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You must live in another world if you believe that the CL is all rosey and healthy. What happened to last years champions?? All ‘fine’ there is it? The amount of clubs running must be at an all time low in this modern era as clubs from ALL divisions are closing because of speedway not being profitable. There are litters of clubs no longer running from all tiers. This is a British Speedway problem not a one league issue. I thought it was the top flight that had a snobbery to all other leagues but you have proven that is not the case. ALL leagues and clubs need to work together to find a workable way forward and it needs to be radical and not just silly little tinkering here and there. What we don’t need is this snobbish attitude that we are fine thanks in the slightest because it’s this attitude that will see more clubs struggling to survive. Although I guess no clubs in the CL struggle because everything is fine. Cough cough Workington.

I feel sorry for atkins, this ridiculous points limit has to led to lads beings slung in the deep end very early in their careers, most of them after about 18 months in the nl, its a bridge too far for so many.

You think??? Pretty sure Sam called him "Mikkel Jesper Jensen" or "Jesper Jensen" at least a few times. I seriously do not understand how Sam keeps getting hired for commentary. He can't pronounce most of the rider names and he offers very little in the way of genuine insight, he just rambles incoherently and makes up words as he goes... I'm pretty sure he dropped in "terrocious" tonight to describe a gate position. He seems like a nice bloke and has always been friendly when we've met, but as a colour commentator he is just awful. As much as Kelvin Tatum gets abuse, at least he seems to know the English language and gives some interesting and useful info from an ex rider's point of view... and I'm pretty sure there are many ex riders who could do the same, or at least better than Sam.

There's now a term in golf called a "Nicola". It's used to describe a putt which is 'an awkward five footer leaning to the left'.

Nah she'll be a Monarchs fan

We have just crossed the border into the Peoples Republic of Brexit

Glasgow and negativity seem to be the order of the day especially with some new posters, it is hilarious at how many spout there pish on here. Thankfully the Scunny fans seem pretty fair minded and have congratulated us on the win.

It's Alan Szczotka, his surname translates to brush in English it would seem.

Jensen has to be the signing of the season for both Glasgow and Swindon.

We will have to disagree on that one. Lack of class from Madsen. We all knew how bad that crash was. It may not have been Madsen's fault but he speared another rider which caused him a heavy fall which caused another rider to ride over his head. Fatalities and permanent disabilities have resulted from similar crashes. Madsen showed no concern for his stricken opponent and shamelessly dusted himself down, walked back to the pits waved to fans as a fellow rider he brought off was being put on a stretcher . Then a belly laugh in the pits with a mechanic and the presence to reach for the sponsors hat when realising he was on screen. Madsen may be playing up to this ruthless image he has but that for me was poor fare and unusual amongst todays riders

The ridiculous Championship fixture policy (which effectively amounts to rationing the sport) has conspired with the weather to ensure that the first three weeks of the kids' summer holidays remain speedway-free. For a sport allegedly aiming to attract more youngsters to the terraces, I would suggest the fixture policy is in need of some revision before next season.

I'd rather be a turnip than a swede! It's poor Victor I feel sorry for. Seemed like a nice bloke. At Glasgow in 2014, he was given an assessed average of 7.00 so had to be run at No 1 when, whilst a competent rider, he had patently not reached that level. I am unaware of his having complained about this despite, possibly, losing a fair income from points money as well as the ignomony of always competing against other teams' star riders. Since then, he's been the victim of the numbers game at both Newcastle and Edinburgh this season.......... and now, apparently, the loser in a twit-for-tat historical tiff between Glasgow and Leicester. Perhaps he should change his name to Victim Palovaara? Or abandon all aspirations to ride in our crazy league set-ups?

No one forced them to build the way they did.

But it was Somerset’s choice to go so top heavy.

It’d be like Man City loaning one of their players to Liverpool mid season - can’t see that happening so can’t see the issue personally. Cough up or go for someone else.

Was being dumped by Edinburgh and being deprived of making a living also “nonsense”? Why does “if you want him, you’ve got to buy him” work when Glasgow want a Leicester rider and not the other way round? And don’t tell me that Stewart Dickson didn’t know the score when he approached the rider. He’s been around too long to make a mistake like that. I suspect he publicised it first, hoping that peer pressure would let him get the rider. The Glasgow management seem to be working towards making Speedway viable in the city, so deserve credit not criticism from less well supported and funded teams.

One point I would agree with wholeheartedly is that every team should have a junior team and every league meeting should be followed by a junior match. I wouldn't insist on a strict make up of teams, as I think the purposes that would be served is that young riders would get extra track time and the crowds get extra races if they want to stay back and see them. You could even name teams after local defunct teams just to keep names alive (e.g. Poole could call their junior team Weymouth, Swindon could call their's Reading) and teams could be made up of 500 / 250 / 125cc riders if needed. Regionalise it to cut down costs if you like, I wouldn't even worry about league tables, just make sure the young riders get as much track time as possible and the fans get more races for their money.

