21st century heathen

On Radio WMs' speedway forum last night Nigel Pearson revealed that Bournemouth will not run next season but that Mildenhall are expected to return.

The crowds at Monmore were significantly bigger but by what I'm led to believe NL crowds are generally like I would say Perry Barr was good too. The distance from Dudley Wood Road to each track is near as makes no difference the same, but many Heathens' fans have expressed a preference to Monmore. That's mostly from the point of view of spectator viewing and the quality of racing. Personally I think that PB can provide just as good racing at it's best but is less consistently good, and if you get up on one of the metal stands the view is fine. At the end of the day it has to be commercially viable and who can blame them if they look to maximise their profits?! It's a shame if racing at PB, and only a couple of times, is a one season wonder but hey-ho. My personal thanks to all at B'ham for allowing a Heathens team to play in your sand pit for a season.

The BSPA only allow 'x' number of winter meetings. Can't remember the exact rule and not got time to look for it just at the moment.

So as I said at the time could they not borrow a bike just to put on a show for the fans in the last couple of meetings?! (or had they shipped their gloves and goggles as well ) But yes, we can agree to disagree mate.

Congrats to Buxton. There's no doubt the Buxton lads were the form riders at the right time, so everything else aside they did the business on track. Just for the record - I have no gripe with the Heathens not being handed the title of League Champions (as some suggested) because we were soundly beaten in the semi-final. But I do feel for all conected with Newport for not having a fair crack at it in the end. It's a real shame because until the last month (ish) the NL has been a massive success this season, except the sad loss of Mildenhall of course.

Sorry mate, I don't like it. The bottom line is that they chose not to ride and send their bikes home. Was not Cradley's most important meetings of the season (the DWT) just a challenge at the end of the day? I would love to have heard your opinion of the some of the former Heathens riders if they decided not to ride in it, or if Hamill and Hancock had sent their bikes home and not ridden in the last meeting of the season at Dudley Wood. You have a point but it's the rules, yet again, that are wrong. The same rules applies. You can have a facility if a rider is absent for any reason. I don't have a problem with clubs exploiting the rules, that's just good management, but it should never be allowed to happen. Much the same as clubs being given a facility for Aussies sending their bikes home early, my own club included. If Jake and/or Micky sign for the Heathens again next year I'll back them, but it doesn't mean I won't speak out on what I see as negatives as much as I will when they ride well and deserve praise.

Welcome to the sport and the forum. *locked due to duplication of topic*

I think this has run its course now. *locked*

And that's precisely the attitude that annoys (polite word) the fans so much. Some riders think they can just pick and choose which meetings to ride in. If the pair had been prepared to ride in the POs then why not our last two meetings against Stoke? They're both still in the country (or were then) but decided they couldn't be bothered to ride in a challenge when the fans have their last chance to see the riders in action and thank them for their efforts all season. Quite how you can describe this attitude as professional is beyond me. Perhaps one or two of our Heathens legends should have a word and explain what professionalism is and what it means to wear the Heathens' race jacket.

Have a read of the thread dedicated to facilities for Aussies leaving early. In the NL the rules allow a facility if riders are missing for any reason. Something that desperately needs to be amended this winter to prevent this kind of thing happening again.

Congratualtions Smarty. Great way to end a great season on a personal level.

Farcical way to end the season. But well done to the lads for scoring the points on track. Can't blame them for the situation.

But we're moral victors as we topped the league.

I wondered just how close that downpour on the 3pm radar image was. Is there a plan B?

PL average 4 or higher cannot double down to the NL. Off the top of my head the NL will lose Cook, Smart and N Morris next season due to this rule.

I have no problem with that type of thing Jayne as they're genuine reasons. What I don't like is the rules specifically stating for any reason as it's far too ambiguous and open to exploitation. It has allowed the like of Dyer and Anderson to pack up before the end of the season, even though they're still in the country. Surely that can't be right? The Stoke meetings for the Heathens would have been a joke. Due respect to the riders that were going to ride but it was not as advertised. We were told it would be 'Heathens v Stoke'. It turned into 'those that were fit and could be bothered to turn out for the Heathens v a NL select'.

With regard to what the Heathens fans were told about Dyer and Anderson: HEATHENS V STOKE SPITFIRES - TUESDAY, PREVIEW MONDAY 18 OCTOBER 2010 HUGELY popular Dudley Heathens Speedway duo Tom Perry and Micky Dyer will mix with the fans at Tuesday's Staffordshire Cup tie with Stoke at Wolverhampton's Monmore Green Stadium (7.30). The pair have been ruled out of the meeting but both will be in the pits to help their colleagues in the first leg tie with the return at Loomer Road on Saturday. There was no mention of why Dyer wouldn't ride at this point. Perry had been injured so an injury for Dyer was the most logical conclusion. Then this appeared a couple of days later. STOKE V HEATHENS - PREVIEW FRIDAY 22 OCTOBER 2010 DUDLEY have named their side for the one-off Staffordshire Cup tie at Stoke on Saturday (7.30). The former Cradley club are without Tom Perry due to a fractured wrist, Ashley Morris is riding for his Premier League club Edinburgh and Aussie duo Jake Anderson and Micky Dyer have sent their equipment home for the winter. The implication of these meeting previews is that Anderson would have ridden in the home leg on the Tuesday but not the away leg on the Saturday. I don't know anything about arranging shipping but I suspect it would not have been possible for the lads to make short notice arrangements after the rained off Tuesday meeting in Anderson's case or perhaps after the Sunday 17th meeting at Buxton in Dyer's case (as it was made clear he wasn't riding in either meeting v Stoke). If that's right then both must have made prior arrangements and would have been missing for the last two weeks of the season regardless of what fixtures were remaining for the Heathens. I believe Dyer goes home on Monday chopper.

