It's been a while, so I'm back. Not having Havelock/Horton to whinge about has left me at a loose end so I'll try and dissect Buster Chapman's one man war against the whinging Australians with minimal bias and with a helping of gin and tonic.
If you were to ask pretty much every speedway fan in the UK 2/3 years ago which clubs were the best run and least shambolic I imagine King's Lynn wouldn't have been far off the top of anyone's list. So why has it gone so badly wrong?
Since Buster Chapman became chairman of the BSPA and launched his self proclaimed 'era of transparency', BSPA towers has become further shrouded in mystery rather than more transparent. To be fair, this isn't solely because they are deliberately operating in the shadows, some of the decisions openly made and discussed have been so ridiculous that a Poirot, Morse, Sherlock and Luther collaboration of minds could not come up with how certain decisions have been taken.
This season of transparency alone has seen us begin the season with no clear rules set as to what will happen with averages until a mid-season meeting, despite the logical 20% average conversions/changes taking someone (me) with no more than GCSE maths little more than 2 minutes to come up with. That said, I suppose they can't be accused of hiding the truth from us concerning the rules when they don't know themselves.
The latest 2 huge shambolic events have taken place around our new signings cut off. Ipswich and their 0 changes, and King's Lynn and their 3. I'll talk about Lynn, because I already feel Justin Sedgeman has had enough air time on social media over the last few days. What I will say, quickly, though, is that:
A) If he was riding well enough this season in either league he wouldn't keep being dropped. He's been given 3 chances to do the business and hasn't taken any of them.
B) He's called, jokingly, for a strike. Surely his issue is that he keeps being left out of work and striking won't help, and also if Batchelor and Holder strike, who cares? It's very easy to strike from something they aren't a part of. I, myself, am currently on strike from nights with Cheryl Cole, playing as number 9 for Newcastle and as squadron leader for the red arrows.
Lynn have, seemingly, been falling to bits over the last 2 seasons, beginning with the best prepared race track in the country ™ producing no exciting racing. It's now come to our attention that there isn't even a guarantee that Buster can produce a safe race track, let alone a haven of speedway action. I wasn't at Lynn that night, but I've spoken to enough people who were. The night became a shambles.
Holder refused to ride on it, even after the track work (despite one of his heats following the track work making its way onto the BSPA site), Lambert and Huckenbeck refused to go out which forced the track work, and Batchelor was forced to pull out with an 'injury' - an injury that would have seemed a lot more believable had it not been for his willingness to then go and take additional bookings for Swindon over the next few days.
Holder was, in my opinion, rightly banned. I think 28 days was too much, 14 days seemed fair, but not punishing Holder would have set a dangerous precedent for allowing riders to walk out of meetings. Batchelor made himself untouchable by pulling out of the meeting on medical grounds rather than withdrawing, which is arguably worse IF there was nothing wrong with him (and the evidence certainly points in that direction). Lambert and Huckenbreck served their 2 minute exclusions, but I actually think those were wrong. The referee has essentially agreed with the riders and allowed the track work to take place, and I believe they should have been reinstated in that race. They shouldn't have had to go to those lengths to have the track work agreed.
Onto the changes. Chapman has now sacked Holder and Batchelor in such a way that it means they cannot sign for another club and this is the real debate. It's a Marmite decision, lots of people finding the sackings of our favourite whinging Aussies hilarious and just, and others thinking Chapman has been a colossal tit which there is no excuse for. Which side you fall tends to fall on your opinion of a black and green branded energy drink.
On the one hand, these were riders who have screwed Buster over. There are plenty of fans who have been unwilling to return to Lynn based on the events of that evening, and I can't say I really blame them but I will just say they'll miss it when it's gone, trust me! Buster has got to protect the running of KL speedway and he's taken a stand against the riders who refused to stand by him that night. Yes it's screwed their season, but it's screwed their business.
On the other hand, these are professionals trying to earn a living and they have now been robbed of that opportunity by Chapman as they can no longer sign for anyone else because of the way Buster has done it. Buster is chairman of the BSPA and has a responsibility to look after British Speedway. We already don't have enough riders in the country, which has created the doubling up problem with a ridiculous amount of fixture clashes due to riders in this country now riding in 2 or 3 leagues. Australians have always been loyal to British Speedway and, whatever people might tell you, we do need them. I might make choice jibes at some of them, largely featuring comments such as 'if they don't like it, they could always go and ride in the Australian league. Oh wait...'.
Despite my initial reaction of struggling to contain my laughter on the train when I heard the KL team changes, some of that laughter aimed at the Aussies and some at the fact that KL team is now dreadful, it was a ridiculous thing for Buster to do. Batchelor and Holder don't have champ clubs so we've frozen them out until next season. It's mean and spiteful and clear retaliation. Whilst I'm very much of the opinion we shouldn't be held to ransom by any rider, in taking out 2 of the top Australians, he hasn't acted with his chairman's hat on, and that is poor judgement at best.
On a more general note, we all probably need to stop being a bit more hypocritical. This week has never highlighted it more. I've seen the same people moan that there are too many team changes and then the same people moan when team changes are blocked. I've seen people moan about KK going to reserve think it's a disgrace the place isn't going to a young Brit, but have no problem with Sedgman keeping his place there. I've seen the people who have moaned for years about the leagues being weakened talking about how brilliant it is that Buster has done what he has to Batchelor and Holder.
We all want change, we all know British Speedway is being run into the ground, and not just Team GB, yet we all absolutely hammer Woffinden about what he wants to change about it. Maybe, just maybe, he might be right.
