Big Al Posted September 4, 2015 Report Share Posted September 4, 2015 David Hemsley wrote in the Leicester v Poole programme dated 31/8/15: " I suppose at this stage of our season we should be considering where we position the club going forward particularly with an AGM of the BSPA not too far in the future. I feel my aim would be to get the clubs represented on an equal footing and start to bring the sport more aligned to the professional organisations with the sports and leisure industry that I am used to dealing with on a day to day basis. I do think this will be a challenge to avoid the debacles such as the position we had with UKVI last year, and I can see similar issues presenting themselves in future, but with the right personnel steering the British Speedway ship I hope that further rocks can be avoided. Following these key decisions by the members I can then decide how the club should go forward in 2016, and then consider the manner in which we plan the next development of Leicester Speedway." The previous paragraph referred to riders breaking contracts, and something about the club's position on such matters becoming clearer over the coming weeks, and the implications of such actions taken by riders for the sport. Clearly dissatisfaction with the way the sport's run. Is he referring just to the Elite league or the whole set-up? Who are the "right personnel" he refers to? What's the stuff about riders who break contracts? Is Leicester going to take retrospective legal action against them? If the changes he is referring to are not made at the AGM, what's he going to do? Take Leicester back to the PL? Pack the whole thing in? The BSPA making these changes (whilst they may be badly needed) could be about as likely as David Hemsley making major changes to the Leicester track. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SCB Posted September 4, 2015 Report Share Posted September 4, 2015 I can't see Hemsley going back to the PL. He strikes me as a man who likes to be able to tell everyone he is promoter of a speedway club in the best league. For all his many fault he does like to be "King of the castle" so to speak and I can't see him being happy as PL promoter. That said, with Swindon not yet having a track for 2016, Lakeside rumoured to have lost Fridays and Coventry having no track for 2017 I can't see there being an EL for much longer! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skidder1 Posted September 4, 2015 Report Share Posted September 4, 2015 Perhaps DH will be self-nominating for the BSPA Chair, as Alex Harkess completes his tenure!!? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robert72 Posted September 4, 2015 Report Share Posted September 4, 2015 Would Leicester have been in a better position had they stayed in the premier league ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
weatherwatcher Posted September 5, 2015 Report Share Posted September 5, 2015 Niether can I see David Hemsley going back to the PL it would be a backward step for him. If he wants the Lions to move off the bottom of the table then he has to open his purse strings and bring in some top riders, riders who will stay the whole season, the only problem being that most of the top riders have already settled into other clubs, so where do you get them from as most of the other GP boys don't want to come over here. So it really dosen't leave a big pool of talent to bring in, I have a gut feeling that we have lost Jason Doyle next season, that is unless DH can really pull the rabbit out of the hat with him, He needs a team that gives him full suport from 2 to 7, we most also have a couple of good reserves. Auty would do the job that is unless he finds a club that will give him a full team place, they have also got to give the likes of Garrity, Newman etc full team places next season, to make the whole reserve beth fairer, it is the team with the best reserves that are winning meetings. Poole on Thurday shows just how the reserves can make that difference, they won by 13 points, that was the score difference between the Lions and the Poole reserves. So if they sort everything out at the AGM which they never seem to be able to do, we will still have the same old problems with the EL that we have had for the past umpteem years, as someone said in 3 or 4 years time there will be no teams left to make up the EL, unless some of the top PL clubs move up, the problem being can they afford to move up. Something has to be done soon rather than latter at BP the crowd levels are dropping the Poole meeting had large gaps all around the stadium, not sure what the crowd numbers where but far lower than at the start of last season, by a long shot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robert72 Posted September 5, 2015 Report Share Posted September 5, 2015 Niether can I see David Hemsley going back to the PL it would be a backward step for him. If he wants the Lions to move off the bottom of the table then he has to open his purse strings and bring in some top riders, riders who will stay the whole season, the only problem being that most of the top riders have already settled into other clubs, so where do you get them from as most of the other GP boys don't want to come over here. So it really dosen't leave a big pool of talent to bring in, I have a gut feeling that we have lost Jason Doyle next season, that is unless DH can really pull the rabbit out of the hat with him, He needs a team that gives him full suport from 2 to 7, we most also have a couple of good reserves. Auty would do the job that is unless he finds a club that will give him a full team place, they have also got to give the likes of Garrity, Newman etc full team places next season, to make the whole reserve beth fairer, it is the team with the best reserves that are winning meetings. Poole on Thurday shows just how the reserves can make that difference, they won by 13 points, that was the score difference between the Lions and the Poole reserves. So if they sort everything out at the AGM which they never seem to be able to do, we will still have the same old problems with the EL that we have had for the past umpteem years, as someone said in 3 or 4 years time there will be no teams left to make up the EL, unless some of the top PL clubs move up, the problem being can they afford to move up. Something has to be done soon rather than latter at BP the crowd levels are dropping the Poole meeting had large gaps all around the stadium, not sure what the crowd numbers where but far lower than at the start of last season, by a long shot. He was lost the newbies as races were over after the first turn, now diehards are leaving, he needed to reshape the track and have regular meetings to keep people interested, it's a lot of money for what's on offer at BP. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ColinMills Posted September 5, 2015 Report Share Posted September 5, 2015 from what I seen personally at Leicester, the corners need Eastbourne type changes to open up passing lines, maybe controversial, but Leicester really is an unattractive track to visit the way it is, but id also prefer to end bottom of elite league than 2nd of prem league Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Posted September 5, 2015 Report Share Posted September 5, 2015 Hemsley has proved he has no idea by designing and then not changing that track. It is awful and any old fool can see it but not Hemsley. You provide that track and crap sides then fans will disappear. His stubbornness towards track changes will cost him in the long run. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
