25yearfan

Its nonsense to suggest that speedway is noisier than stock cars at Mildenhall! For a start no speedway bikes are allowed to be started in the car park which always used to be the case. This car park is indeed the pits area for the stock cars all of which don't have the modern silencers that speedway bikes do and quite often at stock car meetings, cars will be warmed up all through the meeting almost non stop. Speedway bikes are warmed up inside the stadium and two walls between them and the car park. Car races at Mildenhall feature many cars and the roar created from all these engines is quite excessive! One of the biggest problems at Mildenhall stadium is that the stock car meetings nearly always over run with no consideration at all. It isn't unknown for stock car meeting sto still going on after 11pm! The Motocross track can be used every day and can be heard from across the Fen at Isleham - I can vouch for this! What Dave Coventry has done is to make out that speedway meetings are the noisiest events at the stadium in order to take blame and attention away from the much more noisier but more profitable stock cars! As much as I find the womens protests about the stadium ridiculous for the simple reason that she moved to the house in 2006 when their has been motorsports activity on the stadium site since 1973 as well as one of the United States biggest and longest established European air bases across the road, more co-operation from the stock people (Dave and Ron Coventry) and ensuring that meetings are finished by 10pm could of put the old girl of the scent and made her think of somehing else to spend her time complaining about! Good to see such a good turn out last night and I just hope that Dave Coventry lets the speedway promotion do things their way and properly!

The prices for a Hackney meeting are way to steep for a 3rd tier level meeting but obviously getting Len Silver to admitt hes wrong about something takes some doing as he doesn't listen to many! In the past for Rye House NL meetings Len had free admission which worked cause they get a decent crowd in who all spend money on programmes, the bar, burgers and the delicious Fish and Chips, easily the best food that any British speedway stadium provides. -Lets admitt it many a dull Rye House meeting is made bareable by a portion of the their delicious Fish and Chips!

I've not got a twisted mentality, just a desire to say things as they are even if they are bit prickly for some! While Dave Coventry is charge at Mildenhall, running speedway there will be challenging at best, something messrs Lee, Jolly and Louis will find out this season no doubt. A change of atitude and a desire to delegate could alleviate this but leopards don't change their spots! I'm not saying that Coventry only lets the track people on the track at 1.30pm before every meeting but that has been the case in the past. As for Bob Ellis doing the track - Hes done a few times in the past but has said that in the time that Coventry allows curators onto the track, he wouldn't be able to do it properly and subsequently had little desire to try. Working with your hands tied behind your backs is a phrase that springs to mind! I respect Simon Barton for putting his money where his mouth is (which cost him a fair pound or two at Mildenhall I believe) but in all reality I doubt he'd know alot about preparing a track for speedway preparation and its probably the same with Halifaxtiger. Although your enhusiasm is commendable and something every track needs! The bottom line is things will come to a head this year because now Mildenhall will be promoted by a former World Champion, a twice former British Champion who was also one of the best riders in the world and has promotional/track curating experience at Ipswich and another guy who was a very good British League rider. - Basically what Jolly, Lee and Louis don't know abut spedway would't be worth knowing I suspect! In the past Coventry has been able to make excuses for his awkwardness and difficult atitude with the speedway people because Mildenhall speedway has had a lot of people involved in the running of it that have been nieve enthusiasts! I hope the different personalities can work together properly at Mildenhall this season because speedway there can be succesfull if this is achieved!

Very harsh but unfortunately the main point of your post is very true! No chance is false cause their have been good tracks during Dave Covetrys spell at the stadium but letting track curators on the track at 1.30pm, just 3 hours before a 4.30m start time, the day after a stock car meeting will only result in a track surface that has a blue groove after just a couple of races! Dave Coventry according to my sources, listens to Peter Thorogood but seemingly noone else involved in speedway! Simon Barton - if you were able to delegate with Dave Coventry and make him see sense then you should perhaps go into politics cause you could make the world a better place! Speedway saving grace with Dave Coventry is that he needs the income from speedway taking place at the stadium. Its a shame that his lack of delegation, off the mark ideas about how speedway should run and a general lack of speedway knowledge doesn't help matters. I hope he listens to the current promotors instead of Peter Thorogood cause Mildenhall speedway can be very successful at 3rd Division level if opertaed properly by the speedway promotion and the stadium owners being co operative and listening to those that know much about speedway than him!

