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33 minutes ago, Lefty said:

Presume it means there might be someone in the crowd who could takeover if the nominated ref fails to make it to the track?

Good point (and you might be saying something 'tongue in cheek'), but in reality, an 'ex-ref' would have issues with liability insurance, I'm sure! :unsure:

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1 hour ago, JC! said:

I don't make the rules.

...and yet just shows the irregularity and inconsistances as regards "freebies" and some people's perceptions.

Edited by steve roberts
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37 minutes ago, Lefty said:

Presume it means there might be someone in the crowd who could takeover if the nominated ref fails to make it to the track?

..."Is there a doctor in the house?"

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5 minutes ago, steve roberts said:

...and yet just shows the irregularity and inconsistances as regards "freebies".

Who said it didn't? Not sure I understand the point you are trying to make.

My position is absolutely clear - I don't think anyone should be guaranteed entry to spectate because of their previous employment. They should only get free entry if they deliver equivalent or more value than the entry fee.

If a promotion wants to let people in for free it's their call, but it should not be guaranteed or, as appears in some cases, demanded. 

If former referees get in for free, I would suggest the policy should be reviewed on a regular basis, based on business goals and strategy. I can't see how their attendance would add value personally.

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I'm not convinced there's any truth in this rumour about all ex-referees being allowed free admission into any meeting they want, but I'd be pretty sure that an ex-referee is not allowed to bring along 100+ of his mates, most of whom have never refereed a meeting in their lives.  That would put them on a par with Collins.

And I'm pretty sure no ex-referee has ever scrawled a vindictive message defacing the property of a dying man who had only tried to encourage him along to meetings.

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44 minutes ago, JC! said:

Who said it didn't? Not sure I understand the point you are trying to make.

My position is absolutely clear - I don't think anyone should be guaranteed entry to spectate because of their previous employment. They should only get free entry if they deliver equivalent or more value than the entry fee.

If a promotion wants to let people in for free it's their call, but it should not be guaranteed or, as appears in some cases, demanded. 

If former referees get in for free, I would suggest the policy should be reviewed on a regular basis, based on business goals and strategy. I can't see how their attendance would add value personally.

...the point I'm making is that riders gaining "freebies" has created an emotive discussion/difference of opinion whereby referees gaining same doesn't appear to have raised the same strong emotion generally.

I get what you are saying and understand your personal postion on the subject some of which I endorse.

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5 minutes ago, DontMeetYourHero said:

I'm not convinced there's any truth in this rumour about all ex-referees being allowed free admission into any meeting they want, but I'd be pretty sure that an ex-referee is not allowed to bring along 100+ of his mates, most of whom have never refereed a meeting in their lives.  That would put them on a par with Collins.

And I'm pretty sure no ex-referee has ever scrawled a vindictive message defacing the property of a dying man who had only tried to encourage him along to meetings.

...Tony Mac confirmed in an earlier post on this thread and was also raised in PC's book.

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As the publisher of Peter Collins' autobiography, he asked me to post the following apology. A copy of which has also been sent directly to Mia Casey.
-----------------------------------------------------

January 31, 2023

AN APOLOGY

I would like to sincerely apologise to Mia Casey, daughter of the late Steve Casey, who died recently of cancer, for the extra distress I have caused her over the personal message I wrote in my autobiography to her dad at an event held in Glossop on November 3rd last year.

My words were regrettably written in a moment of impulse amid a feud with the Belle Vue management that has been ongoing for the last 35 years, and I’m sorry to Mia for any upset caused.

I have had no contact with Steve, or any other member of the Belle Vue management set-up, for a number of years and I was totally unaware of his cancer diagnosis before I signed his book.

Sorry, Mia, for your loss and for the extra grief that this has caused you and your family at this sad time.

 

Yours sincerely,
Peter Collins

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34 minutes ago, TonyMac said:

<reduced to a normal font size that is good enough for anyone else >

a feud with the Belle Vue management that has been ongoing for the last 35 years

The current Belle Vue management have only been in place for 6 years and have no connection to past management teams! :blink:

And there we have the truth.   Collins' beef was with John Perrin, 35 years ago in 1988.  

Yet he has continued his petty vendetta against every new promotion that Belle Vue have had over the past 35 years.   Everyone is at fault except him.  And he will continue his vendetta against every future promotion.  The Pope and the Archbishop of Canterbury could buy Belle Vue tomorrow, but unless he is given Sainthood and 100+ pals can come along, they will be attacked.

