Mr Ore

Interesting. I went to the England Training Centre at St George's Park, just over the road, before lockdown and went to have a look but it was all barricaded off with concrete blocks preventing access. Looking at Street View in January of this year though it seems accessible again. I literally passed through just a few villages en route, but that was from the M1 so maybe a bigger potential fan base to the west.

I appreciate your Scunthorpe links but, being present as a 100% neutral , agree fully with your assessments. I really don't get races being called back when someone who has remained stationary is immediately assumed to have cheated because they have fast reflexes. To be discluded too rubbed more salt in the wounds. We had the scenario at Cardiff where riders were penalised by being called back only to have replays showing no movement. Bach clearly was first to move in heat 15 and amazingly got away with the same in the rerun. Overall it was probably the best racing I have seen at Central Park so, as a neutral it was a good evenings entertainment but Scunthorpe have every right to feel aggrieved. Lots of roadside posters advertising the grass-track at Swingfield Minnis this weekend. Still won't be going.

Sorry to ruin a good conspiracy theory but the M1 at Sheffield is inches deep in water; having left a wake on a hill top, a few miles away, owing to the marquee also flooding. Two mourners from Brigg turned in boots owing to conditions there this morning. Disappointed as I was looking to continue a further 100 mile round trip for this match. But rubbish happens so well done to the much maligned Mr Godfrey for an early postponement.

Sunday 30th May 2021Bradford Bulls 37 York 18 Attendance 3,742Admission £22 seats £20 standing Prog £3.00 Seemingly 4000 current crowd limit for rugby.

All Premiership teams are racing that night.

I reckon you are correct. On in London today, with some irony being the second half of a double header. The series was produced by Anglia TV so Peterborough would have been in their catchment area. Definitely looks like the old at EoESG grass-banking on the back straight.

He moved to the Herefordshire area but, I hear, still has a love affair, with the Blades. I was unaware of the company link, but sounds logical. On a cottage holiday last year in that area, I wore my Tigers hoodie to a local non league football game and was greeted by a regular home fan who is also an exiled Tiger, and still goes to Owlerton on a regular basis. Small World.

A friend of mine is one of the question writers (researchers) for this and several other quiz programmes and often throws speedway questions in. He has never seen a live match, owing to distance to the nearest tracks and having a young family, but loves it on TV and will speak with me about it when we meet . He had an action photo of Franky Zorn on his office walls at the BBC in Wood Lane and Ellstree studios so does his bit. Bradley and Mark (The Beast) both are also big, albeit similarly distant, admirers of the sport. As a huge Blades fan maybe the Tigers could look to get Mark along to Owlerton one week when all is up and running again, although I believe he has now moved from the immediate area. He'd love the buffet.

Alton v Ringwood Town in Wessex League, last night. Two teams intent on playing good football and providing great entertainment. Free hot drink with every programme. One more to go before lockdown.

Yes, they did a programme at (deep breath) £3 for 24 pages, but sold out shortly after I got mine, around 25 minutes before kick off. Seemed to have done a lot too, but had their biggest crowd since moving to the Hub. Unsure if it will be regular hard copy production, but I'd seen it advertised on their Twitter during the day. They had been doing on line only last season and earlier this, but the format didn't seem to print off correctly in booklet format. On line only at Maldon (and Cheshunt the week before) so other half printing them off for me at her work today.

Very much my attitude, with season ticket duty on Wednesday no doubt seeing my final game for some time, after about 25 non league matches during lockdown hiatus. With surgery scheduled for December putting me out of commission until next February, I had an impressive diary of intended games scheduled, until going under the knife, too. Walton and Hersham v Peacehaven and Telscombe (at the impressive new sports hub) in the "and" derby on Friday and Maldon and Tiptree v Kingstonian in Trophy yesterday being 2 new grounds for me, although only being able to buy a takeaway container at the Maldon micropub, as unbelievably real ale sample trays do not constitute a substantial meal. In whose language ? Forlorn hope that there may be some ice speedway when I am mobile again.

