Winter Thoughts

[Ommer Mon]

It is time for a major shake up and there is no doubt about that.

 

The Ryanair theme above is absolutely right. Too much money is spent on flying mediocre foreigners around Europe and they show little loyalty to Britain when tested. If Freddie is not prepared to be realistic then he should go elsewhere - he went down in my estimation when missing a match for Wollves to go to the European Championship when others rode both days.

 

I have already said elsewhere that I feel the National League product is real value for money and some of these lads are flying round tracks faster than Mauger, Olsen, Penhall and the like ever did.

 

I think we are now down to the real die hard fans, many of whom would turn up to watch the grass grow on the centre green. As long as they have competitive racing to watch I think the vast majority would stick with our sport and provide a foundation to build on. The Dudley/ Cradley fans have demonstrated that. We have gone from Hamill and Hancock to Blackbird and Morris and the celebrations at Kings Lynn were as genuine as ever they were back in the 80s.

 

What worries me is that the majority of 'die hards' are now 50 or 60 somethings. We somehow need to attract the kids to the sport for it to survive and in time prosper and that is something we are not going.

 

Cut costs - make the racing competitive - concentrate on British talent - get the kids on the terraces. Simples - not!

 

Good luck to the Promoters.

Edited November 5, 2013 by Ommer Mon

[pandorum]

I have already said elsewhere that I feel the National League product is real value for money and some of these lads are flying round tracks faster than Mauger, Olsen, Penhall and the like ever did.

 

That's the future for the sport. Give these lads the #6 and #7 berths in PL/EL let them learn even if it's the hard way.

The Danish model (5 man teams) pits the #4 and #5 man against the #1 and #2 man in one heat, so a novice can be pitched in against a top rider and you know what? Sometimes that novice beats the top rider.

 

Instead of training everybody elses train ours. That is the easiest thing British Speedway can do to improve it's lot and it costs nothing to do it.

Build teams with a heart that is British, produce local riders who have some empathy with the local community.

Visit schools on a regular basis and explain the sport to kids, visit hospitals (I think I read somewhere of a team doing that this year. Redcar I think?) Get involved in local activity at every opportunity and show people speedway exists.

Promote the bloody thing and maybe you will see a few people come through the turnstile.

The next obvious thing is give them something to shout about. That involves tracks and presentation and involves a bit of outlay.

Tidy the rubbish tip stadiums up a bit and make them look less like something that was dumped at the side of the road.

 

UK speedway can do without Freddie Lindgren and his ilk but it can't do without the NL as when the whole bloated edifice implodes and the so called top riders have milked the sport dry here and bugger off to sweden or Poland those lads (and a few lasses) will be important. So why not make them feel important NOW!

 

Give the kids and novices a chance. They surely can't be any worse than some of the utter garbage the EL and PL has spent fortunes flying in to fill thier team rosters over the last decade.

 

To hell with Lindgren and his overpriced ilk.

Spend the money on British and maybe if the BSPA put a bit of effort in they might see something good come out of it.

Edited November 4, 2013 by pandorum

[B.V 72]

Some people say that the Elite league will be rubbish if the top riders don't ride here next season but a perfect example for me is Hancock a great rider and also very exspensive..But on the whole he is a gater and the best and most exciting part of a race with him in it is the likes of Harris,Kildermand.Doyle.Barker andNicholls etc trying to chase him down.The point of this post is that Hancock wont be here next year but the best part of a race with him in it should still be here the other riders mentioned.Yes Ward and Holder etc are great racers but unless they have lots of top riders to race against the are just to good for the Elite league as it is now.

[moxey63]

Maybe I am odd (I know most will agree), but seeing the stars in action has never really been my prime interest. Bread and butter guys put on just as much a show as top liners; it's all about seeing beyond any points they score.

 

A better-organised product is all most wish for, the risk of some decent racing; a feeling that you have attended a credible sporting spectacle.

[Sir Sidney]

I watched Wimbledon from 1969 through to the close - meaning that I saw the team compete at all levels from British League, New National League and Conference / National League - and watched world champions right down to youngsters starting out.

 

When the Dons dropped out of the top league I thought I would miss the top riders - but as others have rightly already pointed out, what was key was whether the racing was competitive in the league that the Dons were in at the time.

 

If the outcome this winter is a reigning in of costs, leading to some of the top riders not racing here we will cope, and British speedway may well flourish.

[*JJ]

But look at the rosters of UK teams and they are filled with young upandcoming riders from Sweden, Denmark, Poland etc.

Why is it these countries can produce a never ending stream of Pawel Przedpelski's and Rasmus Jensen's.

They must be doing something different to us?

