moxey63

Sorry, my stating heats 13 and 15 in brackets was supposed to give a clue.., even a slight one. It was, therefore, introduced during 15 heats. Had you known anything about speedway, perhaps your question would have been needless. In 1987 13 heats stopped being used and we have had nominated heats ever since, needless in my humble opinion and just increase costs, Anything else I can educate you on?

I remember the rumour that the GD was introduced to save money. But it doesn't make sense having two races (13 and 15) with the same riders (nearly always) getting paid possibly the highest points money.

Don't blame someone who isn't here to defend himself, god rest him. As for the gap between SKY's coverage starting and The Golden Double rules, was it four years. And don't forget, the first year of SKY we had the 6-lap nominated riders race. Surely there's we see proof of SKY's influence. And what about the green helmet colour - something to do with introducing betting via remote control gadgets. Don't think it took off though; most speedway fans fitted the batteries in the handset wrong and actually thought it was a calculator to tot up avearges.

Obviously I am out of touch with present-day programmes, and judging by your post they must have improved vastly since my day, six years ago, when I often had to submit my piece on riders etc current-day (at the time) form two weeks' sometimes two weeks in advance, the "editor" often went ape-s---- if the piece wasn't with him at least six days in advance. Talk about panicking. Only coincidently, the programme was given a right old make-over after I departed the scene, frustrating really, as I often told the man in charge how fans on Belle Vue's website were complaining how it was always out of date! I still feel £3 is a lot on top of the usual admission, but I am just tight. Most of the news can be found via these brilliant websites. My main concern with a programme, sounding a bit of an anorak, was if my biro would smudge when I filled it in.

Programmes are too expensive, are basically a load of out-of-date editiorial and an effort by the promotion to get some back-pocket money through advertising revenue, and then ask you to stump up three quid for it, when this time tomorrow it'll be stored somewhere with the others. A programme is good for two things: to keep up with the scores on the evening and for later reference puproses, only the socrecard is worth keeping. But promoters want to charge you extra for a part of what the evening's entertainment should be all about, filling in a scorecard. Throw in a basic scorecard for those not fooled into buying a 16-page prog.

Monday night speedway on SKY has become a chore, be honest. When viewers are more concerned with the comments from Kelvin and Nigel, and the shouting during even the average races, speedway has lost its way. My personal view is that macthes are too drawn out. You don't want to spend half the night watching spare time while Chris Louis finds someone to speak to or show us part of the race we didn't really take any notice of in the first place. Recently I have recorded the live matches and watched later that night, and it is really amazing how much more enjoyable the actual racing is. You don't need needless chat and interviews that bring nothing but silly questions and answers to the speedway table. The Poole v Swindon grapple the other night was like old-time speedway. I got straight to Heat One and the action was there from the off. Fast forward to Heat Two and, you know what, this speedway game isn't that bad to view (on the right occasion when teams are committed). Monday's match was possibly the best EL match I have seen on SKY since the day Father Christmas was a kid. I really enjoyed it... it certainly had me feeling I hadn't wasted my time tuning in. Record it, fast forward the boring parts... and you cut out at least 90 minutes. I wouldn't mind if SKY grabbed footage taken by various track DVD companies and showed that, if possible. which is quite decent quality Not botheed about crystal clear pictures, 3D or HD, just decent racing... thanks!

I know I'll upset some, and this post isn't about offending anyone... but hold on... I don't want to rain on this sad day... but many forget how they lambasted the poor bloke, his commentary and catchphrases during his latter years. People tend to realise how cruel they were on days like today, on hearing such news. It is similar to John Davis's piece in the Star after Lee Richardson's sad passing, when he said all the people who came out to lay the internet flowers and tributes were two-faced so-and-so's, as they had nothing good to say about him when he was alive. I didn't mind Tony Millard, who was afterall just trying to do his job to his best standard when most fans who criticisied him wouldn't have been watching the sport still, had they demanded perfection.

If SKY do pull out, it may be a good thing. Someone mentions casual observers who haven't been to speedway for years but have been encouraged back, which must be a small number. Perhaps armchair regulars, ones who haven't been to speedway for years, possibly because it is on TV everyweek, and live as well, maybe they will realise absence makes the heart grow... and may be persuaded away from their warm seat at home and back to their local venue. When something is always there on tap, it makes it less attractive.

I buried my mother 15 years ago, Getting personal is low, especially when it's only a sport we are discussing. We may not agree but I think you have sunken too far. You ever want to discuss our differing of opinions, please feel free to contact me. People may think Jimmy Jimmy's remark is only a bit of fun, but I'm guessing he knows me and it's the only way he can get my back up. Jimmy Jimmy, anytime you want to see my attic....

What's an attic?

I keep things speedway related now that I can check facts on, if ever I need, and so I suppose I am still a sad human. You wouldn't see me part with the Peter Oakes' yearbooks... and often I have the need to whip one out to prove someone wrong or, mostly nowadays, right (as age gets to me and plays havoc with the memory).

Things that mean a lot to you, why should you get rid of them? I did one of those women sort of things when they suffer a relationship breakdown... I decluttered and refreshed my soul.

A bloke who used to stand near us at Belle Vue had every badge going, yearbars etc. Thing is he had one of those 1976 bubble coats, blue with two stripes on each sleeve. Must have hurt his back, all that metal. Anyway, one week, his usual space was empty and and it was announced he had been struck by lightning! It's the way I tell em...

