RobMcCaffery

Yes, it's quite agonising. I think at least we'll get Rye House back. All in good time. A case of literally waiting for the dust to settle, I suspect.

Best to walk away from them Chris. You made a genuine mistake while trying to help them. Clearly best not to try. Plenty of other places to talk here.

Now, what do we reckon on the Kings' chances in the CL?

It's possible for video to run at a different speed to 'real time' so, yes, it is possible for minor changes in recording or playback speed to significantly change the apparent duration of a race. The other things that influence variations in timings are human reaction time, and even policy on when to start or stop the watch. I was taught to start as the first rider moved after the tapes rose, not as the tapes began to rise, and to stop it as the front wheel spindle crosses the line. We're talking fractions of a second but with the sport foolishly using timings taken to the nearest 100th of a second it is significant. Even taking times to a tenth of a second on manual timing is questionable given human reaction times and indeed even how responsive to the start/stop button a watch is. Having done the job myself there's a very good reason why I don't bother with race times when completing my programme ;-) Transponders are the way forward, but even then technology can cause problems. I was announcing at a then rare evening meeting at Eastbourne. They used a photo electric cell for timing. As soon as the last rider entered the final lap you had to remember to switch it on, then the first rider to hit the line would stop the clock. The track record went about four times in the first half a dozen heats. Charlie Dugard used to keep a close eye on stand-in announcers for good reason and would sit with me in the box just to make sure I could keep he standard up. After the track record had gone yet again he told me to 'adjust' the remaining times. "We don't want them injuring themselves going for the track record". I still wonder if it was down to the track being different at night or I wasn't operating the equipment properly. It was probably the latter.

Peterborough in the north? Must be a bad print run of atlases out there.

No problem, like you I'm just a supporter who loves the sport. Thankfully I got the chance to do more. I look forward to seeing Brandon restored to its proper purpose. My contribution to the sport is tiny compared to most but unlike most I'm prepared to talk about it openly here in the hope it may help people to understand what goes on, or like me learn from my experiences. Every closed track is the death of a friend. Yes, even Crayford......

Thanks for the reassurance. I hope you achieve your target. Don't be deterred by this set-back. The BSPA may be testing your commitment. Sometimes there are good reasons for otherwise annoying or baffling decisions, especially in speedway. It's interesting how few people remember our efforts of 1999. You do get the feeling it's been rather airbrushed out of speedway history. We put a few noses out of joint but we started another two decades of racing at Rye House.

Just as a P.S., to illustrate the sport's attitude sometimes. In 1999 the Rockets started the season at Eastbourne then moved full-time to Mildenhall. For the match with the Fen Tigers we had to use King's Lynn. One prominent speedway administrator told us "You'll be selling lucky heather and clothes pegs like the gypsies next". Classy.

I'm sorry you are upset but there was one case that I encountered that fully supports that comment. It was an attempt to cash in on what we were achieving with the Rye House nomadic revival. It did not last long, despite some fancy words. Sadly I cannot go further. Speedway has its dodgier moments ;-) The speedway scene in 1999 was rather different to now. We took no gate money from the meetings at Mildenhall. All we earned were club memberships, programme sales and sponsorship. I know that at one point I was informed we had raised enough of the latter to run the whole season with NO gate receipts. You could still make money out of speedway, one way or another twenty years ago. I said there was a fine line but not that either side of it was not legitimate. I should have said that one should be more carefully vetted. At junior league level I have no problem with enthusiasts bringing back old names in those minor leagues where giving riders track time is the priority. I've already suggested, half in humour elsewhere that a Rayleigh v Romford match for the Essex Gold Cup, held by the Rockets since 1971 might be a useful fixture addition at a revived Rye House ;-) I've also had direct experience of a genuine attempt to use another revived team name to put pressure on getting a track back in the form of Boston during their residency at King's Lynn. I worked for Stephen Lambert and Malcolm Vasey through 2000 as their announcer and know how hard they fought for a piece of land in Boston and how frustrated they were by the opposition from the local council. So yes, I fully support and have worked to help teams reviving old names THAT WERE PART OF AN HONEST CAMPAIGN TO RE-OPEN THE RELEVANT TRACKS. Equally I would be delighted to help out junior league teams simply wishing to see their team race again in that enthusiast's dream. Back in about 2004 I was proud to announce at a meeting at Sittingbourne/Iwade that included teams from Weymouth and Scunthorpe. I believe this was the debut of both revivals. I was delighted to feel I'd played a small part in reviving both when they both later returned to racing. Where I do draw the line is where the whole thing is just a cynical attempt to pull the wool over the sport's and supporters' eyes. Believe me, it has happened , sometimes for one-offs or on a longer term basis and that I cannot accept. I'm sure this Reading project to race at Swindon was genuine. This evening I found myself in Oxford and went to take a look at Cowley Stadium. It is heart-breaking to see a fine speedway venue reduced to karting sessions and if a project to put a nomadic Oxford team on track to force the hand at Cowley was formed I'd be delighted to help. Next season will be my 50th in the sport. I lost my track, Rayleigh at the end of my THIRD season, the day after my 16th birthday. Even though we lived on at Rye House it still hurts to have lost my first speedway home, my beloved Weir. Guess why I am so passionate about reviving lost tracks and teams.... I believe you are a Coventry supporter. If so I don't need to remind you of the pain of such a loss. There is a right way and a wrong way to go about it though. I can see why the BSPA are wary but feel they're being overcautious with the Racers. If it HAD gone ahead I'd probably have been a regular supporter since Swindon is my nearest track, assuming my recent health recovery might allow me to return to watching speedway live this year. It all goes to prove that not everything's as clear-cut as those on the outside may believe. R.I.P Rayleigh Rockets Speedway (1948-73).

