The Voice Of Reason

AJ could fit at 7.94. Our season ended a fortnight ago (well actually, it had ended by mid-May). I'm sure we could get a guest for a visit to Brandon. Personally, I'd like to see Barry Thomas come out of retirement. It would be good to see something worth watching this year.

9 months at least I would have hoped! If not, I'd take a DNA test Hans.

It says - "vi har ikke fått en blodig anelse hva været blir i Coventry senere"!

Nuneaton just had thunder and lightning. Still, that's about the most exciting thing that's happened here all Weekend!

Given how dire we are away from home, it would hardly be a spectacle to behold; even if it was the finest Bank Holiday Monday on record mate!

Checking the weather just now, Binley is due rain until 3pm; then it stops, before further rain from 6-9pm. I really can't see this meeting going ahead. Clearly, if Sky Sports and Go Speed were in town, it could potentially be a different story. Speaking of which, whatever happened to Coventry's appeal to the Speedway Control Bureau following the outcome of their statement on 16th July? The SCB seemed relatively quick (by their standards) dealing with the intitial fines; but what happened to Cov's subsequent appeal that they stated they'd make? And also, what happened to Coventry Promotion's complaint about Sky and Go Speed's decision to run the meeting in the first instance? Are we to assume that The Chuckle Brothers now have no case to answer; despite Mick Horton apparently having sufficient evidence to the contrary? Just to add that I fully supported Cov over this debacle but something doesn't seem to sit right here. Maybe, the 3 Grand fine handed out to the club (not the riders) would be 'dropped on appeal' if Cov agreed to keep schtum and not drag Wide Boy and The Fat Controller's names through the mud (despite the fact they are happy for riders to race in it). So many unanswered questions, eh? And it's just gone oh so very quiet recently. It does tend to make one just a tad cynical.

All I can think is so that our parting shot out of the EL is to gift 4 points to Poole.

If this is our last season, and I desperately hope that it isn't, then I wonder which team would like to apply for the vacancy to be 'Poole's Sacrificial Lamb' for 2016 (and thereafter)? I am absolutely astounded that the Lakeside Promotion are running this meeting; in particular, given the circumstances of our possible demise. Two-thirds of the way through August - are we truly saying we could not find an alternative date? I feel sorry for our regular fans. They have been well and truly shafted.

Got to say Stuart Douglas's words do not inspire much confidence for 2016: He has stated: “2015 has been a difficult season on and off track for the Club and the fans and whilst I cannot offer secure comfort regarding next year – that facility is not within my control – those that know this promotion will understand that we will fight every inch of the way. So, without wishing to create more drama around the details we just don’t know, it would be great if all our fans that have visited us over the years come and see what I suspect will be a fantastic Elite League meeting against Poole and certainly the last for this season at the Arena Essex Raceway. What a way to go out of the sport.........gifting 4 away points to Poole. I cannot think of anything that could actually be worse.

'With the weather warming up'? Seriously? Where? What planet is Stuart Douglas living on? I'm sitting here in Nuneaton. There's been grey skies and heavy rain since 5pm. I drove home from work with my car heater on. All that we can hope for is the same again in Purfleet on Friday. It will delay the prospect of yet another shafting.

If Vatcher got in there the quickest, why's he riding for Poole? As a matter of interest, where did you get that info from anyway?

To be honest mate, Poole have had the foresight to book Ben. Meanwhile Vatcher probably sat there scratching his @rse doing his usual - i.e. not a lot. Not as if things have been overly busy lately for a bit of 'engage brain and plan ahead', is it. I truly despair.

I'm not. I said they are away.

So, as things stand, at our final meeting of the year (two thirds of the way into August, and a fortnight before the kids are even back at school) our confirmed line-up, at this stage, is AJ, Richard Lawson and Kim Nilsson. Richard has been a tad inconsistent lately and Kim, a rider who's ability I truly admire, is coming back after a long spell through injury. Kennett should be riding for us as Rye House are away......but who knows. Doesn't bode well, does it? And to rub salt into the wound, Poole are using Ben Morley (a real fighter around Lakeside). And this meeting is going ahead? Okay points wise, a win will have us avoid the wooden spoon. But what's our real priority here, helping Poole to get an away win? HOW THE HELL have Poole acquired the services of Ben Morley? What, in the name of sanity, are Cookie and Vatcher thinking? Who's replacing Bech and Ellis? Nothing on the website to indicate who specifically are our usual bunch of guests? With such an understrength team, surely this meeting should be re-arranged? The Lakeside faithful DESERVE to see their appalling season finish better than this. Their loyalty is surely being pushed to breaking point. And, if we did cancel it due to being understrength and "in the interest of speedway" obviously, then Poole would be the LAST team that would have grounds for complaint - given that's exactly how Matt Fraud shafted us in May 2013. I'd never normally want to sink to his sad, lowly methods of cheating but I personally think THE FANS DESERVE MORE THAN THIS BLOODY DEBACLE.

We have the same at Lakeside these days - looking for people climbing out. There are loads.

