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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!!!!

Guess Gustix got a copy then to help boost sales

Uhmmm....diversity perhaps?!!!!!....can’t think of anything else to be honest with you.

There’s no time limit on a facility for an injured rider during a racing season - up to 31st October.

Not one new rider only max

Disappointed to say the least

I still have all my programmes and I too used to write comments in mine - still do, actually! I have sometimes found my comments useful when replying to questions and comments on this Forum and elsewhere. My whole collection of programmes (including comments), books and magazines were invaluable to me when I wrote my books. And again, they have proved useful in answering queries on this forum. But also I like to just peruse every now and again to remind myself about individual riders, teams or just the general history. Sadly, due to needing the space I am having to dispose of all my post 1960s Speedway Stars as I don't think I shall be writing any more speedway books, but I still have a very large collection of books and other ephemera and can't see myself disposing of them any time soon! P.S., Chunky, I still have my 1961 World Final programme!

Indeed they were. Frank was not very nice about Jack at a Sunderland Reunion a few years back, Very sad.

I’m surprised. But thanks for sharing that. However his lack of commitment saw Coventry (twice), Poole, Lakeside and Birmingham sack him tho!

I never used to write it mine, but a lot of them were covered in autographs. Those really aren't replaceable...

KK was one of the most straightforward riders I had the pleasure of dealing with. He’s a thoroughly nice guy too.

Now Poland and the GP's are done and dusted why not run the Playoffs on Sunday's? 5pm ish start would deliver a meeting under lights and bigger crowds I would think.. Oe even, if you can, run your home leg on a Saturday evening..

HOPE so

Bruce Cribb ?

Other sports may not be numbers..... Snooker it’s names.... “Hurricane “, “Rocket”, “Whirlwind”. Other sports, apart from numbers, it is colours to a massive extent...... in MotoGP Yellow is synonymous with Valentino Rossi, Red with Marq Marquez. Combine the yellow colour with 46, the orange with 93, and at the GP’s you see a sea of yellow46 flags, hats, jackets, banners, and orange93 similar products ..... all in the tens of thousands. Jorge Lorenzo is 99, Andrea Dovitsiozo is 04..... the list goes on....... they are all big money spinners, massive. The new popular number to watch in Moto GP is 20 - Fabio Quartararro - just see how that number goes massive in the next few years. Back to speedway, those who watched the under 21 world championship from Pardubice last Friday.... did you not notice sections of the crowd were wearing clothing in the same colours as their idol - Bartosz Smektala, - and they stood out. Smektala will be in the senior world championship sometime soon, The money machine is already working hard.

Bruce had Alzeimers towards the end of his life and died in 2006. I have photos in my Speedway albums on Facebook of Bruce, Charlie Barsby and Alan Cowland at a Leicester reunion in November 2004. Charlie was my favourite rider and only ever rode for the Leicester Hunters throughout his career. He died this year aged 88. Very sadly Alan committed suicide only 2 months after the reunion.

From the same era the Evening World (Bristol) published a speedway annual between 1948 and 1951 at least.

All other forms of motorsports. Think that's the point Bwitcher is making. Some motor sports the rider/driver have the same number all there career. Number 44 is another well known merchandising number

Sad indeed...however he was well thought of by many. John Davis had good things to say about him for one.

IIRC, it was Karl Maier.

What about the unwritten rule, 'let's just see what we can get away with'

I remember Nicki Pedersen never bought into the nonsense.

No he is referring to the Glasgow / Scunthorpe match at Glasgow. When the track conditions were not to the home teams liking.