Fozzie4388 Posted December 17, 2013 Report Share Posted December 17, 2013 Hopwood signed http://www.stokepotters.co/news.php?extend.644 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vog Posted December 18, 2013 Report Share Posted December 18, 2013 Not really Hopwoods biggest fan, but good luck to him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SCSA Posted December 18, 2013 Report Share Posted December 18, 2013 Hopwood signed http://www.stokepotters.co/news.php?extend.644 The only way Mr Tattum will raise the profile of the club is by disappearing, along with his merrymen/women for good. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Banani Posted December 20, 2013 Report Share Posted December 20, 2013 Could see Armstrong doing a good job If he signed for Stoke. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
horneymikh Posted December 21, 2013 Report Share Posted December 21, 2013 Looks like Chip boys back as well Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greyhoundp Posted December 21, 2013 Report Share Posted December 21, 2013 yep, big welcome to armo. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vog Posted December 21, 2013 Report Share Posted December 21, 2013 Interesting. Armstrong has never been my favourite rider after he spat his dummy many years ago riding for the Spitfires, and he had a down season last season, possibly down to a knee injury? Either way, if the passion is still there, the experience will come in handy. More interestingly in the press release, they said that they anticipated him riding at 5, which means there will be a higher averaged number 1? Given a 40 point limit, I'm guessing this means we won't be seeing Ben Reade back this year? Realistically, I think we will be looking at something like 1) New number 1 - 9.5 2) Lee Payne 4.90 3) Ben Hopwood 6.89 4) Luke Priest 4.75 5) Armstrong 7.93 6) 3 pointer 7) 3 pointer And in that, a lot would be riding on the 3 pointers and Priest/Payne! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stokielee Posted December 21, 2013 Report Share Posted December 21, 2013 It's a Stoke team built by Tattum, Vasey, Crabtree & Co. History tells us that it will be a poor side. Surely everyone now knows this! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Banani Posted December 21, 2013 Report Share Posted December 21, 2013 Good to see Armstrong got a team but he is quite injury prone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Swift Saint Posted December 24, 2013 Report Share Posted December 24, 2013 I take much of what has been said on board last season was a terrible disappointment. We have virtually completed our top five for 2014 and our Press Officer will issue a Press release concerning our new No.1 very shortly. Happy Christmas to all my speedway friends Malcolm Vasey 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mimmo Posted December 24, 2013 Report Share Posted December 24, 2013 Happy Christmas to you Malcolm and to everyone involved with Stoke Speedway, both officials and supporters. I must say a few unfriendly comments have been aimed at certain people at the club you represent. I'm sure the team is built within the cclubs financial means, and if it's not as strong as some people would like, then that is life. Surely some speedway is better than no speedway. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fozzie4388 Posted December 24, 2013 Report Share Posted December 24, 2013 Ben Wilson number 1. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Banani Posted December 24, 2013 Report Share Posted December 24, 2013 Can see him being a solid scorer at number 1 for Stoke next season. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Islander15 Posted December 24, 2013 Report Share Posted December 24, 2013 (edited) Very strong number 1. Only 10.11 left for their bottom 3 which means no Luke Priest, yet I would've thought on 4.75 that he'd be one of the first names! Edited December 24, 2013 by Islander15 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vog Posted December 24, 2013 Report Share Posted December 24, 2013 (edited) Happy Christmas to you Malcolm and to everyone involved with Stoke Speedway, both officials and supporters. I must say a few unfriendly comments have been aimed at certain people at the club you represent. I'm sure the team is built within the cclubs financial means, and if it's not as strong as some people would like, then that is life. Surely some speedway is better than no speedway. Mimmo, please don't misunderstand, there are a lot of people who gave a lot of time and effort to help Stoke, and who were disappointed in the drop to the NL, but living within our financial means isn't the issue anymore. The unsavory things that are said are, in the whole, fully deserved. There are countless tales of fans being abused by the custodians of Stoke Speedway, and many fans have had enough. I was on the receiving end of a Tattum outburst a few seasons ago, and there are many others besides myself (I had the gall to tell the barmaid on Friday that Rusty Harrison hadn't ridden that night, and I wondered if he would ride the next day against Stoke) There are serious problems at Stoke, that go far beyond the team. We have a promotion that is so far removed from the fans, it is very much a case of paying your money and shutting up, or going to support someone else (Yes, that threat has been mentioned by our promotion as well) Stoke fans have taken a lot of abuse from the people in charge, and for years they put up with it because the racing was pretty good. The drop to the NL was the final straw for many, and you only need to look at the crowds now to know that they seem pretty unsustainable without the stock car involvement. They need new blood, but they will never sell (One half was asked how much they wanted for their half and they laughed it off. On another occasion they mentioned a 6 figure sum) and until they go, there will be a large proportion of the fan base who will refuse to go. To sum it up, the stark reality is two fold. 1) The promotion (And others) have never, in the 80 year history of Stoke, won a 7 man trophy. 