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NOT saying whether I agree or disagree with Rob's comments and am certainly not generally a fan of decisions made by the BSPA, but ... without people like Rob, funding speedway tracks that for the most part are not even profitable, there would be no speedway. And with regards to Scunthorpe... he created one of the best tracks in the country and if racing was good elsewhere the sport might not have some of the problems it does today. Just saying ...

Bournemouth echo??

I'll have to read the piece in full later today before commenting but his throwaway line (used as a pull quote) along the lines of today's racing being much better than it was in the 60s, 70s & 80s certainly raised an eyebrow here. He obviously never saw PC - to name just one - in his prime.

I agree. But the SS should be more objective and seriously question Godfrey on what he was saying. For what it’s worth my opinion is the sooner Godfrey and his mate Chapman get out of speedway the better. The sport will not improve under their pathetic ‘leadership’, they have presided over the worse period for sport in decades and are running the sport into the ground. I’ve been to Scunthorpe to watch the Tigers on many occasions and can not get over what dump the ‘stadium’ and ‘track’ are a disgrace to speedway. Most fans I speak and listen to say Godfrey is self serving and full of his own importance. I can not understand why the other promoters put up with them. For the good and future of speedway they should be booted out and quick. We’ve had enough.

Dead easy to cut down the number of guests. Each team to have a NL (2.00) no. 8. Guest for your number 1 only. R/R for nos. 2 to 5. If both teams are using R/R then your highest reserve is promoted into the team and your no. 8 takes his reserve spot.

Hopefully the majority of fans who go to support their team, don't visit this forum. All this negativity is no good for our sport. The simple answer is. Back Speedway or lose it.

Neither Godfrey nor Chapman have the necessary "people" skills ( other than to collect "yes" men and women ). Neither of them is prepared to listen to views other than each other's and both see feedback from fans as an irritant. Cleary they are NOT "right" as both believe themselves to be. If they were, speedway would be capable of attracting - however slowly - a new generation of fans, There was little mention of marketing or promoting the sport and it does not seem important enough to either of them. They are woefully bereft of positive ideas of where to go next or how to achieve growth. Masses of words but little of value and very little decisive analysis of the real problems of UK speedway at present. The only part of this overlong outpouring I could agree with is that the future of sport here, is as a semi-pro - one big league and that is something that many fans have seen as inevitable for quite a while ( as long as Chapman and Godfrey have been at the helm! ), The silence of the Chairman is deafening. he failed to respond to the SS "crisis" issue, pre the last AGM and has said almost nothing else since.

If i run out of bog paper, i might find a need for his article.

totally agree its ridiculous that we haven't announced it yet! shambles from the management team if i'm being honest

