Mildenhall Speedway

[25yearfan]

Very sad news indeed!

 

I respect the fact that Ray Mascall put his money where his mouth was (unlike any of us!), he is the wrong age and mental state to be a promotor, hes had big traumas in his personal life recently and being in charge of Mildenhall speedway was very difficult for many reasons but -

 

The very reason for Ray Mascall buying the club before the 2009 season was to secure its future.

 

Pulling out mid season this time around has effectively pulled the rug out from Mildenhall speedway.

 

Ray had been making it known to various persons from before the start of this season that he wanted out!

 

More delegation and better comunication could of seen a solution found to see out this season, then set about securing the future of Mildenhall speedway when there'd be more time in the close season to sort things out.

 

I could go on but I've said the main bits that people involved in Mildenhall speedway will think but won't say!

 

Lets hope that Mildenhall speedway can be resurrected in the future which I believe stadium owner Dave Coventry wants!

[Clint]

MILDENHALL SPEEDWAY STATEMENT

 

http://speedwaygb.com/news.php?extend.8289

[Nikko]

MILDENHALL SPEEDWAY STATEMENT

 

http://speedwaygb.com/news.php?extend.8289

 

Although very sad to see the statement on the BSPA website we continue to work behind the scenes to ensure a long term, stable future for the Fen Tigers.

 

Thanks to everyone who has sent us messages of support.

 

We'll be back.

 

Nikko

[June]

Very sad news that Mildenhall has had to pull out of the league for 2010. As a longtime supporter of Scunny I know what that feels like, as Stags experienced the same...........Heres hoping for better in 2011 for all Mildenhall fans.....Good luck for the future!

[Shadders]

Good to see that Joe Jacobs has been snapped up already

 

Joe Jacobs joins the Cobras

[alfred]

hmm. so according to ray mascall "some demands should be aimed at the limited company set up to run the promotion rather than him personally" well who set up the limited company and according to speedway star he is the promoter who wants to sell his licence to clear his debts. talk about taking the p,ss.so who set up the limited company and will they pay the riders? our seasons been stuffed thanks to this fiasco. really angry.

[Storming Norman]

I have to say I didn't like those comments that he wasn't personally liable for all the debts because it was a limited company. I'm sure everyone feels sorry that Ray lost his wife. But Ray chose to be a Promoter and should honour the agreements he made. The riders invested in equipment and at the very least deserve to be paid for the meetings they rode for Mildenhall. Those guys rode for you and thought they could rely on you. It's not too late, pay the riders Ray.

[Halifaxtiger]

I have to say I didn't like those comments that he wasn't personally liable for all the debts because it was a limited company. I'm sure everyone feels sorry that Ray lost his wife. But Ray chose to be a Promoter and should honour the agreements he made. The riders invested in equipment and at the very least deserve to be paid for the meetings they rode for Mildenhall. Those guys rode for you and thought they could rely on you. It's not too late, pay the riders Ray.

 

Very fair comments, Norman.

 

If I am honest, I don't blame Ray Mascall either for closing Mildenhall or for the closure itself. Ray had, quite reasonably, banked on drawing the same gates as at the end of the previous season and with the team he lined up and Joe Evans doing the track he must have had every expectation of achieving them.

 

The disastrous start, with the fiasco over the U18 meeting and the team getting humped away to Rye House and at home to King's Lynn did such damage that people stopped coming although, as I have said elsewhere, given a better team and a better track I am not altogether sure why.

 

That left him losing money had over fist and he only had limited funds to begin with. The death of his wife almost certainly destroyed any motivation that he might have had to continue.

 

As you have rightly pointed out, I think the only criticism that might be made of him was that he didn't honour his commitments and he should have done. Other than that, I don't think he deserves the vilification he has received from certain quarters.

[Halifaxtiger]

Now you know why we don't let you do the thinking At least you can give Jimmie Krankie his shorts back for the summer!

 

Start at Basics. From day 1 the club, despite a number of us volunteering, was not marketed to the max - I offered thoughts, as did PhilK and I am sure others ususl promise and will come back to you, then.......nothing, the silence was deafening. Early meetings late and for whatever reason problematical - who can forget the meeting starting a couple of hours late due to the "ambulance" being stuck on the A11 at Barton Mills a road that I had travelled in arriving at the Stadium some 25 minutes before scheduled start!! People I had enticed left after waitng 1 and a half hours with limited / no information - never to return. Following this we had a number of meetings with a sound system that could not be heard.Press and Practice!!! say no more. Opening few meetings we had riders who had had no track time so got a few stuffings.

 

I could go on and on, but being a man of few words.............................

 

Attending Speedway is like most sports a habit, the moment you give people a chance to find something else to do you have a problem. Remember our first discussions on the NL - we have now had 3 weeks between home meetings - there are not and never have been enough fixtures end of. Team Viking, what happened to the Mildenhall leg of that!!!!!! On the forum we suggetsed regional 4 team Tournies over Bank Holidays - or even running on Bank Hoilidays where there were no Car meets - nothing.

 

Speak to some of the key supporters of old and you will find stories of Away meeting buses not being endorsed and supported by the club. Tours e.g. fixtures between Weymouth, Plymouth, I.O.W, Bournemouth arranged together - not interested in limp reasons about why not - we used to manage it in PL days up North.

 

A great set of riders this year with supporting families, they have not only been hit financially but are left half way through the season trying to find new clubs and being given little information - having to rely in some cases on the fans forums. To their credit they have all acted with professionalism and dignity I don't believe that the full story has by any means been told in the public domain

 

No dig here at any individuals within the club, but the way I see it - very poor communications and a disenfranchise from supporters, in my view key reasons why people have voted with their feet. If I get a ban until the end of the season so be it

 

Great that Dave Coventry has consistently shown his support, at least gives us a glimmer of hope.

