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Elite League Grand Final 1st Leg - Coventry Friday 17th October


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It was mentioned that rain would arrive at nine, and yet we had the wasteful chatter, the re-runs of what happened in the semi (which were only last week and still in the memory), and then... we ran out of time, as the threatened rain eventually arrived.

 

Probably because of what a shambles it has been all season, speedway's worst road crash of a campaign since I remember, the Big Night was totally lacking in build-up. Alright, so Coventry fans finally decided to support their team and discover that speedway is an October sport, congregated like it were a X-Factor signing up day.. but it lacked the Big Night anticipation.

 

The riders seemed up for it, as there were some great effort to race... riders actually putting their necks on the line. Perhaps there last chance of some glory was the reason... maybe they had realised all season (like Coventry supporters) that, the Finals were the only thing that counts. Only when you are in there does the real hunger to race appear. Unless, with all the really important leagues in Sweden and Poland now complete, GPs etc, riders don't have to protect their bones from injury and take less care.

 

So we had a big crowd last night.. but I feel the Play-Offs rob the seven months of what precede them of numbers on the gate. It proved last night. Coventry v Poole in the A and B fixtures possibly produced less than a thousand at each. There was probably an air for these matches, that either team could lose them and still make the Play-Offs. Therefore.. savvy fans keep the money in their pocket. Save it... the Finals are all that matters. Skip the needless matches. They are really just rehearsals.

 

Discuss...

 

Exactly! can anyone honestly say that last night made up financially for the 6/7 months of poor attendances before?

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irrelevent number of points he scored - he rode.

 

seem to remember this happening last season with Pawlicki and Janowski riding on the continent then not at Eastbourne i believe then abroad again.

 

bit rich to judge other clubs.

 

Coventry could easily have declared Barker as not fit and had someone else in. They didnt. The fact that some fans wish they had someone else is irrelevent. Wouldnt we all wish we could have a better option in our team sometimes.

 

Fact is they rode with their 1-7 so to try and make out there is something in this

Don't you try to twist things around to suit yourself.

I have NOT said Cov have done anything wrong. In fact they did everything right.

 

All I said was that some supporters did not want Barker to ride, they would have preferred Frick because he is possibly better than Barker at this time. So they wanted Cov to cheat by using a guest and not their own rider who is declared fit.

I hope that explains that for you

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Pearson and Tatum went on record to say its been a sensational season?!

 

1 club folded mid season. 1 set to drop out next season. A FTR system which leaves us with so many riders out of their depth. Meetings which are about as exciting as having teeth pulled out. Clubs effectively going into the playoffs with "select" teams.

 

Yes. What a season its been

 

What would you rather they said? "Shocking season with 1 club going bust and more on the way! Awful standard of racing and only set to get worse! Any new fans to speedway turn away now!"?

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I wouldn't quarrel with the decision to abandon last night's meeting when they did. The conditions had become impossible after the rain started and were clearly going to get even worse. Understandably, Coventry would have been desperate to get the meeting on and the track would have been prepared in a way that it could cope with the expected heavy rain.

 

I thought by by the time of the abandonment, Coventry had realised that the match was slipping away from them and my opinion for what it is worth, is that Poole would have extended their lead, perhaps substantially, had the three "lost" races been staged, so I do think that the call off decision rather favoured the Bees.

 

Mr Havelock has little option now but to try and present an optimistic view of Coventry going to Poole and pulling back the deficit, and I imagine that most will share my opinion that Poole have one hand very firmly on the Trophy now.

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Sounds like a farce again tonight

Feel sorry for the fans having to pay £3 extra and getting less heats speedway would be better off telling sky to sod off if everybody knew rain was expected get on with it don t panda to the tv

Look after the fans who have paid to get in

I stopped watching it on tv after the belle vue farce last year when the fans again paid good money and where treated like s..t

And what team were involved in "last years farce", may I ask?

It seems the Russells,along with the usual others are running speedway these days for the good of themselves.

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And what team were involved in "last years farce", may I ask?

 

It seems the Russells,along with the usual others are running speedway these days for the good of themselves.

For the record the 'Farce' as you call it was the rearranged fixture from where there was a fake burst water main at a meeting where Belle Vue riders missed their flights and yet Poole managed to get there ready to race............most Poole fans never even wanted that meeting to start let alone be pulled at heat 10 and it was only run because it was on cut off day.................

 

Sorry to burst your bubble but put your own club in order before criticising what you clearly don't know or remember..............

 

RP

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For the record the 'Farce' as you call it was the rearranged fixture from where there was a fake burst water main at a meeting where Belle Vue riders missed their flights and yet Poole managed to get there ready to race............most Poole fans never even wanted that meeting to start let alone be pulled at heat 10 and it was only run because it was on cut off day.................Sorry to burst your bubble but put your own club in order before criticising what you clearly don't know or remember..............RP

And what part of "last years farce" was incorrect? It was a farce - I know and remember - like most people on here.