I make it 22 weeks from the start of November until the first week in April before the first meeting of the 2019 season. That's plenty of time to get at least 30 decent news stories into the local media. I'm no comms expert but came up with this in 15 minutes, took me longer to type it out than think of it. If this was my job, it should be even easier. Now I'm sure some of this has been done but to be honest, the whole build up to this season has been so non-existent, speedway has hardly featured in my thoughts (and that off the back of a decent season). Might be off on some dates/timings but this is back of the fag packet stuff on a dull afternoon at work Not all of this is for the media but for things such as social media, keeping fans engaged and wanting more. Week 1: Determined to build on disappointment of last season, defiant message, we'll be back blah blah Week 2: Build up to the conference Week 3: Conference news, team manager thoughts, confirm pricing, season tickets etc. Ex-Young Stars and our assets getting rides in the Championship Week 4: Many team building options, looking at different riders blah blah. Hope to have signing news soon Week 5: Announce rider 1, thank Tru7 group for their sponsorship. Looking for new team sponsors/appeal to businesses to get involved etc etc Week 6: Announce rider 2 Week 7: Just before Xmas, push season tickets, merchandise etc as last minute gifts. Christmas present for fans with announcing rider 3 Week 8/9: Christmas period so lots of other stuff, taking people's attention. Do short sharp stuff. 12 days of Xmas (great old riders, race highlights, famous meetings, build up to announcing rider 4) Week 10: Announce rider 4, Week 11: Update from either rider 1, 2 or 3 on pre-season prep. Built up about training camps, equipment builds, hopes for the season. Ex-Young Star Josh Bailey being in Australia (future Star etc) Week 12: Announce rider 5. Have video footage from training camp (showing one or all of the 5 announced riders rather than p*****g most fans off by saying the team was there but we won't tell you who it is yet) Week 13: Update from rider 1, 2, 3 or 4 (not same one from Week 11) with the same kind of pre-season update. Week 14 (this week): Announce new team sponsor giving them full coverage for that week Week 15: Announce riders 6+7 (maybe reserve duo). All team announced and done now. Details of a fans forum/meet the team night before start of the season Week 16: Training camp update showing all the riders present Week 17: Team manager thoughts on pre-season prep. Got the team I really wanted, looking at team riding order, partners blah blah Week 18: New team logo with new sponsor, hint at racesuit design (if having them) Week 19: Announce team & vice captain/team bonding session update Week 20: Final pre-season round up, start to build the local derby meetings. We've been top dogs in East Anglia last few seasons etc etc, want that to continue (all good natured stuff but get people talking) Week 21: Press practice, fans and sponsors meet the team evening and then coverage and sound bites after the event Week 22: Build up to first meeting Tie in things like competitions for maybe a season ticket in conjunction with local media (KLFM, Free Paper, Lynn News) and should get you plenty of coverage. Team announced by mid Feb. Plenty of build up, bit of variety but mainly a speedway story of some sort every week from the end of the season to the start of the next.

Unfortunately the first of this season's State title meetings, the Queensland Championship at Maryborough Speedway had to be cancelled today (Nov.18, 2017) due to the weather. This event was scheduled to be re-staged at Maryborough Speedway on February 3. https://www.frasercoastchronicle.com.au/news/qld-sidecar-titles-cancelled-at-maryborough-speedw/3268904/ Other dates and venues for sidecar speedway championships 2017-18 in Australia are: Victorian Sidecar Championship (Jan.26, 2018) @ Olympic Park Speedway, Mildura Queensland Sidecar Championship (Feb.3, 2018) @ Maryborough Speedway was again cancelled / this event will not be restaged New South Wales Sidecar Championship (Feb. 10, 2018) @ Oakburn Park Speedway, Tamworth Western Australian Sidecar Championship (March 10, 2018) @ Pinjar Park Speedway, Perth South Australian Sidecar Championship (March 24, 2018) @ Gillman Speedway, Adelaide Oceania Sidecar Championship (March 31, 2018) @ Gillman Speedway, Adelaide F.I.M. Sidecar Speedway World Cup (April 1, 2018) @ Gillman Speedway, Adelaide Australian Sidecar Championship (April 13-14, 2018) @ Oakburn Park, Tamworth

