ouch

That was the year of Chris Holders awful crash I believe and Poole were quite rightly allowed an injury replacement. Anyone who feels a badly injured rider cannot be replaced at any point in the season is not my kind of folk. Anything that negates the impact of an injury to one of our hero’s is to be commended in my book. The current system adopted by the BSPL that sees guests - the former necessary evil of the sport - as the preferred option is lunacy. Play offs are not compatible with speedway as a way of determining the champions but this has been done to death over the years and forgetting logic it’s just down to if you like them or not. I’ve never seen a full play off since they came in.

I wouldn’t bother with that low life if I were you. It got a swift block when insulting my better half and saying fans like it when opposition riders get injured. Coupled with his inaccurate posts (trolling) he’s another Ipswich “fan” that needs to be avoided whilst they have their time in the sun

5 riders 20 starts 15 points Ipswich were good but against any team The Aces would have done what they do most and thats lose their first meeting at home. It was yet another poor opener but not unexpected. The biggest surprise and one if continued will see the witches take all before them was that they were racing. You don’t get that from a witches team and that has always been their downfall at the NSS. Cup wise we look forward to next years random draw 1st round clash with whoever that years favourites are, hoping we can build a big enough lead to take to the second leg away. Very entertaining meeting to start the team season with and excellent for the cameras More of the same to follow but hopefully with a different result

Never understood this 15/23 mins thing. I enjoy the rider interviews parade, warm up/warm down laps, fireworks, Chase the Ace and other fan engagement during the meeting plus the post match press conference when you get to meet and chat with the riders. Guess I’m lucky with that frame of mind as I get more bang for my buck.

They need to get it on there pronto to help with ticket sales. 🤣 We’ll have to agree to disagree on what’s “probably best”.

Must admit that plenty of pubs have shut in the area around Gorton when checking. There is around 6-8 pubs but most are on the high end of 15-20mins away. If it took that long to walk then I’d be more likely to go into town and pub crawl there. There is plenty of open space nearby and a lot is owned by MCC who will want to see this a success. I can see this being used to house marquee pop up drinking areas along with the fanzone etc. The GP, even with Cardiff crowds of 25-35 thousand wouldn’t make a dent on the Manchester day/nightlife. There is just too much going on and it would need coordination on social media to ensure we met in the same location to create any kind of speedway vibe.

Socialising and the fanzone will be just fine imo. Parking is on a par with Cardiff. Just incase anyone was put off by the bus comment these are the actual times a 10-15min walk from the stadium. (The duplicate times are when 2 buses are available). Buses 192, 201, 202, 203. 19.00 19.02 19.02 19.07 19.09 19.12 19.14 19.17 19.22 19.22 19.26 19.28 19.30 19.31 19.35 19.40 19.44 19.48 19.50 19.52 19.52 19.57 19.58 Later hours are very similar. I take on board your other points and respect your decision.

I think a packed NSS will give an equally or better communal feel than a third full Principality stadium. The fanzone on City Hall Lawn was 0.7 miles from the stadium using google maps. This equates to a 15-20 walk. I would imagine the fanzone this year will be a lot nearer and with the addition of festival style marquee bars and catering it shouldn’t be too difficult to replicate the booze, food and social aspect of Cardiff. If you do fancy the 15-20 minute walk as has been the norm then there is loads of bars to choose from. One other advantage of Manchester is the nightlife following the event as this is at a different level to Cardiff. A short trip on public transport would have you in the heart of the city where, if you want you can party on until morning.

Things are only sold at prices people can afford. That’s true of all things and has been for centuries. Nobody is being ripped off here. Looking at the sales, they could have charged more but choose not to - more fool them a Dragon would say. I use to visit other tracks to watch speedway RACING and came away feeling ripped off due to the poor product on show. I don’t visit away tracks anymore, like many many more. My biggest issue with this process is that day ticket buyers will have slim pickings once the 2-Dayers have swooped in.

Made me quite nostalgic for my trips to Monmore reading that. I almost miss that kind of abusive behaviour.

South stand works out at £2.50 per race (46 races) when for 33% less (£1.67) you get to watch Premiership standard races with 3 of those races being heat 2’s. It’s the big chunk of cash in one go that speedway fans cannot afford. Tickets should have been released sooner with the option to pay over several months. £2.50 for GP heats seems ok to me, I’ve more of a problem with the £1.67 for the heat 2’s. Also, as with any UK speedway meeting up & down the country, I hope it doesn’t rain and hope it’s a well attended success with no injuries but that’s just my opinion.

Exactly. They have been on TV, radio, newspapers and social media in the last few days. Any forward thinking promotion would have booked a place on Voyager's gold disc and advertised to the greater universe but not this lot. I’m so angry!!

