Message To The Leicester Promotor

[robert72]

 

 

And that may be what is needed; some space for Hemsley to reflect and make some decisons. When people are put under constant pressure to do things they don't neccessarily agree with, many buckle and do it just for a quiet life. Others stick the requests to the bottom of the queue and don't budge an inch; that's where I'd be if I was putting up with this constant barrage because I'm as stubborn as ****. Hemsley may just be the same!

 

What a stupid attitude about putting things like making racing better to the bottom of the queue,hemsley is killing speedway at leicester

 

 

 

 

the little gang dosen't take rocket science to work out does it?

 

who is in the gang neb?

 

The problem is that we (the supporters) keep being told that the racing is great when it obviously isn't.

 

If the promotion came out and said that they had made a mistake but that they couldn't fix it due to lack of finance, I think most people would accept it as long as they were given a possible timetable and maybe the costs involved.

 

To be told that this would happen during the winter and then find out that what had actually been done was almost nothing just made things worse.

 

Regarding Coventry, when Leicester closed I started going to watch them regularly (although they were the old enemy) but gave up as the racing was boring. I ended up just picking the odd meeting when the opposition was strong. I don't want this to happen at Leicester.

 

Superb post and also to add to that, if plans were drawn out by track experts and fans were told the cost of changes,i think they would help raise that money towards it being changed.

[wandersome]

Just as an alternative, you could argue that around about 30 lions fans regularly post or read these topics and by my reckoning there are 3 who think the track is OK (you, Long Eye and Mrcts).

I don't believe I have ever said the track is ok

when have I ever said the track is good? Never

 

I do apologise for any offence caused!

 

edit: Just as an alternative, you could argue that around about 30 lions fans regularly post or read these topics and by my reckoning there is 1 person who thinks the track is OK (Long Eye).

Edited April 29, 2013 by volty

[rskinner]

Well i have read all the 7 pages of critisim on this subject and i have to say something. Maybe the track is not perfect (not sure what perfect is) but you do have a SPEEDWAY track. Do you think it took 2 weeks or 2 Months to get Speedway back to Leicester, no it would of taken 2-3 years to get permission from the council, planning approvals etc etc. Dave Hemsley stuck it out, because he belived he could get speedway back in Leicester where others have failed. Yes i do know Dave, before you ask, and he has only ever wanted to get Speedway back in Leicester, from when he was really young at Blackbird Road. He used to think about the speedway when he was racing Cycle Speedway , so it has been on his mind for over 10 years. Do you really think all the baraking on a forum is going to do any good, or is it fair to somebody who has dedicated 10 years of his life to get speedway back. I think it is time to move forward and see what happens in the future.

 

Roy Skinner

Ex Leicester Monarchs Cycle Speedway.

[wandersome]

Well i have read all the 7 pages of critisim on this subject and i have to say something.

 

You are right Roy, David Hemsley did deliver speedway back in Leicester though i'm not sure everyone will agree with your version of history. Hemsley has even told me that he never went to Blackbird Road and wasn't interested in speedway until he became involved with with the LSSC towards the end of the campaign. But that's for other people, more involved people, to respond to.

 

The jist of what of what you say appears to be what right have we, the paying public, to criticise Mr Hemsley and his track when if it wasn't for him we wouldn't have one. Well, i'd counter that by saying what right has Mr Hemsley to keep taking the money off loyal Leicester speedway supporters who aren't willing to give up on a dream, even though the dream has turned into a nightmare. I'm over 5k in so far. That's over 5k of making his dream as you call it 'a reality', and so far there has been no benefit to me. And a speedway with that track is his dream and his dream alone, of that i'm certain. I'm not alone, there are literally hundreds of people, if not a thousand or more, who's money makes his dreams a reality but who he will not listen to. He even goes as far as making a point of not listening. For what reason, who knows. The attack isn't on Mr Hemsley, it's on the product he sells and more specifically the track he has built.

Edited April 30, 2013 by volty

[rskinner]

Thanks Volty (for not swearing etc etc) I,m not having a direct go at the paying public as i know you have a right to a good product, but i would like to see members of the club and fans to come up with a solution together to go forward, that way agreeing to stop the direct critism to him ( i know you don,t) ....Funny i used to go to Blackbird Road and Dave is not much younger than me LOL

[jenga]

how long did it take to put leicester speedway back on the map, from its demise to it relaunch. you should be grateful you have speedway in 2013. many people don't. it seems like a bit of a witch hunt to drag the promoter down. ok. we are not all perfect, but give people a chance. just because you have little or no passing at your home circuit dose not mean to say its cr1p. maybr in 2014 when no one comes forward to take it on , then you can have a good moan.

