Piotr Pyszny Posted June 7, 2023 Report Share Posted June 7, 2023 (edited) Interesting feedback from my wife and her colleague, who went this evening, whilst working for a week (and next) in Birmingham. From their hotel, near New Street, to the stadium, it was four stops on the train and a five-minute walk. The Gloucestershire-based colleague had seen speedway only on TV, and was particularly impressed with the quicker pace of a live, untelevised meeting (i.e. no pregnant pauses between heats, which, ironically, is something speedway's remaining regulars tend to moan/worry about). Both enjoyed it - despite Birmingham being generally uncompetitive and it getting extremely cold by the end. My wife did say the home promoters took to the centre green to apologise for the weakness of the team and assure supporters something would be done. Both will be in Birmingham again next week, concluding a fortnight's assignment. Had Brummies also been at home a week today, they'd have revisited, which is a good sign. Remember the days when, barring bad weather, speedway clubs had a meeting every week between the end of March and mid-October?! My wife was a little puzzled Birmingham's 2023 pin badge(s) still hasn't arrived. Did the start of the season in March/April take the club by surprise?! Neither my wife nor her colleague has access to a car whilst working away, which rules out a trip to Monmore Green next Monday. They'd have been happy to go, if getting there (and back), from Birmingham, after a day in the office, were easier by public transport. Edited June 7, 2023 by Piotr Pyszny 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brummies_Ste Posted June 7, 2023 Report Share Posted June 7, 2023 It's easy to get to Monmore from Birmingham city centre. Take the tram to Wolverhampton there is short walk to the stadium,from the tram stop. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Piotr Pyszny Posted June 7, 2023 Report Share Posted June 7, 2023 4 minutes ago, Brummies_Ste said: It's easy to get to Monmore from Birmingham city centre. Take the tram to Wolverhampton there is short walk to the stadium,from the tram stop. Thanks. I'll get them to look into it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
szkocjasid Posted June 7, 2023 Report Share Posted June 7, 2023 3 hours ago, Racin Jason 72 said: Watched tonight’s stream. What was LR thinking of when he wasted a tactical sub ride in heat 5 against the leagues best rider and not to even use his number one ! And ironically Sedgmen could have ridden anyway as R/R also not using R/R at 2 seems daft too and then using 4th top scorer in the nominated heat when he hasn’t ridden for 5 heats. Unbelievable The only reason to use Sedgmen as a t/s in heat 5 rather than r/r would be if Birmingham expected to get a heat advantage & not fall 6 behind again! Does seem an odd heat to do it in (against Masters) unless the plan wad just to beat Heeps? Also an odd choice of rider as Sedgmen had fallen in heat 4, so how could they decide so early on that he was the right rider to get the extra race? Although I will say, there's no reason why r/r should be at number 2 imo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GiveusaB Posted June 8, 2023 Author Report Share Posted June 8, 2023 (edited) 9 hours ago, Hackett said: Birmingham's woes comes as no surprise the team apart from Morris and Sedgman looks like a team of reserves. What are the crowds like at Perry Barr this season ... ?? Lower than what they were at the start of the season! Edited June 8, 2023 by GiveusaB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arnieg Posted June 8, 2023 Report Share Posted June 8, 2023 41 minutes ago, GiveusaB said: Lower than what they were at the start of the season! General concensus last night was that it was the highest of the season so far. But it was still pretty abysmal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ruckerroo Posted June 8, 2023 Report Share Posted June 8, 2023 That birmingham consortium must have zillions, theyve done untold last yr and more of the same this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HGould Posted June 8, 2023 Report Share Posted June 8, 2023 The team was always top heavy to accomodate the no 1 we lacked under the Masons and since Nigel Tolley arrived. Unfortunately we've got a No 1 who is for some reason riding like a Number 4, he's certainly not a Masters / Lawson type rider. Sedgeman has always been marmite, sadly it looks like his form and impact is tailing off in year 2 as it has done in the past. Pearson has improved but needs to be in a better team to continue that improvement and Bowtell is 100% but may be guilty of trying too hard on occasions to make up for deficiencies elsewhere. Very impressed with Jenkins and Atkins last night, 2 lads who've had stop start periods due to injury and being discarded by other Clubs somewhat inexplicably, both rode with real freedom and enjoyment and Oxford look to be getting things right. I can't fault the Masons nor Nigel for their hrd work and obviously both losing / lost shedloads to give us Speedway. I know the Oxford promotion have some money behind them, probably more than Masons and Tolley but they also seem to have a Stadium Landlord happy to help them rather than chastise and obstruct them. Frankly, I, and i know many others, have no expectation beyond the last