The Voice Of Reason

I don't think mate that Jim Lawrence actually mentioned the word 'communication ' - and given the ref was in the box at the opposite side of the track, he was hardly in a position to do so! Jim referred to 'outside assistance'. Rule 15.4 of a The SCB. 2014 Regulations states that a rider can be excluded if he

Regarding the quick appearance of the tractor. Please let me try and put that one to bed. There would have been no intent whatsoever to cause confusion or gain an unfair advantage. You have to bear in mind that Sky Meetings are run to extremely precise, strict timings. Advertisers are paying for specific, timed and contracted slots for their sponsored ads to appear. Failure by Sky in this regard could potentially make them liable to refunding advertisers. Generally, any respective club has complete autonomy on how a meeting is run. Dependent upon weather conditions, we all know that track-grading is undertaken throughout a meeting - in liaison between (primarily) the Clerk of the Course and the Track Curator; and with advance communication (of at least one heat) with the Referee and both Team Managers. At a Sky meeting, it's a totally different scenario. Basically, their producer runs the entire meetings' timings. You are told when advert breaks are coming up; and HAVE to grade accordingly. The tractor with the water trailer at Lakeside is kept to the rear of the pits in accordance with safety standards - and whereby it often has to refill the water tanker via the rear car park. To this end, our tractor drivers (Ken and Gerald) are on a very tight timescale during Sky meetings to fill up in advance, then drive safely through the pits (which is particularly manic during televised meetings due to extra personnel and expensive equipment), and onto the track ASAP to do their few grading laps. What I'm basically trying to say is that time is truly of the essence. Having performed my first Clerk of the Course duty two years ago, at our Sky Meeting against Poole, you literally have so many more balls to juggle than usual. On a two-way radio to the Ref about team changes, another to the Track Curator (telling him to go out and grade/hurry up/come off - and try holding a conversation above the noise of a 60 year-old tractor engine!) whilst Sky are shouting down your earhole about something else completely! Sky obviously pay the dosh so have the right to call the shots. And each meeting is assessed by them to ensure everything has gone to their timescales. Hence the reason that EVERYONE involved with any club, associated in any track-staff perspective, are so very often the unsung (and unpaid I hasten to add!) heroes of our sport.

Great story Mike........albeit I was imagining quite a different finale to that one!

Superb performance Kings Lynn. Well done Stars on a well-deserved win, and congratulations for taking your place at the top of the table. You certainly lived up to your nickname! Best of luck for the rest of the season.

Just to add that although Kings Lynn have a bit of a battle, and Rory is having a naff season to date, Lakeside is actually one of Schleiny's favourite tracks. He told me that himself. Gawd, I sound like KKS/Liam Gallagher (albeit, it's 100% true). Any news on the condition of Lewis (Rose) who took a bad tumble last night? Nothing whatsoever on the KL website - which looks to be updated about as regularly as ours! Whatever his condition I wish him well.

We would not expect our beloved Thommo to do anything other than his true Captain's role, and lead by example!

My local (where I am a die-hard regular) will always put it on for me and a mate in the second bar. First choice goes to Football - fair enough as the pub has quite a few Villa and West Brom fans in attendance. Suffice to say it's also a REAL pub that has regular lock-ins, and the appearance of ashtrays in one of the bars at a certain time at night. Any surprise it's one of the busiest pubs in the area........and NEVER has any trouble?

One of my favourite all-time riders at Hackney was John Titman. Let's just say that Tito had a reputation of 'borrowing' things that weren't his. I once saw him nick a tyre from the the spares van at Hackney and throw it in the bushes whereby he'd obviously collect it later; come walking back quickly from the Away Team area of our pits and chuck something under his bike cover - followed a few moments later by Phil Collins (Cradley) who was scratching his head looking at the floor (whilst John just sat on the bench whistling as if butter wouldn't melt); and, after a double header meeting at Eastbourne (V first Hackney then Wimbledon), I remember Kai Niemi saying in the Speedway Star that he'd had a very expensive pair of hand-made snakeskin shoes nicked from the changing room. Only guessing at this one, but I wonder who looked around the same size? Another occasion at Waterden Road, Hackney's most hated Ref - Lew Stripp, with a host of 'previous' dire decisions, had excluded Bo Petersen when he was clearly knocked off (think it was by Doug Wyer?). Next thing, a guy comes running and screaming through the inside area of the grandstand with an AXE in his hand that he's (presumably) gone to get from his car. Finally calmed down by other supporters, he'd actually managed to get two massive whacks into the refs door - the holes of which were in it for years. Had he succeeded in getting in, I really don't think to this day it would only have been the beer at Hackney that was headless. These days, with mobile phones, no doubt it would have appeared on YouTube and armed police would have been called. Away at Mildenhall, 1984 or 85 KO Cup. Alan Mogridge fell off (there's a surprise) as he was riding along the straight, up to the finishing line, in a race with just 3 riders. We needed that additional point to bring us level, so it was vital. So there was Moggo lying on the deck with the bike on top of him and grabbing onto it for dear life; and 4 of the Mildenhall track staff - (all wearing long red coats and looking like teddy boys) trying to drag the bike off him so that it would have been an automatic exclusion. Then running out from the pits like a greyhound appears Andy Galvin - who at that time was about 18 and looked as if he weighted about 6 stone. He's launched himself into the middle of these guys, fists flying and kicking out to enable Moggo to stand up, pick up his bike and literally drag it over the line before collapsing again. Meanwhile, Galvin was fighting one on one with a Mildenhall track guy about three times his size. The away crowd in the home straight stand were going mad; albeit it was difficult trying to decide what to watch - Moggo or Galvin. These days, it would probably lead to fines, warnings, etc. but in those days, it was all just part of the entertainment.

