*JJ

Judging by the way he rode at Birmingham last Wednesday, a VERY good rider!

Flint. He did not have a good meeting! It was ... there was only going to be one winner, but Zach and Morley took heats 13 and 15 to keep it close.

And John Priest!

So why not say so? Mushroom syndrome again.

He told me that he hoped to come back next month.

Lying.

This is the mistake which David Hemsley made, designing it with long straights, thinking to make a 'fast' speedway, and refusing to listen to advice.

Which was what?

Didn't take long for people to rat on him. Actually, Richings was going well until he was recently injured.

If if if ... If Clegg hadn't broken the tapes in the first heat, Birmingham would have won! The fact is, the reserves couln't handle the wet conditions, except Powell, who was excellent. Brilliant ride from Knight, who went from 15 metres to win in one race; and fantastic Heat 13!

Or, simply, in a scrap yard, along with Birmingham Monarchs' cycle speedway bikes, those bronze war memorial plaques, and my toolbox.

Indeed. When he rode for the Brummies in 2008, he was obviously going to the top; he was faster than Jason Lyons, and not many people can say that!

If you mean the Stoke track, that is not surprising.

True ... and he is aged 72!

Well, I walked out on to the track on Saturday, and was horrified at its state: like a concrete roadway which had been carpet-bombed. The two best Stoke riders lost the match by falling off when in the lead, but they can't be blamed for that ... the track is to blame, and whoever doesn't get it fixed.

Who is talking rubbish now? These teams should not be composed of NL riders: are there no beginners in the south?

O'Keefe riegularly riding for Buxton. Neither of these teams is really playing the game?

Don't hold your breath ...

Or Kyle Roberts.

Riders who show up well, or even seem likely to, are soon snapped up by EL or PL teams, as we have found out at Birmingham.

Birmingham lost all their assets because the previous EL promotion went bust. The present promotion started from scratch and so has no assets. Eastbourne & Coventry (and Cradley) still have assets.

Zach Wajknecht did it in 2015.

I know you don't like R/R, Brian, but in the case of Roberts, he was signed in a hurry after Hay retired, so you can't blame Birmingham for not forseeing this ocurrence?

He rode one last night: successfully too!

The NL has changed long since, in fact. It is now to a large extent, simply a Third Division.