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Newcastle fans have got their Xmas wishes ... a team to support in the 2020 season. many other fans out there that can only dream of being in their position .. Workington. Coventry, Oxford, Rye House , Lakeside, Reading, Bradford Good luck to the Diamonds for 2020. Can't afford another team lost to the History books.

Now that the full team has been revealed, personally I would just like to go on record and say a massive thank you to every single member of the new promotion team, and Rob the new owner, for getting this show on the road for 2020. The future of Newcastle speedway was clearly in doubt just a matter of several weeks ago, and your combined efforts have made sure that Sunday evenings will continue at Brough well into the forseeable future we hope. The team already has its detractors and some who would detract from the drama of last night's Christmas party, but I'm sure the genuine supporters will come along and support this team even if we have to hold our breath in heats 13 and 15. I think we could well surprise one or two!

Indeed, entirely new levels of pettiness. Best filed under ‘who gives a toss’.

If you look at the styles of both riders in some of their clips they can certainly ride big tracks. In most of their rides they are last, but only just and the opposition are usually world class and sometimes GP quality. The Czech rides the big tracks very tight which is a good sign, and George Stancl, who I believe will be in the pits with his fellow countryman, has said he can ride tight tracks very well. OIven where they are now, and who they regularly ride with, I don't see them being on 5 very long. Same goes for James W, who still rides grass tracks very well, and once he gets back to regular riding will not be at reserve for very long. That would be good news, but it would also use Rider of the Year Max to go down to reserve again and that will makes us about the strongest team in depth, with heats 13 ad 15 being our only weakness. It's great, and our history to bring on foreign riders bring them on for eventually to the world stage. As Fromafar has said above, we could've been stuck with riders getting on season after season, but it's more exciting that you know you are developing riders and watch them grow as riders. We already have that success with the Gems team, so why not for the DIamonds as well again. Breeding 4 World Champions has been very satisfying in the past, so let's see what we can do with our two latest riders. Great night tonight, the PTE was packed out with several new fans amongst us, along with a nearly sober team manager and owner who also supplied the buffet on offer. Things are looking good, and there is currently a great anticipation with the return of the DIamonds and everything that is happening at the moment. I thing most people would just like the season to start now. How things change Eh.

Better signings with the future in mind,than journeymen who have been around for years just going through the motions, you can bet these guys will give it 100%.Worth the gamble IMO.

It seems some Promotions are starting to do some 'out of the box' thinking.. Maybe some actually do come on here after all and we should charge a consultation fee? The next stage for me is a loyalty ticket for those who attend 'now and again'.. Say attend five matches and you get the sixth half price? Five more and you get the next free? Something tangible that you feel rewards you.. "Keep 'em coming regularly" has to be the output of any promotional venture... And when you have punters attending events through habit you are a long way down the road of being successful.. My team have, I would suggest, circa 3000 fans who attend over a season with various degrees of attendance levels, ranging from the die hards to the Easter Bank Holiday one offs, resulting in a huge disparate number from their best attendance to their worst.. Enticing those who attend once or twice to attend five or six times, and those who attend five or six times to attend ten or eleven is the key to overall success.. And easier to get them to do that I would suggest than get 'newbies' to become regulars..

So we save a whopping £1 on last years prices for second division speedway? Terrible. A more realistic price would be £14.

No chance. The days of me slinging my leg over a bike are long gone

Might be FFS Banditos after some away matches

That really isn't true though is it? All the promising 15-year-old riders this year got places... Thompson, Thompson, Palin, Ablitt, Mulford, Wirtzfeld, McGurk. The only real promising 15-year-old for 2020 - Sam Hagon - has already got a team place. So who are all these other "young riders waiting to get in"? And who are all the "long-term career" riders blocking NDL places? Ben Wilson is now retired and I'd agree Rob Ledwith should never have been allowed in on 3.50. Shelby Rutherford is the only old-timer I'd say is blocking an NDL place without a hope of ever progressing to CL standard (and he won't be in 2020 NDL). The NDL isn't the problem. The NDL should not be being weakened like it is. The NDL is churning out good young kids of a decent standard. The Championship is the problem. Those reaching the top in the NDL should have a natural career progression into the Championship, but they're getting stuffed. The Championship should not be allowing Premiership heat-leaders to double down. The Championship needs to be brought down to a proper second division level. The top NDL riders should be able to move up to Championship knowing they can hold down a place. They shouldn't be coming up against Craig Cook, Danny King, Chris Harris and co. The gap between Championship and Premiership is too close. That gap needs widening by weakening the Championship. The gap between Championship and NDL is too wide. This needs closing, again by weakening the Championship. We do not need to weaken the NDL. That only widens the gap again. Getting the Championship down to its correct level will allow the natural progression from the NDL. Second half competitions like the MDSL can then feed the NDL.

Redcar nearly bottom? Are you mad?

How fickle some fans are,Dam if you do and dam if you do not.Also do not forget injuries play a part in most teams season.Well done the promotion and hopefully a good season and a mid table position would be a good start for future years.

Enjoy the racing and be grateful you have a team, wish we had. The guys come in, support the club. Should have quoted Bellers101.