 

Yes they are actually TRAINING them. I am trying to help a young man who wants to be a speedway rider - mostly by providing transport - who has just had his third practice session riding a 500cc bike. He has now succeeded in sliding the bike right round the corners, but he has had to more or less teach himself how to ride; he has only had a few words of advice from anyone.

The trouble is, that even practice sessions are available at only a few tracks. Next Sunday we are going to drive 100 miles to Scunthorpe, while there is a track only two miles down the road which cannot be used!

[pandorum]

Yes they are actually TRAINING them. I am trying to help a young man who wants to be a speedway rider - mostly by providing transport - who has just had his third practice session riding a 500cc bike. He has now succeeded in sliding the bike right round the corners, but he has had to more or less teach himself how to ride; he has only had a few words of advice from anyone.

The trouble is, that even practice sessions are available at only a few tracks. Next Sunday we are going to drive 100 miles to Scunthorpe, while there is a track only two miles down the road which cannot be used!

I was not trying to say we are not training riders simply that other countries seem to produce an endless stream of riders with ability and we don't so therefore we are obviously doing things the wrong way.

 

I have no idea what Poland does to bring on talent as I don't run a speedway club or am a member of the BSPA.

But it seems sensible to find out what they do to bring on talent and then copy it here as it obviously works.

 

Our haphazard methods which you highlight in your post are not working very well as there are no riders in the NL that would challenge for a post in the Polish league or Swedish league but they have riders of the calibre of Przedpelski (who came from nowhere this year) who would find a way into our EL if he so chose to seek one.

We need to find riders to fill the PL rosters first (and then work thier way up to the EL) but even they are few and far between.

 

I think it says a lot when the kid regarded as the best prospect we have chose Germany to learn his trade.

[Ray Stadia]

I was not trying to say we are not training riders simply that other countries seem to produce an endless stream of riders with ability and we don't so therefore we are obviously doing things the wrong way.

 

I have no idea what Poland does to bring on talent as I don't run a speedway club or am a member of the BSPA.

But it seems sensible to find out what they do to bring on talent and then copy it here as it obviously works.

 

Our haphazard methods which you highlight in your post are not working very well as there are no riders in the NL that would challenge for a post in the Polish league or Swedish league but they have riders of the calibre of Przedpelski (who came from nowhere this year) who would find a way into our EL if he so chose to seek one.

We need to find riders to fill the PL rosters first (and then work thier way up to the EL) but even they are few and far between.

 

I think it says a lot when the kid regarded as the best prospect we have chose Germany to learn his trade.

We used to get a lot of raw talent via Grass Track many years ago, but the sport, like Speedway, is dying. Many British Speedway riders from the past started out riding Grass Track and many continued to do both. I am sure I am right in saying that Speedway promoters would only look at a good Grass Track rider if and when the rider decided to take to a promoter's training day. Promoters should be out there watching the Grass Tracks at centre level and scout for the raw talent. In addition, encourage motorcycle clubs to put on Grass Track events. Britain is starved of Grass Track events as clubs are more focused on MX and Trials. If there were more local centre Grass Track events, youngsters, boys and girls, would compete and some, become the stars of tomorrow, both on Grass Track and Speedway.

[Gemini]

 

The trouble is, that even practice sessions are available at only a few tracks. Next Sunday we are going to drive 100 miles to Scunthorpe, while there is a track only two miles down the road which cannot be used!

 

Have you tried Leicester? They have training days and would be a lot nearer than Scunthorpe.

Edited November 5, 2013 by Gemini

[Guest]

Yes they are actually TRAINING them. I am trying to help a young man who wants to be a speedway rider - mostly by providing transport - who has just had his third practice session riding a 500cc bike. He has now succeeded in sliding the bike right round the corners, but he has had to more or less teach himself how to ride; he has only had a few words of advice from anyone.

The trouble is, that even practice sessions are available at only a few tracks. Next Sunday we are going to drive 100 miles to Scunthorpe, while there is a track only two miles down the road which cannot be used!

 

I don't know what track you refer to but remember in many instances that speedway promotions are only tenants and have to rent the venue from landlords. Many stadiums are not there solely for speedway use - unfortunately. When they are wanted for speedway the promoter has to pay a rental to the landlord, the same would apply if a promoter wanted to hire the place for a training or practice session.

Scunthorpe are in a good position in that they have full control of their stadium, other venues are not so lucky and have to pay the landlord every time they want to use the venue.

[ciderman]

you are right, it is bad, speedway is not like football where it is run by money.

 

They are going to get a massive reality check one of these days!

 

I would rather Matt Ford looked after the sport in a better light rather than being so narrow minded about his own club and winning trophies at no matter what cost!

