Lakeside 2014

[E I Addio]

Lakeside's twitter feed has been active tonight with Richard Lawson named rider of the year.

 

That's hardly surprising. He came into the side at short notice with a reputation as someone who couldn't ride small tracks and he applied himself to the task and progressed brilliantly. To be fair, he had a lot of help from Dave Watt off track and a lot of shepherding on track from Lewis Bridger who at times team rode quite brilliantly to let Richard pick his line while Lewis backed him up, but Rich is still a deserving winner of Rider of the year and one of the few highlights of a disappointing Lakeside season.

 

Well done Richard

Edited October 21, 2013 by E I Addio

[nboy]

As above, may take a few years to get over Lee, cant be replaced. Sure, we were doing OK till PK and Seb got injured. People seem to forget quickly and crtisise the promotion, but not alot you can do about it at such a late stage in the season when you loose two HL's. It is was it is. I also think the promo was right to stop the season at the end of the league fixtures, as traditionally, in my 15 years support, AE fans dont turn up for non core fixtures. no point burning cash that could be used to sign riders for next season.

 

My only crit though of EL speedway (not directed just at AE) is that i paid 250.00 (ish) for a season ticket a few years back for a full card of 28 meetings, so at the start of this season if i were to have purchased again, i should have only paid 125.00 for 14 meetings. EL seems to have got the utility providers disease, where we pay more very year for less!

[westhamboy66]

Anyone living in Thurrock know all about the plans for the Lakeside shopping Centre and its major expansion that will include the current speedway track being gobbled up. The plans are in the local papers and Thurrock Council will support the move. A massive amount of money coming to the owners of Arena Essex. Done deal just a matter of when. Can't understand why it is thought to be a big secret. Look to see the club in a short term track share while they seek out a bit of land.

[LagutaRacingFan]

Anyone living in Thurrock know all about the plans for the Lakeside shopping Centre and its major expansion that will include the current speedway track being gobbled up. The plans are in the local papers and Thurrock Council will support the move. A massive amount of money coming to the owners of Arena Essex. Done deal just a matter of when. Can't understand why it is thought to be a big secret. Look to see the club in a short term track share while they seek out a bit of land.

 

Good news if they are getting a lot of money, Hopefully they can make a proper track now and a nice little stadium.

[E I Addio]

Anyone living in Thurrock know all about the plans for the Lakeside shopping Centre and its major expansion that will include the current speedway track being gobbled up. The plans are in the local papers and Thurrock Council will support the move. A massive amount of money coming to the owners of Arena Essex. Done deal just a matter of when. Can't understand why it is thought to be a big secret. Look to see the club in a short term track share while they seek out a bit of land.

 

 

For as long as I can remember there has been talk over Arena being swallowed up as pat of the Thames Gateway redevelopment and one day it very likely will go the way of Hackney, West Ham ,Crayford and Wimbledon but we all know that talking is one thing and doing is another. Plenty of vested interests working against it at the moment even though Thurrock Council have given it the so-called green light. .Won't be happening in 2014 though. IMO the scarcity of building land is the biggest threat to all speedway in this country but I wouldn't say Arena is under a bigger threat than Coventry or a number of othjers.

[Starman2006]

I dont know that much so i dont know how realistic this is but how about:

 

1. Fredrik Lindgren 8.94

2. Richard Lawson 4.80

3. Seb Ulamek 6.60

4. Piotr Swiderski 6.22

5. Dave Watt /Danny King 7.46

6. Tyson Nelson 3.59

7. Kauko Nieminen 4.62

 

Probably really unrealistic but there you go.

I think your all forgetting one thing. this years AGM..

[SteveLyric2]

I think your all forgetting one thing. this years AGM..

....and today's pre-AGM!!!

[liam]

Jon Cook said a season or two ago that they have been assured that the arena essex raceway will be there for many years to come. Next rumour please.

[tocha]

Jon Cook said a season or two ago that they have been assured that the arena essex raceway will be there for many years to come. Next rumour please.

 

I have done a little digging myself. From what I have found, the Lakeside expansion appears to be south of the A1306 joining Alexandra Lake to the existing centre then creating a new leisure and shopping area with the aim to establish the third largest retail park in the UK. Examples:

 

http://www.thurrockgazette.co.uk/news/9859579.Lakeside_s___180million_expansion_gets_the_green_light/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lnGzbhQuws4

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bdwg6o7BAg0

[NickRushbrook]

Take into consideration aswell that , in the event of thames gateway coming to fruition, it is very possible that motorsport could be included. So many ifs and buts.

