ELITE LEAGUE STALLS ON THE START GRID - posted 2 April 2010
Almost two years ago now when I started the “Jock Strop” I intended to illustrate how five or six “S” word topics not related to our sport had affected us and the way we have operated our all-consuming hobby. The first and most important one was “Sunday Shopping” but due to other more pressing Cycle Speedway subjects I have only briefly touched on the other of these negative reasons why our sport has been harmed and hope to rectify this forthwith.
“Sky Sports Satellite Sunday Soccer” is almost as serious a problem as the former, not only for capturing many suitable recruits and former riders, parents, officials, helpers and spectators in the safe comfortable confines of their front rooms or all day licensed pubs but increasing motorway traffic for their travelling fans now that there is no longer any “Football Special Trains” anymore adds to our usual nightmare return Sunday evening journeys after racing. Sky’s recent acquisition of British Cycling Sport, although offering unheard of funds, will not see it on prime time ousting soccer but probably going out on a lesser channel at off peak times. Will this income filter down to grass routes versions like our own or just make the top stars into millionaire celebrities as it has done in their other prime sports? Only time will tell.
Wall to Wall Football
It is possible, starting at 11am on a Sunday to watch a total of seven or eight live football matches finishing at midnight. Beginning with a Football League Championship game followed by either a Scottish Premier League fixture or one of three English Premiership matches throughout the afternoon, continuing with Spanish, Italian or German and finally French equivalents during the evening. I have actually done this myself on a couple of occasions in a cold wintry day in Chatham’s hostelries or a similar Galashiels setting in Scotland. A very expensive day out with usually a disorientated and confused ending.
Pubs are full to the brim with these TV football fans who only briefly return home several times in the day to change out of their beer soaked / kebab stained XXXL replica shirts to replace their favoured home team’s one for, depending who is appearing, a Rangers or Celtic, Barcelona, Juventus, Lyon or Bayren Leverkusen equivalent. If you thought football hooliganism is a thing of the past think again as any fixture down south involving Manchester United or Liverpool and a London side in a late afternoon kick off usually ends up in a bar room brawl spilling over onto the streets involving whole families who have been imbibing for hours. This is the prime reason Witherspoons does not show live soccer. With the World Cup this summer in South Africa at similar time showings there is no close season at all so continuing to run our main events on Sundays does not make any sense.
Satellite TV Revolution
It would take a whole article alone to explain the complex arrival of Satellite TV to these shores (possibly some other time!) but to cut to the chase despite the plea of the then Tory government that Sat TV would open up the market and give a varied choice of viewing and service providers, unlike other countries we ended up solely with Australian Rupert Murdoch’s version after the collapse and subsequent takeover of similar but political opposite media mogul Robert Maxwell’s rival organisation, disgraced after his “Pensions Money” financial scandal dealings finished his challenge. Thus B Sky B was formed and given “carte blanch” to become the sole provider of satellite coverage by the sainted Margaret in return for “News International Corporation’s “ contribution for hastening the demise of the all powerful print unions during the “Wapping” disputes prior to the miner’s strike 25 years ago and continuing to promote her regime well past it’s sell by date and it still retains that monopoly now despite Digital / Freeview and token surrender of certain games to ESPN or the Irish Setanta version (now defunct) and normal television (Cup and Internationals only) with rival in waiting Richard B. floundering dismally in his attempts to gain a foothold in this media outlet.
Because Sky Sports have now amassed most of the major sporting events, except for the Olympics and Football World Cup which are still (for how much longer?) internationally protected for coverage by free terrestrial TV worldwide and luke warm ‘gentlemen’s agreements’ for our own “Crown Jewels” sporting events still shown on BBC and ITV. However it is the knock on effect of re-scheduling of UK terrestrial TV with increased editions of “Soap Operas” (another “S” word!) and total usage of cheap easy to make lifestyle and reality programmes to justify either the license fee or guarantee advertising revenue and keep audience levels at a rate that will ensure survival which has also had a dramatic affect on participation and attendance at our sport’s events.
Even Announers Wanted to Get Home to Watch the Box
On a couple of occasions, whilst competing in a Saturday afternoon Eurovets fixture or the inaugural British GP qualifiers last season at I think Bury and Kesgrave, I was amazed to hear the match announcers towards the end of the day’s proceedings tell everyone to get a move on as we were all in a hurry to get home to see Susan Boyle singing or some 12-year-old break dancer win tonight’s edition of Britain’s Got Talent or Pop Idol or some ‘C’ rated Hollyoaks star trip over in Strictly Come Dancing or sliding about legless on Dancing On Ice. I could not believe what I was hearing. Surely our chosen sport should take personal priority over pathetic cringe inducing variety drivel such as this.
Apparently not as was further dramatically illustrated a couple of months later when I was returning on the Dover Ferry after having spent the weekend in Holland with the Koudijs family (of Almere CSC). Once ensconced in the ferry’s restaurant on the Sunday evening return crossing I was enjoying a meal in front of one of many TV sets watching this year’s edition of BBC’s Sports Personality of the Year, an annual programme I make sure not to miss since the old days of Sportsview with David Coleman in the 60’s going out then on a Thursday night and watched dutifully by practically the whole nation giving out all the yearly highlights of each sporting year.
To my amazement, 15 minutes into the programme, the channel was suddenly turned over to ITV1 and immediately I was surrounded by 200 ‘hooting and hollering’ brain dead Brits of both sexes, most ages and varying degrees of ample ‘body mass index’. My first reaction was to complain to the ship’s crew but of course that would have been pointless. Sport had lost out (for ever) to X Factor as a reported 20 million other fine upstanding citizens of the UK preferred seeing some pretty boy singing a smaltzy ballad, probably mimed off an autocue ahead of giggly croaky babettes and warblin’ big ballin’ bitches instead of honouring our planet’s sporting excellence.
That is the reason there will never be an Elite League or few if any major Cycle Speedway meetings held successfully on a Saturday night in this country any more rather than the usual Cycle Speedway negative responses and diluting compromises already appearing on Viewpoint.
I quickly finished my meal and slunk away to a far corner of the vessel where I found a TV still showing Sports Personality watched by half a dozen others, mostly foreign truckers and reflected in the sad sporting and cultural state our nation had been turned into. Ironically on another vacant screen was live coverage of Italy’s equivalent all powerful media ‘Don’ prime minister Berluscoli being hit in the face by a metal statue from a protester which made me laugh, if only it could happen here!
Since the 1995 introduction of Sunday Shopping and the rise of Sky Sports the soaps which previously were only watched by one’s Granny had gradually been ‘sexed up’ since the introduction of East Enders and increased in popularity with the teenage generation through Kylie and Jason’s appearances in Neighbours twice a day, once for their mums at lunchtime and again for themselves instead of homework after school were now ‘must see’ whilst Brookside was a working mums’ addiction. Even Emerdale Farm had to ditch its agricultural theme in place of vallium injected chain smoking blondes and flash male estate agents prominent in the plotlines.
In the 60’s short run soap failures included Newcomers, Compact (Ladies Magazine), United (Football Club) but like Eldorado and the Scottish “Take the High Road “failed to grab the ratings and went under along with equivalent near copies of East Enders and Neighbours. Glasgow’s present soap River City is just an East Enders clone requiring subtitles in English!
There was a rationalisation of them several years ago with Crossroads disappearing, returning and finally being put to sleep, Brookside finishing its run but the appearance of Holly Oaks, the teenagers soap, killed off Grange Hill and Byker Grove and with the American “Friends” forced a whole new generation away from sport. Like the spread of the all consuming big 4 supermarkets the main soaps increased dramatically from two half-hour episodes a week to nightly (sometimes twice nightly) coverage and all day omnibus editions on Sundays which I am sure most mums would prefer watching rather than be commandeered for catering or taxi driving duties for Cycle Speedway.
Although Soaps are no longer the cherished viewing of the female population as being a trucker myself most of my northern colleagues are always parked up in lay-bys to watch Corrie whilst every southern ‘jack the lad’ tunes into see what the slaphead Mitchell brothers are up to in Walford. Ironically a few years ago the ginger tartlette in ‘Enders got herself involved with a Speedway riding boyfriend with some footage of Arena Essex involved which, if expanded on with a Cycle Speedway tangent offshoot, could have been the making of us!
Stay-at-Home Wives
Other easy to make programmes on subjects from cookery, gardening, house buying (UK and abroad), DIY and antiques of various values choke the schedules which for years would have been the preserve of Horse Racing, Cricket, Golf and other day long sporting events (Channel 4’s Tour de France a decade ago!) which only Snooker, Darts and Indoor Bowls remain these days, whilst most worrying of them all have been, now that stay at home wives no longer have to go shopping during the week because they can all go as a family day out to Tesco on a Sunday, are the dreadful magazine shows of Lorraine Kelly, Alan ‘Pitchfork’, Loose Women, Richard and Judy etc which are still not as brain numbing as the ‘shock series’ repeats of Jeremy Kyle and Trischa’s White Trash underclass’ dirty washing traumas.
