Hunty

After last night in the play-offs they both did themselves credit by racing very hard and shaking hands after it! It needs to be investigated, it needs to delt with with some sort of punishment to everyone involved! Its difficult to say they should recieve a ban but a very strong warning and hefty fine and docking there wages from the meeting maybe the correct choice in this matter.

My four wild cards would be... Iversen Ward Sayfutinov Kildemand A World Championship needs the BEST in the world!

It all started at the start line, both Greaves and Sarjeant wanting the same bit of track...Ref having none of it and it took an age to get heat 10 started. The race eventually started and it was tight out the gate and there was some barging from Sarjeant on Nathan but all through first corner ok. They go into lap three and Sarjeants bike packs up going over the start finish line and he then decides to park his bike in the middle of the track. He then goes to confront Greaves and have words before Nathan lashed out with a couple of pushes and shoves. It gets seperated and Sarjeant remounts his bike to head back to pits but kicks Greaves bike over...Greaves then chases after him into the pits and Sarjeant is taken off his bike by Danny Phillips and then it all kicks off with alot of people involved...Mechanics and riders alike. One mechanic is down on the floor and is treated and all is calmed down before Nathan jumps the fence into the crowd to confront a fan (Coventry, Wolves or Cradley I dont know). Thats me being unbaised and all the riders mechanics and officals involved need to be punished and BOTH teams thrown out of the KOC.

Ive just returned from the meeting and have to say I am shocked, embarrassed and overwhelmed at what I have just seen! I would like to put on record that to all the Heathens, Coventry and Wolves fans at the meeting should be applauded. Yes things were shouted and people may have been gouded but what happened after heat 10 could have easily set the crowd into a mass brawl. Ive only followed speedway for 3 years im a newbie but my dad has quoted that fistycuffs are part and parcel of the sport but what I saw tonight was some of the worst scenes of violence I have ever whitnessed. I will be writing a letter to my beloved club about what happened tonight and I hope that our riders are punished and disaplined accordingly, and also to the Storm riders and all the mechanics

Id be well up for watching Cradley in that league, the NL could be exciting if the rules of team building had a top and lower limit! Ive always enjoyed watching us in the NL untill this year because we have built a team that outweighs all but a few and even then we can beat those away!

Now this maybe fantasy world and some people may love it or hate it. For me however it is a great solution to a problem of a messed up league structure that I dispise! I would love to have one league and surender the EL to room 101. So heres my proposal: British League North Belle Vue Aces Birmingham Brummies Wolverhampton Wolves Berwick Bandits Edinburgh Monarchs Glasgow Tigers Newcastle Diamonds Redcar Bears Scunthorpe Scorpions Sheffield Tigers Workington Comets Cradley Heathens British League South Eastbourne Eagles Poole Pirates Lakeside Hammers Somerset Rebels Plymouth Devils Rye House Rockets Ipswich Witches King's Lynn Stars Swindon Robins Peterborough Panthers Coventry Bees Leicester Lions And then North and South divided into four groups of six North A Birmingham Brummies Wolverhampton Wolves Cradley Heathens Belle Vue Aces Sheffield Tigers Scunthorpe Scorpions North B Workington Comets Berwick Bandits Edinburgh Monarchs Glasgow Tigers Newcastle Diamonds Redcar Bears South A Plymouth Devils Eastbourne Eagles Poole Pirates Lakeside Hammers Somerset Rebels Swindon Robins South B Peterborough Panthers Coventry Bees Leicester Lions Rye House Rockets Ipswich Witches King's Lynn Stars Each group teams race each other home and away twice = 20 matches (More Derbies, more away travel less distance making and saving money,hopefully) Then each group races another group at home = 5 matches Then each group races another group away = 5 matches Total of 30 league matches. With 15 home and 15 way Each group will have one group they have not competed against and this will be the team they are drawn against in the cup Thefore Home, Away and Cup Matches will revolve year by year so that the same teams are not racing each other. PLAY OFFS Top from North A will face second in North B and visa versa Top from South A will face second in South B and visa versa Winner of each fixture will go through to try and become North or South Champion! To finish in a superbowl style finale...North Champion v South Champion If your team gets to the final they will race 36 fixtures plus how they do in the cup! Would make it exciting for me, each mini league having a tussle but part of a single league that is vital for British Speedway! All thoughts are my own, and bet this propsal would never work but it would be pretty awesome to have it in place! In addtion I know that Eastborne might not take there place next year so maybe need a step up from another club or some leagues bigger than others! Still be fair as each league will still race the same and same amount of teams!

