BWitcher Posted October 1, 2015 Report Share Posted October 1, 2015 (edited) Following yet another Elite League title for Poole where does this place Matt Ford in terms of the great promoters in speedway history? For the purposes of this thread I am referring to the good brought to the promoters club, not the sport as a whole as that is another conversation altogether. As much as I dislike some of the stunts that Ford has pulled over the years nobody can argue against his level of success. Indeed you could put forward the argument that he has simply taken advantage of the sports governing bodies to push/bend/manipulate rules to his advantage and that it is his job to eek out as big an advantage for his team as he can. When interviewed on TV he appears intelligent, well dressed and comes across as being ultra professional.. something which is not always the case with speedway promoters. The Poole club is extremely well run, there rarely appears to be issues with riders not wanting to race for them. There's never a peep about riders not being paid on time and the whole club has a passionate 'family' atmosphere. As much as he has been ridiculed Middlo is very much part of that too. Year after year he puts together a team that challenges right at the top of the table... and of course isn't frightened to make changes where necessary. The up and down nature of most other teams shows that this is no easy task. So where do folks rank him? I'd list him as the No 1 promoter FOR HIS CLUB since I started going to speedway in 1984. Edited October 1, 2015 by BWitcher 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SCB Posted October 1, 2015 Report Share Posted October 1, 2015 You can't deny what he has done and achieved for Poole. He's got a magnificent record. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BWitcher Posted October 1, 2015 Author Report Share Posted October 1, 2015 If there were more promoters like Matt Ford there would be all out anarchy. Please concentrate on his achievements for Poole which are immense, it is a complete fallacy that he has been good for the sport as a whole, there is tonnes of evidence to say otherwise. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kingbee Posted October 1, 2015 Report Share Posted October 1, 2015 Charles Ochiltree must rank as the number one of all time brilliant promoter 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sparkafag Posted October 1, 2015 Report Share Posted October 1, 2015 Poole have certainly shown an understanding of the market by basically getting first dibs on talent before they hit these shores. They’ve also managed to pick up riders on bargain averages who typically over perform at Poole….all of which makes it all the more disappointing that they seem to do all they can to gain an advantage….if it hadn’t been for that Poole would get a lot more appreciation than they do. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marko Posted October 1, 2015 Report Share Posted October 1, 2015 Matt is very capable modern day promoter who has built up a business model that year on year is successful both on the track and i imagine off it, to be a great though would mean he standing among the likes of Johnnie Hoskins, i think with respect he has some way to go to match that and i am not implying anything to do with the way Poole are seen by other fans, the club are fortunate to be in a area where there is not an awful lot of things competing for peoples money though. But you cannot take away the fact there is probably quite a gap in total club value between Poole and next solvent club whoever that maybe. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pugwash Posted October 1, 2015 Report Share Posted October 1, 2015 All in 'The Best Interest of Speedway'. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
one of clubs Posted October 1, 2015 Report Share Posted October 1, 2015 Oh my god. What an abomination of a statement. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BWitcher Posted October 1, 2015 Author Report Share Posted October 1, 2015 I disagree entirely. If more promoters were like Matt Ford there wouldn't be anarchy at all, just a more competitive league with less whinging. History has already proven you to be wrong. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HenryW Posted October 1, 2015 Report Share Posted October 1, 2015 (edited) An interesting question and not one i could answer as I generally don't think about who was running the clubs when they were doing well. The promoters don't really get much of the glory, that is reserved for the riders. Edited October 1, 2015 by HenryW Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LisaColette Posted October 1, 2015 Report Share Posted October 1, 2015 Wish we had him at Wolves.It.s just the winning that drives him on,(we havent had much of that lately). Not sure about that jacket though. He's been seen in worse!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Agrotron Posted October 1, 2015 Report Share Posted October 1, 2015 Much worse trust me Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cityrebel Posted October 1, 2015 Report Share Posted October 1, 2015 Charles Ochiltree must rank as the number one of all time brilliant promoterRonnie Greene's record of 7 league titles, 8 national trophys and 4 knock out cups as promoter of Wimbledon, must put him up there with the all time greats. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tommy Sweetman Posted October 1, 2015 Report Share Posted October 1, 2015 Wish he could pass on some of that winning mentality to CVS. Not sure about that jacket though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan_Jones Posted October 1, 2015 Report Share Posted October 1, 2015 Matt Ford - one that grates? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ColinMills Posted October 1, 2015 Report Share Posted October 1, 2015 if your not liked, your a success, ask john berry!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shayman Posted October 1, 2015 Report Share Posted October 1, 2015 >> If all clubs had promoters like Matt Ford we'd have a far superior sport. Wouldn't want there to be any more Matt Ford's. That would be a threat to Poole's current supremacy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
damosuzuki Posted October 1, 2015 Report Share Posted October 1, 2015 Says it all that the Glasgow promoters made a trip to Poole / Ford to look at how things could /should be done. You only have to look at Poole - success, profitability, massive crowds, big names. Surely most clubs would love to be in that position - and for the good of speedway it's needed to bring clubs into the 21st century. I remember football - at all levels - getting a real kick in the right direction once sky became involved and clubs started to provide proper facilities and drag themselves out of the piss on the terraces era. The potential is there all over the place - watch Belle Vue and Glasgow go (for example). 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveEvans Posted October 1, 2015 Report Share Posted October 1, 2015 He has done wonders for his club and his success is in a league of its own. Coventry was close behind under Sandhu. Such a shame that success has become the be all and end all though, as a result, the league is smaller with less teams, meetings and quality. If there was a Matt Ford around who could be hired as a consultant to improve the sport of speedway, its long term survival would be more certain. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
screm Posted October 1, 2015 Report Share Posted October 1, 2015 In terms of Poole, and just Poole, Ford has done an incredible job, and made the Poole Pirates the biggest and best club in the EL. He has bent the odd rule along the way, and rode a coach and horses through others, maybe some EL promoters out there need to take a leaf out of Poole`s book, might make things more competitive, might also kill off British speedway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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