The Voice Of Reason

I'd have Lewis Bridger back at Lakeside over Mikkel Bech any day of the week. And I'd take a bet I'm not the only one!

Nice words from Bjarne (apparently) and a similar response from The Leicester Management upon The Lions website. Notwithstanding this, I really don't understand why he couldn't have ridden one more meeting last night - and then leave just prior to the break in fixtures over the next few weeks. It would have given him a final opportunity to shine, hopefully repay the loyal fans with a decent performance and, most importantly, not basically leave the team scratching around for a replacement at such short notice. To announce your resignation so late in the day is pretty despicable in my view; and a kick in the gonads for everyone involved with the club. Extremely unprofessional, selfish attitude. Whether Lewis Bridger returns is another question. He's made more retirements and subsequent comebacks than John Conteh! Suffice to say he's an entertainer - albeit loved by some and disliked by others. I wish him, and Leicester Speedway well - even if we will be fighting you for the wooden spoon.

I don't think he's got the ability!

But as I alluded to in an earlier post, irrespective of the picking order, no doubt the promoters spoke beforehand; and there would have undoubtedly been one or two 'Gentleman's Agreements' prior to the selection process. I'm just surprised that Jon and Neil didn't choose Lewis Blackbird and put 'their mark' on him much sooner. Prior to injury, he was flying at Arlington; a track basically in Jon Cooks backyard. Plenty of opportunity therefore to assess the guys potential.

Hate to say "I told you so, but I................." Mr Vatcher, please do the honourable thing and resign. You haven't got a clue pal.

Fair enough SCB - thanks for the clarification. Yep, concede on that one EI Addio - suffice to say that I still think Jon and Neil need their heads tested for initially picking Ashley Birks. Moreover, there were no doubt one or two verbal 'gentleman's agreements' before the selection process - and I didn't read anywhere our management's desire to select Blackbird. When all is said and done, the scenario around our Number 7 race jacket (over the past month) has been nothing other than farcical.

Can't agree. To the best of my knowledge, pecking order in the first round was Belle Vue, Coventry, Kings Lynn, LAKESIDE, Leicester, Poole, Swindon, WOLVES.

So many results this season have been dependent upon the returns from the reserve positions. So this result really could be down to a much needed improvement in Adam's consistency, and a fully-fit Steve Boxall. The remaining riders (and guests within the main body of both teams) are pretty evenly matched; all guests of course having considerable experience of the Lakeside track. It could potentially have been a banker home win; had our promotion had the foresight to sign Lewis Blackbird from the outset. I see he's riding for Poole tomorrow. No prizes for guessing who I believe will be pivotal in the outcome of this meeting. Hate to say it but I can only see this being Lakeside's third home loss in succession; bearing in mind also that we've lost our last four; with confidence seemingly evaporating as each meeting passes by. Fail to win this one, and our season is basically over - during the first week of May.

Another vote of confidence for one of my favourite riders over the past few years. Hans is the ultimate professional - apart from that time on SKY when he was due out in a race and on 2 minutes, but was sitting in the karsy reading a paper! Made him a 'proper geeza' in my book. Hans is an excellent rider - hard at times but fair. Also, when not racing, a true gentleman. As many of you know, the pits at Lakeside are open pre-7pm; and get very busy with fans. We used to walk fans through what we had to check on bikes - many found it pretty interesting (or so they said!) as we went through the checklist on the parked-up number 2 bikes. One week, a Lakeside supporter, about 7 years old, wanted to sit on Hans's bike; as Andersen was his favourite rider. Checking it out with Hans first, he said "yeah mate course he can, wait there and I'll come and have my picture taken with him". Suffice to say, it made the little lads night. As others have alluded to, Hans is more than likely grieving at the moment for his mother. Moreover, with other family members no doubt back home, there are possibly a lot of emotions going through his mind at this moment in time. For gawd sake, I wish some people would give him a break. He's a human-being; not an automaton.

"Morning Noel, I'd like to swap Michael Bech please". "And what would you want for him"? "Can we do a swap please for Hans Andersen"? "Failing that, we'd take a Stylophone, an Etch-a-Sketch, or 10 Marvel comics".

Well, one can certainly see the similarities in profile between UKIP and Speedway. Primarily they're both followed by a bunch of supporters who are white; 65+; generally financially secure 'Saga Louts'; probably think that everything was much better in the World 50 years ago; and are generally totally confused with modern day events. Meanwhile, what they support is on borrowed time. Hang on, was the geezer with the UKIP sign Peter York?

Dusty track, wet track, slick track, heavy track. It's not a cliche, it's FACT - it's the bloody same track for everyone! So well done some Lakeside riders - you can look for excuses for your p!ss poor performances all day long. But I do know one thing. In all his years as a rider, I never heard Barry Thomas ever moan about a track. He just got on with life and attacked it to the best of his ability. And from that era, there were many others like him. But those were the days when we didn't have Facebook, Twitter and other options for riders to whinge on. Mr. Bech in particular - basically grow a pair son, or sod off!

