Matt Ford - No Sympathy

[Steve Shovlar]

i thank you for posting the Mark Loram story.

 

As some on here know (and some dont believe) we have known the Loram family since Mark was 14 and my uncle sponsored him.

 

I posted on a Poole thread that Mark was treate badly by Matt Ford only to be shot down by the usual suspects claiming Mark asked for more money than Tony which was complete tosh.

This article shows quite clearly what sort of man Matt Ford is. Mark Loram is probably one of the nicest guys there has been in the sport and nobody has a bad word to say about him and it takes a lot to anger him. As stated Matt Ford annoyed him and how disgraceful that some Poole fans booed and heckled him as well after the way he rode for them. Try watching the race with Mark, Havvy, Hamill and Hancock at Wimborne Road back when the track was good

Mark Loram was not treated badly by Poole. I remember having a conversation at the time with someone in the know* and was told that Norrie Allen asked for a massive pay rise which Matt Ford refusd to pay. Matt then tried to negociate a price which was fair as Mark was wold champion, but Norrie Allen refused to budge an inch. I remembering Matt Ford saying, what could he do when the other side is being completely inflexible? He said at the time he was where he was and Allen was where he was and normally a deal could be done somewhere in the middle but Allen refused.

 

So Matt signed Trick instead on a LOWER price than Mark.

 

I was gutted as were most Poole fans at the time. The losers were the fans plus Loram and Allen. Loram should have told Allen to be more flexible.

 

*He was in the room.

Edited April 11, 2016 by Steve Shovlar

[Crazy robin]

Mark Loram was not treated badly by Poole. I remember having a conversation at the time with someone in the know* and was told that Norrie Allen asked for a massive pay rise which Matt Ford refusd to pay. Matt then tried to negociate a price which was fair as Mark was wold champion, but Norrie Allen refused to budge an inch. I remembering Matt Ford saying, what could he do when the other side is being completely inflexible? He said at the time he was where he was and Allen was where he was and normally a deal could be done somewhere in the middle but Allen refused.

 

So Matt signed Trick instead on a LOWER price than Mark.

 

I was gutted as were most Poole fans at the time. The losers were the fans plus Loram and Allen. Loram should have told Allen to be more flexible.

 

*He was in the room.

Always love the old "someone in the know" line as it means nothing unless a name is put alongside it.

 

You been taking lessons of Skidder, Steve?😀😀

[Theboss]

 

http://www.bournemouthecho.co.uk/sport/9792116.Pirates__Stars_chief_in_Twitter__cheats__slur/

 

Then there was this one 'cheats never prosper' i wonder who tweeted that? lol

 

Certainly brought back memory's reading that, the thing that has surprised me is the final quote from Matt Ford is the same now as it was back then. Seems to have practiced it down to a tee 😛

[heathen chemistry]

Mark Loram was not treated badly by Poole. I remember having a conversation at the time with someone in the know* and was told that Norrie Allen asked for a massive pay rise which Matt Ford refusd to pay. Matt then tried to negociate a price which was fair as Mark was wold champion, but Norrie Allen refused to budge an inch. I remembering Matt Ford saying, what could he do when the other side is being completely inflexible? He said at the time he was where he was and Allen was where he was and normally a deal could be done somewhere in the middle but Allen refused.

 

So Matt signed Trick instead on a LOWER price than Mark.

 

I was gutted as were most Poole fans at the time. The losers were the fans plus Loram and Allen. Loram should have told Allen to be more flexible.

 

*He was in the room.

 

another one who has been fooled by ford's propaganda.....i dont beleive that for one second he was cheaper than loram, loram was waiting for ford to get back to him which he didnt cuz he sorting out a deal for rickardsson instead.....not a very proffesional way to treat the world champ

[sommelier]

Mark Loram was not treated badly by Poole. I remember having a conversation at the time with someone in the know* and was told that Norrie Allen asked for a massive pay rise which Matt Ford refusd to pay. Matt then tried to negociate a price which was fair as Mark was wold champion, but Norrie Allen refused to budge an inch. I remembering Matt Ford saying, what could he do when the other side is being completely inflexible? He said at the time he was where he was and Allen was where he was and normally a deal could be done somewhere in the middle but Allen refused.

 

So Matt signed Trick instead on a LOWER price than Mark.

 

I was gutted as were most Poole fans at the time. The losers were the fans plus Loram and Allen. Loram should have told Allen to be more flexible.

 

*He was in the room.

I would take what Gavan says on this one as correct, he knows what he is talking about when it comes to Loram.

