leander

Agreed. Should just say each team must have three brits. One of which must be under, say, 19. And another under 21. I see Plymouth, who signed Luke Ruddick as there "Rising Star", have now transferred the Rising Star status to Alfie Bowtell! How is that possible? It gives them an extra 0.25 (ish) to play with for any subsequent team changes as Alfie has a higher average. Bloody ridiculous.

But not according to the Newcastle Speedway website!!!

Well, actually, Yes. In my working days I was a manager in the retail industry. I know that when you are struggling to get Joe Public through the door the last thing you cut is the advertising budget. In fact it should be increased, if possible, I'm not saying they should have a full page advert in the Chronicle (but it would help if something was there). If people don't know what is on offer then they aren't going to come through the door. It costs NOTHING to advertise what is coming next in your own publication. So definitely an opportunity missed. As for slagging them off, I don't want it to fold any more than you do. Constructive criticism I'd call it. Showing them where there is room for improvement, if they want to survive.

Interesting that next weeks meeting isn't promoted any where in the Race Day Magazine (again), apart from on the fixture list page. a former Newcastle Legend, GP winner, and (possibly) a former World Champion, yet it's deemed not worthy enough to warrant a mention in their own publication. Do these owners have ANY idea how to promote? Barry did mention it once during the meeting. Noticeably a start time was obvious by it's absence.

There was more people there than I was expecting given the doom and gloom on here about projected numbers. I've seen worst crowds in the past even without any restrictions. The restrictions are affecting the crowd. There are a lot of fans who can't or won't book on line and they will come back when pay at the door returns. Also some of the fans getting on in years bring there own portable seats to rest their legs as they don't like the pub like atmosphere in the upstairs area. Currently there is no where for them to do this as the steps outside are not wide enough for a chair. (Rob's caravan has pinched their usual spot). The only area wide enough is a "no go" area as far as standing is concerned at the moment. Whether there is enough of them, though, that is the question.

I've been telling them that ever since Edinburgh tickets went on sale 5 weeks ago, but nobody takes any notice. Now they are in a mess because they aren't selling enough tickets. It can't be that difficult. If it is then they need to get a new web host/ manager. (there is a link on the ticket office page now, but it's very faint and mostly obliterated by the page header). IT SHOULD BE IN BIG BOLD LETTERS. It's their source of financial income, though wouldn't think it.

The rerun was awarded after Nathan Greaves Fell. No time recorded.

I saw an item on facebook about a week ago (Newcastle supporters site) where someone went on the trybooking site to book tickets and the site says the event was closed. The answer was that there are two events listed with the Leicester match on and you needed to click on the 2nd one. How many people, I wonder, have just seen the "Event closed" and just assumed that it was either cancelled or full. Not everybody does facebook. Two weeks ago we had our 1st meeting against Edinburgh. In the matchday program the only mention of the following week meeting (U21) was a short paragraph at the end of Rob's bit. It was listed on the fixture page but no start time. The Leicester fixture was not mentioned at all. In fact the fixture list had no meeting listed for this sunday, as the Leicester match was shown as mid July, despite tickets having been on sale for at least a week beforehand. Surely it costs nothing to advertise to people in your own publication upcoming events in letters big enough to attract attention. It's not like the issue was crammed full of items to read. Yes, THJ, I'll admit Rob isn't my favourite cup of tea, but, not withstanding, I don't want the club to fold. I've been a "paying supporter" in more ways than one since 1975, attending as many fixtures involving Newcastle as I can. I have probably missed no more than 50 since season 2000 home and away. I have sent two messages to the promotion recently. one asking when tickets for the U21's were going on sale, and one mentioning the fact that the page set up for the printed Edinburgh ticket made part of the important part illegible as it was overprinted by the Diamonds logo. Did I get a response to either? Not a jot. If that's the way he wants to run a business then fine. I have, however, despite this, contributed what I can afford to the "just giving page.

They read the barcode on your pre paid ticket, but took cash / credit cards for the programs at the turnstiles. I would think it was this transaction that you saw.

Well, unfortunately I am not surprised (only that it's happened so quick).. I said when they decided to part ways with Vissing that the casual Newcastle supporter won't turn up to watch an uncompetitive team every week. No disrespect to the current team but we are far to much under strength. The first meeting of the season may have satisfied the stadium people and the council with regard to the social distancing, but I know (me included) a lot of people weren't happy with the arrangements. Not because they had to socially distance, but because they had to do THE COMPLETE OPPOSITE. By insisting that people stood in blocks of six meant that single, or couples were forced to stand next to people that they didn't know resulting in them mixing with people outside their social group. Yes people were supposed to wear masks, but I know of at least one diehard fan who said he won't be back as he was told to stand next to two couples he didn't know. One couple spent the entire meeting drinking (though not disorderly) resulting in them NOT wearing a face covering for the entire time. The online booking system is poorly advertised. The website is awful for anyone wanting to know about meetings and booking details. The first menu item on the website is "Ticket Office". "You can buy tickets on our website for our upcoming races". No you bloody well can't!!! You click on the link and it takes you to a page which lists some dubious meeting on the 27th October 2021. There is a tiny (only just recently added) link just below the header for trybooking.uk, but nothing to say what it's for. It's no surprise to me that people aren't booking on line. Surely this can't be to difficult to sort out. Why not open an "in person" ticket office for, say, two hours at the track on a Sunday morning so the people who are not internet savvy can buy tickets in advance for meetings scheduled over the following few weeks. Some people seem quite happy that Rob got rid of the "George English Brigade", but in doing so he removed volunteers who had probably 20+ years experience in what's required to help make Newcastle a success. I hope Rob and co can turn it around but I fear the latest four week extension to covid restrictions isn't going to help matters.

