Leaderboard

So despite all the other trivial stuff going on , like title play offs etc , the most coveted prize in British speedway can come to its exciting climax . Yes since the sad demise of the Spring Trophy , this has become the pinacle of our great sport . Once again Glasgow and Edinburgh have been awarded byes into the final , since the Paisley Lions and Motherwell Eagles were unable to fulfill their fixtures , and the brave boys from the West hold a ten point lead from the first leg back when the daffodils were in bloom . It was muted that since both clubs are without their injured number sevens , to negate Edinburgh's home track advantage , the Monarchs would use a NL guest and we would use Greg Hancock or Tai Woffinden , but apparently they have some other nonsense going on at the weekend . So despite Edinburgh being a crestfallen and dejected outfit , having blown a 347 point lead in last week's KO Cup semi final , they still go into this as favourites . But the plucky underdogs from God's city will battle to protect their 10 point lead , bring it on .

You lost Brady because of his own reckless riding which also took out Jack and was the match winner for you. Poole won by 2 points over 30 heats, almost half of them against 4 Rebels & a useless guest.

Whatever the truth behind Summers absence, the Rebels and their guest need to get their stories in sync. Team Manager in interview said he only found out on the morning of the meeting whereas Howarth when interviewed said he and his girlfriend had loaded up the van the previous day!!

You come across as an obnoxious bitter nob, away and spill your bile somewhere else

It's time for as new name on the Trophy...........come on Stars.....the peoples champions.

Sorry Dot "like the Murphy's. I'm not bitter." More your Newcastle Brown Ale Man me!!! Regards THJ

It wasn’t brilliant other than the last lap of the last race, pretty ordinary all night up to then.

Manse Honestly Like the "Evil Dead" you have opened the book now Its getting close to "all Hallows Eve" and you are stirring up a hornets nest with these ladies my friend Take care and tread careful or before you know it one of them will have your "Liggy Bag" off and using it as a coin purse!!! Regards THJ

What a load of tripe Honestly the lovable Glasgow Twisters unbelievable. Also Workington were prepared to travel without Klindt so once again your statement of fact is incorrect They did get humped at Armadale but repaid the compliment the following night in Spades at Derwent Park Funny thing Karma Finally Glasgow couldn't do the 5th of October for some reason then low and behold some Mickey Mouse Scottish Cup turns up and Workington get left with a blank weekend, when was this monumental (manufactured) competition slotted into the fixture programme. This competition racks right up their in importance along with the Ian Thomas Shield, the Tyne Tees Trophy or the Tyne Tweed Trophy, its and absolute disgrace and if the BSPA don't step in and tell the Glasgow promotion to get this play off started it will be a travesty. Go to Workington on the 5th after all a Friday is Workington's second race night Regards THJ

Wow what a merting had everything swung 1 way then the other rider injuries loads off rr rides irr rides,plenty of cracking racing,and Chris Harris you beauty what a last lap of speedway awesome pass never seen a meeting like it,get in there pirates forever!! ☠☠

Yes good luck next week, you have managed to miss the point of the whole post. For what it is worth it would mean nothing to me if we had won the playoffs, because I know we have not been the best team over the season, can you not see that. Do I think we were beaten by a better team over two legs, no is the honest answer because you didn’t ride against a full team. However you can only race against who is up against you. You say my post is full of ifs and buts yet you say Brady “probably “ would have scored more points than Jack, ok , how do you know ? Remember Jack was past Brady in heat 4 and it was Brady’s error that bought them both down. Hasn’t Brady’s form been a bit off lately whilst Jack has been scoring well in Poland. As you say ifs and buts on both sides, but it remains that whatever happens next week we were the second best team and you were the third this season. I enjoy my Speedway like we all do and I will watch next week hoping for a KL win , nothing st all to do with yesterday’s result but all about the correct team being crowned Champions.

