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This is a complete marketing disaster. Constant communication is ‘free’. We are now advertising season tickets without a product. FFS get someone in that can promote - or we are doomed. It’s really not that difficult. Something doesn’t make sense.

https://www.edinburghmonarchs.co.uk/news-centre/article/2020-01-27/new-for-2020-emtvlive great news, this was trialed last season and thankfully the bspa have given it they’re full backing. great for people that live too far away to support their side to still watch their side in action. Also for away fans who can’t make the trip north who can still watch their sides also. extra revenue stream as well which in this sport is a positive. Well done to all involved.

Best hope common sense prevails.anybody with a blue badge allowed in through main gate .if they lay out strict rules and not let people abuse it it should run like clockwork.

think theyre looking for a young aussie who can "double-up",that is doubling up as a painter and decorator at the chateaux on non racedays!

I take my hat off to people who can remember what happened on the 3rd bend between riders at Cradley in 1964, I cannot even remember what I had for tea.

Saw him back end of last season and couldn't believe the timber he has put on. I used to follow his progress a few years ago, when he first came on the scene, and I had great hopes for him as he had a nice style and seemed to be well looked after. Still a decent rider but now at his level.

Both are well worth a visit. You'll have a great day out believe me.

All the Gems have to do is keep it close for most of the match & will then clean up in heats 13&15!

Had a curt e mail from Carl Johnson to say a full statement will be made today or tomorrow . As that is all he says does not fill me with hope. Hope I am wrong. Fear they are colluding to issue a statement to justify their actions. Live in hope that decency will prevail.

The problem is that the Colts lost money... I do not know how much We now have business men in charge of Belle Vue so I am sure that their decisions are financially sound.. we have been so lucky to get the Colts at a bargain price... now we need to live in the real world the management are moving Belle Vue forward and have signed a new long term lease. the price is still good compared to othe NL tracks as far as I am aware

I don't really know where the noise is coming from about a drop in level of the NL to make it 2nd teams of the major sides considering the way many teams have treated the dev leagues and their riders with contempt over the years, the way the bspa hammers these sides with fee's to make it difficult for them to get on track and how sadly the standard of the development leagues has fallen in numbers and quality over recent years. A midway product could work with the 'better' dev league riders and lower NL riders on track but what the price point of such a product would be i don't know? also would something like this not lead to grossly inflated averages if the higher level of competition is removed. I definitely fear that interference with what is probably the best organised and most sustainable league in the country is a very dangerous thing.

I know someone who emailed the club regarding the roof covering repair on the home straight. The response? See if you can guess from the following options: a) No need for repairs, the current tent will be replaced with a permanent structure incorporating a fully enclosed bar and restaurant facility. b) Sit somewhere else. c) Bring a transparent (so that you do not obscure the view of others) umbrella. d) .................................No.....................reply.

Why? Fixture list was embargoed until Thursday to ensure everyone had time to release them at the same time. I believe that British Speedway needs the Star as, without it, there would be no central source of information. So it’s a simple trade off that the Star gets to release their information at the same time as everyone else. Not before, and not after. It’s how media works best, in my view

Think he could ride for both possibly, Newcastle are only in the cup and Armadale are only in the league,

I’m all out of ideas to find a ”traditional” (not KO) meeting format for the specs mentioned in the title. Speedway.org seems to have got a clean up and stuff is gone. I’m confident such a meeting has taken place in the past decade. Can anyone help?

There’s 3 challenge meeting in April v Berwick ,Redcar ,Ashfield there in the fixtures

I will be cheering on one of our own tomorrow night as he derails the Horses Promotion push New York here I come

Chapman's my way or the high way stance is the problem here.

looking for the cheapest option I expect

Been to both the museum and Wildlife Park...well worth a visit. My brother intends going on Sunday 23rd also.

