Guest Posted September 16, 2013 Report Share Posted September 16, 2013 The Lakeside Hammers fixture list as seen on their website does not give any fixtures beyond the away September 16 2013 match at Swindon. Are there any more matches for Lakeside this season? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TonyE Posted September 16, 2013 Report Share Posted September 16, 2013 In short 'No' - the season is over for the Hammers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted September 17, 2013 Report Share Posted September 17, 2013 The Lakeside Hammers fixture list as seen on their website does not give any fixtures beyond the away September 16 2013 match at Swindon. Are there any more matches for Lakeside this season? In short 'No' - the season is over for the Hammers. Thanks. There was a message earlier that if they failed to reach the play-offs that the Lakeside season would be over. For all that, it does sadly seem a rather abrupt way to call an end to the 2013 action. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveLyric2 Posted September 17, 2013 Report Share Posted September 17, 2013 In short 'No' - the season is over for the Hammers. I think it ended with PK's injury to be fair. And that's not a dig. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevec Posted September 17, 2013 Report Share Posted September 17, 2013 I have to say I feel for Lakeside not getting through to the playoffs. They have been hit by injury just at the wrong time. I just wish Eastbourne had not gifted the Poole premier league select team 4 points when they came to Arlington. It was annoying enough that we lost our unbeaten home record that night and even worse that the 4 points Poole gained is the difference between getting in the playoffs. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
E I Addio Posted September 17, 2013 Report Share Posted September 17, 2013 I think it ended with PK's injury to be fair. And that's not a dig. Fair comment. Its not just PK's performance on the track, its also the example he sets in the pits.Poole had the opposite when they were able to get Greg Hancock with his experience and influence on the younger riders just at the right time. The cookie crumbled the right way at the right time for Poole and the wrong way for Lakeside. That's not a dig at Poole, it's just the way things work out in speedway sometimes and we have to accept it. I am not sure Lakeside would have got to the play-offs even with PK, but it would have been much closer. The reality is that the Hammers form was too erratic early in the season, and I hope the promotion will think long and hard about what went wrong and how to put it right before announcing next years team. I feel gutted for Peter Karlsson though. A pity to see a great career end that way and I count it as a real privilege to have been watching him for the last two years. One of my all time favourite sportsmen of any sport. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SCB Posted September 17, 2013 Report Share Posted September 17, 2013 I feel gutted for Peter Karlsson though. A pity to see a great career end that way and I count it as a real privilege to have been watching him for the last two years. One of my all time favourite sportsmen of any sport. Is it confirmed that it's the last we've seen of PK? If so what a great shame, I've said it many times before but what a great rider, hard but never dirty, a great racer and a nice guy to top it all off. Surely one of the most universally liked riders ever? Is there anyone with a bad word to say about the guy? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BluPanther Posted September 17, 2013 Report Share Posted September 17, 2013 Is it confirmed that it's the last we've seen of PK? If so what a great shame, I've said it many times before but what a great rider, hard but never dirty, a great racer and a nice guy to top it all off. Surely one of the most universally liked riders ever? Is there anyone with a bad word to say about the guy? Not on this planet would be my guess.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
liam Posted September 17, 2013 Report Share Posted September 17, 2013 Don't think it's been confirmed anywhere but he has had two bad crashes this season and I would be amazed if he rides next season. Can only echo what others have said, it's been a privilege watching him these last two seasons. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveLyric2 Posted September 17, 2013 Report Share Posted September 17, 2013 Is it confirmed that it's the last we've seen of PK? If so what a great shame, I've said it many times before but what a great rider, hard but never dirty, a great racer and a nice guy to top it all off. Surely one of the most universally liked riders ever? Is there anyone with a bad word to say about the guy? No, unless after a full and complete recovery, he signed for Poole of course!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
E I Addio Posted September 17, 2013 Report Share Posted September 17, 2013 Is it confirmed that it's the last we've seen of PK? If so what a great shame, I've said it many times before but what a great rider, hard but never dirty, a great racer and a nice guy to top it all off. Surely one of the most universally liked riders ever? Is there anyone with a bad word to say about the guy? I don't think its exactly written in stone that he won't be back but at nearly 44 years old with two steel rods in his back and, I believe, some question marks as to whether he will make a 100% recovery it seems very unlikely. Riders have come back from much worse, of course, but he no longer has time on his side. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevebrum Posted September 17, 2013 Report Share Posted September 17, 2013 Is it confirmed that it's the last we've seen of PK? Not at all. But that day will be a very sad one for British Speedway and in particular Wolves fans when it happens. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
