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I love the fact Craig as stuck 2 fingers up at you and the rest. Go Craig. That's the best meeting I've seen at sheffield for a few years. It was very good.

Got to laugh at your average British Speedway fan. Cook shouldn't have been allowed to ride in the meeting because having a worse rider in it would have somehow made it a better event apparently?! As phil the ace suggested, that's the best big meeting seen at Sheffield for a good few years and Cook played a major part in that. Cracking evenings entertainment.

There seemed to be a hell of a sling shot effect coming out of turn 2 on the outside! Numerous death defying overtakes at that point of the track. As others have said, that was a superb, and hugely entertaining meeting. Well done Craig Cook and great to see him jumping the fence and acknowledging the travelling Glasgow fans.

Perhaps like many before him he hasn't got the budget that is really required. Jason Lyons struggled when he qualified and he later said the only thing he learned was that there was better ways to spend his money. He spent nights at GPs sleeping in the back of his van while the likes of Tony Rickardsson and Nikki Pederson had motor homes that wouldn't have looked out of place in a F1 paddock. Cookie will come out of the GP financially poorer but a better rider from the experience.

He probably would have if he'd known

First thing i thought on entering the stadium was the track looks in great shape. As you say its no wonder the racing was very good. If all tracks provided good track conditions the riders would produce, then promoters might see an increase on the terraces. Last night underlined how entertaining this sport can be given the right conditions.

Well done to Cookie...great to see him enjoying his racing again. Still a legend (even when wearing red & white). And congrats to Erik Riss on making the final. Great entertainment! I don't get the argument that GP riders shouldn't be in the Championship - I'm happy to see the best riders possible in the league that I watch my speedway. Craig is good enough to compete at SGP level, he just needs to believe in himself a bit more. I hope he does himself justice in a GP before the season is out.

Like it or not Cook is the Champ, simple as that.

Not as good as he thinks he is? On the contrary, I’d suggest that one of Cook’s main issues is his self belief and confidence. I’d also add that while doubling up exists any British rider should be entitled to do it if they wish. Cook is riding for Glasgow because he wasn’t able to get a regular ride in Poland so it was mutually beneficial for them to offer him a team place.

Because he’s not against Tero Aarnio, Kevin Doolan and Nico Covatti in the GP’s.

Good racing, good meeting, deserved winner. Well done Cookie!

I believe the championship has got far too strong. Reserves should both be British from the national league and the current top two riders in our case Danny and Rory should Be plying their trade in the top league only. The natural jump from national league to championship is too large as it stands. There are a lot of talented young British rider out there who should be getting track time in the championship without coming against the likes of Cook Morris Schlein etc at this stage of their careers

I may be stating the bleedin' obvious here, but I would suggest that these end-of-season Lakeside fixtures at Rye House are of crucial importance to the future of speedway in this part of the country. Rye House fans are pissed off because they have lost their team, Lakeside fans likewise because they have lost their track. However, if enough people come through the gate for these meetings, it might just mean that the Hammers name (and promotion) lives on, and competitive speedway continues at Hoddesdon in 2019. It's now up to us fans, effectively. If as an old Rockets fan you don't want to support a different team at your track, you have the right to choose not to go. Hammers fans who either are unable to make it to Hoddesdon, or prefer not to, can also make that choice. So, you might say that in this instance the power lies with the fans. We can make this work - if we want it to. We just need to turn up.

Isn't it amazing how folk can decry riders who put their life on the line for our entertainment? Yes there are riders we wonder why they are in the team or even allowed on the track but they do it because like real fans they love the sport. Yes I questioned Cookie's involvement in the meeting but at the end of the day he beat the other 15 riders and that's what it's all about. If you want to slate riders then maybe you should find another sport

You want riders who want to win for their fans as well as themselves in this sort of meeting .........

and that's what we want entertainment

So what would you have said if Sheffield had been successful in their bid to bring Woofy in? As for Glasgow throwing their cash, why not if they have it? The Glasgow promotion are doing what they think is right to attract crowd and increase attendance thus ensuring the future of the sport in Glasgow. They've modernised the stadium and when you consider a few years back a young Danish rider turned his back on riding for Glasgow after seeing the rundown condition of another so called stadium that should be taken as a positive. Incidentally there are other promotions splashing the cash too if you look but you'd have to take your blinkers off to see that!

Congratulations to Richard Lawson, having a cracking season in this League.

Got to be honest, really disappointed that cook won today, he should never have been allowed back into this league never mind this meeting. I'm Craig cook I'm a gran prix rider, I won't be competing in the championship next season was his message at The end of last year. No Craig your not a gran prix rider, in fact your not even riding to a standard of number 1 for bell vue. Why should you drop back down at your Willy nilly just because Glasgow are throwing the bucks about??

I keep getting a mental picture of him when he takes off, mental.

Think it’s called trolling mate, ignore.

Damn right -- and the "Workington Tigers" were just as crippling financially to the Beatons in 1987, as were the "Barrow Bandits" to the Taylor/Fairbairn axis in 1981. Neither reached the end of their respective season. It just doesn't work. However, if the former Lakeside promotion are going to hire the Rye House facilities to run speedway this and (more importantly) next year it can only be a good thing, provided they don't try to create a "Rye House Hammers" feel for their new show. They'll soon find the the thirty miles from old to new homes are a long, long road.

