Little Thumper

If you have a pussy they are most welcome.

I witnessed Alan's accident in 1978 at Hyde Road and all I can say is that thankfully, the way fallen riders are now dealt with means that they are considerably less likely to suffer such life-changing injuries. I spoke to Alan a couple of times in the pits when he visited the Dog Bowl and whilst not the easiest person to talk to, his courage was immense. If you live anywhere near Warrington, this is the place for your next dog's holiday http://daresburyboarding.co.uk/

Joe actually runs Daresbury Boarding Kennels and looks after my dogs when I am away. I was at his place a couple of week ago and he was telling me that he had attended Alan Wilkinson's funeral and there weren't many there. Joe is a top guy.

Probably, reaching for his hymn sheet even as we speak. Perhaps a few verses of All Things Bright and Beautiful would go down well. All together now.....

Well, some clubs' websites may be terrible but I would have thought that the website run by the head honchos of British Speedway might be good enough to post some interesting information rather than expecting people to have to go to a commercial site to get the information. Totally useless.

Thank you, RS50. Bloody hell. Is the whole world these days run by making utterances on Farcebook and Twatter? Some of us do not use these companies so we have to discover things by scratching round and begging for information. Why have a completely decent, easily accessible web site if you choose not to use it for the purpose for which it was intended. I do not wish to be client of either of these companies, so why do organizations assume that you should be? :mad: :mad: :mad:

Have they? I've had a look on the BSPA website and I can't see anything.

Perhaps an educated guess? Seems a strange guess to just pluck out of thin air, methinks. :rofl:

Is that right? Thanks for that, TurnTwo. I can't imagine that Lee Dicken is going to Birmingham, no offence, Lee! So perhaps the old race suit will be appearing on Fleabay any day now. But then again........................................

I hear what you are saying. I noticed that Bradley Andrews, who is joining Kent at reserve has the luxury of a full time mechanic. Perhaps the Dicken family are suitably affluent and can employ a hired hand? But then again, perhaps not.

Don't remember saying that I'd got any imagination. So if all these activities are such great money spinners, have they been tried before and how did it go?

I am hoping to see Lee Dicken back at Buxton this year. I believe his wisdom could be useful for the less experienced riders and perhaps he might adopt something of a Tony Atkin role and provide some sort of a buffer zone between Friend Pipe's aspirations and the daylight of reality. Hopefully, his New Year diet plan is holding out! Not sure that Kean Dicken will be returning to the hills as he may develop more quickly when he leaves the safety of the paternal nest and tries to plough his own furrow. I feel sure that future team announcements will be coming soon. And of course, there is always a chance that a rider who has previously done some laps round the magnificent Buxton track might think that now would be a good time to make a return? After all, that lovely crisp Derbyshire air is the equivalent of £5 a point at least!

Such as?

There you go! We are both dopes. I was having a chat with Andy Mellish at a grass track meeting last year. What a very pleasant chap indeed and a good friend of Tony Atkin. So, sadly, your suggestion that he might go to Stoke may be a wise one. Hope not because I quite like the guy. Needs as needs must, I suppose and perhaps he might be Stoked.

Golly, that sneaked up on me! I must have been that under-whelmed that I hadn't noticed that they had just about managed to hand out all the race jackets. With this line-up, I can't see them getting in the top half of the table. But hey, who knows. Hopefully, the Gloomy Roadsters can now turn their attention to avoiding the situation where the crowd is introduced to the riders. Come on Stoke, you can do it if you really try!