King's Lynn Stars 2020

[W9 Lion]

11 minutes ago, tellboy said:

That's why i would have gone for a different rising star.No dis-respect to Kinsley but i think we could have done better in that department.I think people will be disappointed with the one who ultimately has to replace RL.

I'm surprised that Mountain was not selected by a top team

 

[Bagpuss]

30 minutes ago, Speedball said:

Absolutely. I’ve gone from a die hard every week to now picking and choosing my meetings.

Speedway for me no longer represents good value for money. The racing is getting worse and the team strengths are the weakest in history. Yes COVID undoubtedly makes a difference but the decline has been coming for years. It’s just a race to the bottom now rather than trying to improve.

I’ll give it a go early on but if the racing is still 13 out of 15 FTG and the team isn’t competitive, my money’s staying in my pocket.

Very much how I have felt, perhaps not so much the quality of rider diminishing but the price rising and the racing being poor makes it a bit if an effort to drag myself to Lynn on the Wednesdays I get time to go. There also seems to have been a lack of oomph and enthusiasm (other than from the supporters club) since Jonathan left, it’s all a bit ‘going through the motions’.

28 minutes ago, tellboy said:

That's why i would have gone for a different rising star.No dis-respect to Kinsley but i think we could have done better in that department.I think people will be disappointed with the one who ultimately has to replace RL.

I think the way you have to look at it is that Cook has effectively replaced Lambert. It’s the Riss and Cook positions which need filling essentially. 

[Sings4Speedway]

Out of interest Speedball & Bagpuss did either of you attend during the young stars era? How do you feel the quality / variety of racing was compared to the top flight? Obviously poor support did little for the atmosphere but how did the value for money compare to today? (not a jibe in any way just a matter of interest)

[Bagpuss]

40 minutes ago, Sings4Speedway said:

Out of interest Speedball & Bagpuss did either of you attend during the young stars era? How do you feel the quality / variety of racing was compared to the top flight? Obviously poor support did little for the atmosphere but how did the value for money compare to today? (not a jibe in any way just a matter of interest)

I’ve never really taken to third division speedway to be honest, I went a fair bit twenty years ago under Waggy when he built a team from scratch with Brundle, Mills, Cook, Burton etc but despite trying it lots of times in different seasons I just don’t get the buzz from it like senior racing. I used to be a regular at Mildenhall as well as Lynn in the mid to late noughties but haven’t been there since they were last in the second tier. 

Edited February 19, 2021 by Bagpuss

[Speedball]

46 minutes ago, Sings4Speedway said:

Out of interest Speedball & Bagpuss did either of you attend during the young stars era? How do you feel the quality / variety of racing was compared to the top flight? Obviously poor support did little for the atmosphere but how did the value for money compare to today? (not a jibe in any way just a matter of interest)

I’m the opposite to Bagpuss on this one. I watched the vast majority of the Young Stars meetings and loved them. Yes some of the riders could be a bit rough around the edges but that was part of the enjoyment for me.

I’d say when the Young Stars stopped that was the beginning of me falling out of love with speedway. I loved watching the riders progress. Not everyone was a Robert Lambert (few are) but it felt like we were investing in the sport and growing our own talent.

Just a shame more didn’t support it. Also the big trouble is the NL has a mixed identity. You have big standalone clubs where it is just about winning and others where it was all about development. 

[tellboy]

1 hour ago, Bagpuss said:

Very much how I have felt, perhaps not so much the quality of rider diminishing but the price rising and the racing being poor makes it a bit if an effort to drag myself to Lynn on the Wednesdays I get time to go. There also seems to have been a lack of oomph and enthusiasm (other than from the supporters club) since Jonathan left, it’s all a bit ‘going through the motions’.

I think the way you have to look at it is that Cook has effectively replaced Lambert. It’s the Riss and Cook positions which need filling essentially. 

If you look at it like that though then you have to say that most of the riders have replaced each other ie Bridger replaces Proctor who then replaces Kerr.Kerr then moves into Jorgensens position.These are all positional changes which now have to happen anyway.

The way i was looking at it was basically out German in Kinsley,out Riss in Bridger out Lambert in R.I think possibly the new rider will be 3rd in our averages behind Jorgensen depending on Bridgers average as to what we have to play with.So with the way you are doing it it looks like Jorgensen for Cook and the new rider for Riss.

