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Forgot to say, hat off to Cookie for donating his winnings to Ricky Ashworth - there aren’t many riders / people generally around who would do that.

And let's not forget what he did for young Dan Bewley too

A great gesture,hats off to him.

I think you're forgetting that he was a run off away from competing in next years GP series. He might have struggled this season but clearly he's close to that level.

Yes, that's probably what will happen now. But if it was regular practice the #8s would have ridden several matches by now and would have come in at reserve with the reserve moving into the team. That would have evened things up and given NL riders experience at the higher level. I remember a time when many #8s could hold their own against lower order riders in league matches but that was when they had second half rides firstly against their peers and occasional rides against better riders if they won their junior scurries. They were used more often in league matches too back then and guess what, there were more riders coming through the system to hold down places in BL teams.

Not as good as he thinks he is? On the contrary, I’d suggest that one of Cook’s main issues is his self belief and confidence. I’d also add that while doubling up exists any British rider should be entitled to do it if they wish. Cook is riding for Glasgow because he wasn’t able to get a regular ride in Poland so it was mutually beneficial for them to offer him a team place.

And Mitchell Davey. Actions speak louder than words and Cookie has shown just exactly what sort of person he is by doing something he didn't have to do to help some of his fellow riders who have suffered serious injury.

As I mentioned briefly in the Wroclaw v Torun, Sunday August 19th. topic, I made a visit to Lodz to see their new speedway stadium whilst I was staying in Wroclaw last month. The match I attended was Lodz v Pila on Friday 17th August. The new stadium is indeed very impressive, and I thoroughly enjoyed my visit. Everything, however, isn’t up and running yet. There was no ticket office or club shop in operation, with ticket sales from a van on the roadside and merchandising from a couple of tables outside the stadium. Admission tickets were 25 zloty (£5.26) and programmes (£1.05). The electronic turnstiles were not in use and entrance was through the exit gates with someone checking and clipping tickets. Not all the toilet blocks were open with those in use being ‘unisex’. The floodlights were not yet commissioned, so hence the unusually early weekday start time of 5:15p.m. The area between the old and new stadiums is still very much like a building site and, for those that know the Belle Vue area; the old and new Lodz stadiums are much much closer than the NSS is to the Greyhound Stadium. Before the match I had an interesting 15 minutes or so talk with Hans Andersen. He wasn’t selected to ride in the Lodz team that day, but was about to do some ‘meet and greet’ with the fans at the merchandise stand. He mentioned that he very much liked racing at the NSS, but hadn’t been able to put four or five consistent rides together. ‘I can win some, but also run lasts’ he said – as if to predict exactly what he would go on to do three days later when he had two wins and a last amongst his rides in the Aces v Leicester match!! Thankfully, the refreshments stands were all open – it was a very hot and sunny day and touching 30 Celsius – and, as I was in the queue, one of the Lodz supporters struck up a conversation with me when he heard me speak and spotted my Aces cap. He was most likely in his late 40s and spoke English more than good enough to hold a conversation, insisting on buying me a beer. Later at the end, he and his friends came over to me outside. They must have spotted me buying a Lodz cap at the merchandise stand, as he presented me with a Lodz scarf and said ‘to go with your new cap’. Before waving goodbye he said they don’t often get foreign visitors – ‘they all want to go to Torun or Gorzow’ he said ‘so we are happy you’ve come to see us’. Speedway fans eh? Fantastic people. As for the match itself, there was some good racing with Lodz beating Pila 53-37. It had been pretty close through the first half of the match, and after heat 6 it was only 19-17. Pila, though, only managed one heat advantage after that, but when they had either Thomas H. Jonasson or Tomasz Gapinski out on track there was some good battles with the Lodz heat leaders. For Lodz, Aces’ Rohan Tungate scored 6+2 from 3 completed rides - he had a tapes exclusion in his other heat - and Poole’s Josh Grajczonek 4+1 from 4 outings. For Pila, Thomas H. Jonasson was in fine form scoring 15+1 from 6 rides whilst Tomasz Gapinski got 11 from 5. The track length in the new stadium is 321 metres and, at the time, Rohan Tungate held the track record at 58.84. I’m not sure, though, if it’s now been bettered as they’ve had a few meetings since as they catch up with their home matches. There was just one sub-60 second winning time in the Pila match, however, and that was 59.94 by Lodz reserve Jakub Miskowiak in the reserves race. He went onto score 11 from 5 rides. It was quite a long day as the coach had left Wroclaw at 10:15a.m. on Friday, getting back at 12:30a.m. going into Saturday morning. It was well worth it, though, and it would be nice to return one day to Lodz to see the fully finished stadium and surrounds.