justathought Posted September 6, 2015 Report Share Posted September 6, 2015 His stubbornness towards track changes will cost him in the long run. Have to agree, entertainment value zero.............Satisfaction at having watched good close racing zero..................Lots of overtaking zero................Entrance and programme £20, plus fuel costs...................Result dissatisfaction and more visits to Sheffield. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nobblytriers Posted September 6, 2015 Report Share Posted September 6, 2015 Seeing as we're talking track again, does anyone know if the 'no mans land' between the track safety fence and the spectator fence is mandatory? If not, my proposal would be to widen the straights by using half of the gap between fences and to bring in the corners by about 6 meters at each end. By shortening and widening the straights this should offer more racing lines. As we know, this wouldn't be a guarantee of great racing at every meeting (too many other factors in the recipe for that) but I think it would help a great deal. Anyone with an idea of how much this would cost? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrcts Posted September 6, 2015 Report Share Posted September 6, 2015 Seeing as we're talking track again, does anyone know if the 'no mans land' between the track safety fence and the spectator fence is mandatory? If not, my proposal would be to widen the straights by using half of the gap between fences and to bring in the corners by about 6 meters at each end. By shortening and widening the straights this should offer more racing lines. As we know, this wouldn't be a guarantee of great racing at every meeting (too many other factors in the recipe for that) but I think it would help a great deal. Anyone with an idea of how much this would cost? you're on a hiding to nothing with Hemsley there is no way he will admit to designing and building a poor track. ..you only had to read his comments in a recent speedway star,he thinks the track is mint!He says the track will not be changed unless somebody will buy the track of him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neb Posted September 7, 2015 Report Share Posted September 7, 2015 get rid of the scotch egg that would be the first step in the right direction. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happy Hunter Posted September 7, 2015 Report Share Posted September 7, 2015 Seeing as we're talking track again, does anyone know if the 'no mans land' between the track safety fence and the spectator fence is mandatory? If not, my proposal would be to widen the straights by using half of the gap between fences and to bring in the corners by about 6 meters at each end. By shortening and widening the straights this should offer more racing lines. As we know, this wouldn't be a guarantee of great racing at every meeting (too many other factors in the recipe for that) but I think it would help a great deal. Anyone with an idea of how much this would cost? I think that there has to be a 2 metre gap between the track fence and the spectator fence. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leicester Lion Posted September 7, 2015 Report Share Posted September 7, 2015 Hemsley's intransigence is the problem. Riders, seasoned fans and experienced observers all say the track needs major surgery, but Hemsley is blinkered. Incidentally, in the subject of riders and contracts, does anyone know if Leicester have paid Swindon for Jason Doyle, either on loan or on full transfer? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TMW Posted September 7, 2015 Report Share Posted September 7, 2015 I'm already looking forward to next season..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bornagainlion Posted September 7, 2015 Report Share Posted September 7, 2015 I'm already looking forward to next season..... Surely its a case of having too with it all finished for the Lions this term? I remember them putiing on a challenge match v a USA touring side at the end of the first season and that was in October!! There had been racing up until then. 4 weeks revenue gone, higher running cost in the EL and supposedly lower gates (even at £2 a meeting more) must mean it's been difficult to turn a profit and if you aren't how do you pay for better riders and track alterations ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skodaman Posted September 7, 2015 Report Share Posted September 7, 2015 Surely its a case of having too with it all finished for the Lions this term? I remember them putiing on a challenge match v a USA touring side at the end of the first season and that was in October!! There had been racing up until then. 4 weeks revenue gone, higher running cost in the EL and supposedly lower gates (even at £2 a meeting more) must mean it's been difficult to turn a profit and if you aren't how do you pay for better riders and track alterations ? DH says that it is not worth opening the gates for extra meetings!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fromafar Posted September 7, 2015 Report Share Posted September 7, 2015 DH says that it is not worth opening the gates for extra meetings!!He has a point. IMO . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leicester Lion Posted September 7, 2015 Report Share Posted September 7, 2015 DH says that it is not worth opening the gates for extra meetings!!How worthwhile is it for the regular meetings? Incidentally, it was interesting that Hemsley said anyone who wants to alter the track could buy it from him for what it cost to build, not what it is worth now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
speedibee Posted September 7, 2015 Report Share Posted September 7, 2015 Surely its a case of having too with it all finished for the Lions this term? I remember them putiing on a challenge match v a USA touring side at the end of the first season and that was in October!! There had been racing up until then. 4 weeks revenue gone, higher running cost in the EL and supposedly lower gates (even at £2 a meeting more) must mean it's been difficult to turn a profit and if you aren't how do you pay for better riders and track alterations Hey ho Bornagain , nice to see you still take an interest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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