E I Addio Posted September 19, 2013 Report Share Posted September 19, 2013 Lakeside statement from the website:- Vortex Hammers Promoters Stuart Douglas and Jon Cook will take time to review where the clubs Play-off hopes failed in the weeks ahead, before the club mounts a new challenge for honours in 2014. As the sport enters a winter of uncertainty with regards to the on-going talks around its Sky Sports TV contract, which currently terminates in October, the duo are open minded as to the future of top league racing in the UK. Commenting on the disappointment of dipping out of a top four Play Off finish in the final run in, Co-Promoter Jon Cook commented “We feel hugely let down by a number of factors that have contributed to our failure to miss out on that top four spot, several of which were not within our control. However this is a delicate time for the sport and we will make our thoughts known behind closed doors, in the meetings to come. Ultimately it was our on track performances which should still have secured us a Play Off place, and we felt the expensive mid-season changes we made should have put us in the frame for the Play Off final itself. That, unfortunately wasn’t the case and we have to look at how we build future teams and who is in them. At the end of the day we can’t ride the bikes for the boys, but we do pick the team so responsibility for our failure on track rests at our door.” On the club as a whole, Cook was more buoyant stating: “Off track, the season has recovered from the freezing cold start, with crowds back to their 2008 levels. This included one of our highest ever Friday crowds for our final League match of the year. The Hagon Shocks Academy is now up and running and we have terrific sponsors in Vortex Exhaust Systems & Skidmarques, both of whom are already on board in 2014. The racing at The Raceway this year has at times been stunning, with barely any dud meetings and to cap it all off the Highways Agency even delayed the Dartford Bridge repairs every Friday night to allow fans to cross without hold up, as the ending of our meetings was adding considerably to congestion! In short, off track our performance is the envy of many so now we will spend the winter months looking at freshening up the on track side of things to give our fans, sponsors and staff the team they deserve, and we thank them all for their backing of the club” Cook also confirmed that the club were awaiting Premier League play off dates, to see if it was possible to run another meeting at the Raceway early in October with a team to include Richard Lawson & Adam Ellis. A decision on this will hopefully be made early next week. At least its clear Lakeside will run next year. There has been speculation that Stuart Douglas as well as Rick Frost would get fed up with the shenanigans of the Ford Gang and move on. Hopefully this will encourage Rick Frost to carry on next year as there do seem to be good relations between the two promotions. Interestingly the last meeting of the season brought one of the biggest ever Friday crowds. That was the Poole meeting which says a lot for the ability of top riders to bring the crowds in but it says even more about the play-offs IMO as that was point when Lakeside were still very much in contention for a play-off spot. I am not a lover of the play-offs in principle but their commercial success seems undeniable. Nice also to see that both main sponsors who have been very good to the club are still on board for next year. Reading between the lines it seems that the door is not totally shut on the Sky contract but it will be interesting to see what other promotions say on their websites. Perhaps other fans can copy us all in. Looks like Richard Lawson is being lined up for next year already ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveLyric2 Posted September 19, 2013 Report Share Posted September 19, 2013 Lakeside statement from the website:- Vortex Hammers Promoters Stuart Douglas and Jon Cook will take time to review where the clubs Play-off hopes failed in the weeks ahead, before the club mounts a new challenge for honours in 2014. As the sport enters a winter of uncertainty with regards to the on-going talks around its Sky Sports TV contract, which currently terminates in October, the duo are open minded as to the future of top league racing in the UK. Commenting on the disappointment of dipping out of a top four Play Off finish in the final run in, Co-Promoter Jon Cook commented “We feel hugely let down by a number of factors that have contributed to our failure to miss out on that top four spot, several of which were not within our control. However this is a delicate time for the sport and we will make our thoughts known behind closed doors, in the meetings to come. Ultimately it was our on track performances which should still have secured us a Play Off place, and we felt the expensive mid-season changes we made should have put us in the frame for the Play Off final itself. That, unfortunately wasn’t the case and we have to look at how we build future teams and who is in them. At the end of the day we can’t ride the bikes for the boys, but we do pick the team so responsibility for our failure on track rests at our door.” On the club as a whole, Cook was more buoyant stating: “Off track, the season has recovered from the freezing cold start, with crowds back to their 2008 levels. This included one of our highest ever Friday crowds for our final League match of the year. The Hagon Shocks Academy is now up and running and we have terrific sponsors in Vortex Exhaust Systems & Skidmarques, both of whom are already on board in 2014. The racing at The Raceway this year has at times been stunning, with barely any dud meetings and to cap it all off the Highways Agency even delayed the Dartford Bridge repairs every Friday night to allow fans to cross without hold up, as the ending of our meetings was adding considerably to congestion! In short, off track our performance is the envy of many so now we will spend the winter months looking at freshening up the on track