Was It A Masterstroke, Chequebook Speedway, Or May Be A Bit Of Both?

[Dave Stummings]

Just read this on hackneyspeedway.com an feel old Birdie has probably got it spot on! I have to say I do miss my Friday night fix at Waterden Road even after all these years...........

 

 

Hawkeye asks was it a masterstroke, chequebook speedway, or may be a bit of both?

I would like to make a few points. Point 1: Poole are this season's Elite League champions; point 2: hold on, there's the second leg of the final still to be contested; point 3: see point 1.

Yes, only the most optimistic (or most foolish) would stake any hard-earned cash on Birmingham overturning the Pirates' 21 point lead the team built up in the first leg at Wimborne Road on Monday evening.

The play-offs are money spinners to the four teams who reach that stage; and for the two clubs that contest the final, the nest egg is usually even larger. Mind you, if many fans believe, like I do, that the second leg is a foregone conclusion, Birmingham's potential money-spinner may be somewhat diluted.

The speedway regulations are, in my opinion, too convoluted for an old fogey like me to have any chance of fully understanding them.

What I do know is that the meeting at Belle Vue when the Pirates secured their place in the play-offs should never have taken place. The track was barely rideable let alone raceable.

If I remember correctly, the Aces were without their star man Craig Cook and Poole skipper Darcy Ward openly admitted that his team would rather meet Belle Vue without Cook than with him.

On a night when the referee and clerk of the course should have declared the track unfit for purpose, the Aces had no incentive to compete whereas for Poole, there was a place in the play-offs up for grabs.

It is quite possible (perhaps likely) that Poole would have beaten Belle Vue if the conditions had been perfect for racing. However, for the officials to allow the minimum of ten heats to run and then, when the Pirates had sufficient points in the bag, to call a halt to proceedings was a total disgrace.

Then we have the situation with Poole and Greg Hancock. I don't keep records, but I imagine that up to the time of Hancock's capture, the Pirates used a guest or the rider replacement rule to cover for the injured Chris Holder. Poole promoter Matt Ford should, perhaps, be congratulated for his master stroke in signing two-times world champion Hancock. After all, he doesn't appear to have broken any rules.

Is there a cut-off date in speedway after which a club cannot sign a new rider? You know, similar to football's transfer deadline date. Here again, if such a rule exists Poole didn't break it. If they had done so, other promoters would have soon shouted.

One assumes that Wolverhampton and Lakeside could have, by dangling a big enough carrot, signed a big name to replace their respectably injured riders Tai Woffinden and Peter Karlsson -- names such as Jarek Hampel, Nicki Pedersen or Andreas Jonsson spring to mind.

Did those clubs not think that way or was it a case of affordability. Poole is probably the best- supported team in British speedway and can, I imagine, afford to open the chequebook and entice the big gun.

I doubt that many folk know just how big the carrot waved in front of Hancock had to be to get him to Dorset on a short-term deal, but it surely had to be quite considerable. Whatever the outlay I feel sure Ford will, in the final analysis, receive a significant return on his investment.

The team I supported is, like numerous others, now a distant memory. They've even knocked the old place down, so I've no axe to grind in a competitive sense.

However, Birmingham, Swindon, Lakeside and the rest battled it out with RR or guests, only to lose out to the short-term fix. Luck plays a big part in most sports and Poole had plenty of the bad kind with an early season injury to Ward and then the long-term loss of Holder; but recent happenings do, I believe, leave a bad taste in one’s mouth.

What's gone before are just a few thoughts from a silly old so and so who knows it's water off a duck's back, but at least he's got something off his chest.

[Mixy230]

Am not a Poole fan, but!

Sometimes you have to make your own luck! Change things to bring yourself a good run/luck!

 

Fair play to Poole, battling through, changing things, spotting an opening a chance and grabbing it!

 

Have they done anything illegal? I think not but am not an expert!

 

Proactive, will to win, keep supporters happy, make some money, speculate to accumulate, plan and manage!

 

I am sure Mr Ford and the fans (probably the riders to) relish Mr Ford being the pantomime villain, getting talked about, jeered etc (At least it creates some passion and excitement.)

 

If Mr Ford is there to promote, keep the team in the public eye, get people through the gate, think plan and know the rules he appears to be doing ok for himself.