[szkocjasid]

2 hours ago, Speedball said:

I’m the opposite to Bagpuss on this one. I watched the vast majority of the Young Stars meetings and loved them. Yes some of the riders could be a bit rough around the edges but that was part of the enjoyment for me.

I’d say when the Young Stars stopped that was the beginning of me falling out of love with speedway. I loved watching the riders progress. Not everyone was a Robert Lambert (few are) but it felt like we were investing in the sport and growing our own talent.

Just a shame more didn’t support it. Also the big trouble is the NL has a mixed identity. You have big standalone clubs where it is just about winning and others where it was all about development. 

Not exactly true, Mildenhall & Eastbourne have had quality teams full of young developing riders!

[Bunce]

5 hours ago, Speedball said:

Absolutely. I’ve gone from a die hard every week to now picking and choosing my meetings.

Speedway for me no longer represents good value for money. The racing is getting worse and the team strengths are the weakest in history. Yes COVID undoubtedly makes a difference but the decline has been coming for years. It’s just a race to the bottom now rather than trying to improve.

I’ll give it a go early on but if the racing is still 13 out of 15 FTG and the team isn’t competitive, my money’s staying in my pocket.

Totally agree. I've been following the Stars since 1969 through thick and thin (mostly thin) at times going twice a week when the Starlets were also running,  but for the last few years I have been increasingly bored with the racing, the rising costs and the perceived lack of value for money. Sometimes the meetings seem to drag on, with us supporters standing for ages on the terraces waiting for the action to start. The disease that is "gardening" seems to be getting worse at all tracks and even the GP's can't escape it. Sometimes on my long dark drives back to my home near Norwich, I think to myself "why did I bother tonight?" and yet I will often turn up the next week for a dose of the same mediocre fayre. Sadly what I've found out over the last year and the Covid lockdown, is that I really don't miss it that much, which I feel sad about as I've supported Speedway since I was 13 years old, starting at the Firs in Norwich in 1963.  Will the sport, and Kings Lynn, rekindle my love of Speedway in 2021? I really don't know. I wonder how many fans in my age group feel the same, and are there enough younger fans to keep the sport alive after oldies like myself find the love has died. I applaude the effort to include "rising stars" in the teams, as that is one way to give younger riders a chance to progress and experience racing at a higher level, but I ask myself what is being done to encourage new fans, or even older fans like myself,  to turn up each week and part with our money? The sport has come to many crossroads in its time, and against all odds has always managed to survive. However with all sports in crisis at the moment, I fear for the future of Speedway but hope that I am proved wrong.

[Haza]

19 minutes ago, Bunce said:

Totally agree. I've been following the Stars since 1969 through thick and thin (mostly thin) at times going twice a week when the Starlets were also running,  but for the last few years I have been increasingly bored with the racing, the rising costs and the perceived lack of value for money. Sometimes the meetings seem to drag on, with us supporters standing for ages on the terraces waiting for the action to start. The disease that is "gardening" seems to be getting worse at all tracks and even the GP's can't escape it. Sometimes on my long dark drives back to my home near Norwich, I think to myself "why did I bother tonight?" and yet I will often turn up the next week for a dose of the same mediocre fayre. Sadly what I've found out over the last year and the Covid lockdown, is that I really don't miss it that much, which I feel sad about as I've supported Speedway since I was 13 years old, starting at the Firs in Norwich in 1963.  Will the sport, and Kings Lynn, rekindle my love of Speedway in 2021? I really don't know. I wonder how many fans in my age group feel the same, and are there enough younger fans to keep the sport alive after oldies like myself find the love has died. I applaude the effort to include "rising stars" in the teams, as that is one way to give younger riders a chance to progress and experience racing at a higher level, but I ask myself what is being done to encourage new fans, or even older fans like myself,  to turn up each week and part with our money? The sport has come to many crossroads in its time, and against all odds has always managed to survive. However with all sports in crisis at the moment, I fear for the future of Speedway but hope that I am proved wrong.

A spot on post and sums up much of why myself and my partner stopped attending the last meeting we attended at KL was the last year we held the World Cup round and for various reasons we couldn’t get to the next meet which I think was Holder / Batch gate fiasco and since then we’ve attended one meeting at Pboro - and after attending 95% of home meetings since the early 70s have we missed it?no not at all - we watch the GP s on tv and league racing from Uk Poland and Sweden - a change of circumstances may make it more likely we will start attending a few meetings this season we shall see . 