 

why are you doing this on an open forum AND behind a keyboard. if you don't like the product , DON'T GO, simple .

this thread in my eyes is terrible and it should be pulled off this site. in todays modern world, we all want more (Oliver) but don't always get it .use it or loose it. enjoy it WHILE ITS STILL THERE.

Edited April 30, 2013 by jenga

[Elephantman]

I'd say you can pretty much ignore his posts. When critical comments were made about the Sheffield line up during the close season, he described the persons concerned as 'mealy mouthed b$$tards' who should simply be grateful that they had speedway to watch. That included passionate, long standing supporters like Spin King whose very reasonable (and reasoned)concerns about the side were to be brushed aside or subjected to aggressive responses.

 

Its little wonder that he has come out with something about Leicester that is very similar.

 

I am sure that everyone at Leicester recognises the role that David Hemsley played in the re-establishment of speedway in Leicester. But that, in no way whatsoever, allows him to be exempt from reasonable criticism about it.

 

Speedway tracks are not charitable institutions run by some benefactor, they are businesses. That means they have a product that they offer to paying customers and those customers have every right to air their view if the product isn't up to scratch.

 

For me, you have all along fairly stated what a considerable number of people at Leicester and almost every away and neutral fan feel about the racing situation at Beaumont Park, and its clear that you have done so at least partly due to your concern for the future of the sport there.

 

More power to your elbow, I'd say.

I had written detailed response to this but I blocked it. I really can't be bothered responding to people who clearly do not understand the power of the written word and the potential damage it can cause. They are always the one's that prattle on about "their rights" but they never really consider the responsibilities or more importantly the consequences of exerting their rights. The problem with all of the posts criticising Leicester and Hemsley (and all the winter posts slagging the Sheffield Team ) is that none of you have attempted to put yourself in his position of the people you are criticizing; to try and understand the challenges they may be facing. Without that attempt at understanding their position your desire for change will always hit a brick wall.

[wandersome]

having mastered the art of multi-quote i was going to respond to

 

how long did it take to put leicester speedway back on the map, from its demise to it relaunch. you should be grateful you have speedway in 2013. many people don't. it seems like a bit of a witch hunt to drag the promoter down. ok. we are not all perfect, but give people a chance. just because you have little or no passing at your home circuit dose not mean to say its cr1p. maybr in 2014 when no one comes forward to take it on , then you can have a good moan.

 

why are you doing this on an open forum AND behind a keyboard. if you don't like the product , DON'T GO, simple .

this thread in my eyes is terrible and it should be pulled off this site. in todays modern world, we all want more (Oliver) but don't always get it .use it or loose it. enjoy it WHILE ITS STILL THERE.

 

with this

 

yaaaaaaaawn

 

but maybe you'd be better served reading this

 

The problem is that we (the supporters) keep being told that the racing is great when it obviously isn't.

 

If the promotion came out and said that they had made a mistake but that they couldn't fix it due to lack of finance, I think most people would accept it as long as they were given a possible timetable and maybe the costs involved.

 

To be told that this would happen during the winter and then find out that what had actually been done was almost nothing just made things worse.

 

Regarding Coventry, when Leicester closed I started going to watch them regularly (although they were the old enemy) but gave up as the racing was boring. I ended up just picking the odd meeting when the opposition was strong. I don't want this to happen at Leicester.

 

this

 

I don't think the track changes are anywhere near what most were expecting or anywhere near what is required to make a substantial improvement. What we have certainly doesn't match the description of what I was led to believe was planned.

 

DH is without a doubt a person that can get things done, his mind set is to be totally committed to his cause and won't let anything stand in his way and sometimes you need that. however it can also cause problems. The track, in my opinion, has not been changed as much as it should because DH will not admit his mistake.

 

Something isn't working quite right. We lost a vital back room member before the season got under way and my guess is that others may find it a difficult place to work, well volunteer, to be more accurate. DH is not easy sometimes.

 

But he is the man in charge and to be quite honest i cannot for the life of me understand why anyone would want to buy the promoting rights off him, although apparently there have been offers. Even at a well supported track like Leicester making money must be almost impossible, the figures just don't seem to stack up.