I recall Ole Olsen blatantly stuffing fellow countryman Bo Petersen in the first bend fence in a Hackney v Coventry match (1980-81 ish). Think Bo, young and eager at the time, might have ruffled the Great Dane's feathers at some Danish meeting - or may have been Nordic Final - the week before. Bo picked himself up, ran along the home straight and, as he made a beeline for Ole in the pits - the two riders were pulled apart. Ole just smiled and shrugged his shoulders, as if to say: 'you won't do that again, will you sonny?'. Bo was left out of the Danish Test team for a while and invites to Vojens were also thin on the ground. But they had 'kissed and made up' by 1984, when OO was team manager and BP was recalled to help Denmark win the WTC final at Leszno. Finn Thomsen and Billy Sanders had a bit of a vendetta going, although I don't know where or when it originated. Billy, who would never take a backward step, took off his helmet and thrust it at FT in the pits after Finn had deliberately knocked him off on the first turn just after they had crossed the finish line in a Hackney v Hull match in 1981. Simmo got some stick from Poole fans after he had Ron Preston - his club-mate - off during an England v USA Test at Wimborne Road in 1980. Simmo disliked the Americans only marginally less than Kenny Carter and I guess he regarded Ronnie as a young upstart looking to oust him as Pirates' No.1. Some of the most skilful riders have the ability to disguise 'dirty' riding. It would have been '79 or '80 when I wrote in my BLRC report for Speedway Mail that Hans Nielsen had ruthlessly caused an opponent to fall (can't remember who). Hans wasn't impressed and phoned me at the office to register his complaint. Don't know the race in question, but I've heard tales of a savage bit or riding by Hans against Mark Loram in the GP.

Latest news http://www.leicesterspeedway.com/_mobile/news.php?extend.31602‬&fbclid=IwAR1OpIJPEbrsnJD-B3tvmXbmeuTLCtNp_X0V3OznNSnoldeT8kxghTZKLp0

The sport could do with a few guys like these now! Hard but fair riders .

Talking of World Finals( non official) I read a couple of reports yesterday about Tom. Apparently he had ‘big plans’ to take a group of riders at the end of the 1935 season to the US to help establish the sport there. He wanted a white liner (Tommy Croombs ) and a broadsider ( Gordon Byers) and another group that were heading to Australia would also meet up at some point with his group Then some weeks later it was all cancelled I guess because Sydney had big plans for an official World Final with ACU approval they hoped. Tom was going, as the British Individual Champ and the Milne brothers from the US, which also made a trip to the US less meaningful anyway

Bjarne Pedersen back for our 90th anniversary meeting should be brilliant seeing him ride brough again, he’s also bringing over 18 year old Dane Andreas Jensen.

Maybe he knows Pooles last 2 riders and thinks they're an easier proposition than Newcastle!

Yes Phillips said he wanted to run some practices first.

Pair of Pussies Czechy

This is how I rate the "top 3's" in the league: 1. Belle Vue 2. Leicester 3. Plymouth 4. Mildenhall 5. Isle of Wight 6. Kent

I wonder what's taking Plymouth so long to complete their team? Especially when Jamie Bursill fits in perfectly!

Great article!

1000 would be remarkable. I seem to remember when the Rockets relaunched in 1999 hearing that many NL tracks' break-even crowd figure was as low as 250. It'll be interesting to see what the rent will be for the refurbished stadium. Whether the team race in tier 2 or 3 would, I expect, be greatly determined by how much capital the prospective promotion has or is willing/able to risk. The main thing is getting the place back once it's ready.

That isn't actually true, according to John Harrhy himself. When I interviewed him around three years ago up at his golf complex I asked him, as part of a long extensive interview, whether his injuries still troubled him and he said no. here is the entire interview https://campfireconvention.uk/bugle/features/john-harrhy-70s-speedway-star

Take your point, but personally I don’t think the “I know something you all don’t and I’m not telling”, adds much to the forum. As has shown in the last few posts, it just rubs people up the wrong way and is unnecessary.

I don't think that they have to do that, just say that on reflection, and from comments received, they have decided to reinstate the former BB system for their disabled fans with clear guidelines. Any infractions will result in individual removal of access with an overall totting up procedure that could lead to the reintroduction of the newly proposed scheme in future. Everyone is happy, there are consequences and management still hold all the aces.

Current work being carried at Rye House stadium posted 26/01/20 https://www.facebook.com/groups/198832456794185/permalink/3132269760117092/

Sounds aggressive,,,,, sorry wasn't meant to be,, but as you know, there are plenty of donuts on here.

