TotallyHonestJohn

Been busy over the weekend and today but once I am back in the office I will share what I can and hopefully we can pull this round and maybe even move things forward... It's not all doom and gloom Regards THJ

If Newcasle fold whats the problem with moving Birminghan into the North group and promoting Plymouth into the South region... back to the same amount... Regards THJ

As the person who created, developed and proposed the 2014 regional format and presented the proposal to the BSPA along with Daryl Illingworth including the 2 point reserve and the 6 man team format your recollection is a tad off... Everything we proposed back in 2014 is being drip fed through in various watered down formats... as someone said earlier the changes in the sport happen at a painfully slow rate... If they had bit the bullet in 2014 and run with the whole proposal Newcastle may not be in this predicament now and Worky may still be here... The whole proposal was to try and deliver financial savings to clubs first and foremost and still offer competitive racing and a competitive structure that kept the interest going for the fans as long as possible into the season The Peterborough promotion were one of the biggest detractors and the promoter even stated at the Kings Lynn trialt that he was going to "find it hard to fiddle".... great role model eh... But never mind it's all water under the bridge and I honestly hope that the new format works and more importantly the fans like it... Regards THJ Just had a PM off Neil and we are talking at cross purposes here and it looks like I picked up the wrong end of his thread... but we are still singing from the same hymn book fortunately... lol... my bad...

Sorry but you have the 2014 version completly wrong their was definitelty no lottery element and if that was your perception of the proposal maybe that's why it didn't go through... but never mind we now have regionalisatation in the form of the new 2020 format lets see how it goes and whether the fans like it or not... Regards THJ

Honestly I don't think so... this Scunny team will take some beating at home first off, they will pick up the odd spare point away from home and if the play offs include the top six teams rather than the top 4 then this strength in depth Scunny team will do well IMHO... Could be a surprise package... Deffo top six for me with a chance of a top 4 slot... Regards THJ

Hey man I wish you would stop talking sense... if you keep coming up with these good ideas you might find yourself in a job with the BSPA... Honestly... it makes perfect sense to me and well said... Think we have said it before; the fans can see what is wrong and you have explained why the blinkered BSPA wont do anything about it... think you have hit the nail on the head and come up with a very well thought out solution which I would love to see happen... But I wont hold my breath... well said buddy Regards THJ

We knew TJ was going to Scunny before the end of the season just gone... Rob G announced his team straight from the off... Regards THJ

Rent and running costs at Newcastle are high to start with so you start on the back foot.... the National League needs to be what it was supposed to be 10 quid a point 10 pence a mile training ground for new riders... you have riders in all three leagues currently which in my personal opinion is wrong... in the league we are in do we really want to see Danny Phillips ride against Cookie... not for me thanks... as S4S states above adhere to fair play rules and financial fair play rules as well but it won't happen because the governing body are weak and self serving... it was mentioned about taking Newcastle into the NL but could that be sustained by the current waning crowd levels and you still need 160 punters through the door at ten quid just to pay the rent (actually nearer 200 when you add in the VAT)... Also I remember some of the Gems meetings which were like the Somme battle field with bodies lying all over the track ambulances running round like a circular bus route (No 19 springs to mind) and meetings taking hours to complete... Brough has never been a sympathetic track to the novice rider... Also I'm hearing Danny Phillips has signed for Redcar and if true I think that's the writing on the wall... Good night Vienna... I do so hope I am wrong... Regards THJ

