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Matt Ford - One Of The Greats?


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If Poole had suffered an injury to their key EDR rider, as has befallen three of the bottom four clubs, then the chances are that they would be the lowest common denominator this year. especially if coupled with injuries to one of the heatleaders.

 

With the exception of Swindon, whose season was partially rescued by Darcy, all the play -off contenders got a decent EDR draw and had a reasonably injury free season, although even Coventry fell at the last hurdle when they lost first Kylmakorpi, then , more importantly Garrity.

 

I wont go too far off topic on my fast track hobby horse, but unless there is a drastic change in the set up that will be the way things will go in future with the league being largely decided by the luck of the EDR draw and reserves staying fit because adequate replacements will be almost non existent.

Newman had an injury at the start of the season but luckily for us Starke scored well in the meetings Kyle was out esp at home which meant not too much pressure on the EDR guest.
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Newman had an injury at the start of the season but luckily for us Starke scored well in the meetings Kyle was out esp at home which meant not too much pressure on the EDR guest.

 

 

Auty , Birks and Kerr had season ending injuries, That is the difference.. The only replacements that were remotely adequate were Boxall and Roynon who very soon had their own seasons curtailed due to injury. That is the weakness of the EDR system, if you lose your top tier reserve you are pretty well stuffed. You are stuck with NL riders half the time trying to do a top tier riders job/.

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Its a real shame that many positive ideas for the long-term benefit of the sport at the top level in the UK, are discarded at the AGM because 'the weaker clubs are frightened'. Rules and regs are always made to suit the weaker teams.

 

We don't always agree Skidder, but we do 100% on this one.... although I will add, that whilst they are made to suit the weaker teams, Ford is very clever at ensuring they suit him also.

Edited by BWitcher
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Yes Matt Ford is the greatest ever promoter, in a time when this beloved sport of ours is at an all time low, with fewer clubs than ever. I think that answers your question. Mark Lemon allegedly said "Poole are the team every other aspires to" is comparable to a DJ playing rubbish music, but being a professional he cannot say anything else.

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The idea of having a tiny sky league with three or four teams is crazy.

 

I want a competitive league in whatever sport and would sacrifice getting 'the best in the world' to have that - 100% Seriously, be careful what you wish for because small team football is a no hope shambles even given the numbers following the big guns. I don't think speedway would survive were the majority of teams forced to live of the scraps from the big boys table. I say that as a Glasgow fan as well, and all of a sudden we are one of the rich teams with big attendences.

 

What's the point of hammering impoverished opposition week in week out, as the likes of Rangers did for years? Or a few big teams creaming all the TV cash? Pointless. It's speedway I love.

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The man seems to know what it takes to run a speedway team could someone tell me how much they get for winning the league ? and off set this against the costs incurred in doing so or is just a matter of prestige .

I assume the answer is "SOD ALL" any promoter that is able keep afloat in this day and age is a winner for me , well done Mr Ford Poole an impressive outfit no question but i have every respect for the other 7 promoters as well.

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If Poole had suffered an injury to their key EDR rider, as has befallen three of the bottom four clubs, then the chances are that they would be the lowest common denominator this year. especially if coupled with injuries to one of the heatleaders.

 

Definately, but it didn't happen. Although i do feel a little sympathy for KL.

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I'm a firm believer that those British clubs that are financially solid enough - and it may only be 3 or 4 - should form the Sky Super League, with a small fixture list and able to attract the top riders..

 

Those same clubs plus all the others can then also choose to operate a weaker (cheaper?) team in what would be the equivalent of PL+ and/or NL level, which could be regionalised depending on the number of teams.

 

The sport should not continue to operate and be strangled by the lowest common denominator every year.

 

 

Most Poole supporters - and many promoters if they were honest enough to admit it - don't need it printed out!! We know it to be true. :t::D

Totally agree about the super league & why not just have Poole 1, 2, 3 & 4 with all their assets in that league & leave the rest on their own.

 

I for one would be all for it.

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Poole obviously have the advantage of being in an area where people have more disposable income and don't have as many sporting clubs around. Coventry for example has so many sports teams and that cant help crowd numbers.