In all sports you need a slice of luck, and Poole had loads and the Rebels had none. Just about everything that could go wrong in the lead up to the match , and in the match itself happened to Somerset. To get so close to winning was a minor miracle. Jake and Nico were fantastic and only faltered when they were on a run of consecutive races. Jack’s loss was the final straw , it’s all ifs and buts etc, however with our reserves on fire and Doyle doin the biz I reckon the Rebs would have comfortably got over the line, with a full team. I’m a well known hater of the play offs and this is the reason why, a great season of work for Somerset goes up in flames over one match basically. Poole who finished 4th will now either be Champs or Runners up , joke. It’s not sour grapes Poole fans I really hope Kings Lynn take the title, they are the best team over the season and it will be a travesty if Poole win. I hope Lynn don’t encounter the sort of bad luck we endured last night. It all went Pete Tong for Iversen last night but luckily the Stars were already home and dry. Hope the final has good racing and justice is done.

Honestly Dorothy do you kiss your mother with that potty mouth "an obnoxious bitter nob, away and spill your bile somewhere else" Dirty Girl First off don't come over as "Little Miss Innocent" please!!! Furthermore do you not spell Knob with a K up there in Jock-a-nory land. As the nob as you have written above is described in the English dictionary as "a person of wealth or high social position" which I'm sure this is not the context you will be referring to in my case. So if you are going to be derisory please use the correct word, unless you know me and you are aware that I am "a person of wealth and high social position" then thank you very much I accept that compliment with great humility Now we have read your posts over the last 4 years and whilst your patriotism to your club can be commended you do come across as pretty obnoxious your good self but I will let others be the judge of that, especially Monarchs fans, if they ever do a female version of Shallow Hal you will be a shoe-in for the role love honest. You even had a go commenting on the updates website on Friday night cheering on James Sarjeant hoping he'd "sock it to the comets fans booing him" Lovely Lass, I bet when you fart you blame the dog. So handing out back handed compliments is really quite disingenuous isn't it, where you state "I did congratulate the comets on their achievement and have congratulated the enemy ( monarchs) in the past , credit where credit is due" must have come through gritted teeth and clenched buttocks. So really you need to keep your pathetic comments to yourself if you can't say something constructive or criticise without the dig in the ribs don't cry foul when people respond and especially if they respond in what you consider a negative manner. I know one thing you would never make a battery as I doubt if you have a positive side to your good self Regards THJ

Just a note on Sundays curfew confusion. I think it caught everyone off guard, there was no discussion of a call of from what I heard prior to heat 13, and the abandonment came straight from the referee as soon as the heat was completed. From what I saw they were ready to send heat 14 in the pits until it was announced. And from what I understand it was at the request of the stadium to call the meeting at that point. I'm not certain Lakeside were even aware. At the end of the day there was nothing left to race for and I know for a fact that riders were beginning to struggle with machinery and in particular 1 panther rider who was struggling with tires. For the sake of not risking unnecessary injuries or machine damage ahead of the second leg the day after and for the sake of keeping the residents happy I have no problem with the decision whatsoever. And in regards to Ben and Alfie being replaced, as already mentioned the NLRC took priority and they had to attend, it was completely unrealistic from the start to expect them to complete that and get to P'boro in time, let alone being fit and fully prepared. The decision to replace them should have been done well in advance. Can't stand these accusations of it being tactical, if anything its a credit to Lakeside for wanting to run with their own team if they could.

Just thinking - it might be the only trophy either team will win this year! Making it ever so important for the next six months of bragging rights!

Maybe he’s just envious and playing the victim eh wee dot!!! Who what who said that??!!

One bad meeting and he is history.....we like our riders to have plenty of bad ones, mason will never fit in.

Doesn't change the fact that if any team is using r/r you should be made to have a no8 at the meeting, otherwise you could be screwed.

No you really didn't did you After all those snide comments PMSL Regards THJ

Stock car friendly dirt which is totally unsuitable for bikes. Stock cars are the cash cow at the stadium so don’t see it changing any time soon unfortunately. A track can look a million dollars but if home riders can only pass when an away rider makes a mistake it’s not good. Needs to be much slicker next year, the track is a great shape for racing but the surface prevents it.

