Lakeside 2017

[HAMMER180]

exactly nobody knows what the crowds will be but if the

feed back is most of those who haven't been this year didn't

because it was NL then surely it makes sense to try to go back

up but I feel PL might be a bit to much financially so the CL

might be the stepping stone to the PL in a couple of years.

but then again if its NL again then something is better than

nothing. and those of you that missed this year then give it

a go as you might be pleasantly surprised I was. COYH

[marko]

Nearly a week after the anihilation of Lakeside in Manchester; and still no comment from Jon Cook. Last message on the club's website, was on 6th Oct, from Tatum - who was also a 'no show' at Belle Vue last week.

 

No mention either of the 'at least 14 home meetings' when only 13 have been delivered. When is the 14th Meeting Jon?

 

And he really believes a return to the top flight will see supporters rushing back?

 

Truthfulness, trust and LOYALTY, in my experience, HAS to work both ways.

 

Promise after promise, lie after lie

Cook OUT

[liam]

Who is coming to take his place Claret73?

[wealdstone]

 

Promise after promise, lie after lie

Cook OUT

Same could be said about most of the people in charge

[KevtheRev]

From an outsider's point of view I'm sure the moaning is unfortunately to do with what seems disinterested management/promotion and the location of the track ( Friday night traffic etc) so doesn't really matter what league Lakeside are in people will moan as they're dissatisfied anyway. . I've done a 100 mile round trip to Eastie for the last 18 years along the A27, but i have to be honest never found it to much grief normally taking just over an hour each way from West Sussex. Although not everybody likes our actual track, because of it's location it's always a pleasant place to arrive at, which on my one visit to Lakeside a few year's ago was so bleak when I went, that's no slight on the fan's by the way just it's location. From word go when Eastie dropped to the NL, we had new management with Martin and Connor, not the drag over from the Elite and they even stated they wanted to make speedway a 'club' again. They must have succeeded pretty well as you hardly ever see any moaning on the Eastbourne section on here as most seem happy with the club if not the bspa, fair success has helped of course

Don't know how you resolve it as both problem's are hard to rectify,but the start must come from the top I suppose.

 

I was never a favour of Martin ever since I watched him intentionally hit and knock off Rob Ledwith after the race had finished, just because Rob had the audacity to beat him. However, if he has made Eastbourne a club again and galvanised the fans then I applaud him.

 

That is what had rekindled me to Rye as the same kind of positivity is happening there.

[Argos]

Who was your Team Manager at Bell Vue

[cityrebel]

Who was your Team Manager at Bell Vue

mark sexton

[marko]

I was never a favour of Martin ever since I watched him intentionally hit and knock off Rob Ledwith after the race had finished, just because Rob had the audacity to beat him. However, if he has made Eastbourne a club again and galvanised the fans then I applaud him.

 

That is what had rekindled me to Rye as the same kind of positivity is happening there.

Wonder who the team manager was that night for Eastbourne? Same guy who no doubt demanded that Josh Larsen’s second bike (which what Rob was using) have its engine tested, and people wonder why I have historic issues with the man.

[Falcon Hammer]

mark sexton

...Community Manager

 

Incredible

 

TBF Cook has made all the home meetings, the first half of one at Kent & the first half of one at Eastbourne

[cityrebel]

...Community Manager

 

Incredible

 

TBF Cook has made all the home meetings, the first half of one at Kent & the first half of one at Eastbourne

two halfs make a whole Dave!

[waco]

Mark Sexton should have been named as the assistant manager...End of the season and the fans are only now finding out

[The Voice Of Reason]

But still no doubt the 'happy clappies' will continue to support Mr. Cook.

 

Not to mention subsequntly attend anothe fans forum at some Essex hotel function room; and hang on to every word of further lies and bullsh!t that's going to be spun them.

 

By the way, not having social media myself, can someone ask the club about the 14th home meeting that hasn't been delivered?

[Daytripper]

But still no doubt the 'happy clappies' will continue to support Mr. Cook.

Not to mention subsequntly attend anothe fans forum at some Essex hotel function room; and hang on to every word of further lies and bullsh!t that's going to be spun them.

By the way, not having social media myself, can someone ask the club about the 14th home meeting that hasn't been delivered?

As I see it the Lakeside has three problems, two of them serious, but not all necessarily within Cooks control.

 

There is no doubt that Jon Cook is not the worlds best communicator, and is no longer what we might call " the face of Lakeside ", the man the fans could identify with, the man to be seen introducing the riders on parade every week and other things like writing what, at one time were informative and interesting programme notes. I can't speculate on the reasons for what seems to be a loss of interest ( although there might be other factors we don't know about ) but he doesn't seem to be the man he was. It's a great pity because one of Adam Shields sponsors, who was very well connected in the sport once told me that the most knowledgeable promoters in his view were Matt Ford, Chris Van Straaten an Jon Cook. Lee Richardson told me he thought that Jon and Stuart were the best promotion had ridden for, as have several other riders. I just wish wme had Cook back and he used to be, but having said that, I am still going to need to have a long conversation with myself during the winter to see if I really want to be back next year.

 

Superimposed on Lakeside's woes is the far bigger problem of the farce the sport has descended into. Even if we stayed in the top league, woukd it have been any better ? Hardly any teams had the same 1-7 every week, virtually Premier every club losing money, and various farces like a world class rider like Krystoff Kapsrzal being shoe horned into Rye House as reserve. Add to that the antics of the useless Chairman of the BSPA Buster Chapman, with his wheeler-dealings at Belle Vue, never speaking to his riders and a range of other things ill-befitting the chairman of the sports governing body, it's not surprising that fans across the board are turning their backs on the sport. I am not sure I want to follow a sport any longer with a complete joke like Chapman at the helm. I'll reserve judgment on that until I see what the plans are for next year, but that's not something Jon Cook has much control over.