Actually the majority of people in the area do not have more disposable income..................the cost of living is getting higher and wages are not increasing.................I have to pick and choose which matches I go to because to go to every home meeting would mean that we would have to go without essentials some weeks..............not everyone in the area is wealthy as you imply................you try living on the same disposable income in the same area as you have done for the last 6 years.................

 

As for is Matt the best promoter...............after the Fearman/Chandler era he most definitely is................MF is a shrewd businessman and has the ability to move things forward.................There are other promoters that I admire for what they have done for the sport but MF's business acumen puts him head and shoulders above most of the others...................

 

Having said that if Stewkesbury and Ansell had not taken over Poole when Weymouth were forced out of Radipole Lane after Fearman and Chandler bankrupted the club in 1984 there may not have been speedway in Poole today.................

 

RP

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A modern great? Of course he is. An all time great? Well, that's harder to judge, isn't it. Speedway isn't the sport it once was, tragically, so how he would have fared in the 50's, 60's and into the following couple of decades when there were more teams is somewhat harder to judge.

He has been great for Poole but probably less good for the sport as a whole. But that's hardly his fault.

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A modern great? Of course he is. An all time great? Well, that's harder to judge, isn't it. Speedway isn't the sport it once was, tragically, so how he would have fared in the 50's, 60's and into the following couple of decades when there were more teams is somewhat harder to judge.

He has been great for Poole but probably less good for the sport as a whole. But that's hardly his fault.

Probably an awful lot better, there was no team restrictions, you could sign who you liked, if you had the money..

Edited by Starman2006
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Ford has done really well and many can learn how he has ran his club ..it's a pity that he found the need to cheat so many times in the pursuit of glory and sadly in history outside of Poole fans will look at him as a cheat and nothing more .

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Ford has done really well and many can learn how he has ran his club ..it's a pity that he found the need to cheat so many times in the pursuit of glory and sadly in history outside of Poole fans will look at him as a cheat and nothing more .

 

 

Spot on. That unfortunately will be Fords epitaph and no amount of discussion will change it. . Nothing more to be said really

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Actually the majority of people in the area do not have more disposable income..................the cost of living is getting higher and wages are not increasing.................I have to pick and choose which matches I go to because to go to every home meeting would mean that we would have to go without essentials some weeks..............not everyone in the area is wealthy as you imply................you try living on the same disposable income in the same area as you have done for the last 6 years.................

 

 

 

RP

As a family we are several grand worse off the last 2 years so i know how it is trust me.

 

I didnt imply, I was talking generally. Obviously there will be people that struggle down south too but generally Dorset is an affluent area much more so compared to Coventry and places up North.

Edited by woz01
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.........Aces51...... The only thing I could add is that I am sure that Matt and Middlo are also kind to animals and elderly people.

 

I don't think Middlo was in a 'kind to animals' mood when his own dog bit him. I bet it was straight down the vets.

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We don't always agree Skidder, but we do 100% on this one.... although I will add, that whilst they are made to suit the weaker teams, Ford is very clever at ensuring they suit him also.

 

If that were totally true then the EL would have been operating squads 4-5 years ago; and the EDR would have started in the PL NOT the EL!! :wink:

Edited by Skidder1
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As a family we are several grand worse off the last 2 years so i know how it is trust me.

 

I didnt imply, I was talking generally. Obviously there will be people that struggle down south too but generally Dorset is an affluent area much more so compared to Coventry and places up North.

I think most people are worse off generally than they were 2 years ago..............I am on the same as I was 6 years ago (not in the same job) and him indoors had a minimal pay rise this year for the first time in 6 years...............it is a more affluent area but what needs to be born in mind is that houses here are far more expensive than up North and in parts of the Midlands...........the cost of living is generally more expensive and yet like everywhere else wages and salaries do not increase.................

 

The company that him indoors works for have repeatedly asked for us to move to nearer their head office which is near Broadway in Worcestershire and we have repeatedly said no............why???????? Because it is easier for him to get everywhere he needs to be apart from two places from here...........and our youngest has special needs and we did not want to go through the upheaval of changing schools and health authorities to get things right for him.................and it would be more expensive to buy a house there than here.............if we could even sell ours.............

 

Sorry to have gone off topic guys............

 

RP

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