Not So Positive Rye House Vib's

[Dave Stummings]

With all the positive vibes that have been coming out of Rye House recently am I the only one that’s not quite feeling these same vibes?

We all know last year saw a mass exodus of management, riders and staff. Some of which were indeed justified.

So we bounce forward to just before the start of the season and the one remaining person from the shakeup left was team manager John Sampford and he’s basically shown the door a few weeks before the off.

Also I’ve noticed Terry Eldridge has been missing for the last few meetings. Terry was almost an ever present there for many years. Hope he’s well, just wondering if he’s had enough?

Another person who’s gone on the missing list is the charming feller that almost singled handily organised the car park. It’s a park “where you like now” and it will be only a matter of time before an entry/exit is blocked and an emergency service vehicle will need to gain entry to the stadium on race night and could well not be able to.

I did see they were advertising for a car park attendant which obviously hasn’t had many if any takers. Surely this an H&S issue?

Now we all know business is business and Warren Scott and his side kick the suited Penky feller have a business to run.

Certainly Peter Schroeck has motivated the riders, which was very much needed to be fair.

There are certainly a lot of new speedway supporters at Rye, probably from the BMR camp which can only be a good thing. BMR are indeed also spending money on the stadium which again was very much needed.

But……

The wooden terracing by the starting gate is quite frankly in my opinion extremely dangerous and a major H&S issue. With planks of wood splintering and breaking. A couple of weeks ago I actually saw someone fall down when one of the planks broke as he put his foot on it. Also as its wooden this should be a no smoking area, as should the whole stadium in my opinion, but that’s not for debate today.

Where this plank broke I noticed the repair was basically a bit of MDF just nailed onto to the offending broken plank covering up the damaged plank. This surely has to be a trip hazard?

I also noticed on social media lots of people were raving about how good the track stood up to a double header last Monday. Really? The ‘blue groove’ was visible from around heat 10 of the first match and the track for the second half was again in my opinion very poor. That also asks the question why BMR decided to have a double header when we’re becoming a track that fluctuates between Saturday and Sunday fixtures. Speedway fans want a regular race night and if it’s coming towards the end of the season I can understand the reasoning for double headers, but not in the middle of summer for goodness sake and especially with the track struggling to deliver double headers.

Sunday night speedway isn’t traditionally Rye House race day and what a time to start! Kids have school the next day and us olden’s have work to. If the catchment area was the Hoddesdon area fair enough but many don’t come from the area of Hoddesdon.

Then of course we’ve the track shop fiasco. What a mitigating cock up that appears to be! There are of course two sides to every story but how the proprietors can just be told you’re not required here anymore, BMR are doing it is totally beyond me!

Another thing I don’t quite understand is why you would put hard core on the bends of the training track on the centre green at Rye, unless they intend to tarmac the bends and back straight and put shale on these areas? I see the home straight hasn’t had hard core put on it.

Yes there are new speedway people who are obviously enjoying their perhaps first taste of speedway. But for the more seasoned person like me I’m not too sure I fully understand what’s going on at Rye. Len ran it as a family business, Scotty and his side kick the suited Penky feller certainly aren’t.

Rant over

[Rayleigh]

"Len ran it as a family business" I think the correct term is "Len ran it into the ground" for a second time.

 

BMR no doubt have been shocked by the shoddy patched work over the years and the "re-fit" is a far bigger project than was believed.

 

Granted mistakes have been made but overall I think there are far more positives than negatives..

[barraider]

While i understand some of your comment i agree with rayleigh

Len run it into the ground, last few yrs going to rye has been painful. Enjoying this year and the racing on track has been 1st class.

Some people dont like change but things can only get better( and they are def heading in the right direction now)

Emma keeps fans informed on facebook and always quick to respond, when len was in charge we the mushrooms were kept in the dark and fed s$$t

[Rider Replacement]

It is a work in progress, give them time. I'm sure it'll be good. Well done all involved

[Shadders]

The difference between this promotion and the previous are pretty clear.

The fans are kept informed via social media (although the Twitter feed hadn't been updated since April strangely). Len Silver wasn't very savvy in this area.

Apart from a few red plastic seats from the old Plough Lane Stadium you'd be hard pressed to see any stadium improvements during the last few years of his tenure.

 

One of the few criticisms I have is replacing the track shop and the way it was done.

Edited June 4, 2016 by Shads

[Reviresco]

Everyone is entitled to their opinion, John, but I would think that after Saturday's meeting against Berwick, that 99.9% of those in attendance would have gone home buzzing, after what was the best speedway meeting that I have been present at since 1985.