Don’t start me on Big Brother! George Orwell must be turning in his grave with his phrase from his 1948 novel “1984” describing not the future totalitarian socialist state dictate of repression but a TV ‘freak show’ running for three months containing a dozen obnoxious ‘me me me’ individuals I would just love to smack in the face with a garden spade watched by sleep deprived saddos who probably deserve the same punishment. This along with the Selebrity (another “S” word, Essex Girl spelling!) version and equally rubbish “Get me out of here / Love Island” and other equivalents not only saturates the channels but has spurned a whole new industry of glam mags such as Hello, Heat, Loot, Nuts etc which along with the nerd computer versions have shoved sporting editions to the hard to read bottom shelves in newsagents, as well as total domination of coverage in the red top rags tabloid press.
True Sport Loses Out to Crap TV
As an example of some of my rants above the recent ‘popular press’ coverage of the Winter Olympics from Canada, apart from the tragic death of a Slovenian sledger and our only gold medal winner, a girl in a similar event, was limited to a few column inches each day whereas every Monday said newspapers would have a four page pull out with all the news, tears, tantrums of the celebs involved in “Dancing On Ice”. Crap TV 1 – True Sport 0.
Cookery shows on TV seldom result in Mum immediately concocting a family feast we all sit down at a table to enjoy and converse sensibly amongst ourselves over but usually a take away is ordered over the phone and instead of sending Junior round to collect it on his bike giving him some practice for tomorrow’s match it is delivered by an Albanian on a Honda 50 and is eaten sprawled on the sofa along with 15 pence cans of French lager watching Brucie’s ‘syrup’ wobble about on Strictly! Next “S” word “Snackin” (or food, diet and nutrition in a cycle sport!) may be a future serious strop subject, the rise of extremist Vegan peddlers perhaps!
Back in the 60s when I were a lad, I was lucky to have a golf course and a field containing both a primitive Cycle Speedway track and football pitch of sorts at the end of my street in the well to do Morningside area of Edinburgh. Although we only had two TV channels in these days if any of the equivalents of the above programmes such as Coronation Street, Come Dancing, Hughie Green’s Opportunity Knocks, Holiday / Pantomime on Ice, Going for a Song, Fanny Cradock’s Cookery Slot, Percy Thrower’s Gardening Club, Barry Bucknell’s DIY etc came on it was the signal for me to grab either my CS bike, Fedro plastic football or pitching iron (Mashie Niblick!) and putter and get out of the house and along there strangely to be immediately joined by several similarly influenced friends where we would either play 20 a side football, have a makeshift Cycle Speedway match or a pitch and putt competition, usually finishing in darkness with the aid of Ever Ready bike lamps or nearby street lights for illumination, followed by kindling romances down the chip shop or bus shelter with impressed “Wee Hairies” still riding about on our track bikes.
The alternative for most teenagers now is the dubious world of free porn on the Internet or violence influencing play stations alone in their bedrooms, their sisters ‘facebook’ dating some 50 year old redneck weirdo in Alabama and flying off to meet him Prague. That doesn’t cause any problems then, does it?
Those Were The Days
Cycle Speedway in Scotland back then was almost as big in participants, tracks and teams as it is in the UK now with summer racing held on Saturday afternoons followed by compulsory attendance at Old Meadowbank at night for the motor version, Sunday afternoons (religion in the morning!) and every night of the week as it was light much later up north with the exception of Fridays which were still left as the preserve of the Scouts and Boys Brigade. Latterly Thursday nights were poorly attended as “Top of the Pops” went out on air then and with pubs being the first to have colour TV racing was curtailed for us under age drinkers to eagerly watch the Stones, Beatles, Hollies, Who, Kinks, Bob Dylan etc all play ‘live’ with many of us buying guitars with aspirations of becoming rock stars with some actually attaining fame. Compare that to the dire menu of ‘fake tat’ crap boy/girl bands (?) we have now, few who could recognise a musical instrument let alone be able to read music and learn to play it even after being ‘superstars’ for the past 15 years. Whatever happened to Rock and Roll and that defining year of youth rebellion in 1968 that was worldwide?
A recent letter to Viewpoint bemoaning the recent technical improvements on bikes nullifying the racing, ended up saying “we should just concrete over the tracks and let people run round” rings true if we were to compare our bikes to musical instruments, reading or writing music to cycle maintenance and riding skill to actually being able to play them therefore it would be pertinent to change the name to “X Factor Racing” and just let a load of pretty boys and pouting fillies break dance round in circles along to bland manufactured musak. Problem solved.
Back to the Elite League Failure
Back to the Elite League failure. Many people might have seen some good points from my proposals and think they could be adapted within the present PL set up with some matches on Saturdays. Certain suggestions attempted and rightly state that some riders would because of work commitments be unable to race then although I think many more people who work in the retail, service and logistic areas of employment since 1995 are now forced to work Sundays rather than Saturdays as a normal working day and are therefore non starters in our sport, while the more compromises used the weaker the original suggestion becomes and we end up with little change and no benefit after all.
As a nation Britain does not do compromise very well at all does it! We eventually join the Common Market 25 years late and assume we are still the leading player in Europe as we were in 1945, oblivious that the world has moved on. We then refuse foolhardily to join the CAP (Common Agricultural Policy), Working Time Directive, European Defence Proposal and most importantly the Euro Zone despite going into the recent financial depression when the Euro was worth 67 pence six months before any of our neighbours did and supposedly came out of it six months after they have (France did not even have a recession!) with the Euro almost equal to the pound and then like a spoilt school kid sulks in the corner of the playground playing onward Christian soldiers with the Yankee bully boy Georgie Porgie who nobody else likes.
Other Sports Have Successfully 'Cut Their Cloth'
Other major sports that are part of the Sky Sports set up have successfully ‘cut their cloth’ to exist despite the total dominance of football. The two Rugby codes now play all principal matches on Friday, Saturday or Sunday nights, including some Internationals which are still predominately on Saturday afternoons, as they always command full houses. After a sticky start a dozen years ago when Union went professional attracting dodgy dot.com and boxing promoters after a quick buck, their core leagues (England’s Guinness Premier and the Celtic Magners League) have settled down with a mix of traditional clubs who have amalgamated amicably (ironically please note all the Welsh ones!) with others or district and regional ones becoming full time professional outfits although not getting the crowd support of football are now reaping the benefit of TV coverage. Culturally threatened by the closure of their traditional northern industrial bases and Union’s rich new professional pickings Rugby League completely changed from the dour winter muddy scramble of Eddy Waring’s ‘up and unders’ to a completely revamped Australian managed and dominated summer Sunday night sport, enabling their major stars to play Union rules as well in the winter.
Meanwhile Cricket continues to go against its traditional conservative past by embracing an X Factor type make over in the rise and rise of 20/20 Cricket under floodlights with music and dancing girls, as opposed to the normal four-day County and five-day Test Matches only England (or white South Africa’s rejects!) insist on any more, the Indian Sub Continent, a bit like Poland in CS, being the main epi-centre of the sport now. However the MCC traditionalists have a valid point now as since the BBC was replaced as the broadcaster the actual amount of people watching cricket and taking up the sport in the UK has actually dropped but possibly only because these traditional colonial relics from the British Empire have never heard of Satellite TV and would certainly not get planning permission for a dish on the side of their Listed Building be it a Cotswold cottage or Baronial stately home anyway. I will still stick by Radio 4s Test Match Special, the best of all sports reporting outlets!
Speedway Revival
Speedway has enjoyed several years now of Monday matches on Sky and the GP series on Eurosport as well is very professionally run these days equalling Formula 1 and MotoGP coverage. I will keep my futuristic Cycle Speedway TV live version on ice for a while yet.
Anyway, with the new season under way, I will concentrate on the racing for the time being and give the Strop a rest for the present (audible echoes of relief from the Valleys) but like Arnie, I’ll be back to put the tartan microscope over the sparsely entered Team Cup as it predictably runs its usual course and likewise examine the legacy of the stuffy British Individuals facing true competition from the excellent Wossock and new British “Open” GP equivalents and possible other new ‘all singing and dancing’ future alternatives.
The “Elite League” is therefore a non starter, stalled on the starting grid by the dumb downed culture of lowest common denominator, TV and tacky tabloid mediocrity of “Busted Britain”.
Postscript - That Subo does have a good voice and carries a fine tune doesn’t she and the dancers and skaters do put a lot of time in to get to a reasonable ability. However X Factor, Celebrity and Big Brother no way! Cowell, Walsh, Cole, Ant & Dec, Davina, Jedward and Jordan off with your heads or at a concrete and shale oval amphitheatre near you prepare to release the lions on them. That would make great TV!
And Soaps? There is only one – “The Archers” on Radio 4 – Never missed an episode in 25 years – Dum di dum di dum di dum, dum di dum di dum di – and that’s a fact!
Enjoy your racing this year.
Cheers Jock
FLOODLIT ELITE EXPERIENCE BECKONS A CYCLE SPEEDWAY REVIVAL - posted 18 March 2010
With the start of the 2010 season imminent, our flagship tournament, the Premier League, which completed its best year in 2009 since it’s invention a decade previous, had been shaping up, prior to the November Commission Conference, to expand to 10 teams with the inclusion of Ipswich and Stoke. However this was not to be the case with the Commission sensibly deciding to stick with eight proven sides after a great deal of debate but regrettably informed the two contenders of their failure to be accepted, albeit in a somewhat clumsy manner on the day prompting many “Viewpoint” reactions.