We are all bad with British Speedway. We all know it's shit, but we'll all be damned if we let anyone else tell us it's shit. It's time we stopped laughing about and did something about it or it really will be gone before we know it.
If you were to ask pretty much every speedway fan in the UK 2/3 years ago which clubs were the best run and least shambolic I imagine King's Lynn wouldn't have been far off the top of anyone's list. So why has it gone so badly wrong?
Since Buster Chapman became chairman of the BSPA and launched his self proclaimed 'era of transparency', BSPA towers has become further shrouded in mystery rather than more transparent. To be fair, this isn't solely because they are deliberately operating in the shadows, some of the decisions openly made and discussed have been so ridiculous that a Poirot, Morse, Sherlock and Luther collaboration of minds could not come up with how certain decisions have been taken.
This season of transparency alone has seen us begin the season with no clear rules set as to what will happen with averages until a mid-season meeting, despite the logical 20% average conversions/changes taking someone (me) with no more than GCSE maths little more than 2 minutes to come up with. That said, I suppose they can't be accused of hiding the truth from us concerning the rules when they don't know themselves.
The latest 2 huge shambolic events have taken place around our new signings cut off. Ipswich and their 0 changes, and King's Lynn and their 3. I'll talk about Lynn, because I already feel Justin Sedgeman has had enough air time on social media over the last few days. What I will say, quickly, though, is that:
A) If he was riding well enough this season in either league he wouldn't keep being dropped. He's been given 3 chances to do the business and hasn't taken any of them.
B) He's called, jokingly, for a strike. Surely his issue is that he keeps being left out of work and striking won't help, and also if Batchelor and Holder strike, who cares? It's very easy to strike from something they aren't a part of. I, myself, am currently on strike from nights with Cheryl Cole, playing as number 9 for Newcastle and as squadron leader for the red arrows.
Lynn have, seemingly, been falling to bits over the last 2 seasons, beginning with the best prepared race track in the country ™ producing no exciting racing. It's now come to our attention that there isn't even a guarantee that Buster can produce a safe race track, let alone a haven of speedway action. I wasn't at Lynn that night, but I've spoken to enough people who were. The night became a shambles.
Holder refused to ride on it, even after the track work (despite one of his heats following the track work making its way onto the BSPA site), Lambert and Huckenbeck refused to go out which forced the track work, and Batchelor was forced to pull out with an 'injury' - an injury that would have seemed a lot more believable had it not been for his willingness to then go and take additional bookings for Swindon over the next few days.
Holder was, in my opinion, rightly banned. I think 28 days was too much, 14 days seemed fair, but not punishing Holder would have set a dangerous precedent for allowing riders to walk out of meetings. Batchelor made himself untouchable by pulling out of the meeting on medical grounds rather than withdrawing, which is arguably worse IF there was nothing wrong with him (and the evidence certainly points in that direction). Lambert and Huckenbreck served their 2 minute exclusions, but I actually think those were wrong. The referee has essentially agreed with the riders and allowed the track work to take place, and I believe they should have been reinstated in that race. They shouldn't have had to go to those lengths to have the track work agreed.
Onto the changes. Chapman has now sacked Holder and Batchelor in such a way that it means they cannot sign for another club and this is the real debate. It's a Marmite decision, lots of people finding the sackings of our favourite whinging Aussies hilarious and just, and others thinking Chapman has been a colossal tit which there is no excuse for. Which side you fall tends to fall on your opinion of a black and green branded energy drink.
On the one hand, these were riders who have screwed Buster over. There are plenty of fans who have been unwilling to return to Lynn based on the events of that evening, and I can't say I really blame them but I will just say they'll miss it when it's gone, trust me! Buster has got to protect the running of KL speedway and he's taken a stand against the riders who refused to stand by him that night. Yes it's screwed their season, but it's screwed their business.
On the other hand, these are professionals trying to earn a living and they have now been robbed of that opportunity by Chapman as they can no longer sign for anyone else because of the way Buster has done it. Buster is chairman of the BSPA and has a responsibility to look after British Speedway. We already don't have enough riders in the country, which has created the doubling up problem with a ridiculous amount of fixture clashes due to riders in this country now riding in 2 or 3 leagues. Australians have always been loyal to British Speedway and, whatever people might tell you, we do need them. I might make choice jibes at some of them, largely featuring comments such as 'if they don't like it, they could always go and ride in the Australian league. Oh wait...'.
Despite my initial reaction of struggling to contain my laughter on the train when I heard the KL team changes, some of that laughter aimed at the Aussies and some at the fact that KL team is now dreadful, it was a ridiculous thing for Buster to do. Batchelor and Holder don't have champ clubs so we've frozen them out until next season. It's mean and spiteful and clear retaliation. Whilst I'm very much of the opinion we shouldn't be held to ransom by any rider, in taking out 2 of the top Australians, he hasn't acted with his chairman's hat on, and that is poor judgement at best.
On a more general note, we all probably need to stop being a bit more hypocritical. This week has never highlighted it more. I've seen the same people moan that there are too many team changes and then the same people moan when team changes are blocked. I've seen people moan about KK going to reserve think it's a disgrace the place isn't going to a young Brit, but have no problem with Sedgman keeping his place there. I've seen the people who have moaned for years about the leagues being weakened talking about how brilliant it is that Buster has done what he has to Batchelor and Holder.
We all want change, we all know British Speedway is being run into the ground, and not just Team GB, yet we all absolutely hammer Woffinden about what he wants to change about it. Maybe, just maybe, he might be right.
We are all bad with British Speedway. We all know it's shit, but we'll all be damned if we let anyone else tell us it's shit. It's time we stopped laughing about and did something about it or it really will be gone before we know it.
