RobMcCaffery

I expect many potential customers were at home, worried sick about the future of their jobs at the Tata steelworks. Thankfully it looks like they still have hobs, albeit not so well-paid. In a town like Scunthorpe which is so dependent on one major employer it is a vital factor in getting people to spend money on leisure. Hopefully with greater certainty people will be able to think about spending money on non-essentials such as speedway. It's such a great speedway track and I loved my visits there.

If any group of people in sport deserved their dreams to be fulfilled it's Cradley having their own home again. It's remarkable how the flame still burns.

I'm delighted you've returned to the sport and are giving valuable insight into the experience. You are right that some knowledge is important to understand the context of what we are watching but the knack is not to look to far 'behind the curtain'. I did and it didn't help my enjoyment of the sport. The worst part was having things that I enjoyed being revealed to have an unacceptable side. Silly things like split monies in second halves, what some riders got up to away from the public gaze and the petty skullduggery going on between promoters. Seeing badly injured riders also didn't help. My first-ever match report assignment saw a rider killed. It's hard to get over that. It all gets in the way of what is so often a wonderful sport. Enjoy, try to ignore the childish, petty squabbling here and don't look too closely and you'll find that what you loved before is still there, even if the crowds aren't. I have severe reservations about what goes on in certain areas of the sport but I don't let it stop me watching as many meetings as I can. I spent last night watching Pila race Gdansk on Polish TV. It was four riders racing over four laps several times - and while not all were thrilling it didn't stop me loving every race. Don't fight that urge. Welcome back.

There's always one 'expert' who knows better....

I've long argued for an amalgamation of the leagues but when you read an interview like this you really don't want the Poole promotion anywhere near the Premier League. There may be one set of rules but success doesn't come from following those rules but by manipulation of them, stretching them to breaking point and ensuring that there is always a fresh supply of riders on suspiciously false averages who miraculously blossom back to their known form when they arrive in Dorset. The accuracy of the heat leader and fast track reserve lists have been rightly called into question and, amazingly their errors have favoured Poole. So, having twisted the sport, within its poorly thought-out and expressed, often contradictory rule book Ford then adds to the insult by coming up with this sanctimonious claptrap. You may operate within the letter of the rules but not their spirit. The ruthlessness is killing speedway and to try to dress it up as an achievement for others to follow is an insult to sport, natural justice and anyone who has a genuine love of the sport, and not just whether their team is winning. When Ford finally kills off the Elite League perhaps he can put Poole in the Ekstraliga and leave us to enjoy a uncontaminated sport of our own, on a lower but worthwhile and more enjoyable level?

When I see these kind of stupid, obnoxious comments from Polish fans I think of the TV pictures of many of their supporters on the terraces behaving like vile football thugs. You soon realise where the mentality comes from. It's not speedway supporting as we know it. Best just to enjoy the racing - they're not worth the effort of telling them to get back under the stones they came from. It's sad, the international section used to be so enjoyable. Now, let's hope for a good day's racing today and tomorrow. It all makes it so much more pleasant when Zielona Gora use and their thugs go home to their empty lives devastated ;-) Why do we care about their league? Because we love speedway. They wouldn't understand that. Sad really.

I suspect the rider was given the choice of making progress in the SGP through the year or making a fortune in Poland. The ruthlessness of the Polish clubs is surely obvious by now? They're doing the paying and in turn expect that they are put first, no matter what principles or agreements exist.

You're quite right. I was appalled at the volume of the supplementaries that referee showed me and that was over two decades ago. It shows how the sport constantly ducks and dives, closing loopholes, clarifying mistakes and adapting to change. In some ways flexibility is a virtue but not on that scale. If they got the rule book right in the first place their use would only be to cover urgent, essential changes.

Meanwhile, away from the Fantasy League...................... Clueless. And in those two posts we have very adequate proof that there is no point in trying to have an intelligent discussion in the BSF. Simplistic answers based on guesswork and gut feeling to what are complex issues. You could put the world's best on a EL track and I would doubt whether you could get enough people in the various stadia bar Belle Vue or maybe Coventry to even think about covering the cost. Thanks to Poland the cost of hiring the 'elite' is way beyond British ability to pay now, I suspect. Yes the crowds would be bigger, but it's pointless if you can't get enough people in there to pay the riders without hiking the price to ridiculous levels. Anyway, one very strong argument against merging the leagues is that you stop these blinkered EL 'superior beings' 'supporters' from ruining the fun in the PL and NL. It's probably best to just leave the EL to its problems and focus on the sane side of the sport. It's like trying to discuss finance with someone whose expertise doesn't go beyond playing Monopoly....