Ah speedway and the truth. Interesting concept

Have to say i am 100% against any level of ageism within sport. If you are good enough you are in whether that be young or old. Setting limits like that in any other walk of life is purely not tolerated and would not be something i would support in Speedway. Personally i would like to see a reduction for British riders at the end of the season so that they remain the most viable option to sign. Something between 10-20% reduction in averages keeping British prospect and established riders within team places and making overseas riders have to really prove their value.

Somerset were clearly stronger riding with 5 riders as it galvanised them. Poole did well to overcome this unfair advantage.

Probably the most stupid thing I’ve ever read. You don’t like him fair enough but to say his injuries are self inflicted is idiotic. By that reasoning all speedway injuries and deaths are self inflicted, because everybody bullies be it first bend or any other part of the track, it’s called racing. it’s desire to win that’s why he is a world champion.

Fair play to P'Boro for getting the meeting through and for considering the second half riders who wee probably sat around fearing the worst, sadly most clubs don't give a hoot about them despite what is left of the future of the sport being amongst them.

The accident caused by Kurtz on Holder was the defining moment of this 2nd leg . When you go into a meeting already using RR , you cannot afford another rider to go missing. especially ne who would have taken an extra ride through that RR. Losing Holder was far greater lost for Somerset than Kurtz was for Poole. To be honest they struggled to beat a one man team. Fair dues to Bomber for a brilliant heat 15 win, but fortunes shone on Poole...

Bonkers!

like or loathe Chris Harris but he has giving us some of the most memorable moments in speedway in recent years ..tonight was another

If I remember correctly, the window was smashed when the driver misjudged the bridge turning into the stadium. I know the driver of another bus had to move during the meeting after threats were made to smash the windows.

Jesus Christ Dorothy , you make me look like an Angel

Are you Delia Smith??

Poole didn't finish 4th though they were 3rd having been bottom back in July - but of course its all down to luck.!!! Nothing to do with changing the line-up and hitting form at the right time?! Didn't Somerset also make mid-season changes to their 1-7? It just worked better for the Pirates. As many have said previously, you win nothing in May to August!!

How can you get a paid win in an individual event ?

Says the man who was throwing the towel in after heat 3. You just can’t help yourself and trying to wind people up!

You’ve managed to make Somerset not having a number 8 more of a factor than Holder being taken out of the meeting!

Not wanting to be a cynic or anything!!! But whats the chances of a "Rain Off" up at Ashfield on the Friday (12th), or a malfunction with the watering equipment that unfortunately soaks the track and the meeting is called off. Maybe an underground pipe burst they have not been unheard of in the past have they? There may be trouble ahead eh! how poignant? There may be trouble ahead But while there's music and moonlight and love and romance Let's face the music and dance Before the fiddlers have fled Before they ask us to pay the bill and while we still have the chance Let's face the music and dance Soon we'll be without the moon, humming a different tune and then There may be teardrops to shed So while there's moonlight and music and love and romance Let's face the music and dance Fiddlers eh!!! Double connotations there eh! Be interesting Regards THJ

It is still a major error to not have a number 8. They could have been used twice in any of the middle heats, and made no difference to the scoreline. But Covatti or Allen could have been used in a 13 and to replace Howarth. Somerset made a howler by not having cover.

You thought the Poole meeting had brilliant racing? Must have watched a different meeting to me then. Processional racing apart from heat 15

He certainly didn't at Lynn

I take nothing away from Kings Lynn, they were the better team and the win was well deserved but last night was basically about gating. The fact that Garcia and Berge won races with ease when making good starts but floundered at the back when they didn't tells the story. I expected the track to be grippy to give the home side an advantage, I understand why it's done but the poor racing was the inevitable consequence. If that's what some promoters think is the best way to showcase the sport on its biggest occasions then they can hardly complain about the continuing decline in crowd numbers. It will benefit King's Lynn in the short term by being in the final but not in the long term. Only the die hards will turn up week after week to watch gate and go races. Make it slicker, the racing will improve and home riders will quickly develop a home advantage as they learn the racing lines. Unfortunately, the racing at Poole wasn't much better last night. It was a much more entertaining meeting because of the closeness of the overall scores and the tremendous ride by Chris Harris in heat 15 and the gaps between riders wasn't as great as it was at King's Lynn but just like King's Lynn, nearly all of the races were determined by the back straight.