The only bad luck P'boro have had is Chapman taking over and ripping up the team to help strengthen his other two teams...

Twelve months ago almost to the day we went into a last heat decider at Scunny and Harris made an arse of it being picked off by both Scorps. Thankfully we now have a top 2 who now bring home the bacon more often than not.

Glasgow are doing very well. Good on them.

Frank Ebdon.... No idea why, but it was a topic of discussion for quite a while as I recall edit Upon thinking about this a little more, I'm sure that I heard it first at a "talk in" in Coventry where Hans was guest speaker. He mentioned then that He and Ebdon had issues but didn't expand on that.

So glad i went as i really enjoyed that... is Scunny a track Cook usually goes well at as didnt think he looked that fast even when winning... Jensen however was very very quick. Vissing looked good and was impressed by Bickley aswell. Ayres aside Scunny actually were pretty decent but Jensen had to much for them..

This is going to sound very controversial to some folk, "4thbender" included, but financial and historical evidence proves it time and time again. Actually, unless your speedway club is in a holiday-making area (eg Poole, Somerset, Eastbourne), the first couple of weeks of the school holidays are among the very worst for speedway attendances because so many folk hurry away for their own family holidays as soon as the kids have broken up. Hence a big-city club like Sheffield or Newcastle could expect to lose at least 15% of the usual home hardcore support on any late-July dates (maybe even 25%) while being unlikely to make that gap up at the same time because, guess what, just as many of the potential new families and youngsters are on their own holidays as well. So instead of regarding the school summer holidays as a single 6-week spell, it's far more accurate to break this spell down into two chunks - the opening "getaway fortnight" and then the rest of the school break - and really target attracting new folk (especially youngsters without school the next day) in that latter chunk Other summer sports are even more blatant in recognising this situation, notably rugby league who now deliberately stage their Challenge Cup semi-finals as a neutral-ground double-header festival during the last weekend of July in place of a full slate of Super League games (yesterday at Bolton they put their Womens' Cup Final onto the front of the two men's semis and turned the occasion into a triple-header) - it means none of their clubs have to schedule a home game on what they rapidly discovered was a shocking weekend crowd-wise when their sport switched to a summer schedule back in 1996, leaving those Cup semi-finals to fill the gap in terms of newspaper, radio and tv-coverage. From next weekend onwards, once we're a few days into August and plenty of families are already back home from their own getaways, then yes it's very much the right time for "quid-for-kids" offers, etc. But you're utterly wasting your time and expectations if you think the twenty-somethings of July are the ideal time for most speedway clubs to cash in on school holidays.

A shank - a destructive horror of a shot and it rhymes with....... you know the deal!

This has got to be the worst take on the matter, ever.

You mistake me. This forum is full of those who can't wait to tear the sport or clubs apart but I am not one of them. I call it as I see it, always have. As evidence, read the Redcar/Birmingham thread. You're right, it has gone on long enough. One last point, though. If there was an admittance that things weren't right and that there was effort to correct them, the criticism from me (and others) would be much less aggressive. Indeed, there might be some support. Thing is, though, there is flat denial that anything is wrong. Bob C's post above confirms that. How can you make an effort to put things right when you refuse to accept that there is anything wrong in the first place ?

Will some wanna blame Buster for that ?

We are on our way , hope the bar is well stocked

Not a word about the work ordered by the referee before the start, the riders complaints and the necessary further work part way through. Absolutely nothing wrong at all. Quite extraordinary. You will know better than me what it was like after the track work part way through, but that's not really the point. The point is that the work was necessary at all. I wonder what you think of Luke Bowen's comments: ' It ain't speedway going round quarter throttle is it ? Bloody circus you got there. Feel sorry for the fans watching that sh*te every week'. He was out on the track too.

Read a note on Facebook by Jordan Palin a young 15/16 yr Belle Vue guesting for IofW, from the comments shown he had never seen the track before. This is what he wrote "Yesterday I scored 6 points for the Isle off wight at Plymouth track was abit tricky to start with and want to say thank you to the track staff at Plymouth for getting the track sorted for my next ride and was a really nice track to ride Was meant to be at stoke today but got cancelled "

Sarjeant being a Leicester asset was sent a contract to sign and return to ride for his parent club's BCL team. He did not do so and did not contact the club to explain why. When he was asked to explain he said that he had signed for Glasgow as they had offered him more money. Leicester were then entitled to ask for a fee to compensate them having had to buy him in the first place or presumably they could have prevented him from joining Glasgow. Leicester however then offered his place to Ellis Perks who as it happens is doing a better job than Sarjeant ever could.

