bigeddiechek

From what I understand, it is more than just a few extra that are required, and just a few have done a lot of damage... We need a fresh attitude towards the sport, and lots of new faces on a regular basis. I'm sure we will survive.

Quite, it is cheap and easy. The club is not beyond criticism, for example, I thought the Harry Potter type press release was a bit naff, and I said so. But, everything else I think has been above expectations. However, I come on here an post my positive opinion and get slagged for it. Why? I supported Peter Waite, for all his faults. I supported the unrelated to the previous Waites. Why? Because it is a massive commitment to keep a speedway club going, and I want to make sure that their commitment was at least appreciated by some. I really don't see what is wrong with that. Knocking the club on a forum is really rather sad.

Well, you need to really start to understand how some people are feeling Taffy. Like you say all criticism is useful, even if it is only for discerning the critics' attitudes.

Criticism is not the problem, it is when it unfair, or done in a clandestine manner. Now, I don't mean to be rude, but you are hardly an Alan Sugar of this world, so are you qualified to talk about business in an authoritative manner? Your point is particularly wide of the mark when you consider so much of the work behind the scenes is done by volunteers who now appear to be in the firing line. It really is getting quite serious from a small minority and it is hitting home with some people. When it gets like that - where people are unfairly criticised - then it really has to be stamped out as it is actually bordering on bullying. I'm sure John and George take it all within their stride. I'm not so sure they will stand by and watch their team of volunteers being attacked. It's all very disappointing where this is heading. The Rye House / Shadders incident is quite different to this. I'm on Shadders's side with that one, for your information.

Like I say Taffy, I really feel for some of the guys behind the scenes that have worked so hard this year and have to deal with attacks on the club via this forum, yet they never hear a peep in person. Even though some of the posters know them. It's a very sorry state of affairs that should not continue. Opinion is fine, and at least I have the decency to post when I agree, and even when I have been wrong. Having a cheap shot at the website is not opinion, but a passive aggressive attack on all involved with it. Before you ask, I'm nothing to do with it. I'm afraid the coward's response of "it's a forum and is here for me to express my opinion" doesn't wash with that type of post. A very sorry state of affairs, and - as I have posted before - I hope the few rotten apples are removed from the barrel in future. That is certainly what I would do.

The two village idiots!

Shows great ambition getting Cook in as a guest. It would have been easy to go for a cheap option they way this season has gone.

Well said, let's get as many as we can through the gates to show that we want speedway next year. Personally, if I were running the club, I'd request the few rotten apples don't come back to spoil the barrel too. Everyone knows who they are now.

It' wasn't opinion, it was sarcasm. Why not try supporting the club for once. What do you expect them to post on their website? Of course they are going to announce reduced admission, if that is what they are offering. For goodness sake, many have complained about the cost of speedway, they slash admission prices and still they get moaned at. Of course you are going to get communication from club officials. Many used to complain that there was not enough communication from the top! I feel really sorry for guys like Dennis and Lawrence, who put so much into the club, and have to put up with the mindless rubbish that a few on here see fit to spout out. Screm, the next time you see Dennis, tell him what you think of the website. Or the next time you see any of the other officials, tell them what you have told us on here. It's not as if they won't already know what you think, Mr Monks.

Yeah, let Screm have a go at running the website. Then everyone can advise him on how he is doing such a crap job, every five minutes, and how they could do it much better. But never to his face. Irrespective of how good a job he might actually be doing.

What a thoroughly profound statement. Well done Bandits, a nice away win with a good performance from Barrett whets the whistle a little bit for next season.

Completely agree, we had a hell of a long list that night. Costs have to be cut, and more people need to come through the gate. The detail of those two points is an enormous task. Interesting comments on social media about riding in the rain. I've gone on about fans stepping up to the mark, many others the promotion, also some riders too will have to chip in their thoughts to keep the sport going. Perhaps the riders are the most important people to consult on the future of the sport.

Come on guys, there's a time and a plaice for joking around.

If you were to do the opposite to what you suggest, have more home meetings in a month, or perhaps weight this towards the beginning of the season, then that would give more breathing space. If we take an example based on your suggestions: month 1, 4 available race nights; weeks 3 and the spare week are rained off, you are actually one meeting worse off. If you then have a subsequent rain off, then you are two meetings down instead of the one you would under the current system. However, under my suggestion you could also be two meetings down compared to the current system, in fact, one could argue that it would increase the probability of rain offs early on. The clincher, for me, on weighting the important meetings early on, is that there would also potentially be more important meetings completed. Probably the biggest difference is one we talked about, and that is scrapping all the meaningless meetings.

I'm not knocking your suggestion, but it might make the situation worse as you are potentially pushing fixtures back in the season. As we discussed on the 3rd bend, there are just so many things that need to change to save the sport.

I guess what you are saying is that it would take a bit of uncertainty out of the situation. Potentially you could have all your dates in a month with race-able weather, then another month with severable rain-offs. You would then have missed opportunity and a backlog. As long as the sport is at the mercy of the weather, then there isn't much we can do about it.

This is terrible news, and I reckon that it is likely that the vast majority - if not all - clubs are in a similar situation. I've said it on other threads, it is up to the supporters to save speedway as a professional sport. If we continue to be negative towards the sport, and don't turn up and pay a reasonable price, then it will be gone. Very quickly too.

Surely that is like guaranteeing the equivalent of one rain of per month? Or maybe I am missing something?

Fair enough, it must have been pretty bad stuff!

This awfully messy, but should the family be getting such a hard time. Is it really the way to keep speedway. Never forget the people that open clubs back up or new owners that revitalise clubs. IT IS A MIGHT TOUGH TASK A bit empathy might help here.

I know that you are one of the few on here that will actually go up to him - in a perfectly gentlemanly manner - and discuss it with him. Good on you as well. The others cowards.

That is not the article I was referring to. The ones who are constantly greeting about things should take heed though. I've never been involved in a sport where people who don't actually seem to enjoy it, pay to go and watch it? Even worse, so called fans that don't even go! Very, very dull people who clearly can't find anything as an alternative. So, it can't be that bad: can it?

I guess it could always be better, I don't listen to local radio much, but always hear John on Radio Borders on the way to meetings.

Interestingly it didn't mention media, rather "outlets". Take from that what you will.

If you read it, it is absolutely not directed at supporters. Quite the opposite, in fact. Perhaps your reply backs up some of my earlier posits?