Prince Regent

Not likely I know, not least because I don't have a team to support any more, but I would hate a team I supported to sign Leon Madsen. I can't stand him, although I'm not sure why.

As a West Ham fan, my main memory of Coventry is of going there in 1971 to meet my Coventry penfriend, Pat. She was with a couple of her friends and I was with one of mine, and we had a nice evening. I'm ashamed to this day that I didn't write to her again. She must have thought it was because I'd met her, and it wasn't! So if you see this Pat - I'm sorry!

Ignoring some of the less pleasant remarks from just one or two Panthers fans, as a Lakeside supporter I can see this being awarded to Peterborough. If rain had stopped the meeting at heat 9 - just as out of Lakeside's control as the lights going out - it couldn't be awarded. Lakeside hadn't actually won the tie, although obviously they were about to. The SCB may even decide that P'boro finishing top of the league could come into play. Whatever, it's all very unsatisfactory. I feel for the Lakeside promotion, who are facing one disaster after another after what promised to be such a decent season. Unfortunately, Rye House is a dump, and I say that with some sorrow, as it was one of the first speedway tracks I ever went to, my parents taking me there as a kid in the early 60s, when it was a training track running occasional Sunday open meetings.

As a neutral, I had to feel for KIng's Lynn. Losing on aggregate by 4 (the minimum the referee cost them in the first leg - and I'm sorry, but the KL rider did not cross the line into the infield with both wheels tonight); losing two influential riders, not even nearly adequately covered by the guests; and finishing 9 points ahead of Poole in the table...it's pretty sickening for them.

Seems a clear case to me of a referee trying to make himself popular with the home supporters. Disgraceful stuff.

That's two matches in one night without any real home advantage. It won't be easy.

I thought Tai might have waited for Robert in the Final, but I'm not criticising him after a performance like that. GB finished top scorers after two days' racing and should have been champions - as should Russia had they finished top. But this preoccupation with a winner-takes-all final race renders much of what went before meaningless; and particularly in a pairs tournament - and a World Final at that - when a shared heat somehow becomes something different. I find it very unsatisfactory and I promise you, I'd feel the same whether GB were involved or not. Still, some great racing, brilliant stuff from Tai and Robert, and impressive words from Craig Cook, too.

Who said that?

I agree with most of what Liam is saying. I'm not a fan of NL racing and didn't go to many meetings. I missed the adrenalin rush I enjoyed in previous seasons which came from caring so much whether or not the team won. But I would never, ever support another club. How is that possible? People can do what they like, support whom they like, they don't have to be as dedicated or as passionate as others are, but if you can so easily transfer your allegiance to another team, then you couldn't really have been a passionate fan of Lakeside. Which is fine, but do we have to keep on being told how wonderful Rye House is, how terrible Jon Cook is, etc? We've heard it, we get it, but it can be tiresome to keep on hearing the same things. There's one more thing. Whatever anyone says about Lakeside, you can turn up 5 minutes before the start and a, get a decent parking space, and b, have a choice of places to watch from (whatever the size of the crowd) - two things very much lacking on the one occasion I went to Rye House. And I'm not knocking RH, good luck to them, genuinely, but it's not all about seats and fish and chips.

As someone who wasn't keen on watching Lakeside in the NL, when Paul Hurry was brought in I was encouraged to go along, albeit only a few times - especially as he was replacing David Mason, whom I wouldn't cross the road to watch. I do agree that the league is there to bring on young riders, but just one old-timer in the team can surely be a benefit (Jon Armstrong, another example).

A great Final from a neutral's point of view (and Swindon fans' of course!). I felt the tension all the way here in Essex. Swindon are worthy champions as they finished top of the table - but Wolves would clearly have won with Lindgren, let alone Thorsell as well. Good luck to Jason Doyle on Saturday.

I too agree with Voice of Reason - this time! - but that's an argument about speedway's problems rather than specifically fans' reasons for moving from one team to another. My roots are with West Ham, so I found it relatively easy to start supporting a team called the Hammers!

Ok, Kev, so in your case your loyalty is to Waterden Road, not Lakeside, so fair enough. But for those whose loyalty is to Lakeside, supporting another team is unthinkable, and the facilities and everything else don't even come into it. Incidentally, a few years ago, when Stuart Douglas first arrived, Lakeside was buzzing too; let's see if Rye is still the same in a few years' time (and I truly hope it is).

El Addio: "The problem now though, is that having lost fans by dropping down a couple of divisions, whether they can attract them back." We were talking about this yesterday, but as someone said, when we dropped to the NL (or equivalent) last time, with Peter Thorogood, the crowds were probably even worse, and they did come back once we went back up to a higher level.

I know where I'd want to watch my speedway too - Lakeside, since that's the team I support. I never have understood people who can support one team, and then just switch allegiance. I'll be glad to leave the NL, though.

Only my third visit to Lakeside this year, as opposed to almost never missing a match in previous seasons, and I was rather miffed to arrive on time and find that the meeting had been delayed 45 minutes. But then I saw that the place was vitually deserted, and certainly, as has been said, the traffic in the area was far worse than usual Bank Holiday Friday traffic, presumably owing to the aforementioned accident. As a result the delay was a perfectly acceptable decision. I'm just agreeing with Bryce and Halifaxtiger here, when I say that I for one was quite relieved when the meeting was curtailed at 13 heats, because there was clearly going to be a lengthy delay while the fence was repaired.

Do we know Cook wasn't there, or is it just that the people who went and posted on here didn't see him?

I was a season ticket holder throughout Lakeside's top-division years, and a regular attendee at the second level. But the drop to the NL was too far for me. I have nothing against the NL. It serves a purpose, there can be good racing and it's nice to see the enthusiasm of the riders. I used to go along to Mildenhall occasionally and enjoyed it. But that's just what it is for me, a pleasant way to pass an afternoon or evening. What I miss is the adrenalin rush, the anger, frustration, joy of watching a match in which I passionately care if we win. Now, although of course I prefer Lakeside to win, I can't get too excited one way or the other. It's not a choice, it's just the way it is. I went to the Kent match, and there was good racing, although it was too drawn out for my liking. I'll probably go again from time to time. I did think I might go to Rye House occasionally for the top-division fix - not to support them, obviously (I never understand how anyone can go from supporting one team to another!). I went once, but even though I was there an hour and a half early I had to park way down the road, then - having been for a meal and getting into the stadium shortly before start time - I ended up balanced on a little bit of wood straining to see. I don't think I'll go again, as I don't want to be there that early. Of course it's great that they're getting the crowds, but they don't seem to be set up for it. Say what you like about Lakeside - and it's pretty basic, I know - but you can arrive at any time you like and you'll get a parking place and you'll get a decent view.

Pearson always thinks Wolverhampton is packed out because they only use the middle part of the home straight (don't they?). At Lakeside, it's always difficult to measure the crowd because people tend to spread out around different parts of the stadium.

The problem was, on the fans' forum, there really were relatively few negative comments, but others would then, reasonably enough, jump in to defend whoever was being criticised and then the topic would become much bigger than it needed to, out of proportion to the original post. I will miss the forum, and am very disappointed with the decision. I'm not on Facebook or Twitter and don't intend to be. I'll have to come on here more often, I guess.

To be fair, Poole are the best team in the league. May the best team lose.