I think there's a time in your speedway-watching when you notice what's around you on the terraces... and think, gee, am I one of those? It dawned on me one night, as soon as a race was over each ones head would fall, pen in hand, as they rushed to fill in the score of the heat... even though, if they had suddenly gone blank, the announcer would run it by them again. It is a wonder that every speedway fan has a hump on their back, such is the time they spend crouched at a meeting over their programme. I then began to notice that everyone at speedway stands in the same place... not just that week, that season... but until they suddenly vanish and (1) have departed from this earth (2) have suddenly realised Wulfsport jackets have brought shame on the family and won't leave the house, or (3) they shifted to another vantage point, hurt that a kid from the week before had mentioned about that guy near them smelling of hot meat and potatoe pie (stale sweat)! I chuckle now, to even think I couldn't leave a speedway stadium until I had written down the time of the last race!

Aussie? Bet you speedway fans smell down under as well....

I am going to come out now... in a freaky speedway way... and say I used to collect everything speedway themed up until a couple of years ago... every book I used to buy, read and then file away upstairs. Knowing I would never read it again, I don't know why - as a speedway fan - I needed to store everything. I always bought the latest book or would have it/them as my next present. Now, my bookshelf is just the reference publications... yearbooks etc, some I have done myself (Alan Robertson is my off BSF name). I have many dvds (over a thousand) and probably wouldn’t also part with those (but you never know) and will always keep my mags and racejackets. Not once did I think I'd downsize my collection like I have done, earned a pretty penny as well off my ebay deals. So, every hoarder out there, it can be done I can own up though, and say I have never had one of those wulfsport garments or one of those dart-player type T-Shirts speedway supporters parade about in. I have only the programmes now from matches I attended, used to collect a lot in my maniac days though. Now… who’s next to reveal their guilty secret?

Exactly, OldAce, we could be the same person. I bet, five years after my last visit, if I frequented Belle Vue the people who still adorn the terraces are still sporting the Jason Crump clobber, the orange perhaps slightly darkened by the blue after a couple of wrong washes. Although speedway machinery has altered through the decades, the typical image of a speedway fan remains in 1970s Britain. I have to shiver at some of the team managers' attire during SKY matches also, along with the use of clipboards, stopwatches and the customary biro (and a spare for safety). Thing is, although I don’t smell (I hope I don’t… sniffing my armpit) I still have my collection of programmes from the past 30 or so years, and have every single copy of Speedway Star dating right back to the first edition in 1952. Also, sounding even sadder and opening myself for future abuse, I also have every Speedway News since 1931 and heaps of racejackets, many of Belle Vue etc from the 70s, 80s and 90s.

At the end of the day, you feel what you think is correct, me likewise. We can disagree all day but you are in a shrinking band of speedway fans, I am in a growing party of ex-attendees. You can feel proud and stand firm by thinking that everything you spout is correct, but the clock is ticking. I get no satisifaction in my final comment. Bickering over... must be boring for the other members. Tis to me.

I agree. Then again, I did mention it.

Perhaps so, but it seem more regular with so few teams. While I'm here, any danger of you changing mid-season?

Team speedway doesn't really exist anymore, does it? Surely riders know each other through social networks and may be jokeyed into the same team for one season here and there or even be team mates by chance in another country. The fabic of team speedway no longer applies and riders become nomads, and are given a testimonial for 10 years in the sport instead of for one team. That shows one of the problems with so called team speedway. Team pictures are taken in March and I have a feeling they will probably be out of date mid campaign.

If crowds are down because SKY show matches on an off night, what are crowds like when the cameras roll up at Monday nighters Belle Vue and Wolves? Still think it's a lame excuse for crowds being down when a match is on a different night than usual. In my dy, whether it was Monday night or Tuesday morning, I'd make sure I was there. Funny how people, perhaps the same ones who'll stay away because it isn't on the normal night, will criticise me for not attending... because the product is totally piddled up.

Wrong.... You are proof that speedway fans do want to pick a fight with other speedway fans. You, sir, are a right grouch and will not rest until you feel you are proved right. Like last night's match, you are proving one hell of a bore I can do without, Hopefully you can find some female company sooner rather than later, taking away some of your frustration in the process of anything what you say about speedway is always right and more important than, well, life itself.

Some of us a harder to please. Can understand why SKY are supposedly about to bump us off though, when the racing is dire and the terraces have seen more human activity in the winter months, as you seem to be saying, because fans can't be arsed turning out because it goes against the tradition of their normal racenight. Bet SKY think speedway fans are a right strange lot, not turning out for a speedway meeting because it's a different night than they are used to. Imagine if football fans were the same, the amount of fixture changes and off days (Saturday 3.00pm) they have. "I'm not going to the City match, it's on a Monday night... I only like Saturday games." When I used to attend speedway, it didn't bother me what night it was on (my mum used to let me out, even on worknights), I was still there. Not even an off racenight would keep me away. Only boredom and my level of interest dipping stopped me being there. Thankfully, SKY does a neat thing these days of allowing you to record the action for later and skip the boring parts, you can then just watch the adverts. Still, bare stadiums because "it's not the normal racenight" is as fine an excuse as any... Will the last person watching the speedway please turn off the light.

Will the racing be better as well?