 

Finally , we have the small but vociferous minority who seem to have decided they don't want to support the club any longer but just want to hang around to put the boot in where they can. The post quoted above us a classic example of that, written by a very bitter individual . He doesn't have the backbone to show his face at a fans forum and to stand up in front of everybody and put his complaints to the promotion but has decided that those fans who do attend are "happy clappies" who hand on to,every word op and lie that is spun to them. The truth of the matter is that those who do attend these fans forum are solid long term fans who are concerned about the future of the club and have the intelligence to think f or themselves and don't deserve those kinds of insults and name calling because they happen love the sport.

Edited October 13, 2017 by Daytripper

[cityrebel]

Although I'm not a lakeside fan, I will continue to attend meetings at arena Essex, regardless of what league they race in. I do this in the hope that the club will survive. The same reason I am a regular at rye house, Eastbourne, Kent and the IOW. Since the early 1970's, i have always supported my local venues. Many have disappeared, but some are hanging on. Long may that continue.

[KevtheRev]

Daytripper, very interesting comments.

 

1. Agree with you. Jon was OK when he had Stuart and his Business Acumen to steer the club. Post Stuart at Lakeside he's got even worse than he was at Eastbourne.

 

2. Agree the sport is in a mess. However, clubs like Somerset, Glasgow, Rye House and Eastbourne seem to generating enthusiasm and are taking their clubs forward.

 

3. If it's a small minority of fans, then it really isn't a problem for the club.

 

Also, standing up at a Fans Forum is not the answer. Vote with your feet and do not attend is the only true way, which is what a majority have done.

[Red Flag]

But still no doubt the 'happy clappies' will continue to support Mr. Cook.

Not to mention subsequntly attend anothe fans forum at some Essex hotel function room; and hang on to every word of further lies and bullsh!t that's going to be spun them.

By the way, not having social media myself, can someone ask the club about the 14th home meeting that hasn't been delivered?

You obviously have Internet, why can't you email it yourself?

[marko]

I think VOR means facebook, they used to have an active page on that but I don't use facebook anymore so can't confirm whether it's still going.

[Daytripper]

Daytripper, very interesting comments.

 

1. Agree with you. Jon was OK when he had Stuart and his Business Acumen to steer the club. Post Stuart at Lakeside he's got even worse than he was at Eastbourne.

 

2. Agree the sport is in a mess. However, clubs like Somerset, Glasgow, Rye House and Eastbourne seem to generating enthusiasm and are taking their clubs forward.

 

3. If it's a small minority of fans, then it really isn't a problem for the club.

 

Also, standing up at a Fans Forum is not the answer. Vote with your feet and do not attend is the only true way, which is what a majority have done.

Glasgow and Rye House been bought by men with very deep pockets, which is a good thing in one sense, but Glasgow have hardly seen a massive increase in their crowd base and Rye House have those year been running a very expensive team without success. Whether the owners of those clubs will want to carry on at the present rate when the money starts to run out remains to be seen. We had trouble in the so called "winter of discontent " 2010/11 two promoters thyought they could buy success and nearly brought the sport to its knees as a result. I still maintain that if Stuart Douglas' business plan for the sport had been adopted then, the sort would be in much better shape than it is now. But if wasn't so we are stuck with a sport that needs serious improvement if it is to survive.

 

If fans want to vote with their feet I have no problem with that. They are the customers and as in any business are entitled to look for the best deal. What I don't get is those that don't like the club as it is but instead of finding somewhere else just hang around moaning. Moaning never solved anything. As I said before, I have to have a long think this winter about whether I go back next year, but if I don't, I'll just leave, I sure hell won't be one of the moaning Minnie's that hang around complaining that it's not like the old days

Edited October 13, 2017 by Daytripper

[The Voice Of Reason]

Why should I bother contacting the club via email?

 

- At the end of the day, I'm not the promoter.

 

- At the end of the day, I'm not the guy who still hasn't given a valid reasen for Lakeside's withdrawl from the K.O. Cup.

 

- At the end of the day, Jon Cook is the guy who has criticised Friday racing - yet continues to primary run on errr.........Fridays.

 

- I'm not the guy who had previously committed to 14 meetings, yet delivered only 13.

 

- I'm not the guy who double-tags himself a 'Manager', yet only turns up at away fixtures that purely suit himself.

 

- I'm not the liar that has said he is looking for an alternative location when, in reality, he's probably done absolutely sod all to identify an alternative track.

 

So, far be it from me to email the club.

 

How about, for once, Jon Cook comes on HERE and answer the points that I have raised?

[E I Addio]

Why should I bother contacting the club via email?

- At the end of the day, I'm not the promoter.

 

.....and neither are you a paying customer and haven't been through the turnstiles at Lakeside for years.

- At the end of the day, I'm not the guy who still hasn't given a valid reasen for Lakeside's withdrawl from the K.O. Cup.

.... but you are apparently the guy who hasn't read the reasons given on the website.

- I'm not the guy who had previously committed to 14 meetings, yet delivered only 13.

?

......and you are not the guy who has bought a season ticket, either, so it's very little to do with you. I am sure the season ticket holders can and will speak for themselves at the end of season meeting in the Tavern on 27th October.

- I'm not the liar that has said he is looking for an alternative location when, in reality, he's probably done absolutely sod all to identify an alternative track.

No, you are just the guy who doesn't attend fans forums, doesn't meetings and therefore doesn't hear the interviews with Cook on race nights and doesn't know what's going on.

How about, for once, Jon Cook comes on HERE and answer the points that I have raised?

How about for once you attend the fans meeting on 27th October and put your points to Cook face to face, same as everyone else has to ?