 

Lakeside seem to be a club looking to the future if the academy is anything to go by so im not too concerned right now.

[E I Addio]

From the Lakeside website-

Representatives of the Vortex Hammers travel to Coventry for this year’s British Speedway Promoters Association’s AGM, hopeful that the sports leaders will oversee a return to more regular racing and also banish the unpopular Tactical Ride rule to history.

Vortex Hammers Co-Promoter Jon Cook commented: “There is no getting away from the fact that this is the most important AGM of modern times and a real opportunity to bring about changes that will put British Speedway, its fans and its own riders first.

Whilst we await the conclusion of TV contract talks, the period has given us time throughout the sport to reflect on both the good and bad elements that have evolved ever since the Elite clubs made the decision in 1997 to form a league to secure TV coverage, which was achieved a year later.”

He continued “For our own club and many others, we are now running at too large an expense per meeting and as a result of other clubs wishes, have reduced our league programme to below a level acceptable to our landlords, our riders, who don’t have the luxury of riding in multiple leagues, our sponsors and most importantly our fans.

The problem we now have is that expense is too great to add in another half a dozen meetings at the current levels, as we have all got business plans dependent upon dividing our off-track revenues by 14 meetings and not 20.

Therefore, real change is required to return to regular Friday speedway, regardless of what future TV contracts bring to the sport. That is our priority over the coming weekend. At the very least we want three meetings a month with the fourth week free for potential rain offs.

Team strengths should be secondary to that need. Let the riders that want to commit to British speedway first and foremost and not hide behind the international calendar when it suits, be our priority too.

And finally let’s throw the Tactical Ride rule in the bin. The greatest promoter of all time, speedways father, Johnnie Hoskins used to set fire to his hat. I think we should start the 2014 season with a ceremonial burning of the black and white helmet colour from Plymouth to Edinburgh and every track in between.”

 

Fair play to Jon Cook for nailing his colours to the mast before the AGM. I think most fans will agree with his sentiments so lets hope none of the others torpedo it. Based on what Cookie said over the mic in the summer I daresay CVS and Matt Ford are of the same mind.

 

The sport is now drinking in the Last Chance Saloon. Let's hope that between them they pull it off.

[cityrebel]

as a lakeside regular it's good to hear some news from the hammers managment, who have been largely quiet since the last home meeting on august 23rd!.

[bigcatdiary]

From the Lakeside website-Representatives of the Vortex Hammers travel to Coventry for this year’s British Speedway Promoters Association’s AGM, hopeful that the sports leaders will oversee a return to more regular racing and also banish the unpopular Tactical Ride rule to history.

Vortex Hammers Co-Promoter Jon Cook commented: “There is no getting away from the fact that this is the most important AGM of modern times and a real opportunity to bring about changes that will put British Speedway, its fans and its own riders first.

Whilst we await the conclusion of TV contract talks, the period has given us time throughout the sport to reflect on both the good and bad elements that have evolved ever since the Elite clubs made the decision in 1997 to form a league to secure TV coverage, which was achieved a year later.”

He continued “For our own club and many others, we are now running at too large an expense per meeting and as a result of other clubs wishes, have reduced our league programme to below a level acceptable to our landlords, our riders, who don’t have the luxury of riding in multiple leagues, our sponsors and most importantly our fans.

The problem we now have is that expense is too great to add in another half a dozen meetings at the current levels, as we have all got business plans dependent upon dividing our off-track revenues by 14 meetings and not 20.

Therefore, real change is required to return to regular Friday speedway, regardless of what future TV contracts bring to the sport. That is our priority over the coming weekend. At the very least we want three meetings a month with the fourth week free for potential rain offs.

Team strengths should be secondary to that need. Let the riders that want to commit to British speedway first and foremost and not hide behind the international calendar when it suits, be our priority too.

And finally let’s throw the Tactical Ride rule in the bin. The greatest promoter of all time, speedways father, Johnnie Hoskins used to set fire to his hat. I think we should start the 2014 season with a ceremonial burning of the black and white helmet colour from Plymouth to Edinburgh and every track in between.”