I'd say its very important that track preperation matters are done properly at all tracks in particularly Mildenhall which stages stock cars on the same surface and stadium owner Dave Coventry doesn't seem to understand the time needed to prepare a track properly for speedway. Quite often in the recent past at West Row, the track curators for the speedway haven't been allowed on the track until the afternoon of a meeting, no where near enough time to do a track properly especially after stock cars the night before. When questioned about this Dave Coventry has replied with "what do you lot know about speedway" or words to the same effect! With messrs Lee, Louis and Jolly having the best part of 100 years combined experience of speedway, with Lee being a former World champion and Louis a twice former British champion, Dave Coventry surely won't be able to throw that old chestnut at them! I hope the promotional trio know about Dave Coventrys previous atitude to preparing a track for speedway because if its not rectified then running speedway at Mildenhall will be very difficult! If the track preperation issue is resolved properly then speedway should be very good at Mildenhall this season!

In the 1950's there was a few grasstrack meetings staged at dog tracks inside the greyhound track, so that may of been it? I know there was meetings like this at King's Lynns current home around this time when it was a greyhound track and a decade before speedway started up there in 1965!

Very true Vince! Theres many riders who drift out of the sport after growing frustrated with it who would of made good 1st or 2nd Division level League riders had the system been better and had more opportunities like riders do in Denmark, Sweden, Poland and Australia!

Its not a personal attack nor is it outragous Malcolm! You know exactly what I mean beings you've been involved in speedway promotions and fair enough because you give your name out and your still involved, don't want to be associated with some painful home truths Malcolm! End of the day this is a public forum in a democratic state with freedom of speech where all subjects linked to speedway can be discussed and even the man in question uses this outlet to tell those who wish to look about his problems with the sport. The beauty of internet forums is if you don't like what your seeing, don't look at it! Again while I only say the truth and stay sensible abeit a bit to close to the sharp truth admittedly, my anonymous name on here is not an issue and until this forum makes giving out your real identity compulsory I can't see any problem! Although Malcolm, Your right in that I've said more than enough about that man on here, I know that many people will off the record agree with me and I won't be saying owt more on the subject! Main thing is we've got Hackey Hawks and Mildenhall Fen Tigers back in speedway!

Tiresome - yes very true! Not psychic - but having a good judgement helps. Ribbons' judgement is very questionable I suspect rather blinkered by his eutopia like enthusiasm. You said very much the same thing when talking about Ribbons' pie in the sky plans to relaunch Norwich speedway at Swaffham! What I class being a winner as a promotor is doing it properly over a length of time. Steve Ribbons has not done this, that you cannot argue! Yes I'm sure theres loathsome promotors who don't last long and I too don't enjoy obnoxious persons, successful or not! I'm sure that Steve Ribbons can be a nice guy but in speedway hes judged on whats he done in the past, not for beinbg a nice guy! Again like I keep saying just cause you and indeed Ribbons gives your name on here doesn't make you right and myself for not, wrong and evil! Also you know nothing about myself and how do you know I haven't had involvement with Steve Ribbons? I don't like an argument but I find it very annoying that a guy like yourself Rob who speaks a lot of sense cannot see the facts of Steve Ribbons' involvement with speedway! Whether I'm right or wrong or you are right or wrong, Steve Ribbons has not produced the goods as a promotor (apart from giving others the opportunity to run teams properly!) and says the wrong things at the wrong times, hence the BSPA's reluctance to entertain him which is very justified! Quite simply had he made a success of promoting we'd not be having this arguement and Ribbons would now be accepted by the BSPA as the new promotor of Mildenhall! You get on with Ribbons and see him as a friend which is your perogative and its not illegal but please don't let this friendship blinker your opinions on his attempts at promoting and the BSPA's very justified anti stance toward him!

