Parsloes 1928 nearly

A question Dave: you tell us (coz no-one at RH will...) why the NL4s/NLRC couldn't have been staged yesterday (Saturday)at Hoddesdon...? The Newport YS match as you'll have noticed, was staged today (Sunday).. The fact that no answer and no apology has come (nor I suspect ever will...) from RH for the failure even to explain why yesterday's NL champs were called off when clearly they COULD have been staged, is why I say that no NL shared event should ever be staged again at RH. And yes, I HAVE heard that they plan to 'restage' on 31/10...: only thing is frankly I have very litle belief that'll happen... Not least coz there may well still be NL Play Offs to complete on that day. Besides which, what with the disgraceful messing around and total inconsistent handling of the rules over team composition in the P/Os; the unforgiveable near five weeks-long delay between the play off deadline and the completion (today) of both semis (a delay in which the weather played no part at all BTW...); and the cavalier attitude over staging the NLRC, I really have very little faith either that they'll be an NL to have 'shared events' next year...

And frankly one can't be surprised...

Yeh, yeh, yeh... I'm afraid for many it's gonna be a case of the boy who cried wolf.. Can't imagine a single person bothering to travel any distance for this on the vaguest of chances that it'll be on....

Could still be the Weymouth Buccaneers next year....

In your pursuit of ALWAYS defending every top level promoter do you never look at the bigger picture!!? I wasn't suggesting that at 4pm on Friday, John Cook got on the blower to Eddie and said never mind your broken ankle come and ride. I was discussing the concept of this meeting. We were promised in the early press releases (actually LAST year..) about this concept that it would be used to showcase the fact that there used to be all these London (and south-east) clubs and try and encourage old London fans and riders to appear to make it both a event to remember those clubs AND support campaigns to get the sport back in the capital. What we got was a pitiful shambles with none of that - if it did anything: setting back any lingering hopes of Speedway returning to London. IF some effort and imagination had been applied to the event and IF anyone organising it had shown any desire even to stage it on the night once they had the punters in the stadium I don't suppose it would have been too bad. But they didn't - though Bryn you appear to disagree... Tell us what did YOU (not your masters...) think of this meeting then..?

So Buccs forced to ride with a five man team. Oh and the tractors have crashed! I'm sure we all agree that the Play Offs in the NL are a marvellous idea... Sponsored by Fred Carney's Circus!!!

Er, can this be run past us again... The appeal that Messrs Baseby junior and Birks were NOT eligible to ride for the Hornets in leg one was upheld but no points adjustment was made..?! :blink: How would that make even the slightest sense even in the alternative universe of the Speedway National League...!!! Norman Wisdom may sadly have passed away ( ) but British comedy is still clearly alive and kicking!!!

Yes, very informative (NOT!), Bryn. I am fully aware that Eddie is out injured and that Coventry had a meeting last night. I'm talking about arranging a meeting which showed a modicum of imagination and integrity to the concept. What we had last night was a cobbled together, noone could give a to$$ affair, which I think everyone in the arena was delighted was brought to a premature halt: rather like they'd be relief at putting down a sick animal. I couldn't and noone in the Speedway world also wouldn't, expect you to make any criticism of anything any promoter from the 'elite' range of clubs ever did - coz let's be honest, you're the epitome of the school goody-goody; but if anyone thinks that yesterday's individual at Lakeside in any way furthered the good of the sport or any campaign to raise its profile in London and surrounding area, then they must have been inhaling too much Castrol and must also believe that the missing black and white helmet colour really IS in that drawer in your living room!!!

Shane was indeed excellent - so great to see him riding so well and so confidentally at this level afer all those early career injury set-backs - well done... Without wishing to sound like a Mod,( ) perhaps though the discussion about the Lions/USA Tourists match (which was cracking entertainment) should be on a different thread, coz this one's entitled the London Riders Championship. And THAT part of the meeting was downright dire - quite posibly the WORST, least-inspired in every way and most utterly pointless Speedway event I've ever hsad the displeasure to endure: albeit in this case thankfully rather briefly... I think we be assured that no further attempt in the future shall be made to stage this. Mind you let's be honest, what attempt was in truth made with this... None of the historical links we were promised, no old riders introduced or seemingly invited as guests, no effort to put together a field with any pretence at all at (1) being top class; or (2) links with the clubs (where possible). For example, to me I'd have tried to have Lewis Bridger representing Wimbledon (where he started out riding in second halves albeit never actually wearing a Dons' race-jacket); Eddie Kennett for Hackney - where his father Dave rode for so many years (or alternatively Ed represnting White City where Dave and Uncle Gordon won the League in '77). I accept beyond this it becomes more tricky but at least try and make links and make it interesting... The meeting was a turn-off from the start and you could sense literally no-one out there was bothered at all... If I didn't know better I'd say it had the feel of a last ever meeting at a venue where all interest had been lost... No reason to suppose that's the case but a damp squib of an end to the season for sure..

Yes indeed - the American match was excellent!!!

Hmm, Bryn's study of the sky didn't prove any better than the Met Office's expensive equipment...: it did rain... Mind you at the point (after heat six of the underwhelming LRC) it was called off, it was barely drizzling and the track was a long way off "waterlogged". A case not so much of an R/O as - as my kids would put it - a CBA!!!

And there's a nod to the great White City in your BSF moniker too, methinx!! For me being ever adaptable, I'm 'supporting' the Crayford, Wimbledon and White City 'representatives' tonite!! Whilst shivering!!

