Piccolo

Mine arrived this morning and again a brilliant read. Great balance of news and features, the Star team are going above and beyond IMO.

A slightly thinner paper doesn't worry me. I knew it was different when mine came through the post this morning but if it means a slightly thinner paper cuts costs and helps the magazine pull through this crisis I'm all for it. Another great issue today, the features are brilliant and keeping good news stories from around the clubs is an amazing job! Well done to all involved with a national treasure.

Premier Sports won't pay for a second commentator, it's a mega-cheap production for them.

Mine arrived yesterday. Congratulations again to the entire Speedway Star team on yet another brilliant effort. Loving the new features which are a great read and some strong news lines on the British clubs. Keep up the good work everyone at Speedway Star, long may it survive, it is a national sporting treasure, get behind it!

You are clearly unaware of the disgusting private messages of abuse he sent a good friend of mine. Fortunate he wasn't reported to the police. Wasn't a good man and was very strange.

Mine arrived today and has on 3 Thursdays in the last 4. terrific features to read and club news pages with items I've not seen anywhere else. Great effort by all concerned IMO.

Fantastic issue this week, enjoyed the on track / off track piece which looks like becoming a regular, riders talking about tracks and gaffer's greatest gaffer, new stuff, well done to all involved at the Star brilliant work I'm locked in for a copy every week during lockdown!!! The news stuff from the clubs is different to anything online too which is great to see. Keep up the good work.

Nigel Pearson was told Mr Strudwick at the Zoo would object to this because of impact on the animals. The closest they came was Canal Street Brierley Hill, they even had an architect draw up plans for the site to present to the Merry Hill owners only to be told the new tram route planned for years was finally going to happen.

Speedway Star is a great read these days and I'll be having a copy during the winter.

Wrong: See below: "They then managed to get their stooges on to the Supporters Trust and access to what was left of their "fighting fund" for use to support planning applications etc." Truth: A representative of the Trust approached the management at the end of last season to offer support to get them back in the league after they withdrew and only entered the Trophy (because they weren't creaming enough off the fans supposedly!). A figure was agreed which now cannot be met because the management insisted they do not want any access to a "fighting fund" for use to support planning applications etc. The 200 Club was formed and can only deliver 60% of the agreed amount because clearly not enough fans wanted to support this project. In addition, the management structure is Pearson / Patchett / Van Straaten. The latter has the keys to Monmore, nobody else. Without those guys the club folds.

The last fans forum at the Liberal Club was last year, not 'some years ago now'. The forum you are referring to was the end of 2012 when they decided to stay and win the league. At the end of 2014 they were informed they had lost their race night of Tuesday at Wolverhampton. Hence the move to Birmingham for a season when they spent more than they should because of the demands of certain riders which include threatening retirement and crashing vans. No names, but these were costly exercises from what I've been told. The only NL club supplying vans to riders because one said he's quitting and going to Australia and the other wrote his off on the M5. That's two of the 7 saying they are quitting unless the club rents a van for them. Google van rentals. Not a lot of people know that, apart from those who were at that forum in 2018. Not 'some years ago'. Plenty more like that.

Councillors say what certain people want to hear.

Management disillusioned with online abuse from more than just one person. They wouldn't need that even if they were earning thousands and thousands per meeting. Are they making money this year? Who cares... Plus if they were coining it in why did they only run four home matches in the Trophy last year and pulled out the league? Surely they'd want to earn more if they aren't interested in the club by staging as many meetings as possible? I don't get that bit.

Not to mention: No permanent track of their own and still running in 10th season. No assistance from Dudley Council despite promises.

At no time did Buster want to take over Belle Vue. Instead, as chairman, he brought two interested parties to the table and it was down to them to satisfy the Council and BSPA which one was the most suitable. You need to be extremely careful in how you are labelling individuals on here, especially when you clearly don't know the facts.

And these same old people will only be happy when there's no more team to support. Final rider to be announced Friday. Club about to purchase a rider from another club as a full asset. Buster getting new shale delivered and a blade on the track ahead of the new season. Robert Lambert is back, one of the most exciting young talents in the world. More work with youngsters particularly during school holidays. Keep smiling....

A new team sponsorship has been agreed thanks to the contacts of Colin Pratt. Announcement once formalities are complete. There will be an announcement regarding Ged and Neil once all those formalities have been completed. Yes fans deserve to be told what is happening regarding Ged and Neil and will be. Pretty sure Ged may say something in due course too. Cheer up.

Ged wanted to sell. Buster was the only person interested and did the deal. Took them into the top league, Colin Pratt (one of the finest administrators the sport has even at his age) there to ensure everything goes smoothly and local man Carl Johnson stepping up his involvement with passion and commitment. Buster about to take a blade to the Showground to ensure the track is the best it can be for the likes of Andersen, Tungate and Cook to fly around there. Contract signed with the Showground last week. Rather be a Panthers fan than Hammers, Rockets or Comets.

All this is not the fault of Speedway, Swindon Speedway and Terry Russell in particular. They have been continuing their business of running the club according to information given them by the stadium. Terry had another meeting with the stadium 10 days ago. He ran a farewell meeting to the Abbey in accordance with the information provided by the stadium. The final meeting on the current track last season was described so in accordance with the information provided by the stadium. Swindon have a track (new or old!), they have the 2017 World Champion returning and a damn good team with young and enthusiastic input from a new co-promoter, the son of a true club legend.

Everything covered this week, enjoyed reading my copy. I like how the news section has interviews with riders and management which aren't just pasted from club websites, they are a good read. Ricky Ashworth piece was wonderful.

Which is where the club management have been prudent. Not risked money unless there was a good chance of success taking advice from experts. But the Trust, with their many different egotistical officials going through the revolving door when they've had enough and walked away, know better. Just look at yourselves and how foolish you all look, particularly the chairman after his obsessive rants about Patchett, Pearson and Van Straaten.

I wonder how much money was spent (blown) by the Trust 'experts' on Lion Farm. Money donated by Cradley fans. Also I hear there's another resignation in the Trust. I've lost count of the amount of people who have been and gone. Very sad.

Pearson's programme notes at the Hammer were interesting: I sincerely hope the Heathens are back on track in 2018. If we aren’t it will be for one simple reason – we don’t have a track of our own. To that end, let me once again send my good wishes to the Heathens Speedway Supporters Trust in their never ending work search for a new site and a track to take the Heathens home. I say this despite the fact that their chairman has been, frankly, a disgrace, in some of the things he has written about the Heathens management. I have been left stunned how grown men behave on a keyboard at times and the Trust chairman is in that category. Criticise, yes, but don’t use libel and slander – and grow up.

Sweeping statement when you say typical reporting, only reporting I've seen on this has been positive until now they have quoted council official not just made it up.

Well done the Trust and I don't think there is any worries over the Cradley management standing in the way from a conversation I had today.