I think you will find he could have signed for both. As good as he is, he needs as much time as possible at small tracks and Newcastle and Edinburgh will give him that opportunity. The same comment goes for Kyle Bickley IMO.

Some parts of the stadium have been condemned, there is no track, pits or safety fence and there are new houses quite near but yes, if some idiot with enough dosh and the wherewithal to jump through the necessary hoops should come along, it could be 'good news' Don't hold your breath though.

Was chatting to Rusty Harrison on Facebook messenger earlier. Part of that super Comets side of 2004..Stoney Steady Kauko Aidan Wrighty Woody. Moved back to Oz 5 years ago with partner and kids. Was sad that they closed great memories. Friendly, volatile guy that always gave 100% for many clubs.

Theyre pathetic and totally unprofessional. Our Club deserves so much better especially as it celebrates its 50th anniversary.

Soccer? I must have imagined standing in those 70,000 crowds in Atlanta for MLS games.

Malcolm Ballard was another uncompromising rider...would dearly like to see an interview with him in "Backtrack" and his reasons for retiring far too early.

With our NL Trophy team for 2020 now announced and 90th-anniversary meeting line-up not too far in the distant future, for those of you who aren't on Facebook drop us a message on here to get your tickets reserved for our upcoming Race/Bingo night with the full Diamonds 2020 team there to also answer your questions! Tickets £5pp (includes hog roast and cold buffet) 7pm start South Gosforth Social Club 07/02/2020

Max at 1 for the gems side followed by leon Flint joe alcock josh embleton Jamie jaldee ryan MacDonald & Archie...

I don't know about on the past decade, but the North American Final ran a 20-rider, 4-riders-per-heat format at one point. But you could actually adapt the Speedway World Cup format from around 2004 that had 4 teams with 5 riders (no reserves) for an individual competition. It isn't possible to have every rider meet every other rider an equal number of times under any formula (unless you run an impractically large number of heats), so you need to settle for 20 heats (4 rides, 12 opponents), 25 heats (5 rides, 15 opponents) or 30 heats (6 rides, 18 opponents).

Ron Mountford started at Birmingham in 1950 and went on to give great service to the Brummies for the next seven years, only moving on to Coventry when Birmingham closed mid-season in 1957. Ron went on to give equally yeoman service to the Bees right until his mid 40's. He was a hard rider, and never took prisoners, but he could take it as well as dish it out, and he came back bravely after first losing an eye in a workshop accident, and then smashing his leg in a huge crash which left him with one leg shorter than the other. When the years finally caught up with him and his form deteriorated, he lost his place in the Coventry team but was reluctant to give up riding and did approach Birmingham with a view to rejoining the then, second division Brummies. Joe Thurley though, wanted to build a young team which he could eventually develop into a First Division team, so wouldn't consider including Ron. Ron rather resented this rebuff, so he was lost to speedway when with his long experience, he could have been very useful, and I believe he only made one more visit to Brandon before he died. Les Owen, whom this topic is supposed to be about, spent the whole of his career at Coventry - which as he was born a Coventrian, is no real surprise. When the BSPA tried to allocate him to Cradley Heath in 1965, he refused to go, preferring to just ride in second halves at Coventry, and in mid-season, the BSPA relented and allowed him to return to the Bees team. Les was a fearless performer who took numerous risks on the track and suffered some fearful injuries as a consequence - the last one when he and John Harrhy ran into each other and in which he sustained very serious head injuries, finally finished him. He did make a partial recovery and I'm told that he presented himself at Brandon with the intention of riding again, but Charles Ochiltree would not allow this. Later, Owen's mental condition deteriorated sharply, and he finally committed suicide by stepping in front of a train - a very sad end for an admittedly rather reckless speedway rider, but a very likeable bloke.

Anders was a constant thorn at Cowley during "The Rebels" era and was a class act. If I recall the first rider to beat him in a team event was, ironically, Dag Lovaas in 1975?

Really enjoyed the Michanek profile. I never thought that he was at his best around the old Hyde Road, but undoubtably a classy rider (and seemingly a really classy guy too).

Anyone remember the late great Jack Millen?