Exactly, but because this is Poland and Poland can do no wrong, nothing is said. Must admit, this was my first taste of Polish speedway this season, usually I haven't got time to watch anything, but tonight I had a bit of spare time. I watched the first half dozen heats, all processional, massive long gaps of silence in the commentary and when he does speak, he shouts at nothing exciting at all. For all that moan at the Sky / BT coverage, they should get a load of this and be thankful for what they have. i switched off after heat 6, I couldn't take any more of the shouting and the racing was boring me. Give me live action, where I can speak away to friends after races any day. Had this been a British meeting there would have been no end of "another nail in the coffin" comments.

As a complete neutral, I couldn't give a monkey's that Cook is riding in this league and was allowed in the meeting, just want to see the strongest lineups possible in the meetings I choose to attend up and down the country. That's why I have a dilemma about my first planned visit to Somerset this week being against an Iversenless King's Lynn!! The likes of Cook and Riss ultimately persuaded me to make my first visit from Coventry to Owlerton...and I'm glad I did. Good racing, well presented stadium and a decent atmosphere with the big crowd. Hope to visit again and great to see all the club colours on show with no disappointing no shows on the day for once!

Got to laugh at your average British Speedway fan. Cook shouldn't have been allowed to ride in the meeting because having a worse rider in it would have somehow made it a better event apparently?! As phil the ace suggested, that's the best big meeting seen at Sheffield for a good few years and Cook played a major part in that. Cracking evenings entertainment.

Because he’s not against Tero Aarnio, Kevin Doolan and Nico Covatti in the GP’s.

Hoping worky make it...even if my own team don't....would be shocking injustice if they don't take their place in the play offs.

He probably would have if he'd known

Are you often on the look out Blu

What about Todd Wiltshire, David Cheshire and Lee Derbyshire? Steve

If you want discuss Somerset you need to go to the Premiership section. This thread is about teams not named after towns or cities. Anyway, apart from Kent and Somerset I don't think there's many more. Edit:- Bristol today is actually classified as a county, so Bristol Bulldogs would qualify.

Scottish Monarchs were neither city nor county.

No he's not... There is a reason why he can't get an Ekstraliga team ...

Got to be honest, really disappointed that cook won today, he should never have been allowed back into this league never mind this meeting. I'm Craig cook I'm a gran prix rider, I won't be competing in the championship next season was his message at The end of last year. No Craig your not a gran prix rider, in fact your not even riding to a standard of number 1 for bell vue. Why should you drop back down at your Willy nilly just because Glasgow are throwing the bucks about??

Only thing is Trees has the balls(sorry Trees just a saying)to apologize when she has it wrong.Something totally lacking from SS.

First thing i thought on entering the stadium was the track looks in great shape. As you say its no wonder the racing was very good. If all tracks provided good track conditions the riders would produce, then promoters might see an increase on the terraces. Last night underlined how entertaining this sport can be given the right conditions.

Scott Nicholls must be getting close to a 4 home and 4 away average for Ipswich now !!!!

What if the cost was Poole closing? Although I do tend to agree - need 3 or 4 of the better supported Championship sides to join the top league and a 2nd tier at a much reduced limit to enable those with 300 - 500 attending to be more sustainable as well as re-establishing a true differential The longer term aim should be to strengthen the top tier if finances can be developed (league sponsor/TV)

You can't get a decent man under the age of 30 these days, they need their rest, bless em ....