Looks like it , since his 3am nappy changing and burp the baby duties he hasn't scored a point. Sure he will be fine when he starts primary school.

Good news on Anders Thomsen, he was released from hospital in Torun and has travelled home. He is obviously feeling second hand but after checks he has no broken bones or other injuries. Sadly he will miss his Polish league meeting today.

Fair point. I don't think many of those excuses are coming from Panthers fans though. If they are then have a go by all means. I'd tend to ignore our 6 fingered friends from down the A47 or anyone on a broomstick flying down the A14. Oh, and just unignored based on your reply

The question is should Laurence "whats the point it makes no difference " Rogers be Team Manager in 2020 ? As the Majority of people have said nice guy but tactically woeful . How to vote is; Like= New manager Sad = LR to remain in 2020.

That’s all well and good - so you wouldn’t mind if PL assets weren’t permitted to ride in the CL? The sport is on its knees - in all leagues!

Not totally it isn't. True, concessions were dropped - which has been advocated on several occasions by members of this forum - but entry for adults went from £17 to £16. http://www.somerset-speedway.com/news.php?extend.2121.1 http://www.somerset-speedway.com/ticketoffice.php Its a good example as to how a club's reputation can be damaged by misinformation being accepted as the truth.

My take of the proceeding was there was too much grip, and it was only when the track slicken off did we see any reference of actual racing when both MPT and Tungate proved it was possible to come from the back. Its not about riders adapting to RIDE the grippy tracks that matter, it their ability to RACE on them and that has proved more difficult . Yes, Ty Proctor done well, but his success came from his gating. He knew once he had hit the front the job was done because nobody would go be. And that's the main issue. It appears since that fated match against Poole when Holder and Batch did a runner, some 2 years ago, the management has learnt nothing....The track hasn't changed one bit.. I don't blame the riders, why should they have to take extra risks to race a grippy track.. . This was once a track every rider wanted to race on, sadly, not anymore. Ivan Mauger once wrote this track was equal to any in the country and he always looked forward to riding here. I wonder what he would have thought of it today...….

Witch hunt brigade ? I can say with some honesty I'd make the same comments whichever track it was (and indeed have done so many times). I don't need to be there to form an opinion on the fact that 'extensive' remedial work was needed before and during the meeting on the referees instructions. It is on your forum and the speedway updates site as well as social media and therefore beyond denial. Have you been to Stoke recently ? To their great credit, they have massively improved - something I have commented on, too. Plymouth was not a success under Ashley Taylor but I can never remember anything like this - indeed it was one of my favourite tracks and I said so many times, the little place that rode like a big one. That means it is not the track that is the problem, but the person preparing it. As to closure, you misunderstand me, Bob C, my pals who used to stand on the first bend and probably many others. We don't want Plymouth to close, far from it. We want them to admit they are wrong and change and I, certainly, would take great pleasure if they did so. Based upon what I have read, though, that is something that is simply not going to happen. Should Plymouth close, I would say you should start pointing fingers a little closer to home. Suggesting that that will be the responsibility of those who have been critical is a little like a butcher who goes bankrupt after selling rotten meat blaming customers for not buying it.

I don't believe anyone disagrees with the fact that there have to be major changes if speedway is to start turning the corner, but in the light of the current financial climate, any changes which will increase costs for promoters would have no chance of being accepted. I would suggest that the BSPA considers reducing the number of riders per team from seven to six (hopefully, this would only be temporary, and we would in time, be able to return to seven man teams). A race formula used in 1959 (when each match was followed by a 5-heat Reserve League match) featured 6-man teams racing over 15 heats with each rider having five rides. This format did not include a nominated riders' race which I would think was beneficial costwise, and helped to avoid clubs going for top-heavy teams which in effect, in the race formula currently used, give these clubs virtually a "free" 5-1 and usually means that heats 13 and 15 are duplicated and more predictable. With the suggested format, the home club would be required to provide an "emergency 7th rider" who would receive no programmed rides but who could be utilised by either team should the need arise. (I realise that on occasions, this might mean that the Emergency Reserve might have to ride for both teams which isn't desirable but would be no more of a farce than some of the nonsense that we are witnessing all too often these days.) With all 12 riders in each match receiving five rides, this would realise additional income for the riders without increasing costs for the promoters. A redistribution of riders and a genuine equalisation of team strengths would be an essential requirement of any "new deal" and I would suggest scrapping the points limit in favour of a grading system which would be administered by a small "Grading Committee." The Grading Committee members would have to be independent, and would need to be thick skinned since they would inevitably find themselves under pressure from all sides, but there must be three or four people not involved with a particular track or promoter, whom all parties could trust and who would be willing to take on what would probably be a thankless task. (I'd volunteer!!!) The grading need not be complicated or extensive - perhaps with riders graded as "A" "B" and "C" with clubs being allowed no more than two riders from each grade, and being allowed to retain the six riders they have chosen, for say, cycles of three years. The Grading Committee would have to have the power to regrade a rider making either exceptional progress or completely losing form should the need arise, and would also need to have the authority to prevent a club from using its financial clout to get themselves the best rider from each grade. A rider's average would clearly have to be used to determine his grade, but this could be weighted by other considerations such as his age, his experience, whether he is regarded as "on the way up" or a bit "past his best" etc. Not an easy job, and the Committee would get a few wrong, but that's inevitable - and they would at least have the authority to correct any serious howlers! The "Emergency Reserves" would be regarded as "D" grade riders, but any who advanced enough to gain a place in a club's top six would immediately be upgraded to "C" status. Inevitably, Guest Riders and Rider-Replacement would have to continue at least for the time being, but I feel that the return of the Tactical Substitute rule this season has been helpful, although I would like to see the rule as it used to be - when a team could make a tactical change whenever they were six points in arrears, and not limited to a single occasion as the rule now stipulates. Changes like these would be difficult to get enough support I know, but this wouldn't be impossible, and whilst it obviously will not cure all of speedway's ills, it could be a suggestion worth examining. I'd welcome the thoughts of other posters, even if they want to shoot down my suggestions. We are care for our sport and want to see it back on an even keel.