With my fellow East Londoner and long time experienced CS official, last year’s Wilkinson Sword winner Dave Flemming returning as Premier League Co-ordinator, it seemed we would be looking forward to continued stability and ongoing success for this major league competition. However within a few weeks Great Blakenham announced they would be not competing in the coming season after all but like neighbours Ipswich and Stoke would be ready to re-group and be part of the following season’s (2011) set up. It then seemed sensible for the Commission to choose between unsuccessful candidates Ipswich and Stoke to fill the vacant eigth position for the new season.
Unfortunately many of these two clubs’ intended ambitious riders had already made plans to complete as either ‘first claim’ or secondary transfers to other Premier sides, or stay on with these Premier teams as they had last year as, firstly Ipswich and then Stoke, withdrew their interest in competing in that tournament this season. This left a less than satisfactory seven clubs to make up the league but more worryingly many more riders mostly from Suffolk still wishing to become Premier racing “asylum seekers” immediately demanding transfers, many as ‘first claim’ status to other Premier sides already top heavy with class riders either home grown or foreign (Polish residents / imports).
Knocking Suffolk Heads Together
These “daft laddies” and the leaden footed, concrete booted managers of Suffolk cycle speedway really needed their heads knocking together to prevent this pathetic scenario taking place as to date there are over a dozen riders from that area who are at present either riding for fellow East Anglian side Norwich or intending to transfer there or ‘prostituting’ their services to other Premier sides 200 miles away rather than trying to sensibly overcome their well known petty local differences and create a capable composite premier side in their own back garden. These riders are almost all on the right side of thirty, very experienced in top class racing with keen juniors following behind and if organised properly would amount to the strongest team in the PL and with three tracks of excellent facilities a surplus of venues to choose from. It is only because of these historic ever present CS problems that prevents success.
There are no winners, only losers, in this despicable saga as the recipient clubs of these transferred riders will initially be pleased to have stronger teams but in turn their promising junior riders will now having been denied first team places seek transfers themselves or more likely leave the sport for good. In turn, this time next year, their own sides could be considerably weakened if the three denied clubs’ transferred riders scurry back to their homesteads when their own clubs are given permission to join the “Holy Grail”. Combine this with resident Polish riders increasingly returning to their home country as (not so Great) Britain slips further down the economic league table and having lost their promising juniors they will have to trawl their net further afield for replacements or increase spending on budget air fares (not so cheap now as former redundant Soviet Union fighter pilots from the 80s on lorry drivers wages are now reaching retirement age!) to fly in suitable Polish stars causing problems for already stretched regional teams prompting a further downsizing of the lesser league competitions.
Harry Would Have Been Embarrassed
My former Scottish team manager Dave Baxter in an email to me bemoaning this Premier catastrophe commented that if the late lamented Harry Glover was still in charge of Leicester he would have been embarrassed by his club’s expanded use of imported first claim transfers for success at all cost and as the sport’s figurehead on the Council would surely have done something then to prevent this damaging scenario escalating further.
With this less than perfect situation the time may be right to plan a totally new environment in which to promote our core Cycle Speedway competition for season 2011 and get away from the present quaint village green, run down recreation ground traditional pastime we endure at present.
A replacement of the Premier League with a stand alone full package “Elite League” run fortnightly under floodlights on a Saturday evening at 7.30pm could promote our all consuming hobby in a way it has not been used before and turn it into a serious sport of theatrical presentation and performance by honed athletes higher up the British Cycling food chain in as dramatically the way that the new Ski and Snowboard Cross events at the recent Winter Olympics have affected its usual staid presentation.
With a definite “Air of Change” circulating amongst us at present, it would be pertinent to promote this putting our recently introduced Training and Fitness Coaching improvements, Youth Academy proposals and focussed media awareness to the front rather than the damaging Name Change, xenephonic other competition qualification criteria and pointless BCF withdrawal scenarios which continue to drag our sport down and weaken the chances of any improvement in public acceptance.
Enter the Elite League
This would be a first team league only of initially eight teams and would still be Cycle Speedway racing as we have known but improved greatly by several subtle changes, none too drastic, to improve the whole package and guarantee the finished product of entertainment and drama to compliment top sporting excellence. Many of the following suggestions have been tried before, recently voiced over the “Viewpoint” pages but other new ideas have been devised from other sports, not just cycle derivatives and old forgotten ones from the motorised version updated for re-consideration.
Firstly the name change from Premier to Elite League is sensible as there are too many Premier leagues circulating in all the other sports and in Speedway where we still have a big following for our cycle version their Premier League is in reality the second division in old money. Although club based at present team names as already proposed should reflect national prominence for this league only. Horspath should become Oxford, Wednesfield changing to Wolverhampton but reverting for Regional and other competitions and any new teams entering if and when there is expansion in numbers should re-title as appropriate. Previously Norfolk and Suffolk titled sides I think appeared briefly one season but because of the well documented local politics above it would be better if they could sort themselves out and the names Norwich and Ipswich would appear as elite teams and revert to previous club titles for regional and local racing. Norwich to North Park (or Eaton) and Ipswich to Orwell (or Whitton). The present organisational role for them should not have to differ much if agreement between their neighbours was reached amicably. Therefore the two East Anglian cities could continue to be organised as at present but become umbrella outlets for the Elite league utilising all the prominent riders in their areas but reverting to original club make up for all other competitions. The league at present is club based but would improve dramatically if area or district teams are utilised from the less affluent clubs as is the case in Rugby Union in the other home nations league formats.
The new league should no longer have to utilise this damaging “First Claim” transfer scenario but secondary licensing in from non Elite clubs could still be tolerated within reason. Likewise this nationwide league would in future hopefully contain teams representing the Manchester clubs, a London side, not necessary East London but possibly using their track if there is no chance of an Olympic venue after all and to be truly a UK League it would be good to see a Scottish and a Welsh based side included eventually. Mind you the latter would involve placing messieurs Absolom, Simmons, Mould, Bennett, Escott and Le Cornu in a Coracle without a paddle and push it out into the Bristol Channel and let the Severn Bore sort them out if they could not agree to a united side from that area utilising our best cycling facility!
Eight invited sides for the inaugural league could soon expand to an optimum 10 and possibly 12 but any more would require a split or two division set up which would not be “Elite” any more. The side finishing bottom should face relegation (or if it is a composite team disbanding) if suitable replacements are waiting with run offs arranged or re-election if no takers available.
The Elite League should be run as a complete package with as well as the ultimate prize of champions for the winning team also contain other awards and prizes reflecting other achievements within the competition. To compliment the league racing there could also be Saturday night events for a “Elite Fours” tournament, “Elite Best Pairs” during the season and as a climax to the year on the final Saturday night an “Elite Riders Championship” modelled on the old Belle Vue Speedway version of the 60’s and 70’s based on either the top two riders from each team or the top 16 riders race averages which would turn out to be a meeting far superior to our present staid British Senior Individual and could rival even a European or World Final in status. These three meetings, if held at neutral non Elite tracks, could publicise the sport even further and encourage future ambition in similar International events where we are sadly lacking these days. A knock out cup would not be required if the British Team Cup reverts to former glories with a similar refurbishment of that event in a future ”Strop” subject to come!
Nuts and Bolts
Now for the “Nuts and Bolts” of the new league. In order to provide a Saturday night of exciting theatrical sport and entertainment, it should be a one match only event discontinuing pointless Combination matches which would allow the development of new talent on a now rejuvenated regional and local Sunday fixturing environment. However there is still room to stage an alternative match beforehand as a curtain raiser to the main event if there is such interest although it would be preferable to be one that would not involve any of the Elite riders, preferring instead to utilise real youngsters, juniors, females or veterans instead in already established competitions or one off exhibitions to encourage future participants and everyone will benefit by witnessing the sport’s top riders in full flow afterwards.
Personally I think the Elite match should be the main menu only and not a long drawn out meal of starters where you are no longer hungry for the main course when it arrives after all. Finishing on a climax rather than petering out to a dull termination as at present would prompt suitable post match socialising prior to a much shorter homeward journey on uncluttered roads compared to Sundays.
A normal eight-a-side league format to be used but with a few changes to improve the participation and highlight the drama. Teams can utilise a 10 rider race day squad with the two additional riders used solely as substitutes for injured or off form competitors (but not excluded ones) who in turn would not take any further part in the fixture once replaced.
The match would comprise of 20 heats, the same rider pairings / race format as at present with, in order to heighten the drama, two additional races, heat one being a nominated race which could include each team’s top two riders to immediately kick start the event into life whilst heat 20 would contain the top two points scorers in the match from each side to provide a thrilling, possibly match winning (Rider of the Night!) climax to the meeting. There should be a short interval (10 minutes) after heat 12 to give a balanced time schedule to the fixture as it is usually in the latter period of a match that injury and racing incidents occur which causes time delays. How many times in ordinary league matches you see the first nine races over in 20 minutes followed by an interval of a similar time only for the second half to drag on for over an hour!