2) The current promotion have lost the trust and respect of the vast majority of the current fans, be it through lack of interaction with the fan base, broken promises, failed customer service or just down right poor people skills. With the current owners, Stoke Speedway will continue in its slow decline. EDIT: On a team note, welcome Ben Wilson. Interesting that it leaves us with so few points for the bottom end, especially considering this will mean a couple of 4 pointers in the main body to start. Edited December 24, 2013 by vog 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SCSA Posted December 24, 2013 Report Share Posted December 24, 2013 Good signing at this level of speedway imo. Now that Mr Vasey has posted on this topic, perhaps he could post again and tell us remaining fans when the return to PL is likely to be and why was there no end of season event? I wont hold my breath. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boozer Posted December 24, 2013 Report Share Posted December 24, 2013 I must say a few unfriendly comments have been aimed at certain people at the club you represent. I'm sure the team is built within the cclubs financial means, and if it's not as strong as some people would like, then that is life. Surely some speedway is better than no speedway. As vog has said there are reasons,I appreciate your point of view but you are part of a miniscule minority and without a fan base there is no way forward,I am trying to be very measured in my response to your post but it is difficult. On a positive note a Merry Christmas to everyone. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trophykid Posted December 24, 2013 Author Report Share Posted December 24, 2013 There's been some good and reasonable debate here about Stoke. Could I ask Malcolm to drop by a bit more? A bit more PR. Bridges need to be built. Merry Xmas Potters. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Swift Saint Posted December 24, 2013 Report Share Posted December 24, 2013 There's been some good and reasonable debate here about Stoke. Could I ask Malcolm to drop by a bit more? A bit more PR. Bridges need to be built. Merry Xmas Potters. I will do what I can I like to inform but I am the Manager of the Speedway team and that is my role at Stoke. Whilst I am aware of other matters affecting the Club sometimes my efforts to provide an explanation have been met with negative responses and sometimes uncomplimentary remarks. I found it easier to stem my natural instinct to talk about the team than involve myself in heated discussions about events that took place long before I arrived at Stoke. I can say this and it is written in all honesty and that is that there is a deep rooted desire at Stoke to perform better as a Speedway team and it is something that we engage in every single day. I wish when criticism is made such as the remaining points we have to play with, that viable alternatives were suggested to the signings we make. Maybe then I could say well we looked into that but it couldn't happen for whatever reason. From an early stage of last season hours were spent trying to re-vamp the team which clearly was not working. Somebody came up to me at Buxton and said you are so slow you could have had a rider this week but you missed the chance. I said who was that? I was told James Wright and indeed we had approached him when we new he had left his Club to no avail several days before. When I advised the gentleman of that he said that he hadn't read it anywhere. Well, if I told the local press the details of every rider I talk to there would be no space for Stoke City, Port Vale or even the Premier League. Of course they wouldn't publish it anyway. I take on board the above request and I'll try and keep you aware of what is going on. Ben Wilson is the best possible signing we could make at this time of that I have no doubt. The rest of the team are all battlers and I hope to name another rider who always gives 100% very soon. Not all of our riders can have high averages. If I rider says to me and his attitude supports his remarks that he will do his best these are important criteria. I am optimistic about 2014, the balance will never be perfect but I feel with what we have and the irons that are in the fire we might make a great showing next season. I am desperate to achieve something at Stoke before I retire. I hope some of those missing fans will see that and give us back their support. Malcolm Vasey 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AJK86 Posted December 24, 2013 Report Share Posted December 24, 2013 Good to see Ben Wilson back and will do well for Stoke. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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