 

The odd 0.1% may be you and the fellow you describe as "the Penky suited" one, who I am presuming is Steve Jenson (sorry the 'Penky' reference means nothing to me, John. Peaky Blinders, maybe, but not 'Penky'.), who was in deed unhappy that the Rockets 'only' managed a draw as he is a 100% winner but after a few moments could even see the total benefits of such an entertainment spectacle.

 

As others have said, give Steve and Team BMR another 12 months and let's see if there is any criticism to be offered then.

 

(Congratulations to Team BMR also, for their success at Oulton Park yesterday and Subaru's first ever win in the hands of Colin Turkingon. It is a long time now that I have attended a BTCC meeting, but the association that is growing between Team BMR and the Rye House fans, I can see me attending at least the second Brands round this season and maybe more - clashes with The Rockets fixtures willing, of course. My interest in BTCC - then saloon car racing, goes back to the 70's when Gerry Marshall was driving his Firenza and has helped me chose the road cars I have driven.)

Edited June 6, 2016 by macca56

[royal]

First time back for me in nearly four years, and I went home buzzing too. Yes, its a bit of a bombsite, but the track is ten times better as was the atmosphere, and the crowd was definitely up too. There was a lot of rot for the new owners to stop, and for me, they have made a great start.

I will be back on Saturday, I have the bug again.

[startline sid]

First time back for me in nearly four years, and I went home buzzing too. Yes, its a bit of a bombsite, but the track is ten times better as was the atmosphere, and the crowd was definitely up too. There was a lot of rot for the new owners to stop, and for me, they have made a great start.

I will be back on Saturday, I have the bug again.

well said and things take time to get right but have every confidence that they will be sorted. This is the best year at Rye for a long time and long may it continue - I am not going to be specific but regarding one of the complaints by the original poster just remember there are 2 sides to every story - also well done to the BMR team at this weekend - not really into saloon cars but am trying to catch up with the sport

[thrillpool]

I went home buzzing on Saturday night but as it turned out, I had a bumble bee in my pocket.

However, my thoughts on my first visit to Rye this year are thus:

 

The track shop had no lucky bags but were selling those trendy 'snapback' hats that the kids like to wear these days. Looking at the average age of the crowd, they'd have been better off selling Fedoras or tweed caps.

 

The cutlery in the fish bar was appalling. By the time I'd finished my fork was devoid of its prongs. Would it hurt to provide quality plastic cutlery capable of piercing overcooked chips?

 

I lost count of the number of times I tripped over the big bit of MDF crudely nailed over the top of a hole in the wooden terracing. Common sense would dictate a big sign saying 'trip hazard'.

 

But worst of all, and this is where the new promotion are completely shooting themselves in the foot, the lack of 'Those Magnificent Men' as the riders and track staff march out ready for the parade. I mean, it's like going to Tower of London without seeing a Beefeater.

 

It's not all bad news though, for us old traditionalists, we've still got Craig Saul in the announcer's box. His ability to sound like a magician at a kids party is always refreshing.

 

All in all, it was a bittersweet night. Some of the things that make a visit to Rye seem unique have gone forever. No more processional racing, no more 'Magnificent Men...' and no more lucky bags. Alas, I can see Saturday night being my last visit to Rye for a very long time, it's just not the same anymore...

[Shadders]

There's always one ^^^^^

[chucks]

I went home buzzing on Saturday night but as it turned out, I had a bumble bee in my pocket.

However, my thoughts on my first visit to Rye this year are thus:

 

The track shop had no lucky bags but were selling those trendy 'snapback' hats that the kids like to wear these days. Looking at the average age of the crowd, they'd have been better off selling Fedoras or tweed caps.

 

The cutlery in the fish bar was appalling. By the time I'd finished my fork was devoid of its prongs. Would it hurt to provide quality plastic cutlery capable of piercing overcooked chips?

 

I lost count of the number of times I tripped over the big bit of MDF crudely nailed over the top of a hole in the wooden terracing. Common sense would dictate a big sign saying 'trip hazard'.

 

But worst of all, and this is where the new promotion are completely shooting themselves in the foot, the lack of 'Those Magnificent Men' as the riders and track staff march out ready for the parade. I mean, it's like going to Tower of London without seeing a Beefeater.

 

It's not all bad news though, for us old traditionalists, we've still got Craig Saul in the announcer's box. His ability to sound like a magician at a kids party is always refreshing.

 

All in all, it was a bittersweet night. Some of the things that make a visit to Rye seem unique have gone forever. No more processional racing, no more 'Magnificent Men...' and no more lucky bags. Alas, I can see Saturday night being my last visit to Rye for a very long time, it's just not the same anymore...

appart from that im glad you enjoyed youself

[Baldyman]

I went home buzzing on Saturday night but as it turned out, I had a bumble bee in my pocket.