 

Fair play to Jon Cook for nailing his colours to the mast before the AGM. I think most fans will agree with his sentiments so lets hope none of the others torpedo it. Based on what Cookie said over the mic in the summer I daresay CVS and Matt Ford are of the same mind.

 

The sport is now drinking in the Last Chance Saloon. Let's hope that between them they pull it off.

Clever use of words but he doesn't actually say very much other than he wants to get rid of a rule that doesn't cost them anything but significantly favours the top heavy teams when racing more balanced teams.

 

The bottom line re costs is they pay more out than they receive and until that's addressed nothing will change, doubling up will very likely stay because we just don't seem to have enough riders to fill all the teams in both the EL and PL.

 

Personally I can live with missing some of the leagues top riders if they won't ride for the reduced pay rates but cutting the team limit down just isn't the answer.

[TonyE]

Clever use of words but he doesn't actually say very much other than he wants to get rid of a rule that doesn't cost them anything but significantly favours the top heavy teams when racing more balanced teams.

 

The bottom line re costs is they pay more out than they receive and until that's addressed nothing will change, doubling up will very likely stay because we just don't seem to have enough riders to fill all the teams in both the EL and PL.

 

Personally I can live with missing some of the leagues top riders if they won't ride for the reduced pay rates but cutting the team limit down just isn't the answer.

I am sure the cost of regularly 'flying in' foreign based riders is a significant issue and reducing the number of same will go some way to reducing expenses. The key question will be - are there enough bodies around to to fill the spaces left?

 

It is pleasing to note that the greater good of speedway is in Jon's mind rather than everyone acceding to the wishes/needs of a minority of clubs.

 

Hopefully, the 'black and white' will be consigned to the dustbin of history.

[E I Addio]

It may not be necessary to cut the points limit. If, as Cook seems to be hinting, every rider has to commit to a full British season without disappearing for big international meetings abroad in preference to EL matches, all the top earners will be gone anyway so presumably they could build to a limit of say 42 without breaking the bank, and we could still be left with some decent riders like perhaps Peter Karlsson and Rory Schlein, possibly even Kenny Bjerre, who says he wants to ride here. Depends what is finally agreed.

 

CLearly cost control is the priority in all three leagues because a number are saying that won't run again at the present level of losses. If Eastbourne lost £70,000 last year, and Peterborough lost £100,000 as has been publicised, then without the Sky income those losses would be £170,000+ and £200,000+ which would be unsustainable even for wealthy men like Frost and Dugard. At the same time with average attendances of 770 for Eastbourne and 700 for Peterborough Dugard and Frost are astute enough to know they can't afford to lose any more support. I don't know about Bellevue but I presume their figures are equally as dire and the problems at Swindon and Brum are well publicised so personally I think that they all must know that they have to work together and things have moved on since 2010.

[The White Knight]

I am sure the cost of regularly 'flying in' foreign based riders is a significant issue and reducing the number of same will go some way to reducing expenses. The key question will be - are there enough bodies around to to fill the spaces left?

 

It is pleasing to note that the greater good of speedway is in Jon's mind rather than everyone acceding to the wishes/needs of a minority of clubs.

 

Hopefully, the 'black and white' will be consigned to the dustbin of history.

 

 

I would even volunteer to come down from Sunderland to set fire to the bl**dy thing. :mad:

 

It appears that there is someone in Speedway, after all, who recognises how unpopular the Tactical Ride is among swathes of Supporters throughout Speedway. :approve:

[bigcatdiary]

 

 

I would even volunteer to come down from Sunderland to set fire to the bl**dy thing. :mad:

 

It appears that there is someone in Speedway, after all, who recognises how unpopular the Tactical Ride is among swathes of Supporters throughout Speedway. :approve:

 

Lets be honest its just tac rides on the cheap, the only ones that like it are teams with big hitters who can work it to their advantage and sky.

 

Should never have been brought introduced in the first place.

[Dornier]

Full credit to the Lakeside promotion for stating publicly what their hopes are for 2014.......I think it sums up most peoples hopes.....

[sussex bulldog]

I believe once again Jon has it right ! I hope it goes his way.

[orion]

Looking like we are going to be paying the same price with lower standard teams. The same plan we have had for the last ten years ,of course it never saves money because less people watch it .