An essential part of the return of speedway to Rye House in 2000 was the entry of the nomadic Rockets team to the CL the year before which proved clearly and emphatically that there was still a workable fanbase. Sadly Cradley weren't able to do the same. There is a fine line between a genuine attempt to revive a track, as with Weymouth and Scunthorpe in open events in the 2000s and just putting a side out with an old name to make money or was just an enthusiast's dream.

I was briefly involved in a serious attempt to relaunch the Rockets last year. The situation is far more optimistic than people might think. We had agreement to run at one point before a change of mind by BMR. Looking on now from the sidelines and having seen the demolition work at the stadium I suspect once the work is completed that speedway will be back. It's far too easy to spread doom and gloom on this forum, often based on honest opinion but lacking in direct knowledge or involvement. If you do have such knowledge then I will bow to it. If not, it does no good to spread despair at the situation. I'd say it all depends on the exit of BMR from the stadium and the kart people wanting to put their new asset to its most logical use.. Now, back to matters Kentish.

Back in 1999 the first job was to get him to hassle refs. We put it to him that even if he agreed with the ref he had a duty to his team to be seen arguing their case, and if he did put a little doubt in the ref's mind the next decision might go our way. He soon learned! He'll do a good job for the Kestrels, if that's the name, although to died-in-the-wool Rockets saying good things about a team called Kestrels doesn't come easily....

John's knowledge of the rule book and superb record of following the Rockets around the country saw him given the Rye House team manager's job in the revival, nomadic 1999 season. Len then kept faith with him after his take-over. I'm glad to hear he's been given such a role again.

Surely my old boss John Sampford? (I used to help him run the old programme stall at Rye House )

Still no news regarding Rybnik.

When Edinburgh returned to speedway in 1977 at Powderhall, the Tigers had been racing on Fridays for some time at White City, Hampden and at that time, Coatbridge. The two tracks both ran on Fridays for many years until Glasgow moved to Sundays. In so doing the lost priority but to say that they have no right to race on Fridays is not borne out by history. It's sad that both Scottish tracks share the same racenight but in these days of fractured fixture lists it's not so bad as weekly conflicts.

Sportowe Fakty are also 'stirring' with this article. "The Biggest Scandals of The Decade". https://sportowefakty.wp.pl/zuzel/861880/zuzel-najwieksze-skandale-ostatniej-dekady-ucieczka-z-zielonej-gory-hancock-poma Torun refusing to race the second leg of the play-off final, financial dodginess, Hancock 'helping' Holder in Melbourne, Wardthrown out of the Latvian GP. It's not all champagne and roses over there. And "Most Poles have never heard of Zmarzlik". https://sportowefakty.wp.pl/zuzel/860991/gollobomania-kontra-malyszomania-skoki-bija-zuzel-na-glowe-przecietny-polak-zna-

Rybnik are under investigation. A special meeting of the PZM has been arranged for today regarding concerns over their financial status. The local council have taken exception to ROW carrying over 1 million zloty's of 2018's sponsorship money to the 2019 season. They are now demanding that the money be returned to them. Rybnik are one of the many teams only granted conditional licenses and this latest blow could see them forced to withdraw from racing in 2020. Full story here. Google Translate will translate it for you if your browser doesn't automatically. https://sportowefakty.wp.pl/zuzel/862152/zuzel-sadny-dzien-pgg-row-u-zespol-do-spraw-licencji-przeswietli-finanse-klubu-i Ironically this all comes the day after ROW announced a ZL 500,000 sponsorship deal!

