BELLE Vue team boss Ian Thomas spiced up tonight's home match against Reading by blasting their coach and Sky TV pundit Sam Ermolenko.
Thomas has hit back hard at comments made by former Belle Vue rider Ermolenko during commentary on the Swedish Grand Prix, when he was critical of the Aces' track - and of rising star Simon Stead's decision to join the club.
The Fonestyle UK Aces chief studied a tape of the 1993 World champion's views, before saying: "He said Belle Vue is a slick track and that a rider needs no technique to ride it. He said it's just a `rev and go' track.
"He also said that Belle Vue was not the best track for Simon to join when he moved up from the Premier League, and insinuated that he didn't make the move soon enough.
"I've studied the comments and the bottom line is that Ermolenko was talking out of the back of his head. It is a slick track but all I can say about his comments about it not needing technique is that Ermolenko was never too good at Belle Vue, either as a home rider or a visitor.
"His comments about Simon are wrong. He didn't like the place before he came here last season, but he's mastered the track and is a much better all-round rider because of it.
Proud
"His average is better at home than away, and it was last year.
"Simon is very proud of the way he has got to grips with it.
"Also, he has had the opportunity to ride in the same team as the best rider on the planet, Jason Crump, and to learn from him.
"And learn he has! He's the top Englishman in the Elite League averages.
"I believe that anyone is entitled to his opinion and it would be wrong if a commentator only said nice things. But, in this instance, Ermolenko's opinion was wrong."
Thomas, who emphasises that he has no beef with Ermolenko's club Reading, will need his side at their best tonight (7.45pm), against an outfit who went to the top of the table when they beat the Aces by nine points on Monday.
The Aces have slipped to fourth, but they can take a one-point lead if they beat Reading and claim the aggregate bonus point.
Thomas said: "It won't be easy because Reading are a strong side with a good away record. We'll need everyone to be on song.
"It's a crucial time in our battle for a play-off place, because we follow the Reading match with a trip to fifth-placed Swindon on Thursday before meeting Peterborough, who are second, at Kirkmanshulme Lane next Monday."
TOP OF TABLE (matches and points): Reading 15-23, Ipswich 17-23, Peterborough 15-22, Belle Vue 14-21, Swindon 14-18.
BELLE VUE: K Bjerre, J Screen, S Stead, J Wright, J Crump, P Morris, T P Madsen.
READING: G Hancock, T McGowan, A Smith, M Zagar, C Gjedde, S Simota, C Mills.
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i was watching the meeting live on sky when sam made his odd comments regarding the belle vue circuit and simon stead.there is no doubting sams past talents and commitment to speedway but for a guy who had spells at belle vue and spent most of his time on his backside, maybe sam should use his mouth more for talking through and less of his backside.its with interest the timing of ian thomas's response to those comments with his reading bulldogs in town.hopefully simon staed will respond in kind to "was a long time ago sudden sam" with a full house and 3pts in the bag
Hahaha Belle Vue needs no technique to ride Sam? Think you need to pull your head out of your backside.
Hopefully the Aces can get the bonus tonight!
Sam might be talking out of his backside, but then again let's not forget that Sam's backside has had a lot of experience of the Belle Vue track.
When the old has-been rode for us he fell that many times that he spent more time with his backside on the track than he did with it on a bike.