I couldn't agree more. They should've made the decision to hold the Fours final at Monmore Green months ago...! That may be dead in the water now but yes, the NLRC staged by Dudley at Wolverhampton is indeed an excellent idea. Certainly would give the clubs a boost as a well-attended shared event... I'm fairly sure that any attempt to rearrange at Rye House even if there was the slightest desire to do so, would attract a derisory crowd now...

Oddly though, no mention of the event in any text piece in the mag. One would normally expect a preview piece for an event like the NLRC.. Also the piece in the NL pages about Bournemouth mentions that Brundle & Herne hope to be back fit for Sunday's match at Newport but not - as the press release I know read... - for Saturday's Fours.. I wonder exactly WHEN the decision to scrap the NLRC & Fours was made..? Interesting point too about why hasn't the YS semi RH leg not simply be slotted in as the replacement event on Saturday - as opposed to Sunday...? Odd that, coz on Sunday (as mentioned above) the Newport NL side have that crucial P/O semi vs. the Buccs... Surely Newport would've preferred these two meetings not to clash... So many questions, sod all in the way of answers..

Gosh! So Lubos joins that list of legendary Czech Republic Crayford riders...!!!! NOT!! I suppose we should be grateful at least that no wag decided to pair up Olly Allen with Wimbledon...!!!!

At the end of the day (well, the end of this, the sorriest day in the history of the third tier...) we need an answer. I was persuaded early on this morning, in that unique way some Speedway people 'in the know' have of subtle threats of "you'll get in trouble"..., that it wasn't the staging club Rye House at fault for this but the BSPA. RH's own club press statement more or less says as much too... Yet, as many have said, the meeting that the BSPA allegedly insisted must go ahead this weekend (the YS semi home leg) is to happen on SUNDAY. RH had committed themselves to staging the NLRC (which they've done successfully for a number of years now...) and the 4s Final; and once this was lost once to bad weather they'd set aside this SATURDAY afternoon (not a slot used before by the club...) for this 'double-header' No-one as far as I can see, can think of any sensible or justifible reason why just because they must entertain Newport on the Sunday, that this original plan of the Saturday afternoon meeting can't go ahead. Until the club themselves actually tell us WHY they've felt the need to cancel the NL events on Saturday, I really can't see how there can be any closure to this matter...

And do you honestly think after all this that anybody's going to be bothered to make any kind of effort to turn up for a restaging..?! I still think we need an explanation which actually makes sense... Why exactly is it that this meeting (Fours & NLRC) can't go ahead as planned on SATURDAY..? The YS match on the SUNDAY is no explanation in my book..

As you say, no joke that people from as far afield as Workington, Buxton etc. have made hotel bookings and leave and travel arrangements. I feel for you very much. I think the ground-swell of anger over this might actually amount to a watershed moment... Fans (and clubs and riders...) can't be treated like this.. Things HAVE to change or the sport will not see out the decade...

This is the RH press release from today: Fixture Alert: Young Shield Replaces NL Championships The BSPA Management Committee has instructed Rye House that it must give precedence to the staging date of its Young Shield Semi-Final tie against Newport over the National League Fours and Riders Championship. The latter scheduled to be held at Hoddesdon this Saturday - has therefore reluctantly been postponed, with the Silver Ski Rockets instead meeting the Wasps at Rye House on Sunday, October 17th, with a 1pm start (gates open at 11am). This earlier than usual start time is to allow Newports Swedish riders to catch evening flights out of Stansted. The BSPAs decision is based upon the need to complete the Young Shield competition, allowing for any bad weather, before the season-ending deadline of October 31st and the option to find an alternative date for the National League event. Rye House apologises to any supporters inconvenienced by this late change, which is due to a directive beyond its control. ---------------------- So the finger now points at the BSPA over this. My question would be this. The YS match is - as clearly stated above - on Sunday... So why on earth has this led to Saturday afternoon's meeting being called off..? This makes no sense and if it is the case that the Management Committee have instructed that the NLRC (not to mention the 4s) can be cancelled with just a few days' notice (with very little chance of restaging...), what does this say about the sport's ruling body's attitude to the National League..?

I expected them to realise that at this late stage they could NOT cancel the N4s/NLRC event. As has been pointed out elsewhere they COULD have staged their YS meeting on a mid-week day. I've been to meetings at RH on a Monday evening for example.

Top man - many thanks!!!

Note to poster: The forum rules and guidelines are perfectly clear and WILL be adhered to as you have been told MANY times. It stays here because it is in the right place NOT because you demand it The NLRC and NL4s Final which were planned for this Saturday have been unceremoniously dumped. This to me is the final nail in the coffin of the third tier which this year has plummeted from the highs of former Conference seasons to a totally marginalised league now. I feel very sorry for the two or three stand-alones possibly left seeking out a third division to run in next year as I really don't know where those clubs are going to go now. EDITED: I understand that it may have been the authorities rather than the staging club responsible for this.

This is an absolute disgrace. I've been dedicated to the third tier of British Speedway since 2002 but this is my lot now. How ironic that when the CL was rebranded the NL, we were told how much more professional it was all going to be. That's a bad joke. This season has been without doubt the most shambolic season ever in the history of the third tier; and now we end with this: treating the Riders Championship and what was left of the Fours with absolute and total contempt. I can see no future whatsoever now in the third division. Poole withdrawing their Buccs team. Weymouth possibly closing. Plymouth sensibly moving up to the Premier: I wish them all the best - they're a superb club. Mildenhall currently closed. Words cannot describe how angry I am about this. EDITED: I understand now that it may well have been the authorities rather than the staging club involved in this decision. I hope we the fans get the truth soon.

Or even better, a Young Stars win on Sunday!!!!

Indeed so... Can imagine a number leaving after the result of the first match... I do believe I shall...!!