Ommer Mon

Really good news. It was a bit difficult to get committed to what we did last year but it was enjoyable to see some very good youngsters develop their careers. Good to have a team of our own again. Hope it works out successfully. Ommer em Cradley

Always gave 100% with a fearless attitude and a spectacular style. As a fan you can't ask for any more than that. Have a great retirement. Its been great watching you down the years.

I'm looking forward to it. Two top class teams for this level and hopefully there will be enough travelling Bog Moggies to create a bit of an atmosphere. Whilst the situation itself is unsatisfactory with our team being 'borrowed' it has at least provided a way to retain the connection between the sport and over a thousand very committed fans. We would all have liked to have done a full season with a team of our own but that wasn't possible and at least this has kept the interest going and provided some valuable additional track time to some of the most talented youngsters in the country. Good luck to them all tonight and here's hoping for a competitive and safe night's racing. Heathens to win by 8. 'Ommer 'Em Cradley (Select)!

It's rare that you can call a speedway rider graceful but that smooth style of his, letting the bike do all the work, was a joy to see, especially at Plough Lane. I recall him winning a race at Cradley in a ridiculously slow time with his bike popping and banging for nearly all four laps but his skill was such that nobody could get past him. RIP Ronnie.

Good news on Danyon and a speedy recovery to Chris.

Terrible crash involving Chris and Danyon. Thank God for air fences! Shanes and Bacon were a class apart last night (and not a Bacon roll in sight!). Great to see the likes of Drew, Jason, Kyle and Leon developing week by week. They all have great futures. I think Monmore is just too tight for Leon at the moment but he'll adjust to that soon enough. There may still be something to ride for at Perry Barr but it will be a patched up team with guests for our guests. The support is clearly still there for a full season. Its a shame that Ladbrokes don't want to play ball on two race nights.

Wonder if we will be treated to more 'Bacon rolls' this evening? Seriously, should be the best match of the season so far with plenty of entertainers on view if they miss the gate. I'm looking forward to seeking Leon Flint for the first time. He sounds like yet another great British prospect. Crikey in five years time we could have more GP riders than Poland (but Greg will probably still be beating them)! It's going to be a great sunny evening so lets hope to see some more queues at the entrance and a good local derby atmosphere. Heathens to win by 8.

Heathens attempting to go back to the top of the NT table with a home win tonight. Were pretty much at full strength tonight so, with all due respect to the Hitmen, it looks like a cricket score could be in the offing. Hope for some good races though and a safe night's racing for all. I'm going for 62-28. Let battle commence!

Oh well. To misquote Eric Morecambe 'I got all the right numbers just not in the right order'. 68 -22 it was. Credit to Buxton who battled away throughout and did their best to make a fight of it. That said the Heathens were excellent from top to bottom. It really is a delight to see the likes of Bickley, Kemp and Edwards. They are excellent prospects. Sterner tests to come and I think the remaining encounters with our old mates Birmingham and Coventry should be really good encounters.

Nice to have some Speedway to watch at last. Jordan Jenkins, Drew Kemp, Jason Edwards and Kyle Bickley were magnificent last night and it does look as though British Speedway has an encouraging future through those lads and others like them. I hope Kyle is Ok after his Heat 15 crash. Thank heavens for air fences. Not the kind of impact you would have wanted at Halifax 30 years ago! Always nice to win but I'm aware of all the controversy around our team this year and the main thing was to provide these lads with additional track time. Credit to Stoke. They battled well with Rob Shuttleworth, Tony Atkin and Danny Ayres putting maximum effort in. A word too for Paul Burnett. I think that's the best I've seen him ride. Looked like a healthy crowd in the sunshine too. Roll on the next one!

Just seen the news and had that terrible feeling in the pit of my stomach when you get bad news on someone close to you. Apart from getting a couple of autographs, I never knew him but he was one of my all time favourite riders and he provided me with so many special memories. Maximum against Cradley for Exeter in the twilight of his career, 17 points at Perry Barr shepherding Bobby Beaton round for a last heat 5-1 for a Hull win, providing bikes for all his team mates in the Cup Final at Cradley, giving the other three riders half a lap start at Monmore after a dispute with the Referee and winning etc etc the list is endless. I don't think we've stopped celebrating Pratty beating him twice in a night at Dudley Wood in 1970. That was the measure of the man a winner and a perfectionist who set the standards for the other greats to follow. RIP to the best rider in the history of our sport.