side of things to give our fans, sponsors and staff the team they deserve, and we thank them all for their backing of the club” Cook also confirmed that the club were awaiting Premier League play off dates, to see if it was possible to run another meeting at the Raceway early in October with a team to include Richard Lawson & Adam Ellis. A decision on this will hopefully be made early next week. At least its clear Lakeside will run next year. There has been speculation that Stuart Douglas as well as Rick Frost would get fed up with the shenanigans of the Ford Gang and move on. Hopefully this will encourage Rick Frost to carry on next year as there do seem to be good relations between the two promotions. Interestingly the last meeting of the season brought one of the biggest ever Friday crowds. That was the Poole meeting which says a lot for the ability of top riders to bring the crowds in but it says even more about the play-offs IMO as that was point when Lakeside were still very much in contention for a play-off spot. I am not a lover of the play-offs in principle but their commercial success seems undeniable. Nice also to see that both main sponsors who have been very good to the club are still on board for next year. Reading between the lines it seems that the door is not totally shut on the Sky contract but it will be interesting to see what other promotions say on their websites. Perhaps other fans can copy us all in. Looks like Richard Lawson is being lined up for next year already ! Ooh pray tell who is in the 'Ford Gang'? I'd love to know your opinion!! Despite what is in the minds of several fans, there is far less animosity - in most cases none at all - between the EL promoters!! Ford, Cook, Van Stratton and Frost have been working on the changes for next year, which the likes of Bob Dugard have already stated 'he is excited by' and which give him 'fresh hope for the future'!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marko Posted September 19, 2013 Report Share Posted September 19, 2013 I think there is also a danger though of the wrong messages being sent with that final meeting, everyone plays down the use of guests and rider replacement and that meeting was full of them yet people still turned up in numbers, what does that say to promoters? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
E I Addio Posted September 19, 2013 Report Share Posted September 19, 2013 Ooh pray tell who is in the 'Ford Gang'? I'd love to know your opinion!! Despite what is in the minds of several fans, there is far less animosity - in most cases none at all - between the EL promoters!! Ford, Cook, Van Stratton and Frost have been working on the changes for next year, which the likes of Bob Dugard have already stated 'he is excited by' and which give him 'fresh hope for the future'!! Its a well known fact that Ford is in partnership with the Forces of Evil, and worse still it seems, has his feet under the table with Sky. Cook announced on the mic at Lakeside 2 or 3 months ago that he was working with CVS and Ford to ensure that there were more fixtures for 2014. Whatever people think of those three, and I am not a Ford lover, the fact remains that they are the ones that seem to get things done while the others tag along. If Rick Frost is on board with them now so much the better. That means he is likely to be running next year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LagutaRacingFan Posted September 19, 2013 Report Share Posted September 19, 2013 Kings Lynn and Eastbourne are to blame for the lack of fixtures. Just kick them out of the Elite League. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
E I Addio Posted September 19, 2013 Report Share Posted September 19, 2013 I think there is also a danger though of the wrong messages being sent with that final meeting, everyone plays down the use of guests and rider replacement and that meeting was full of them yet people still turned up in numbers, what does that say to promoters? You might have a bit of a point but the guests were for lower order riders, the names that bring the crowds in were there. I don't think the absence of Tungate, Magic and THJ made a scrap of difference. Kings Lynn and Eastbourne are to blame for the lack of fixtures. Just kick them out of the Elite League. Read the interview with Stuart Douglas in Speedway Star November 2010. The most sense a promoter has spoken for several years. Unfortunately it got pushed to the background in the dispute between Trump and Ford, but if he was listened to at time the sport probably wouldn't be in the financial mess it is now. Amongst other things he was saying that if you halve your fixtures all you are doing is halving your losses but you are still stuck with a bad business model, and the way forward would be a better business model. Unfortunately others thought they knew better so they finished up cutting their losses by cutting the number of fixtures but still finished up with the same old bad business model which has eventually caught up with them again. Thus we have the to top teams in the league with big financial problems when they ought to be making the books balance. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HAMMER57 Posted September 20, 2013 Report Share Posted September 20, 2013 Is it confirmed that it's the last we've seen of PK? If so what a great shame, I've said it many times before but what a great rider, hard but never dirty, a great racer and a nice guy to top it all off. Surely one of the most universally liked riders ever? Is there anyone with a bad word to say about the guy? Can i just add too that PK was and is one of the most pleasant speedway riders to chat with in the pits or out GOOD LUCK to PK Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mudflaps Posted September 20, 2013 Report Share Posted September 20, 2013 don't be true...! What an awful way to end a great great mans career! PK = Legend!!! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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