Yes, it's what's called "International feed". The C-More Swedish version featured a couple of experts standing at a table, talking about the meeting, conducting interviews and with their notes held down by a couple of rear wheel sprockets. Rather than leave the various overseas commentators to try to translate the Swedish the static shot was used. This was why for the long interval Freesports used to carry action from the previous meeting or other motor sport. This year saw a new arrangement where Swedish TV pulled out and just one version was broadcast. Some interviews were in Swedish but for the matches televised in Britain (and elsewhere?) some interviews were in English. Hence a comment from one team manager, Peter Karlsson "Oh, In English this time?" When you see something that looks stupid on screen there is often a good reason behind it even if the result is a lot of work for a solo commentator! There's a lot more to TV presentation that many would imagine.Much of the time it's like herding cats.

Talking about a sports event hundreds of miles away live and with no co-commentator and the need to cover long periods where no action is taking place unfortunately requires a great deal of 'filler'. Well-researched background information can only go so far. At least with the broadcast arrangements having changed in Sweden this year Dave didn't have to cope with lengthy shots from a static camera while domestic Swedish viewers got interviews and discussions in their own language as in the pas.. I've done enough commentary of my own in the distant past to understand why Dave relies on social media to fill the gap.The thing is, you can't just read out anything 'juicy' you see on social media. If its inaccurate or defamatory you share the blame and guilt. You have to play safe so sadly it's the rather simplistic comments that get through. Dave from Reading may think Dackarna are going to beat Lejonen by ten points. Personally I'd rather just watch the match and find out for myself, Perhaps the problem lies in the content that people are putting online? There's the challenge. If you care about this then why not raise the standard yourself. Put something interesting, informative and essentially legal or broadcastable online. Why don't I? I've done more than my share in the past... It's time for others. Given the restraints he works under, Dave does an excellent job and thoroughly deserves his award again.

It is always about the money. They could limit the match coverage to one heat at 4 am and they'd be happy. It's got nothing to do with serving the fans. Last time Eurosport had the GPs they only used the free Quest channel when there was no room on Eurosport. A highlights programme of any sport bar football would be a first on Quest which is otherwise almost totally a "Best of Discovery" factual channel. We shall see. Things could have changed. Hopefully that's true.

What the hell are you on? I didn't state for one second that they had any connections with Poole before moving Weymouth Wildcats in in 1985. I stated that the Stewkesbury Plan destroyed the NL that had existed during the 70s and 80s. Of course it came after then. Where the hell do I state that Stewkesbury ran Poole pre 1985? Do try to keep up. You're too busy trying to cause trouble to even think, that's clear! I was the Poole correspondent for Speedway Mail at the time! Perhaps instead of accusing me of not knowing the facts you might learn to read?

Yes it was, just after the 1980s finished. It ended the National League and saw the recreation of British League Division 1 & 2. Mysteriously Poole found themselves moving from the old NL to Division 1. Many subsequently wished the Pirates had just moved up to the BL and left the rest of us as we were.Mind you it was nothing compared to what came later and the developing egomania of their supporters....and sponsors.

I've only just noticed your childish comment in the second part of your petulant rubbish. If you interpret my feelings to the forum in such an infantile way you really need to learn to read. I decided to just follow the international section because of the depressingly ignorant and hostile atmosphere caused by louts like you in the British sections. I have no feeling at ALL about my treatment by British speedway. You really must check your medication since you are clearly hallucinating. I was treated badly at one track and walked away from it. That is my right. I've been to plenty of others in my five decades as a supporter. I am fundamentally a supporter who was lucky enough to help the sport out in a more formal way. What I objected to was how speedway operated, not how it treated me. You really could start a fight in an empty room couldn't you? "Boo Hoo" Just what level of IQ do you have? It's like listening to the French castle defenders in Monty Python & The Holy Grail. You goimg to call my father a hamster next? Pathetic. Like all normal humans I get annoyed amd I make mistakes but thank God I'm nothing like you. I take part in these discussions to pass on my experiences to help to explain situations and to pass in my thoughts of how the sport can be improved. All you seem to want to do is boast and put down others. It's sad really, big man. Thanks for proving my decision was right, I'll leave you to bully those who dare cross your path to glory here. I've said elsewhere that all Poole can do to the CL is damage it. Certainly dragging people like you in is quite a start in that process. But, one tip, keep lying about me and I guarantee you will regret it. That is NOT a threat, just a warning. You've crossed the line.

See Skidder's spreading the Poole poison to the CL thread. Hopefully it'll only be one season at that level and they'll return here without causing too much damage this time, bearing in mind they were the club that destroyed the 1970/80s National League with a disastrous merger under the "Stewkesbury Plan". Shame to see them polluting the atmosphere of a competitive but ultimately friendly league.