The League points scores should be as follows. no points for a defeat, one point for home draw, two points for away draw, three points for home victory and four points for an away victory. Also a separate bonus point should be awarded for an aggregate victory which would decide the league victors or other placings in the event of a tie in the total match points. If still level obviously the difference in actual race points scored would then be used.
Tour de France Jerseys
Although the main prize would be the Elite League Championship but if run as a “Tour de France” package there could then be several individual achievements which could also be rewarded in the forms of “Jerseys” for Top Average Points Scorer (Yellow), Top Total Points Scorer (Green), Top Bonus (Team Riding) Points Scorer (Blue) being the principal ones plus Best Junior, Veteran, Female and Foreign riders to give added interest within the competition.
In subsequent seasons these Jerseys along with World Championship individual equivalents and Elite League Individual Champion should be worn (with current team indicators combined in the fabric design) to identify the star riders to the spectating public. Obviously the organisation would require a competent statistician to plan all this. Success in this area could improve the chance of gaining a suitable higher profile sponsor and could also attract individual sponsors for the solo awards.
As a homage to Cycle Speedway’s roots and mirroring similar Motor Speedway’s previous trophies how about a season long Golden Helmet / Silver Sash match race starting with the British champion on the opening day racing the top rider from the opposition in a race to provide a tasty appetiser to the league fixture with a end of season prize to the rider who defends it the most times.
Like Cricket’s County Championship, teams could outsource some of their home matches to other nearby tracks in high summer where floodlights would not be required and attract further interest and give these venues the chance of staging a big meeting.
Refereeing Changes
The new league could also be used to try out different refereeing options which is a subject of great controversy in normal racing. The Polish use of two corner judges or the use of two referees, one being on the centre green controlling the match and a fixed stationary assistant who could offer advice and evidence on any incidents missed by him, are just two suggestions of many. Video re-runs are a no-no at present but may be viable at a later stage. (see TV suggestion in the future). It would be imperative if each team had at least two non-riding referees and two similar qualified riders as a condition of entry to cover refereeing if there are not enough neutral ones available, teams supplying a referee (as a neutral) to a match on the same night if required.
Having all races timed with a suitable reward for the evening’s quickest and a race commentary from the announcer would raise the profile of the racing and keep spectators involved with the match’s progress. Instant results visual technology is now available and getting cheaper all the time enabling the use of a portable matrix revolving scoreboard on the centre green linked automatically by tags to riders (as used in athletics) is not beyond the sport’s organisers whose riders think nothing of spending hundreds of pounds on the latest bikes or equipment and would with the assistance of keen programming ‘nerds’ of which there are many in the sport bring Cycle Speedway presentation into the 21st century.
This new Saturday night staging of our prime competition could easily accommodate a degree of “Coventry” style presentation with other entertaining changes gradually introduced and turn a minority cycling pastime into possibly the major spectator cycle sport of skill, danger and excitement it could be, attracting a whole new generation of new participants who would be able to turn up at a track near them the next day to try it out for themselves. Like Rugby, Cricket, Basketball, Ice Hockey and Volleyball as examples, new team monikers should replace tired traditional Speedway nicknames such as Aces, Stars, Wolves, Hammers, Monarchs etc with more pertinent titles. Horspath could re-title as Oxford Endeavour for example as that was the unknown forename of Inspector Morse, the city’s favourite son whilst a maritime theme for Poole, agricultural connection for Norwich, Olympic precedent for London, Braveheart title for Scotland and something suitable for troubled Wales could follow. The Ipswich area would still be a problem although if a Swiss professional football team can be known as “Young Boys of Berne” (?) the “Suffolk Daft Laddies” would have to do after all even if it sounds like a Morris dance troupe!!
With only the four Elite fixtures on fortnightly Saturdays ,other Cycle Speedway people not involved would have plenty of opportunity to spectate at these prime matches. Obviously eventual TV coverage would be the ultimate goal of the Elite League but totally out of the question at present! Or is it?
Television Break
An idea voiced to me by Cycle Speedway’s other photographer Brian Barnett a couple of years ago has stuck in my brain offering in a roundabout way an unorthodox entry into full live free (almost!) TV coverage of our sport which ironically five years ago was unintentionally tried internationally and worked with some success to a certain extent, which would need someone better qualified than myself to bring to fruition! More details of this in a TV / Media “Strop” at a later date.
In conclusion we would now have a national based Elite League of a very high standard of competition fortnightly on Saturday evenings, run spectacularly with a climactic finish, by a professionally run organisation attracting major sponsorship, providing top cycle sport for entertainment to a wider live audience and not just to those within the sport, reported immediately on the various websites world wide and attracting new participants who can then take up the sport the following day on a now rejuvenated regional and local environment which will reinvigorate other competitions which have been deteriorating for years.
“However”, a word which along with “but” and “unfortunately” always occurs at this part of a new initiative will appear and announce why such a ground breaking proposal will never materialise, abandoned stillborn before a wheel is turned or if attempted will bomb like a lead balloon but this time not just for the usual dismal reasons of Cycle Speedway’s in house historical disagreements and apathy illustrated in previous “Strops”.
Explanation for this and how the knock on affect of the 80’s arranged marriage of convenience of the “Mad Old Bat” and a foreign businessman brought about the cultural and sporting disintegration of present day life in the UK coming up next week.
Editor's Note - Well - does this sound good or what!!! Clearly a lot of thought has gone into this and we all owe Steve a debt of gratitude for not only developing the idea but putting it in the public forum with his usual and inimitable style. What do you think? Could this dream become a reality? Is the time right for cycle speedway to change? We'd love to hear your views. Just email your thoughts to us at editor@spokesman-online.co.uk
And watch out for the next instalment coming soon!!!!
THE LIGHTS HAVE GONE OUT ON CYCLE SPEEDWAY writes Steve Harvie
Back in the cherished days of the late 70s and early 80s, when Cycle Speedway enjoyed its most successful period, the majority of league fixtures, regional British League ones then comprising four areas of the UK, took place predominantly on Sundays with 3pm starts followed by Combination matches at 4.30pm. In an era where union-controlled work patterns were rigidly enforced and religious attendance was still acknowledged, only corner shops and tourist outlets were open whilst mass attended summer sporting events were limited to Golf, Cricket, Athletics, Show Jumping and Motor Sport versions with corresponding TV coverage of some of them on two of the three channels available then.
Only live Saturday TV soccer coverage was limited to the Cup Final, Scotland v England internationals and World / European cups if any of the home nations qualified, (ironically Scotland having more success than England in these days!) and only the Five Nations rugby matches were shown live on Saturdays in the appropriate country. This resulted in Sunday road travel being more relaxed with only traffic jams on Bank Holidays or around seaside tourist resorts, so not a lot of time was spent travelling to matches and clubs tended to drive to away fixtures in convoy and hired minibuses or coaches for the longer trips.
Change takes a long time to achieve in our sport ....
It was all idyllic save the drastic draconian licensing laws restricting sales of drink to two hours at lunchtime and 7 till 10.30pm at night meant that an afternoon of thirsty physical activity remained un-rewarded for some, prompting me to campaign for morning starts to local fixtures to counteract this which only had partial success. As you know change from the normal traditions takes a long time to achieve in our sport.
Saturdays however would see the majority of Cycle Speedway’s other events predominantly taking place ranging from national and regional KO Cup team matches, qualifying for the many individual competitions, that would reach terminating finals later in the season, inter region / area test matches, the inaugural Home Nation Fours ahead of established similar regional club versions not to mention the host of club promotions of all types of racing usually comprising of a major all day attraction like an Open Individual or the “Festival of Sport” events run alongside other sports and pastimes, providing many clubs with their biggest attendance and money earning potential highlight meeting of the season which would usually finish in October with their own Riders Championship, followed by a well attended winter social / prize giving evening a few weeks later, many of these no longer appearing in the ever reducing social aspect of our pastime.
Indeed throughout the 80s in the home counties catchment area it was quite common for me to take in a full day of racing starting before noon ferrying Newham’s Juniors to a regional qualifier at Tolworth or Morden, transferring to Hayes or Uxbridge in the afternoon for a senior club fours and continuing over to Edmonton to spectate at a floodlit local derby often racing in one, refereeing in another and reporting on the third for the local newspaper, this scenario being repeated in the other quadrants of London every other Saturday with possibly two normal league matches the next day, am and pm, at the 20 odd tracks operating then within two hours drive of my West Kent home base. East Anglian Cycle Speedway was still a seldom-visited rival organisation in these days apart from inter region test matches or if British finals took place there or in the other areas, which were seldom visited as well.
Sadly in this new modern age most of these fixtures are no longer, with a two thirds reduction in clubs remaining now, many having been scrapped or transferred to crowded Sundays save the under attended Commission Individual events with only the Wossock Youth and Junior League and expanding Veterans fixtures bucking the trend in increased rider involvement, although the introduction this year of female only matches is a long awaited addition.
Correspondingly the International ones since the Millennium involving Polish participants seemed to have stalled in interest due to ongoing failure to agree to what could be lucrative international matches taking place due to petty rule discrepancies and previous bad feeling regarding refereeing problems denying what should be major publicity ventures. To think that the two nations have been of equal strengths in quantity and quality for more than a decade but have only raced each other twice in full internationals in that time - in two Adelaide suburbs 10,000 miles away only last year beggars belief!