 

I am not a Poole fan but I have to respect all of that (Including sailing close to the wind sometimes????) am pretty much neutral with a preference for Coventry

 

Also once Poole made the play offs it seemed obvious that they would win (Had a slight hope for Swindon & no hope for Brum)

[Jonimac]

What a considered and well thought out piece.

 

For me, here is the key line

 

 

 

However, Birmingham, Swindon, Lakeside and the rest battled it out with RR or guests, only to lose out to the short-term fix.

 

 

I don't want to turn up to watch R/R or some guest (good or bad) shunted in. As far as I can see, Matt Ford has broken no rules. Like good comedy, it was about timing.

I believe Hancock was losing his spot in Poland, struggling in the GP series and needed more competitive racing.

Poole needed to replace the great Chris Holder for the remainder of the season.

 

They have also had Ward out for part of this season too.

A remarkable achievement, made possible by Matt Ford taking A RISK. Not buying his way to success but giving Poole a chance of success.

[The White Knight]

The Belle Vue v. Poole Meeting was, for me just indicative of what is wrong with Speedway today. It seemed to me that the Meeting should never have taken place and that it was fiddled through. I seem to use that word a lot these days where Speedway is concerned. :sad:

[Mixy230]

Jonimac

White Knight

 

Agree with you both!!!!!!!! (How irritating) lol

The BV v Poole meeting had my nerves jangling because you could see what was going to happen! gggggggggrrrrrrrrrrr

Not illegal - fiddled ? maybe a bit harsh! Contrived??? I like that better??!! Planned and manipulated the situation to their own adavantage!!! Why wouldn't they?

 

You have to make / manage your own luck sometimes!!!!!!!!!!

 

The league needs a team to dislike and they love it! (When they are winning) lol

[The White Knight]

Jonimac

White Knight

 

Agree with you both!!!!!!!! (How irritating) lol

The BV v Poole meeting had my nerves jangling because you could see what was going to happen! gggggggggrrrrrrrrrrr

Not illegal - fiddled ? maybe a bit harsh! Contrived??? I like that better??!! Planned and manipulated the situation to their own adavantage!!! Why wouldn't they?

 

You have to make / manage your own luck sometimes!!!!!!!!!!

 

The league needs a team to dislike and they love it! (When they are winning) lol

 

HARSH!!! I don't think so. :shock:

[Jonimac]

Having not witnessed the alleged shenanigans at BV, it's difficult to comment, although there's been plenty of it on here - mostly very angry I might add.

But in more than 40 years of watching competitive team sport - mainly football and speedway - winning a league doesn't hinge on winning/throwing/fixing/planning/manipulating one sole match. It's won over the course of a season.

 

Where speedway warps this slightly is that the top 4 teams battle it out at the end. I can understand this for promotion to upper leagues, but cannot for the life of me figure why this is acceptable for the winners of the top tier?

 

Birmingham are, without a shadow of a doubt, the team of the season. Even Matt Ford would vote for them.

To have the foresight to sign Greg Hancock in order to try to sneak into the playoffs, knowing that with him on board they had a team far stronger than the one that produced (just) enough points to get into the playoffs is fantastic forward thinking. But it's still a gamble. And it paid off.

 

For me, Poole were the team of last year and lost the play off to Swindon. So I'd blame the system, rather than someone who last year suffered by the same system, for the unsatisfactory winners of the Elite League.

 

If Arsenal beat Man Utd last May at Wembley in the Premier League play off, there would be a riot because they did not deserve it over the course of the season. Yet we put up with this in speedway.

 

You will also note the use of the word "Premier" in that last sentence. Who thinks these titles up?

[BluPanther]

 

For me, Poole were the team of last year and lost the play off to Swindon. So I'd blame the system, rather than someone who last year suffered by the same system, for the unsatisfactory winners of the Elite League.

 

If Arsenal beat Man Utd last May at Wembley in the Premier League play off, there would be a riot because they did not deserve it over the course of the season. Yet we put up with this in speedway.

 

Absolutely 100% correct

[The Know]

Yet another Poole bashing thread hey. Oh well do we care ? Not one bit :-) sending you all the Poole Love x.

[orion]

Having not witnessed the alleged shenanigans at BV, it's difficult to comment, although there's been plenty of it on here - mostly very angry I might add.