A great insiught on to what is actually happening in Biritsh Speedway...Credit to Grahame Darlington on the Wolverhampton Speedway Fan Page (Facebook) TALK IN REPORT First on the menu was the talk on PIOTR PAWLICKI and the pressures he was under being under 21 and so important to his club Leszno and the country as he chases the World U21 title. It was made clear that had he been 22 then it's highly unlikely they would have had these problems and when Pete Adams asked the floor would they like to see him back, virtually every hands was raised in the air. As Piotr is still only 19, his birthday is in November, it would most likely rule him out of future team plans until 2016 but with his exciting riding style, fast gating and breath taking passes it would be a suprise if it's the last we saw of him. On the issue of TAI WOFFINDEN there was a few points made through the night and PA revealed that in November last year he met up with Tai who was appearing at a show at the NEC. Tai was going through what he had planned for the defence of his title but PA stepped in and reminded him that he would only stay involved if Tai worked with him and that meant riding for Wolverhampton. Tai was reluctant to sign not just for the club but for British Speedway as the increase of meetings to 36 meetings was going to be too much and it took a bit of persuading to get the World Champion to agree to ride for the club in 2014. Nobody including Tai himself could pin point why he was struggling so much in Britain after scoring well in Poland and then going to Sweden and again scoring big points. When Tai returns from Poland, he comes in to Stanstead airport in the morning and heads up to Pete Adams house where he will have something to eat before getting a bit of sleep. PA did say though that as Jacob Thorssell was also there, he would often get woken up by the young Swede wanting to play in the afternoon which put everyone with the view of a young kid wanting his mate to go skateboarding etc as he was bored. On the issue of 2015, it is unclear what Tai will decide but with Eastbourne now closed and in a meeting last week, the EL promoters agreed with a vote of 7-2 to stick with the two home - two away meetings next season meaning 28 league matches ...... will that be acceptable for Tai who will be riding in Poland and Sweden again next season as well as the GP's and possibly the SEC too ? FREDRIK LINDGREN was mentioned and it was said that Freddie would rather have more meetings here than less as he would not feel it worth while riding here if he didn't have enough income to support living accomodation, mechanic, bikes etc needed for a full season. So maybe he could be back but with that there are also serious doubts about him returning as he is likely to be a top 8 finisher in the GP series meaning he will again be in the circus tour of 2015 that starts in New Zealand and finishes in Australia in late October. Also a few years ago, Sweden completely changed the rules on when riders are available to ride here. Riders like Freddie would ride on just Tuesdays in Sweden but they can now also ride on Thursdays in the lower leagues and Sweden now insist riders ride there rather than in Britain if there is any clashes of dates which there will be. CVS said that they had hoped to bring in OLIVER BERNTZON when they made the team changes but injuries and availability meant he couldn't come at that time and with PK already sorted, they had to look elsewhere and it just so happened that there was a rider on a 4+ average that was available That was LASSE BJERRE and after a slow start, Lasse shone in the 4TT at Monmore and from then on was a revelation for the club home and away and has indicated that he wants to return to Wolves next season and CVS expressed his admiration for LB who was a pleasure to work with on and off the track and will be considered for next season. There is no deal with OLIVER BERNTZON for next season but they have spoken and he is very keen to ride for Wolves next season and will be meeting up with PA in Stockholm at the next GP on Saturday. However there has to be a bit of concern if OB is signed up to a Thursday night club in Sweden as it would mean a clash when appearing at some away meetings. JASON GARRITY is also in mind for next season as he has indicated to CVS that he loves it at Wolves and loves riding the Monmore Green track. CVS said that a few years ago, he would not have touched Garrity with a barge pole but of late he has matured and they will be talking with him in the close season and Len Silver at Rye House but that does not mean he will be signing. JACOB THORSSELL is of course the first rider likely to be put on the team sheet in 2015 and the club and fans have seen a great improvement in JT as he has progressed from a novice that struggled to stay on the bike to a rider that is hitting big scores home and away. As for RICKY WELLS and TY PROCTOR there may well be a problem for both next season in returning as both require work permits to race here and there is a call that doubling up riders should be British riders or at least European under the EU banner. So both may well be likely to be just Premier League next season. PETER KARLSSON - They admitted that PK was pretty crap in his return and it was not the PK of old that came into the team. As for 2015 it depends on the format or strength of the teams as to how he would fit in the team but he remains a possibility