Grachan

Really? You watched that film and got annoyed by the politics? I didn't even notice that there were any politics in it.

A very entertaining night, and I liked the changes to the track. A definite improvement. Fairly comfortable for Swindon, despite some super fast gating from the Witches. Some of the starts looked like flyers, they were so fast, but, to be fair to the ref, the only real movement was from Lampart and that was pulled back for a restart. I prefer seeing races left if there is no clear jovement and, in most cases, the Robins managed to get past so it meant for much better entertainment that 5 races getting stopped on lap one.

This voting is rubbish. You only get one vote. Surely you should get 2? Why is Lampart in it?

Spot on about Joe Owen. Used to average 11 for Newcastle back in the day. If that's not proof that the old Second Division was stronger than the top league is now, then what is?

True. But always a disappointment not to win. That's always the main objective (unless the averages need to drop a bit, as it were).

So here we are again. Another season of whingy, whiny Swindon fans and the same old Reading fan calling for team changes after one match. What a surprise. Losing by 2 at Wolves is a disappointment, but hardly a bad result for a season opener. Swindon haven't even had a practice yet. Yes, the botttom end didn't score many, but that is how the side is put together. It's always going to be the top 4 scoring nearly all the points, especially away from home. Nine from Jason could have been more, perhaps, but he was paid for 11 and it included a 15m handicap for tape touching. Could Jason still have gone in heat 15 I wonder. His big race mentality might have got us a draw? Hard to judge without being there.

My 15 year old enjoys speedway a looks forward to going if I suggest it. Five pounds doesn't break the bank, but I don't go regularly - just when the mood takes me. I do think that letting under 16s or under 18s in for free would be a good strategy to get kids interested and parents attending, particularly if you are going to attend regularly.

It was 2008 when speedway began its current decline. Before that is was having something of a minor revival, with radio 5 even running a report on how Speedway had become "cool" at one point. Then, with crowds relatively healthy, the introduced low points limits and "cost cutting" measures time after time, and each time they did it the crowds dropped. So, each time the crowds dropped, they did it again. So they dropped again. It always amazes me when people say that the future is about cost cutting. That is what caused the trouble in the first place.

Weird how it seems to be mainly Belle Vue fans criticising Swindon. At least Swindon have been honest to supporters and said that the track isn't ready rather than taking the fans' money and making them stand around for hours.

I do wonder if it might be a good PR exercise to offer free admission to people who live on the adjacent estate. Get them onside, as it were.

It's interesting to see the difference between these house and the properties being built right next to Newbury racecourse. The fact that they overlook the course is seen as a selling point, and those that have a direct view of the course are actually more expensive. On race days people are out on their balconies watching. There's not the merest hint of houses being built there being any kind of threat to the racing.

Only on bends 1 & 2. I would imagine that won't be a great place to watch, but there's loads of other options.

Pretty sure John Boulger made a Gotenburg final.

What's to stop fans of both sides doing that, thus evening things out?

The thing is, if you're not interested in it then you don't have to do anything. Just watch the racing. 13 heats using to old race formula and 2 nominated races at the end. That's it.