Combination matches against raw kids and grumpy old men ....
Feeble excuses from both nations’ governing bodies and over protective club bosses regarding possible tiredness and burn out from their riders appearing in matches 24 hours apart as proposed for this year’s Bury and Polish European events pales into insignificance when compared to, as an example, a year ago, when on the way to achieving the world’s number two status, Salisbury’s 18-year-old Cody Chadwick appeared in a senior semi final, junior World final and the World Individual Final, a total of 17 races of the highest standard possible, including run offs, in temperatures of 40 degrees Centigrade in the space of seven hours at Findon CSC in Australia! And some people moan about Premier league superstars also having to take part in pointless Combination matches against raw kids and grumpy old men!
With the dominance of Sunday Premier League racing continuing to harm the regional and local versions, coupled with the deterioration of the official individual competitions, the sport is crying out for new events or more sensible fixture scheduling to attract future participants and sponsors at days and times to suit accordingly rather than waste precious time debating pointless name changes, de-regulation opt-outs from the national cycling body or distancing itself from our founding roots, yet naively yearn for unobtainable TV coverage as our sport’s saviour which will only come about if we have a product to justify such exposure. Surely it is best to keep a foot in both camps rather than be legless and unbalanced out on our own!
Night Manoeuvres
A glance at the fixture list in any of the past few seasons’ CS Handbook will see few if any Saturday events that have been predominantly arranged to take place under floodlights anymore as used to be the case in these successful years.
I can still vividly remember my first ever Speedway match at Old Meadowbank Stadium in Edinburgh in 1963 when my sister took me along as a young 12-year-old. The noise of the 500cc JAP bikes being warmed up, the smell of the methanol fuel, the sheer electrical start from the tapes, amazing contorted angles of lean and broadsides from the riders, sparks from metal boot sliders and the shower of wet stinging shale thrown over me on the first bend as of course as a first timer I forgot to duck. The programme filling in, once mastered, improved my school arithmetic immensely while the mid-Atlantic announcing from Canadian commentator Don Cumming and crowd prompting antics from promoter Ian Hoskins, son of the sport’s Australian inventor Johnnie Hoskins obviously had a lasting effect on me. However it was after the break which saw travelling Jazz Band Old Bill Bailey’s Jazz Advocates (forming my future musical tastes!) on the back of a trailer being towed round the track by the grading tractor when the floodlights came on that really captivated my attention.
With racing re-started it took on a whole new experience of theatrical drama with heightened appreciation of these gladiators of the night. The sight and sound of four shining chrome plated loud machines with their black leather clad riders and coloured race bibs fluttering in the rush of hot air as they sped past feet away only being identified by coloured helmet covers made an ever lasting impression on me which in the modern version has been neutered by multicoloured globalised intrusions into plasticised bikes, similar mobile advertising latex riding gear, dirt spoilers, missing addictive perfumes from improved fuel and lubricants and lack of noise from restrictive silencers being replaced by dreadful ozone damaging air horns incessantly pressed by equally annoying spectators has resulted in my infrequent visits to the motor version these days, being limited to only two times a year. The first to the biggest meeting in Cardiff for the SGP at the Millennium Stadium and the last usually to Sittingbourne’s final fixture of the season, the smallest, that is almost as unchanged as a primitive pioneering one from the 1920’s.
My fascination for night time motorcycle racing changed in subsequent years. After tiring of the over commercialisation (American influence) of Grand Prix (MotoGP) and World / British Superbikes I dedicated most of my summer holidays to spectating at the World Endurance Championships and have clocked up over 80 appearances at 24 Hour Events in France, Belgium and Germany where the sight and sound of 100 motorcycle headlights dissecting the silence and peace on the Mistral straight of the Mediterranean Paul Ricard circuit or in a dense black rainy Ardennes forest sweeping through Eau Rouges at Spa-Francorchamps is totally mind blowing as is the two sports car versions at Le Mans and the Nurburgring I have attended as well. These coupled with a second occupation of night shift truck driving I can certainly claim to be a creature of the night after all and appreciate the benefits of utilising that uncluttered time for work, rest and play.
Our sport in a new light?
Returning to Cycle Speedway, a similar experience is guaranteed when participating at floodlit meetings. Although it should be no different in theory from racing in daylight, strange factors ensue which determine that in practice the actual end product is far superior in all aspects.
Even before racing commences a fully floodlight Cycle Speedway track from a distance stands out as something different, a shining oasis in a dark hinterland, whereas most tracks situated in their usual sports facility environment in daylight remain mostly incognito. They take on a Neapolitan appearance with the bright green infield, deep red shale surface and highlighted white kerbs and grid markings amplified in contrast to their anaemic daytime tints.
Rawicz’ black coal dust and Salisbury’s grey clay (with crushed beetles) alternatives likewise stick out in prominence. Even when saturated with rain the surfaces take on a chrome-plated appearance, which still retains grip far better than normal summer dustbowls. Those situated next to a main road such as East London, Southampton and the late lamented Edmonton proved a magnet from passing travellers on buses at night but ignored on normal afternoons and even ones in a distant corner of a village playing field like Horspath take on an inviting expectancy lacking during the day.
Poole’s evening promenaders could not ask for a better amphitheatre with an twilight performance in full flow taking place there and Leicester’s industrial estate location would remain secret from the busy city arterial road to many if left to afternoon activity only. Other former northern venues likewise blossomed at night and it amazes me why Heckmondwike’s track is not the busiest facility in the country being situated in a corner of an ‘open all hours’ ASDA supermarket – on your bike ggggGranville!
The actual condition of a track physically changes at night with a degree of dampness present, which results in better grip and requires less damaging constant grooming of the surface with brushing and hosing throughout competition. In hot summer temperatures it is more pleasant to race on whilst in colder opposite climes it gives the (false!) feeling of generated heat in the air. Any wind appears to lessen and is visible, as tapes tend not to billow on the grid. Senses are more activated as referees’ whistles, the whirring of cogs, chain chatter and tyre friction volumes rise whilst riders’ audible breathing and any banter is also more easily heard. Similar examples of on field noises at professional floodlit football matches in front of capacity crowds are heard but strangely do not appear detectable in normal afternoon fixtures.
Conversely when racing the immediate spectators are visible to the riders but more distant ones and other distractions are unseen and seldom heard giving them a more concentrated race effort. Smell is also more acute as deep heat muscle embrocating potions intertwine with WD40 lubricant and the illicit tobacco haze from harassed team managers and worried girlfriend onlookers. Only the nauseating stench of cheap burgers and fried onions from the nearby tuck shop causes me any problems after four laps of gulping volumes of cool damp air into stretched lungs and stomach after an earlier sociable lunchtime can backfire dramatically.
As a rider the track strangely feels smaller, narrower and if it has any banking the gradient appears steeper with your bike seemingly faster, your body fitter, brain totally concentrated, the racing quicker, senses sharper, faultless gating or overtaking gaps suddenly opening up with louder spectator cheering when the chequered flag is there in an instant and remarkably recovery takes less time to achieve and the process is repeated in what seems a shorter timescale. Match over and spectators then rush to borrow a bike along with novice children and adrenalin intoxicated former riders to get a bit of the action which you rarely get in daytime before the plug is pulled and darkness is restored.
The only negative aspects being security issues of vehicles in unlit parking areas and occasional unprovoked barrages of missile attacks containing at best eggs but more seriously bricks and bottles from ‘white trash adhesive vapour fuelled hoodies’ we have experienced at East London from time to time escaping undetected and unpunished into the darkness beyond.
Racing over, time for refreshment, socialising and homeward journey completed in a far shorter time on uncluttered highways ready and looking forward to more normal but less atmospheric racing the following day. What more could you ask for.
Past Highlights
My first floodlit appearance was at a deserted Bow track in London in '79 under a deflected offshoot light from the adjacent football pitch but it felt like the spotlight from the castle at the Edinburgh Tattoo in front of thousands as far as I was concerned.
The best meetings I have ridden in have always been under lights, usually individuals in far distant foreign venues whilst as a spectator last year’s prime Aussie World Finals were electric in action in the still hot nights Down Under but were still not up to the Saturday extravaganza at my first visit to Poland in 1996 at the Ravicz track for an international team match between the hosts, Poole, Almere and Findon which went on until midnight in front of 4,000 people with a full party celebration involving the whole town afterwards.
Our own British afternoon finals despite the recent razzmatazz are bland in comparison although the last major one held at Thurrock, the Wembley of CS, the 1994? British Team Cup Finals (all four age group finals then) ran well into the night in horrendous weather conditions to provide a fitting finale. However we have had some excellent worthy floodlit meetings the most recent memorable one being the England v Poland midsummer night test at Ipswich in 2006, an extremely hot night in temperature and temperament on and off the track in front of a very large crowd. Matches like that were 10 a penny 20 years ago at Thurrock and Wednesfield predominantly but these days almost nothing happens under lights except midweek training which is hardly spectator friendly and a small bunch of blokes pedalling aimlessly for a couple of hours encourages few new recruits from the cycling fraternity.
Despite protests from many ‘creaky kneed vets’ I insist on the London Old Masters veteran meeting every October finishes in ‘candlelight’ in respect for these much missed days but few other clubs, considering they have much better facilities than 30 years ago, bother to organise anything now despite the obvious advantages it would have to the public presentation of our sport.