Because in Britain you can't demand that the local authority build you a nice new stadium or get the local mafia offshoot to do it. Belle Vue is a unique case, based on Manchester City FC's money going into sports facilities in east Manchester. Naturally the city council backs it and manages it. There are also considerations of the high level of home ownership rather than rental in the UK which means there are a heck of a lot of people protecting their property values. Any mention of a speedway track plan and they soon kill it. As ever, it's all a little more complex that it can appear to some....

You clearly don't understand the point I was making. I could have a sports team with an annual income of say £500,000. My costs may come to £600,000. I find £100,000 to cover the loss. Suppose my star performer cost me £100,000 a year. I could hire him for 12 years by subsidising my business. It doesn't mean that my business can afford him, just that I can prop up my business. Now, that's all well and good if I can do that but it doesn't mean that the star is affordable BY THE BUSINESS. As for outside funding being justified it's all very well if you have a rich sugar daddy to 'sponsor', but not a sustainable long-term position nor is it fair on other businesses behaving responsibly. Speedway appears to have been paying more than it can afford for years. I remember one promoter over 20 years ago telling me at the end of a meeting "That's another grand I've got to find personally to give to the bank tomorrow". Sport, especially football gets away with murder financially, relying on sentiment and tradition to get it through. Sport carries on trying to buy rather than build success - and it works, for now. I suspect the truth will hit home when Belle Vue's first meeting at the wonderful new stadium turns out to be a 75-15 win against the weakest EL side in history, Leicester on Friday. What a fine, positive contribution. The point has been made about the difficulties of having certain current Elite League tracks running in a merged PL due to their economic power being so much higher than the lesser PL teams. There are risks. In 1985 three BL (D1) tracks followed Hackney's move the previous year into the NL (D2). The immediate response was the then extremely marginal promotions at Barrow and Scunthorpe didn't make it into the summer. Whether they would have survived in any case is open to discussion. The moves worked and did not destroy the league though, Ellesmere Port won the 1985 NL after all. Eventually ambition did see one track force a ruinous amalgamation for their own needs and ambitions but for several seasons they were a welcome part of the old NL/Second Division. They were successful but not overwhelmingly so and did not become deeply unpopular with other tracks and their supporters. Readers may heard of them.....Poole.

As I've stated elsewhere, you can't rely solely on the rule book. You have to also consider the supplementary regulations, one of which no doubt states that TRs are allowed in PLC group matches. I well remember in my announcing days a referee pulling out the rule book then showing me the sheaf of supplementary regulations that were filling the rest of his briefcase. Because it was getting too expensive to give certain star riders extra rides. Alarm bells should have rung at that point. The Polish and Swedish leagues still use the old TS rule - only we have this farcical compromise.

Of course any rider who is prepared to give full commitment to British Speedway should be allowed to compete. How many at the highest level bar Chris Harris are prepared to follow his lead? If more riders at the top level were like Chris our problems would be greatly reduced. Just one other point, can Coventry afford him? They may find a way to pay but does can the business itself sustain employing him? I certainly don't know - do you? It would actually help this debate greatly if the lurking promoters and officials, either current or past could let the rest of us know if there is a real BUSINESS case for employing the stars or is it just another irrecoverable cost of playing the power game?