Just block the moron. I just have

Anyway we're all pissed , so it's been a good night and an excellent away win , so good bless the stripes and idiot the Monarchs

You haven't brought Sturgeon with you Paulie.

Glad they did that early. Will have to hope we can make it to Owlerton before the season ends.

Feel that no rider who has a Premiership average over 7.00 should be permitted to riding in the championship .

I've just noticed from your list - it was Split's 96th birthday yesterday. Happy Birthday Squire!

The referee insisted track work started before a wheel was turned. It did take place,enough to start the meeting. I have mobile phone footage taken at 20.10,after only three races and several falls and subsequent withdrawals of two riders.It shows two tractors on the track near the pits entrance,one driven by Mark Phillips,the other by IOW Promoter Barry Bishop. They did try to fix it. However riding took place for the next 5-6 races, before we actually saw a pass.by a rider outriding another rather than a track surface induced wobble. I genuinely used to love the racing at Plymouth. Inside or out, I have seen some brilliant racing over the years. I am sorry to say that since the introduction of the extra clay, the surface and racing have suffered very badly. Rip the whole thing up and get in some proper shale and we could get back to some decent racing. Terrace talk suggests that the clay has been added so that they can run Quad racing. Apparently, the quads, in a noise test for the council, didnt like the shale surface as the werent able to skid properly. Very short sighted if true. I really do not want Plymouth to close.

Now. Now, Mr Webb - all that looking backwards is frowned upon by so many modern fans (of the last twenty years ). Ivan Who? He never even won a GP round did he? Of course, to us creaky old uns he was once one of of the greatest ( just under Ove Fundin and above Barry Briggs ). Someone should ask them what their memories are of racing at Saddlebow Rd back in the day are like. Cookie and any others can say what they like but when Buster gets behind the wheel for a 12-hour stint of track prep, he is sure of what the riders need - or rather, what they are going to get. Have they ever prepared a "racing" strip, I can hear him saying? Anway if they can't gate, they are not real riders, are they! Only the first 150 yards count nowadays. Sorry metres ( showing my age there ).

Just watched the highlights of the SON from Russia. Sums up speedway as a whole these days ' UNDERWHELMING '

In my line of work we continually cut prices and often have big 'price cut launches' which are planned well in advance.. These launches cover the full package. ie a great marketing and service plan, often with loyalty card recruitment at the heart of it, allied to an operating model structure that over the key first week of the campaign will see the stores at their very best and have plenty of colleague engagement with customers.. You get but one chance to make a first impression.. Which can become the lasting one too!! We don't however enter into price cutting without a detailed cost review that has to line up with any margin loss, as this would be financial suicide, therefore if any margin shortfall will be forecasted to result, and volume increase won't cover it, then the cost base is reduced accordingly to pay for the investment in price.. Speedway on the other hand, seems to have a 'build it and they will come' mentality... It needs much, much more than that.. As the NSS so acutely highlights.. Great racing, yet hardly any more fans than the dog bowl had.. Maybe some of the (literally) several millions of pounds that collectively all clubs will pay out in total to riders in a season (who 99% of the UK wouldnt have a clue who they are), could be better invested in a joined up, collective, national marketing campaign, driven by marketing professionals that might help improve Speedways 'brand recognition'..?