westhamboy66

You don't have to be ultra successful to fantastically popular it's known as having a great personality. 15 TT podiums alone is pretty good in my book. The most popular Speedway rider around since i first started watching Speedway in the 60's by a very long way was Kelly Moran. Never came close to a World title unlike Mauger, Briggs, Fundin and Rickardsson 21 individual titles yet none were particularly popular. To have a character like Guy Martin around the place is a big coup for the Promotion if it pans out and what is good for the Promotion is good for Speedway fans. Yes i have knocked them in the past, maybe i was wrong and will give them every chance this year and to coax a top motorcyclist to the place is Brilliant' He is one of the most approachable sports personalities i have ever seen, never saw him decline a photo or autograph. I think being employed as a rider in the most dangerous sport in the world by massive motorcycle companies and independents explain his wealth that plus his odd TV show. I doubt his personal wealth was gained by ripping off fans I doubt you have ever seen proper flat track racing unless you have watched it in the USA. This is a speedway thread and anything that takes place on track actually has a knock on effect for the speedway some good some bad. Guy Martin around the place is ok by me. I'm sure the promotion would be happy to see newcomers to the track to see Guy Martin some of whom may even come back to try a speedway meeting

I don't think Guy Martin is tied to the Celeb ways concerning money. If he does do the flat track it will be because he wants the kick not the money. Nothing on his website to say he will be doing it on the contrary since his last big accident he has toned down his Motorcycle work more or less completely, turning to pedal power this year. If he does put in an appearance as a flat track rider and it is well publicised then the attendance will beat any speedway crowd at Rye no doubt. He is easily among the top three most popular bike personalities in the world along with Rossi and McGuiness.

Agree with the sentiments and very little loyalty left among a lot of the fans for the new mob too. Shown up at the celebration of speedway by the likes of Mildenhall and the Isle of Wight both of whom who put on a decent stand unlike Rye House who clearly thought a Saloon Car and a go Kart were were more important getting their brand across. half of me wants to see a successful club but the other half has little or no time for the bunch who own the club now. I suppose the timing of the dumping of Sampford is pretty clever if the team goes ** up then they have their scapegoat

Yeah and the grass is rarely greener

To a small minority you are correct however however you cannot say the Confederate Flag was a symbol for white supremacy throughout the Southern states it was a flag of the people who were forced into war to free themselves and only partially about slavery, if you believe all the rubbish about Lincoln being so great read some books about the era The Confederate flag is misunderstood in much the same way that blackens the use of the Flag of St George. Surprised there is no fuss about Chris Harris use the name "Bomber Harris" who dependent on who you believe was a notorious war criminal who was revered simply because he was on the winning side. Just goes to prove keep politics out of sport and leave Somerset rebels alone.

I watched a lot of Tony at Reading, he was never going to emulate his Father but he did hold down a berth at a top flight side. Lets not forget he was only a kid when he broke his neck and could easily have paid the price and been chair bound for life. The only thing that is shyte as you put it is your pathetic comment.

Just about everything. Goodwin Rasmussen and O'Brien not forgetting Glen Baxter were brilliant, the teams were to be fair not great and for every Trevor O'Brien there was a Jamie Fagg or Scott Humphries the list is endless. The bloke didn't have a clue. The Russells closed more tracks than i can remember any other Promoter doing. Track alterations ruined it and the last thing... he closed the track after spending loads and winning nought. Top notch Mike Man....mmmm not as i remember him. You want top notch Announcers then you look at Ted Sear. On one hand i think the new mob haven't a clue on the other hand i think know exactly what they are doing and it maybe their only failing is that they fail to communicate with the Public but thats pretty standard throughout speedway with one or two notable exceptions. On the team front it doesn't look great better than last year at home with little on their travels. Scope for a couple of riders to improve and a couple of old hands who may do well or maybe not. Lots of if's and but's but give em chance to see what happens same with the Promotion, the track and facilities.

The one rider i would hope to see big progress from as far as his average is concerned is Cameron Heeps. Always impressed by him at Ipswich and goes well around Rye. For me Robbo never meets expectations as far as average goes, Kasper will only make any strides if he gets to grip with his Gating. Leigh will be a success if he maintains his current average. To see an improvement from all would be brilliant but probably unlikely as it is a bit much to expect. As far as Mear is concerned he had good support from the fans and did the dirty on us. Too much baggage as far as i am concerned

Can't believe that one meeting brings his name up again. Nice rider to watch but to be fair he was awful for us and go goes nowhere near filling the hole we have in our team. Pathetic excuse for Promoters that have dumped themselves upon us and look to have a team to finish rock bottom unless there is a Garrad or Fiala out there somewhere

Driving down to this and really looking forward to it.

Couldn't agree more Sadly i think you are right. I would rather had a quick death with them closing the speedway as soon as they took over than all this misery. Rather than not having a clue i think they know exactly what they are doing. Perhaps they may have some sort of planning issues that take time and are simply using the time with speedway as a filler. I really hope we are wrong but if it is the case its being wound down then i don't want to be hanging around watching it die i'd rather be off to pastures new and clubs to support that deserve the support. But if we are wrong how on earth have they gotten it so bad with the team only being one of the issues since they appeared on the scene. And we moaned about Len Silver!!!