Well a new friend said "that the best way to make a small fortune out of speedway is to start with a large one" and I fully agree with him following the experience I have had with my involvement in Speedway... but if you think about it and it isn't rocket science you can work it out on the back of a fag packet... (or Vape Box now just to be PC) (not that we do either Gav) Think of the one off costs to consider at the start of the season such as Licence & Track Licence; Bond Increase; Pre-Season Track Work (track work / materials / boards / paint); Accountancy fees ; BSPA Office Costs; Public Liability Insurance; Air Fence Repairs... Then the Meeting costs such as RENT; MILEAGE; SUNDRIES (Oil Tyres Green Regs Compliance) TRACK STAFF: MEDICAL COVER: REFEREE ; SECURITY; These are all to be paid for just to get the meeting on. Then you have the rider's wages on top. So; get this; and I can show the workings out, just to get a meeting on at Newcastle I reckon it costs 30 quid short of £4000:00 before you pay the riders a penny. All those costs spread out over an 18 meeting season is £4k per match... Now stick with me and still on the back of the same fag packet; if you pay your riders a modest average of £60 per point across the team and you average 51 points per meeting home and away including bonus points that's £3,060 in wages but what you also have to remember is you have to pay for your teams away points as well out of your home gate so that's £6,120 added to your £4k so your home gate needs to be approximately 625 fans paying £16 quid; how many do Newcastle get now? Now all of the above is savagely basic but it gives an idea what the club are up against and if the club were successful the wages figures obviously rise without enough coming through the gate to cover the cost.. The more I look at it the more I despair... Regards THJ Oh and don't forget that "Dammed VAT" (Boris/Corbyn need their slice)

Yep... So track staff; medical cover; referee and security (Mandy) and don't forget 14 tyres... oh and VAT where applicable to be added on at 20% (some of which can be off set but not a great deal)... that does not include any reserve fund for air fence repairs or replacement... the cost of a meeting at Newcastle is horrendous; and remember in the positive column on the spreadsheet the profit from Beer; Food and sundry sales is severely restricted (or non existent) due to the landlord providing these services... Regards THJ

No he's two million miles away... av offered twice and been knocked back... sorry to say there wont be a third time... It's to late... where's the riders... where's Dandelion when you need her... there ain't any one left of note to build a team around... a said a few weeks back that a was worried... even more so now... Pull the accounts for Newspeed off the Companies House web site and if anyone can square the circle send me a PM and I will stick some cash in... or at least more than I have over the last nine years... Here's a plea 10 companies or individuals set up a trust stick 5 grand each in each and pledge to do it for the next 3 years and that will potentially keep the place afloat... do that and I am in but you need to be aware that this will basically only cover the stadium rent of around 1600 quid which I believe is the second highest in the country and the medical cover of around a grand for an 18 home meetings season... Or find one person or company to stick in 50k but who would do that without wanting some control... Never say never but I honestly think we are at the nearly stage and here's another one... if as rumoured George walks will all his pals walk with him... from turnstile operators to track staff... that leaves one hell of a gap at the club... I'm putting wads of cash on that Euro and if I cop the lot it will be no problem but my company isn't big enough to back a Speedway team... oh but I wish it was... I am prepared to help but can't do it on my own unfortunately... Over to anyone else out there... (if it helps there is one other chap I have spoken to who is a genuine guy and two other possibilities) (So six more required) Regards THJ

You're okay... like any good soap opera it's come to an abrupt end and is now being continued where it should have been done in the first place by PM... Regards THJ

She got cancer and died a few year back now... but never mind eh... oh and what a told ya in that PM it will happen... You have my word in that... Regards THJ

Blah blah blah blah same old pony... Ya didn't do the first request whey ya were told to find a ditch... Love ya xxx Regards THJ

Aye the professional "Town Cryer" you and Tom Pepper or it could be Walter Mutter am not sure and your memory has become befuddled in the mists of time... was 81 not half a season and poor old Ron got stiffed running out of cash... but tthat wasn't until your old man blew his brains out for a season in the hot seat... please do a Boris and find a ditch.... Oh and don't let the truth get in the way of you pathetic ramblings... Regards THJ

No Singy you are right Jenga is laal Eddy from Lowca's laal lad.... and that's the main reason why he is so bitter and twisted... because daddy blew his inheritance on the worst team ever fielded by Workington Speedway (1980)... Jenga couldn't stand any one else making a success of it and why he vented his relentless vitriol at the Denham and Morgan promotions... (and every other teams promotions; riders and fans when he couldn't get a bite on this or the unofficial forum from the home side lot) It was boiling his bladder to see other Cumbrians make a success of the spot when his old man spent all his brass on a complete failure... Now you know why he does what he does and goes on the way he does.... should have had therapy years ago instead of showing his ignorance on here... one very sad pathetic laal man... Regards THJ