 

and this

 

They would have been better calling the Edinburgh match off and running it when the weather was better, it was an abysmal night and many people haven't forgotten getting soaked twice while waiting for matches to be eventually called off in past seasons. Add to that getting walloped up there the night before made it even more pointless for some.

 

I remember the exhibition at the BBC Leicester station way back when the idea was first mooted, in fact I went to it on my lunch break at work the day it opened despite having never seen speedway in Leicester. From there on I joined the supporters club, went to Kings Lynn, Swindon and Sheffield for the challenge matches, went to the local meetings with residents to add my support and also attended other exhibitions at the shopping centre, signed petitions etc, you name it I went as I so wanted it to happen. When it finally opened I was there on opening night, I bought the merchandise, I watched some truly appalling performances like the 62-28 drubbing by Glasgow but even that didn't deter me. I've only missed about four matches since the day it opened and at times I had to beg and borrow money to afford to go when my wages wouldn't cover it. Yesterday at 5:30 I sat at home and I really didn't want to go, I'm at the sharp end of my pay packet and the prospect of being bored rigid didn't seem worth it anymore, but I did go, because I love the noise and the smell and the spectacle, but after reading Hemsley's rant and watching yet another procession I wondered why I'd bothered. I'm not am armchair fan, I don't pick and choose my meetings and I've spent hundreds of pounds since 2011 so I'm clearly not out to sabotage his business, he seems capable of doing that all by himself with his other promoters the nodding dog and Comedy Dave Darcy. I'm sorry Mr Hemsley but the track is terrible, truly bad. The entertainment is abysmal, the value for money is rubbish and I'd be too embarrassed to bring any new fans along to that, they would never come back. I'd never convince the sceptics of speedway at Beaumont Park. I've no doubt I'll be there next week, spending my money to be told I should be grateful for what I've got but it's truly worn thin this year and if things don't change by the start of next season there will be a gap where I used to stand.

 

to understand what's currently going on and why. same goes for elephantman. actually the same goes for David Hemsley.

 

Thanks Volty (for not swearing etc etc) I,m not having a direct go at the paying public as i know you have a right to a good product, but i would like to see members of the club and fans to come up with a solution together to go forward, that way agreeing to stop the direct critism to him ( i know you don,t) ....Funny i used to go to Blackbird Road and Dave is not much younger than me LOL

 

Roy, I'm also only a year older than David, actually went to the same school as he did and i fell in love with the sport over the last 4 years of Blackbird Road. Much like you, I also don't hide behind the keyboard so we do have a few things in common!

 

I think you are spot on with what you've written here. Let's get it going forward for everyone's sake.

 

all the best,

Mick.

Edited April 30, 2013 by volty

[IainB]

I've been attending speedway for over 35 years, started at Blackbird Road, switched to Brandon when Leicester closed and also followed Long Eaton when they were invading. I live only a mile away from BP and I could count on the fingers of one hand the amount of times I've been... and purely because of the lack of racing on track. My last visit was to the match vs Young Aussie last summer and it was one of the worst (non weather effected) matches I've ever been to, I left during the interval after heat 10. I vowed never to return after that until changes had been made to the track, although changes have been made... it doesn't sound promising. To those that say "at least you have speedway", I reply... that ain't speedway!

[TMW]

I do apologise for any offence caused!

 

edit: Just as an alternative, you could argue that around about 30 lions fans regularly post or read these topics and by my reckoning there is 1 person who thinks the track is OK (Long Eye).

 

Please don't take my commentas out of context to suit your own argument!!!!!!!!!!! I have never mentioned the track and I will say it again In my opinion and how many more times 'IT'STHE RIDERS' to pass someone you have to be going faster than them or else you are restricted to just sitting on their tail and waiting foer them to slow down or make a mistake Jeez it's not rocket science if you are going at the same speed as them you will never pass them 'simples' however good the track is or maybe they don't want to break another femur or another collarbone and only pass when they can rather than both riders ending up on a heap on the track nobody wants to see thet either, I imagine 'ala' PLRC last year thats not racing either

Edited April 30, 2013 by TMW

[neb]

out of interest volty do you still go to leicester speedway and if so why?

[wandersome]

out of interest volty do you still go to leicester speedway and if so why?

 

i do still go Neb. The main reason being that for the second year running i've bought two season tickets on the back of promises that track changes were going to be made.