However, my thoughts on my first visit to Rye this year are thus:

 

The track shop had no lucky bags but were selling those trendy 'snapback' hats that the kids like to wear these days. Looking at the average age of the crowd, they'd have been better off selling Fedoras or tweed caps.

 

The cutlery in the fish bar was appalling. By the time I'd finished my fork was devoid of its prongs. Would it hurt to provide quality plastic cutlery capable of piercing overcooked chips?

 

I lost count of the number of times I tripped over the big bit of MDF crudely nailed over the top of a hole in the wooden terracing. Common sense would dictate a big sign saying 'trip hazard'.

 

But worst of all, and this is where the new promotion are completely shooting themselves in the foot, the lack of 'Those Magnificent Men' as the riders and track staff march out ready for the parade. I mean, it's like going to Tower of London without seeing a Beefeater.

 

It's not all bad news though, for us old traditionalists, we've still got Craig Saul in the announcer's box. His ability to sound like a magician at a kids party is always refreshing.

 

All in all, it was a bittersweet night. Some of the things that make a visit to Rye seem unique have gone forever. No more processional racing, no more 'Magnificent Men...' and no more lucky bags. Alas, I can see Saturday night being my last visit to Rye for a very long time, it's just not the same anymore...

You won't be going again because the club

are trying to move forward with the times?

Was the racing better?

[Reviresco]

One question immediately springs to my mind: Are John Drake and thrillpool one and the same person - this tone of their post, the spacing of paragraphs and the aura of their avatars makes me think so and, if so, then I ,may well know who they are, as I had one person share my picnic bench vantage point on the exit of the fourth bend and they had a personal axe to grind against the new promotion and the excellent Mr Jenson in particular. (I found out on Sunday, that 'picnic' is the same in Spanish as it is in English, as is 'bungalow' (which originates from India) and 'photo shop'. Funny old world, isn't it.

 

As in diving scoring (how do I know such things....?) I think we can discount the lowest and highest scores on this thread and award points on the posts and comments in between the nadir and the zenith (is that right?), which, by my lousy math, would award Saturday's meeting a resounding 9.5 out of 10.

 

Anyone want to disagree, without a personal axe to grind, I am sure that Steve, Emma and the rest of the Team BMR crew would only be too willing to listen to your comments and use them as a way to even further improve the already, take it as you find it, excellent situation at Hoddesdon. BOOM! That was an excellent 90 minutes of entertainment on Saturday. Get In There! Happy I am.....

 

PS: plus I met Shads, and his better half and, what a great bloke he is. (Gee, I feel at home at Rye House, which I never did at Foxhall from 1975 to 1980 and then from 1983 to April 1985.)

Edited June 6, 2016 by macca56

[waco]

Funny old post from Thrillpool if saturday nights racing did not get someone hooked then what the f--- will ..Maybe he should try Ipswich were the racing is c--p,, but never mind, he may be attracted to the announcer or the music at the start,,or even queuing to get in ,they open the gates really late there im shore he would enjoy standing out side for half an hour,, to soak up the atmosphere

Edited June 6, 2016 by waco

[Shadders]

Funny old post from Thrillpool if saturday nights racing did not get someone hooked then what the f--- will ..Maybe he should try Ipswich were the racing is s--t but he may be attracted to the announcer or the music at the start,,or even queuing to get in ,they open the gates really late there im shore he would enjoy standing out side for half an hour,, to soak up the atmosphere

He's either on a wind up, or one of Lens cronies. Why else would anyone complain about the lack of their favourite sweets when they serve up a meeting like that?

[hammer1969]

Sorry but I don't know where the original poster was standing when apparently "someone fell down on the broken plank" but we stand right where it is and saw it bending, we mentioned it straight away to a staff member and the plank was fixed over it within minutes. I agree it could be a trip hazard but we all know it's there and are being careful and we were told that as part of the stadium improvements that area will be replaced. As for the car park sorry but even last season with the attendant the parking was a "do it yourself effort" especially as the attendant went into the stadium when the meeting started and people using the pub and kart track also use it. As for the music "Those Magnificent Men" perhaps Len took it with him - thank goodness - I much prefer what's played now and from the way the team seem to be riding "as a team" and also the improved atmosphere on the terrace this year I am hopeful of better things to come.

Edited June 6, 2016 by hammer1969

[startline sid]

He's either on a wind up, or one of Lens cronies. Why else would anyone complain about the lack of their favourite sweets when they serve up a meeting like that?

think it has to be a 'wind up post' - if its not then an evening of superb racing seems to be of little interest to them

[GWC]

It's clearly a wind up as he gives himself away with the comment 'processional racing' - who misses that!!

[Baldyman]

No one has to miss processional racing, just come to foxhall or go to Leicester

[JmeRay]

Those two posts have got to be wind ups.