but it is felt Thorssell, Bjerre, Berntzon etc are the priority riders in team building for next season along with a #1 that can dominate heat one and the final heats. RACE FORMAT - FAST TRACK RIDERS Overall everyone has been pleased with the way the 2014 season has gone but they admit it needs a bit of fine tuning with the heat format changed a bit and could even see a return to just one reserve race but CVS stated how having the top riders ride each other more was good and thats how it should be. However as a few top riders like Tai have now got lower averages while some second strings have inflated averages, they see Grading riders as the way forward next season. The way Kyle Newman, Jason Garrity, Steve Worrall etc have progressed this year has been great and they will next season hopefully be moved up to second string status along with riders that missed out this season like Ashley Birks, Josh Auty etc. CVS and PA admitted they didn't realise how much emphasis the fast track riders would have on the match results and pointed out that the top five fast track riders were at the five top clubs which isn't just a coincidence. Lewis Kerr at Kings Lynn has finished the season as the third highest averaging rider in the EL of 2014 but has hardly been tested after riding mainly against felloiw reserves. Next season there could be a revert to just one reserve race but they will still mainly be matched to second strings in other races while the heat leaders face each other still. The overall plan is to hope each EL team features one British rider in the team and two fast traqck riders and then in 2016 that increased to two Brits meaning just three foreigners in each team. CVS shared my view that the Premier League are wrong in not supporting the fast track plan and is angry that riders like Joe Jacobs can lose a team place in his own country to a German that has failed to do anything in the past to show he is worthy of riding here in the PL. BRITAIN NO LONGER THE PLACE TO BE CVS said that times have changed over the years as Sweden and Poland only tracked their own riders for years which saw them gain international status with the likes of Tomasz Gollob, Tony Rickardsson, Per Jonsson, Jarek Hampel etc who have all ridden over here. Now both Sweden and Poland are filled with foreign riders while still having riders progress like Pawlicki, Zmarzlik, Dudek etc at reserve and getting well known on the international scene through the GP's, WTC and U21's. These countries are now demanding more and more that riders ride when they want and too many riders have missed meetings here to ride or even practice over there and they no longer look at Britain as a power in the sport it once was, so the fast track riders are looked at as a way of Britain building for the future. CVS said he can't see any way that job sharing for the #1 riders would work as they would be looking at the same fixtures they couldn't ride in RACE JACKETS - These were phased out due to riders not wanting them and that is with regret. Now the FIM have issued a ruling that Nylon can no longer be used in the kevlars and that is why Jacob had the dull colour in his race suit which was done to FIM standard. Hopefully this will be looked at again as they dont want 14 dull coloured riders appearing in a night meeting when they could be bright orange or post box red. SILENCERS - A new silencer is being looked at by the FIM and Britain are hoping that they stick with the present one for another year while tests are done on the new one. In the past Britain was forced to start the season with the new silencers which was a concern for many riders like Gollob who went on strike. By the time the Swedish and Polish leagues had started, the FIM backed down and Britain were already a month into the season when riders were allowed to revert to the old ones. TACTICAL RULE - There is a feeling that the BSPA want to change this ruling but its unsure if they revert back to the old Tac Sub ride as in the old days or the 15 meter handicap or something different. However SKY are the main reason this is in place and in the end they will again have a big say on how this goes forward. The problem with the old tac sub rule is that with heat leaders now up against each other more often, the tac sub would be used in the races featuring the second strings and reserves like in the past when heat 8 would often see the opposing #1 bought in for an easy race win. It is felt that the Grading system will be reintroduced next season which would mean Tai Woffinden would be a top grade rider along with the likes of Iversen, Ward, Zagar and Holder despite having a much lower average ..... but you have to ask how many of those top grade riders will be over here next season for various reasons ? CRADLEY HEATH - It would be highly unlikely that they will be in the Elite League next season but along with Birmingham could well be in the Premier League and they are almost certain to still be riding at Monmore Green but it may be a different race night if they move up. GARDENING - CVS did admit it was a joke that Tai Woffinden was allowed to use gardening tools in the British Final and that was the main topic of conversation a week later at a BSPA meeting and riders will not be allowed to do this in the future. It was however pointed out that at the British Final there were three referees doing that meeting and not one of them attempted to stop it or say anything.