I didn't realise how unfortunate Wolverhampton were at the time. I just wanted my team, Belle Vue, to win the match - and in doing so, the title. I'm talking about the 1993 season. Remember, that final showdown between Wolves and Belle Vue that decided the league winners, long before the hyped-up and often manipulated Play-offs. Although I was a keen Aces' fan at the time and got caught up in winning the title, I still felt sorry for the Wolves. But, just going through some mags from the season, I didn't quite realise the extent of Wolves' misfortune. They had been odds on favourites to win the title, all season, having a double-figure points lead much of the time. However, at the same time Belle Vue began registering their first league points on their travels - it was as late as August - Wolves had a terrible dousing of misfortunate sprinkled over them. Within two weeks of late August-early September, they suffered three injuries that would have finished most other teams. Middle-order rider Graham Jones was injured on August 21. That was six points a match gone. Then, 10 days later Charlie Ermolenko picked up arm injuries at Poole that also wrote off his season. Another six points were gone. But worse was to come. Twenty-four hours after the younger Ermolenko was crocked, Ronnie Correy, the number two, broke his back while riding in Sweden for Bysarna. His year was over - indeed, the injury meant he didn't race in 1994 either. That was almost another 10 points a match gone. Wolves should have been on the canvas and counted out. But they battled on. Obviously, the loss of over 20 points from three riders took its toll. Wolves lost five in a row and their title chase hit quicksand. Young Mikael Karlsson, for his first taste of British racing, and veteran Gordon Kennett, out in the cold after starting the year at Exeter, were introduced. Wolves battled on as the Aces clawed back the gap on the Midland side in an interesting end to the season that, in all reality, would have been all but over had the Monmore side remained untouched. Personally, I feel history would have been different and Wolves would have managed to hold on - but in their penultimate fixture, the final, cruellest blow came when Sam Ermolenko was injured and his year was through. It was the first race of Wolves home match with Bradford. Ermolenko, of course, was the best rider in the world and in domestic racing. It was his finest season. They had lost their kingpin, the World Champion, and did well just to hang on for a 56-52 win over the Dukes. Wolves went into the decider with Belle Vue four riders missing from the side that had brought them to within touching distance of their second title in three years. They borrowed Gustafsson from King's Lynn, and his paid 16 from six starts just wasn't enough to claim the draw (they lost by just a point, 53-54 ) which would have won the title for Wolves and denied Aces the dramatic last heat clincher. History would have been changed. Ermolenko, I'd have bet, would have roared to a maximum. He had scored the full 21 at Bradford before his injury. His presence in the team alone would have encouraged lesser men to cajole an extra point or two, maybe. But he was out with a broken thigh. Not only had Wolves lost three integral members of their side - numbers two, for and five, which otherwise they'd have coasted to the league, I believe they would have dragged out a win versus the Aces - and therefore been league kings - with Sam against the Aces. As it was, they won just thrice from their final 10 matches without their full side, and for the first time since 1979, the title had gone down to the wire. As a fan of Belle Vue, I recall the jubilation on the terraces that night. But, at the same time, I also felt like we'd won through an own goal. The annals of history should have been written differently. Luck swings two ways - good and bad. Indeed, it reminds me of the previous Belle Vue title win of '82, again fortuitous after Cradley lost Penhall. Wolves 1993 have to be the most unfortunate team... least in my memory.

I'm all for it,we need to move on,most other motor sports use the same system.How do they know in advance which gate is the best?How do they know how the track is prepared for a GP compared to qualifying? They don't. Also it could lead to practice/qualifying on live tv,as in most other motor sports.Sometimes as exciting to watch as the actual racing. Speedway is stuck in a time warp,most fans are middle age to elders and want things to stay as they are,I myself am 68 but think this is a good idea,we need to move on. I'd love to see transponders used in league meeting too,when non speedway people ask me how do we time races and I say a bloke with a stop watch they cannot believe that in this day and age. Bring it on.

In this article he mentioned if an away team won it was not good news for the promoter of that winning club because of having to pay his riders too much money the same as a big home win. Not sure how but maybe it is time for a different pay structure for riders is introduced,and not paid per point maybe clubs would not loose as much money each year hence not go out of business. Speedway must be one of the only sports that pays solely on performance only, perhaps this is one reason why this great sport is not going forward.

Don't forget the 2 reserves get to practice so it's 6 groups of 3 riders

Same. It’s been such a strange winter with a lot to take in and there’s been a fair few up and down emotions but now the dust has settled and the season is nearly upon us, I’m very much looking forward to it. From an Ipswich perspective, I don’t think we have a great team but that’s not stopping me from looking forward to the season. I’m really interested to see how the Pole takes to Foxhall as he is a rider I’ve not yet seen. Enjoyed the Ipswich/Panthers meetings in the Championship and I’m looking forward to these meetings again in the top flight. Will also be good to see old favourites like Hans Andersen back at Foxhall too.