Reopened Wimbledon speedway in 2002 and went t its up after a handful of meetings meaning that it had to be bailed out by others in order to keep going! Many big ideas that were rather "pie in the Sky" because he didn't have the money to carry out those big ideas! Taking digs at the BSPA at many oportunities which made him a marked man! Still like Rye House and Wimbledon before them I suspect that Mildenhalls reopening this year has been helped by Steve Ribbons' enthusiasm and drive even if he isn't the right person to run the operation! Lets hope things are right at Mildenhall this year!

Believe me nothing gives me greater pleasure than a speedway track reopening! Lets hope that Mildenhalls rebirth this season is a success story that lasts for a lot of years!

Yes many promotors have got partners who put in the money but they are partners they trust and have thoroughly investigated. Ribbons'enthusiasm and lack of finance of his own, got the better of him at Wimbledon which meant he jumped in with partner who anyone being sensible would of sussed out and avoided! Yes I know that many promotors in the past or presently aren't diplomtic but the difference between most of them and Ribbons is they've proven themselvs as promotors by running tracks for many years, something Ribbons has not been capable of! You mention winners but thats the point. Ribbons has been a loser as a promotor becuase he has been uncapble of doing it successfully mainly through not having the money to do it and letting his dreams get the better of him which is why the BSPA won't entertain him now! I'm sure theirs load of speedway enthuiasts who would like to be promotors but can't because they haven'tgot the money to do it properly. Fair play to Ribbons or having a go and helping to restart ye House and wimbledon but utimately he falls into the speeday enthusiast not wealthy enough to do it. We could keep this arguement going forever it seems Rob but I'm only stating facts. I'm sure that Steve Ribbons is a genuine guy with the best intentions at heart, someone you obviously get on with but his record speaks for itself in speedway! Back to Hackney - Good solid signing in Barrie Evans. Lets hope that its supported well enough to open some eyes amongst the Olympic commitee!

The creation of the 3rd Division in 1994 and its continued existance ever since has been one of the best things to happen to British speedway ever and really the sport could of done with it being formed in the late 70's/early 80's! The reasons it has been so beneficial to British speedway are - Many British riders have had their first rides in League speedway in the 3rd Division. It has produced more riders than the old junior Leagues that existed before 1994. Theirs a number of riders who are not good enough for top 2 League speedway but can still produce good entertainment and want to ride. These riders have been able to ride League speedway through the 3rd Division. Old speedway centres that struggled to afford top 2 League speedway like Mildenhall, Rye House, Stoke, Wimbledon, Scunthorpe, Plymouth, Berwick, Arena Essex, Weymouth, St Austell and possibly others I can't think of now were given a route back into speedway through the cheaper 3rd Division. Its likely that most of these tracks would of never reopened without the 3rd Division. As well as old centres, new teams and others that have never staged League speedway like Buxton, Carmarthen, Somerset, Linlithgow, Sittingbourne, IOW, have all started in the 3rd Division. Look at the current PL (+ the EL with Lakeside, formerly Arena Essex who rode in the 1996 3rd Division after leaving the top flight the previos year) and the line ups for the League in previous years and you'll see that many tracks and teams that either started in the 3rd Division or reopened in it. So therefore the continued strength of the PL owes a lot to the 3rd Division! Being local to Mildenhall I know thats its probable the track would of never seen speedway again after shutting midway through the 1992 Division 2 season. Indeed the club made the misjudgement of moving back into the 2nd Division in 2006 and struggled at that level for 3 seasons before having to move down after a disasterous 2008 campaign. Long live the 3rd Division and anyone that think its not worthwhile should look closely at the facts!

