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The Somerset Thread - Where non Poole fans meet to attack Poole, Poole fans meet to defend Poole and Somerset fans watch on.

There are quite a few riders who didn't exactly think it was a bundle of laughs riding on the same track as Fundin !

infantile behaviour, proved wrong and then 'it was just a joke' . Pathetic actually

Christmas Statement from the Save Coventry Speedway group. WE would like to extend our Season’s Greetings to all supporters of Speedway and Stock Car Racing at Coventry. Our thanks to all who have supported the Campaign Group efforts over the course of the year, and also to everyone who helped organise and supported the Challenge matches run in 2017 with Coventry Bees not running as part of the official league structure. It has been the worst year imaginable for everyone with a love for the sports at Brandon; from the shattering news that ‘agreements’ for future racing were not to be fulfilled, to the eventual omission of Coventry from the 2017 Premiership, to the deterioration in condition of the stadium throughout the year arising from the lack of security on-site by the owners. Brandon Estates bought the stadium for their own purposes, but in doing so they have shown zero regard for the 89-year history and heritage of the iconic venue, nor the fact that regular visits to Brandon to watch these family sports remained a way of life for many thousands of people throughout the season, right up until the end of 2016. In addition, the intransigence of the owners to engage in reasonable communication is a further indication of their motives, along with the material included within their official representations and public exhibition material – much of which is open to serious question. At the Exhibition in October, comments from the public were invited by planning consultants Framptons. We have seen a number of these responses, and the local reaction is clear - but as with the 2014 Exhibition arising from the initial plans, they appear to be a closely-guarded secret at this time. The display boards also indicated that an outline planning application would be submitted in Autumn 2017. At the time of writing, this has not taken place. We do not know the reason for that, but we can assure Brandon Estates – and their front-man, Monaco-based businessman John Downer – that as soon as their planning application is submitted, we will be ready with strong opposition. They must understand that they cannot simply take two major sports away from the region – sports which were both perfectly viable running in tandem at the stadium – merely on an outrageous speculative bid for development on land which had not been earmarked for that purpose, and expect everyone to sit back and let it happen. Our Campaign Group came together in its present form in the immediate aftermath of Coventry’s exclusion from the 2017 SGB Premiership, and our primary aim was to bring about a return to racing at the stadium for 2018 as well as establishing plans for the long-term continuation of both sports in the area. In those respects, we have regrettably been unsuccessful. The sheer depth of issues to be considered and resolved arising from the activities of recent years has been eye-opening in the extreme, and we have to respect the fact that the timescales of official business are sometimes longer than we would wish for. We believe there is tremendous momentum behind our campaign and overwhelming opposition to Brandon Estates' proposals. So our work will go on into 2018, and there are various events and hearings in the early part of the New Year which will play a vital part in matters going forward. Finally, we must emphasise to all who pass comment on the situation, often on social media, that the status of Brandon Stadium remains absolutely fundamental to the entire argument, and an acceptance that it has been lost to sport permanently is simply not an option. We wish every supporter of Speedway and Stock Car Racing a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year, and we hope 2018 provides some encouragement to everyone who wishes to see our two famous sports restored to their rightful place.

Thankfully!

Maybe you are right norbold even today winning is everything for me it is all about being entertained the winning aspect means nothing to me.In yesteryear you often had riders who were at clubs for a number of years and the fans could relate to those riders.As examples Eric Boocock,Arnie Haley,Reg Wilson, Mike Broadbanks, Pete Smith, Nigel Boocock Terry Betts ,wouldn't it be great if that was happening in British speedway today instead of riders changing clubs every year.

Re C.Holder, Although there is no issue over finance maybe Matt wants it linked to performance rather than a 'guaranteed' amount per meeting?! Not unreasonable after his 2017 season all over Europe I reckon?!

Nothing anti from me on this one Cant blame Ged at all for a 'stick it' stance Will save my 'snidey banter' for something else

Knowing the desperate state our sport is in, and that it would have been far cheaper to compete in the 2nd division, for Buster to plumb to stay in the top league, tells me he has got the finances covered. Buster may be a lot if things but stupid he is not. To run a club with an inevitable loss would be senseless, so to me he has deals in place to cover any defective costs that may occur . To operate in the top division without a competitive team would be foolish, so one has to assume the team being assembled will be built along those lines. So we therefore have no worries about the financing of these top riders. How that will be achieved will be known in the coming weeks Whether it be Added Sponsorships, New partners, Added admission costs or even Cheaper rider deals, Buster no doubt believes he has it covered.. Probably Father Christmas has come early, and answered all Buster wishes .............................The mind boggles...... .. I will wait with anticipation....

No doubt you thought that when Matt Marson was totally illegally graded on a 5.00 average. Along with the Roynon and Hurry reduction decision, I'd say by the end of the season (if not long before that) he was thoroughly discredited and the NL is well rid of him.

Think some on here have a very short memory!! December 2011!!!!! Um sounds similar to Adrian M but at that point he had not signed for Poole at that point!!! http://www.peterboroughpanthers.co/news.php?extend.1470 So just to confirm 5th Dec Swindon announced Batch 2011 - Adrian was announced 19th January 2012 - so who set the ball rolling then????? Robins?? Funny how some people forget this little chestnut!