Honestly No really.... HONESTLY!!!! Jesus I can't honestly believe what I am reading at times, after relentlessly slagging off the Monarchs for the last 4 or so years you come up with this, (oh no hang on you only believe in light hearted banter, that's right, every one else is bitter and twisted, honestly) the only club that thinks others should jump to their demands are Glasgow, closely followed by two others (who shall remain nameless) one very sad lady with very red and white spectacles. Hang on stop the bus "Bitter Drive" my stop Finally I "Can't believe" you are saying this either but then again I can't believe its not butter, or can I Regards THJ

Sorry I totally disagree. Not trying to be controversial and I understand you defending your track but it’s bloody awful. Last night it was quite rough, with riders bouncing about and struggling to turn their bikes for the first few heats. Races were generally well spaced out often with 20 metres between bikes. There is little in the way of racing lines meaning passing is rare unless you are an exceptional talent. Most races seem to be decided down the back straight of lap one. It never used to be like this. I don’t think it has anything to do with bikes, more to do with the track prep. Far too grippy? Grippy tracks produce crap racing. Fast times but well spaced out. Make the track slick and watch the racing improve.

the most obvious one which was an accident and I’m not digging him out is when Harris threw his bike clear in Melbourne Grand Prix leaving Doyle no where to go and he suffered an horrific injury. That’s what happens with 4 riders entering a corner and that’s my point no one goes into a race wanting to injure a rider or to get injured. They want to win a race.

I think it boils down to the levels of pain relief administered, has a patient passed out etc. There will always be riders / individuals with different pain thresholds. How often have you seen a rider stretchered off to hear the next day that its just bruising and likewise see someone walk back to the pits and hear later they had multiple broken bones.

Cant disagree with any of this Plus I feel a great deal of the General Public prefer to watch sports on their TV, X-box, Play Station, other hand held device even their mobile phone and if your product isn't on these media streams it gets overlooked. TV gets the sport out into the public domain then the interest to watch it live is generated from that. Pity you couldn't gamble on races to get the bookies interested as that would get the sport out there. Here,s a mad idea three team meetings giving 6 riders per race (like a dog race) 15 heats gambling on each race the bookies could possibly be in on that, fully televised every meeting streamed into betting shops? Unfortunately the investment to widen tracks and set things up would be colossal but it needs some radical thinking to turn things round. Regards THJ

Not quite the same Somerset was a rider down already

Yes, in one way, fans were short-changed - two less heats than expected. On the other hand, a reasonably generous discount for the double header had been applied - entry was £25 against 2 x £17.

Sadly the Bspa plan to liven up the meeting with some controversial refereeing didn't work , no need for any tantrums from Doyle .he tried to lean on somebody as usual and fell off , he didn't need to go down ,and even one of the worst 3 referees in the world could see that

As a London Ambulanceman I can tell you that there is no order on the form of a queue with Preference given to NHS Ambulances. Often with the abuse of Ambulances cut fingers , drunks , headaches etc are just some of the patients that arrive at A&E in the back of an ambulance, and if for example a St Johns vehicle arrived with a patient in a serious condition they would be seen immediately to make them wait just because they were being conveyed in a non NHS vehicle would make zero difference

That might be generally true, but certainly in Kyle Newmans case it was not. In a Newcastle meeting a few years ago, and Kyle riding for the home side, he suffered a serious injury severing his femeral artery and nerve and was plainly bleeding to death. Our St Johns ambulance was dispatched with my daughter Doctor, and another of our Doctors, applying a turnaque whilst a third Doctor rang ahead and all the safety measures and equipment were on standby awaiting Kyles immediate arrival when he was whisked in and operated on. This series of events and happenings and urgency that the hospital gave to his case saved his life.