One of my interests but haven't been to as many games as I usually would this season, although I still have a season ticket for my local team. It costs around £80 to watch my main league team at home at level 3 to just get there and in, and around £20 all in including post match ales for my Isthmian team. My other half will go with me too, as it is far cheaper and can be as entertaining, often more so . Crowds are definitely up all round so more are turning to this level. Great to see how much you are watching on here. I never did their old ground although worked fairly close so had seen it many times. I did a memorial game at the current ground last week and since my last visit, last season, they have fully fenced it in as dog walkers could get in for free from Wimbledon Rugby ground just through the woods, or foul the pitch when nobody was there. Also floodlit, with hard standing on 3sides and 2 seated stands, although one is especially small with a few loose seats. No idea if they have the freehold but are developing to remain there Given the current location and Raynes Park already having a team at the same level I doubt a name change to reflect their current area would generate any extra support so keeping the original name going isn't so bad . They currently share with Westside FC in the same league who started as a church team from Wandsworth so they are even further from their roots, Their own ground though is in this area, the other side of the rugby club but also couldn't be developed to Combined Counties League requirements..

Frightening. It seems so recent when they moved but obviously was that long ago. Been in the Comb Cos League since the early noughties. Not 100% sure but probably in Surrey South East Combination when they moved to Wibbandune. In the late 90s they merged with Vandyke becoming Vandyke Colliers United around 97; and taking their place in the then Surrey Premier / County League. Reverted to their own name before promotion to their current level. Vandyke previously played at the Fire Brigade ground in Ewell, but had to leave. CWU had the ground and Vandyke the more senior status so a merger suited both .

Same level, different league; Lydd Town 1 v 3 Forest Hill Park. # birthday treat. Thought we could hear the sound of bikes from the speedway during 2nd half but turned out to be a plane taxiing at the airport next door.

A long story, but spoke with "my" John, and he never made it in the end. All very curious that 2 medical people, with the same forename were miles from home, in the same area and could have both been in a group of 80+. Would have been incredible had they met,. He is not really a football fan but seemed interested in taking a look, when the Lancaster game, we had spoken about as something to do on his hols, was postponed. A walk and meal were a better deal in the end. He owes me. Very weird coincidence. Ironically in a past job I received a, shall I say, intimate gift in the post, through head office with an apology and love letter. I had no idea who it was from, other than a first name, or what it was about but thought I’d better not hide from my other half, at the same time denying any idea of why I had received it. I have an unusual combination of first and surname , but incredibly received a call the next day from “my namesake” who was working as a temp in head office for a few weeks so not in the staff directory. That was an embarrassing meeting.

That is very strange.

Was worried in case you thought my first comment was some sort of bad joke, but a total coincidence you mentioning it on here and him Emailing me on Friday to say that was where he was going. Has to be one of the same; late 60s with spectacles and a squint. Has a distinctive laugh too. The comment about him being a neurosurgeon is true too, as well as allowing the punchline. .

Must stop feeding you the ammo to shoot me down with. . Damn predictive text, with a visit to Bishopstoke nr Eastleigh, 10 days ago not helping. I'll accept I've been outpedanted, but not reluctantly. .

Including my friend Dr John, a retired neurosurgeon from Edinburgh. . A very interesting job but hardly brain surgery.

Hey; I'm supposed to be from the land of the pedants, not you . Based on their website, I'll give you the address, showing as Bishopstoke, although, as per Microsoft map here, and in real life, the ground entrance is actually beyond Wandle Road . Of course The National Trust are no help either putting Watermeads address as Bishopstoke; #membership refund request in the post. And as for Jeff !!!!

Moved from Tooting to Mitcham, about 15 years ago. Now playing at Imperial fields next to the National Trust Nature Reserve (Watermeads) in London Road. Share with Tooting Bec FC of the Combined Counties League.