Edited April 30, 2013 by volty

[Leicester Lion]

 

 

Please don't take my commentas out of context to suit your own argument!!!!!!!!!!! I have never mentioned the track and I will say it again In my opinion and how many more times 'IT'STHE RIDERS' to pass someone you have to be going faster than them or else you are restricted to just sitting on their tail and waiting foer them to slow down or make a mistake Jeez it's not rocket science if you are going at the same speed as them you will never pass them 'simples' however good the track is or maybe they don't want to break another femur or another collarbone and only pass when they can rather than both riders ending up on a heap on the track nobody wants to see thet either, I imagine 'ala' PLRC last year thats not racing either

After deciphering this, I actually think there is a reasonable point being made. Riders do have to want to pass their opponents, otherwise all we will ever have are processions. But the track itself, the shape, length of the straights, tightness of the corners, banking, width, all play a part in encouraging riders to take those risks, and to build up the extra speed needed to execute a pass. Leicester's track makes it very difficult to pass. We can wait and see, as Roy says (and I appreciate his openness in declaring his connection with David Hemsley), but I'm unclear what we are supposed to wait for.

[neb]

i do still go. the main reason being that i've bought two season tickets on the back of promises that track changes were going to be made. didn't you know that?

Edited April 30, 2013 by neb

[wandersome]

edited

Edited April 30, 2013 by volty

[Halifaxtiger]

I had written detailed response to this but I blocked it. I really can't be bothered responding to people who clearly do not understand the power of the written word and the potential damage it can cause. They are always the one's that prattle on about "their rights" but they never really consider the responsibilities or more importantly the consequences of exerting their rights. The problem with all of the posts criticising Leicester and Hemsley (and all the winter posts slagging the Sheffield Team ) is that none of you have attempted to put yourself in his position of the people you are criticizing; to try and understand the challenges they may be facing. Without that attempt at understanding their position your desire for change will always hit a brick wall.

 

I am certainly aware that my critical comments can do an enormous amount of damage to a promotion but, as far as I am concerned, that's the result of their negligence, arrogance or incompetence and all I am doing is saying that I am not satisfied with what I have got (or will be getting) for my money. That is the same with every product we buy; if its not up to scratch we have a right to state our feelings providing they are reasoned, reasonable and fair and I'd back my reputation as a fair poster on this forum against anyone's.

 

By your view, if you bought a brand new car and it blew up the next day you wouldn't complain for fear of damaging the manufacturer's reputation. That's not just nonsense, its laughable nonsense.

 

It doesn't occur to you that people such as Volty and Spin King are critical because they actually care about their clubs and are desperately concerned that they will go out of business because of the actions taken (or not taken) by their promotions. It isn't just their selfish interests.

 

I always put myself in the position of the person I am criticising. Here, David Hemsley confirmed that track changes would be made - if they have, they are hardly noticeable and haven't made any difference. As someone else has said, if he came out and said he couldn't afford to make changes it would at least be understandable - as it is, you can draw the conclusion that he is simply ignoring or brushing aside the criticism on the arrogant basis that he is right and they are wrong (in my view he isn't and they aren't).

 

I, and many supporters, recognise that speedway tracks are often anything but profitable and also that a debt is owed to some individuals who keep those tracks open (although I'd say that does not apply to either Leicester or Sheffield). That doesn't mean (and this, it seems to me, is what you have to grasp)that they can put on a shoddy product, be exempt from criticism where appropriate and that supporters should simply be grateful for what they have, however inferior.

[jim the whipper]

The debate rolls on and meanwhile the trucks continue to roll in , Building mount Beaumont @ £55-120 per load . 20 loads, More than covers the cost of the radical changes needed to at least have a chance of decent racing , or maybe St David is paying them to tip?, So that eventually Mount Beaumont will block out the sun and there will be no need for sun breaks . Cant fault him for that really the fans weren't happy with the sunbreaks so he has done something about them

[Hazzman]

My point was that everyone is saying that crowds will diminish if no track work is completed. This I believe only applies if they stay in the premier. Should they go Elite then it would be like a new start and even if the track was not touched then the crowds would increase. Short term therefore, the worry of reduced crowds would be eliminated but would merely paper over the cracks which may become more apparent in later years of Elite league, as they are now in the premier.

 

My personal feeling is that Elite League would eventually kill the current promotion. Give it three months and I think the bills would not be equal to the gate receipts.