If every promoter ran his club like Matt Ford the sport wouldn't be in the position it's in. He promotes and fills his stadium -fact- and I'm not a Poole fan

[ciderman]

My thoughts:

 

No GP riders in a so called Elite League,Therefore becomining last years PL , possibly a weakened Premier League maybe having to use 3 NL riders per team doubling up.National League as it is with maybe the addition of a few of the struggling PL teams!

A weaker ( less expensive ) product all round.

[pandorum]

If every promoter ran his club like Matt Ford the sport wouldn't be in the position it's in. He promotes and fills his stadium -fact- and I'm not a Poole fan

To a degree you are right and it would be good if Matt Ford and his fellow promoters could work together for the good of all rather than just thier own selfish interests.

But in many ways Matt is also bad for the sport as well.

We had Ian Thomas as the bogeyman in my younger days and now Matt has that mantle.

He is indeed a good promoter for his teams the same way Thomas was for his but sadly they are not all as clever as those guys and some need a helping hand but the sport would rather point score off each other than work as a unit to build something better..

Edited November 5, 2013 by pandorum

[Mike.Butler]

the fact that Ford is so much better than his contemporaries means rider control is all the more important so that the sport is protected to some degree form the ineptness of others..

[Ommer Mon]

Picking up the 'train the Brits theme' both Erik Gundersen and Jan O. Pedersen have offered to get involved in training British youngsters. Jan O has got as far as launching his Academy. Both are keen to give something back to the Country that gave them so much.

 

The drawback seems to be that both would need to be paid for their time and expertise (and that is a very reasonable request).

 

There is a lack of impetus from the Promoters to take up the offer as there is no incentive for them to do it when they can fly a '4 point' foreigner in to do a tail end job.

 

Forcing teams to include British lads at reserve (as outlined above by Pandorum) could be a step in the right direction.

 

Use the money you save from not flying in foreigners to fund a few sessions with Erik and Jan O - then see the talent come through.

[ABS]

As many of us pointed out last year and the year before and the year before that, there is a simple equation for what has happened and continues to happen to what is, or rather should be a great sport:

 

Lower standards + increased admission charges = reduced crowds

 

Unless promoters reduce their admission charges to reflect the dilution of the product, we will all be sat here again next year wondering why speedway in the UK is going down the pan.

[A ORLOV]

Picking up the 'train the Brits theme' both Erik Gundersen and Jan O. Pedersen have offered to get involved in training British youngsters. Jan O has got as far as launching his Academy. Both are keen to give something back to the Country that gave them so much.

 

The drawback seems to be that both would need to be paid for their time and expertise (and that is a very reasonable request).

 

There is a lack of impetus from the Promoters to take up the offer as there is no incentive for them to do it when they can fly a '4 point' foreigner in to do a tail end job.

 

Forcing teams to include British lads at reserve (as outlined above by Pandorum) could be a step in the right direction.

 

Use the money you save from not flying in foreigners to fund a few sessions with Erik and Jan O - then see the talent come through.

This is down to the shortsightedness and greed of the EL promoters(BSPA) who should have looked to the future and put some of the SKY money into training facilities and I would have also included an amount to all PL and NL clubs.

Edited November 6, 2013 by A ORLOV

[The White Knight]

Picking up the 'train the Brits theme' both Erik Gundersen and Jan O. Pedersen have offered to get involved in training British youngsters. Jan O has got as far as launching his Academy. Both are keen to give something back to the Country that gave them so much.

 

The drawback seems to be that both would need to be paid for their time and expertise (and that is a very reasonable request).

 

There is a lack of impetus from the Promoters to take up the offer as there is no incentive for them to do it when they can fly a '4 point' foreigner in to do a tail end job.

 

Forcing teams to include British lads at reserve (as outlined above by Pandorum) could be a step in the right direction.

 

Use the money you save from not flying in foreigners to fund a few sessions with Erik and Jan O - then see the talent come through.

 

 

I was at the Dinner where Erik Gundersen made his superb offer. He actually offered to do the job for free, Expenses only to try to put British Speedway back in shape by bringing on the youngsters.

 

Nobody took him up on it - sadly.

[Ommer Mon]

I was at the Dinner where Erik Gundersen made his superb offer. He actually offered to do the job for free, Expenses only to try to put British Speedway back in shape by bringing on the youngsters.

 

Nobody took him up on it - sadly.

He repeated it a few months ago when he attended a social evening in his honour in Dudley.

 

What an opportunity missed for the sport in Britain.

 

If we could get a rider who could gate like Erik and pass like Jan O (when he gave everyone else a start) I would suggest we would have a ready made World Champion and plenty of bums on seats to watch him.

[EC Rides Again]

If every promoter ran his club like Matt Ford the sport wouldn't be in the position it's in. He promotes and fills his stadium -fact- and I'm not a Poole fan

And he does this by constantly undermining his opposition in any way he can think of/get away with.