RobMcCaffery

Mikael was a lovely guy to work with at Rye House - which was probably the problem. Last I saw of him he was managing Rospiggarna in Sweden.

Very likely to be vetoed by Peterborough if any real plans were to be formed - just 23 miles away.

Many years back the Star ran a series of articles called 'Whisper It" which kicked-off with a detailed analysis of the then England manager's expenses, which I seem to remember wasn't happy reading in some quarters. It was fascinating readung but didn't last long. I take it the Star had its rights read to it. Of course the sport was far more robust back then and could take a few knocks. Biting the hand that feeds would be far more costly now, I expect. Of course those who read The Sunday People thirty years ago will be familiar with the risks of mixing speedway with investigative jiurnalism. You could sum it all up as 'the sport's just too fragile to take it now". I'd still like to know exactly how Whisper It actually met with its demise though.

You can of course have accounts that have yet to be audited and published. Most businesses have internal management accounts prepared monthly that are then adapted to meet the requirements of the Companies Acts, audited and published. The management accounts are usually far more revealing but obviously not for the public to see. (A broke accountant).

Monmore Green?

"Weather chaos to close railways for decades - if only Diana were here"!"

I'm saving up for a ride. Every time I get the cash together they put the fare up...

Certainly not with any I operated - always aimed to get the info out fast, headlines to get the main points out then a longer, in-depth call for those who wanted to stick around for more. . To me it was all about informing the customers. Better to have plenty of repeat short calls than one long call and a customer feeling ripped-off. Needless to say I wasn't that popular with those in charge but what's new there?

I mourn almost all of the lost tracks, especially Hackney, but at the heart of it all one loss for me dwarfs all others. Rayleigh - my first and only true love. Found her and lost her in just three short years.It really wasn't long enough.

Vwod-zee-meerz sven-drovski? Sorry, ....... old habits die hard....

I have such fond memories of watching Joe racing at Czestochowa on Polsat in the nineties. It was like watching PC or Chris Morton on the old Belle Vue. It did make me wonder what a combination of Hyde Road and Joe in his prime would haver been like . Wonderful, I suspect.

I'd say the reference is to the Cearns family who were involved not only with Wimbledon Speedway but also West Ham United, and I presume from the above West Ham Speedway as well. I remember there being a Cearns family factory or warehouse in Carpenters Road on the way from Stratford to Hackney Speedway - don't know if that was also connected.

There's a heck of a lot of difference between correcting appalling mistakes and re-creating the past. Anyway, it's clear that I'm wasting my time here - the sport's doing fine and can carry on blithely as it is.with no need for change, just a bit of tinkering round the edges. Ignore anyone who recommends a tougher course, after all the world's moved on and nobody can achieve anything. The sport's trying to live on gates that would have closed any track in the not too recent past. At what point does anyone accept there's a problem - when the gates hit single figures? I listed ideals earlier that I still believe in. Obviously I'm very much in the minority so it's pointless to try to help. "Mr.Speedway, I have news, you're seriously ill and need to change your lifetstyle" "No, why should I? The world's moved on and I can't do anything about it. I was healthy once, no need to re-create that, it's in the past"

As opposed to the 'ignore the past, just stumble on and hope for the best' "brigade" (a perjorative term typically rolled out to insult those who have differing views) who have brought the sport to its current level of outstanding success and of course see both sides of the story but just conveniently ignore one. I've already stated my position - learn from the past but don't live in it. What I find staggering that those in control of the sport cannot see the appalling mess that they've dragged it into and myopically dismiss anyone who CAN see it as 'living in the past." Right now I see the sport as like a very ill individual who needs to change their lifestyle but refuses to on the basis that health was 'in the past' and nothing can be done to cure themselves - they have to plough on doing the wrong things and hope for the best. Who can argue that the ideals I listed earlier aren't desirable? Well then, why can't we even begin to find a way to find a way back?

Sometimes you need to do the small things well in order to make the big things happen. Well done Tai and good luck on forcing the publicity door open wide next year.

Those who decry learning from the past - where has 'only look forward' thinking got us? It's hardly a healthy situation now. The trick is to learn from the past, try to re-create what was successful but not to live in it. Here's a few things from the past that I miss and would love to see a modern version of: Larger crowds More tracks Promotions making money Better (no, not perfect, it never was) racing - with riders going for the outside sweep having a fair chance Weekly speedway Close-fought test matches Appreciation of speedway for the racing and entertainment rather than just the winning Affordable speedway. Yes, the past is irrelevant isn't it. How can we possibly learn from times when the sport was successful?

Now, where have I seen that avatar before?

In over forty years of watching Speedway no rider has ever entertained me more with his remarkable ability on the bike than Peter Collins. A gentleman on and off track, a superb ambassador for the sport, recipient of the prestigious Segrave Trophy, honoured by the Queen and a thoroughly-deserved World Champion cruelly denied a realistic chance of defending his title by the crassness of a badly-placed drain cover at the old Belle Vue that shattered his leg. The man gave me more pleasure and excitement than almost any other sportsman I have been lucky enough to watch. He is simply the most entertaining Speedway racer I have ever seen and if I could I would personally pay for him to watch any meeting he desires. I'm sure I'm not alone. Stupid, stupid comments from someone who clearly knows a lot less about our sport than he thinks.

Far too many words for that bastion of the printed word 'The South London Press'.

Isn't doubling-up/down going a bit far when it extends to Poole loaning-out their village idiot?

Welcome home Panthers. Delighted you race on.

In my limited experience of speedway politics it's a case less of 'conspiracy', and more like 'cock-up'. Things happen sometimes not due to some sinister plan, but.....just happen.

I hear the Isle of Wight needs help....

I do hope they paid the royalties for the music. It's easy to put music in videos, not always so easy to pay for it.

Now THAT's marketing! Superb work.