meeting of this season, and that's nothing to do with the mamangement, the team or anything ON the track, purely down to (a) Stadium Owners (b) the fact that no one can expect successful but limited in terms of available cash businessmment to continue to pump in tens of thousands on the basis that their hearts have over-ruled their heads. If Oxford can attract average crowds of 1500 or more and 800 or more for NDL , why do we struggle to get 500 for CL, and last night only boosted by a sizable Oxford contingent. The answer to that may go back many years and lots of factors. One massive question though remains, that is WHY have we never been able to attract ex Coventry / Cradley fans to PB in the way that Oxford have attracted Swindon / Reading fans who make significantly longer trips inmidweek. It's not as if the much maligned (and unfairly on occasion in my opinion) Promoter / Manager hasn't done his utmost to attract Cradley / Coventry fans, but where are they??... If Wolves survive I may watch Speedway there, otherwise I'll make the not difficult trip down the M40 on occasions down to Oxford if PB does close on a few occasions and go to Leicester but sadly and it is sad, I cannot see any sustainable future for the Sport in the West Midlands unless CVS can pull a rabbit out of the hat! 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GiveusaB Posted June 8, 2023 Author Report Share Posted June 8, 2023 42 minutes ago, arnieg said: General concensus last night was that it was the highest of the season so far. But it was still pretty abysmal. That's because of the away support attendance ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GiveusaB Posted June 8, 2023 Author Report Share Posted June 8, 2023 (edited) That's when Rogers took everyone by surprise by sending his skipper straight back out as a tactical substitution, in a race where he was eligible for a rider replacement outing, against the top averaged rider in the league in Sam Masters who had taken the chequered flag untroubled in the opener. From the main Birmingham website page...... We might as well rename the team..... 'Billy Smart Brummies' ! Edited June 8, 2023 by GiveusaB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpeedwayTShirts Posted June 8, 2023 Report Share Posted June 8, 2023 1 hour ago, HGould said: One massive question though remains, that is WHY have we never been able to attract ex Coventry / Cradley fans to PB in the way that Oxford have attracted Swindon / Reading fans who make significantly longer trips inmidweek. It's not as if the much maligned (and unfairly on occasion in my opinion) Promoter / Manager hasn't done his utmost to attract Cradley / Coventry fans, but where are they??... If having Bomber didn't put anymore on the gate Bees fans wise I doubt any other rider would. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deano Posted June 8, 2023 Report Share Posted June 8, 2023 (edited) 4 hours ago, HGould said: One massive question though remains, that is WHY have we never been able to attract ex Coventry / Cradley fans to PB in the way that Oxford have attracted Swindon / Reading fans who make significantly longer trips inmidweek. It's not as if the much maligned (and unfairly on occasion in my opinion) Promoter / Manager hasn't done his utmost to attract Cradley / Coventry fans, but where are they??... It's a bit like Birmingham City closing and wondering why Aston Villa can't attract their floating supporters. Speedway is a club sport and only a small percentage will travel to a track just to watch a match. Which is why I've never understood, if for example a Rotherham speedway team was being investigated Sheffield would never allow it to get off the ground. Even if it mean't long term more fans through the gate. People I know from Solihull won't go as it's a Birmingham team, my friends don't come from Birmingham. Perhaps speedway a long time ago should have gone like county cricket and covered a larger area rather than stop neighbouring local clubs potentially opening. Edited June 8, 2023 by Deano Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GiveusaB Posted June 8, 2023 Author Report Share Posted June 8, 2023 5 hours ago, HGould said: One massive question though remains, that is WHY have we never been able to attract ex Coventry / Cradley fans to PB in the way that Oxford have attracted Swindon / Reading fans who make significantly longer trips inmidweek. It's not as if the much maligned (and unfairly on occasion in my opinion) Promoter / Manager hasn't done his utmost to attract Cradley / Coventry fans, but where are they??... May be because Coventry/Cradley fans are used to seeing a winning side ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrizHeathen Posted June 8, 2023 Report Share Posted June 8, 2023 I think you will find that a fair few Cradley fans attend both Birmingham and Wolves. There numbers are dwindling but I'm pretty sure the low Brummies attendances include a fair few floating fans from Cradley and a few from Wolves. The fact is Perry Barr isn't a great venue for watching speedway, traffic is also an issue and I guess the poor team adds the finishing touch. