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When I was involved with Belle Vue, we did a huge push one summer with publicity on local radio and the MEN newspaper for much reduced adult admission and children free. The results were overwhelming with double the normal crowd (though the same turnstile income as usual). We were so pleased with the out-turn that we ran it for the next week. The crowd returned to pre-offer levels meaning we lost a fortune. I concluded that reduced entry pricing was unlikely to increase crowd levels on a long term basis - but were likely to bankrupt the business

NICHOLLS will be riding for Peterborough. As I understand it, SCB over-ruled the BSPA.

not knocking the scott nicholls thing by being able to ride in the champ . so who is in charge of speedway? why do we need 2 decision makers , when in fact , only one can make the call . first decision makers makes a new rule or whatever it is to exclude prem riders over 6.00 from champ . second decision makers over rule first bunch of muppets on their decision , but only after they had , had another look at their first decision and thought it was correct in not allowing 6.00 riders into the champ . now we all sit back and wait for the truly momentous worst decision in speedway history . the sport is an utter let down and will never progress while muppets are in charge of a once glorious sport . back handers . lies , rules that are not rules . when is it going to end .(maybe when we get rid of all the corrupt goings on in speedway ) run by idiots and scammers who only line their pockets to suit themselves .

I think the BSPA have actually made two very bold and correct decisions recently (Nicholls/Kennett and Byron Becker). Their problem is not properly explaining their decision-making process and logic to the public.

Why would he want to be a nine pointer ? The aim of every rider should be 7.99 so they can be employed again in 2019

I think Philip Rising hinted at it in a post a couple of days ago.

He's all action , which makes him more vulnerable than most on the injury front . But he's still only young and got plenty of improvement in him .

I for one have no grouse about Redcar hosting the 4's and hope it goes well enough for them to be considered capable enough to continue to do so, will it be considered good enough should be judged after the event , this is Redcar's chance to prove they are capable and good luck to them I hope it's a success.

Suspect it won't be too long before that changes.

Think of the ridicule on here if Grondal was let go before the season started it would easily put another 10+ pages onto this thread. If they did go with Nicholls & Kennett just have to hope theres was no clash of fixtures with Rye House

Hey Tress that is the job of Chapman. He is getting a 2nd chance from some fans, others won't even give him that. Time to deliver. Talk the Talk is all well and good, come April he has to Walk the Walk

I think you're all overlooking the fact that Clegg's dad once fitted a kitchen for Erik Gundersen and his great aunt has got Jack Parker's autograph thus giving him a two point average.

i worry about Nathan only having one team and not getting enough meetings

Once he gets dialled in the Peterborough track will be perfect for Nike . If he can stay injury free this season he could easily put 2 points onto his average .

I think he's on the waiting list to ride for Poole.

For those not aware of what Nike Lunna can do

OK

I think a lot of the moaning stems from mess that Buster n co made of last season. Some still feel negative fro the events of last season. Sorry but not seen anything this far to turn that negativity around. As Baggy says Buster has one chance starting in April. Let's see what happens

I didnt I didn't I didn't

Like others have rightly pointed out Ron Bagley along with John Berry and John Louis are the names that spring to mind when casting your mind back to the formative days of the current incarnation of Ipswich speedway which began in 1969 on a new track inside the stock car which was the old original speedway track! Indeed while John Berry is correctly credited with being one of the best promotors ever, the assistance he received from Ron helped him achieve this! Ron Bagley was one of the few riders who rode on both the outside and inside Ipswich tracks, indeed he rode for the Witches in both eras which I'm not sure anyone else did? He was instrumental in helping to nurture the careers of Witches legends John Louis, Billy Sanders and Tony "Shrimp" Davey as well as many others in them wonderful years in the 70's. His team riding with Louis in 1970/71 at Foxhall was masterful! I recall him starting out at Caister Road, Great Yarmouth riding for the Bloaters alongside Geoff Pymer. He will also be remembered by older Mildenhall fans cause he was team manager in 1979 when the Fen Tigers won the National League. He also had a short less fruitful spell trying to turn around the fortunes of an ailing Workington speedway in the early 80's before drifting away from the sport. Alongside another Ipswich speedway legend, "Noddy", Ron should have a spread in the 1st meeting programme! If there was an Ipswich Witches speedway hall of fame, then Ron Bagley would be most definitely in it!

Let’s be honest, most sportsman/women say whatever you want to hear to wrap the fans around their fingers.

Personally any decision that effectively stops British riders from riding in a British league is fundamentally wrong, especially when these riders don’t ride abroad. it will be interesting this year to see how many Championship riders doubling up miss meetings in the UK because of riding commitments abroad. As has been said before if they don’t want riders over 6 in the Premiership riding in the Championship then they should make the rule across the board and stop everyone over that average, the fact that they haven’t just highlights the complete inconsistencies of the BSPA.

This thread is dedicated to the memory of Brandonbee 48 It looks as if this season should be a bumper year of televised Speedway from around the world. I will update this as they get scheduled details mainly on the International section That’s all for 2025 back in 2026 !! .