No announcement since Monday, this is getting ridiculous now. https://www.bellevue-speedway.com/blog/latest-news-2/epic-launch-for-belle-vue-371 Sorry, there was also an update to fans attending the P&P on Wednesday but it’s Friday now ffs. Update us again please!!

Very likely. Since Covid our opening meetings have seen us lose 2 and win 2 with one of those wins being a last heat decider. Our famous home advantage goes missing - again.

Looking forward to our now customary KO Cup 1st round against one of the title favourites (unless it’s us of course). Considering it’s a random draw we’ve had terrible luck in drawing the toughest of opponents so early every time. Always having the second leg away doesn’t help either (see 2024). Looks like the swings & roundabouts are broke. Can’t see us progressing due to the strength of the witches. We need to make use of our massive home advantage* to build up a big lead. Using BSPL figures from last season our rider averages at home are a healthy 42.83 (equates to a 46 match score) so if we build a big enough lead we can take advantage at Foxhall where their rider averages at home are only 49.52 (equates to a 53 match score). *copywrite BSF

You’re nearly 10 weeks late to be policing this thread. Maybe nip it in the bud early next time when someone incorrectly calls out teams with a fictitious “win at all cost” mentality! Looking forward to your visit in July, should be a decent meeting. Hopefully there will be a good traveling support with it being on a Sunday afternoon.

Not sure what the gift is but in previous years there’s been a badge, a trolly key ring and a tote bag. Worth a punt at £7.50 with a chance for GP tickets.

If attending the Classic Dirt-bike Show at Telford International Centre 8-9 of Feb, come say hello and support us on our stand. Flying the flag, banging the drum!

We’re only discussing qualifiers here as has been shown with Belle Vue, it can all fall apart in the play offs due to injury. Ipswich. If Ai with a chequebook assembled a team. A soulless winning machine. Poole will be looking over their shoulder for when enough teams are gone and we are one big league. Sheffield. Currently reliant on the top end. They will forsake early season results with a view to strengthening for the business end in a Coventry/Wolves kind of way. Leicester. Will pick up surprise wins on the road as they are the best gate ‘n’ go team due to being loaded with Wolves. Kings Lynn. Decent league team. The jump from No4 to No1 is a big leap for Ben. Oxford. Seen teams like this before many times. It could go either was and even if poor there will be flashes of brilliance. Birmingham. See Oxford. A Tom Brennan short of a good team which is a real shame. Belle Vue. Business as usual again for The Aces. Zach for Ben sees us lose 1.5 points at home but due to our massive home advantage* we won’t feel it. Away, Zach is better using BSPL stats. Jake needs to put a shift in as Will will be chomping at the bit to take on the big boys at the NSS. As with the rest of this decade, only our injury jinx will stop another title. *copywrite BSF

You’re right there and with a quarter of our home fixtures taking place midday it does put us on the back foot with regards home advantage. We won at the vast majority of away tracks last year with Sheffield being the thorn in our side and the last heat 5-1 v Oxford denying us another away win. Keep up that away form and we can negate our vulnerability at home again.

Antti was signed as an injury replacement for Tate who’s reclaimed his spot now fit. Be great to have both at reserve but the rules don’t allow it. Antti is a fine rider and superb team man to have in the pits who will do a great job for Birmingham. I think he will have the same level of improvement as last seasons ex Ace, Tom and similarly the management and fans will not want to see him moved on unnecessarily. Looking forward to seeing both Antti and Matej when the Brummies come to town.

Once Tom was poached during last season it really put them on the back foot, making things very difficult. Whether this will be fully to blame for their potential demise is a debatable point. I’d rather compete against a stable and competitive Birmingham side but that’s just me looking at the bigger picture rather than the sadly adopted win at all cost approach.

Good signing, I’m looking forward to seeing him on our shores again. Don’t group us in with the other two as we don’t “snap up the best riders” at all. The current team with the averages we initially signed them on are…… Brady Kurtz 7.50 Norick Blodorn 4.00 Jaimon Lidsey 4.00 Zack Cook 5.57 Dan Bewley 3.00 Tate Zischke 4.57 Jake Mulford Some of the other “best riders” we’ve snapped up in recent years include Tom Brennan (last RS pick), Max Fricke 4.84 & Ben Cook 6.00.

Brennan Thompson Jenkins (back as RS now) Rowe Hume (out of RS but still a reserve) But apart from them, it’s not worked.

William Cairns Freddy Hodder Chad Wirtzfeld Mason Watson Harry McGurk Jack Shimelt Billy Budd