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Reading the forum and the comments re Roberts interview in Speedway Star. I am not giving my opinion on it. However some facts my help you. I have done an approx. costing for a rider doing one UK league. Naturally a rider doubling up, some costs would increase or decrease or not exist. These figures are from my experience for an annual cost to a rider. 2 bikes/engines @ £8000 each = £16000 spread over 2 years = £8000 Spares £4000 (surprising how many spares needed in a season and that’s without a blown engine cost) Other equipment - helmet/goggles/tools £1000 Oils/Lubricants/bike cleaning materials etc. £500 Van hire 8 months £2400 Mechanic £4500 Flights 50% of cost £3000 Airport travel costs £500 Budgeting travel Rain off expenses ( no income ) £1000 Fuel van £800 Engine servicing £3000 Insurance van £800 ( many mechanics under 25 ) Injury Insurance rider £400 Sundry misc. expenses £1000 (always unexpected costs) Total £30900 These are the costs, looking back through them it would be easy to increase some. But this gives a ball park figure. Naturally some costs are off set by sponsors supplying their goods which a rider uses. But it is still a cost and a rider needs equipment sponsors as well as cash sponsors. From this total cost, now you can can calculate how much a rider needs to earn per point or plus get sponsor deals to make it all pay. Certain some of you will argue these figures. That’s your opinion, but as for 5 years I’ve being paying invoices I know these figures are a good ball park figure. I am just giving factual figures - this is not my opinion of what’s right or wrong. I will leave it to you to do your own calculations and come up with what ever view you wish.

So Tungate simply wanted it more then and done what was needed - it was to decide a National Championship after all. The ref obviously didnt see it as unfair and you roll the dice and take the odds

£400 a point ?????? Lol

Isn't the solution to the disparity of wealth not a GB Super League but a Euro League (or in reality the richer teams joining the Polish League) I think the reality is the even the Polish and Swedish "Elite" leagues are not without financial problems and might welcome a new era which I think would represent the first genuine pan European sports league. Probably run/branded by a BSI/One Sport type organisation to administrate on team strength you'd hope it could attract decent media coverage. Eventually developed into a 16 team European league with the bulk of teams from Poland, Sweden and the UK it could eventually incorporate teams/franchises from other nations (Denmark, Germany, Czech Republic, even Russia) the 30 meeting regular season should provide enough fixtures for GP standard riders with the teams supplemented by those also riding in domestic leagues. Whilst the standard would be a little lower than the current Polish top division it would be an uplift on the current Premiership. Domestically in the UK there'd be a two league structure. One Championship standard (made up of those Premiership teams not in the Euro league and the current Championship teams) featuring those riders who wish to supplement Euro League racing and those riders based in the UK including youngsters from the National League.

Thanks for your information David, I don't doubt your honesty one bit. This more than anything illustrates just how much the sport has become too expensive and unsustainable. A sport where attendances struggle to reach 1500 it is ridiculous economics for a new rider to contemplate in participating. Top riders are expected to earn decent money which would more then cover those costs, but the majority of riders are less prominent and would struggle to make them ends meet. It is little wonder the riders need that amount to compete and also see why the promoters are flogging a dead horse. Many years ago, in conversation with Terry Betts when riding a 2 value Jawa, he said he purchased a new bike every year, keeping last years as a spare. After each meeting it was hosed down and the chain oiled. Additionally, after each month, the chain and tyres were replaced. He commented this would guarantee competitive equipment for the whole season. How things have changed!!! No the races weren't as fast but the enjoyment was just as good... We need new ideas to control those costs. David has just illustrated the outlay is way out of line....

Until Poole's first fixture of course.. You will then be weeping like a little 'un' prior to the meeting as you always do !

If said new non Brit has such a great chance of improving their average that just shows the original assessment has been set too low..... The league doesnt really need new 5 point and sub 5 point riders I would set entry level at min 6

SCB's thin veneer of intelligence is once more stripped away by his rancid and repugnant ageism. It's a familiar argument - "I know a pensioner who's well-off so every one of them must be." It's as intellectually and morally bankrupt as "All these foreigners are taking our jobs". I do wonder if he's got a problem with his parents or other elderly relatives, given the sick bitterness and prejudice he continually shows to the elderly. In another recent thread he came up with what were superficially intelligent comments about the way forward but which were invalidated by his comment "Stop pandering to the old, they'll be dead soon", or words to that effect. I'll leave you to consider for a moment just how repugnant that is. Don't be taken in by someone who is obsessed withe speedway rule book and averages. It doesn't make them intelligent, merely fixated. I had to correct him ages ago when he was spouting this regulation and that to point out that he was completely ignoring the key part of the rule book, the supplementary regulations which are issued during a season and regularly amend those rules., I remember SCB complaining about the car park at a certain track on the basis that it was damaging his very expensive car. Lovely chap. I'd park mine outside ;-) If people were singled out for such abuse on the grounds of race, gender or sexuality they would be rightly condemned by most reasonable people in society and in many cases prosecuted. So why is ageism allowed? Speedway may have an age profile that could do with reducing. The SCB's of this world would achieve that by making the sport hostile to the elderly and forcing them out on the basis that the young and 'cool' (i.e. his own perception of himself) are put off by the sight of geriatrics viciously sitting down because they can't stand up for two hours and callously drinking hot drinks from a flask because they know that the stuff on sale at the track is awful quality and overpriced. Shame on them! It's not the elderly that are the problem, it's the shallow, ignorant outlook of certain people at the other end of the age spectrum. Still, there's one consolation, given the modern trend to despise the old by the time he gets to be in that age group life's going to be pretty appalling for him. Yes I have attacked the poster, and I have not one iota of apology for doing this. I've posted some strong views on here over the years but they have all been based on a deep love of and concern for the sport, and not my ego. I had my brief spell in the spotlight and I can tell you I am much, much happier sitting quietly in the shadows now. When I see SCB's posts I see raw ego. I worked with a few TV technicians like him in the past and you would sometimes get those who developed appalling arrogance through working in the industry. I thought I'd seen the worst.......until now. I remember years back Sittingbourne getting their only away Conference League win at Newport. Almost everyone on the BSF were congratulating the then Crusaders on finally getting a win. One kid wasn't though. He went through every decision made in the match, every pass and incident, desperately trying to prove that the Kent side hadn't deserved their win. Ever since then I've been waiting for SCB to grow up. Seems like I've got a longer to go. Still, I'll probably be dead first, eh? Rob McCaffery - aged 60 and expecting the basic state pension only, if that when I can finally afford to retire. You see, instead of building up a career I spent too much time with speedway. I'm now partially disabled so have to have a seat at a track even if it's a folding one which SCB so despises. After 46 years of course I don't deserve a small concession on the admission in my advancing old age.....It would be nice to be able to enjoy the sport in my final years without having to put up with prejudice from this shallow clown.