Not filling me with huge excitement this!

He was thrown in last year when everyone else had the chance to find sponser knowing they were going to be on the world stage! Bomber didnt, he found out late on when his sposers were proberbly only set up for him to ride in the leagues! He now has the whole winter to prepare for it and get more money in to give him more of a chance!

Fully agree...That is something worth exploring for sure. How would the play offs work though? Top 8...Top 4! Im a lover of the Play-Offs and make the season longer for teams who may not have something to play towards the end.

Cause that would be 40 matches in the league...Premier League has 28 league matches, Elite League is 32! We struggle to fit all those matches in within a season now so adding 8 more will be extremely difficult. I was trying to keep the matches to around 32 league fixtures!

Theres 6 teams in each group...so if they race home and away twice thats 20 matches.. you cannot race yourself! When you race the teams in the other groups i understand that you will have 6 matches in each group so you would get two more fixtures...in a way not a bad thing and you would end up with 32 matches! (My mistake) And if theres an odd number one league has less teams in it...they race less races in the league! The league will still have a fiar result as they all race the same teams the same amount of races! Each year they swap which league they race around so it end up being fair! Good ideas...I was just running with the fact that if you have two leagues of 12 then there ends up being 24 meetings and no real way of racing the other league. The reson why its groups of 6, means that you can have more derby matches and fans dont have to travel as far for away matches and also teams could save some money in doing so. I know Ive split the Midlands clubs up but there is no other way of doing it. The leagues dont have to be the same each year remember they can change a couple of teams around to freshen it up!

Elite League speedway is pointless, I dont see any point in racing home and away 4 times! Its boring, the same teams come round every week and the results are always simlar between the two teams involved! I think we should have regional groups who race each other 4 times and then race the other groups once if at all...A bit like american football where each season different league play against one another but the divisons are fair because they all race the same teams.Some divisions maybe dont race each other and they could be the cup fixtures so that all teams meet in a season! Then the top two from each divison are paired up with another a 1st plays 2nd so thats the quaters then the top two go through to the semis and we have a big super bowl final where the top two teams from each reigon race off for the title! The leagues would have more derbies so you would get to travel to more away matches and hopefully crowds would incread you would end up with a fixture list around 30 matches...

Thanks, such a shame! Dont know what Kent do next but a 6:30 start time wont work in any league other than the NL! Any more opertunities all alterations that could be made!

Not good... Also I cannot find the facebook page with this information

Is that the outcome?

I wish Kent all the best tonight in the meeting with the council! Fingers crossed that the evidance gathered will provail over the complainers who make statments up out of fresh air!

I watch Cradley...every week we see two tactical rides, every week they do absoultly nothing! We romp away every week, and the fans are now fed up of it! I watched the Lions aswell and they have come from 10points down to win! THATS SPORT! The underdog, the comebcak, the last gasp...these are what make it a sport! Rules are set before a match and both teams no the rules...its up to both teams to make the most of them, when the tactical ride comes the other team can stop it or the can bring the score back but 7 points! They dont fiddle the results at all because its is known about it before they start the meeting. Without those tactical rides there would have been a 4 point gain but the match would not have been turned on its head! Speedway is a sport where when the riders are close the action is better, also when the score is close the action is better! THE PLAY OFFS, the only thing that gets people through the gates... the crowds at those matches are the only ones worthy of the great past times and even then there still a mile off! Without the Play offs leagues would be over before september for some teams, how are those teams suposed to get people through the gate when theres nothing to play for. Id like to point out im 25! A younger fan, my dad is 63 and he still comes and complains about these type of things just like you... I think its a generation thing but i understand there are purists but thats not how it is anymore!

A league like American Football would suit speedway. The only problem is you would have to have a certain number of teams and gaurentee that they would be back each season.

I hate to say it but without Tactical Rides and Play Offs meetings and season would be over for some teams and they would have nothing to race for after heat 8 and after July! They have to stay to make it close, and to make it more intresting!

Wasnt last nights curfew extended, a good way to test the waters!

Super GP...Nicki once again up to his usual tricks (Close Call) but he adds so much entertainment off the track! All night Nigel and Kelvin were saying how calm he was. Didnt last very long! Lots of lines and lots of moves and a pleasnt winner with AJ! To top it all off Woffinden looked good in 3 heats and is closer to Greg but Greg is still healthy with his lead!

The second best team in the league and we go and win by 35points...Glad ive had a season ticket as on the gate would not be good value at all to watch these ommerings everyweek. The extra meetings from the KOC and The Play Offs, works out to be around £6.50 a meeting if we go all the way in the Cup and League. The program notes tonight hinted greatly about the need for the step up and Patch himself admited in his coloum that we have out grew the NL. For the first time in a very very very long while was the issue of the our own track brought up in Starkes page where he said that the management team really were doing the best they can to find us a home. Ive stated previously that I would more than be happy to stay in the NL if...we didnt build such a good side (But then whats the point) or the league was able to be closer but how they would do that is imposable because the benfits of riding for the Heathens outweights any other team. Once again tonight the riders were all given cheques for I think the 4th time this season. PL would make the majoirty happy, but these folks are not used to watching a loosing side and I would hate to see some of there reactions if we on the other end of these drummings, thats one of the issue that worries because some of our fans can take it a bit to far as stated by the club after the visit to coventry at the start of the season! A massive winter ahead, one I look forward to greatly!

Heathens by 18 thats my preidction...biggest test of the year, I just hope it dont end up being like all the other big tests the management build up for us!

A town built for a huge population to live in a modern town but it never had any sports teams! Till now, the football is creating its own history as MK Dons, and the council are keen to have sports in the town as its never happened before!