East End Fan Posted May 9, 2019 Report Share Posted May 9, 2019 53 minutes ago, cityrebel said: Both the Rye and Lakeside promotions lost serious money there last season. The place is probably only sustainable as a NL venue. Who in their right mind would lay out serious wedge for a few hundred people. Len knew the fan base was shrinking and the stadium needed major investment, that's why he got out. If the fan base was "shrinking", how was it that there were reports of huge numbers when the team moved into the top section. They raced then on Saturdays and only lost their people when it was moved to mid week. I made many visits to Rye over the years and always saw lots of people there and good viewing. I could sit in the grandstand in comfort which was more than I could do at my own track at Lakeside. Racing was always very good although dust was often a problem on windy days. A real shame that it is not running and I hope that it will come back into a league in the near future. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cityrebel Posted May 9, 2019 Report Share Posted May 9, 2019 11 minutes ago, East End Fan said: If the fan base was "shrinking", how was it that there were reports of huge numbers when the team moved into the top section. They raced then on Saturdays and only lost their people when it was moved to mid week. I made many visits to Rye over the years and always saw lots of people there and good viewing. I could sit in the grandstand in comfort which was more than I could do at my own track at Lakeside. Racing was always very good although dust was often a problem on windy days. A real shame that it is not running and I hope that it will come back into a league in the near future. The crowd levels were poor during Len's last couple of years there. I agree the numbers were good on saturdays when they first went into the top flight, but when they were forced to stage midweek meetings it killed the track off. Until speedway in this country runs on the nights that are most convenient to the fans, it will always struggle. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HGould Posted May 9, 2019 Report Share Posted May 9, 2019 I think some are missing the point a little. As a "Training Track" it can sustain a speedway track, it can actually make money, presumably all these riders training have to pay to use the track, and it can act as a venue ideal for those in South and Midlands in that guise. Better a Training track than a Housing Development. It's clearly going to take some time for the Owners to sort out Debts and Liabilities and after the debacle of Lakeside, who were financially solvent until moving there it seems; the BSPA will quite rightly be wary of giving anyone permission to run there. I don't think the Lakeside move encourages anyone to run there as anything but Rye House or Hoddesdon branded...."Hoddesdon Hawks" anyone??? - has a nice ring for old Hackney fans??. Wasn't there talk of Connor Dugard wanting to run NL there in the winter, I'm sure I read that in the NL season preview in the Speedway Star, presumably he, or his backers; or the BSPA decided it was not viable at this point even at NL level. Personally I think, let it thrive as a Training venue for a year or so and then look again, but it would be a brave man or woman who would venture there to promote in my opinion. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cityrebel Posted May 9, 2019 Report Share Posted May 9, 2019 Running a few training schools is not going to bring in enough funds to pay for the upkeep of the stadium. The owners probably have substantial bills to pay like the rest of us. You would need multiple weekly incomes to keep the place afloat. After all, this is not Iwade we are talking about. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
East End Fan Posted May 15, 2019 Report Share Posted May 15, 2019 On 5/9/2019 at 10:59 AM, cityrebel said: Running a few training schools is not going to bring in enough funds to pay for the upkeep of the stadium. The owners probably have substantial bills to pay like the rest of us. You would need multiple weekly incomes to keep the place afloat. After all, this is not Iwade we are talking about. So what do YOU think will happen there ? Getting back to Kent matters. I have missed reports about young Alec Spooner. Obviously out inhured, but does anyone know the extent and how long he will be out. I like this youngster, his enthusiasm shows in his s.... or bust style. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cityrebel Posted May 15, 2019 Report Share Posted May 15, 2019 (edited) 4 hours ago, East End Fan said: So what do YOU think will happen there ? Getting back to Kent matters. I have missed reports about young Alec Spooner. Obviously out inhured, but does anyone know the extent and how long he will be out. I like this youngster, his enthusiasm shows in his s.... or bust style. Who knows what Will happen at Rye. Only the SCB and their creditors probably know their true debts. Getting back to Kent. Despite more crashes on monday, i think a real effort was made to put on a slicker show than my previous visit. The crowd was very healthy again. I was also present when the Kings won at Stoke in an entertaining meeting the previous afternoon. All in all, a couple of days of decent speedway. Edited May 15, 2019 by cityrebel Mistake in post Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flipper11 Posted May 15, 2019 Report Share Posted May 15, 2019 6 hours ago, East End Fan said: So what do YOU think will happen there ? Getting back to Kent matters. I have missed reports about young Alec Spooner. Obviously out inhured, but does anyone know the extent and how long he will be out. I like this youngster, his enthusiasm shows in his s.... or bust style. He is very enthusiastic and his swash buckling style is what won him Kent supporters rider of the year last year. I spoke to him at Stoke on Sunday & he is still not sure how long he will be out but the specialist said between 2-4 weeks, Kent are certainly weaker without him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
