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Paulco.

Rider of the year: James Sarjent, for single handedly doubling the length of time it takes to run a meeting, what great value for money Most impressive team: Poole for managing to cheat their way to a title yet again Team rider of the season: Chris Holder One to watch: Matt Fraud Bulldog award (Best British rider): Rory Schlein Meeting of the season: Eastbourne vs Mildenhall 26/10/18 Surprise of the season: That the sport managed to survive it Underperformers (Team): BSPA Unluckiest rider: James Sargent, the refs keep picking on him Newcomer of the season: Martin Vaculik

I thought I'd watch this on catch-up after seeing this here. Good luck to Blair. I hope he gets himself sorted out in the rehab that they sent him to. I wonder if this is one of those cases of someone involved in sport desperate to regain the adrenaline rush that they have lost after finishing their careers. I felt very sad for him watching this. He wasn't your typical "Jeremy Kyle" type guest who comes on screaming and shouting, and his family were clearly a bit embarrassed to have to resort to putting him on the show. He looked emotional throughout and seemed to genuinely want help. No way did he come across as a "scum bag". I think he is lucky in that his family clearly care about him. I hope they do some sort of catch-up programme in the future and he is doing well.

I have said a similar thing probably this last 3 years but used a % reduction for riders. Fans would then be used to familiarity year on year.

i predict Kings Lynn will top the team vote but Poole will win on a technicality

Wolves were Friday's until Dan McCormack & CVS swapped nights with the Brummies. It was a great start to the weekend (socially) when it was Friday racing!

................Totally Honest John......best read, witty, sensible, fearless, adding to a wonderful Workington season.......roll on 2019 marra....

For balance my vote goes to Crump99 for his lighted hearted positive outlook on everything

Jesus.... don’t make that ego any bigger Was almost finished putting flags out after he got banned... when he made his return post three cheers to totallyridiculousjohn

Fair play, never having smoked or drunk or gambled. But i have a different perspective. I've known alcoholics who are lovely people. People with gambling addictions. I wouldn't class them as scumbags, given that I happen to like a drink but am lucky enough to be able to choose when I drink. I know a number of people who were incredibly nice until they got hooked on Crystal meth - yes obviously not a smart thing to take, but the scumbags to me are those who sell that crsp not the addicts.

Would that be a 70" TV?

Posting on here can be classed as an addiction

Every man and his dog knows heroin is addictive. To take that first shot is your choice. You make that choice to be an heroin addict. Nobody who takes that $#!+ deserves sympathy, especially ripping your own parent off for £40k plus. I don't consider my life as boring and I done drink, smoke, do drugs or gamble. Even with all the health issues I'm currently dealing with, unable to work for 2 years so far, I will not go down that route of taking up things that become addictive. I don't expect people to feel sorry for me so I have no time for someone who's an addict. All addicts are scumbags and have no thought for others.

As an idea for encouraging team continuity; how about allowing a discount on rider averages for team building purposes if a rider stays at the same club for the new season. For example a rider finishes with an average of 7.49. If he stays with same club then a discount of half a point is given for team building purposes. His average becomes 6.99 if he stays put, but remains 7.49 if he changes teams. Even if the entire team is retained the total benefit is just 3.5 points. Not enough to unbalance the league, but enough to encourage retaining riders.

You sound nice.

The problem with the promoters in my opinion is not that they deliberately want to run the sport into the ground, it makes no sense for them to purposely lose their money, but the system that has been created makes it impossible for the sport to function properly. There are too many conflicts of interest and pulling in opposing directions. What the sport needs is for decisions to be made in the best interests of speedway as a whole but unless someone independent is elected to make these decisions things will just carry on as they are, leading to a slow and painful death. The argument that it’s the promoter’s money doesn’t stand up for me. What other sport operates in this way? You wouldn’t get Malcolm Glazer and Roman Abramovic making up the rules of football so why do we have to put up with it. Tsunami clearly had the best interests of Newcastle at heart and anyone who puts their cash into speedway has my respect but the sport needs an independent, honest, respected leader. And to your rival moxey63, get well soon.

Your post says a lot about you as an individual

OK I dunno if this is a dumb idea or been considered before (I'm newly back into speedway after living abroad) I'll take the championship as an example. Currently the team limit is 42.5 I would suggest that any team from 2018 is allowed to keep their same team regardless of how their riders averages have improved. If they replace a rider: if the current team average is above 42.5, then the new rider must be lower than the leaving rider. (so team average could possibly still be above 42.5) if the current teams average is below 42.5 then they can replace however they like, as long as the new average is at/below 42.5 The idea behind this is that it would be better if we don't have to break up successful teams and should be able to get some consistency in teams instead of the merry-go-round of riderrs to teams and teams have motivation to improve and keep riders without having to then ditch a rider if they improve too much due to team average.