Amazing !.......Speedballs suggestion sounds great however let me get this right, he is suggesting at week 15 we announce the last two team members, week 15 is as far as I can see is mid to late February, which has not happened yet, with four riders already announced it is likely that by the end of February we will know the full 1 to 7, more or less in line with Speedballs timescale, this is exactly what KL is being continually critisised for, but is now being praised........by the same people !

That's brilliant news, have set plus to record it, thanks for passing on the news, hes a good guy !

It’s obviously been hard road for him but it’s great to see his determination to get on with life the best he can.TopGuy.

Ricky Ashworths progress to be aired on BBC1 Breakfast show next Thursday 14th at 6.40, 7.40 & 8.40

I like the idea. Fair play for trying something new.

As good as Phil was not sure you could compare him to Ivan

1948 to 1955 at Bristol. absolutely potty about speedway then. Being so young obviously made a difference. In the winter I could play a card game called "Skido" where you could move riders around a track. I adapted the rules so that I could play it solo and ran whole meetings over 14 heats using names taken from old programmes.

So... Definite play-off teams Somerset - Best looking team in the league, will be hard to beat IMO Sheffield - Strong again, won't be touched at home and will compete for top-spot Play-off contenders Glasgow - Obviously strong, but look weak-ish at the bottom end Redcar - Love our top three and we will get some points on the road, and Stewart Bacon and Smith are very exciting prospects Leicester - They could be the dark horses for me, look a good team Workington - Always strong at home, and can't be written off - but hard to see a repeat of the title Missing out Eastbourne - If Lawson and Kennett are confirmed, they will be hard to beat at home Edinburgh - Not too impressed, they might struggle early on, but like always with a good promotion they will make changes Scunthorpe - Not a bad team, but not sure strength is there to challenge play-offs - List in top-five is a bit of an ask Bottom dwellers Berwick - Might push higher but still not too strong and don't see how they can challenge the better teams Newcastle - Poor team, unless last signing is Nicki Pederson - although I can see them making early changes which could make big difference Birmingham - Built to a budget, can see it being a bit of a struggle first season back

Last weekend, March 10th, saw the staging of the outstanding State Sidecar Speedway titles in South Australia and Western Australia, (Tasmania and Nthn Territory have not held state title mtgs since 2012.) At Gillman SA, Trent Headland & Darryl Whetstone went through the card unbeaten, New Zealander Andrew Buchanan with Denny Cox in the chair taking 2nd place from Mark Plaisted & Ben Pitt. (Ht points: 15, 14, 13 respectively.) The WA title meeting at Pinjar Park was full of excitement as veteran Brad Willis, with Jesse Thomas as chair-man, had to do it the hard way, - again and again - , much deserved after a 34+ year wait ! After 3 wins from 4 rides Wills lost a coin toss for a place in the Final alongside unbeaten Scott Charsley & Morgan Cornwell, (4 wins from 4 rides; all heats 3-man races), the other 11 pointers Chad Harvey & Jamie Thomson going directly into the Final. Wills, riding with Thomas for the first time, had to take the flag in the 'Last Chance' semi to join them, which he duely did. In the Final the hitherto unbeaten Charsley & Cornwell made a good start from gate 1 and led for 3 laps, with Wills at the back in third place, but creeping up on the leaders. On the final charge down the back straight Harvey blasts underneath Charsley followed by Willis. Out of turn four all three outfits were bunched together, but Harvey gave a little ground heading to the flag, enough for Brad Willis & Jesse Thomas to squeeze by. A great race, - the crowd went wild: Brad Willis, - third in 1983/84, third in 1995/96 - , had finally made it. The Sidecar scene moves next to the International 'biggies', with the FIM Oceania Sidecar Championship on Sat. 31st, and the FIM 1000cc World Cup the following day, Sun. April 1st., both at Gillman, SA. The Australian National sidecar title is raced for at Tamworth, NSW, on April 14th.