If we continue to go down the line of 'speedway austerity' ( or even Speedway Austerity 'light' if Kendall, Burnham and Cooper were in charge of the BSPA/SCB) then basically, we are on a road to nowhere. What are the options? Cut costs, and make the sport an even more lightweight product that what we have now? The risk? This sport spiralling into oblivion, with minimal 'die hard' supporters still turning up every week; accompanied with their travel rugs and thermos flasks. Or do we find promoters, with significant enthusiasm, wedge, and business nouse, to ditch Sky Sports and find a new shop window - via the main channels, that's going to spread the message to many, many more potential new supporters? Do we find a new breed of owners that actually LISTEN to what fans are saying? Do we find guys that are successful enough in business to know the future of our sport lies solely upon providing a consistent, value for money product; and based upon an AFFORDABLE entry price? Just to add, and I'm genuinely sorry to say this, but the term 'promoter' is an utter misnomor as far as most teams are concerned in the EL (including my own team - Lakeside). I don't think that Stuart Douglas has been to a meeting more than once in the past two years? Yea, he is a busy man. Who isn't? He may bankroll us, but where's the passion? The bottom line is we either get new blood into this sport, that demonstrates enthusiasm and commitment to succeed; or else we tread this well worn road into utter obilvion. Let's remember that our promoters meet anually; seemingly to inflict upon us ill-advised/ill-informed changes, pipe-dreams and rhetoric. I truly believe that within the next few years, the current custodians of our clubs will indeed send this sport into utter oblivion. In order for Speedway to survive, this sport needs a raft of significant changes. However, I really doubt whether the key players within our sport even realise it. And, if they did, then SURELY we would not be in the downward-spiralling position that we are in now?

Leather colours and monkey masks are probably a thing of the past. However, to put things into persepctive, and clearly you are devoid of how great this sport once was within the UK, maybe you'd care to enlighten us with the progress that this sport has made over the past 40 years? Because basically, if you can't, then you are clearly talking out of your @rse son. I'm all ears. x

I don't 'have a real problem' with Poole Speedway. They don't personally cause me any 'real problem' whatsoever. I just dislike it's promotion, and it's lapdog whinger of a manager. I don't think I'm alone? And as for what happens in 2016 - well okay to keep you happy, I'll tell you what I'd like to see. - The break up of this farce known as the 'Elite League' and two divisions as outlined above (or along those lines) - Lakeside to secure its future - Sky Sports to do one, and for Lord Shoutalot and "no question" Tantrum to get proper jobs commensurate with their ability - stacking shelves in Happy Shopper springs instantly to mind - For Speedway to get national coverage on either BBC or ITV - For the farce known as the GP series to revert to a one-off meeting World Final at Wembley - For second halves to come back, along with Golden/Silver helmet match races, so that punters actually get value for money once again - For tape-touching to be reintroduced to SAVE time - For less accidents than we have seen particularly this season - maybe re-introduce 2 valve engines? Outside of Speedway, for Jeremy Corbyn to have a 40% lead in the opinion poles over Cameron. Oh, and finally, to allow full immigration to refugees via Dover - and for all those newcomers to be housed in Poole, and surrounding areas of Dorset.

To be quite honest, I couldn't care less any more if the day comes when a team can have 7 G.P. riders if it wants............and Poole are the only team left in this utter circus known as Elite League Speedway. Mr Fraud and lapdog would probably consider that a victory as well.

And Poole Speedway have an untarnished history of abiding by 'current rules' to the letter, don't they.

Let's get this into some perspective. At the end of the day, it was a speedway meeting between two cr@p teams, with our only real battle the avoidance of the wooden spoon. As there's no relegation process, the league points themself were quite immaterial otherwise. The fact is we were bolstered via guests. Without guests, and looking at our away record to date, we'd have probably got totally stuffed. If Norrie Allen felt that he had a reasonable case for complaint, then why not, as mentioned, put his money where his (quite big) mouth is, and raise a protest at the outset? All he appears to want to do is apportion blame towards all other departments, rather than accept his, and his team's, shortcomings. And I have little sypmathy for this bloke - he was pretty silent in 2014 (for once!) at the Beaumont Park debacle when Ben Morley was incorrectly excluded; and Adam Ellis removed (incorrectly) from the meeting. The bottom line is this meeting should have been re-arranged anyway. With 7 guests amongst 14 riders, is was nothing other than an utter farce. However, maybe he didn't think we'd get such strong guests, and it would be a 'banker home win'? However, it went ahead. If people that went saw a reasonable meeting, then in all honesty, what does it really matter?

I don't seem to remember Norrie Allen whinging last season when Ben Morley was incorrectly excluded; nor when Adam Ellis was incorrectly removed from the meeting on medical grounds - particularly as the correct procedures were not adhered to by either Leicester's Medical Officer and Clerk of the Course (coupled with the incompetence of the referee, Peter Clarke). Just to add I thought Neil Vatcher was pretty bad as a team manager; but how Leicester riders can get motivated listening to this dour, droning bloke is beyond me.

I know we aren't exactly box office (is that one of the understatements of the year? ) but as others have said, this patched-up team will almost certainly affect Leicester's gate. I can't even be @rsed going to see this Lakeside 'team' (?) and I only live 25 minutes away. Poor I know - but I seriously cannot get enthused. We've ridden three meetings this week already - tonight will be our fourth. Seriously, what utter numpties arrange this fixture list? And why didn't Lakeside approach Leicester (which I assume they haven't) in order to try and rearrange the fixture? Leicester have a free date on Sat 5th Sept.

Oh what joy!

Not forgetting that in all of this, one person in particular on here will be of the opinion that it was Davey Watt's brilliant contribution of 5 points from four rides (again) that saved the day for Lakeside. Clearly, had Kim Nilsson been fit and riding, we'd potentially not got anything from last night. Thank heaven that Davey Watt was there to save us.