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Berwick Bandits V Sheffield Tigers Pl 27-04-13 7pm


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Sad to see the Tigers' chances crashing out in Heat 14, but fair play to Berwick for keeping going as a solid team.

 

For me, the very long gap while Richard Hall was attended to seemed a forever thing, with no apparent effort made to tell us what was happening, or indeed anything else.

 

Dick Barrie was on the mike earlier in the match to talk about the Sky visitation, but his replacement seemed to give up the ghost during the injury break. If there are going to be breaks of that length in Berwick meetings, the new chap will have to learn to entertain and inform like Dick could.

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I didn't go last night, I've actually chosen go to ashfield over Berwick the last few weeks, solely becoz Berwick track is utter rubbishe & Glasgow is far more entertaining in all aspects!

The quality of racing Is awful, and the atmosphere is flat @ Berwick....sad to say this bandits fan of 29 years has turned into a tiger!

 

So the point I'm trying to make is when long term fans aren't coming back, how are new ones going to start coming???

 

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There are a number of issues with the track, but many are simply out with the control of the promotion. Whilst we would all love to see big sweeping bends and wide straights to provide ample racing lines, it is simply not going to happen. We are restricted by the football pitch so the track staff need to work with what they have.

 

How they do that I simply don't know. Apparently the track is being prepared how the riders want it, but the standard of racing is such that the fans will vote with their feet. This has been in evidence early on this season is crowd levels are dropping at an alarming rate.

 

If the promotion are happy to put on 15 heats of gate and go, then the very best of luck to them. Another alternative is to put a finish line opposite the start line and have 60 heats of 1st and 2nd bend races because after that the excitement ends and you can fill your programme in.

 

With a big Sky meeting coming up, plus the World U21s in August, time is on our side to get the track into a fit state but decisive action needs to be made as soon as possible or I can see trouble for the future of our beloved Bandits.

 

 

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I personally just think its the shape thats the issue not really the preparation.

 

You think,the shape of the track has changed very little if atall since speedway returned to Shielfield,we`ve had some cracking meetings during that time,so IMO we can put the shape of the track idea to bed.

 

personally I think that the new exhausts and the way engines are prepared have a lot to do with it , bikes or the riders don't seem to like to much dirt

 

The return of speedway to Shielfield happened roughly about the time the change came from uprights to lay-down engines,its certainly true that changes in engine make-ups and changes to silencers might very well have something to do with the lack of on track entertainment but just how much is up for debate,IMO not a significant amount.

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The lack of passing , entertainment and the poor quality of track isn't a problem that Berwick are alone in its all over the country , just look at some of the meetings featured on Sky . The meeting on Tuesday at Lakeside was a complete bore and that's not the first one , no matter how loud Nigel & Kelvin roar most of the racing is poor with guy with the fastest bike not the best rider winning. Speedway in general needs to take a long hard look at itself before its to late

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The lack of passing , entertainment and the poor quality of track isn't a problem that Berwick are alone in its all over the country , just look at some of the meetings featured on Sky . The meeting on Tuesday at Lakeside was a complete bore and that's not the first one , no matter how loud Nigel & Kelvin roar most of the racing is poor with guy with the fastest bike not the best rider winning. Speedway in general needs to take a long hard look at itself before its to late

 

Your right,though this weeks two Sky meetings went from one extreme to the other,slick track at Lakeside,crap meeting,track at King Lynn the following night was reasonably good but then again meetings at Saddlebow Road are usually good,maybe that comes down to track prep.

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You think,the shape of the track has changed very little if atall since speedway returned to Shielfield,we`ve had some cracking meetings during that time,so IMO we can put the shape of the track idea to bed.

 

 

 

The return of speedway to Shielfield happened roughly about the time the change came from uprights to lay-down engines,its certainly true that changes in engine make-ups and changes to silencers might very well have something to do with the lack of on track entertainment but just how much is up for debate,IMO not a significant amount.

 

Tbf Screm in the last 5 years I reckon you could count on one hand the number cracking meetings we've had. I agree with Emilali though, the track is so one dimensional. When people who don't go say Speedway is just 4 guys going round in a circular motion X4. Berwick isn't far off that. Auty and Ashworth's race last year was a cracker as was the Glasgow cup meeting in 2011 failing those two your looking at Kings Lynn back in 2009. We've lost Complin also who was someone who even when we got shafted was still capable of a great race.

 

If Ricky is going to be out, we need to bring in a big name who is going too put life into the place. Fear into the oppisistion. You fancy your chances as an away team coming to Berwick these days, we have never been great travellers but our home matches was where we held our own. The team are going to need to pull something out of the ordinary if they are to stay unbeaten in the next 3 home matches.

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Cant help wondering what would have happened if Damien hadnt crashed and brought Hally off,could've been a totally diferent outcome.On a brighter note, the burgers were top notch and the chips amazing last night....Bloody freezing again.

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Cannot really comment on the track at Berwick as I have never been before.

 

But maybe it is the fact that they are not the landlords of the track and they don't have the proper time to prepare the track.

 

Either way I hope that things get sort at Berwick would hate to see them lost to the sport.