Looking at what I wrote in 2007, it does feel as if 2000 was one of the better seasons (unless you were a Reading fan - racers got their second wooden spoon in a row!). Here's the opening to the 2000 season chapter in 'Tears & Glory': For the first time in many seasons the mood in British speedway seemed overwhelmingly positive. Hull returned to the Premier League, but otherwise the Elite and Premier League make-ups were unchanged. The Conference League expanded with a new track in Somerset and speedway returned to Rye House thanks to Len Silver. The Rockets had competed without a home track in 1999, tracking three Reading juniors: Simon Moon, Peter Collyer and Ian Clarke. The star of the homecoming meeting in May (apart from 'uncle Len') was a young rider called Chris Schramm. Honours were shared around and both Elite and Premier Leagues produced close finishes. Eastbourne won the Elite League, aided by a solid contribution from Petri Kokko. They went into their final fixture needing to beat King’s Lynn to stop the Norfolk team picking up their first league title. King’s Lynn did have the consolation of winning the Knock-Out Cup. Beaten finalists Coventry picked up the Craven Shield. The Norfolk team regularly featured five Australians, and when Adam Shields guested for them in July they tracked six! One of them was Travis McGowan. He started the year by winning the Australian Under-21 title (with Scott Smith third and Brendon Mackay ninth) and ended it with the biggest improvement in average of any rider in the Elite League. The destination of the Premier League title depended on bonus points. For the first time since their introduction, the team with most match points did not win the title. Thanks to their massive home advantage Exeter picked up all 13 bonus points available, but only two away wins. It was enough to clinch the title on race points two days after Swindon lost a bonus point run-off against Newcastle (September 28). Although Swindon remained without a league championship since 1967 they did win the Knock-Out Cup and the Young Shield, their first trophies for 33 years. Hull won the Premier Trophy. To add to the sense of euphoria Britain had a speedway World Champion. Despite not winning a single round Mark Loram relieved Tony Rickardsson of his crown. And the British GP did have a British winner with wild card Martin Dugard storming to victory. On a personal level it was the year I only attended 21 meetings, fewer than in any other of my 47 seasons.

Hmmm,a lot of the time it is more like "Four guys turn left two times and come back to where they started in about 5 minutes",which is sadly a big problem.

Am I cynical for thinking that the promoter is only doing the cheapest speedway option available so he can get his promoters licence back, his assets unfrozen and then sell everything off and cash his chips in?

My theory Gater is great riders would of adapted to any era Mauger was 20 years ahead of his time in my view.Immaculate aquipment a top of the range van when he turned up for a meeting he was 100 per cent focused on doing his best he took speedway away from the memory of riders turning up only having one bike strapped on the back of there car.

i think most teams have someone its worth turning up to watch - looks like a good league to me

What a load of rubbish and totally untrue. Jack has not contacted ANY other track. He was concerned of the lack of contact from the club and put a post on facebook to that effect and one club did contact him and that was that.

I have to use THE CURE extensively during the speedway season

I think that maybe Nielsen gets a bit overlooked sometimes when looking at all-time greats because he won his World titles in an era when there was no speedway on television. I remember having to buy a poorly produced video to watch his title win in Poland. Because of this, people tend to remember his losses to Erik Gundersen when looking back, rather than the wins. That's certainly the case with me, anyway.

fake news from the fake mechanic . just an oil and filter man lol

...one of the rules that caused confusion was when in 1976 it was decided to change the ruling as regards which riders were eligible to take a Rider Replacement Ride based on averages above and below the missing rider. If I recall it ran for two seasons and then reverted to its usual format. I remember Henny Kroeze recording a 21 ride maximum (the first ever to do in the modern era) I recall many a team manager checking and re-checking a rider's eligibility and then being countered by a protest. It caused confusion amongst some referees I also remember at the time!

....and you can never please an attention seeking chronic complainer.

With fairly limited opportunities for experience, two silver medals and a fourth place in six World Final appearances was a fine achievement Looking back, in some ways he was Gollobesque on track - in the days when Fundin, Briggs, Knutsson, etc were at their peak he stands up well to comparison I'm very grateful to have seen him at the top of his game

WITH respect, Phil , you are playing both poacher and gamekeeper.... Maybe the FIM did jump the gun, through Armando Castagna....The thing is, the "Speedway Star", of which you are managing editor, published that story / interview with Armando ! You cant have it both ways ! You are course absolutely 100% correct when you state "SOIMETHING I learned in my profession decades ago is that if someone tells you something in confidence you do not betray that. If you do, a second chance is rarely forthcoming." SO....Dont say anything ! Dont tease, dripfeed, or anything like that, just stay quiet until the full facts are in the public domain ! Now, i realise that may not suit the journalist within you, but, as I said, you cant have it both ways !

Many years ago back at the old shay stadium a man and a woman approached us and told us they were new to speedway and wanted to know the rules. We told them not to worry about the rules as they change them every other week, just enjoy the racing. The couple looked at us and walked off disgruntled. A few weeks later they approached us again to apologise has they had found out that we were correct. From what I have experienced in speedway since I started watching the sport again in 2005 nothing has changed. In fact it is so much the norm now that I believe the whole membership of this hallowed forum would have a mass cardiac arrest if the rules applied were ever well thought out, correct in almost every instance and were adhered to from start to finish.