The Voice Of Reason

Football: 90 minutes of entertainment across (approx) 1 hour, 50 minutes. More often than not in semi-decent, modern stadia. Also generally a decent atmosphere. Speedway: 15 minutes of entertainment strung out across (approx.) 2 hours(+). More often than not in stadia that are in a 1960's/70's time-warp; often whilst standing in the freezing cold. Generally dire presentation and a subdued atmosphere. Not too difficult to work out; is it?

I didn't need to be 100 miles away in Orsett.....I could smell the BS from here!

BREAKING NEWS JUST IN: Jon Cook in "Talking out of his @rse scandal"!

A thread of hope - given that Coventry are shown within the fixture list. But the poor souls who are Cov Supporters have been fed that much BS and false-hope over the past couple of months, that I certainly wouldn't get too excited. It could possibly mean track-share; and I'd feel a lot more positive IF Leicester actually started to name their bloody team! I don't want to put a dampener upon this news; but despite the numpties running this sport, it probably isn't beyond their capabilities to produce a revised (plan B ) fixture list if required. The crux of this entire issue is the complete lack of respect (particularly for Bees Supporters) demonstrated by absolutely dire communication throughout.

Sandhu would probably hijack it; and take away all the seats.

The Keith Chapman Q&A's are at bloody Noon! It's January.......so the majority of Speedway Supporters will be on the phone to Saga booking their holidays; whilst the remaining few of us will be at work. BSPA planning at its best. That said, there's more important news than the BS and rhetoric that Chapman will be spouting today; and I hope from the bottom of my heart, that it's positive news for all Coventry Bees Supporters.

Ahhh Nigel Pearson reminds us all to be upbeat - as negotiations are still ongoing. How does he know? After all, isn't this the same Nigel Pearson who has reminded Cradley Heath Suppoters about being positive and upbeat - about a return to a vicinity near their former home? You only have to listen to his drivel as a commentator to realise this geeza has got a degree in how to polish a turd. The bloke spouts as much utter BS as the rest of 'em.

I'll go back to what I said a few weeks ago - and my 'apparent' conspiracy theory. Horton is probably in Sandhu's pocket; and there was never any intent to run in 2017. The quicker Speedway at Brandon ceased, the faster Sandhu can progress with his housing plans. And with the Coventry Bees extinct, the less responsibility Sandhu will have of finding an alternative venue - something else that ha can 'move on' from. Think about it folks. Brown envelopes always have, and (unfortunately) probably always will, dictate proceedings. This has been a set-up for months. It stuck out like a sore thumb to me. Truly feel for all genuine Coventry Bees Supporters that have been put through so much uncertainty and false hope. Sandhu and Horton - two despicable excuses for human-beings.

Well you'd certainly be able to get a National League team place......and probably beat David Mason!

I can't think of any other modern-day rider whereby I'd even consider attending their testimonial. However, I will deem it an absolute privilege to support this event. In a World where the term 'Legend' is so often wrongly overused, I can't think of a more fitting, nor apt, word to associate against Peter Karlsson.

So what is happening at Belle Vue - considering today is apparently the last day to declare intent to run in 2017? Could be the latest ever fixture list produced in history. What an utter farce this sport has become.

(i) I thought that Mr. Cook's decision to leave the higher echelons of professional Speedway were due, in no small part, to the apparent decrease in crowd numbers due to Friday night traffic? Supported by the sob stories of how he has to eat his dinner in the car on the M25; and that it takes Lord Tatum 5 hours to drive a few miles. If he now decides to run NL racing on Friday's, that proves he was therefore talking out of his rear end all along. (ii) Anything more than between £10-£12 to watch this level of racing would be a complete rip-off.

I'd like to think not. However, isn't it just a little strange that to date, and with the fixtures just a few weeks away, Leicester haven't yet signed, nor Re-contracted, a SINGLE rider? If he doesn't have some inside knowledge of how the Brandon scenario is going to pan out, then he's taking a bit of a risk, isn't he?

Run this idea through your minds folks. Mick Horton is actually in Sandhu's pocket; and on a decent bung that will make his bank balance look a tad more healthy than running speedway for a further 1-3 years. Horton fails to sign any initial agreement; and is conveniently out of the country when 'Rent-a-Wreck' turn up at the stadium. Councillor Stokes brokers a peace deal; that Sandhu agrees to in principle verbally; but fails to sign any agreement/deal that would compromise his actual intent of doing diddly-squat. Meanwhile, the Brandon Property Company, that Sandhu potentially has links to, muddies the waters by getting the old bill involved. Sandhu states he's now 'moved on' - read into that he's got no intention of making good the damage caused. I think this is what's termed 'a false flag'. Meanwhile, according to Companies House, Brandon Estates Ltd, who were registered in Sutton Coldfield, were actually dissolved on 3rd November 2015. So WHO exactly are the people that Councillor Stokes, and The Coventry Telegraph, are actually talking to? Final upshot is that Horton can't subsequently run Speedway. The stadium doesn't get repaired. All resulting in a demolition job, and potential house building starting up sooner rather than much later. Meanwhile, the BSPA sit on their arse doing absolutely nothing of any weight. Strange? Cue their beloved leader Chapman taking the reigns at nearby Leicester. A few weeks after taking ownership, not a single rider has been signed/confirmed at Beaumont Park. A little strange? Probably not - when there's already a team going spare 20 miles down the M69. Sit back Mr. Chapman, let the Brandon charade ignite, then adopt 7 out of work riders and appear the Messiah. No doubt a few Cov Supporters may make the short trip to get their weekly fix. Win/Win for Chapman all round. I don't really do conspiracy theories - but this entire scenario has been running through my mind for a few weeks. And putting Councillor Stokes aside, can anyone doubt that it's not been an entire set up from the outset? Given the entire raft of untrustworthy herberts involved within this entire charade, I wouldn't put it past any of them to be involved collectively in one of the biggest scams in the history of the sport.