Phil ya not the only one whose mad and you are spot on... can I just correct you as it's not a Scunny thing it's a Rob Godfrey thing with Knob Head (jenga)... he has a fundamental hatred of any one in positions of responsibility who are making a sucess of things especially in Speedway... this has been picked up from previuos posts he has made as to how badly his famliy were treat when promoting at Worky by every one including the BSPA... his old man will be spinning in his box seeing how his clown of a son is going on... On blocking... that's not my thing as I will defend what I perceive to be wrong or untrue... unfortunately I'm not that narrow minded.... and on the detrimental post with regards to Rob G and to a lesser extent Scunny his posts are absolute tripe and I can confirm the committmet of Rob G to the sport... Regards THJ Spot on... and if the clown hadn't got the Comets unofficial forum shut down he would have had somewhere to post ad nauseam.... the bloke is an absolute tool... Regards THJ

This isn't the place for it and as a man who had a detrimental impact on the club and did all he could in the past to destroy what was being done it's ironic (Or moronic) to now try and make out that you are agreived or upset at its loss.... Either pull the thread or dont post because no one believes your crocodile tears or manufactured grief at the loss of Speedway in the town... Your family couldn't do it and it is evident that you didn't want anyone else to do it.... You need to do a Boris and go lie in a ditch... Regards THJ

You have no idea and I am not inclined to explain it to you... no one lost thousands in LJM the only person who lost thousands was LJM... just crawl back under your rock you clown... Regards THJ

Now what was one of your favourite bitches in previous times about Gloaters and I'll wishers... ya need to find some humility and compassion Jockanory... for there but for a deep pair of pockets goes thou... Regards THJ

Aye proper laugh.... in fact these underpants might never dry... Regards THJ

PMSL Av been called many things in my time but never "narrow minded" cheers for that... Regards THJ

I read it when I wrote it and I have read it again and I am certainly not seeing Red!!! are you like? Are you the Geordie Jenga? (Genuine Question) You keep flogging this "dead horse" Neil and I am not sure what your point is? don't beat about the bush buddy get it off ya chest... just tell it straight Neil, that's the best way... and rest assured no need to hope about offending as I'm certainly not over sensitive However just to help please read the following theory without seeing Red before the end it might just help? that is if your not over sensitive that is? THE "DEAD HORSE" THEORY The tribal wisdom of the Dakota Indians passed on from generation to generation; says that; "When you discover that you are riding a dead horse, the best strategy is to dismount" However in modern business, education, government and now the BSPA Forum a whole range of more advanced strategies are often employed' such as: 1. Buying a stronger whip 2. Changing riders 3. Threatening the horse with termination 4. Appointing a committee to study the horse 5. Arranging to visit other countries to see how others ride dead horses 6. Lowering the standards so that dead horses can be included 7. Re-classifying the dead horse as "Living Impaired" 8. Hiring outside contractors to ride the dead horse 9. Harnessing several dead horses together to increase the speed. 10. Providing additional funding and/or training to increase the dead horses performance. 11. Doing a productivity study to see if lighter rides would improve the dead horses performance 12. Declaring that as the dead horse does not have to be fed, it is less costly, carries lower overhead, and then contributes substantially more to the bottom line of the economy than do some other horses. 13. Re-writing the expected performance requirements for all horses. 14. Promoting the dead horse to a supervisory position of hiring another horse Lets hope you keep on "Sheeting" buddy and its not always the "Bull" type... But at the end of the day you can take a horse to water but you certainly cant make it drink!!! especially if its a "Dead" one? Regards THJ

Aye true but by trying to explain or defend the indefensible gets you a free ticket into the club. Always keep a hold of yourself.... try and retain your sanity and at the end of the day it costs nowt to be nice and if you cant be nice maybe don't say anything at all... and if you do at least don't hang on to the venom because you end up poisoning yourself which ain't good. Like the Hedgehog said climbing off the scrubbing brush "anyone can make a mistake"... move on nowt to see here... Regards THJ

I was standing less than a foot away and you seem to have selective memory loss... I know what was said and the pathetic way you went on so you can say what you want I know what really happened even down to the snide laal comment you popped in to ya buddy when you headed into the ground... what Steve W didn't hear... but I did Biffa I heard... you're a gutless gutter snipe... and there was no deal it was take it or leave it and be sued... Clown... By the way I was being polite go forth and multiply is a euphemism for what he actually said... Regards THJ