Got to admit that this does, on paper, now appear to be a pretty tough task for Kings Lynn. But who knows? Anyway, let's still watch it and play a little game. Let's count how many references Shouty1 & Shouty2 make about Poole, Darcy Ward and Chris Holder - despite the fact they'll have nothing whatsoever to do with tonight's meeting.

Oh yes, that 'metric crap'. How dare these Europeans impose their confusing system onto the UK that measures units in confusing multiples of 10's. Now, where did I put that 5/8 inch spanner?

I just hope that we've got 24 hour security looking after our fuse box.

First and foremost, I would not want Davey Watt sacked; nor for him to leave Lakeside. However, if I had a wish-list, the following would be nice: 1. For Davey to ride to his true ability AWAY from home. That's where we are worryingly dropping far too many points. It's a travesty simply because (and I am honestly NOT being biased) if Watty and PK were riding to their full potential, we'd be p!ssing the league this year. 2. For Davey to demonstrate some kind of passion for the claret and blue - and to acknowledge our supporters. At the end of the day, to be appointed a Team Captain of any sport should be deemed the ultimate honour - it's a position where you need a leader to lead. A role whereby you fight for the cause; and demonstrate every ounce of tenacity and fight for your teammates to follow. Sadly, I don't see this with Davey. Away from home, I see a bloke who has a dire opening ride, before the head drops and he simply gives up. Conspiracy theories I don't buy into. A bloke who SOMETIMES couldn't really give a toss, is probably more the case. Come on Watty - make me eat my words!

Your posts on here. Coma.

Just one point. Having sat, and passed, the CoC exam at Rugby, I do not remember any questions whatsoever relating to medical certification. That doesn't obviously exclude a CoC from knowing the Regulations - but it does perhaps highlight shortfalls within the SCB's examination process?

Pity your management didn't think so before they outed him.

Yet another dire away performance from Lakeside. Read my earlier post and tell me I was wrong. In the interim, two words of advice to Davey Watt. The second of which is 'Off'.

Be interesting to see if we utilise the Tactical Ride Facility (if we are in that position) given Jon's recent comments.

Getting back on track - this meeting! We have a young rider with GP potential in Bech; he's currently our top scoring rider. If he produces the rides that he's demonstrated this season to date, then Poole fans you are in for a treat. Exciting rider that uses his head as much as his throttle; and isn't scared to try every racing line to overtake. And if Adam Ellis can replicate his score from last week guesting, then it would be most welcome. At the same time, we have our true Mr. Consistency - Richard Lawson. Meanwhile, in young Ben Morley, we have an ever-improving rider to partner Adam. Ben is doing everything that's expected of him at this stage of his career, and at this level of racing. Then comes the problem of inconsistency. Lewis can ride like a guy possessed; or have an absolute mare at the moment - for reasons people will already be aware of. PK is having potentially the worst start to his season in years - having seen him three times away from home this season, his ongoing inability to gate inevitably far too often leads to minor placings. And the same level of concern has to be mirrored for Watty. In fact, ever since arriving at Lakeside, I've never actually been 100% convinced that his heart is truly in our team. That may sound unduly harsh; but I know that I'm not the only Hammers supporter who holds that view. He may be our captain, and he has certainly done a true Captain's job mentoring our younger riders. However, far too often away from home he's let us down. However, no excuses for not knowing the quickest way around Poole - albeit his scores back on his old manor rarely flatter his obvious ability. The most frustrating aspect of our season to date is the fact that if PK and Watty were hitting the numbers that they are truly capable of, we would be walking this league based upon the overall team's performance - not simply because we've ridden more meetings. At the end of the day, we have our less experienced riders performing far and above what was expected. We could not ask for more from some quarters. Onto Poole. People comment on the quality of the track. I really don't know as I haven't got the gonads to ride a speedway bike on it. However, it certainly produced enough overtaking when I saw the recent meeting on Sky. Man for man, I truly believe that we have better strength in depth BUT, as stated above, we really need our big hitters to start producing the goods. Where I think Poole will certainly have the upper hand, is their gating ability. If we get a point, then I'll be happy enough.

I also remember Frank Ebdon excluding Paul Whittaker (when Hackney were riding at Wimbledon) despite the fact he wasn't even watching the race nor even saw the incident. He was more involved with chatting to Russell Lanning (part-time Dons promoter at the time) who was in the refs box with him. I was sitting as close as any spectator could next to the box. When I quizzed Ebdon as to whether he had eyes in the back of his head (few choice words omitted ) he remained silent but went rather red-faced. Ebdon excluded Whittaker simply to appease the home fans. My respect for the bloke took a nosedive from that very moment.

And let's not forget the 'major electrical problems' at King's Lynn.............that, after three days of apparently consulting Norfolk's finest 'sparkies', turned out to be a blown fuse! If you are referring to Lord 'Shouty' Pearson, and Kelvin 'no question' Tatum as the aforementioned experts, then it really isn't any surprise to be honest. They clearly do not have any respect nor admiration for Lakeside Speedway Club. Fact.

You must have a very short memory mate!

And they weren't aware of that fact when they signed up? As Gemini advises, start a collection if you feel that strongly about it.

So is that why they've got a new website - they will need greater bandwidth?

Yep - truly wonderful. And so 'new' that you've still got a sacked rider showing as one of your 2014 team line-up.

Adam is still carrying a shoulder injury. Can't see how riding the ploughed field on the South Coast is going to do his full recovery any favours.