Regulations state that it has to be Rider replacement if Adam is missing. A guest is not allowed (unless someone else is also missing). Rides can be taken by Connor Mountain or the reserves. That means, undoubtedly, James will get seven rides. need to name a no 8 for this fixture me thinks.

Aye. Obviously no proof reading took place before publication. Woefully short on readable content as well (in my opinion). Didn't realise articles had to maintain social distancing as well.

Nigel it was, although Steve Pate was listed in the Edinburgh program (as well as in the Newcastle one on Sunday).

If that's the case then I would take Josh or Archie as a no. 8, just to cover any eventualities.

I appreciate that a lot of the covid rules in place last night were not necessarily the fault of Newcastle speedway promotion, who were doing there best to comply with various instructions. However, Stewarding could have been better. There was no check made, on the terracing at least, to see that people were in the correct zone as shown on their ticket. For example I was in the covered stand area, but could just has easily stood outside on the open terracing , and vice versa, thus potentially overcrowding these areas. As I said before the "boxes of six", whoevers (not so) bright idea that was did nothing to maintain social distancing. How many social groups of five or six was there actually attending? It just achieved the exact opposite. A lot of people around the area where I stood weren't happy at the LACK of social distancing it created. Don't forget for the next 5 weeks there is competition with the footy euros being on telly. how many people would rather watch that in there safe "bubble" than be forced to mix with strangers at the speedway?

According to the GBspeedway website fixture list there is a 1500CC youth class on 20 June. Lol

Aye I saw that Steve, but I also saw two more different line-ups on various social/media outlets. In the end they were all wrong as they showed Danny Smith as riding, when it was fairly obvious from his facebook post on Saturday morning that he wouldn't be.

Can't agree more. I thought the whole idea of social distancing was so that you DID NOT mix with people outside your own social group. I found a space under the canopy where I was at least ten feet away from the nearest group. " Sorry, you can't stand there. you need to be on a "X" . You'll have to stand over there and mix with 4 people you don't know." Bonkers. A much better system at Edinburgh. Given coloured wrist bands depending on which zone you were in meanins security could easily check whether people were where they should be. Once in your zone you could stand/ sit where you wanted as long as you maintained the required distance from next social group. All security had to do was walk around making sure everybody complied. Not force people to break GOVERNMENT guidelines on social distancing by forcing them to stand next to strangers. Gripe no 2. Why was there a 45 minute delay between matches? There was a 15 minute track grade followed by 20 minutes of nothing. Then the teams did a track walk, followed by the bikes being warmed up. Warm them up during the track grade, for god's sake. Then just get on with it as soon as the track grade is finished. Gripe no. 3. The Matchday magazine. 20% increase in price from 2:50 to £3:00. Fair enough. However, drastically short on content. Only about 4 to 5 pages (out of 22, allowing for the 2 score sheets) of readable articles ,at the most. Definitely won't be in the running for program of the year this season. does anybody proof read it before printing. Incorrect team manager for Newcastle. Referee = Forename Surname. Fixture Picture. I have a ticket for Newcastle v Leicester on 20 June, yet according to the fixture list printed in the magazine this fixture doesn't take place until the middle of July. Hardly likely to attract the casual supporter if the next league fixture isn't correctly advertised. Not to mention the five away fixtures that are not listed at all. Definite room for improvement.

Anybody know how the teams are lining up (particularly the Armadale Devils) today?

Not quite sure how you figure that. He beat everyone except Masters and Worrall, who were a class apart, including Pickering twice.

They changed a couple of seasons ago. You are not allowed to GUEST at the same track within seven days. That rule doesn't apply if one of the teams is your own club, so Howarth is fine riding for Leicester.

Whilst I agree, I don't understand it. What if he performs poorly for his Extraleague team and gets loaned out to a first division club in Poland in a double down scenario. Surely, in my opinion, he should be able to double up in GB. It is a British League, a) a premiership division (div 1), and b) a championship division. Same League, same governing authority. Just like Poland (1 league, 3 divisions).

Somebody had to go, otherwise we would have been comfortably under the NDL 35 point limit!!!!!! (in the championship). Don't see why 4* rising stars can't ride in the championship as part of the program. just knock another point off the rest of the team building. Be interesting to see how many are lost when they lose confidence after finding they are out of their depth, like the last time they tried something like this.

Ah yes! A "rising star" who was perfectly placed to take the next step onwards in his career until............the "rising Star" program was introduced resulting in him being forced out of his team place by an ill conceived idea. Which means a bright British prospect is out of a job with little chance of a place in any league as he has too high a rising star rating for the championship. Too high an average for the NDL (i. e. Conference league) thanks to the absolutely ludicrous 35 point limit the powers that be have introduced there.

They had to release someone, as none of our 2020 riders satisfied the criteria. if we had kept Connor then Joe would have replaced Skorja and we would be about 5 points below the limit. It is possible that without the rule change we could have signed Ben to replace Nic and still been under the limit (assuming Adam Roynon average is less than 5.00)