[Daniel Smith]

I stopped I think 2018, the year of the double headers & the season ticket holders were compensated with a cup of tea. The owners gave zero s#!+s about many complaints. After it being a religion, going for over 30 years I haven't missed going at all. 

King's Lynn will always be in my heart (hence being onhere still), but would never contemplate ever going back unless changes to attitude & racing happen. 

British Speedway as a whole is in serious need to give the fans what they want, quality racing constantly & supply entertainment. 

Unfortunately the only place delivering on the racing is Belle Vue but even there, people just ain't returning. 

British Speedway is at the point now of no return & the pandemic has emphasised it even more. 

Recently the promotion had a q&a, nobody was interested, only the usual fan names asked questions. The clubs social media is dead, the interaction numbers are horrendous. 

I do jave a feeling thing's may look bleak for the club. 

 

When read comments from the other club down the road that our owner rents, it just feels more effort has been put in their but they're still not getting right with the fans. 

[Haza]

43 minutes ago, Daniel Smith said:

I stopped I think 2018, the year of the double headers & the season ticket holders were compensated with a cup of tea. The owners gave zero s#!+s about many complaints. After it being a religion, going for over 30 years I haven't missed going at all. 

King's Lynn will always be in my heart (hence being onhere still), but would never contemplate ever going back unless changes to attitude & racing happen. 

British Speedway as a whole is in serious need to give the fans what they want, quality racing constantly & supply entertainment. 

Unfortunately the only place delivering on the racing is Belle Vue but even there, people just ain't returning. 

British Speedway is at the point now of no return & the pandemic has emphasised it even more. 

Recently the promotion had a q&a, nobody was interested, only the usual fan names asked questions. The clubs social media is dead, the interaction numbers are horrendous. 

I do jave a feeling thing's may look bleak for the club. 

 

When read comments from the other club down the road that our owner rents, it just feels more effort has been put in their but they're still not getting right with the fans. 

Again can’t disagree- and the social media comment is spot on there used to be so many comments from so many loyal long term fans  maybe blocking fans rather than listening to them  isn’t such a good idea after all . 

[SSL84]

1 hour ago, Daniel Smith said:

I stopped I think 2018, the year of the double headers & the season ticket holders were compensated with a cup of tea. The owners gave zero s#!+s about many complaints. After it being a religion, going for over 30 years I haven't missed going at all. 

King's Lynn will always be in my heart (hence being onhere still), but would never contemplate ever going back unless changes to attitude & racing happen. 

British Speedway as a whole is in serious need to give the fans what they want, quality racing constantly & supply entertainment. 

Unfortunately the only place delivering on the racing is Belle Vue but even there, people just ain't returning. 

British Speedway is at the point now of no return & the pandemic has emphasised it even more. 

Recently the promotion had a q&a, nobody was interested, only the usual fan names asked questions. The clubs social media is dead, the interaction numbers are horrendous. 

I do jave a feeling thing's may look bleak for the club. 

 

When read comments from the other club down the road that our owner rents, it just feels more effort has been put in their but they're still not getting right with the fans. 

Just out of interest when do you think it all started to go wrong at kings Lynn and why? Genuine question. 

[Daniel Smith]

1 hour ago, Trackerman48 said:

Just out of interest when do you think it all started to go wrong at kings Lynn and why? Genuine question. 

For me, when Jonathan Chapman left. 

Although he came across as arrogant to many he ALWAYS made you feel like he listened. He always tried to put on various entertainment during the summer months. 

It was massively noticeable when he went & it's gradually slipped further & further down hill since. 

Rob Lyon did try when he became promoter but he wasn't around long enough to really make an impact on the terraces. 

[mrss]

1 hour ago, Trackerman48 said:

Just out of interest when do you think it all started to go wrong at kings Lynn and why? Genuine question. 

It started to go wrong at Lynn when the catch fence was put up around the track. It stopped the fans getting near the riders and killed the atmosphere dead. The meeting referees don’t let riders be characters anymore, people remembered meetings because of the atmosphere even if the racing was dire.

[g13webb]

1 hour ago, Trackerman48 said:

Just out of interest when do you think it all started to go wrong at kings Lynn and why? Genuine question. 

I've always believed the sport is too expensive.  Its too expensive to watch,  Its too expensive to promote,  and too expensive to ride, and until that issue is addressed the sport will continue to die.   In this modern day our  stadia are old  and run down ,  and the tracks are not suitable for the super fast machinery that  the riders now use.  All the individual facets think only of themselves . 

