Hamish McRaker

People will always get behind an over-achieving underdog. The problem is with an under-achieving "overdog". Always better to try to be the former in my view but also runs the risk of falling a over t.

"Proven number 1" could include having been a No.1 at some point/s in the past at top league level, whilst not necessarily starting the forthcoming season at that position in the team.

Maybe when saying "No.1" he is meaning a rider who won't, at least from the start of season, actually be wearing the No 1 on his back, but whose status in the sport (such as being a former world champion) is of such a level (in his opinion, of course!).

Count your blessings - Peterborough still haven't named most of their team !

Possibly Mr C Holder (and possibly others) makes provisional agreement with Peterborough but, also makes one with Ipswich. This would be known by both clubs. However, his full commitment to Peterborough would possibly have been contingent upon Mr K Chapman no longer being owner of the club, the two of them having had their differences in the past and those differences are not reconcilable. Now, with the recent statement from Peterborough, it seems that K. Chapman is still owner of the club, and the rumoured sale to Mr Tomalin has not been done, at least not yet, anyway. Mr Holder therefore invokes his right to commit himself elsewhere, or perhaps even decides to give the UK a complete thumbs down for a further season.

I predict a fry-up

Could it be the case that certain riders being mentioned, had been awaiting fixtures to be confirmed before being able to commit sufficiently, or to say no can do?

Too many bangs to the head, he should consider his long term health

Magic mushrooms?

Probably the best selections. Mountain should be a shoe-in for 2024.

Zagar?.....As Groucho Marx once said - "those are my principles, and if you don't like them, well, I have others..."

Things have gone quiet on the Leicester team completion front. Is Connor Mountain in or not? Is he good enough and ready enough to step up to being a No 6? He seems like a six and a half to me. Is that good enough to carry the extra points scoring responsibility with a very inexperienced No.7 under his wing? He's got an ideal chance now to really kick on in the CL, and if so could get plenty of guest bookings in that league.

Utter nonsense calling that place "National speedway stadium" it is nothing of the sort, would have been better calling it Craven Stadium, or Collins Stadium, or Ace Arena

It has! Trebles all round

My interest is declining by the minute.

Get an overnight hotel and travel back on Saturday. Have a look around KL whilst there. However, will there be any hotel rooms available? Home Office are booking anything they can get at the moment.

Train from Poole leaves at 11.40, cross London to Kings Cross and you can get to KL at 16.31. Journey time 4hrs 51. From Leicester at 13.15, also arrives KL at 16.31 with a change at Peterborough. Journey 3h 16.

It isn't a neutral track. Leicester are temporarily homeless and so have had to borrow a home venue. The notion of turning it into a one-off final is completely gypit

"Agreed" - sound from that more like they were "instructed". In which case Leicester may have a valid claim to financial compensation for the costs and income loss?

No chance. Huge rolls of blotting paper being put down early morning to pre-absorb moisture that would otherwise rise up from the base into the new material. New material to consist mostly of recycled shredded moisture-wicking clothing. The track will need watering, if anything.

That's why I put up the idea of having a 5-team mini-league starting in August with fixtures being set from the beginning. This would effectively be playoffs, with each club guaranteed 4 such home fixtures and no playing games in the quest for having the second leg at home which seems to have become the root cause of the current arrangements having become so dysfunctional that a complete farce is the outcome.

I think that is probably right, that jockeying for the second leg at home has resulted in this farce. If so, how was this allowed to happen? Was no control being exercised by the sport's directors?

Please excuse me if this has already been chewed over, but.... Weds 12th Poole v Redcar, KO cup final Sat 15th Leicester Cubs v Mildenhall KO cup final. Presumably Leicester and Poole already confirmed as playoff finalists by then. So why wasn't the final run on those dates??

Yes there is -if the weather on Friday differs from the current forecast