Maybe we should follow the example of other major sports who years ago would never have entertained floodlit meetings but have had to now to counteract the now damaging and all consuming affects of Sunday shopping and wall to wall Satellite Soccer that has severely affected minority pursuits like our own.
A “Shining Light” Elite Competition beacons!
Premier Choice, a new Elite experience! Possibly the way forward for our sport outlined in full next time! Watch this space!
The Season Now Departed! - by top columnist Steve 'Jock' Harvie
With the 2009 season drawing to a close last weekend with the Indoor Championships at Salford it is time to look back on a very long year which still sees our sport embroiled in controversy and an on going identity crisis acted out over the internet via the “spokesman-online” website, fully established, now celebrating its second anniversary.
This excellent media output has greatly benefited Cycle Speedway with instant reporting and results of every meeting staged, not just in the UK, with previews, news, reviews, photos, action videos and statistics updated almost immediately. The official British Cycling version is equally as good with all the major events covered accordingly plus in depth interviews with the headline participants with several appearing as the principal weekly British Cycling topic.
However it is the “Viewpoint” section in “spokesman-online” which obviously receives the most “hits” with a never-ending contribution from the readership regarding all that is good and bad in our sport and makes compulsive reading. It has had its problems, principally in Australia in February, having to be taken off the air due to some bogus submitted stories and has suffered also from being used as a platform for on going vindictive dialogue between several contributors on a variety of important, controversial and over publicised subjects but that’s free speech for you!
Although it gives everyone a chance to air their opinions I refuse to personally get involved, my views and predictions for CS being way off the scales of controversy and ideology, and view this media outlet with a degree of scepticism reserved for Radio Talkshows, Tabloid Lifestyle Commentators and internet and mobile phone conducted surveys. These tend to always attract the reactionary element, even the mild mannered BBC versions of Nicky Campbell and Jeremy Vine ahead of the ‘Shock Jocks’ on commercial Talk Radio to the dreadful opinions of Littlejohn, McKenzie, Junor et all in the ‘Red Top Rags’ and if real life politics had to be decided on the results of their phone or text votes Nick Griffin’s National Front fascists would have been safely ensconced in Downing Street and Westminster months ago.
The year started for many with warm training indoors along with sub zero practice in snow outside prior to the Australian World Championships. Adelaide’s events and Britain’s below par performances already chronicled in Spokesman but maybe not yet acted on. Back in the UK the season started as usual with for once no major calamities happening. There were sad obituaries for lost colleagues, some taken before their time. International history was made when Ireland and Scotland met at Norwich and record breaking entries for the sport’s Youth and Junior League, providing a new input of riders for the future and continued to expand deserving a higher profile.
The Premier League, despite a pre season change of“management”, actually provided a full non controversial season of excellent (first team) matches terminating in an exciting finish on its final day of fixtures with outstanding performances from several junior riders who had obviously grown in stature and experience from their antipodean adventure. The regional leagues continued their downward trend in both quantity and quality and unless there is a re-think regarding team racing and the effect the Premier League is in harming them and the sport in general they will continue to do so. However this competition, along with the two other main ones will have to change dramatically if our sport is to be taken seriously by the Cycling nation in the future.
Despite an increased entry this season, mainly from these keen juniors, from the less than 30 who turned up for the 2008 version, the British Senior Individual Finals, although still producing a good final and deserved champion, is a shadow of the once great competition it used to be when the best 64 riders appeared at the August Bank Holiday meetings after competing in season long regional qualifying rounds and probably is the reason for embarrassingly poor UK performances in the equivalent World and European finals over the last decade. No amount of vivid match presentation of the finals day and similar scenario at the older British Team Cup Final can rectify their declining stature.
Can the Finals Weekend ever get back to the glories of the early Eighties when hundreds crammed the safety fence to watch the best riders of the day battle for the national crown? Action from the 1983 final at Ashmore Park, Wednesfield featuring Kevin Marson, Andy Barnes, Phil Pilbrow and John Watchman - a superb action photo from the legacy of the much missed photographer Roger Nicholson.
The BTC, which since ceasing to be a compulsory event for all clubs, is now more damaged than its expensive trophy appears to be. Normally its finals day contains at least three of the four super clubs - Horspath, Leicester, Poole and Wednesfield, (usually two are unlucky enough to meet in the previous round), courtesy of their “First Claim” non local riders with only Southampton in recent years upsetting the applecart (or gravy train!) although they relied on the Thurrock via East London rider content which when it evaporated relegated them back to a lower echelon.
This year’s showpiece event resulted in a twenty man brawl, caused no doubt due to the riders meeting so often in the year’s other fixtures, would certainly not impress any watching or future sponsors but could be a hit on TV – Police/Camera Action rather than the 10 minute sixth division satellite channel, midweek, in the middle of the night and only watched by the committed, CS can hope for.
Although still derided by a lot of people in the sport for just reasons the Premier League is good but it is still Cycle Speedway as it always has been, a long drawn out afternoon of racing watched by a poor crowd of one man and a dog including a waste of time combination fixture which only the dog stays around for, sandwiched in-between four hour traffic jam journeys on “Shop till you drop / Sky Soccer saturation Sundays”.
If it wishes to be the “shop window” for CS it has to become an elite experience of sport and slick entertainment involving all the top players, run at suitable times, days/nights and venues capable of staging such promotions and not affecting the normal bread and butter regional and local competitions as it does at the present time. My suggestions for change in these three competitions will be the subject of future articles in the New Year, ironically the Premier League being the easiest to fix.
The Troubles
Anyway back to the “Troubles”. Documented to exhaustion the “Hunting Ban”, like its fox v despicable yah-yahs parliamentary version, which ran the whole length of Blair’s tenure, continues to cause great problems to our sport. Calls for a breakaway from British Cycling still reign loud but like a doomed EU withdrawal Ukip style, would do nothing for us as we would still be living in a country which was conned into a Privatisation Holocaust resulting in everything we ever owned now in foreign hands or at the whims of ‘fat cat’ owners instead of accountable bone fide national organisations.
30 years on, the gullible who bought shares in things they actually already owned, temporarily made a modest profit but find themselves now paying their inflated energy bills to a French Government Department, phone bills to German or Italian State Telecommunications, their worthless pensions controlled by Spanish or Hong Kong banks and major transport operations run by sharp suited foreign spivs, religious nutters or a failed bearded balloon flying opportunist more concerned in future intergalactic travel for fellow billionaires than providing a reliable rail service for mere mortals between Milton Keynes and Birmingham and the same people despair that they can’t shift their 40 year old offspring from their self purchased council house as there is no local authority housing anymore, little chance of them getting a mortgage or available affordable housing as employment vacancies diminish so have no option but to concrete over their front gardens to accommodate the four cars they now require that pollute the earth as the local bus service was deemed not cost effective years ago and they are loathe to walk or cycle anywhere further than the local Kebab shop. Of course it is all the fault of these foreigners coming over here isn’t it according to the Daily Snail!
Dave H and others have valid points and the CSC, appointed in the old not exactly democratic club vote structure, do seem to be a bit negative regarding new initiatives. Maybe as a sport we should all sit back and take in the suggestions “People who don’t know anything about Cycle Speedway!” offer rather than argue repeatedly amongst ourselves. Andy Whitehouse, the excellent BCF photographer who probably had never heard of Cycle Speedway until a few years ago, has become a valued convert, reporting and photographing at all the major meetings and some not so important all over the country but as he said to me at Blakenham earlier in the season, the sport is very poor at presenting itself.
Meetings last far too long with hours spent working on the track, setting up bikes for the pre match presentation, long introductory ceremonies involving invited VIPs, overlong refreshment breaks incorporating tedious raffles and a never ending post match prizegiving where everyone seems to be rewarded rather than just the victors. Do we really need a bored disinterested lady mayoress of Bingley, Bilston or Barking present or should we utilize one of British Cycling’s many Olympic stars as guests of honour instead. Coventry’s maverick showman Joe McLaughlin was quite rightly criticised by many for his use of “Page 3 Pole Dancing Bimbettes“ on the centre green during racing but had the foresight to contract out his event’s catering from the well meaning but usually overworked and not appreciated female support club members to professional vendors, make sure there was adequate car parking, traffic control and sufficient toilets and kept the ceremonies to a workable time scale.
Politics
The recent Cycle Speedway Commission’s Regional Representatives Meeting has grabbed all the headlines but as usual it was totally dominated by club/team (Premier)/league issues rather than the more important other problems which are blighting our sport. The 12 invited representatives, although all well known and committed CS folk, were predominantly ‘club people’ whose primary care was for their own set ups rather than for dealing with real changes that could benefit our sport.
To my knowledge there was little representation from the country’s only worthwhile competition, the Youth and Junior League or parents of these riders, similar lack of the GB and Home Nations managers, although discussed and approved no actual female riding presence from the blossoming women’s and girls section or the equally blooming veterans ranks with over 60 participating riders in a dozen yearly events and more appearing all the time, absolutely no invite or input from foreign riders living in the UK (Sooner they go back to where they belong the better!), no ‘enthusiastic’ (or over enthusiastic!) parents of talented youngsters to voice their opinions live, no innovative promoters of events or future prospective sponsors, few if any new recruits to the troubled refereeing sphere and the sport’s foremost media reporting vehicle was discouraged from attending.
