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Debs... or whatever you chose to call yourself at this particular moment is like thrush. An irritable twät who just wont go away.

I wouldn’t dismiss your claim, but he has to prove it by winning the top trophy. Of the three, the one that stands out clearly to me is Madsen. He is carrying an injury that affected him badly for a couple meetings, sadly the results in those meetings robbed him of being champion. He has proved, to me at least, he not just a hater, he can race. He has a great personality too.

We agree on something! Madsen is clearly the best rider in the world at this time but injury cost him this year.

It's funny, looking at some of the comments on these threads (not just this particular one)... Some don't want Hancock because he's old. Some don't want Hancock because he's "boring". Some don't want Lindback because he's "never finished higher than seventh". Some don't want Iversen and Zagar because "they don't add anything". Some don't want Laguta because he is "just a gater". Some want a bunch of youngsters, just because "they are the future". The thing to remember is that this is the World Championship. Unlike the old system, the GP series is actually designed to include the best 15 riders in the world, and surely, that SHOULD be a goal of ANY world championship. World championships are designed to find the best right now, not those who will be competing ten years down the road. No, it's not going to be perfect, as nothing ever is. There will always be questions. Yes, personally, I would like to have seen Michelsen in place of Lindback, but can ANYONE state categorically that the line-up for 2020 doesn't include - or at least come damn close to including - all the best riders in the world? Steve

Lindback 9 years in the GPs never finished better than 7th, just because he is Swedish. Michelsen should have been given it better league form.

I keep all reference books from speedway's past. All the programmes from matches attended too. All the mags. All for reference purposes and because I prefer the sport from a certain period. I have decluttered down the years, books I read once and haven't touched since. If people don't hold on to the past, they'd have no family photos. By the way, I compiled books for the 1958 and '59 seasons.

That's a bit harsh on James.

True. Absolutely no place for Hancock.

Yeah, offering a 4 time World Champion who rightfully qualified before his wife's illness sure does 'make a mockery'. He deserves a place until it's proven he isn't up to it anymore.

I fail to see what Linback has done to justify a wildcard

No GP wild card for Lambert, hopefully that means he'll do the UK next season, and that'll be good news for the Stars. A year out of GP's will help him rediscover his form of 2018 and push for GP's again in 2021.....

Lindback? No words.......

Not according to the experts on here... This is what gets me; do we want the best riders, or do we want the future? If we want the best riders, I am sure that Greg still would still be one of those. The idea of a World Championship is surely to feature the best competitors on current form, not who will be best in five or ten years time. So, given that Hancock has been out of action for a year, it seems that there are those who think he is "washed up". How many top riders in the past have had a year off - or longer - because of injury or other personal issues? And returned at - or close to - the same level? As a Dons fan, Todd Wiltshire and Ronnie Moore are two that immediately spring to mind. Briggo wasn't that far off after missing a year and a half... So, I have no reason to suspect that Hancock wouldn't be able to compete at GP level...

With me, the programmes bring back personal memories, but that isn't all of it. We had a lot of others from the 30's, 40's, and 50's, and I love the historical value. Worst thing is that we had most of the World Final progs, including Malmo 1961. I really wish I still had those...

I’d have thought it’s time to move on from Worrall.

So far on this thread you have shown you have no interest in the history of the sport nor in the modern day sport. Can you explain what exactly you are doing here?

Always makes me chuckle when people say 'this rider' or 'that rider' deserves to be in the series. The only riders who deserve to be there are the 11 qualifiers. Still, we have to go through this charade every year, so I guess Woffinden and Hancock are obvious, along with Michelsen (Euro champ) and Drabik (U21 champ.)

I think you are right about Worrall. I was thinking about starting a new thread on the lines of "did Worrall getting injured help the Lions top the league?".

So many sports stars have chosen the number 23 over the years in tribute to the legend that is Jamie Carragher

I hope Redcar get through simply because Leicester have used a horses for courses approach to finishing top using guests for Richie Worrall. Injuries are part and parcel of the sport but there should be some sort of time limit to find a replacement or you revert to r/r.

Really? Well I started as a spectator in the 50s and eventually did a bit as a mechanic and sponsor, now at my (quite) old age I don't get to many meetings and all my local tracks are long gone. So we all have a little experience, anyway you strike me as an assuming and know it all type so I won't be bothering you again.

How costly was running out of fuel in Malilla

The problem with Emil is he keeps dropping points at critical times in meetings, how many times has he made the wrong gate choice or ended up with the worst gate in Semi- Finals or finals ? These things have cost him

It's a pity there aren't a few riders like Jack around today , he maybe didn't ride for long at Berwick but he still has cult status. Len Silver also said great things about him in his book

Nah, just a realist.

Why Hancock? I am just amazed everyone saying he is a banker... judging by the Monster PR stunt of bringing him to Cardiff, he may well be offered a place but if that happens it makes a mockery of the sport. It would be a 'mates gift sentimental wildcard', not based on sporting justification. He's 50, he's missed a season and as of a couple of weeks ago he could not even say if he would be able to ride. If he is offered a wildcard, he needs to be given a deadline to commit to be fair to any replacement.

