Half Term Thoughts

[g13webb]

We are now half way through the season and the league table has some definite groupings. Do we see these as final positions, or are there many changes to be made. The top 2 of Poole and Coventry seem all but there, in the race for the play-off placing's, while the likes of Leicester and Lakeside are struggling in the bottom places.. Which of the middle four will miss out when it matters.

 

They say 'Its not over till the fat Lady sings' and I for one don't think she has started singing yet. I think it would be wrong to discount any teams at this stage. All of them are capable of beating others on any given day. Lady luck will move from Club to Club and will have a bearing on proceedings.

 

My opinion on the Stars, We are in 3rd position, although in contention, we are no means certain of a top 4. We haven't performed as well as last year and Rory accident was a massive blow. We need ALL the riders to step up to their potential for PO to be certain, but that could be said about a number of teams. On getting to the play-offs, we are not the certainties, most people seem to think. We have to up our game........

 

TOPMAN so far: Robert Lambert.

[stevebrum]

I pretty much agree with that.

Poole and Bees clear ahead.

Stars strong in 3rd but nowhere near as strong as last year but I think the inconsistencies of the rest makes 3rd a safe one.

Aces look the next most likely however I think the team in 4th is the lightweight team anyway.

Obviously things may change when a certain Aussie signs for someone.

Robert for me is the rider of the season.

[mudflaps]

TOPMAN so far: Robert Lambert.

 

 

Robert for me is the rider of the season.

Pity those Idiots at the BSPA don't see it that way!!

Edited June 23, 2015 by Flyin Panther

[BWitcher]

Not really sure why the worry over Kings Lynn's play off place.

 

The table, based upon points dropped at home v points gained away is as follows:-

 

1. Cov (-6 home) (+22 away) = +16
2. Poole (-5 home) (+19 away) = +14
3. Lynn (0 home) (+8 away) = +8
4. Vue (-5 home) (+11 away) = +6...
5. Wolves (-3 home) (+3 away) = 0
6. Swindon (-6 home) (+1 away) = -5
7. Lakeside (-12 home) (+1 away) = - 11
8. Leicester (-12 home) (0 away( = -12

[g13webb]

Not really sure why the worry over Kings Lynn's play off place.

 

The table, based upon points dropped at home v points gained away is as follows:-

 

1. Cov (-6 home) (+22 away) = +16

2. Poole (-5 home) (+19 away) = +14

3. Lynn (0 home) (+8 away) = +8

4. Vue (-5 home) (+11 away) = +6...

5. Wolves (-3 home) (+3 away) = 0

6. Swindon (-6 home) (+1 away) = -5

7. Lakeside (-12 home) (+1 away) = - 11

8. Leicester (-12 home) (0 away( = -12

 

Thankfully, life is not all about, black and white, and facts and figures, it is more like Possibilities and Probabilities.

 

Whose to say, one or two clubs get in top rider, or imagine one or two top riders get injured. it would put a whole new complexion on the league positions.

[bigcatdiary]

Poole, Coventry and even Kings Lynn are light years ahead of the rest but Poole are going to walk it, nothing changes.

 

Except the EL and the supporters attending keep getting smaller.

[mdmc82]

I think Coventry & Poole look good to secure a play off place.

I think King's Lynn will need to pick up in form away again but hopefully their new signing will help with this.

I still see Swindon as being the 4th team in the play offs although this may depend on the team changes they make

[SCB]

I think Coventry & Poole look good to secure a play off place.

I think King's Lynn will need to pick up in form away again but hopefully their new signing will help with this.

I still see Swindon as being the 4th team in the play offs although this may depend on the team changes they make

Swindon need to score 12 points Bv don't. Thats either 3 big away wins, or BV losing at home 4 times or some combo of the two - I can't see that happening.

[BWitcher]

 

Thankfully, life is not all about, black and white, and facts and figures, it is more like Possibilities and Probabilities.

 

Whose to say, one or two clubs get in top rider, or imagine one or two top riders get injured. it would put a whole new complexion on the league positions.

 

Swindon need to make up 13pts on Kings Lynn.

 

That's a lot. So the overwhelming probability is that Kings Lynn will be in the play-offs

 

I agree it's not a certainty of course.

 

Note I've discounted Wolves as I don't believe they will make the changes necessary!

[weatherwatcher]

The way things are going in the EL there will be clubs struggling to keep going for much longer anyway. Saw the meeting last night on Sky,, no I am not just a TV viewer either but go the the Lions, this year has been a complete disaster for me due to illness and I have only managed to get to 1 meeting this year and I really cn't see me getting to many more this season.

But to see crowds like that on the TV is heart breaking, the clubs must be at a state of not even breaking even. The same was the week before where you could have easyily have counted the crowd level, if they had kept the cameras on the crowd.

