Leaderboard

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.

I can only echo what Steve and Tim say, I read it a couple of weeks ago, and it was excellent. As I only started going in 1977, I had no real idea of Bert's career save for Edinburgh and Milton Keynes, although of course he was one of the characters who immediately stood out. So all the abroad stuff was new to me, and fascinating, because he did it when many people of his generation would not have done. So I can understand why he recalls these events so well.

Interesting that Swindon’s “traditional” race night is a Saturday but were forced to go to Thursdays about 15 years ago for the sake of the greyhounds.

He was the team manager at Kumla until two years ago. He is now busy with his son, who looks a good prospect on the junior speedway scene in Sweden. He still has problems with his back/ neck, which was the reason he quit riding.

Gemini, looks like your wish has been granted... Vote for me!

6.74 Morris

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

What a load of crap as usual from him as usual

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

Congratulations to all at Workington Speedway on a job well done in doing the TREBLE. Strength in depth has pulled you through even to the fact that losing young Dan did not disrupt you. If the fans can dig deep into their pockets & help bring the Comets back in 2019 to defend their titles, it would go a long way in helping Tony, Laura & crew next year & hopefully, future years. What you can not do is move too far as you might lose some fans & not get them back. It proves with the attendance on Saturday, reported to be in excess of 1100, that interest is there even though the extra that were present were there for the history & glory. Hoping to see ALL teams back for 2019 & a safe winter. (It arrived early for you, -1C, brrrrrr.)

Plenty of time to rerun before the season ends. They can choose between Tuesday or Wednesday.

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 real shame that fans were robbed of a fitting final between the two top teams in the Championship.

http://www.ipswichstar.co.uk//news/pictures-from-john-louis-testimonial-at-foxhall-stadium-1-5738718?utm_source=Twitter&utm_medium=Social_Icon&utm_campaign=in_article_social_icons

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