So let's open this up.... I am going with Scotty Nicholls at Peterborough with maybe someone like Bukhave to complete.... 1 Ipswich - Barely a weakness for me, on paper the best team - as it stands, the one to beat, I give them the edge on Glasgow as I think they will get more away points 2 Glasgow - Cracking looking side, wouldn't surprise me if they win - they need Vissing or Starke to step up to third heat leader, if one of them does then they will be impressive indeed 3 Sheffield - Defending champion look good, and will be very hard to get near at home - as ever - will take some beating 4 Lakeside - Great looking team and very strong and impressive top-two - best in the league for me, and that will take them a long way 5 Scunthorpe - Best rider in the league in Worrall but just not convinced Auty and Garrity can do it for the whole season, if they do then they could push for play-offs 6 Workington - Solid rather than spectacular team, missing power at the top end, but will be good at home 7 Edinburgh - Need someone to step up to third heat-leader role, but they will make changes so could easily go better than this initial team 8 - Redcar - All down to newcomers Stewart and MBA - if one of those is a gem, they could go really well given they have strongest reserve pairing in the league - if not, could be a struggle 9 Peterborough - Even with Nicholls, don't fancy the Panthers to trouble the better teams - his average will drop massively too, don't think he will be as dominant as they hope 10 - Berwick - Solid enough, Summers is solid enough at 1 and reserves will be good but the rest look average at best 11 - Newcastle - Barring Nicki Pederson coming back at number one, this could be worst Newcastle team in years, poor heat-leaders, average second-stringers - the fact they have had to wait to build team has cleared hampered them - mid-season changes could help them a lot Everyone says the teams are level - but I think the top-five in this list are some way ahead of the rest IMO

Only 5 more seasons mate and it will be slightly more than the £10 a point Mr Godfrey wants to pay. And don’t think your far wrong palmdawwgg

lets hope the home team is not seeded into the final . hate it when that Appens . i wouls still kike to see it back to quallys . then every team gets an extra home meeting anf the highest team total over 11 meetings wins . everybodys happy G.P.style . pick ypur own riders for the tracks visited .

We had it for years with Boston which is 40 miles away and now we get it with Ipswich 100 miles away so it's getting better distance wise but just a shame when another club goes to the wall to make it happen.

Typical Redcar fan, some but not most. I am looking forward to the 4's at Redcar, and I have said so, as I think Kev and Jit will do a good job. Looking forward to it.

Buster is the overseer of our club tis true and we rely on him to run it well, over many years we've had some good times with Buster in charge, OK Buster and his team manager, Jonathan, team, employees and volunteers. Let's not forget the good times and be hopeful they come back. We have to go into the season with a positive outlook, looking forward to supporting our team, if not, we'll be looking for every negative going, won't we?

Martin Vaculik is a class act, he will be one of the top performers in this league without a doubt...

That's not the point though is it. You cant claim discrimination for one and not another, or can you?

Hopefully he'll spontaneously combust.

Think most teams would take young Nick Morris over Scotty tbh, so i agree with you on that...

If they had signed Nicholls instead of Morris there team make up would of been very different so maybe it did them a favour

Very much a meeting were the result was controlled by who was or wasn't there. But the Russians were always going to be top. The Austrians missed Harold Simon who would of reduced the Swedes impressive second place points total. As you write, Klabo would of been amongst the points as well. But Sweden raced well and deserved their second place

All the teams currently show under rider announcements with no averages quoted and with the caveat re ratification Once confirmed this will change on the website to 2018 team declarations with the average applied and a team total

not really that much footage of luna doing the biz . some old stuff and with buckhave/chessel and hansen involved . not that much to get excited about. but he has had some decent races @ wucky .

Am I the only one baffled by all this talk about Woffinden on the Somerset thread?! I would have thought there would be more discussion/concern/interest in Jack Holder's condition?!

I also think that Zach has great potential and could make significant strides this year. I hope he does.

His average was 4.23 when he got sacked by Wolves. He had ridden 4 meetings. Which wasn't enough for a new average. No idea where this 2.00 has been plucked from but it's clearly a wrong average. Either way he already has a Premiership average from 2017.

Think Phillip Rising has given us some news on BSPA thread.

Whos the number 7

Isn't it more a case that lakeside got both reserves averages wrong..which then meant Clegg didn't fit.

Because they are my predictions - and I can write what I please, oh dear - the nurses not keeping up with the medication? never mind - be bed time soon....

Possibly after recent events those organisations further up the chain of command may be wondering if BSPA are fit for purpose!!!

I would agree...both the museum and Wildlife Park are great attractions but to have some sort of commemoration at High Beech would have been good in my view.

If that's the case then it's a bad decision which is at least consistent with the awful decisions that caused the situation.

Made no difference whatsoever ............... Lindback was missing even when he was riding

as much as I like J Doyle I do think he is injury prone, if Jase can get a full season without any injuries, then he is hot favourite for W T No 2, i hope so because as Markyb has said "he is very loyal to these shores"

Well, the Speedway star was a good this week. I must say I always thought Peter Oakes was good but this was brilliant ! Puts a few questions out there and someone has given out far too much information, A good job that the committee seem to be on the ball and the hours of work behind the scenes are starting to come out. keep up the great work and I wouldn't be surprised if they have another ace or two to play yet.