Eastbourne v Leicester

[HGould]

Wasn't there so hard to comment on specifics but have seen a few clips of the racing and also some of the comments on social media about the size of the crowd at Arlington (again) and the number of kids attending.

Coming from NL with Brummies as Eastbourne have, I think most hardcore speedway fans want close competitive racing and last heat deciders and not runaway wins and nothing brings newcomers back more than excitement; incidents and dare I say crashes. Winning 60 points every week like Eastbourne have for years must get boring and this loss will come as a shock to some.

Enjoy it embrace it we used to say "happiness is 40-38" well 45 - 44 sounds as good as it gets to me and if a big crowd there to enjoy it so much the better.

I wish we could have some of the commercial and marketing excellence that Eastbourne seem to have found at Perry Barr, no disrespect to anyone at PB but we need more supporters coming in and  more enthusiasm and innovation.

Well done Leicester though I can't see anyone else winning there and they are also losing riders but finding a way round it and no doubt down to the outstanding man manager they have bought in from Glasgow.

[GiveusaB]

Riding on a Sunday helps with the kids attending imo!

[cityrebel]

With multiple track closures in the south east, Eastbourne seemed to have tapped into the market for the floating fans. Lens decision to charge £15 for NL racing at Kent just helps top up the crowd levels at Arlington.

[gazzac]

13 minutes ago, HGould said:

Wasn't there so hard to comment on specifics but have seen a few clips of the racing and also some of the comments on social media about the size of the crowd at Arlington (again) and the number of kids attending.

Coming from NL with Brummies as Eastbourne have, I think most hardcore speedway fans want close competitive racing and last heat deciders and not runaway wins and nothing brings newcomers back more than excitement; incidents and dare I say crashes. Winning 60 points every week like Eastbourne have for years must get boring and this loss will come as a shock to some.

Enjoy it embrace it we used to say "happiness is 40-38" well 45 - 44 sounds as good as it gets to me and if a big crowd there to enjoy it so much the better.

I wish we could have some of the commercial and marketing excellence that Eastbourne seem to have found at Perry Barr, no disrespect to anyone at PB but we need more supporters coming in and  more enthusiasm and innovation.

Well done Leicester though I can't see anyone else winning there and they are also losing riders but finding a way round it and no doubt down to the outstanding man manager they have bought in from Glasgow.

 

7 minutes ago, GiveusaB said:

Riding on a Sunday helps with the kids attending imo!

It did come as a shock,  but as you say 45/44 is far more exciting than 60/30, just hope next time it goes the other way , I didn't realise until the posts on here what a bad loser I am, I'll try harder if it happens again .

Think Sunday is good for the crowd,  but Saturday night is so much better for the track, normally even better racing.

[eaglesno1]

1 hour ago, Richard Weston said:

In the NL it almost became a given that the Eagles would make the play offs. Also, you never expected to lose at home.

The Championship, as we were warned, to be fair, is very, very different. We are going to have some tight meetings at Arlington this year - last heat deciders and hopefully plenty of thrills as we did yesterday.

Play Offs? Would like to dream of that. Time, of course, will tell. Wood and Brennan seem to be getting going (at home to some effect), Morley did his job yesterday (pd 8) but Bowtell is struggling. However, he is riding at No 3...not sure how or when the averages change but think a run at reserve will do him the world of good. Also think he needs someone to breathe a bit more fire into his motors.

I also think Saturday night racing is far better than Sunday afternoons when track prep must be a nightmare.

Tom will have completed the 4 home and 4 away meetings to gain an average after the home and away meetings v Glasgow on the 17th & 18th so he will move into the main body with Bowtell dropping to reserve.

Edited May 6, 2019 by eaglesno1

[gazzac]

1 hour ago, Richard Weston said:

Thank you --- just what Alfie needs.

Wonder how they will shuffle the pack: like for direct swap with Bowtell or move Morley to 3 and use Tom at 2?

I'd put Tom at 3, riding with Lewis will be good, and I think he'll come on in leaps and bounds every month, Ben also seems to have settled at 2. Hopefully help with Alfie's confidence as well. 

[cityrebel]

4 hours ago, gazzac said:

 

It did come as a shock,  but as you say 45/44 is far more exciting than 60/30, just hope next time it goes the other way , I didn't realise until the posts on here what a bad loser I am, I'll try harder if it happens again .

Think Sunday is good for the crowd,  but Saturday night is so much better for the track, normally even better racing.

I couldn't make it yesterday due to a clash with football, but as an Arlington regular, i can only recall 2 home defeats in competitive meetings in recent years. One against a Poole team loaded with guests and another v Kent a couple of seasons ago. I make that 2 in six years, so you can't complain!

[gazzac]

2 hours ago, cityrebel said:

I couldn't make it yesterday due to a clash with football, but as an Arlington regular, i can only recall 2 home defeats in competitive meetings in recent years. One against a Poole team loaded with guests and another v Kent a couple of seasons ago. I make that 2 in six years, so you can't complain!

I remember both and a few more before in the Elite, and the playoff final in 2002 still hurts. It wasn't a complaint, I'm just one of those supporters who just hate seeing them lose, hopefully be another few years before I see another. One thing I've learnt is not to post the same evening if we lose again. Be back for the Glasgow match having calmed down!

Edited May 6, 2019 by gazzac

[ruckerroo]

Building a side with 4 reserves is always going to be tough on the 2 in the main body, probably why the rumour mill 2 wks ago had Wilson dean in the picture

[AntiqueSteve]

well played lions...shows how strong they are on the "ftg" little trick track....

[False dawn]

It's funny really. I'm a homeless Bees fan trying to get used to supporting the old enemy, Leicester. Well Scott and Josh ease the pain a bit. But I'm listening to rider interviews (from both sides) saying how Beaumont Leys is a trick track and how hard it is to get "dialled in". I've been around since the 70's and Arena aside, Eastbourne has always been the fortress. You go there and if you come away less than 20 down you count yourself lucky.

So to go into heat 15 with a chance was an achievement. To have a rider who everyone KNOWS is over the hill pressing for the lead was beyond expectation. For sure, what happened to Richard Lawson was less than lucky. But he was under pressure and that played a hand. To leave with the points is reminiscent of championship years with the Bees. A good team? Yes. Lucky? Yes. Both? well maybe and if so it's priceless.

[cityrebel]

Like you say, any team that hits the 40 point mark at Eastie have done very well.