AndyM

I remember the Aces coming back from about 14 points down to win at the Shay, many moons ago, but not the one you mention. Pretty sure the score was 15-3 after 3 heats then about 22-8 after 5. As I recall we ended up winning quite comfortably!

What I miss most about speedway in the 70s: Hyde Road, best track ever! Big home crowds, week in week out The wealth of different teams - more variety Riders were characters in those days The amazing skills of the likes of PC and Mort The sheer passion and excitement of speedway

Well said! Would that everyone acknowledged their mistakes in such an open way. Credit to CMV06

We do have young talent but we don't develop or market that talent to maximum effect and don't honestly seem very bothered that we can't get riders into the top 3-4 in GP circles. Given a young lad who can deliver genuine results through the world rankings AND be a pin-up for the papers, you may have a case... so where does all the top motorcyling talent go?

I've long been saying that unless radical action were taken, British league speedway is destined to be uneconomic, unattractive to crowds and unviable, though sadly we lack the visionary strategist to take us forward. You would have thought the GP circus had at least some of those skills, but it too appears to be heading for the doldrums. It comes down to a simple question of whether the sport believes sustainable recovery is possible and whether anyone actually gives a toss to try turning the sport around. If not, it could quite easily be dead within 20 years if costs continue to rise, long-term attendance trends continue on a downward spiral, and media/commercial interest is not aroused. Brutal but true.

Not having seen this match I can't comment on those decisions, but while an individual decision can be appealed, is there any option for clubs or riders or fans to feed back to the SCB to have a ref put on observation in the light of consistently bad decisions?

Although i never went to Wimbledon, I do recall the start and finish lines being in different places, though why that would make it the only legal speedway track i can't imagine. Getting back to the question, we now have far too many tiny tracks and not enough of the big, wide open spaces. A couple of tracks the length and width of Hyde Road with multiple riding lines would improve speedway dramatically IMO!

You could still have lots of youngsters from Dagenham wanting to enter the sport, even if there was no Dagenham speedway for them to learn at!!

Why does it not still act as a hotbed of talent, though?

Firstly on the standard of racing, this mythology seems to have grown up without foundation. I take it you you've been to the House on an occasional basis and maybe seen the odd bad meeting? Personally, I'd say the matches I've seen at Lakeside have been far worse in terms of racing quality - in fact, RH is no worse than any other track for quality. What basis do you have to say otherwise? As for the cost of admission, in relation to the costs of running a meeting I'd say it's perfectly reasonable. Maybe it's your expectations that are out of kilter?

I will be there if anyone fancies meeting. Looking forward to some banter with my old mate Norbold and one or two more friends!

So not "Council Housed And Violent" then?

Don't disagree with what you say - just think that the core product will not attract and sustain a mass audience any more, whatever facilities you provide. There needs to be better value in the speedway itself - more thrills, easier to watch anywhere.

Surely the ability to attract and sustain a regular and viable crowd is most important in any location? We still haven't solved the long-term structural decline and found ways to bring through generations of new followers. As I said before, speedway in its current guise and presentation is maybe not going to achieve this, hence my suggestion of "reinventing" a version of the sport to fund the development of traditional speedway, much as cricket has done. It's about bringing the sport closer to spectators.

What exactly does this mean? Surely if you're retailing a product you set a price based on what people are willing to pay. Why would anyone set a price at that level, unless it was a rare first edition signed by Tom himself!!