East End Fan Posted May 15, 2019 Report Share Posted May 15, 2019 22 minutes ago, flipper11 said: He is very enthusiastic and his swash buckling style is what won him Kent supporters rider of the year last year. I spoke to him at Stoke on Sunday & he is still not sure how long he will be out but the specialist said between 2-4 weeks, Kent are certainly weaker without him. Many thanks. What are his actual injuries ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flipper11 Posted May 15, 2019 Report Share Posted May 15, 2019 20 minutes ago, East End Fan said: Many thanks. What are his actual injuries ? Rotator cuff. I think he has torn the muscles around his shoulder. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cityrebel Posted May 15, 2019 Report Share Posted May 15, 2019 3 hours ago, flipper11 said: Rotator cuff. I think he has torn the muscles around his shoulder. Nasty Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adonis Posted May 17, 2019 Report Share Posted May 17, 2019 On 5/15/2019 at 7:44 PM, cityrebel said: Nasty Oh dear .I have had Rotator cuff injury for over a year , still hurts and my shoulder and arm are weak as a kitten , hope the lad can afford some physio , because thats the only cure , Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
teaboy279 Posted May 18, 2019 Report Share Posted May 18, 2019 22 hours ago, adonis said: Oh dear .I have had Rotator cuff injury for over a year , still hurts and my shoulder and arm are weak as a kitten , hope the lad can afford some physio , because thats the only cure , Yeah I ve had a couple of mates with similar injuries. One was never able to go back to work despite multiple surgerys. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blueherb777 Posted May 19, 2019 Report Share Posted May 19, 2019 Things not going well for Kent. Gilkes out injured....Spooner out injured....Kemp missing meetings and guests not great! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
East End Fan Posted May 20, 2019 Report Share Posted May 20, 2019 On 5/19/2019 at 9:37 AM, blueherb777 said: Things not going well for Kent. Gilkes out injured....Spooner out injured....Kemp missing meetings and guests not great! All the doom and gloom does not seem to stop the Kings from winning and I'm slowly changing from my life-long Hammers loyalty (only because they are gone) and getting to follow the Kings. Good fighting team IMO Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cityrebel Posted May 20, 2019 Report Share Posted May 20, 2019 15 minutes ago, East End Fan said: All the doom and gloom does not seem to stop the Kings from winning and I'm slowly changing from my life-long Hammers loyalty (only because they are gone) and getting to follow the Kings. Good fighting team IMO They rode well at Mildenhall yesterday in a very enjoyable meeting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blueherb777 Posted May 20, 2019 Report Share Posted May 20, 2019 1 hour ago, East End Fan said: All the doom and gloom does not seem to stop the Kings from winning and I'm slowly changing from my life-long Hammers loyalty (only because they are gone) and getting to follow the Kings. Good fighting team IMO I was just telling facts??? Kent seem to be losing a rider every meeting...now Ablitt. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cityrebel Posted May 20, 2019 Report Share Posted May 20, 2019 37 minutes ago, Richard Weston said: R/R for both teams tonight. I can understand it for Kent -- gives their young lands in particular extra track time. But for the 'away' team in a challenge and when it is not even another league team, it does seem odd. I can just about tolerate a challenge match, but not against a made up team, and I'm an ex Wimbledon fan. It's a rare opportunity for me to watch live speedway on the telly tonight. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TurnTwo Posted May 21, 2019 Report Share Posted May 21, 2019 Was the meeting poor? And what was the rough crowd figure? Must have been financial suicide to put this meeting on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sings4Speedway Posted May 21, 2019 Author Report Share Posted May 21, 2019 Kent does seem to have a very loyal fan base who turn out for many of these meetings but full price and RR on both sides of a challenge match was too much for my liking. For accounts there appears to have been some good racing at the front and Jamie Couzins showed how he was unfortunate over the winter with the rule changes whilst O'Keefe is going backwards rather than offering any progression. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
East End Fan Posted May 21, 2019 Report Share Posted May 21, 2019 46 minutes ago, Sings4Speedway said: Kent does seem to have a very loyal fan base who turn out for many of these meetings but full price and RR on both sides of a challenge match was too much for my liking. For accounts there appears to have been some good racing at the front and Jamie Couzins showed how he was unfortunate over the winter with the rule changes whilst O'Keefe is going backwards rather than offering any progression. Sounds like you did not attend. I did go and enjoyed the evening. Very close score line all night and several excellent races in spite a what looked like a lack of shale. Reasonable size crowd from where I was sitting. How Sings4speeday can judge what Jamie Couzins and William O'Keefe did when he was not there is slightly bewildering, but typical of lots of commentators on this forum. Personally I was impressed with Drew Kemp who looked in a class of his own. I was on my way home by ten past 8, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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