 

The problem is that we (the supporters) keep being told that the racing is great when it obviously isn't.

 

If the promotion came out and said that they had made a mistake but that they couldn't fix it due to lack of finance, I think most people would accept it as long as they were given a possible timetable and maybe the costs involved.

 

To be told that this would happen during the winter and then find out that what had actually been done was almost nothing just made things worse.

 

Regarding Coventry, when Leicester closed I started going to watch them regularly (although they were the old enemy) but gave up as the racing was boring. I ended up just picking the odd meeting when the opposition was strong. I don't want this to happen at Leicester.

 

Hear hear. Like most sports, fans want open-ness. As it stands passive fans like me will not go due to the lack of entertainment. In Leicester, if you are a sport outside of football and rugby...you've firstly got to be successful and then make a show of it, the Basketball team are currently doing that leading to sell-out whether their matches are in Leicester, Loughborough or this weekend at Wembley.

 

I don't think the facts are right about the co promotors wife going this week, As I was told about this at the first home meeting that she had gone due to a fall out with Hemsley on press and practice day over the office running for the proposed Coventry meeting.

 

She is badly missed at the club as I am told she did nearly all the admin work and got the club a good name by paying the riders on time and detailed breakdown of money earns and deductions. She also did a lot with the programme so wonder if that's why price has gone up if having to get a company to do the layout and production each week.

 

To be fair it's not really the fans thing with internal club politics unless it affects team performance as just like a fall out in a normal workplace.

 

Another person you can stick in the 'dismissed' category with Hemsley. Surely many can see why the likes of Volty are worried about the whole promotion? The bottom line is we all care about Speedway in Leicester and Speedway in general. The fanbase will always be split with postitive and negative; some fans will be encourage by the promotion's decisions, others not so.

 

I personally believe the reason why there is such a furore over the track etc. is that everyone connected to Leicester Speedway etc. including fans etc. had a dream of seeing Speedway back in their city and then this dream was painted to them in artist impressions with full scale plans. Those plans were far from the reality but most of us thought 'well to be fair it's a decent arena for a sport like Speedway still and if the track's alright, I don't really care'.

 

When you've not had your own club for so long, the winning doesn't matter so much, the racing does (particularly when you had Blackbird Road as a home track - another factor for the 'moans') The track is not alright, it's a disaster really but the promotion promise changes. Changes which end up minimal. Then the promise is made again but it's minimal, in fact the distance added is a bit of joke IMO. It's as if I made changes, so the problem with the fans now.

 

Can't help but feel that Hemsley was a victim of his own ambition. When the finance didn't come through, rather than scale down the plans and provided a great track with minimal facilties, he wanted an 'arena' but the money was never there for day one to do such a project. Ultimately his vision of the arena differed with that of a lot of fans (or dormant fans) wanted (e.g. a great track). Maybe sometimes that ambition translates into arrogance and ignorance to some people who worked extremely hard to get the track built and then get the team ticking over. It's that same streak which probably made him a champion of his sport and he uses the same approach - bit like Bradley Wiggins, hardly makes him an amicable bloke.

 

I think it's gutting for a lot of Leicester folk because you see Scunthorpe's approach to build their track and creating their club bit by bit to make something brilliantly successful.

Edited April 30, 2013 by Hazzman

[robert72]

 

 

Please don't take my commentas out of context to suit your own argument!!!!!!!!!!! I have never mentioned the track and I will say it again In my opinion and how many more times 'IT'STHE RIDERS' to pass someone you have to be going faster than them or else you are restricted to just sitting on their tail and waiting foer them to slow down or make a mistake Jeez it's not rocket science if you are going at the same speed as them you will never pass them 'simples' however good the track is or maybe they don't want to break another femur or another collarbone and only pass when they can rather than both riders ending up on a heap on the track nobody wants to see thet either, I imagine 'ala' PLRC last year thats not racing either

 

Tina, please dont talk about how riders ride a bike unless you have done it yourself as it looks silly to those who have raced on here.The problem at BP is down to the shape and NOT the riders.

[TMW]

Tina, please dont talk about how riders ride a bike unless you have done it yourself as it looks silly to those who have raced on here.The problem at BP is down to the shape and NOT the riders.

 

Oh bogoff and do one. Get your kicks elsewhere I'm sure Spearmint Rhino does conccesions!!!!!!

Edited April 30, 2013 by TMW