If it was a fishing match there can only be one winner, the mighty JCF ....

Every bit as worthwhile listening to him in he flesh too

Just for the record, in my line of work I have come across many addicts. It is an illness no matter how it started. The reality is that addicts come from all waulks of life, some have decent upbringings, many don’t. Reality is very few succesfully overcome their addiction. For the minority that do, I respect them rather than refer back to what they were when their addiction had hold as they have fought and won a battle few can. Remember addiction can come about from legit sources as well as illegal drugs. This case as it stands, it’s his family my heart goes out to. For their sake, I hope he proves to be in the strong minority

I agree about the fixture list should be completed but if the fixture list was not compiled properly or fixtures changed then changed back again then one can hardly blame the clubs involved. also this was about the third attempt to run the fixture!

Also, why would it be a fitting final with a Peterborough side having 3 of their own riders & 4 guests!

Well you are from Suffolk!!!

Rider of the year - got to be Craig Cook , it's a pleasure watching him every home meeting . Impressive team - only one candidate here - Workington Team rider - Paul Starke , racked up the bonus points in the Glasgow engine room . One to watch - Josh Pickering . The confines of his home track isnt suited to his all action style . Watch his progress rocket if he moves away to somewhere like Scunthorpe Bulldog award - again Craig Cook Meeting of the season - Scunthorpe v Glasgow the day after Cardiff Surprise of the season - Berwick's dads army looked basement dwellers , They were anything but that . Underperformers - Ipswich's season was blighted by injury which was the main reason they finished mid table Unluckiest rider - youmg Dan Bewley . Hope this bad injury doesnt halt his progress Newcomer - the young laddie at Ipswich - Drew Kemp - what a prospect he is

I'm not prepared to say goodbye to my team just yet....even if that means groundhopping while every avenue is explored with regards to a new stadium. It's not fair to judge the move to Rye House based on the past few weeks. Cold weather, rain-offs and electrical faults left a sour taste but I'd like to see a season with full preparation and then make up my mind. No, it's not Arena Essex and never will be but it's still OUR TEAM. Couple of positives is the pub next door and i can still have my pre match 5 guys via Harlow!

Well I can honestly say my pockets jingled more when Maggie Thatcher was PM

Wrong way round, Edinburgh won the 2010 league with 74 pts to 2nd place Newcastle's 58. Newcastle beat Sheffield in the 2010 Play - Off Final 101 - 89, and then lost the PROMOTION/ RELEGATION RACE-OFF to Ipswich 76 - 110 The magnificent Edinburgh team of 2014 went one better, as in addition to winning the League Play-Off, KO Cup, & League Cup, they also topped the League table with 74 pts, followed by Somerset on 67.

Maybe he was gesturing to one person in the crowd,,,, did you not do it back to him Tj ?

Surely with everyone being so well off the riders could pay their own - after all they are probably using £50 notes as toilet paper

Agree. He's making himself look like a plonker... £100 is my whole weeks shopping for 3. £75. "cheap jeans", the man says £15 are cheap jeans !! £75 for a "shirt" £10 -£15 £75 " half a tank of fuel" My Mr average car costs £65 to fill it up!!

Having been confined to hospital the past week, your attacks on my posts mean nothing. The morphene seems to make them even funnier. I have a broken femur and shoulder, really painful, the fault of an idiot who apparently didn't see me when he pulled into a junction and i crashed over his bonnet, hit my head on his screen and then fell onto the floor. Most painful experience I have had. A 12 inch rod knocked into my leg and screws everywhere. Now, the driver has admitted it was his fault, the police too, and the taxi driver who caught it on his dash cam. But not one of them could provide proof that my freebie had brought speedway to where it is now. But they said at least I survived my near death experience. What is speedway, they asked.

What about all those that couldn’t make it to KL but have supported the team all season? Fair play to those that made the long trek to KL, very much doubt the club would survive on these fans alone.

Rider of the Year – Ricky Wells • Most impressive team - Workington!! • Team rider of the season - Mason Campton • One to watch – Dan Bewley • Bulldog award (Best British rider) – Cookie • Meeting of the season – Edinburgh v Peterborough • Surprise of the season - Workington (expected to challenge but triple is fantastic achievement). • Underperformers (Team) – Edinburgh (have to vote my my own team who on the road underperformed many times) • Unluckiest rider – Dan Bewley • Newcomer of the season - Drew Kemp

always says things as they are good or bad lot of respect for paulco even though I don't think ive every met him

Anyone can stick a few pegs in the ground. It would be nice to have some photographic evidence of the work actually starting. It's the least the Swindon fans deserve.

