ch958

Wendy Fisher?

how well is the El doing? We'll find out when they try and persuade a couple of teams to make the jump up.

I think that the only way forward is amalgamation at PL standard. Clearly some EL clubs will retain some pretty hot talent (prob not GP riders) but people such as Harris and Nicholls who would obviously score well in an amalgamated league but would be in teams governed by whatever average limit would work. Tracks should put the horse before the cart and budget before the season on realistic crowd figures, not hoping they will increase by some unfathomable reasoning. To be honest the clubs have to be stronger and stick to agreed budgets for the good of the sport as a whole. Of course it goes without saying that some teams will want to win at all costs – if every team had that attitude someone would still have to come bottom so whats the point? Yes some supporters would not attend due to big names not being there but others will come back with a more varied and interesting fixture list. allied to the above would have to be a concerted effort to maintain good tracks for good racing governed by more robust inspections and at least some local advertising. I’ve posted this before but a good marketing tool is to give away free tickets in return for email addresses and mobile numbers which could then be used to inform of forthcoming fixtures, team news, etc. Maybe a half price entry after six full price tickets like McD’s do with coffee. Of course the cost of being a rider has to come down but I’ll leave that to Deano or somebody to say how that could be done. There MUST be a way. Any businessman will tell you – controlling costs comes before anything – you can’t keep increasing prices to pay for increased racing costs.

is Lambert there?

team news??

could anyone confirm line ups for Sunday?

Poole will have no opponenents if they don't get with the programme. Economics very different to most other geographical areas. The sport needs Poole but it also needs Plymouth and Workington

may inadvertently do the sport a favour - the EL in the main can't afford these riders but have to have them to be competitive. Would bring down the standard of EL slightly and costs significantly. Wouldn't make the sport any less exciting in my experience. Of course the EL snobs will throw their hands up in the air 'we need our big names': trust me you don't - you need the sport to survive first and foremost.

is that bonerfide information?

we don't attract the crowds they do in Poland and Sweden plus we don't usually own the stadiums. Its completely mad trying to compete with that at the moment - it may change in future but for the moment budgets should be set to reflect current crowd levels and riders need to fit into that budget even at the risk of severe big name dilution. i use the phrase big name rather than talent because crowds would very soon develop new heroes - young local improving riders are always popular. The PL needs to be drastically weakened and more NL riders need to be given the opportunity to step up and develop without having to compete with EL double downers who should not be in the PL in my opinon. if clubs are allowed the chance to break even or even make a small profit that has to be healthy doesn't it? As for PL teams moving up - not in a million years at the moment

i'm gobsmacked - if you score 6 you should be paid for six - i just assumed you were - crazy

get paid for 6 instead of 3 if you win - not actually double money just twice as much of it

when are we going to realise COSTS MUST COME DOWN i don't care how - weakened teams are better than no teams riders must go part time - whatever it takes

someone with 'shaft' as part of his name haha

don't look TWK!!

without wanting to end up in libel court there is a particular antipodean rider who has shown a very rich seam of form in both leagues and i often wonder how this happens. Having said that other sportsmen go in and out of form so....

both clubs, along with a few others in pl, could do with a slight weakening of the pl to help make ends meet. Redcar would certainly benefit from regime change, it seems that dozens if not hundreds have been lost from the gate

its their job to ensure they know the rules

next year wd be great 2 good clubs for pl

it'll be much better when its not there at all. Won't it,,,,,?

i say commit to a league season with no absences except injury or internationals or else do not sign a contract. the resulting weakness of both leagues will be more than offset by the benefits of a settled league competition where team supporters get behind the same 7/8 men regularly. eventually the sport would become 2 tier with league riders and world stars - its already going that way tbh so we may as well take control and manage the situation.

Cyril Crane - 1969 or 70. Remember reading it in the SStar

where does this 'shortage of riders' come from?? The NL is full of people who should have been progressed to PL ages ago - if there weren't so many DU/DD riders they could move to PL. Yes it weakens the PL slightly but c'est la vie - think of the financial savings not having to pay EL riders from 3 figure crowds.

Lakeside one EL rider - bloody joke - one big PL needed

i said this to Brian Havelock on a Radio Tees phone in years ago and he said i was talking rubbish so there we are