Ooooohhhh, the anticipation

Zoom in on the iPad - it's his internet banking saying payment cancelled

Eastbourne 1st - 3rd Great top two, if Brennan can score like last year, will be a very potent team! Not the strongest at reserve but have plenty of potential there! Glasgow 2nd Best rider in the league, good reserve in Jensen, Bailey has plenty of promise but there's also plenty of question marks in the top 5! Edinburgh 1st - 6th Very strong top two, reserves look very decent, if newcomers perform could challenge for the title, if not scrape into top 6! Poole 3rd / 4th Hard to judge as have two places to fill, but have strongest 3rd heat leader in league! Scunthorpe 4th / 5th Weakest number one in the league, but have a great reserve in Lambert & the most promising 2.00 rider! Leicester 5th / 6th Strongest second strings in the league, but alongside Redcar have the weakest reserves! Somerset 7th / 8th Good top 2, exciting riders behind them, but pretty weak in the bottom three! Kent 7th - 9th Middle of the road side, Gilkes is very promising! Birmingham 8th / 9th A good number one & probably the strongest reserve in the league! Berwick 10th / 11th Very solid, potential in their reserves but weak at the top, home advantage should help! Redcar 10th / 11th Strongest top 2/3 in the league, but also weakest reserves in the league! Newcastle 12th Strong reserves but very weak everywhere else!

Evening All, I don't have as much to say about the team as some (good afternoon, @TotallyHonestJohn ;-)) but I will say that I'm sure the boys will do us proud in 2020. I'm also sure that the Club is in very good hands. Have a cracking Christmas, everyone...we'll be at the tapes in March before we know it!

Wow a can feel the burn... Ow Ow Ow... break out the Germolene E45 and Sudocrem... is that the best you have got... Oh and if I can put you straight I have never bought any rides? (Illiterate numpty) friendship as this is how it has worked in the past Newcastle want to sign a rider (and Workington for that matter) Darryl Illingworth Allan Headly and Steve Whitehead all came to me and said we are trying to sign X; Y; or Z; and they will only sign if we can come up with extra sponsorship would you be prepared to help by stumping up XXX pounds to sweeten the deal and I have never refused and to be fair to the three mentioned they were always genuine and courteous and kept me in the loop and told me what they were trying to achieve... Now the current Balloon who built this team used to hand my name and number to riders and say go to this bloke he will sponsor you "but don''t tell him who you got his number from" now that is taking the urine big style... However anyone sent to me for sponsorship who has ridden for one of the clubs I follow(ed) got something and even down to injured riders who got help whilst they were out. In fact when I won the money draw at Newcastle once I gave that to an injured rider.. by the way all of the riders grassed up the provider of the name and number... Every one... Why do I do it... well here is the rub; its not to ingratiate myself with any rider and certainly not to benefit my business as I have never had one lead come from sponsoring any club or rider... its because I want Newcastle to do well and whether that is in Speedway Football Rugby Ice Hockey Basket Ball Table Tennis or Bar Billiards as a Geordie and son a of Newcastle I want my home town club(s) to do well in everything they do... If giving a rider a few hundred quid to get an engine tuned or buy a new crash helmet or support their travel in and out of the country and it makes them a happier and more contented rider which has the knock on effect that they ride that little bit better for my club then so be it... Honestly you have no idea... just another one of Mr Speedways gay little incubuses Regards THJ

Lets get a few facts straight... Birmingham is run by a Labour council, whose decision it was to demolish the flyover in Perry Barr. The driving force were Councillors from wards far away from Perry Barr, who paid no regard to the Liberal Councillors of Perry Barr or to the people of Perry Barr, nor to the objections of Walsall or Sandwell Councils. Such is democracy in a Socialist controlled City. Andy Street is a Tory Mayor of the WEST MIDLANDS, i.e. NOT Birmingham, He has no jurisdiction over Birmingham as was shown by the fact that his opposition to the demolition of the flyover counted for nothing. Labour policy is one of "the motorist is the enemy" and people need to be coerced into using more public transport in order to save the world, or at least to improve the air quality in the inner city where most Labour voters live. As has been said, it's going to be 25 months of hell in Perry Barr, the price that has to be paid for a better future.

I think he's a good signing on 7.58. Will at the worst hold his average imho.

With all due respect to Doolan he is well past his best and isn’t even riding Championship speedway this year, not sure he is the way forward for anybody in the Premiership. Ayres is a very good gater and should do a decent job at the Foxhole.

Don’t believe it was suggested it did have any relevance in the uk... so what’s your point? Although, Jack Holder will be a Sheffield rider next season, so it is of relevance to Sheffield supporters... and as most of us live in the UK, it does have some relevance here...

So someone in a dying sport gets an award and you have a sap like Richard Weston making stupid comments . This is everything that is wrong with speedway and more importantly, its fans. Well done Dave!

League speedway produces at least fifteen moments of excitement in the starts and maybe another six on track. Most football matches provide fewer.

How about maybe just being pleased that someone involved in your sport has been recognised by the wider motorsport world?