[Gavan]

Mark Loram was not treated badly by Poole. I remember having a conversation at the time with someone in the know* and was told that Norrie Allen asked for a massive pay rise which Matt Ford refusd to pay. Matt then tried to negociate a price which was fair as Mark was wold champion, but Norrie Allen refused to budge an inch. I remembering Matt Ford saying, what could he do when the other side is being completely inflexible? He said at the time he was where he was and Allen was where he was and normally a deal could be done somewhere in the middle but Allen refused.

 

So Matt signed Trick instead on a LOWER price than Mark.

 

I was gutted as were most Poole fans at the time. The losers were the fans plus Loram and Allen. Loram should have told Allen to be more flexible.

 

*He was in the room.

You believe what you want to believe. Please tell us who this 'man in the room' was.

 

I know for a fact that Mark was waiting to hear from Matt Ford to go through negotiating a deal. He never heard back.

 

And i can tell you 100% accurately that Tony was on more money than Mark.

 

My lines of knowledge come from my uncle, who as i say sponsored Mark from the age of 14. This led to us becoming friends with Marks mum Vi and dad Paul, also his grandad (who we called pop and lived in exeter) plus his sister Debbie. Mark came to my aunties funeral in Feb 2000 so she never got to see her 'Marky' win the ultimate prize. My uncle died in 2006 and Mark came to his funeral to.

When Mark was at Ipswich we made very good friends with his mechanic Jorge. We still see him to this day and he is still involved in the speedway world. The fact that in 2001 when Mark wanted to stay at Poole i had my uncle, Mark himself and his family and ex mechanic all telling us what was going on.

Ive told you my sources believe what you want but Mark left Poole because of Matt Fords desire to have Rickardsson that is a fact.

If your sources are correct you will know Mark wanted an extra van as part of his package and more money per point. The fact remains Tony was more expensive then Mark

I would take what Gavan says on this one as correct, he knows what he is talking about when it comes to Loram.

Thank You.

 

Im not trying to be big headed or show off but we do know his family and have known Mark from an early age and followed him everywhere pretty much. Even now my cousin has his race jacket from his first ever British Semi -final up at Sheffield (1986 or 1987??) we was at Arena and Mark was riding and got the call up so we all went up to sheffield. He also has the race jacket (number 3??? i think) from when he won the British Final for the first time in that classic race off with Louis.

[Pirate Nick]

"i had my uncle, Mark himself and his family and ex mechanic all telling us what was going on."

 

Or their side of the story, so to speak.

[Woz01]

"i had my uncle, Mark himself and his family and ex mechanic all telling us what was going on."

Or their side of the story, so to speak.

Who to believe Mark Loram or Matt Ford? Tricky one....

[Gavan]

"i had my uncle, Mark himself and his family and ex mechanic all telling us what was going on."

 

Or their side of the story, so to speak.

Absolutely their side of the story and they are quite clearly in the know. (well not so much my uncle)

 

Im happy to name names and i have told you what i know, simple really

 

There does seem to be a closed shop in Dorset that if your not a Poole fan or live in the area then you cant possibly know more than a Poole fan. Maybe just once you can actually take what someone says and believe it

Who to believe Mark Loram or Matt Ford? Tricky one....

To be fair im pretty sure the Poole mafia dont believe a word im saying but it is possibly the only area to do with Poole that i know im right about but i will take the inevitable abuse that comes my way from the fans that dont like what they hear

[Crazy robin]

You believe what you want to believe. Please tell us who this 'man in the room' was.

 

I know for a fact that Mark was waiting to hear from Matt Ford to go through negotiating a deal. He never heard back.

 

And i can tell you 100% accurately that Tony was on more money than Mark.

 

My lines of knowledge come from my uncle, who as i say sponsored Mark from the age of 14. This led to us becoming friends with Marks mum Vi and dad Paul, also his grandad (who we called pop and lived in exeter) plus his sister Debbie. Mark came to my aunties funeral in Feb 2000 so she never got to see her 'Marky' win the ultimate prize. My uncle died in 2006 and Mark came to his funeral to.

When Mark was at Ipswich we made very good friends with his mechanic Jorge. We still see him to this day and he is still involved in the speedway world. The fact that in 2001 when Mark wanted to stay at Poole i had my uncle, Mark himself and his family and ex mechanic all telling us what was going on.

Ive told you my sources believe what you want but Mark left Poole because of Matt Fords desire to have Rickardsson that is a fact.

If your sources are correct you will know Mark wanted an extra van as part of his package and more money per point. The fact remains Tony was more expensive then Mark

Thank You.