So where are they going wrong, from the few posts on here, it is a weekly thing at Lakeside, how long can they go on with such poor attendances, what have they done to keep all the loyal fans away and ar e they doing anything to bring new fans in. A great setting, shame about the rain but it did get some good racing when the sun came out. Will they be riding in the EL next season or are they going the way of the others and dropping down a league or 2. Or will they just close up shop, if they did it would be another sad loss the sport. Because the way things are going, speedway will be gone within the next 10 years

[g13webb]

 

Swindon need to make up 13pts on Kings Lynn.

 

That's a lot. So the overwhelming probability is that Kings Lynn will be in the play-offs

 

I agree it's not a certainty of course.

 

Note I've discounted Wolves as I don't believe they will make the changes necessary!

 

Must admit, It surprised me last night, of how weak Wolves are. When Freddie has an off night, they appears little hope in keeping up. Big worry.

[cityrebel]

As a lakeside regular, I do fear for the future of the sport at purfleet. The fan base has worryingly declined over the last couple of seasons. Together with the rumours regarding redevelopment of the arena essex raceway, these are uncertain times for the club.

[E I Addio]

The way things are going in the EL there will be clubs struggling to keep going for much longer anyway. Saw the meeting last night on Sky,, no I am not just a TV viewer either but go the the Lions, this year has been a complete disaster for me due to illness and I have only managed to get to 1 meeting this year and I really cn't see me getting to many more this season.

But to see crowds like that on the TV is heart breaking, the clubs must be at a state of not even breaking even. The same was the week before where you could have easyily have counted the crowd level, if they had kept the cameras on the crowd.

So where are they going wrong, from the few posts on here, it is a weekly thing at Lakeside, how long can they go on with such poor attendances, what have they done to keep all the loyal fans away and ar e they doing anything to bring new fans in. A great setting, shame about the rain but it did get some good racing when the sun came out. Will they be riding in the EL next season or are they going the way of the others and dropping down a league or 2. Or will they just close up shop, if they did it would be another sad loss the sport. Because the way things are going, speedway will be gone within the next 10 years

 

The crowd was not representative of normal last night partly because crowds always have plummeted for TV meetings anyway , and partly because because of the weather. I don't know what the TV cameras showed but nearly everybody including myself were stood under what shelter there was or in the bar and hardly anyone in the open areas because apart from the rain it was very windy. Plus of course if was a master stroke of bad planning by Sky to slot this meeting on a Monday when Lakeside had already had fixtures last Friday and next Friday, so of course a lot won't bother. Sky is the cause of a lot of trouble in this sport IMO.

 

That said, I do think crowds have fallen in the last couple of years. Jon Cook said recently that crowds started to drop after we lost Rico but it seems to me they really started falling last year when the club started to struggle after Peter Karlsons loss of form and Dave Watts injury, then this year there were four consecutive defeats for all the wrong reasons: partly guests for AJ that didnt perform e.g 6 points from Doyle and four from Lindgren plus being stuck on the wrong end of the EDR draft. As someone said in SS last week the Lakeside 1-5 have averaged almost exactly the same as the Coventry 1--5 this year and only slightly behind Poole yet they are top and Lakeside are nearly bottom because of the way the EDR draft operates.

 

The biggest deterent though,I for most people I I know who have now gone for good is the cheating. The farces we have had involving Poole in matches that get to heat 10 and then the track suddenly becomes dangerous seems to have been the final straw for a lot of people. Fans tolerate things for a long time and then something seems to snap and Sky pulling the strings ( or should I say Ronnie Russel) seems to be it for a lot of people. I am talking about fans with 40 years support behind them who know the sport inside out. If it turns out

to be the case that Swindon were fiddling their averages to get Darcy in, a few more will follow.

 

Some promoters are still oblivious to it all though but some are breaking ranks. Miick Horton spoke out publicly the other week, and according to Jon Cooks programme notes he is no longer a member of theBSPA, so reading between the lines it seems there is Big Trouble in Little China just now. We will have to wait and see.

Edited June 23, 2015 by E I Addio

[SteveLyric2]

All promoters are members of the BSPA. Jon Cook is just not on the MC at the moment.

 

Also re attendances - lets not forget Lakeside have 3 home meetings in 8 days so its not unsurprising that the attendance was low for the off-night TV meeting, not withstanding any special offers to get in for a tenner!

[E I Addio]

All promoters are members of the BSPA. Jon Cook is just not on the MC at the moment.

 

!

 

According to the programme notes he is not currently a member of the BSPA. He is in the programme as team manager . Promoters are Duggo 7 LLP.