 

 

Onto Sheffield, a battling performance, and to go into the last heat with still having a chance to pick up a point was not bad for a team that everyone thought were going to get humped.

 

Will be interesting to see how the Promotion deal with the Richard Hall injury, looks like it could be a lengthy spell on the sidelines, and I don't think the side is equipped to deal with Rider Replacement, and I think if we do bring in a new rider we might have to replace one of the reserve boys as well.

 

Congratulations to Berwick on taking all three points, and a speedy recovery to Richard Hall.

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Cannot really comment on the track at Berwick as I have never been before.

 

But maybe it is the fact that they are not the landlords of the track and they don't have the proper time to prepare the track.

 

Either way I hope that things get sort at Berwick would hate to see them lost to the sport.

 

 

Onto Sheffield, a battling performance, and to go into the last heat with still having a chance to pick up a point was not bad for a team that everyone thought were going to get humped.

 

Will be interesting to see how the Promotion deal with the Richard Hall injury, looks like it could be a lengthy spell on the sidelines, and I don't think the side is equipped to deal with Rider Replacement, and I think if we do bring in a new rider we might have to replace one of the reserve boys as well.

 

Congratulations to Berwick on taking all three points, and a speedy recovery to Richard Hall.

 

The reserves are an obvious weakness in the Sheffield line-up,and if Hall is on the sidelines for and length of time thats going to put even more pressure on them to produce.Young Knight is excatly that,young,maybe the move up to the PL has come a bit quick for the lad and winning races in the NL may do him more favours than running lasts in the PL.

 

Koppe was in amongst things last night,fell in his first ride,but was leading Ht14 before falling going into turn three on the first lap,and bring down Hall.

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The reserves are an obvious weakness in the Sheffield line-up,and if Hall is on the sidelines for and length of time thats going to put even more pressure on them to produce.Young Knight is excatly that,young,maybe the move up to the PL has come a bit quick for the lad and winning races in the NL may do him more favours than running lasts in the PL.

 

Koppe was in amongst things last night,fell in his first ride,but was leading Ht14 before falling going into turn three on the first lap,and bring down Hall.

To be honest Jake has been the one that has impressed the most over the two so far this season and I think he has surprised quite a few of us including myself.

 

Its is a tough one for the Promotion, but I do think that with the type of rider out there that will be available as a temporary replacement for Richard Hall means that we will have to lose one of the reserve boys.

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I didn't go last night, I've actually chosen go to ashfield over Berwick the last few weeks, solely becoz Berwick track is utter rubbishe & Glasgow is far more entertaining in all aspects!

The quality of racing Is awful, and the atmosphere is flat @ Berwick....sad to say this bandits fan of 29 years has turned into a tiger!

 

So the point I'm trying to make is when long term fans aren't coming back, how are new ones going to start coming???

 

You are not the only one, I've seen many of the regular faces from berwick at Ashfield and Armadale over the last couple of weeks, with the crowds at berw ick getting less and less each week the future is looking bleak for them.

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Every single word of this post is true it was absolutely dire last night, i really am worried about the future of Berwick Speedway the promotion have done loads of improvements ,but if things dont change on track and very soon i see hard times, like i have said before i dont know the answer but surely someone does. i too think it could get very very untidy next week.. a win is definately on the cards for Workington i hope i am wrong but it looks bleak...

It is not just Berwick either you fear for! I see lots of tracks at all levels from my base near Coventry and I can tell you it is in a mess! Perhaps the engines are too quick these days (bring back uprights?) new silencers and set ups. It appears there is little drive around the outside of bends anymore. Only at the highest GP level do we seem to see the best of it. Edited by Catch Me If You Can
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Speedway is not an addiction anymore, these days a mere formality.

 

You are bang on. I probably go to speedway now because I want to see all the Amigos I have got to know over the years. Pre speedway in the B&G and afterwards in the B&G are the highlights of the evening. Sad, so sad, however I dont think it is too late to change and get it right.

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Thats where Dick's experience and 50 years in the sport has it's advantage in these situations.

 

But no-one lives forever (although Dick's making a fair fist of it) and his replacement has big, big boots to fill.

 

The failing commented on above (not to fill in during a delay on what I understand had become a chilly evening) is inexcusable.

 

Too many presenters up and down the land are happy to stand in one place and commentate on the obvious when things are going well, but go AWOL when they could really contribute during intervals and (especially) delays, keeping interest alive with interviews and a constant information flow.

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When people who don't go say Speedway is just 4 guys going round in a circular motion X4. Berwick isn't far off that. Auty and Ashworth's race last year was a cracker as was the Glasgow cup meeting in 2011 failing those two your looking at Kings Lynn back in 2009. We've lost Complin also who was someone who even when we got shafted was still capable of a great race.

 

 

 

I can't really agree with you. Didn't you watch Heat 15 on Saturday -- when the bonus point was on the line? It was a cracker, with Ricky Wells, Kevin Doolan and Kozza Smith swapping the minor places for three laps several times before the last lap settled the 3-3.

 

If you get a race as good as that in every meeting, it can't be too bad.

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