bellevueace

If the amount MCC withheld from ISG over the track/stadium defects had been given as compensation to G&M wouldn't that have covered the stated £500,000 the new owners have allegedly cleared? I was under the impression that money from MCC had not been forthcoming hence the formers financial difficulties, or have I got that wrong?

A very positive meeting last night and the new owners have the type of business acumen that really was needed from the very start once the new stadium opened its doors.

What about the winter of discontent between Coventry and Peterborough?

But they don't have level of business experience of these two fred. If G & M did not sign for the stadium as things were not completed to plan considering the cost of the south side terracing, the temp stand, track problems etc. Which could have closed the club one has to ask why they agreed to run. I would have thought without actually signing some sort of acceptance document they couldn't have run? Just assuming as I don't know how these legalities actually work. Just seems odd anyone would take on a venture that was going to land them in so much debt.

The delays in negotiations is probably MCC having to deal with businessmen with real business acumen who certainly will make sure all bases are covered. Cant imagine this pair paying for a stadium that has not been completed to plan.

Also add on the time the ball is out of play ie throw inns, corners, free kicks etc and even with added on time games are well short of said 90 minutes. Only in sports like ice hockey where the clock stops when there are stoppages do you actually get the full game time. Given that the only time you don't get the full quota at speedway is if the meeting is cut short by a curfew or rain.

Look how long it took us to get the project started, the abbey is going to be available until the new stadium is ready so shouldn't impact on the team, and the council in Swindon are also supportive of the robins are,nt they? As we have proven these things move at a snails pace, im sure the new stadium will be delivered albeit behind schedule.

Told us nothing we didn't already know.

Lets hope for more good news that the Bees have been sorted and will be coming to the tapes. Im keeping a couple of holiday days aside for when we visit Brandon, keep positive.

If Coventry do fold with the few teams left and the overall strength of the league really it wont be fit for purpose, what a complete mess this sport is in. Really feel for the Bees fans, if this is the end what a terrible way for one of the sports most famous names to finish on. Simple fact is speedway cant afford to lose Coventry Bees. I wonder if Bomber had an inkling when putting in his transfer request?

I tend to go down with the tent and spend a couple of days, agree with others above, always enjoy the trips, fans are friendly good away trip.

Just ignore the sad knobhead, says everything about a person when they are so desperate for attention.

Ive always enjoyed the SS and have again just renewed my subscription. I find it up to date with current news and in the winter months it features some superb articles from yesteryear. All in all I find it a good read at a reasonable price and always look forward to it popping through the letterbox every Thursday.

Its beyond belief whats happening at Brandon, if Sandhu just wanted to remove his fixtures and fittings that could have been done without all the wilful damage surely? I can only offer best wishes to all at Coventry and hope im attending meetings there again next season. The late great Charles Ochiltree must be turning in his grave, oh for the likes of him to be running the sport nowadays. Speedway in this country is in danger of disappearing as we know it, a pi$$ poor so called premiership, and too much vested interests. Soon the sport wont have any hardcore followers to rely on.

Very true without the fans theres nothing at all in it for the riders.

Pairman is in and out of clubs as often as warren beatty was actresses, if he comes in wonder for how long this time?

Sad news RIP Dave and condolences to the family.

Sad day that Tony Mole leaves the sport, we certainly need the likes of him coming into the sport.

My first meeting was Belle Vue v Coventry in 1968, a 50-28 win if I remember rightly, been supporting the Aces ever since.

Surely it would be better for clubs to have good crowds all season long than just for play off matches of which only 4 benefit? Sky seem to want to manufacture results in speedway to keep the interest until the final heat, that dosent happen in other sports. Yes Rugby league etc have play offs but they also have a league winners shield so as not to demean the whole league season. In the NFL for example you can be league champions but the play off champions hold more kudos. In speedway topping the league means jack. I always say if it isnt broken dont fix it, in the days of 13 heats real second halves etc crowds dwarfed anything seen today, yes times change but looking around the terraces today said changes have not done anything to arrest rapidly falling crowds. I think compensation through the courts will be more beneficial to Belle Vue than their play off gate money tbh, all tracks need these play off crowds on a regular basis as used to be the case. Sadly the sport is now seen as a joke thanks to the array of new rules. The wishes of individuals obviously take second place to the needs of the sport, but those individuals appear to be growing more and more with regards to the rules, alienating those cant really be in the best interests of the sport, we are down to the die hards now and even those are now staring to walk away. Lets see what transpires at the BSPA meeting next month, hopefully for once they might get it right. How complicated does four men turning left for 60 seconds have to be?

In the golden eras of speedway when crowds packed the terracing there was not a play off system in sight. For clubs like Newport for example at the time 40 years ago they were always seen as strugglers, along with other perrenial strugglers they continued to pack the terracing in such numbers that would make todays play off final look paltry, for supporters of these clubs they didnt see matches as dead rubbers just because they had no hope of achieving success, they packed the terraces because they wanted to see good racing immeterial of winning the league. Sadly today we have sky trying everything to manipulate matches to a last heat decider for their tv viewers. In doing so we have the ludicrous situation where sheffield could be crowned league champions after finishing sixth in the league, we have the ludicrous double tactical ride, we have the its a knockout style joker in the wtc, its these silly rules that takes away credibility from the sport, and people wonder why the terraces have emptied. Wolves i think im right in saying have been crowned champions is it two or three times without topping the league table, that most people now only turn out in numbers for the end of season play offs means clubs ride all season to poor attendances where only the four play off clubs actually get any decent crowds at all , and crowds that would have been been seen as very poor years ago with no manipulation of the regular league. Many said regular showing on tv would increase crowds that too has never happened, in fact live sky matches have had the opposite effect. For the majority of teams in the premiership they have no hope of ever winning anything but the fans of those clubs still turn out in large numbers for said dead rubbers every week, perhaps its because they support the game? Only my view mate but im no fan of the play offs, the T/R rule, the joker etc. Perhaps im just a dinosaur

Whilst the crowds no doubt increase for the play offs they go the opposite way for the majority of the season as people know the regular league really is now nothing more than a qualifying process so why bother lets just turn out for the semis and final if we qualify. The crowds need to increase throughout the whole season for clubs to be solvent, not just four creaming it at the end of the season.

One minute people are saying speedway needs investment next minute when that investment is forthcoming as it is with the Faccenas at Glasgow they are trying to buy the title. Unlike football you cant buy the title as no matter how much money you have you still have to build to the same team average as everyone else, not exactly like Man utd fielding Ronaldo, Messi, Aguero, Suarez etc is it? More clubs need promoters like Glasgow that put in investment, upgrade aging stadiums and actually get out and promote putting the club and the sport firmly in the public eye, i say well done to them.

Thats a great result for Sheffield, theres no way i thought 8 points would be enough, full credit to them. With Stead, Garrity, and Berge they really would take some stopping.