East End Fan

Interesting comments about the referee. The problem that we have is that such referees greatly influence final results, and that is not what they are there to do. No answer to that, sadly. Meanwhile the disastrous weather continues to stop proceedings. Has to be the worst early season on record.

All sounds very confusing....but in any case there seems to have been a bigger number of falls than should ever be the case. Clearly affected the result. Was there something wrong with the track ? Looking at the race card ( I was not there), a big difference after heat 11 so it looks as if something changed. Someone suggested that there was a trainee referee. Is that a fact ?

Saw the heat results at Brum and it looks like the Kings went to pieces after heat 11 with lots of falls. Also noted that Flint had 7 rides with Butcher only one. Can anyone tell me what happened who was actually there ? No surprises for me that the Kings reserves had low scores.

I had a promoter as a personal friend many years ago ( sadly long since passed away). His definition of success for a Speedway promoter was to put enough bums on seats to be profitable. Think about it and all other "successes" must be secondary to that basic requirement.

Went to Brum to see the Under 21's. Very impressed with Jack Thomas. If he rides like that all season then Kent will be winning a few things.

I agree, the track early doors seemed difficult to ride, but the better riders seemed to handle it OK. Racing improved as the track got slicker. Very impressed with Jack Thomas.

As it's a lovely day, I'm going with a friend to Perry Barr this evening. It will be a chance, I expect to show our respect for the greatest rider of all time, Ivan Mauger who has just passed away. He was the man we all loved to hate, but deep down we had the utmost admiration for his achievements.

Many years ago, in what might be called the "Good Old Days" of Speedway in the 70's, one of my best friends was a promoter and with that association, I learned about a lot of the problems that he faced. One of them was wet and rainy days. What he told me was that in spite of, maybe, working hard to get the meeting on, far too few people attended anyway, so money was lost in spite of all the effort. So he changed his whole attitude to such situations and called a meeting off when the weather looked "Iffy". He still got criticised, but at least kept his bank balance intact.

I agree with the comments about heat 8. Quite clearly the ref' got it wrong...sadly as they so often do. But this was a good performance by our team and looks good for the season. Just hope we steer clear of injuries. I think Bowtell will prove to be an ace in the hole and I have high hopes for this young man who I first saw in a training school at Rye House. Was impressed then, and nothing has changed.

I was interested to see that Stoneman top scored at Plymouth last Friday. To me, he was a doubtful signing considering his serious injury last season, so, well done to him. Makes the Challenges with Brum' more than interesting....still think the Midlanders will edge it.

uk_martin must have a very unhappy life, finding fault in everything he sees. Any of us have every right to criticise anything about our sport and the actions of those in charge of it....BUT, such criticisms must be fair and not just for the sake of criticising. I had a whinge this year over the silly 39 point limit that it seems was wished onto the N.L. promoters by the BSPA. I could not, and do not, understand the motives behind that move unless members of the senior leagues do not wish to see the standards go up in the 3rd league. Personally I would love to see all NL teams using riders up to the required skill level instead of, as now, a number of riders in teams clearly not up to it. THAT was my personal whinge, but uk_martin whinges about changed fixtures caused by appalling weather....utterly ridiculous.

Well, UK_Martin, With so many fixtures lost to the rain, including important stuff like the Under 21's, what would you have the promoters do ? No one can control the weather, so to make that a reason to criticise promoters is utterly ridiculous. All the promoters can do is to give out the changed information as early as they can to give as many people as possible time to change their arrangements. I think most of them actually try do that. I attend Lakeside, Sittingbourne and Eastbourne on a fairly regular basis, but not every week. I have never attended any one of those tracks and been sent home without seeing a meeting because of an incorrect early decision regarding rain. I don't know what else anyone could do.

I think the re-run date at Birmingham is 25th April with Kent's opening fixture now Birmingham on 30th. Both fixtures look to be interesting. I think The Big B's will have it at both venues largely because of the inexperience of Kent's tail-enders. It was their undoing at Plymouth, I think. Cupitt holds the key for Brum's success IMO.