As usual a good post Rob! I respect you more than most on here cause you do talk sense on here but we'll have to agree to differ over Mr Steve Ribbons! I too respect Mr Ribbons for his part in opening the door to reopenings at Rye House and Wimbledon but not for the shambolic efforts at Plough Lane that saw the operation temporarily closed mid season and needing taking over by the PLC in order to reopen! And yes I'm well aware of Steve Ribbons' partner at Plough Lane but had Steve had the finances to do the job proporly without needing to lean on that character for financial backing then things may of been different. Apart from the 2002 Wimbledon fiasco, Mr Ribbons very undiplomatic nature and Eutopia like dreams that he couldn't subsidise, means that the BSPA won't take him seriously nowadays even if he has the money to do things more properly nowadays. The recent Mildenhall developments should have been handled better by the BSPA in that they should have made their intentions over Steve Ribbons clear instead of their backdoor methods of trying to stop him being involved, but they were totally justified in not allowing to become the promotor of Mildenhall! Anyway back to the thread, I'm really chuffed that Hackney and Mildenhall are running this season!

I agree that Rob McC normally posts very sensible posts and sounds like he knows his stuff about speedway. This is why I find it so bemusing that he continues to stick up for/heap praise/doesn't see the reality on a failed wannabe dreamer, bodge job promoter whos recently and rightfully had the door shown to him when he attempted to return to the promoting ranks! Great to see Hackney back in speedway albeit as a "cuckoo" at Lakeside and Rye House. Surely there must be some available space/smaller stadium within the Olympic site that could be used for a proper Hackney return at a track of their own after 2012? Hopefully the Olympic committee will be true to their word and make full use of the Olympic site creating a true legacy for North London and England. This would in my eyes have to include a speedway stadium! I remain convinced that London could accomodate two viable speedway tracks and teams if both venues were well run. One in South London, Wimbledon and one in the North, either Hackney or Romford?

Some people although enthusiastic and well meaning, live in cloud cuckoo land and try to do things they are not capable off, enjoying the noteriety at the same time and almost everyone whos came across the person I'm referring to will know what I mean! Shame my honest, truthful post has been deleted! The Rye House revival in 1999 led to the club returning to their spiritual home the next year which made it a very good, worthwhile exercise, but the Hoddesdon, Rye House stadium return probably wouldn't of happened without Len Silvers influence and finance even if he can be a funny old boy! Please Mr McCaffery inform me whats factually wrong about the above paragraph! The reopening of Wimbledon in 2002, although initially a bodge job served a useful purpose in that it opened the door to Plough Lane, which meant that when taken over by capable persons we were able to enjoy 4 seasons of Wimbledon Dons being back in the sport. This would not have happened with the original promtion involved in the Wimbledon 2002 revival! Please Mr McCaffery inform me whats factually wrong about the above Paragraph! The unamed gentlemen I'm referring too deserves credit for helping to start things going at Rye House and Wimbledon but not for what happened after the reopenings. Thats not derogetory one ounce, the truth again! Who or what Iam or is irrelevent because I just speak from experience, using the truth and have never said anything derogstory about anyone on here so just because I don't give out my real name online doesn't make me a bad person or indeed those that do rightous and correct! Your entitled to your own opinions, friends and associates Mr McCaffery but your assessment of a certain character we know I'm talking about is way, way out! Still lets be glad that we have Mildenhall back in speedway!

Great news! Yes Steve Ribbons should be commended for his enthusiasm as you point out Rob but his previous record means that the BSPA won't ever take him seriously anymore and thats whay they are so anti towards him! (see my longer post in the other Mildenhall thread in the NL section to get a better impression of the above mentioned character and his relationship with the speedway authorities!) Word of caution for the new promotion, something I'm sure they've considered? - With the huge shot in the arm that Ipswich speedway have had in dropping down to the better run and more viable PL combined with getting together such a good team, Mildenhall has to be right otherwise people will stay away and get their speedway kick at Ipswich!

I know that many NL riders will pick up tyres that are barely touched after EL and PL riders are permitted to discard them after one meeting! Read Simon Wiggs book and you'll learn that in his last season at Weymouth in the old NL in 1982 he done I think he said 4,5 or even as many as 6 meetings on the same tyre and this was when he was the best rider in that League! A previous poster suggested running a Black League featuring the likes of LYDD and WEYMOUTH! The problem with Weymouth is that agreement and/or even communication can't be reached with the owner of the track, nothing to do with the much maligned BSPA! Lydd is in the middle of nowhere with no facilities. It serves a good purpose as a training track but would not be viable as a League venue unless a lot of money was spent on improving facilities!