Honestly Sheffield made the same mistake with young Josh Bates Newcastle did with Andy Tully when he came off and fractured the bone in his back before the season had started at P&P day, Sheffield waited far to long to change their team. Both clubs should have changed their starting line ups re-declaring and said to the riders when you are fit we will try and accommodate you. But we will start with a team of seven riders from the off, not guests and R/R However the clubs did the honourable thing and waited for the rider to get fit and hoped they would slot back into the side sooner rather than later and in the case of Josh B it didn't happen at all which I think put a strain on the rest of the riders in the team, ultimately leaving them too much to claw back when they finally bit the bullet and replaced him which also meant the changes become more desperate, and mid-season which again is never a good thing. This wasn't the only issue but it didn't start the season off on the right foot for Sheffield at all IMHO. It must be hard though for a promotion to go back to the drawing board when you think you have got the right formulae and team only for it all to go belly up before you have even turned a wheel Regards THJ

What a shame it's just riders. Up until a few years ago we always had Annual Forum Member Awards in the close season with various categories.

Listen Steve, many people cannot take time off work on a whim. They have FULL TIME jobs, many people and if you read my post cannot afford to spend the best part of £100 it would have cost for the trip assuming more than one go. Many people are not, alledgedly in your postion. You say people are better off now that they have ever been, rubbish that i will not agree with you on. Read my posts, i see and hear it every week.

I’m pretty certain the back straight bogs will be incorporated into the new look stadium Orlovski.

It has. Dreamt the other night about a meeting being attempted using car lights after a power cut. Even nurse laughed.

Went and watched this on catch up after seeing this topic. I remember Blair riding. I genuinely hope he does succeed but I’ll save my sympathy just now for his family. His dad especially. He came across as a lovely man who was broken by what Blair has become. He was given all the advantages in life from what was said on the programme. I just hope he (Blair) will be able to see soon just what he has away from drugs and that it’s enough to make him overcome his demons

he sure is and it must have been a pressure cooker moment for him . everyone gets them . we are humans ! maybe it was something from a previous race . good lad all round .. but it happens . a nice family and dont deserve any flack at all . great lad all round, but get a hair cut man .

For what it is worth, I believe the Hammers will effectively cease to exist having now completed the season. Rye House was merely an expedient - I still do not understand the logic of the authorities in ruling we had to switch all remaining fixtures to RH rather than just run the ones we could not fit in at Arena - but then this is speedway , often devoid of any logic. RH is much, much worse than Arena - poor viewing, poor racing, poor lighting and, as others have said, not really a viable option without major and costly changes. Thanks for the memories.

no one can say they havnt tried can they

That's a good way to finally kill off two teams who have tried their hardest to get this fixture done. Just toss a coin - I don't think anyone cares and mark it complete.

A decision will have to be made by the AGM in mid November so instead of potentially harmful speculation, for the sake of waiting 3 weeks or so why not watch this space. You might find a few surprises. Jon has already dropped a heavy hint that next season has already been discussed with the riders and all would be interested in returning, although of course the points limit means they can't all have places. As I understand it, nothing has yet been ruled in or out, but IF Lakeside return we might well expect a different shape and differently prepared track to the one we inherited. Its a shame the season was tarnished by Rob Gofreys influence and the necessary move to Rye but up til the time we left Arena I thought it was the best and most entertaining team for several years.

I wonder if any track tries to get local 'celebrities' to follow them on Twitter? Given the reputation of the BV board for example you would think they could know someone who has the 'ear' of the likes of Mourinho, Guardiola or maybe some of the players..? Maybe getting a few retweets off them may get their followers noticing the sport as it could be taken as an endorsement from them..? At the NSS for example the Mayor of Mcr, (Andy Burnham) is a very high profile person on social media and has a desire to end homelessness.... BV should latch on to this and see how they can help out by being a pillar of the community... The world has changed from "let's put leaflets on cars in supermarket car parks"... Sometimes you think Speedway seems to see leafleting cars in car parks as quite "cutting edge" when it comes to marketing..

That explains the crowd levels that attend meetings these days then.

THE legendary Trevor Redmond used to promote stock cars at St Austell. En route to the track from his London home he would more often than not call in to see Barry Briggs and "borrow" one of Briggo's magnificent trophies that he had acquired during his career. TR would place it in full view on the centre green at St A and the drivers would assume that it was up for grabs that evening. At the meeting's conclusion, TR would present the winner with a cheap little trophy he had bought in somewhere like Woolworth and drop Briggo's back to him on the way home. Loved that man ... could tell stories all night long.