A great, great rider, but a sad, sad, little man.

Edited by DontMeetYourHero
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Whilst this could be seen as a calculated, cynical PR attempt to restore his battered reputation, I think that you have to try to take his apology at face value. 

Hopefully PC may have learned from this sorry episode that life really is too short to carry this sort of petty baggage.

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For Mia's sake, I am pleased that he has apologised and hopefully a line can be drawn under this sad affair. Whether it changes people's opinion of him I'm not sure, I think that the damage has been done. 

However, I think that bringing up a 35 year feud was a rather petty way to somehow justify his actions, and whether he knew about Steve's cancer or not, the comments were disgraceful.

Thank you to Tony Mac for being an intermediary in this, it can't have been an easy conversation.

Edited by Garry1603
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Ok, you can either view the PC ‘apology’ as a honest genuine apology or more likely a clumsy cynical attempt to try to repair the self inflicted damage.

What still remains very puzzling is PC bizarre claim that he has had an ongoing feud with BV for 35 years, that doesn’t truly explain the main issue, that has upset many, as to why he wrote the hurtful and disgraceful note in Steve Casey book? From all accounts on here Steve was an honest broker trying to get PC back involved at BV!! 

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11 hours ago, TonyMac said:

As the publisher of Peter Collins' autobiography, he asked me to post the following apology. A copy of which has also been sent directly to Mia Casey.
-----------------------------------------------------

January 31, 2023

AN APOLOGY

I would like to sincerely apologise to Mia Casey, daughter of the late Steve Casey, who died recently of cancer, for the extra distress I have caused her over the personal message I wrote in my autobiography to her dad at an event held in Glossop on November 3rd last year.

My words were regrettably written in a moment of impulse amid a feud with the Belle Vue management that has been ongoing for the last 35 years, and I’m sorry to Mia for any upset caused.

I have had no contact with Steve, or any other member of the Belle Vue management set-up, for a number of years and I was totally unaware of his cancer diagnosis before I signed his book.

Sorry, Mia, for your loss and for the extra grief that this has caused you and your family at this sad time.

 

Yours sincerely,
Peter Collins

Heartfelt apology or cynical PR damage limitation exercise? mmm 

Of course there will be opinions as to both. I know what mine is.

It resembles the statements you see when MPs or other such celebrities get their fingers caught in the till or other such indiscretions where they are bang to rights.

Here's where I have a problem with it :

1. Why did it take from the 2nd November until now to get the apology?

2. Would the apology have been forthcoming if the incident had not been published on social media?

3. If the apology was based on the fact that he didn't know of Steve's illness - is he saying he would be justified if Steve had had a clean bill of health?

4. He didn't know Steve was ill. Very, very difficult to believe. Steve was in communication with his wife (again to try and resolve the 'issues') and she was well aware. Plus I know many of his inner circle who also knew. And apparently Peter didn't?

5. A 35 year long feud that exploded on that particular night? really?

6. A 35 year long feud that spanned 4 different promotions? That takes you back to the time when he was part of one such promotion! 

The situation commenced in 2016 at the start of the NSS opening. That I do know. 

Interestingly, some 20+ ex-riders have been in touch to commiserate and ask about arrangements, I asked them the same question. - ''Did you get a free pass when PC was Promoter?'' the answer was unanimous and I will let you guess the answer. It may surprise you. 

The good news is that I am reliably informed that book sales have not been affected. At least that is one consolation to this whole affair

The truth sets you free

 

 

 

 

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With all the negative posts/comments regarding PC I think that it's worth mentioning that in an article printed in the last edition of "Backtrack" he got to hear of the plight of King's Lynn fan Keith Burman leaving him a voice mail and forwarded signed memorabilia to Keith who was terminally ill with cancer.

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3 hours ago, geoff100 said:

Lets just " let it lie" enjoy the book and the good times he gave us .

What a strange comment. I agree that it is probably best to take the apology at face value, even if it appears carefully crafted following criticism.

The second part, however, implies that he is above reproach because he was a fine rider. If people are, however, disappointed with his behaviour surely this is a mature enough environment to at least discuss it - whether that is palatable to you as a fan or not.

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