A very welcome and reasoned post from someone who has his own record of success to fall back on. I have long advocated the formation of one large league but strictly on the current PL model rather than the disastrous attempt in the nineties where the old second division was expected to operate at first division costs without having free access to the necessary riding talent or revenues. It is time to let go of the riders whose priorities, both in hardware and commitment, are elsewhere and to stop squandering the Sky revenue on a hopeless escalation of rider pay that is not backed up by the necessary increases in attendances. My chief concern is that the ills of the EL should not be allowed to pollute the new, unified league. Johnathan refers to the perceived manipulation of rules to favour an 'elite' few and it would be disastrous for the PL clubs to also have to suffer this cancer in the sport. Sadly, there are still supporters who cannot grasp the concept that you do not need the world's greatest (and expensive) riders to stage great speedway. 25 out of 33 teams in Britain work successfully with this model and while there are still financial pressures that nearly cost the sport Plymouth this year it has to be the way forward. You could say that the days of seeing the world's best have already gone from the EL. A regular, ideally weekly schedule of matches with a regular seven against a regular seven, allowing for absences for injury or FIM events is what has always worked in the past here and we must seek to return to that ideal. Crucially, we must reclaim weekend racing. British speedway is wasting too much time and effort in trying to persuade riders to compete here who really have little interest, will charge the earth and show little interest or commitment. They have to go. Those 'fans; who say they will only watch these stars have to ask themselves if they really are supporters of speedway or the illusory glamour of fame? It dazzles easily but you soon see the reality behind that glare. We cannot continue to pander for this expensive, I hope, minority. We cannot afford it. I strongly suspect that the attendance increases brought by hiring the stars do not now cover the increased expense. If that is not the case then I welcome expert comment on the subject, ideally from those that know, not hope. We need stability, to know that when we pay our money we will see our team race another full team, not a haphazard compromise of guests. We must offer value for money, free the sport from the publicity straitjacket relating to social media and rebuild in a sane manner. Flying riders in from all over the continent to compete in front of crowds counted in the hundreds rather than thousands is insanity. We have to sell four riders doing four laps of RACING, and let the world know how good it can be. Yes, the sport needs an American-style commissioner. There would have to be an enormous shift in attitudes amongst promoters to accept it. The most effective government is by consent. Is the sport mature enough to put the needs of the many ahead of the individual? Sadly, I think not. I love speedway, despite all that it's done to me over the years and grieve at the sight of the modern-day EL. I saw some very successful days for the sport and while you cannot turn the clock back, the Polish and SGP genies are well and truly out of the bottle, we must adapt and rebuild, trying to recapture as many aspects of those successful days. A varied, regular fixture list of affordable matches, with teams composed of riders who will be there for almost all meetings, build a bond with the supporters and hopefully give and earn loyalty in return is essential. The sport will always survive but right now it needs an attitude change throughout, from promoters and officials through riders to the 'fan' saying that if they don't see the world's best they'll hold their breath until someone does what they want. The reward is enormous - a healthy, affordable and most of all wonderfully enjoyable sport!

Who the hell cares! It's totally irrelevant, except for obsessive idiots to make crass, petty points. EL teams are generally assembled to the rules relating to the EL and PL according to their rules. It's pathetic to see supporters of the dying EL taking some kind of twisted solace out of their weakest team in the history of the league being stronger than a PL team,. IT DAMN WELL SHOULD BE!!! So, we now have the realistic prospect of Belle Vue's superb new track opening to a total whitewash of the opposition - well, all but the reserves. Even the threat of rain now sees Sky ditch TV coverage. One of your most important tracks is closing at the end of the year. Most teams struggle to field more than one heat leader while another has four. Aren't these things that you should be concerned about, not trying the act the big 'I am' because your team is in the EL, thus making you some kind of demi-god? So Leicester could beat the top PL teams. BIG BLOODY DEAL! Speedway's got real problems enough without this petty idiocy. "Crisis, what crisis"?

At last some wonderful news after a generally wretched start to the season. Good luck to all and I can't wait to get down there! So very pleased for you all.

So, I take it from this that it's just Go-Speed and the BSPA that have a problem, not Sky. Criminalising supporters - the sport reaches new depths of idiocy. It's like watching King Canute trying to keep the beach dry.

SportoweFakty's reports seem to confirm that Czestochowa are unsurprisingly far from happy with Jonasson's performance. Obviously using Google Translate isn't ideal but they seemed to be criticising his attitude so I suspect there will be a change, as if Wlokniarz haven't had enough to go through in recent years.

It has to be borne in mind that the deal to televise One Sport's speedway events was specifically with Polish Eurosport, with the other national versions presumably having the option to take the coverage if they wish. Clearly many weren't impressed with what they were provided with or their viewing figures. As for the change to the BP format I do wonder if, as suggested, the FIM have forced the change they were concerned at it being passed-off as a revival of the World Pairs. Yes, Moto GP has racing teams based on sponsors, but it doesn't have international teams, or league racing or World Cups. Anyway, it's a completely different sport. Of course it's up to the individual how seriously they take any sporting event. I'll be watching on the basis I love speedway and if I lived in a country starved of any speedway, let alone international events I'd be heading for the track. Overall, I'd rather be watching a good league match. Luckily I live in a country where that's not a problem, even if its senior league is in deep trouble.

Here are extracts from the online rule book relating to the PLC which clearly conflict. 18.2.4 The Heat Format for the meetings are as per Art. 18.9.1 The TR Facility is not applicable. 18.13 A TACTICAL RIDE (TR) ride (NB. Not applicable in any PL two-legged aggregate tie). - (The rest of the rule sets out eligibility and helmet colour) The bold type is used by the SCB to show additions/changes to previous versions. It looks to me that when the amendment was made to 18.2.4 was made they forgot to change the wording of 18.13 which should logically read (NB. Not applicable in any PL two-legged aggregate tie or PLC meeting). Nothing in section 18.2 differentiates between PLC group matches and play-off ties. It looks like there's a clear need for a supplementary regulation to adjust one of these. Based on what happened at the EWR clearly it's 18.2.4 that needs amending - then what happens to the Somerset result? If not then the Scunthorpe result is wrong. What a mess!