 

Im not trying to be big headed or show off but we do know his family and have known Mark from an early age and followed him everywhere pretty much. Even now my cousin has his race jacket from his first ever British Semi -final up at Sheffield (1986 or 1987??) we was at Arena and Mark was riding and got the call up so we all went up to sheffield. He also has the race jacket (number 3??? i think) from when he won the British Final for the first time in that classic race off with Louis.

 

Careful Gavan as you're naming people unlike the "man in the know" that is the favourite from anyone on the South Coast that begins with the letter "S".

[Pirate Nick]

Absolutely their side of the story and they are quite clearly in the know. (well not so much my uncle)

 

Im happy to name names and i have told you what i know, simple really

 

There does seem to be a closed shop in Dorset that if your not a Poole fan or live in the area then you cant possibly know more than a Poole fan. Maybe just once you can actually take what someone says and believe it

 

To be fair im pretty sure the Poole mafia dont believe a word im saying but it is possibly the only area to do with Poole that i know im right about but i will take the inevitable abuse that comes my way from the fans that dont like what they hear

The point, Gavan, is that unless you were actually at the negotiating or have heard a recording of the meeting everything you say is based on hearsay. The same thing applies to those supporting the Poole side of the argument. It's a pointless debate as neither side are likely to change their stance.

On the plus side, whatever happened it enabled me to have 2 more great riders pass through my team on a Wednesday night, so I'm happy whoever is right.

[Theboss]

The point, Gavan, is that unless you were actually at the negotiating or have heard a recording of the meeting everything you say is based on hearsay. The same thing applies to those supporting the Poole side of the argument. It's a pointless debate as neither side are likely to change their stance.

On the plus side, whatever happened it enabled me to have 2 more great riders pass through my team on a Wednesday night, so I'm happy whoever is right.

Nieve to say it is the same thing when you consider one side has identified who their sources were whilst the other has not.

[salty]

Yes. Who was the mysterious "Man in the room"???

[Pirate Nick]

Nieve to say it is the same thing when you consider one side has identified who their sources were whilst the other has not.

It doesn't really matter who the sources are. They will only have been told one side of the story. I'm not suggesting for one minute that Gavan is wrong, I'm just pointing out that unless you were actually there you don't know. So arguing about is pointless. I have no opinion one way or the other on an event that happened, what, 15 years ago.

 

I'm fed up with the same few posters disrupting perfectly good threads, your Helicopter thread is a case in point.

[500cc]

Yes. Who was the mysterious "Man in the room"???

We know he was a man. And we know he was somebody in the know. That could only be one person ... it has to be Starman !!!

[SteveLyric2]

 

another one who has been fooled by ford's propaganda.....i dont beleive that for one second he was cheaper than loram, loram was waiting for ford to get back to him which he didnt cuz he sorting out a deal for rickardsson instead.....not a very proffesional way to treat the world champ

Mark Loram was pee-d off with both Matt Ford and Norrie Allan because they hadn't bothered to involve him personally in the negotiation before it all fell through. Mark would have accepted what Matt had offered had he been given the chance. Getting vans for riders was hardly a problem given who the club's sponsors were!!

 

As for the 'one in the room' I would suggest it was either Mike Golding or the late Pete Ansell - the latter being who told me almost exactly as SS described above.

[Daniel Smith]

Could it be that both sides could be kind of right with the Loram argument.

All sorts of shenanigans happen in negotiations.

 

Hypothetically:

 

Loram: I want £300pp

Ford: Get back to ya

Rickardsson: I want £500pp

Ford: World Champion only wants £400pp

Rickardsson: I might not be World Champion but by far a better rider so I'll do £380pp

Ford: Done

 

Ford puts out a press release saying Loram was more expensive to keep Rickardsson sweet thinking Loram and Rickardsson won't talk.

Loram calls out knowing Rickardsson was £80pp more.

 

In terms of negotiations Rickardsson was £20pp less

 

So everyone goes up in arms as they only get fed one side of the story.

[SCB]

That's the worst bit of negotiating ever.

[ProperSport]

I realised it hadn't been posted here and wondered what people thought. I'm glad for ANY Speedway team to be succesful but think Ford comes over as conceited. And dresses like a used Merc salesman.

 

And what is wrong with being dressed like a Used Car Merc Salesman

[BWitcher]

Conveniently omitting that Lee Richardson also rode for Poole; that the Lakeside management were in full agreement to the Masters change (bearing in mind he didn't get injured until the parade lap!!) and that the change was sanctioned and approved by the SCB official.

 

Also the meeting was not ridden 'under protest'!!

 

You do realise this makes it even worse?

 

So it wasn't an oversight but an absolute blatant flat out brazen display of cheating!