But in more than 40 years of watching competitive team sport - mainly football and speedway - winning a league doesn't hinge on winning/throwing/fixing/planning/manipulating one sole match. It's won over the course of a season.

 

Where speedway warps this slightly is that the top 4 teams battle it out at the end. I can understand this for promotion to upper leagues, but cannot for the life of me figure why this is acceptable for the winners of the top tier?

 

Birmingham are, without a shadow of a doubt, the team of the season. Even Matt Ford would vote for them.

To have the foresight to sign Greg Hancock in order to try to sneak into the playoffs, knowing that with him on board they had a team far stronger than the one that produced (just) enough points to get into the playoffs is fantastic forward thinking. But it's still a gamble. And it paid off.

 

For me, Poole were the team of last year and lost the play off to Swindon. So I'd blame the system, rather than someone who last year suffered by the same system, for the unsatisfactory winners of the Elite League.

 

If Arsenal beat Man Utd last May at Wembley in the Premier League play off, there would be a riot because they did not deserve it over the course of the season. Yet we put up with this in speedway.

 

You will also note the use of the word "Premier" in that last sentence. Who thinks these titles up?

Why would there be a riot ? if they knew the rules before the start of the season then people would accept it just like they do in all the other sports where play offs take place ...cant remember many riots when a 5th place team beats a 3rd place team to gain promotion in football or any in Rugby union or league that used the same system .

[BWitcher]

 

 

If Arsenal beat Man Utd last May at Wembley in the Premier League play off, there would be a riot because they did not deserve it over the course of the season. Yet we put up with this in speedway.

 

You will also note the use of the word "Premier" in that last sentence. Who thinks these titles up?

 

No there wouldn't be a riot, as everyone would know the rules in advance.

[BluPanther]

Football would never ever adopt a play off system to decide league champions...

[The White Knight]

Football would never ever adopt a play off system to decide league champions...

 

You are right.

[Jonimac]

cant remember many riots when a 5th place team beats a 3rd place team to gain promotion in football or any in Rugby union or league that used the same system .

 

My posting refers to the team winning the top league. I said that I can understand this for promotion.

[orion]

 

 

My posting refers to the team winning the top league. I said that I can understand this for promotion.

And what do think happens in rugby ? they used the same system and can't remember a riot yet

[Jonimac]

 

 

No there wouldn't be a riot, as everyone would know the rules in advance.

 

Actually I believe there would not be a riot because it would never be accepted by the clubs or the public in the first place.

 

And what do think happens in rugby ? they used the same system and can't remember a riot yet

 

I didn't use rugby as an example.

I used football. I believe that football doesn't require this end of season event to draw people, from around the world, to watch it.

[Tsunami]

Actually I believe there would not be a riot because it would never be accepted by the clubs or the public in the first place.

 

But it is in Speedway and the full formula, as others have pointed out, were known and voted on for the rules this year.

[Jonimac]

 

 

But it is in Speedway and the full formula, as others have pointed out, were known and voted on for the rules this year.

 

And as far as I know the rules haven't been broken.

Poole worked within the rules and will (probably) win the play off tonight.

But I still prefer the performance of Birmingham this year, overall.

Particularly given their odds at the start of the season.

But my belief is that the BV result did not get Poole into the playoffs. Yes, it was towards the end of the season but there we many more meetings than this.

It was signing Greg Hancock that got them to where they are tonight.

Edited October 15, 2013 by Jonimac

[Grachan]

I don't understand the negative connotations that go with "chequebook speedway". There's a points limit in place and teams work around that as best hey can.

 

If a team such as Poole has the resources to bring in replacements then surely that is a god thing. Would it not be better if all teams could bring in replacements rather than using R/R or guests?

 

Why should a team be penalised just because they're not broke all the time? They are restricted by the points limit. Surely the top sides must have some leeway to remain at the top.

[The White Knight]

I don't understand the negative connotations that go with "chequebook speedway". There's a points limit in place and teams work around that as best hey can.

 

If a team such as Poole has the resources to bring in replacements then surely that is a god thing. Would it not be better if all teams could bring in replacements rather than using R/R or guests?

 

Why should a team be penalised just because they're not broke all the time? They are restricted by the points limit. Surely the top sides must have some leeway to remain at the top.

 

I doubt it.