 

Ray certainly made a big mistake before the start of the season with some of his most loyal and committed supporters (which included the arrangement of away travel). It would be inappropriate for me to go into details on a public forum, but there's no doubt he did. Of those he did upset, however, most of them still kept coming.

 

The first meeting was disastrous but, lets be honest, that was a one off. I can't remember the last time it happened (it certainly didn't in 2009) so for the sake of one meeting people made their minds up and didn't come. I can understand first time visitors but not those who are regulars.

 

We got humped by King's Lynn, but how many times did we lose at home in 2009 ? We then won at King's Lynn and Dudley.

 

The PA system is terrible at West Row. But would you be tempted to stay just because you can hear what is said ? Does a presenter have so much effect that fans would attend if he were there ? Somehow I doubt it.

 

The fact was we had a good team, a good track and good racing. I can accept that peripherals might make a difference, but not to the tune of 40% of regular supporters.

[alfred]

quote" in no way did i choose to shut down mildenhall speedway" " there was no alternative""it wasnt my fault that they couldnt reach aggreement with dave coventry" well ipswich almost closed once but the supporters rallyed round i believe and saved it so why couldnt the promotion have gone to the supporters at mildenhall and asked for help? the choice was there and i still dont understand how there is all this debt after 7 home meetings and 6 away.surely no person in there right mind would start the season with a club that had not made any money in the previous season especially after the self same person had been running it?

[Deano]

I'm only guessing, but with the guys personal circumstances perhaps he took his eye off the ball and the purse strings. Businesses can make you a lot of cash, but they can also eat a lot of cash, sometimes beyond peoples personal means. I think it's best to look forward now, what has happened has happened. I wish every rider and fan of Mildenhall the very best for the future.

[rhidassa]

What's done is done, no point starting more and more topics about what has happened and the reasons why.

SMS is the best way to look to the future for Mildenhall.

[alfred]

im just commenting on the article in s.star and comments by r mascall. it kind of sticks in your throat when he bleats on about how happy he would be if he could sell the licence to clear "alleged" debts and my son still hasnt been paid and his season has been stuffed well and truly this year.its easy for those who havent been affected to say move on.our racing season is over this year and were p.ssed off.

[Dennis Willgress]

quote" in no way did i choose to shut down mildenhall speedway" " there was no alternative""it wasnt my fault that they couldnt reach aggreement with dave coventry" well ipswich almost closed once but the supporters rallyed round i believe and saved it so why couldnt the promotion have gone to the supporters at mildenhall and asked for help? the choice was there and i still dont understand how there is all this debt after 7 home meetings and 6 away.surely no person in there right mind would start the season with a club that had not made any money in the previous season especially after the self same person had been running it?

 

 

IT is openly known that Mr Mascall was offered substantial financial help at the beginning of this season from a group of supporters which he allegedly refused stating he didnot need any help.Where I differ from Halifaxtiger I cannot see where the promoter was losing money hand over fist and like the Villageidiot find the amount of debt as stated by Mr Mascall difficult to understand as the last four meetings were home meetings.Must not forget every heat was sponsored plus a team sponsor and other sponsorship.

[alfred]

another thing thats puzzling is why r mascall still has a licence to sell?surely if the buisness has failed as it clearly has then shouldnt that licence have been confiscated or taken away from him by the bspa ?

[Matt Davis]

What is the amount of the debt?

[25yearfan]

quote" in no way did i choose to shut down mildenhall speedway" " there was no alternative""it wasnt my fault that they couldnt reach aggreement with dave coventry" well ipswich almost closed once but the supporters rallyed round i believe and saved it so why couldnt the promotion have gone to the supporters at mildenhall and asked for help? the choice was there and i still dont understand how there is all this debt after 7 home meetings and 6 away.surely no person in there right mind would start the season with a club that had not made any money in the previous season especially after the self same person had been running it?

 

I understand your frustrations but I'd suspect if every club stopped running cause it didn't make money one year we wouldn't have many tracks left!

 

Like others I have heard stories originating from people close to the management at Mildenhall about what happened and it certainly sounds different to whats been said in the speedway star.

 

This season was certainly a sad story regarding Mildenhall speedway but whats done is done now and those involved in trying to resurect the Fen Tigers have to look to the future and hopefully learning the lessons from the mistakes that have been made this season.

 

Mildenhall speedway in the 3rd tier of British speedway is viable if ran properly by those in control of the club!

Edited August 22, 2010 by 25yearfan

[neil3065]

another thing thats puzzling is why r mascall still has a licence to sell?surely if the buisness has failed as it clearly has then shouldnt that licence have been confiscated or taken away from him by the bspa ?

 

That's a good point, actually. I stand corrected but I believe the promoter's licence was revoked when Hull ceased running a few years back.

Edited August 22, 2010 by neil3065

[sam]

quote" in no way did i choose to shut down mildenhall speedway" " there was no alternative""it wasnt my fault that they couldnt reach aggreement with dave coventry" well ipswich almost closed once but the supporters rallyed round i believe and saved it so why couldnt the promotion have gone to the supporters at mildenhall and asked for help? the choice was there and i still dont understand how there is all this debt after 7 home meetings and 6 away.surely no person in there right mind would start the season with a club that had not made any money in the previous season especially after the self same person had been running it?

Please please village idiot take a chill pill and get over it

 

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[gibralta]

Please please village idiot take a chill pill and get over it

 

Mod Note - please do not post other members names, if people chose to use a pseudonym their anonymity should be respected

Much easier said than done of course - when your son has travelled, and ridden for (risking life and limb in doing so) the Club, justifiably expecting to be paid accordingly for doing so. Not just once either! - it's hard enough for these boys financially anyway without this kind of issue.