Mike.Butler

The problem is that the play-offs can't start until they do otherwise the clubs not in the play-offs wouldn't have any fixtures from end of August say.. not that some of them run in the main summer holidays anyway!?? hmm However, having play-off QFinals should definitely be scrapped

The club should be heavily fined and forced to ride 2 leagues lower for at least 2 seasons. Additionally the promoters licences should be rescinded and all involved forced to attend the BSPA course on 'requirements of all tracks to fulfil fixtures' * Season ticket holders out of pocket * Amateurish and totally avoidable incomplete league table (and this is the ELITE league!!) When oh when are the promoters as a whole going to realise that tolerating this type of thing is bringing the sport down slowly but surely. Elite league participation requires ELITE promotions only. As mentioned above, the BSPA should step in and refund season ticket holders as an absolute minimum.

seems like there are existing NL teams who survive with very few paying fans..so can be done..

That's exactly my point. If an EL is expanded to say 11/12 teams to give a few more meetings then why shouldn't our promoters call their bluff and say it's the EL (all meetings) + 1 other.. This dipping in and out at their convenience is unsatisfactory particularly as it distorts the EL and its integrity, ie Messrs Woffinden and Lindback joinin for play-offs.

we should take the Polish approach.. You can ride in one other league other than the UK in any season. That would stop the top boys doing a just a few meetings at the start and end of our season.

have I missed something? Why cannot the existing stadium be updated? Build a new main stand on back straight whilst continuing racing..?

lets be honest...A side as strong as the Brummies should win both trophies this month. If Eastbourne win either it will be quite a surprise. To be frank, along with Cradley both clubs are like fish out of water in the NL. their continued participation will stagnate the league as they will carve up the trophies year after year...not sure that is desirable or sustainable.

I believe I'm not mistaken when I read correctly that "things may get worse before they get better"... in which case I look forward to the resumption of a 2nd joker when a team is 12 pts behind, plus the 'man on man' heats previously trialled in KO Cup given another go as they didn't really get much of a trial last time... Apart from that can't think of much

I wonder if the EL will be expanding east, west and north?

the more different nations represented the better imv

Kenneth Bjerre deserves to be in as he went through the qualifiers. That's what competitive sport should be about, points gained on the track Its enough of a closed shop as it is.

The British League Cup was abused by most of the top flight sides at that time. Instead of having teams minus their heat leaders (as was the intention, they fielded some heat leaders and came under the average limit by tracking a number of 3 pointers. The effect of this was that many heats became processions led by the EL heat leader, followed by the PL boys and the 3.00 junior at the back. The ides was that PL heat leaders vs EL 2nd strings would produce some close racing...as usual in speedway a great idea was flawed by EL clubs self-interest who fielded top heavy sides and made use of TS rules. My point is that any 'B' grade fixtures MUST exclude the top boys. No circumvention.

Interesting to note that 2 home riders both scored FULL 15 point maximums..I will need to check my records but not sure I've ever seen that before..

Seems to me some EL promoters wouldn't want to run PL/NL sides but rather settle for 8-10 fixtures and run april-august. I think running sides at 2 levels at same track will only work in a few cases. A lot of fans will only watch the 'A' team.

personally I don't think the make-up of any of the mdl sides matters..as long as some young riders who are willing to take some extra rides in front of an audience do so. It shouldn't be regarded as a competitive league results/table-wise. The league is merely an instrument for formalising 2nd half junior racing (they might all be called challenges tbh).

thanx Little.Thumper - well the announcer did try to generate a little excitement towards the end of the meeting, but overall (racing aside) it was a non-event. The racing did improve after the break and a few 'incidents' kept the interest despite the one-sided score. At the start it felt like I had stumbled into a private function that had been going on for some time and was winding down a bit with most guests already having left (including the DJ). Perhaps this could be marketed as a deliberate strategy at finding a niche market..its certainly an original approach.. The guy in the red cap (ahem) was I thought going to do a turn at one point but sadly not.. I actually enjoyed myself.

more people attending than I expected. At least I've met my objective.. I'd forgotten how poor the lighting is generally (track and stadium) feared the worst when the power went.. wasn't a surprise to anyone which says it all really.. div 3 is their only option with the current infrastructure, and I should say they would be better off staging afternoon meetings..lessens the chance of abandonments

history tells us that any team joining the 'elite' gets dealt a poor hand and lives to regret it..

well if no team comes up and leicester do drop out isn't that the end of the EL sky contract? could be interesting....

it was brilliant this year.

you will recognise me easily enough. I will be the one without a dog.

see you there then. I need Loomer road to complete visits to all tracks this season.

speedway doesn't deserve the fans it's got...promoters, riders, tv and even refs sometimes often have paying spectators at the bottom of their list of priorities...quite how it attracts any new fans at all surprises me

Buxom spotters

I was there in 2002 and the play-offs were a novelty at the time and I felt as though a real injustice had taken place when Wolves won...but do you remember the size of the crowd?! And it was a terrific occasion... they're here to stay...The EL is worse with GP riders coming in at the last minute..