That’s very true, we had a father and his son come to us who had been to the motor museum, I got talking to them, the father said he hadn’t been to Speedway since he was a child, said he didn’t know what teams there were these days and he wondered where his nearest team was, I asked him where he came from and he said Derbyshire, so I pointed him in the direction of the Buxton stall, when he came back he gave me the thumbs up and said, we’re gonna give that a go.

Totally agree that if one league it would be at best at Championship level less a heat leader and a second string, replaced by two 2 point riders, The issue isnt so much the riders in the top polish league but those in the second division. This problem would only go away if they kept the fixed race nights of Monday and Thursday.

He was meeting up with the Stock Car ruling body to do a press release about how he used to love watching Stu Smith, Len Wolfinden, and Frankie Wainman Snr....

Are you also fine with paying £23-25 for it?

From Google Gemini: For a foreign rider to legally work and be paid in the UK, they need to follow UK immigration rules, which typically involve: International Sportsperson Visa: Foreign riders usually require an International Sportsperson Visa. Governing Body Endorsement (GBE): To get the visa, the rider must be endorsed by the sport's governing body, British Speedway. This process involves the club acting as a licensed sponsor. Contract Details for Visa: The contract between the rider and the licensed sponsor (the club) must be robust and submitted as part of the endorsement process, detailing the rider's assessed earnings for the season, including how they are made up (e.g., payment per point, vans, mechanics). This ensures the salary and conditions are at least equal to those normally given to a resident worker for the same role. The tax arrangements for foreign speedway riders involve special rules designed for non-resident sportspeople and artists. Here is a breakdown of how a foreign rider's UK income tax is handled: 1. Withholding Tax (The First Step) The immediate and most common way tax is paid is via Withholding Tax (WHT). Payer's Obligation: The UK speedway club (the payer) is legally obliged to deduct tax from the rider's payment before the rider receives it. Rate: This is typically deducted at the UK's basic rate of income tax, which is 20%. Threshold: This withholding tax usually applies to gross payments exceeding the UK Personal Allowance (the amount an individual can earn tax-free, which is around $\text{\textsterling}12,570$ in most recent tax years). Purpose: The deducted 20% is a "payment on account" against the rider's eventual final UK tax bill. 2. Self-Assessment and Deducting Expenses Since speedway riders are considered self-employed contractors for UK tax purposes, the WHT is often not their final tax liability. UK Tax Return: A rider will usually need to register for UK Self-Assessment and file a UK tax return at the end of the tax year. This is mandatory if their net profits exceed the basic rate band (around $\text{\textsterling}50,000$). Deductible Expenses: The tax return allows the rider to claim legitimate business expenses, which significantly reduces their taxable income. These include: Travel and accommodation costs while in the UK (flights, local transport, rent). Costs of professional equipment (engines, tyres, kevlar). Wages paid to mechanics and support staff. Final Tax Calculation: The final UK income tax is calculated on the net profit (earnings minus expenses). If the tax due on the net profit is less than the 20% already withheld, the rider can claim a refund from HMRC (the UK tax authority). If the net profit is high, the rider may be liable for the higher rate of UK income tax (40% or 45%) and will have to pay the additional amount due. 3. Taxation of Global Income (Sponsorship) This is the most complex part for international sportspeople: Apportionment of Income: A non-resident rider is generally subject to UK tax on the portion of their worldwide sponsorship or endorsement income that relates to their activities in the UK. Time Spent: The UK taxable proportion is often calculated by comparing the number of days the rider spent performing or training in the UK to the total number of days spent performing/training worldwide. $$ \text{UK Taxable Endorsement Income} = \text{Global Endorsement Income} \times \frac{\text{UK Days}}{\text{Worldwide Days}} $$ 4. Double Taxation Agreements (DTA) To prevent the rider from paying tax on the same income in both the UK and their home country (e.g., Poland, Australia, Denmark), Double Taxation Agreements come into effect. Tax Credit: Under a DTA, the tax the rider pays to the UK (the source country) is typically used as a tax credit to reduce the amount of tax they owe in their home country (the residence country). Tax Residency: The rider's overall tax residency (based on the number of days they spend in each country) determines which country gets the primary right to tax their worldwide income, but the DTA ensures they are not taxed twice. In summary, the rider will have 20% tax withheld by the club, and then they must file a UK Self-Assessment tax return to reconcile their full income and claim expenses. Finally, they use the UK tax paid as a credit against their tax bill back home. Would you like to know which countries the UK has a Double Taxation Agreement with that are relevant to speedway riders?   For foreign speedway riders, the most relevant Double Taxation Agreements (DTAs) are those with countries that supply the majority of international talent to the British leagues. The UK has DTAs with almost all major nations, and specifically with the most significant sources of foreign speedway riders. 🏁 Key Double Taxation Agreements for Speedway Riders The UK has comprehensive DTAs with the following countries, which are major sources of speedway talent: Country Rider Tax Residency Principle DTA Article Summary Poland Source Rule The DTA allows the UK to tax income earned from professional activities performed in the UK. The tax paid in the UK is then credited against the rider's Polish tax liability. Denmark Source Rule Similar to Poland, the UK has the right to tax income arising from activities performed at UK speedway tracks. Australia Source Rule The UK retains the right to tax the rider's UK-sourced income, with Australia providing a credit for the UK tax paid. Sweden Source Rule The DTA ensures that the rider's UK earnings are taxable in the UK first. How the DTAs Affect the Rider While DTAs are complex, for a speedway rider, the crucial point is typically covered under the "Artistes and Sportspersons" article (usually Article 17 or 18 in most treaties). This article generally states two key things: Right to Tax at Source: The country where the activities take place (the UK) has the right to tax the income derived from those activities. This is why the UK club withholds 20% tax. Credit Method: The rider's home country (their country of tax residency) must then allow the rider a tax credit for the UK tax that has already been paid on that income. Example Scenario (Australian Rider): An Australian rider earns $\text{\textsterling}30,000$ in UK speedway income. The UK club withholds and pays $\text{\textsterling}6,000$ (20%) tax to HMRC. The rider files a UK Self-Assessment to claim expenses and finalise their liability. The rider declares their total worldwide income (including the $\text{\textsterling}30,000$ UK income) on their Australian tax return. Australia calculates the tax due on the total income, then grants the rider a tax credit for the $\text{\textsterling}6,000$ already paid to the UK. This system ensures that the income is not taxed twice and that the rider ultimately pays the higher of the two countries' tax rates on that specific income.

I see Redcar and Workington are making an announcement about an announcement on X in regards to signings. That alone is enough evidence to have full confidence in a Two Tier Structure despite any rumour doing the rounds.