Like others I would like the Commission to be democratically elected but not in the way they were in the past. The present members are all committed CS people and do not deserve the scorn poured on them by some but Cycle Speedway should take a close look at themselves and retreat from this club dominated predominantly ‘team racing’s what it is all about’ attitude and concentrate in improving the sport in all avenues of participation. With only 900 riders including roughly an each season turnover of up to 200 youngsters amongst the 300 who regularly take part in the Y&JL and along with the women (50) and Vets (60-80) a great amount of whom do not wish to take part in normal team/league racing and with only an ever decreasing 30 clubs remaining this only leaves about 500 riders if that, to furnish their squads before the greed quotient of misused secondary licensing can be factored in. This dominance of team only competitions is a major reason we have become totally ineffective on the world championship scene.
A future Commission could be made up from a list of committed volunteers then voted for by the membership rather than clubs which could be easily correlated along with their yearly licence (membership) applications rather than the old fashioned ‘show of hands’ system as previously. I remember when CS joined up with the BCF the latter organisation were concerned our sport’s officials were determined in this all powerful club method.
More Problems
The “Problems” however don’t go away. Secondary Licensing is the one hot chestnut that causes a host of problems because of implementation and interpretation of the rules as they are at present. SL if used properly can be a boost for riders from the lower clubs to get the chance to race in the Premier League and PL riders in return can offer their services to struggling clubs in the regional/local leagues or race for other clubs in other areas of the country as long as they are not in the same competitions as their own host club. It can also be of benefit to those individuals who because of work, college, relationship or family reasons find themselves based either temporally or on a weekly / weekend changing pattern at different parts of the country to race wherever there is opportunity to do so.
Unfortunately due to the haphazard league set up and the reluctance of certain clubs to either take part in events in their own area or just concentrate on one level of competition either at the top end or the bottom end of the scale that the problems become acute coupled with foreign rider qualification criteria and the usual greed quotient of success dials in and riders are then only acquired to win such and such a trophy and policing of the rules becomes impossible resulting in bad feeling all round. It seems also that the rules governing amounts of transfers and time scales to be adhered to seem to no longer be binding or each region’s requirements differ completely. A bit like the confusion Devolution in the UK is now causing.
However it is the “First Claim Club” rule that is the one that does the most harm to our sport and has been doing so for many years and the management of the major clubs along with the very high profile riders (or those aspiring to be so via their parents) should take a look at themselves and seriously think what harm they are doing to the sport in their continual search for success at any cost.
We always hear, when there are rumours that these top riders are about to sign for such and such a club, that the supposed rider has voiced an opinion to join their club with a spokesperson adamant that he has in no way been coerced by them or any of their present riders and that the superstar in turn has said that he wishes to go there so that he can race at a “higher standard of competition”. I will not go as far as stating that these are lies but they are certainly seldom the truth.
Elite club managers will always strive to get the best players because if they don’t the chances are the rider will sign for a rival set up. Said riders, some who are or have been at the very pinnacle of the sport, usually always revert to an almost child like reasoning why they are taking this route unable to display the intelligence required to realising they are preferring selfish motives especially when they could now legitimately secondary to a Premier side anyway and at the same time weakening the strength of their original clubs who of course they secondary back to for their regional fixtures but can’t then compete in the British Club or Team Championships for them causing friction with their original team mates. If only riders honoured their commitment to their local tracks first before seeking fame elsewhere it would solve a lot of problems.
As an example this season Ipswich gallantly entered all the British Club Championship events including fielding a vets team full of “virgin riding parents” to accumulate valuable points yet were actually denied winning the overall Club Championship at the last event as one of their members who is a “First Claim” (of two) Leicester rider raced for Leicester. Had they both still been full time (first claim) Ipswich riders they would almost certainly still be winners giving their ‘home’ side valuable points and pipping winners Wednesfield whom they had been ahead of for most of the season. Is it really sensible to be travelling a 300 mile round trip for a home match when there is another Premier side five minutes away or Ipswich themselves are well capable of having their own PL side. (Sadly ruled out last week at Commission meeting!)
The Folly of the Superteam
This creation of “Superteams” by either clubs or individuals has blighted the sport for several decades now and seldom ever brings success and when it eventually fails as it always does usually takes the club down with them or leaves it in a perilous position along with the clubs whose riders have been poached in the first place.
The claims of the star riders that they wish to race at a higher standard are pure bollocks as the hardest racing you will ever get is if you compete for the weakest club in the country as every one of your matches will be a “Cup Final” and you will have to ride out of your skin to achieve results. That is why top riders like Hellingly’s Martin Hollebon, Heckmodwike’s Darren Kent and Suffolk’s Gary Brown to name three who have been loyal to their original clubs deserve so much more respect than the “Pot Hunters” who drift from one winning side to another for the flimsiest of reasons.
Norwich in 1998 pre Premier League days and before the rise of Polish CS, assembled a super strong side containing arguably the best three riders in the world (Dave Hemsley, Andre Cross and Jason Pratt) along with other top imported Suffolk riders and duly won every match by massive scores demoralising the rest of the SE teams. However half way through the season the three riders fell out over alleged off piste differences, Norwich’s dream team was over and the only ‘racing of a higher standard’ the three had was for the run off for the European Individual Final at Poole I think, which did produce the goods and what a race it was, needing three re-runs before defending champion Cross eventually triumphed. Ironically in later years all three at different times signed (first claim) for the South Coast giants. It is not only Premier clubs at fault here as there has been certain ‘deals done’ to guarantee regional and Combination league success and the Vets Team championship’s principal team has basically been the same side representing three different areas for the past five years.
My own club East London a decade before also went down this avenue signing top riders from Hawbush and South London, weakening them considerably but at the same time frightening off our three outstanding juniors Jason Dudley, John Beckwith and Dave Collison who left the sport forever almost immediately.
However there are also exceptions to this Cycle Speedway mercenary life as my Australian room mate Dave Murphy may be. He is either the worst example of this “Hire a Rider” scheme or is just wanting to race for every club in Britain starting at Exeter, Newport, Swindon, Horspath, Southampton and the rest and working his way northwards via a couple of years in Poland, an ever present presence down under and no doubt the USA next year. Truth being the latter reason/excuse I hope.
Despite their recent dominance of the BTC by the four previous mentioned clubs through usage of the First Claim rule, they are still primarily at the top due to their expert organisation over the years which would still provide success through their own youth policies but there is even evidence of sudden fluidity of movement from that area with youngsters seeking first team experience elsewhere because they are passed over in favour of these imports either British or foreign equivalent proven riders.
Bloody Foreigners
One of the most articulate contributors to “Viewpoint” is inaugural (but under supported) British GP winner, Leicester’s Lukasz Nowacki, having been granted a chance to outline his views via “spokesman-online” but after almost a decade of residing in the UK, the Cycle Speedway authorities still deny him and many other long stay non GB passport holders, despite working here, paying taxes and the same BC licence fees, the chance to compete in several major competitions either individually or for their clubs because of the ridiculous proposal and subsequent vote (?) at the 1999 AGM banning them, which the ’Commission’ seems reluctant to review stating it is normal policy for British riders only for UK competitions.
Now that Murdoch’s mi££ions are bankrolling Team Sky Bike GB whose squad will be 50% composed of foreigners, many whom I doubt would ever set foot in this land, this unlawful ruling should be overturned immediately and return equality and fairness to these residents of our not so ‘welcoming’ society. We are too small an activity to keep pursuing this apartheid policy.
In 2006/7 I spent many a big event in England watching over the fence, in the company of World Champion Daniel Pudney and also Brad Hoppo, matches they were unable to compete in because of this bigoted ruling. What incentive do the new wave of Australian talent have if they wish to come over to Europe for a year’s racing sabbatical.
With his distrust and dislike of British Cycling I only wished that the previously mentioned flamboyant Coventry promoter had as part of his atonement for proposing that illegal motion back then, grabbed the nettle in 2007 and organised an alternative individual, in direct opposition to the staid and predictable August Bank Holliday British event, containing the previous mentioned Aussie stars, the best of the Polish UK residents and the odd British rebel in his inevitable style of outlandish presentation.I for one would have paid money to spectate at.
Regrettably I feel poor Lukasz in 25 years time will still be watching over the fence whilst the over 50’s Vets Individual’s old men Wheeler and Aris battle for supremacy on the track (Gavin and Lee, heavens forbid surely not Colin and Mick!) instead of being an important ingredient. Ironically those elite clubs who probably voted in favour of this proposal to stop “Johnny Foreigner” diluting the pedigree of these prized British competitions of which one has been previously won by an Australian (Tony Herd 1990 u21 final) and Dutch competitors had competed in the Veteran and Indoor versions, now boast openly how straight forward it is to “Sleazy Jet” in a quartet of Polish riders to secure Premier League victories.
