lakeside 2019

[HAMMER180]

here we go all the moaning minnies can bring their doom and gloom

for what will happen next year

I for one would like to thank all involved with the club for their hard work and loyalty

to the cause this hard long and very troublesome season. so many on here really

have no idea how much work is involved in trying to do the best for our team

and should be glad we are running at all

as for next season hoping for the best but rumours already flying about

that we will not be at rye but at kent or Eastbourne instead.

I will agree on one thing of which others on here say that an update on the clubs

position for next year should be sooner rather than later and a real yes or no

to the chance of us getting a new stadium in Essex.

I will still follow the team I love wherever they end up and hopefully  so will

a lot more people.

fingers crossed and hoping for the best  COYH.

[marko]

I don't call it doom and gloom, I call it being realistic and not burying ones head in the sand and hoping everything will be ok, we have no track and evidence to say the club doesn't have enough support outside of the county, and that's with a good team.

[liam]

I think people need to forget the idea of returning to Essex it’s never going to happen no matter how much Cook and Douglas try, in my opinion anyway. The Rye move just hasn’t worked out at all so anywhere would most probably be better just not sure the fans will go in numbers to either Eastbourne or Kent. As sad as it is i just don’t see the club surviving much longer but of course I hope I am wrong and the club goes from strength to strength and does one day return home.

[cityrebel]

40 minutes ago, HAMMER180 said:

here we go all the moaning minnies can bring their doom and gloom

for what will happen next year

I for one would like to thank all involved with the club for their hard work and loyalty

to the cause this hard long and very troublesome season. so many on here really

have no idea how much work is involved in trying to do the best for our team

and should be glad we are running at all

as for next season hoping for the best but rumours already flying about

that we will not be at rye but at kent or Eastbourne instead.

I will agree on one thing of which others on here say that an update on the clubs

position for next year should be sooner rather than later and a real yes or no

to the chance of us getting a new stadium in Essex.

I will still follow the team I love wherever they end up and hopefully  so will

a lot more people.

fingers crossed and hoping for the best  COYH.

You can criticise people for being negative, but I attended every competitive Hammers match at Arena and Rye this season. I paid my money, I'm entitled to an opinion. The move to Rye might have been the only option available to the club, but its turned out to be a disaster. Arena Essex might have been considered a dump by a lot of people, but how i miss it now. I shudder to think what the financial implications are for the club since the move.

[rocket007]

I know this won't be popular but how about rejoining the NL for next season. I know you have had a great season, but being homeless with very small support must be crippling the management. So if you do share at Eastbourne or Kent or even stay at Rye, keeping the name alive and still running is better than nothing. I am sure if Buxton can survive all these years on crowds of about 200, Lakeside  should be able to manage that.

[marko]

It’s also been proven fans wont support NlL racing at Arena, never mind at another track.

[old bob at herne bay]

Surprisingly lengthy thread on a subject that is IMO a non subject. I have had some fun over the years at Lakeside and thanks for the memories. 

IMO Lakeside 2017 was a gamble that backfired,  lost the fan base which never recovered in 2018. 

 

[Falcon Hammer]

Even though it would add 2-3hrs total on my journey; If Lakeside continue, I would prefer Iwade or Lydd than Rye House

[waco]

The happenings of the last few weeks were not the fault of the promotion but have obviously proved costly to them?  ..I would have thought that now serious consideration will take place regarding next season .We the fans have to hope the club wil continue and be supported where ever they end up riding......

[HAMMER180]

3 hours ago, cityrebel said:

You can criticise people for being negative, but I attended every competitive Hammers match at Arena and Rye this season. I paid my money, I'm entitled to an opinion. The move to Rye might have been the only option available to the club, but its turned out to be a disaster. Arena Essex might have been considered a dump by a lot of people, but how i miss it now. I shudder to think what the financial implications are for the club since the move.

I miss arena too there have been some great meetings there I have been every one to and I know your entitled to an opinion

but a bit of positivity never hurt anyone

yes rye was a disaster but bmr kept sticking their oar in if it is left to lakeside people to run it like at the arena

then maybe it could be better.and if its out of the other two then eastie for me really don't like kent.

[HAMMER180]

2 hours ago, marko said:

It’s also been proven fans wont support NlL racing at Arena, never mind at another track.

the promotion have already said NL NEVER AGAIN

[HAMMER180]

3 hours ago, marko said:

I don't call it doom and gloom, I call it being realistic and not burying ones head in the sand and hoping everything will be ok, we have no track and evidence to say the club doesn't have enough support outside of the county, and that's with a good team.

Not burying head in sand just trying to be positive and if more people were the same then maybe

it will be seen that there is enough people wanting to see speedway  to carry on in Essex or anywhrere really.