Darts has moved on significantly from the old days of The Embassy Tournament, run by the BDO. However, let's firstly put a few things into perspective. The big darts tournaments that we see well attended, are not run for most nights each week; from March to October. They are occasional, regionalised events that attract a few thousand - in particular, during the darts GP Series; at an individual location. Are we saying therefore that the spectator numbers are higher than the collective numbers of people turning out WEEKLY at adjacent Speedway tracks? Indeed, would these darts events attract a regular/similar number of spectators if they were weekly/fortnightly events? I doubt it. Now.....Mr Barry Hearn. Apart from Speedway, my other interest is football - namely Leyton Orient FC. Barry Hearn, or H£arn as we referred to him, was our Chairman for the best part of 19 years. Did WE achieve any level of success under his leadership? When was the last time any of you guys honestly heard of Leyton Orient Football Club in the national media? Did our crowds increase under his tenure? Nope. Still an average gate of around 4,500 die-hards - the same as when he came onto the scene in the mid-90's. And what are we left with now? A stadium with 4 blocks of private flats on each corner (a nice little Barry H£arner!); killing the atmosphere totally; whilst making the pitch reminiscent of a playing field in the middle of a housing estate. Years of continual failure in the bottom tier of English Football. We are again on the brink of relegation this season and, for the first time in our club's history since 1881, could very well be playing semi-pro football by this Spring. He promised to sell out to 'a safe pair of hands'. Instead, we now have an absolute lunatic Italian owner (Bechetti) who has provided us with NINE different managers in two seasons; is being pursued by the Albanian Govt. for corruption (he took millions off them for wind turbines that never materialised) and has now gone AWOL since early December. THAT, my friends, is the true legacy of Barry H£arn. Yeah, he talks the talk - but the only thing he ever wants to truly promote is his own bank balance. And lets say he did come into Speedway. What exactly would he do? Get us a regular spot with his contacts on Sky Sports? WOW......we've all seen what a positive contribution Sky have had over the years, haven't we. Coachloads of new supporters at every track; and a massive rise in awareness of the sport (not). From my experience of H£arn at LOFC, he is anything but a safe pair of hands. He gets involved with something simply for what he can get out of it. Yes, he may have earned a few quid out of boxing, and pub games (not Sports) such as snooker and darts; but this idea of him transforming Speedway is truly laughable. Even if we got him a job on the turnstyles, he'd be one of those blokes who took your dosh, then told you to "squeeze through".....without hearing the audible 'clank'. Personally, I wouldn't trust the geezer with a fiver to run down the chip shop for me.

I'd make the trip......if a certain Mr. Pedersen was also in the line-up!

At the end of the day I'm not a Coventry supporter. However, as it's my local track, and a couple of my drinking mates are, I have an allegiance towards them. And whilst fully believing in the freedom of speech, I'm not venting my spleen at Poole Supporters for having input; simply the fact that a number of those comments are completely unrelated to Coventry Speedway. Indeed, it is clearly obvious to many on the BSF, that a number of teams' threads are similarly hijacked with completely irrelevant information relating to Poole. Indeed, if the regular Poole contributors cannot see that fact, then they are clearly either extremely blinkered; or worryingly delusional. And even more ironic is the fact that those individuals continue to accuse others of being jealous of their success; when the primary concern (and point of discussion here) should be about Coventry's very existence. Again, it's a display of pure hypocrisy to venture onto another teams' thread expressing 'concern'; when, in reality, the primary objective appears to be blowing smoke up your own Promotion's @rse. Let's just hope that 2017 enables us all to demonstrate GENUINE concern for others; and in particular the fans of those teams who are facing such a worrying future. Because I can tell you this from the heart. I lost my Hackney Team/Stadium a few decades ago now.....and it still bloody hurts like hell.

I really can't see what Fraud's latest orgasm-fest (over Poole's website hits) has to do on a thread of a club going through such a torrid time. It's ill-timed, misplaced and totally irrelevant. What do some of you blue tints do in your spare time - take a tin of 'Celebrations' down to the local hospice?

I remember that Ray! Think it was '84 when he'd just signed for them. Fell off during the first warm up lap after rider announcements? It was the most entertainment I ever saw at Plough Lane... apart from when Sam Nicolajsen's tyre literally exploded on the starting gate.

Worst track in my living memory to be honest. I've seen more passing amongst the zimmerframe brigade along Eastboune seafront!

Indeed he is. And that, quite ironically, substantiates the point made by the previous poster, doesn't it?

Having witnessed him in the pits at Lakeside (when the Hackney Hawks were re-introduced), I can assure you that the only person David Mason can be @rsed helping out is himself. There seems to be this perception that older, more experienced riders can always help nurture others. That isn't always the case, believe me.

Picking up on the earlier post re: 'Supporter Assist' if (let us hope) things work out and remedial work is required decorating, etc. Here's a Lakeside Supporter with brush and spanner in hand (oooh errr Missis) if such supoort is required. Keep The Faith folks!

Absolutely gutted at this decision. Do you mean to tell me I've wasted good money on the 2 dustbin lids that I've bought him for his ever-increasing ear lobes (on the side of his ever-increasing head)? 😠

Kim Nilsson would be a superb aquisition for Leicester. An excellent trapper - who has proved at Lakeside that he can regularly beat the very best when in front. Once Kim got used to the Beaumont Park track, he'd be pretty much unbeatable in my honest view.