[BWitcher]

The crowd was not representative of normal last night partly because crowds always have plummeted for TV meetings anyway , and partly because because of the weather. I don't know what the TV cameras showed but nearly everybody including myself were stood under what shelter there was or in the bar and hardly anyone in the open areas because apart from the rain it was very windy. Plus of course if was a master stroke of bad planning by Sky to slot this meeting on a Monday when Lakeside had already had fixtures last Friday and next Friday, so of course a lot won't bother. Sky is the cause of a lot of trouble in this sport IMO.

 

That said, I do think crowds have fallen in the last couple of years. Jon Cook said recently that crowds started to drop after we lost Rico but it seems to me they really started falling last year when the club started to struggle after Peter Karlsons loss of form and Dave Watts injury, then this year there were four consecutive defeats for all the wrong reasons: partly guests for AJ that didnt perform e.g 6 points from Doyle and four from Lindgren plus being stuck on the wrong end of the EDR draft. As someone said in SS last week the Lakeside 1-5 have averaged almost exactly the same as the Coventry 1--5 this year and only slightly behind Poole yet they are top and Lakeside are nearly bottom because of the way the EDR draft operates.

 

The biggest deterent though,I for most people I I know who have now gone for good is the cheating. The farces we have had involving Poole in matches that get to heat 10 and then the track suddenly becomes dangerous seems to have been the final straw for a lot of people. Fans tolerate things for a long time and then something seems to snap and Sky pulling the strings ( or should I say Ronnie Russel) seems to be it for a lot of people. I am talking about fans with 40 years support behind them who know the sport inside out. If it turns out

to be the case that Swindon were fiddling their averages to get Darcy in, a few more will follow.

 

Some promoters are still oblivious to it all though but some are breaking ranks. Miick Horton spoke out publicly the other week, and according to Jon Cooks programme notes he is no longer a member of theBSPA, so reading between the lines it seems there is Big Trouble in Little China just now. We will have to wait and see.

 

I'm sorry E I.

 

Jon Cook is the last person that can speak out, he's been one of the biggest culprits of standing by allowing events to happen!

[ouch]

The sport's bent - I'm alright Jack.

The sport's bent - I'm alright Jack.

The sport's bent - I'm alright Jack.

The sport's bent - I'm alright Jack.

 

I'm not alright, I'm near the bottom of the table - The sport's bent.

 

The sport's bent - I'm alright Jack.

The sport's bent - I'm alright Jack.

[E I Addio]

I'm sorry E I.

 

Jon Cook is the last person that can speak out, he's been one of the biggest culprits of standing by allowing events to happen!

That's not the point I was making, but since you raised it who has tried to stop any of this happening ? Peter Adams ? Rosco ? Anyone on the SCB ? Alex Harkess ? Len Silver ? John Louis ? CVS ?

 

I haven't said Jon Cook is speaking out, merely reporting what is now in the public domain, but if it is your point that Cook is one of the last people that can speak out, which of them is in a more credible position ? All much the same as far as I can see unless someone can enlighten me. As I said on another thread regarding the cheating, we know it goes on but we don't know how much or to what extent. Nobody says anything nobody can prove or disprove anything, although having said that, Cook and Douglas were the first ones to make a formal request for an SCB inquiry into the allegations of Poole cheating in 2009 , not that it got them anywhere.

 

The real point being made in my post though was the fact that the heat 10 rain off farce seems to have been the final straw for a lot of long term fans, and TBH I don't think a lot of people realise how many fans take that sort of thing seriously. I really do think that if this Darcy Ward /Swindon tie up turns out to be the stitch up people are saying it is a lot more will go. People on here make jokes bout the older fans who turn up with their deck chairs and sandwiches but for every one that goes it's another £ 18 lost through the gate. For some reason some on here want to hang the whole thing round Cooks neck but it's very much a joint effort .

Edited June 23, 2015 by E I Addio

[orion]

 

I'm sorry E I.

 

Jon Cook is the last person that can speak out, he's been one of the biggest culprits of standing by allowing events to happen!

Spot on ...I think nearly all speedway fans are bored of John Cook trying be the peoples champion the bloke has just stood and helped Ford and Co cheat so it's rich for him to start talking reasons why crowds are dropping off . Nearly every week we have John Cook said this John Cook that ..Do us a favour John Cook shut up .

[E I Addio]

Spot on ...I think nearly all speedway fans are bored of John Cook trying be the peoples champion the bloke has just stood and helped Ford and Co cheat so it's rich for him to start talking reasons why crowds are dropping off . Nearly every week we have John Cook said this John Cook that ..Do us a favour John Cook shut up .

Cook was not talking about why crowds are dropping off he merely said in the programme that he is not a member of the BSPA. I was merely giving my personal view from my perspective based on people I know who have now gone. Maybe you think Ronnie Russell and Sky pulling the strings on heat 10 rain offs when tracks suddenly become dangerous and the rest of the cheating is a good idea but some don't see it that way and that's why they have gone. I don't know what Cooks view on it is and was not reporting it.