedway is now all but dead in many other countries (although not quite as dead in Bulgaria where the Star incorrectly stated there had been no meetings since 2014). Often it's down to a few old time riders and local enthusiasts to just about keep things alive.

There were queues at 6pm and it was obvious then there would be a problem.

They have just announced a delayed start. I think the two ladies in the box office will need a good rest too!

Looks like it will be a big crowd. Lengthy queues outside for the two box office booths so I guess a delayed start is inevitable!

Cashing in brownie points Dave! I'll follow you to Wolves then. Great to see such a big crowd 😊

I hope they get a move on when it gets started as sadly I might have to re-think my planned trip to PK's farewell. Looks like they are not that bothered about making up lost time as they are only just pushing the bikes out for a parade!

I'm sure it won't be long before we see the likes of Max Dilger, Rafal Konopka and Nicki Barrett gracing our tracks as well!

Really gutted for the Coventry fans I know and I feel very much for the riders as well! I'm sorry to say it but it is game, set and match to Sandhu (Estates)!

Round 1 Marmande 18 Feb Round 2 Lamothe Landerron 12 Mar Round 3 La Reole 19 Mar Round 4 Marmande 1 Apr Round 5 La Reole 16 Apr Round 6 Macon 22 July Round 7 Macon 9 Sept Round 8 Lamothe Landerron 8 Oct

Whilst I regard myself as just being a Speedway fan I do have a soft spot for the Bees and have made a 125 mile round trip for most of their home meetings for many years now even though traffic congestion seems to have got worse and the unhelpful 7.30pm start time doesn't make it any easier, although I accept many preferred this as opposed to 8pm. Leicester is a 160 mile round trip and I will make every effort to get there as well! Unfortunately I only have on track (Rye House at 94 miles) that is less than a 100 mile round trip so travelling a great deal is my only option for Speedway, unless I move of course. I appreciate many will struggle to get to Leicester because of time constraints but I hope those who can do turn out to support the seven riders who have stayed very loyal to the club. Good luck to the Bees in 2017!

Well that's sort of close - I think! Funnily enough I was there to witness the shambles that night and I did remark that *** was the one who had actually called the meeting off! At least I got my ticket money back! Once the track was sorted it certainly has produced some excellent racing!

Yes I would say that's a pretty good summary. Not quite sure if Sandhu and Sandhu Brandon Estates are one and the same but undoubtedly Sandhu has a lot to gain financially in closing down the Stadium and sooner or later he'll succeed. He came close to accomplishing it in 2010/11 so it is/was just a question of time.

Thought it was Crawley this time?

Yes indeed I remember Riga very well as I was looking at a mostly bone dry track whilst rumours were spreading it was going to be called off in the next hour or so (and shifted to Daugavpils the next day) due to poor track preparation (blocked drains) which had left a swampy strip on the inside of one of the bends. Still it made for an exciting adventure the following day!

Names don't necessarily mean that much to me. If anything the likes of Hancock and Woffinden would put me off going but I accept they might entice others.

All this 'well informed' bull from reliable sources reminds me of 2010 and the winter of discontent when we had no end of it! Still perhaps not surprising given everything that has happened/ not happened. Let's hope it all gets sorted soon!

It was pretty much like that when I stopped by and parked in Speedway Lane recently. The guard dog didn't seem too keen on me peeping through various gaps in the fencing though!

Yes indeed I'm sure Sandhu will hugely benefit from the building and sale of properties on the Brandon site.

Whilst Sandhu clearly enjoyed being involved with the Bees title winning teams I have always regarded him as first and foremost a businessman who will do what suits him best. No doubt Ford and a few others really got to him in the winter of 2010 but he showed he was prepared to take Coventry Speedway to the wire then. To me his more recent actions also demonstrate he is prepared to the same again and maybe even take the club to extinction although I sincerely hope I am wrong! I really do hope this can be sorted out satisfactorily not just for Bees fans but for all Speedway fans!

I first went to Speedway in 1970 when crowds turned up for meetings in numbers that some clubs would now be happy if they got in a season. In those 47 seasons I have travelled far and wide to spectate and clocked up nearly 3,000 meetings and would say the sport has pretty much been in decline throughout although there were probably some periods of a few years or so where the decline was not so marked but sadly overall it has been a downward trend with no real sign of ever being reversed. Despite this I have thoroughly enjoyed virtually every moment of my involvement with the sport although I regret to say I can easily understand why so many have been driven away and why it is not that attractive to newcomers! It is not just a UK thing though as throughout the Speedway world there is a decline. The sport is almost extinct in some European countries now! Naturally there are many reasons for the downward spiral all of which probably get aired from time to time on this forum!

Not sure how the Buxton Speedway promotion could influence events at the Stadium next door to them!

Yes indeed although I don't think Tai can cope well with boos and jeers - I have rarely seen a rider so rattled as he was at Belle Vue in the Play Off final. Perhaps it was the first time he realised just what many British fans think of him and he was clearly fazed by it!