The track is the most important thing to make a good meeting,far too many excuses are make when track prep is poor at a number of tracks.Its no co-incidence that natural watering by God always produces a good track.

And Chris Harris i assume doubly delighted that he won the same silver medal and made the effort to honour a Speedway commitment on Friday evening.

With meaningless meetings & Worralls slow engines I'm expecting a Wolves win. . . Unless they were all grasping excuses by the cheats fans of course. Can any Poole fan just clear up whether this meeting is meaningless, testing engines, different track man, hole in the track, wet/dry weather, high tide, tired riders....to avoid any excuses before this match happens. Don't expect any answers.

Liar liar pants on fire.

im quite plessed cookie won wasn't bothered until I read the comments about the big cheers when he retired in 1 race

I went direct by train from Poznan to Gorzow on the friday before the GP. Left just after 9am & train went directly to Santok then we transferred to waiting buses into Gorzow. £13 return. After practice I watched the excellent Moto-Show on the main bridge for 2 hours then there was a concert til 2am (i was well in bed by then though!!). Agreed that there isn`t much in Gorzow but managed to get to the Stilon Gorzow football arena which was the speedway track until 1950 (ish). Had Wildcard Szymon Wozniak, Winner Martin Vaculik & 1973 World Champion Jerzy Szczakiel in my hotel. Also went to SoN & enjoyed Wroclaw as a city with all its gnomes!!!

The application does not include a speedway track but does include a velodrome. Interesting to see how the Council reacts.

They only need 1 league point and are more than capable of achieving that. If they don’t (and that’s unlikely) then they again only need a point against Swindon having picked up all 4 a couple of weeks ago!

Letters !

A DVD of last would’ve been great

actually a decent report of this meeting on news and star website unusually sounds like the person that wrote it was actually at the meeting for a change

The Rye House supporters never attended in sufficient numbers this season to make it viable. To alienate the hammers fans next year by removing any connection with their club, would be a mistake in my opinion. You have to embrace the history of both teams, for this venture to have any chance of success.

Wolves are very poor away so an emphatic win for the home side.

Kings Lynn will choose Belle Vue as they know only RR can cover Dan Bewley and know Lambert can go there and be untouched. However they shouldn't write off Belle Vue and can see them getting through. Poole will beat Somerset and set up a final with Belle Vue finishing at Wimbourne Road in a tight finish but going to Poole

Video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4otGYAIus04

Just seen the full teams on official Facebook site and can't help thinking this match will be decided by the reserves. And with Nathan now at reserve and still sadly injured we have a guest rather than r/r which makes us a lot weaker. Tuesdays guest is gino manzares so no disrespect but it's putting a lot of pressure on young Jack. With nichols and Barker riding for them it makes them stronger and favourites to win

Yes final meeting should be at arena essex It holds so many different events thou its hard for lakeside to fit in with them, landlords have no interest now it is sold so its sad but leaves lakeside with limited options

NO, it wasn't you.

Just one, that being the team full of Danish riders who therefore had to have lots of blank Wednesdays as most of our team were riding in their homeland. Chuck in two or three rain offs and you get the need for two double headers. At least they are in the school holidays and in decent weather but certainly very much less than ideal, and it needs sorting for next year.

Surely the main aim should be to merge Rye House and Lakeside into one club? no good using the Rye House name , this could actually be the makings of a really good club if done properly. With Jon Cook involved though, people would be right to have concerns.

At this stage the team name is not important.....The survival of speedway in Essex is......

Grrr!. Leave us old 'ammers with some vestige of the past. Hoddesdon Hammers sounds ok to me.

carefull what you wish for im sure somerset will want to finish top of the pile so they can pick poole in the playoffs

Fantastic posy Hoggy thank you for that.Ifs it's any consolation you were clear, concise and very professional in the face of adversity so thanks again.

Thank you, fortunately Rasmus thought it was reading in KPH !

Emil Sayfutdinov has joined in raising help for Dan too with 4 sets of a ticket, a hat, a hoody and a pit pass to the 4 highest bidders The “Speedway family” at its best. Well done Emil

Best to wishes to Dan, hoping for positive news in the coming days and a speedy recovery. Everyone who follows speedway knows the risks that are taken by the riders and how dangerous it can be but it never makes it easier when someone is seriously hurt. Best wishes to his family also, must have been horrendous for his father and nan to witness the accident. Fingers crossed Dan can recover fully and resume his highly promising career. A very highly thought of youngster by many within the sport, clearly shown by all the get well messages seen across social media. Nice to see Craig Cook attempting to raise some funds for young Dan too, fantastic work again, much like his work for Mitchell Davey. He does seem to not help himself at times with his actions but he has shown this year that he truly does care for the sport and care for his fellow professionals. Great work Cookie.

Adding my very best wishes to Dan for a positive recovery. Dan is such a natural talent on a bike and a lovely lad Cookie has put up for auction 4 pit passes for the final GP at Torun with the proceeds going to Dan..... well done Craig