The thread is not really about the reasons why the Aussies are not riding the last couple of weeks of the season but about the rules that allow teams to have a facility for them. The rules allow it but that's not right, surely? And just for the record I am pro-Commonwealth riders in the NL so please don't let this descend in to more accusations of anti-Aussie attitude by Brits.

Hang on mate. Yes, I mentioned Buxton and Morris but I also mentioned my displeasure at the situation with two riders at my own club. With Morris having grown up a Heathens fan through his father, who is a member on the Cradley Forum - and people on it have obviously kept on a keen eye on Morris, they were obvious examples that jumped to mind. I know it's almost Halloween but there was nothing sinister about it. I'm not sure if you're agreeing with Jayne there or not Neil. The rules are not consistent as you suggest but Jayne is suggesting that it is the same. Surely the difference is that in the EL/PL a rider withholding his services will get banned and the club gets a facility for 28 days, giving time to make alternative arrangements for the rider that has gone AWOL. But in the NL the rules allow a rider a to go missing without giving a reason and then simply come back. It also allows a club to leave a rider out for no reason, get a facility and then bring the rider back in. That's useful if you've got a rider that is crap at 'x' and doesn't fancy it 'this' week!!! In theory, but there's always the possibility that certain individuals could have negotiated a different deal.

The rule book actually reads as follows: 18.1.2 To complete Team Line-Ups in the event of an Absent Rider(s), a Team may utilise a "Facility" to cover the absence of a Rider(s) who: A is on FIM World Speedway Championship duty. B is engaged elsewhere at a BSPA shared or fee Meeting. C is recalled by a Rider’s Federation (with prior notification) for compulsory International or National Championship duty. D has been injured whilst speedway racing, Within 48 hours of the injury occurring, if no evidence is available, a Medical Certificate must be sent to the SCB; failure to do so will result in the mandatory suspension of the Rider’s SCB Registration for the next home fixture. NB. The BSPA MC cannot overrule the suspension. E is sick or carrying a non-speedway injury for which a Medical Certificate must be supplied to the SCB within 48 hours of the sickness / injury occurring in which case the Rider may only return within 7 days (including his Team’s next home Meeting) with the express permission of the MC. However failure to provide a Certificate will nevertheless result in the mandatory suspension of the Rider’s SCB Registration for the next home fixture. NB. The BSPA MC cannot overrule the suspension. F has been suspended by the FIM, ACU or SCB. G is in dispute with his Club, provided that the circumstances have been accepted by the MC, who will determine the Facility and period of the Rider’s inactivity. H is engaged in an FIM Longtrack Championship Meeting (for the day of the Meeting only - no facility is permitted for practice day). I being a PL Rider whose own Federation does not have a current Agreement with the BSPA and is competing in another National League or Open Meeting. This will result in the Competitor’s SCB Registration being suspended for 1 (one) season and the Team will be automatically granted be a facility for a maximum period of 28 days, after which it must re-declare. J is awaiting clearance from the SCB Medical Advisor K in the NL only, is absence for any reason So it's perfectly legal for, for example, Buxton to have a facility for Morris and for the Heathens to have been given a facility for Dyer and Anderson for the Stoke meetings. But no I don't think it's right that riders can just disappear when it suits them. And I was displeased with our duo not bothering to ride our last two fixtures (although rained off in the end) because they'd crated their equipment before the end of the season.

Another ex-Wolf!!

That one's too late, but thanks. Cheers. Thanks too to the organisers as this is perfectly timed for me. I've been keeping an eye on that names confirmed and it's looking good. Shame Sam Masters pulled out.

Apologies first because this is going to be negative. This is nothing like what we were initially led to believe, with Stoke just naming a NL select side. There's nothing that can be done about Perry picking up an injury last weekend (ATB 'Fred') but Dyer pulling out last minute was a shock to the fans too. And now there are three guests included in the Heathens line-up as well as having to draft in our number 8. And if you count Evans as an injury replacement, which he is, there are only two season-long Heathens riders in the meeting and not a single Stoke rider (unless you want to technically count Smart twice). Andersen and Dyer have apparently sent their equipment home. Good job we didn't qualify for the KOC or PO final then!! I'm sorry but I just don't buy it. We were knocked out on Sunday afternoon and Dyer had all his equipment in a crate and Australia-bound the next day so couldn't ride on Tuesday? Even if it's true could they not borrow a bike and put on a show for the Heathens fans that have backed them this season? But to end on a couple of positives it's good to see Jack will be back on a bike this weekend. It's been a terrific season for the Heathens and despite my moaning above it important to stress that. Many thanks to everyone that has been a part of it and particularly those that made it happen.

In that case you can FedEx the trophy to Fred now and save him the 18,000 mile round trip to pick it up. -------------------------- On my previous post re: the threads. I was serious. It's a pain in the ass, and against forum policy actually, to have more than one thread per meeting. Nobody will know where to look for the latest news.

Looking at the fixtures for the last few days of the season everyone at BSPA Towers must be praying for a dry end to the month. They haven't left themselves much/any wriggle room if there's any wet weather 28th(ish)-31st.