But I doubt they'd want to swap tracks!

Really looking forward to this meeting. I like the set-up at Leicester. On paper, we probably have more strength; particularly with Andersen guesting. However, this is 'Lakeside on Tour' - so we'll probably be hard pushed to grab a point. Mr. Vatcher, if you are reading this, please remind the team that a meeting goes beyond 8 heats. If we fail to come away with anything from Beaumont Park, and with NO disrespect intended towards the Leicester Lions, then basically the writing will already be on the wall for the remainder of our season.

Just Formula 1 holds my interest - particularly with the Mercedes Team now doing so well (I'm a Classic Merc nut). Football - my life-long love affair ended about 4 years ago. Probably due to being a Leyton Orient Supporter. There's only so much punishment that a human can take.

Bit hasty? PK returned to Wolves around 28th July. When should we have made the change - Christmas? PK's form dipped woefully last year - following his bad crash at the end of the 2013 Season. At times, he just didn't look the same rider. I, and I'm sure everyone who supports Lakeside, are delighted that the return of The Prodigal Son to Monmore Green has worked out so successfully for him. He's a Class Act and an absolute gentleman. mdmc - Boxall isn't riding tonight through injury; and his rehab period is unknown at this time. His replacement tonight is James Wright. Apparently, Ashley Birks is 'not available'. I'd have loved to have been ear-wiggling on that particular conversation. I'm pretty certain that the word 'Off' would have been mentioned in there somewhere!

A few fingers being pointed here; in particular by two people who's respective teams have hardly been beyond reproach over the past few years. Suffice to say that we know the extent of AJ's injury now. People that cast doubt upon whether it was genuine, now look just a tad silly. Moreover, how would AJ have been riding in Poland today? To the best of my knowledge, I don't think that there are any meetings (apart from a Junior event). PK discarded - was he? I thought he agreed to leave by mutual consent. That's what he said. Maybe he was lying. Doubt it. He's a great guy. In any event, I always look forward to my visit to Monmore Green - the best track in the EL serving top dollar food. Result-wise, can't see us getting sod all. Sky are in town, and errrrrr, we're riding away from home.

He'll never get a boyfriend then - even with those earrings!

Have to agree with the so-called 'energy' drinks. Back in the day of course, there was only Lucozade (Original) - apparently to give you energy and get you better. As it tasted worse than the medicine you'd been prescribed, it often appeared to do the trick. Maybe it was just purely psychological. These days, the only thing I've tasted, and believe me once was enough, is Red Bull. It smells like a kid that's thrown up after a party; having eaten too many sweets. Absolutely vile stuff.

Thanks for posting SCB. I can't begin to even think of the emotion, thoughts and memories that must have been going through his mind that day. What a brave guy; and maybe a lesson in there to us all. Absolutely brilliant!

Regarding the music. I keep hearing this old chestnut. As if playing the latest dross one hears on Radio 1 and Kiss FM is going to suddenly get youngsters flooding through the gates! To my mind, the main problem with Elite League Speedway is simply that it isn't a value for money product in its current format. Just 15 heats, strung out over two hours in the cold, isn't exactly going to get ANYONE rushing through the turnstiles.

There was certainly no champagne handed up onto the rostrum by the Poole Management to Coventry in 2010; when they won the league title. Quite ironic really as the terms 'alcohol-free' and 'Wimborne Road' don't really go hand in hand these days, do they. Mind you, the fireworks were cancelled as well...........and one bloke in particular causes most of them too. As for the boozing aspect. I think that the alcohol tests are performed pre-meeting. I don't think the customary few swigs is going to cause much of a problem - most of it gets sprayed everywhere but down their throats. Quite right too - it's bloody awful stuff.

Ah, I wasn't aware of Iversen's complaint. That said, I don't think he'd have lasted too long in Sunday League football back in the day. But then, our priority was getting scrubbed up ASAP to get down the pub; not to go whinging on Twitter!

And so it goes on and on. To reiterate, Lakeside does have changing rooms; along with showers, sinks and toilets. I'm not quite sure to what degree of any substance this issue started from? Just to add in the time that I worked there, I never heard a complaint from a single rider.

Not sure whether the showers have been nicked as scrap by visiting gippos watching the banger racing on Sundays; but there certainly used to be showers in the changing rooms? And just to add that they normally get a coat of paint before each season starts. Changing room maintenance, cleaning them out each week, along with the bogs, etc. (not the nicest of jobs!) all falls down to the often-forgotten heroes of Lakeside Speedway...........namely, the track staff.