Only the discovery of a non British passport holding Tiger Woods, Tendulkar or Usain Bolt (or Williams sister equivalent) sports icon from ethnic London, Midlands or Northern ghettos who takes to Cycle Speedway dramatically gaining a nationwide appeal only reserved for a dreadful X Factor star these days, can our “boring old farts” be urged to act immediately to prevent the “Sport for All” (remember that slogan!) degenerating further like a Gary Glitter appreciation act.
Collective Madness
The previous illustrated problems are quite solvable unlike the next topic, which is the main reason our sport is in such a mess. Is it because Cycle Speedway racing is a full on confrontational, aggressive contact sport that has resulted in the participants and organisers being unable to co exist in any semblance of order and cooperation over most of the 60 years of our history?
Cycle Speedway is a complete “Box of Frogs”, an unending tragic soap opera of disagreement, changes for the worst, failed initiatives, curtailed activity, personality conflicts, jealous protective policies with absolute distrust of any new ideology and unable to properly police itself. It is akin to a political catastrophe on a par with the Middle East or Ulster conflicts which when stable still smoulder dangerously underneath and no one seems capable of sorting them (us) out. I can’t see any other sport or activity of similar size to us having such problems but no doubt some do.
Although these faults are deep seated in the British set up all the other areas of participation worldwide have similar problems. Why can we not get on and interact amongst ourselves? Every year we are confronted with escalating problems adding to the bad feeling already existing.
Each area of the UK has its share of problems, some more than others. I love racing in East Anglia and sometimes wish I had become domiciled there rather than Kent but CS in that area is a complete can of worms. Each year it appears that the officials/owners/managers set off clockwise in a figure of eight game of musical chairs involving the decreasing 10 clubs while the riders similarly transverse in an anti clockwise directions so one is never sure who rides for whom and who is in charge with additional personality conflicts involving family members, other relations and neighbours taking place mostly in public cementing the Alan Partridge theory of ‘family over-familiarity’ in that part of the UK.
In the North there is a never ending War of the Roses amongst its member teams, the Midland clubs are better organised but riders are traded like real estate commodities whilst Edinburgh has had personality differences similar to the ones back in the Sixties when it was the major player then. The UK nation’s capital is lucky to attract half a dozen riders from eight million residents whilst Hellingly have been going out of business for the past 30 years. The other SW clubs exist well except for the Welsh/Bristol patch which is a real sack of vipers. Three clubs all with new tracks and a surplus of young recruits are at each other’s throats all the time.
Newport with one of the best cycling facilities in probably Europe has lost most of it original members to East Newport, a quaint track unfortunately situated in a “Duelling Banjos” area of the Principality where even my Tom Tom Sat Nav had trouble locating, are involved in a long drawn out Tamil style civil war with their neighbours whilst Filton who should really be able to pick up the pieces lost their best rider to the previous discussed transfer scenario. It will take more than a Kissinger or Mandella statesman to sort this lot out.
Abroad the four Australian clubs have operated in a equally divided existence with their godfather rulers not always seeing eye to eye, Findon and Salisbury the major players staying ahead of the progressive LeFevre centre but all treating the boys from the bush, Murray Bridge with a degree of patronisation.
Poland’s electric rise from their establishment in the early 90s was implemented by Andrez Wlodarczyk’s Rawicz but they have now been overtaken and sidelined by the now stronger other clubs’ organisational direction with similar negative decisions we have seen used in GB.
Holland’s demise was probably more due to the fact the five families connected with the Almere track’s differences than their nations total usage of the pushbike for everyday work and social duties and their reluctance to have to do a cycle sport on their day off is!
Finally with America due to stage the next World Championships and, to be fair, submitting a very good event plan, their two areas of Cycle Speedway do not get on at all according to International organiser Pete Barnes, a real Gettysburg confrontation I believe. I only hope if it goes ahead and is well supported by the other nations that it can be a start to re-harmonising the sport worldwide.
With all this animosity abounding it is difficult to see a happy ending but we must try but taking a backward step away from where we are now would prove fatal.
Back to Basics
If the sport in the UK reverts to such a “privatised situation”, I would certainly not support that movement.Instead it may actually be more practical if British Cycling cast us adrift to our own devices to return the sport to how it evolved, like re-establishing a once blooming prize winning rose garden, now in ruins and violently prune it back to the basics in order to create green shoots of recovery, unfortunately the slogans John Major floundered on, and re-adopt the “Bomb Site” culture Cycle Speedway grew out of. There may be no evidence of the “Blitz” these days but there are plenty of similar areas of deprivation – closed down coal mines, redundant factories, abandoned construction projects, overgrown quarries, set aside farm land, boarded up transport terminals and other suitable sites littering the landscape since our sport’s 1970’s heyday courtesy of “Margaret the Magician” (She made British Industry disappear overnight!) where we could promote a live Cycle Speedway “Unplugged” version, organised on a secretive Talliban / Mafia basis free from the restraints of political correctness, health and safety issues, corrupt local councils, nimbyism, commercial exploitation and the elitist over ambitious club based version it has turned into now and point two fingers to the nanny state we live in at the same time. We had better be quick though as I think the badger baiters, pit bull dog fighters and full no holds barred ultimate bare knuckle boxers may have grabbed the initiative ahead of us.
Instead of underused ‘centres of excellence’, with their cloned similar cotton wool tracks, where our precious bored children are bussed in by expensive SUVs for a decreasing series of acrimonious mainly team event only matches and the facility is immediately locked up afterwards like a White Supremest US Religious Organisation’s church (does that what Go Ride/Club Mark really stand for!) denying any potential recruits, there is an alternative to capture the hordes of kids on bikes outside every chip shop or creating havoc in city centre shopping malls. Hundreds of makeshift tracks of all shapes, surfaces and dimensions could evolve, outlined with traffic cones, old car tyres with the grid start lines marked out in the traditional way by using Ajax or Vim scouring powder (or probably cheaper uncut pure Cocaine these days!) with an old inner tube to start races appearing everywhere and “real team” racing between rival street gangs, ethnic or religious groups either eventually creating peace and harmony through sport or sadly, more likely the opposite. Unfortunately similar ideas were tried by others in the 70’s with no such success.
The urban landscape is now littered with overgrown BMX circuits, unused concrete minimalist skateboard arenas and “Adventure Playgrounds” (H&S nightmares!) of railway sleepers, metal pipes, rope climbs and water traps expertly illustrated in flamboyant graffiti, devoid of all activity amongst the burnt out cars, broken glass and vandalism save examples of modern society’s ills – discarded syringes, used condoms and thrown away savoury food wrappers – a real Sex, Drugs and Sausage Rolls lifestyle!
With an unemployed Youth group (16–24 year olds) now topping 1.5 million, 1 in 5 of that generation, there will soon be a captive market who can no longer afford cars, computers, football season tickets, incessant binge drinking, designer clothes and foreign travel who would be forced to re-discover inexpensive pursuits like cycling in their immediate environs or turn to crime. With incoming Prime Minister Cameron unable to utilise the magic wand that the grinning Tony had in 1997 to end Thatcher’s youth unemployment. Blair’s Education / Education / Education theme quadrupled the amount of Universities by utilising and upgrading Hairdressing Night Schools and Day Release Colleges devoid of Apprentices along with reduced qualification criteria accordingly forcing these unfortunates to follow that route of re-education and then dour Presbyterian Gordon’s brilliant insight to charge them all tuition fees for that pleasure. We now have a bored, lazy, obese, unfit population, top heavy in Media Studies expertise with no jobs to go to save McDonalds, Tanning, Tattoo and Piercing Studios or professional shopping mall charity collectors, their only ambition in a tabloid influenced life is aspiring to become “Sellebritties” like Jordan and Jedwart innit!
Do we really want to wait another 50 years for these “warlords” to eventually re-unite Cycle Speedway locally, regionally, nationally and finally globally or should we just get on with it now and adjust our sport to exist properly within British Cycling by sorting out the actual racing competitions first (Easy – Watch this space!) and the rest should eventually fall into place without the ill feeling and acrimony experienced at present!
With the 2009 season drawing to a close last weekend with the Indoor Championships at Salford it is time to look back on a very long year which still sees our sport embroiled in controversy and an on going identity crisis acted out over the internet via the “spokesman-online” website, fully established, now celebrating its second anniversary.
Despite an increased entry this season, mainly from these keen juniors, from the less than 30 who turned up for the 2008 version, the British Senior Individual Finals, although still producing a good final and deserved champion, is a shadow of the once great competition it used to be when the best 64 riders appeared at the August Bank Holiday meetings after competing in season long regional qualifying rounds and probably is the reason for embarrassingly poor UK performances in the equivalent World and European finals over the last decade. No amount of vivid match presentation of the finals day and similar scenario at the older British Team Cup Final can rectify their declining stature.
One of the most articulate contributors to “Viewpoint” is inaugural (but under supported) British GP winner, Leicester’s Lukasz Nowacki, having been granted a chance to outline his views via “spokesman-online” but after almost a decade of residing in the UK, the Cycle Speedway authorities still deny him and many other long stay non GB passport holders, despite working here, paying taxes and the same BC licence fees, the chance to compete in several major competitions either individually or for their clubs because of the ridiculous proposal and subsequent vote (?) at the 1999 AGM banning them, which the ’Commission’ seems reluctant to review stating it is normal policy for British riders only for UK competitions.