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpeedwayTShirts Posted June 8, 2023 Report Share Posted June 8, 2023 Now Coventry have closed I tend to go and watch riders I like as opposed to teams, We went to Belle Vue last week to watch Emil and I'd scheduled several matches to watch Nicki P if he'd continued in the UK. The only thing that would encourage me to support another team properly would be I think if they tracked several Bees riders, so say Brum went in the Premiership with Scotty, Bomber, Rory, Smoli, KK, BB and Adam Roynon, I'd probably make more of an effort to attend matches to watch a team like that. But just the odd rider like Rooboy at Wolves isn't enough to get me there regulalrly. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heathen52 Posted June 8, 2023 Report Share Posted June 8, 2023 (edited) 20 minutes ago, BrizHeathen said: I think you will find that a fair few Cradley fans attend both Birmingham and Wolves. There numbers are dwindling but I'm pretty sure the low Brummies attendances include a fair few floating fans from Cradley and a few from Wolves. The fact is Perry Barr isn't a great venue for watching speedway, traffic is also an issue and I guess the poor team adds the finishing touch. The final sentence is pretty much spot on The Venue, Traffic, but in my case it's more to do with the Team, this Team is built all wrong and most people could see this from the word go, except for a certain few who really should have known better. Edited June 8, 2023 by heathen52 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bruno Posted June 8, 2023 Report Share Posted June 8, 2023 I started going to Monmore regularly late 90s it took till Billy Hamill signed for them about 10 years later that I stopped supporting the away team. I definitely want Wolves to win these days going home and away (Sheffield tonight) but if they lose I can't say I'm gutted like some Wolves fans would be, definitely upset/annoyed tho. Not sure if that's being a Cradley fan or just getting older so losing isn't life or death these days Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OGT Posted June 8, 2023 Report Share Posted June 8, 2023 5 hours ago, Deano said: It's a bit like Birmingham City closing and wondering why Aston Villa can't attract their floating supporters. Speedway is a club sport and only a small percentage will travel to a track just to watch a match. Which is why I've never understood, if for example a Rotherham speedway team was being investigated Sheffield would never allow it to get off the ground. Even if it mean't long term more fans through the gate. People I know from Solihull won't go as it's a Birmingham team, my friends don't come from Birmingham. Perhaps speedway a long time ago should have gone like county cricket and covered a larger area rather than stop neighbouring local clubs potentially opening. That goes back a long way, there was significant opposition to Birmingham reopening in 1971, but it turned out to be a roaring success and attracted fans from neighbouring clubs, whilst Brum fans visited other local teams. I remember jumping into a neighbour's Reliant van on many Saturday nights for a trip to Cradley, Coventry or Stoke. Those were the days as they say. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
szkocjasid Posted June 9, 2023 Report Share Posted June 9, 2023 (edited) 21 hours ago, GiveusaB said: That's when Rogers took everyone by surprise by sending his skipper straight back out as a tactical substitution, in a race where he was eligible for a rider replacement outing, against the top averaged rider in the league in Sam Masters who had taken the chequered flag untroubled in the opener. From the main Birmingham website page...... We might as well rename the team..... 'Billy Smart Brummies' ! I noticed that, must admit it was a surprise to see the club point out the flaw with a team managers decision, well done to them for being honest, makes a change from losing clubs blaming the ref or track conditions. The explanation from LR doesn't make much sense though, makes him sound even dafter to me? If the main aim was to get Sedgmen back out there after his fall, they could have used his r/r ride & they'd still have the option of Morris or Sedgmen for the tac sub later, depending on who was riding better? Masters coasted to victory once again and the Brummies tactical opportunity was wasted with No.1 Nick Morris also now ineligible for a bonus ride. "We were six down after Heat Four, Nick had struggled a bit in his first one, Justin had just crashed out so from me it was a case of 'get back out there'. "Justin is a good mate of his (Masters) and he's beaten him in the past, unfortunately it didn't work out on that occasion. Edited June 9, 2023 by szkocjasid Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toady Posted June 13, 2023 Report Share Posted June 13, 2023 (edited) Came up for this match welcomed on the door by promoter who thanked us for coming. He then proceeded to honestly explain to the fans that the management team were not happy with things and changes would be made shortly. I think you have a good set up at brum (last time I visited was 2012 Swindon ) when I think of all the work put in over the years to secure a venue I think it’s time if you do care about your team then return and watch each week then the club Iam sure will invest and improve otherwise it will be the end of the line just my opinion Edited June 13, 2023 by Toady 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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