I really wonder at the common sense existing in some of the brains of contributors to this column. The Under 21 FINAL had to be on a Tuesday and it seems that David Mason was not aware that he could run on that day and, quite rightly informed the BSPA who, naturally had to find another venue ( Now Berwick...not a great choice IMO, but they may have had no reasonable alternatives). THEN the semi-final at Newcastle was rained off and, once again the BSPA had to find an alternative....and very quickly...Birmingham, it seems , applied and were successful. So tell me, all you Clever Dicks, what is to be criticised in that ?

I understand the views about the vulnerability of the new young riders, but it is my opinion that most of the fault lies with the BSPA who this year ( and probably in the past too) engineered a silly low team building average making it certain that some teams would have to employ young riders who are not ready. Not all promoters discard riders easily. But they are few and far between.. If this year the points average would have been a healthy 42.5 then all the capable riders now without team places would have a job while some of the no hopers at 6 & 7 would still be attending training schools where they belong.

This must be one of the worst Easter periods for rain in many years. Glad I'm not a Speedway promoter. Must be a nightmare to deal with so many rain-offs.

As it was a dry day, I took the trip down the M2 to Iwade on Sunday to see the Kent team practice. Have to say, I was highly impressed with all of them. Rowe looked very fast and Stoneman looked none the worse for his injury. Of the tail enders I was most impressed with Clouting. Neat and smooth. Got faster as the day wore on. Think they've unearthed a talent there.

If I were a Kings fan ( and I suppose I am a little that way inclined in spite of my "home" team being Lakeside) I would be pleased for Jack personally BUT a bit concerned about the heavy travelling with a home track in Scotland ( as far North as you can get !) plus all the other far Northern tracks he will have to visit alongside his Kent fixtures.COULD go either way IMO but HOPE it's all good.

Glasgow can count themselves lucky to have lifted Jack Thomas. I watched him many times last year and saw the improvement week by week I think he changed his engines in mid-season and that seemed to spark him off. Would have liked the Hammers to have signed him. Much less travel for such a young man and this aspect of the move MAY prove to be unhelpful.

Many thanks for the explanations from regular Kent fans. I suppose that the restrictions from Town Planning make Iwade a useful addition to the Kent scene. Might try to drive down the M2 on Sunday and have a look.

Had a phone call this morning ( Monday) to tell me that Kent's official practice day will be at Iwade on Sunday. Why are they not using their home track in Sittingbourne ? Seems very strange to me. I'm also told that the SDL team from Kent will race their home matches at Iwade. Is that true ? Why not at their own stadium ?

Since there is a chronic shortage of capable riders in UK ( and in fact World-wide), we should not try to stop ANY rider who has a legitimate British Passport from riding in the "Training area" of the National League. If he has lived in this country for many years, and has no intention of returning to Poland, we should regard him as British. That is the law of the land. I do not see a problem. Good Luck to Birmingham if they sign him.

Not over enthusiastic about this meeting which appears to have been hung together without too much thought. Would have expected better from JOn Cook. If it's a bit chilly, my old bones will stay at home.

Thanks for that info., Teaboy279. Must say that it seems to make sense for a club to stay where they are if they are making money.. I happen to like the National League although I am aware that it is not everyone's cup of tea (no pun intended 279). I visit both Kent and Eastbourne several times in a season and enjoy both places. I can sit in a decent grandstand with an excellent view at both. At my time of life, that is important. Standing on banking or terraces does not appeal. Must say that at both tracks, sitting among local supporters, I have never heard of any discontent at the level of racing. So I say "Good Luck" to both clubs for running at a profitable level.

Can't speak for Continental clubs, but in UK, while there have been a number of girls that people suggested might come good, none of them ever did ( so far). So I still think that giving a girl rider a contract of any sort is largely for publicity