[rocket007]

Perhaps before making a decision, Lakeside should canvass their supporters to see, 1) which track is most viable or accessible 2) what level they prefer to watch. That way the promotion can gauge what's best and most cost effective. It's not fair on supporters if the club just fold when other options may be available to them. On the other hand, it's not fair to start a season(like Rye did) then go bust. I am not a Lakeside supporter but don't like to see any club close.

[tocha]

3 hours ago, old bob at herne bay said:

Surprisingly lengthy thread on a subject that is IMO a non subject. I have had some fun over the years at Lakeside and thanks for the memories. 

IMO Lakeside 2017 was a gamble that backfired,  lost the fan base which never recovered in 2018. 

 

Going NL in 2017 was largely Hobson's Choice. It was an early AGM the previous year at which point Lakeside could not get a guarantee on track availability for the following season. The option was to continue the club for the future. In fact, as things turned out, if they hadn't run in 2017 it is highly unlikely they would have been able to strike up a deal with the Woodruff family for this season. 

[tocha]

2 hours ago, HAMMER180 said:

I miss arena too there have been some great meetings there I have been every one to and I know your entitled to an opinion

but a bit of positivity never hurt anyone

yes rye was a disaster but bmr kept sticking their oar in if it is left to lakeside people to run it like at the arena

then maybe it could be better.and if its out of the other two then eastie for me really don't like kent.

Apart from the Rye House Stadium being in a rather chaotic state you are never going to get a decent racing strip until someone can invest in braking up the tarmac/concrete base left behind when stock cars used to run. It wasn't quite so bad in Len's time when, I think, the straights were shorter and less banking, not to mention, the infamous adverse camber on the second bend. Eastbourne might be an option and now they, sadly, have lost their commander in chief, I can see Jon returning and applying to join the Championship. Signings, Scott Nicholls, Edward Kennett to join Jason Edwards and Tom Brennan maybe.

[marko]

Either way after tonight Lakeside will no longer exist, our run at Rye was temporary as a stop gap to get our fixtures completed, which we did.

"They" however do not have licence to run speedway at Rye House, it is not down to them whether they do or not run there in the future, its down to other parties as to whether they wish to hire out the venue to another promotion (same with Kent or Eastbourne).

Even if Stuart wishes to keep going next season, he must have learnt by now, you can't simply move a club and carry on, there isn't a club in history that has successfully moved venues other than those who have moved the odd mile or two.

I would rather not lose the Hammers, but to me we lost them once we left our spiritual home of Arena Essex.

Maybe we will see Stuart pop up somewhere else where there is a track without a promoter as a opposed to a promoter without a track.

[Daytripper]

A decision will have to be made by the AGM in mid November so instead of potentially harmful speculation, for the sake of waiting 3 weeks or so why not watch this space. You might find a few surprises. Jon has already dropped a heavy hint that next season has already been discussed with the riders and all would be interested in returning, although of course the points limit means they can't all have places. As I understand it, nothing has yet been ruled in or out, but IF Lakeside return we might well expect a different shape and differently prepared track to the one we inherited. 

Its a shame the season was tarnished by Rob Gofreys influence and the necessary move to Rye but up til the time we left Arena I thought it was the best and most entertaining team for several years. 

[Daytripper]

7 hours ago, cityrebel said:

You can criticise people for being negative, but I attended every competitive Hammers match at Arena and Rye this season. I paid my money, I'm entitled to an opinion. The move to Rye might have been the only option available to the club, but its turned out to be a disaster. Arena Essex might have been considered a dump by a lot of people, but how i miss it now. I shudder to think what the financial implications are for the club since the move.

I think the financial implications at Rye House are/ were preferable to dealing with Dick Turpin &Co at Aena. 

[marko]

9 minutes ago, Daytripper said:

A decision will have to be made by the AGM in mid November so instead of potentially harmful speculation, for the sake of waiting 3 weeks or so why not watch this space. You might find a few surprises. Jon has already dropped a heavy hint that next season has already been discussed with the riders and all would be interested in returning, although of course the points limit means they can't all have places. As I understand it, nothing has yet been ruled in or out, but IF Lakeside return we might well expect a different shape and differently prepared track to the one we inherited. 

Its a shame the season was tarnished by Rob Gofreys influence and the necessary move to Rye but up til the time we left Arena I thought it was the best and most entertaining team for several years. 

To say inherited makes it sound like we brought the place, we merely hired it for a few weeks and there is nothing to say they will allow us to hire it next season, even if we did want to use it, we have no track of our own, we do not own the rights to promote at any track that already has other parties with the licence.

[cityrebel]

I would imagine it would take a lot of money to bring Rye House stadium up to scratch. The car park and spectator facilities need a major revamp, plus the track needs reshaping and relaying. The track lighting is also in need of upgrading. Who is going to foot the bill for all of this. I can't see BMR doing this for a meagre rent from any prospective tennants. Lakeside speedway have a huge decision to make regarding Rye. It might be the only option on the table, i don't envy them.