You know, there's no place like the BSF for making you regret trying to help people. I really wish I hadn't posted about Suzi Perry. Lesson learnt.

No I leave the ignorant racism to unpleasant morons like you. We must find out who switches on your computer for you - and have them sectioned. That was a bit of fun - but I doubt whether you understand the concept. Oh yes, I remember your definition of fun - showering other supporters with booze on the terraces. Perhaps it's best that you do go to Poland - you fit in with their thugs. Apologies for having to disrupt what was traditionally a warm, intelligent section of the forum but when ignorant scum like this character accuse me of racism the gloves come off. Sad that this section is now attracting the lowlifes from the other sections. It seems like Polish Speedway too often attracts the wrong kind of supporter.

It would help if people read posts properly before correcting them (and liking the resulting posts Tsunami). I did state that Entertainment Tax was a huge factor, along with the rise of TV. The comments about the gradual withdrawal of rationing were supplementary but it is acknowledged that spending during the 1950s changed as rationing was PROGRESSIVELY withdrawn. (I use caps because it seems some people struggle to see emphasis without such crude aids). The withdrawal of rationing was a continuing process just as with the decline in speedway. Taking economic sectors such as entertainment and public transport this is a recognised academic correlation: as people's freedom to spend grew so their choices on what they spent their money on changed. The immediate post war period saw huge spending on sport and entertainment, plus on public transport to enjoy both. What we would consider to be essentials were restricted by rationing meaning that there was often a fair bit of cash that could only be spent on fun. By the late fifties when all rationing had ended. Cars and unrationed petrol were being bought, TV was emerging and public transport, cinema and the theatre were in a nosedive. Evidently from what you are saying speedway was unaffected by this, being only affected by a tax and the demise of a major venue. It must have been the only sport to achieve that! The loss of Wembley was a symptom of the malaise, not the cause. Their domination of the sport was also hugely damaging, something that people might reflect on as Poole cruise unopposed through another season. As ever, it's far too complex for facile, easy answers, much as readers of the Daily Mail think it is ;-) Yes, Entertainment Tax had a crippling effect but there were many others conspiring against the sport in the late fifties, one other being the short-sightedness of promoters (and ex-promoters) which we have still yet to conquer. Anyway, time to put the Economic History degree back in the dusty cupboard where it belongs ;-)

As ever, very interesting insight. I do wonder if the traditional Saturday 'change-over' day for holidaymakers is still relevant? For budgetary reasons I've had to get to know various Devon holiday parks and that business is now extensively based around Friday to Monday and Monday to Friday breaks. I also take frequent weekend breaks in Devon, staying over on the Saturday night. There's many a time I'd have enjoyed adding-in a trip to the SBA but the meeting had taken place the previous night. I know these are only my experiences but I'd suggest I'm not unique. Given the remoteness of the track I'd suggest that anything that makes it easier for out of area fans to get down there and incorporate it in a weekend away as well as eliminating the clash with Somerset would be a positive move. Yes, there's 90 miles between but it's 90 miles on M5 and an A38 that's almost motorway standard with both tracks in sight of those roads. It's a 90 minute trip. In other parts of the world you'd be lucky to get across a conurbation like London, Manchester or Birmingham in that time. I'd love top see a revived Plymouth Speedway running on Saturday nights and making the most of its assets - a great little track for enjoying a night out at speedway. Surely 700 people can be found in a city the size of Plymouth without relying on long-distance visitors?

I'd suggest that Eastbourne's move out of the EL was long-overdue, especially when they started to dictate that seasons be cut to 14 matches on the basis that was all that they could afford to subsidise. In the past we have allowed the wealthy clubs unlimited success. Wembley took advantage and virtually killed the sport stone dead. By the time they'd themselves given up we were left with the tiny number of tracks mentioned at the start of this thread. Birmingham, Eastbourne, Peterborough and Oxford weren't killed at EL level by any 'survival of the weakest' policy and I'd suggest we only have a National Speedway Stadium in Manchester and a Belle Vue Aces team to ride in it due to years of the equalisation policy. Ensuring that the weak don't get left too far behind and the wealthiest cannot buy success is at the cornerstone of most American sports, especially the NFL. Would you consider that they have a poor business plan? Except that you aren't flying competitors in from all over the world to compete in front of crowds numbered in the hundreds. Apologies Rob, I'm a little rusty on the SAL. I tend to focus on the '57 collapse/amalgamation since it gave Rayleigh Rockets their solitary season in the top flight. You can guess how successful it was by the use of the word 'solitary'.