Tried subscriptions for a year or two and the reduction it offered, but postal service was terrible, and often the mag would arrive a week late. Just get from supermarket now. Not the publishers' fault; more to do with the demise of the postal service. Nothing in the UK seems reliable anymore.
It's an old trick. I did it years back, dropping a cigarette from my new outfit I hated, to damage it, so I wouldn't have to wear it again. I was only six, my parents went mad, told me never to smoke again when wearing new clobber.
We all know speedway is exciting to watch. But after a while you need someone to support and cheer, turn up at matches to offer vocal support. A fan of a team needs a team to support. There is no such thing as a team to support nowadays, they are merely pegs who fit in holes. I see the loyal-to-British speedway man Tai Woffinden is back to save us. I couldn't cheer someone whose only affection to my club and sport is when it suits their schedule.
After reading through the posts on here, I wondered why I stayed away so long.
My Star was late last week but on time this. In other news: I am still disappointed why it ditched the Angus Kix glamour league.
The question regarding speedway's future has to be where are the new fans. I began attending in 1975, for example: but who is the most recent first time attendee on here, for example? I guess most would say the 70s and 80s.
Wasn't it PC's idea to invite prospective sponsors who possibly could have injected cash into the club? Surely allowing 100 or so individuals who would never have attended in the first place wouldn't have cost Belle Vue a dime... but could have helped swell the coffers. He wouldn't have brought 200 along every meeting, surely? Or is it 300 this week?
Here's one.
Barry Ayres rode 12 matches for the Aces in 1986 (18 in all, 1984-86).
Ove Fundin rode 12 matches for the Aces in 1967.
Could you imagine supporters requesting that Mr Fundin should pay to get in and queue up with other fans at the admission gate?
No? So why are the likes of Barry Ayres any different?
Barry, there are too many armchair speedway world champions on the BSF. Don't worry what they say. I remember your career, and your name has already gone down in the sport's and, indeed, Belle Vue's history, no matter how many points you scored. I look up to all you guys... in fact, more than the high rankers.
This is getting serious. Doubts over so many clubs.
Sooner rather than later, the middle man in what is often a laborious and predictable six months of table fixtures could be a thing of history, and perhaps we can just go straight to the two-team Grand "Last Men Standing" Final.