Fortythirtyeight

Since the end of the AGM have we actually been told anything ‘ official ‘ from the top table?

I think Mr. ‘ Ringitsneck’ gets his information from his best buddy THJ ! Personally I don’t see how the sport can announce anything until the current Covid situation is under control. No crowd means no speedway , simple fact .

Your point about promoters votes is not true. The mafia re instated the no votes for new promoters for 3 years at the 2018/19 AGM so that’s Berwick, Birmingham, Redcar , Newcastle , and now Poole and probably Plymouth. That’s half the division !

Whilst the National League does have to abide by the BSP Ltd decisions and regulations it does have its own, independent conferences and any decisions it makes have to be ratified by the BSP Ltd. Mr.Pipe answers to them also. As the league is ‘ professional ‘ it has to abide by its governing bodies regulations.

Stock cars have shared many tracks over the years without major issues but a good track curator has been required to keep it right for speedway. Jonny Swales is highly regarded and did very good work at Newcastle considering its limitations . A ‘professional’ gets paid to do a good job or he gets sacked, a volunteer ‘ does a job because he/ she wants too but may not necessarily have the required skills. Brough park track was a challenge for a very good track man let’s hope the volunteers can maintain the standards he set. I believe Redcar had issues when Tony Swales ( Jonnys father and another very experienced track curator ) was moved on as a cost cutting exercise and they then had major issues with the volunteer track men that followed hence the employment of Terry ‘ the track ‘ as he is known. They then had one of the best race tracks in the country, just like Terry’s work at other tracks Coventry, Wolverhampton and Birmingham as well as him being called in to rectify tracks that had issues like Stoke, Somerset and the Isle of Wight. A good track curator is essential if the sport is to survive these days and they are worth their wages, whatever they are.

Or the so called ‘ Premiership’ is full of championship level riders which it’s paying too much.

The last time this subject was discussed at the top table ( 2017 ) six clubs declined to take part in it, don’t think their attitudes will have changed at all.

They certainly won’t t go back to Thursday under the current race night format as they’d lose their heat leaders. Think again Mr.Park.

Same happened to the Middlesbrough Stadium in the 90’s. “ Must be used for sport “ so they built a college on it and added an all weather five a side pitch at the end.

You obviously haven’t been following the speedway forums for very long as EVERYBODY was kicking off about too many riders doubling up, no club identity, no club loyalty, no difference between the divisions and outsiders thinking the sport was a joke . If your happy with doubling, that’s your choice but don’t then try and use the guest rule as an excuse. If there isn’t enough riders to fill teams in the first place then guests are going to be used , and abused , like they have done. Hence the arguments about too many Friday night tracks, lack of available riders! If we haven't got enough riders , don’t have so many teams or even perhaps so many divisions?

Which is exactly what they were trying to avoid by reducing doubling up/ Down! Do you not remember Scott Nicholls threatening court action ? There is supposed to be a deliberate difference in standards between the Premiership and Championship, wether we actually can see it or not.

Not sure where you get your facts from THJ but I can assure you, riders in the Premiership team I assisted at got a sign on fee. I should know , I helped negotiate them and some of the fees paid by certain clubs would blow your mind! Exactly the same when we dropped into the championship just less of a fee.

Clubs are the ‘ sponsor ‘ so they need an employment permit , then the rider needs a visa to work.

Currently Danes don’t need visa’s as part of the EU. and no rule changes in place...as yet!

Something doesn’t add up here. Let Smetana go and sign a much lesser average Brit but then say you've applied for the right to employ foreigners which will take a few weeks ....so why not wait for approval and keep Smetana ? Diamonds were already 2 points under the limit so now it’s 5 points under. Unless the rumour of lowered team points limit is actually true? As the rules haven't changed, as yet, Vissing doesn’t need a visa.

As Glasgow started world war 3 to get Fridays ( “ We are running Fridays or we will sue ) I can’t see them changing now. Godfrey did the same ( “ I’m running Fridays or I close “ ) Redcar probably can’t do regular Sundays because of the closeness of Newcastle and the car park is shared with the other race track ( plus shared staff, crowd etc ). Would make no sense whatsoever to let Somerset run on a Friday. But the mafia will do what suits them and sod the rest, as Workington found out to their cost.

They don’t pay points money or travel in BSPA meetings, it’s a set price for finishing positions.

You have your very biased opinion , I have my open opinion. I DO agree it’s on its arse, but it’s only the true fans keeping some clubs going.

When have I ever stated NL racing is better ? I was making the point that racing can be just as good at an amateur meeting as an Elite meeting, you clearly don't agree , but as some one who attends all levels ( and in different countries ) I’m not snobbish enough to think that a top name produces better RACING . Watch some youth meetings , you will see good RACING. I obviously don’t agree with your statements, as a former Comets fan who attends different tracks I regularly meet many fans from tracks not competing at the venue ( Sheffield fans at Redcar, Berwick fans at Newcastle, Glasgow fans at Edinburgh ) and they are there to see the RACING, not the names and wage packets . without “ True speedway fans “ there’d be very very few clubs left.

Clubs move leagues for business reasons. Somerset, Peterborough, Leicester all found they got the same crowd for Elite as they did for championship matches but the wages were a lot less , and often, the fans preferred the standard of championship RACING. Ive seen fantastic RACES at amateur meetings , just because someone gets paid more doesn’t mean it produces better racing.

So why do neutral fans go to other tracks ? ( Newcastle fans go to Redcar every week for example ) why go to individual meetings ? why go to GP’s? to watch RACING!.

I disagree. Ive seen some excellent NL matches and dire ‘ Elite ‘ league matches, same goes for quite a few G.P.’S even at Cardiff. I’ve also witnessed larger crowds at championship clubs than Belle Vue , Leicester ( elite days ) and P’ Bro so your statement doesn’t hold water.

Somerset signed Jason Doyle , a World Champion, and their crowd went up exactly zero %. True speedway fans go to watch RACING not individuals. You could argue that racing should take place if a lesser rider tries to beat a ‘ star ‘ but the names don’t mean a thing, it’s the quality of the racing that counts. A winning team also helps.

Cleveland Park Stadium was underneath the A19 ‘ flyover ‘ southbound slip road to the A66 East. if you were on the A1 it’s no wonder you didn’t find it. The site is now a college and because of the sport covenant on the original site they also built a 5-a- side Football multi pitch, that’s how councils get around such clauses.

Whilst you two have your disagreements , the current regulations do allow for mixed cubic capacity teams although not in the same races. The current Northern Junior league runs separate classes in the same team and in previous years at amateur level, different classes have competed within the same team, so it is not a new idea, although one I believe should be encouraged to give clubs incentive to find new youngsters to bring into the sport.