It's all gone rather quiet apart from a message from Nigel Pearson to say that the Promoters will make every effort to get us back on track for next season. I took it a good news (for us) that there will be no more teams in the Premier League this season so there should be the same number of Mondays available. With Lakeside moving up and Coventry moving in there may be the same number at NL level too. Riding fixtures at Birmingham has been an issue for us, though I have to say the co-operation of the Brummies has been greatly appreciated and actually saved us for last season. Problem is it's not the easiest place to get to mid week, even though it's close and that has had a noticable affect on the crowd levels there. I don't know how accommodating the new Promoters at Perry Barr may be in any case. The uncertainty may mean that if we do run we will be back of the queue for signing riders. I'd like to be more optimistic and I'm sure the Promoters will do their best but the level of uncertainty is a bit uncomfortable. Perhaps the answer could be to run double headers on our nights at Monmore. We've done it on Bank Holidays with the Landlords so it could work. Why are Tuesdays unavailable at Monmore? Any thoughts (hopefully optimistic) out there?

Yep you're right. just trying to put a bit of a brave face on it!

Final piece in the jigsaw (as predicted by many) Bradley Andrews. He'll be starting off in the team and admits he will be looking over his shoulder at the reserves. Most people are making us favourites at least for the group stage but the majority of the team is young and inexperienced so anything can happen. Have to say though it looks a very entertaining septet. Should have some good nights at Monmore Wood. Just not quite so many of them.

As Sings 4 Speedway said I think you need a few good quality riders so that the youngsters can have a standard to aim for. I'm thinking more of some other teams than Stoke here perhaps.

Well done to Stoke on an excellent signing. Cleggy could turn out to be he top NL performer this year. All they need to sort out now is a similar quality track electrician and it could be a good season. Hope they get a few more through the turnstiles on the back of this.

Just seen our fixture list. We knew it was coming but when you see it written down it does look very short. Feeling a bit left out now :-(

I've never particularly seen the benefit in having the girls on the start line but equally I see no reason to get rid of them. What has all this politically correct campaigning achieved? - Quite a few people who no longer have jobs. Well done the PC brigade! I'm quite intrigued by the suggestion to play the bad boy and grab a few easy headlines by keeping them. On the basis that there's no such thing as bad publicity, that could put a few more bums on seats ( oh dear can I still say that - apologies to anyone offended!).

Perfect summary East End Fan. its all about giving track time to the kids at what always has been a very well run and professional club (and I'm not taking a shot at any other team in saying that). It helps them develop and they will undoubtedly learn a lot from Adam. It also allows us to stay in touch on race nights with many folks who we have met down the years. It's this or nothing for us this year and I'm looking forward to it.

Well I'm delighted withthe approach from the promoters. We've got some of the most promising youngster in the sport and I'm really looking forward to seeing them. Don't forget a strong, successful Cradley team = plenty of away support and that must be good news for the Clubs we will be visiting. Sad that we've only got 'half a season' but it's better than the alternative of sitting at home on race nights.

I'm delighted to see that Adam Roynon is going to be involved in the national trophy squad. He is one of the most popular Heathens of the modern era (or any other come to that). It's going to me a bit messy but I do applaud the Promoters for trying to assemble a squad that will actually look like 'our' team even though they will have to be borrowed and there may be 'guest' issues if we make progress.

Its very sad that we will only be doing a few meetings next season and will have to resort to loaning riders. I'm not going to criticise the promoters. I'm sure they have tried their best. If you are looking for a target to blame, however, all roads lead to Dudley Council! They have had many opportunities to provide or allow us to use land to make sure the Club got back full time and we have had backers (certainly in the past) who have been willing and able to build a modest facility to meet our needs. Dudley has lost a football ground, cricket ground, speedway and greyhound tracks and two swimming pools and there is no sign of any of them coming back. Sporting Disgrace!

I've heard a rumour that he is cnsidering it but that's all I know. As Brian says he has been a great servant to both of our Clubs and is a great ambassador with the fans.

Not the best of starts. I see Danny Ayres has signed for our good friends the Bog Moggies! Another one of my favourites Ben Morley has teamed up wiith the Isle of Wight. Plenty more fish in the sea at the moment but others are starting to nail down the talent.

Its all about making things happen for me and 6 points always seemed right in the past. If a Team Manager pulls a masterstroke and wins the match, well done to him! It makes Team Managers work harder (rather than being relative 'passengers') and creates some controversy for discussion after the match. The problem with Tactical Rides is that it only happens once and by then the meeting is usually as good as over. Let's inject a bit of excitement and controversy, even down to the old heat 8 trick (and I know I'm not a supporter of that particularly) but 'dirty tricks' can only raise the interest levels in the sport. Its all about entertainment.