Edited by Steve0
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Prior to last night had always had a high regard to mr Kelvin Tatum - having watched back the meeting on sky today and hearing his observations and comment on what he saw, that opinion is No More.

 

reckon he still holds a grudge against Coventry for them getting rid of him all those years ago.

 

he was just average all those years ago and now below average as a summariser !

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As Brock has alluded to our riders are injured or DRUNK, Barker is fit so he should ride, I would rather have my own riders than guests although DannyKing did ok but Josh G would have been better as he rides well at Coventry.

Glad I gave you the opportunity to get that off your chest. I dont condone his actions and he wont be in the grand prix so that should please you.
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Prior to last night had always had a high regard to mr Kelvin Tatum - having watched back the meeting on sky today and hearing his observations and comment on what he saw, that opinion is No More.

 

reckon he still holds a grudge against Coventry for them getting rid of him all those years ago.

 

he was just average all those years ago and now below average as a summariser !

Having watched it again did Tatum say "it pains me to say it but I think it will be tight down at Poole".It was some time between heat 8-9 I think

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And what part of "last years farce" was incorrect? It was a farce - I know and remember - like most people on here.

Like I said it should never have been run at all but yes it did turn into a farce however it was of BV's own making because of what happened earlier in the season............

 

RP

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.

 

No what we are saying is that even Havelock doesn't feel Ben is fit but once a rider declares themself fit there's nothing anybody can do even if he's only 50% fit. Surely you accept now then that Poole were cheating only a few weeks ago.

 

Did you feel the same then when Shamak was able to ride in polish fixtures and speedway Gp challenger but yet Poole were still getting guests and claiming he was "injured" even though riding elsewhere? Does that mean you feel they were cheating for several weeks this season?

 

I thought that was Poole`s default setting 52 weeks running. :P;)

 

 

 

Sorry to burst your bubble but put your own club in order before criticising what you clearly don't know or remember..............

 

RP

 

The usual default setting comment when anyone dares question anything Poole related.

And tiresome too.

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Prior to last night had always had a high regard to mr Kelvin Tatum - having watched back the meeting on sky today and hearing his observations and comment on what he saw, that opinion is No More.

 

reckon he still holds a grudge against Coventry for them getting rid of him all those years ago.

 

he was just average all those years ago and now below average as a summariser !

 

Wish I could be as "below average" as Kelv http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kelvin_Tatum

 

Bet he'd swap it all though, to have had one more year at Brandon, now the future of the long-running track seems less secure than Kelv at SKY, and his "below average" summaries.

 

Where did it all go wrong, Kelv?

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Like I said it should never have been run at all but yes it did turn into a farce however it was of BV's own making because of what happened earlier in the season............RP

Your logic is astounding (and not in a good way)! You seem to have connected two separate events that are exactly that - separate! For their part, BV were dealt with and they didn't even dig a hole in the middle of the first and second bends and go unpunished!!

 

The farce we are referring to was NOT of Belle Vue's making.

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Your logic is astounding (and not in a good way)! You seem to have connected two separate events that are exactly that - separate! For their part, BV were dealt with and they didn't even dig a hole in the middle of the first and second bends and go unpunished!!

 

The farce we are referring to was NOT of Belle Vue's making.

 

 

Its probably a `panda` thing. ;)

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I have finally got back from a very wet Brandon and just want to give my thoughts and comments on a few things mentioned in here. The meeting was called off after consultation with SCB meeting steward Mick Bates,Coventry riders and Poole riders. It was considered to wait 10 mins but decided against as proved correctly the rain was in for the evening and visibility would only get worse.

 

Now for my thoughts

 

Yes I do think the production team should have edited the semi highlights down to a 1min VT considering the weather. But can see that they wanted to build the story for the armchair fans at home.

 

Yes the rain was forecast but arrived later than the 20:00 that both Met office and BBC predicted

 

Yes Sky sports do have to have ad breaks its the nature of live sport programming.

 

Yes I do feel in my opinion the meeting could have been ran a little bit quicker. I think we missed Brando's excellent organisation skills as floor manager so interviews would have been quicker and riders fully ready as soon as race finishes.

 

Yes I do feel sorry for fans like myself that got wet and did not get to see full 15 heats especially after paying extra money.also do understand Coventrys frustration but it was the correct decision not to race on.

 

Yes ideally this meeting should have been run on Saturday night as would have been better for fans of both clubs and a bigger attendance .However as this was a rearranged event our OB partners Telegenic could not do Saturday as they are fully booked with all their trucks in use for European Rugby for both Sky sports and BT sports along with very busy schedule of programming of other sport on Sky sports? So if had took this option fans unable to attend would have had no chance to watch this meeting.

 

Finally I do not think it is a clear cut Poole win as Coventry do seem very good at coming back from being the underdogs and have riders that ride Wimborne Road very well.

Why should this match have been run on a Saturday when Coventry's regular home race night is Friday ?

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