Nomadic teams using some other teams tracks is not ideal but in the case of Redcar, Rye House, Scunthorpe and possibly others this method is often a prelude to speedway returning to an area where it was closed down in the past! Lets hope that this Hackney project does well and end up returning to their own stamping ground when after the Olympics have finished!

Yet again a very sad state of affairs as regards to Mildenhall speedway! I can understand the BSPA having reservations about Steve Ribbons because his previous record in speedway promotions is not good and he rubs everyone up the wrong way, hence the very low opinion most have of him, but British speedway would be better with more tracks and that should be the BSPA's main aim, surely? I learnt a few years back that when Steve Ribbons gets involved in anything to do with speedway, normally things at some point will go t its up which is what I thought would happen with his recent interest in Mildenhall, but he has a point this time. Its ridiculous that Mildenhall have to pay a fee to ensure their NL membership when other tracks in the same League don't! Last years unnecessary (unnecessary in that the reasons given for the closure were b oll ocks and things could have been sorted) mid season closure at West Row has had the knock on effect that in future getting speedway re established their will be difficult as its now proving! The head of last years failed promotion, Ray Mascall is nothing to do with this winters attempts to reopen Mildenhall and neither is his righthandman John Adams. Indeed I'm led to believe that when Ray Mascall pulled the plug he lost the £5000 bond he had to put up when opening last season! Mildenhall speedway is viable at 3rd tier level if ran properly. Ray Mascalls fiasco making of last year shouldn't have any bearing on any future attempts to reopen Mildenhall speedway. Likewise if the BSPA don't want Steve Ribbons involved in any speedway promotion, then they should make this very clear to allow a path to be cleared so that Mildenhall could be allowed to reopen. It seems to me that insisting the Ribbons promotion pay a ludicrous membership fee that no other NL team has to pay and that he justifiably refuses too, is just a backdoor way of ensuring Mr Ribbons doesn't achieve his dreams of being a promoter! I've been going to speedway a long time, have stayed loyal to the sport despite losing my team (Norwich Stars) 46 and a bit years ago and having to put up with years of mismanagement and deteriation but this winter I can fully understand why many thousands of people have turned their back on the sport. Speedway can still be a great sport if it was organised better! Like many have said this winter, its about time that an independent governing body is created to oversee speedway with totally the best interests of the sport at heart and has no "my" track motivated ulterior motives that presently occur in the old boys network/masons like organisation that calls itself the BSPA!

Good to see an old name back in the sport! Be even better if the entry of Hackney into the 2011 NL is a prelude to a speedway track track being put in somewhere on the olympic site of which the old Waterden Road site is part of!

Good news! Belle Vue Colts were good additions to the 3rd tier when they ran in 1997! The more teams the better as far as I'm concerned cause that means more riders getting team places!

I get hold of most Norwich City programmes and I have seen the speedway photo that was in Mondays Middlesbrough V Norwich City programme! The 2 Teeside Tigers riders with ex Boro player David Armstrong are current Redcar (only up the road from Middlesbrough FC's Riverside Stadium) promotor Brian Havelock and a very young Mark Courtney! Good luck to Mildenhall speedway in the future whoevers running them!

I disagree Malcolm! The fish and chips at Rye House are superior and better value for money than those served up at West Row although I hope we'll see speedway back at Mildenhall next year as well as a strong and vibrant 3rd tier!

What agueing over who is the most famous team when we are in grave danger of losing Coventry speedway! Lets hope that Coventry are lining up in next years EL, Peterborough in the NL and indeed Mildenhall revival hopes bear frution and Weymouth stave of the threat of shutting down! We can't afford to lose any teams cause I know how painful it is since I lost my team the Famous Norwich Stars in 1964!