This pandemic created the ideal opportunity for a sport to have fresh start with new ideas that would bring in new blood, new format, new machinery, but all they have done is to continue along the same criteria that hasn't worked for years.. 

They haven't learnt a thing......

[cityrebel]

4 hours ago, Daniel Smith said:

I stopped I think 2018, the year of the double headers & the season ticket holders were compensated with a cup of tea. The owners gave zero s#!+s about many complaints. After it being a religion, going for over 30 years I haven't missed going at all. 

King's Lynn will always be in my heart (hence being onhere still), but would never contemplate ever going back unless changes to attitude & racing happen. 

British Speedway as a whole is in serious need to give the fans what they want, quality racing constantly & supply entertainment. 

Unfortunately the only place delivering on the racing is Belle Vue but even there, people just ain't returning. 

British Speedway is at the point now of no return & the pandemic has emphasised it even more. 

Recently the promotion had a q&a, nobody was interested, only the usual fan names asked questions. The clubs social media is dead, the interaction numbers are horrendous. 

I do jave a feeling thing's may look bleak for the club. 

 

When read comments from the other club down the road that our owner rents, it just feels more effort has been put in their but they're still not getting right with the fans. 

The problem is, if you tell the truth, you get accused of being negative. Who said 'the customer is always right'. It doesn't apply to speedway.

[SSL84]

12 hours ago, cityrebel said:

The problem is, if you tell the truth, you get accused of being negative. Who said 'the customer is always right'. It doesn't apply to speedway.

Its busters way or no way,   as with most promotion.  But not all

 

[scoobydoo]

17 hours ago, Daniel Smith said:

I stopped I think 2018, the year of the double headers & the season ticket holders were compensated with a cup of tea. The owners gave zero s#!+s about many complaints. After it being a religion, going for over 30 years I haven't missed going at all. 

King's Lynn will always be in my heart (hence being onhere still), but would never contemplate ever going back unless changes to attitude & racing happen. 

British Speedway as a whole is in serious need to give the fans what they want, quality racing constantly & supply entertainment. 

Unfortunately the only place delivering on the racing is Belle Vue but even there, people just ain't returning. 

British Speedway is at the point now of no return & the pandemic has emphasised it even more. 

Recently the promotion had a q&a, nobody was interested, only the usual fan names asked questions. The clubs social media is dead, the interaction numbers are horrendous. 

I do jave a feeling thing's may look bleak for the club. 

 

When read comments from the other club down the road that our owner rents, it just feels more effort has been put in their but they're still not getting right with the fans. 

Just shows that one person  shouldn't be involved with the running of two separate clubs , we all know he shouldn't of been allowed to buy Peterborough especially  with his reasons for doing so and its clear that many fans of Kings Lynn and Peterborough are not happy with the situation ,but at least Lynn fans know that he wouldn't sell there club when it finally comes to it.

I dont attend meetings now but as you say a club remains in your heart after the memories of many seasons that live with you forever, the value for money aspect did for me about 20 years ago , the GPs started the watering down team process and i never did attend a british GP even when one year i won some tickets from a national paper then gave them away ,i dont miss attending meetings it just becomes the norm in the long run and ive never been tempted to return ,

[waytogo28]

23 hours ago, Bunce said:

Sadly what I've found out over the last year and the Covid lockdown, is that I really don't miss it that much, which I feel sad about as I've supported Speedway since I was 13 years old, starting at the Firs in Norwich in 1963.  Will the sport, and Kings Lynn, rekindle my love of Speedway in 2021? I really don't know. I wonder how many fans in my age group feel the same, and are there enough younger fans to keep the sport alive after oldies like myself find the love has died.

At the Firs since I was 7 years old and Ove Fundin arrived. Echo nearly all of your sentiments, about faling our of love with the sport. My happiest memoroes of speedway this century were with the arrival of Robert Lambert in the NL.  Now that's what I call speedway! Buster cares nothing about wether you go or not and has nver made any effort to intereact positively with the older fans who want better racing and more variety ( myself  included ). As for paying to watch Lewis Bridger! Well I would want to see that he turned up for 4 or 6 matches AND made a visible on track effort to race, before I paid my money,

[customhouseregular]

I attended Cardiff in 2014 after a near 30 year absence from live speedway. Totally disappointed and have no desire to return to the terraces. I follow our sport on line and watch on BT Sport, but that is it.