Side-tracking a bit the long gone Walthamstow Avenue ground was definitely my favourite of all time. A very sad loss. All very complicated so I apologise for any minor errors (hopefully none). The straight answer to your query is, "NO". Avenue are actually now part of Dagenham and Redbridge FC. Two other historic sides, Ilford and Leytonstone (I am sadly too young to have done their grounds) ultimately merged to form Leytonstone and Ilford FC after the former sold their ground, which I believe was literally next door to the tube station. When Ilford also sold their ground, the merged team moved in at WA in a ground share. My own opinion, based on watching a L/I game there was that they actually became the dominant force in the stadium and ultimately the 3 sides merged under the Redbridge Forest FC banner. Finally RF were integrated with Dagenham to become Dagenham and Redbridge FC who actually got as high as the third tier in the professional game, although now back in National League. The current Walthamstow team have links with another historic London team, Leyton, whose original ground is still standing, albeit in a desolate condition, a stone's throw from the Lea Bridge speedway track. They were originally called Pennant but added the Walthamstow tag (becoming Walthamstow Pennant) when Avenue went through their merger, effectively stopping the loss of the Walthamstow name from senior football. Leyton have gone through numerous incarnations/reformations, including a period as Leyton Wingate, when the latter lost their ground, but are now integrated within Wingate and Finchley FC at step 3 in the pyramid. Another offshoot of Wingate played under their generic name for a while in Barnet at a stadium currently owned by Hadley FC. Ultimately Leyton and WP merged becoming Leyton Pennant FC. However during a period of instability, much of it not football related, the then owner changed the club name to Waltham Forest and initially started playing at Wadham Lodge stadium, but to continue the above links. later entered a ground share with the reformed Ilford FC at their current Cricklefields stadium. From memory it was around 4 years ago they however returned to Wadham Lodge stadium and reclaimed the Walthamstow name to reflect their "homecoming" . Currently they share the ground with Clapton Community FC, a phenomenally successful group who have had 4 figure crowds playing on "park pitches" and who, to the chagrin of some, have bought the fun side back to the game and actually encourage putting donations into the local food bank in lieu of admission to their games. They have recently acquired the freehold of the old Clapton FC Old Spotted Dog ground and are already improving the pitch and ground for their return to another traditional old London venue. The original Clapton currently play behind closed doors at Terrence MacMillan stadium, which was considered as a possible venue for West Ham speedway when Custom House closed. Finally (Thank God) during the Waltham Forest "exile" from Wadham Lodge a breakaway team formed by some of the former management , called Wadham Lodge FC moved in ensuring continued use of the ground. When Walthamstow FC "returned" they changed their name to Leyton Athletic to reflect the original history of Waltham Forest FC. Following a year's sabbatical they were to return this season with a high profile manager and quality players but clearly "Something is rotten in the state of Denmark" and a sweary departure days after he signed saw the manager resign and nothing further being heard of a return. .

I have noticed that in the 13 games I have been to since matches were allowed with imposed crowd restrictions, attendances have been noticeably up on comparable games last year. Although they have had a crowd limit of 300 imposed Walthamstow in the Essex League, for example, have had sell outs at all but one home game this season. Their average home gate last year was, I believe, 79.

Ditto. Another inept performance by Ks.

Simplifying but steps 3 downwards are continuing based on an arbitrary assessment of crowd limits, on the assumption that all grounds at a similar level must be the same size and that a "trial" fixture with a lower crowd number has first taken place to ensure covid distancing is feasible. The current limit is that crowds of 30%of capacity are allowed . Step 3 is the highest level with crowds, which are the premier divisions of Northern Premier, Southern (2 divs) and Isthmian The 30% limit means that all clubs at this level can have a maximum attendance of 600, although like speedway stadia ground sizes vary greatly. I won't complain as I have been taking in matches and have a season ticket for my local team whose first league match is on Saturday, but the criteria is barking. As an example Bury Town (step 4) played Brightlingsea Regent (step 3) on Tuesday in the FA Cup with a crowd limit of 400 at their 3,500 capacity stadium. Had the tie been reversed the limit would have been 600 in Regent's 1.000 capacity ground.