Why? If you love entertaining speedway then Bartosz is the man. Nice guy too.

This thread shouldn't be happening until after the play offs, not right! Just support your play off final team, there's the whole close season for saying who you'd keep and wouldn't keep!!!!

Absolutely not. He rode for BV in 2009 and, as Neil Watson found, was a great guy to work with. He and I would meet in the office before every home meeting and go through his pay slips to make sure he was happy everything was up to date, then, more often than not, he’d go out and score double figures. But there is no doubt he is an enigma. When he rode at Poole in 2017 he just seemed to close up and no one - management, fans or fellow team members - could get through to him. Such a shame

HIS contribution to the SGP, and indeed speedway as a whole, since 1995 meant he had a lot of credit in the bank of goodwill. I know Greg well enough that if he didn't feel he could compete at this level he would not have accepted a spot. He is a very proud man and certainly doesn't want to leave his speedway legacy in tatters.

You sound like me, except you are a lot older! When I whittled down my magazines, I basically got rid of everything post-1970's. As far as progs, what I really loved was the covers. Forget high-quality photos, I thought some of the old graphics and drawings were wonderful. My fave was the old multi-colour Swindon one (really stood out from others of that era), although I was also fond of the Wimbledon leg-trailer (Billy Lamont?) of the 60's. Steve

Linback very very lucky in my opinion too . Still think g laguta would have added more to the series

16.1.1 is in bold simply because it is a new regulation for 2019.

Miss your input "The White Knight!"

I used to write personal comments in my programmes which I used to find useful in later years when reminiscing with fellow enthusiasts about great meetings and/or races witnessed. I had lots of 'firsts' programmes from new tracks as well as a goodly selection of World Finals (individual/pairs/team)...gone for good!

Saturday 12th October

I agree, but he's not ridden for an entire year. He may well be good enough, but we simply don't know and because he did not ride for a non speedway injury, he should not be given a wildcard. The reason he did not ride is sad, but this is meant to be the best speedway riders right now, and we simply do not know if Hancock is that. As I have said multiple times on here, look at how much Woffy struggled after just 2 GPs out injured. God forbid this happens, but let's say Hancock gets injured early season and can not ride for the rest of the season, and/or comes back to league racing but is average at best, but says he wants to ride in 2021. Do we then gift him another wildcard then simply because he's an ex world champion?

Who he?

The lights are on but no ones home.

SGP Commission meeting in Torun this morning so shouldn't have long to wait ...

Tim and Tom Swales, Frank Auffret, Mark Lemon , Eric Boocock who rode well before I was going

Actually we are a very rich country, you can't turn the clock back you can only go with things as they are and can be. Experiments HAVE been made with lower admission prices but they make little difference. Many of the leading promoters and managers ARE ex riders.

Don’t think Chris’s younger brother is very popular with Poole fans right now

Swap Sceensport for the Navy and you have uncle Albert. Lucky u talk about yourself as no else gives a rats ass about what you did 40 years ago ..zzzzzz

Good for you, I sincerely hope, you are right. You miss my point. I said the lower order (reserves and 2nd strings) would be exposed, I expect the heat leaders to hold their own. It's just my opinion though.

Pish! It's EASY to win a GP series! One-off World Finals were far better, and really showed the better riders! The calibre of rider at this level today is crap! These riders wouldn't even have been good enough to get in a BL team in the 60's and 70's! (At least, that's what I read on the BSF...)

Well done Bartoz, deserved the title and has entertained us throughout the series. Was surprised at the Woffy stat, only 2 GP race wins this season before tonight, didn't realise it had been such a poor return even allowing for the injury lay off.

Well done to Bartosz. Worthy champ and won me a few quid!

Art 16.1 of the Speedway Regulations states: Fixtures shall take priority as follows: FIM Speedway Grand Prix Speedway Of Nations Speedway Grand Prix Qualifying Meetings FIM U21 World Speedway Championship Meetings FIM Speedway European Championship FIM Europe U21 Championship British Championships (Senior, Junior) BSPA Shared and Fee Events Official Competitions: 1. SGB Premiership; 2. SGB Championship; 3. National Development League. (my emphasis) NB. Non-Official Competitions have no priority over any of the above. A Championship fixture should take priority over an NDL fixture at any time, regardless of when it was arranged. However it appears that this season an unwritten addition to Art 16.1 applies - 'the more important fixture shall take priority'. That is subjective, but might be seen as commonsense. The precedent was set when Richard Lawson rode for Ipswich last Saturday so the Danny Phillips decision followed that precedent. What should happen is that a 'Supplementary Regulation' be issued by the SCB clarifying that Play-Off fixtures take priority over other fixtures - if that has been done it doesn't yet appear on the SCB website.

The accident involving Adam was caused by Joe carrying to much speed into turn 3 & as he tried to go around Adam he clipped his back wheel sending them both off their bikes. It was in no way Adams fault. Joe of course was excluded.