Should Speedway ditch the family sport tag and go for the dirty, dangerous, raw sport tag? I think probably so!

Pretty much sums it up. It's how many feel, who have either given up on the sport or who only go because of the company you keep rather than the spectacle you see.

this is the main thing for me so many shout about brits before foriegners there are a few things to considor cost,ability and attitude towards the club there signing for if they only sign because they cant get another club and they arnt fully comitted then they should stay at home and wait for a place somewhere better suited

I think that's exactly what it is.

Maybe once or twice he hasn't looked for his team mate but generally i think he does, Holder never team rides, Darcy used to team ride Holder. All speedway riders are journeymen! Hans will be missed, we may win the league but it won't be because we got rid of Hans.

Webb, how about back in the day when Mr Kings Lynn,Terry Betts use to Tell Maurice/Cyril he wouldn't be back the following season just to squeeze a few quid extra out of them? All part of the game, or not very professional ?

So expecting imminent news any time in the next 5 years

I would say your final rider will be kk probably Matt Ford causing the delay imo

Many a time I have paid £32 on the gate at a BSB event and have never felt that I have not had value for money. It is an excellent day out for the cash and I cannot always say that about speedway. Next week I am going to the Arenacross which again is fantastic value at £36. In our group we are taking a mum and her 11 year old who has never been to a motorcycle event. She wanted to show him motorbikes in the action as he quite enjoys the moto gp on tv. I know that taking him there he will have a great night as it is non stop entertainment for 3 hours. As living near Reading the closest track to me is Swindon and I know if we took them there the chance of her wanting to return is low due to the facilities at the stadium and the journey being a pain. The only speedway that I would take them to is Cardiff.

So sad, what happened to Brandon. I had many an enjoyable meeting there. I remember a brilliant night not so long ago. Swindon put in an amazing win, with Darcy Ward in a class of his own. I never, for one second during that meeting, considered that it might be the last time I visited Brandon or the last time I would see Darcy ride. It turned out to be both. Life, eh?

Yes, but it’s a huge disincentive for NL riders to see the CL dumping young Brits. CL clubs should be proud to show off the talents of Nielsen, Jacobs & Perks, setting examples for NL riders to aspire to, rather than ending their careers. Thankfully Stefan, at least, has got back.

He like all speedway riders is self employed, it is up to him to get the best contract he can subject to his ability, skill and scoring power. If he expects to be able to make a living out of the sport he needs to negotiate a better contract, get out and acquire a lot of sponsorship or ride for other teams. If he cannot demand the income he wants then he needs to improve and do something about it. If anyone in any job expects to earn a living they need to be in a position where their skills etc are worth want they want as an income. If they are young and learning they have to accept a lower income to start with.

Let's turn your question around. Why shouldn't Lambert expect to make a living out of speedway? He's expected to make himself available to King's Lynn, turn up fit and health, with machinery prepared and ready to race. Most people expect to make a living from their job, why shouldn't speedway riders?

.....and another award for Matt Ford Fan

Yes, let's lose a quality production, expertly presented by an experienced presenter with a solid speedway pedigree and programmes shown consistently as advertised and matches covered reliably and complete. Let's go for a service that can't be relied on to show matches reliably in a regular time slot and often delays coverage until late at night, often cutting out heats and whose basic presentation leaves a hell of a lot to be desired. It's also a station that rarely actually covers the meetings themselves, relying on taking the World Feed from BSI when they showed the Grand Prixs and simply took a feed from CMore when they showed Swedish speedway. The only speedway they've covered themselves has been the OneSport SEC and Pairs events. Yes, let's go from quality to third-rate and unreliable.....

Women drivers..... Honestly, they need to get off the road and stay indoors...

Three things wrong with that. Wembley didn't want to stage World Finals after 1981 so wasn't an option. And, two, speedway isn't darts and even then other countries, notably Denmark, Poland and Sweden, had as much right to stage a World Final as Britain. And, of course, the decision had nothing to do with the promoters of the time. Britain's representation at the FIM was via the ACU and the next layer down was the Speedway Control Board.