Reject? Kent's press release didn't seem to me to be a rejection. No sense in this post. More reeks of kicking a kid before he even gets on a bike for the season. If a Rye House kid leaves us i wish him and his new club well. The comment about wanting to do speedway because of a few grass track mates is pretty poor. Probably at this stage of Len Silvers career the boy is better off at Rye rather than Kent Couldn't agree more. Never understand why British youth are kicked in the teeth by so called supporters of Speedway

Poor sentiments all round. Ben91 is quite right he pays his money and is entitled to his opinion right or wrong I try very hard not say anything negative about riders but there are times when someone is taking the P*** and they deserve all they get. This is a forum and to take someone to task over the number of posts they make is just plain daft. How do you know the quality of his 3000 odd posts, you only have to be active on a few threads for the numbers to mount up You have made 154 posts which means you know little about the forum and attacking someone whose views you oppose is not the way the forum was intended when it was set up. Hope this thread gets back on track because as a Rye House supporter i enjoy my trips to Kent and hope they do good next year I don't know Ben91 but i do see his posts regularly some i agree with some i don't but that life

Well i travel away, not as much as i used to but i can tell you a trip down to Somerset to see us slaughtered is not much fun and yes entertainment is important but not as important as success. Away support is still evident for winning teams. Years ago when we had bonus points and were winning at home by 30 points almost every week people on here were asking for closer more entertaining meetings, so over the last three or four years thats exactly what we have been given. Closer more entertaining meetings but no a particular good team. What happened to the crowds over the last few years yes well of course they plummeted. People need to make up their minds what they actually want, a mediocre team whose home matches are close and entertaining or a winning team. For me its the one area no different from Football, i want to be entertained but winning is more important.

Definitely one for the future but is it ill-timed? This sort of rider flourishes in a decent team which we clearly don't have on paper. I hope he does well but its asking a lot of a kid to perform regularly at Rye House let alone places like Berwick, Workington Sheffield Peterborough which are far removed from the tracks he will have grown up on. Good luck Max you will need to get off to a good start.

Shame Rye House didn't beat them to the announcement. Makes our Promotion look like mugs which may well be a fair assessment. Whether or not a decent replacement can be found will be more luck than judgement

So Branford was upset by the Promotion then? Amazing what the people in the know actually know Glad Luke has been retained shame that Kyle has moved on, very classy for NL racing and he seemed to benefit from Andrews advice. Was impressed by Georgie Hunter last year and expect him to make decent strides. In a similar way so can a couple of rookies from the training school

That may well be but no one was as cynical as Penhall that day at White City, the wheelies didn't help. I paid good money to watch what should have been an individual meeting turn into a Team fiasco. Wasn't too thrilled by the way he walked out of British Speedway and Cradley and absolutely no need to ever mention Kenny Carter after his death. There were some great American characters around at the time but Penhall was lacking in that department i'm afraid No but comments aimed at the dead are generally cowardly and cheap. Simply because they have no right of reply. Nobody will ever know what Carters state of mind was on that day so why was there a need for Penhall to comment. Cheap shot

Ample opportunity for the "other" side of the story to be aired but as with Mellgren, NBJ, Silver Jnr and now Branford silence. See a pattern emerging?

Taking that as gospel its a disgrace Many complained about Len Silver but all the riders were looked after, they were paid on time, and Len (sometimes to the detriment of the team) was loyal to the riders he employed. Since last season when the new bloke took over we have seen Mellgren and subsequently NBJ treated badly, all sorts of problems with individuals within the NL side. As a long time supporter i felt last season there was suddenly a stink about the place and that seems to have continued. I don't like what i see and hear and for me it's the whole speedway product not just assembling a decent team. Sorry to see Rob shafted as i think he was a pretty decent servant in his year at Rye.

Similar to the views about the prices at Rye House a couple of years and the lack of fairer prices for various concessions but we have had a couple of years without a price hike. I wonder if similar increases are around the corner for us given the promised work and improvements on the stadium and dare i say car park. Rater than defend a club when the hikes are unreasonable we should be outspoken. Otherwise no matter how good the speedway the average fan who only has so much disposable income won't go so often.

Couldn't agree more, if they stay fit i doubt many sides will will win at Rye and lets face it most of our fans want to watch a winning team at home. We may pick up the odd away win but i doubt it will make much of an impact on the table but an improvement on recents years i think

So Rye House 2016 has has ended up with this crap on page 30 Just a suggestion if you have anything constructive to say in the thread say it if not p*ss off and ruin yer own clubs threads. Sick of this sh*t

As far as Kennett is concerned Len silver is not around so no dodgy deals for 2016 He is a Rye House asset and unlike last years debacle he will be first choice at Rye House should their be any date clashes

Decent looking team to me, glad to see Berwick still around always enjoy trips up there