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This is a very challenging time for Martin, myself and everyone associated in one way or another with the Isle of Wight, and personally I am close to saying it's enough now. All we wanted to do was put on a viable speedway product, the BSPL emposed rules upon us giving an yes/no ultimatum to join the league in 2021. That means, no discussion, nor any prospect of allowing discussion in future years. While we did not agree with the points limit we were not allowed to discuss it - its this or nothing.... We are told that every promoter in the sport wanted it... yet I can name at least 6 who we deal with regularly who will say no such discussion has happened and even if it did, why are their views more important than ours for our league, our business. Of course it is not, but they didnt view it like this. Even to today.... Martin and I have received no communication from any member of the board of BSPL other than the office manager during the time that we wanted to leave. There was no "please come to the office or take a zoom call and lets discuss it", there was nothing... Yes - no, in or out... and like this for years to come. Now we are left in a situation where it is OK for BSPL clubs just to hire and fire riders at will, nomadic club names can used in amatuer events that bring in private hire revenue but cannot be used in amatuer second halves, and rising stars who are supposed to be protected clearly are not. And.... all the time the Isle of Wight has the ability to give these riders more rides, in a safe, relaxed, entertaining environment, and yet ultimately because we did not agree to not having a say in how our league is run while others who have no vested interest in it can, and without a prospect of this changing, rider will have the fear of sanctions for themselves or their BSPL club's and the only people who will miss out are the fans, volunteers, sponsors and riders of our sport. Believe me, while working full time too, running a speedway club is no pleasure ride, there are so many challenges, so much that you will never see or hear of that just makes us all want to stop it. But we love it...nothing gives us more pride when people have really enjoyed the show, or a young rider who we help scores well, or a rider from MFS becomes a mascot, MDSL rider, and so on... but the personal toll that we have to endure and now this increased toll.... its just heartbreaking. Enjjoy your speedway everyone wherever you view it... every club will need you all and all your positivity this and the coming years.... oh and BTW my smiling/laughing face earlier on a previous comment was only because even now people still think the reason Martin and I left was over the points limit, it totally was not... it was over how we were treated (and continue to be) by the BSPL. All the best.............

Well said Barry. I certainly couldn't have put it better myself. There are still so many people out there who still think that we withdrew from the BSPL because of the points limit and that just isn't true. The BSPL will continue to say that all clubs voted in the new points limit, but that is not what we have in black and white from the BSPL, and even if they did, how were they allowed to vote when the two most affected clubs, weren't even allowed to discuss the matter. It was our choice to try and run speedway on the island and doing it from our homes just adds to our problems but our business that we have worked bloody hard to build up with great support from businesses and supporters on the island(and off it), cannot operate under rules dictated by clubs who have no financial liability towards us. Martin Widman

I'd say your probably right on that. Dropping from 39 to 35 means replacing a 7pt rider (who has probably been in the NL for some time) for a 3pt one and, on the face of it, its not a huge change. What I would say on the lower limit is that it is not sustainable. We have seen this season that clubs have had to scour the ranks of retired and semi retired riders on low averages to make teams up (and leaving themselves very low on replacements should injuries happen); that will only get worse in 2022 with the possibility that some deserving riders are frozen out. I'd also accept the point that lowering the points limit doesn't necessarily mean a drop in what happens out on the track. If it did, then NL speedway would be massively inferior to PL speedway, and it isn't. The problem - and I have mentioned this before - is one of perception rather than reality. People equate a lower points limit with a drop in standards (both in performer and racing) and hence they are less likely to attend. The huge amount of criticism levelled at the upper leagues in the past is evidence of that and there's little doubt that people have walked away because of it. Its why when Scunthorpe ran a very weak NL side a few seasons ago every meeting was tied to a Championship one, because there was a recognition that people wouldn't pay to watch the NL team alone. (staying to watch an NL meeting after a CL one is one thing; paying to watch NL only is very different and Isle of Wight do not have the former option). Martin Widman has made it absolutely clear that the problem is not about the points limit but about the way it was introduced, and its very hard to disagree with his view (particularly if you stand in his shoes). I think it is indefensible that a team is not consulted about the way their league regulations are to be decided, particularly when that is determined by others who have no involvement in that league whatsoever and, as Martin has also made clear, there is absolutely no evidence that that will change in the future. For that reason, the decision Isle of Wight made is not only understandable, its justifiable. What is not so are the BSPL's attempts to prevent them running at all.

Barry, thanks for the update. You have an lot of support on here and fans far and wide and it is understandable why you may want to throw in the towel but don’t let these selfish morons get the better of you and the club. Petty minded individuals hiding behind corporate BSPL none of whom have the balls to come on here or any other medium to rationally explain their stance. If genuine speedway fans can do anything to support your cause, let us all know as many really do believe in the two of you and the club. You have the vision so don’t give up, you will find a way.

Blimey where do you wear your masks

I think you are dead right. I also think they have good reason to be frightened. With the prospect of a good summer. huge numbers of staycations, the Isle of Wight"s superbly customer focussed promotion and their plans for Speedway to be only part of the entertainment on race nights, the BSPL should be scared.

Small technical tracks really are starting to look absolutely terrible in modern day speedway. A shocking advert for the sport tbh.

Oh, hilarious... I don’t think it is a “serious speech impediment”, and good for her and her employers in giving her the opportunity to do the job. Think both your statements and the need to bring it on here say a lot about you.

2 tyres per rider. If a tyre cant do 2-3 races, it can't be fit for purpose, surely. Not forgetting the cost

Gets on my bloody nerves. You try keep taking it down every 2 mines, with 6 fingers, to have a gulp of ya pint.

If anyone needed reminding why speedway in this country is on its backside than last nights meeting was as good as an example as any. On a perfect night, with two evenly matched teams we were served up tripe. Unfortunately today's machines have totally outgrown our historic speedway tracks. I feel sorry for the promoters trying to promote that product. We seriously have about six decent tracks in the UK and most of them are modern built, unfortunately we have lost 2 of the best in Swindon and Somerset. Then we have the usual suspects on here giving the "your tracks worst than our track " rubbish. I'm sure this debate will continue fully when we go to Ipswich and Kings Lynn. Feel sorry for Eurosport trying to sex up such a poor product, the guys on the mic know it as well, although they are experts at trying to flog a dead horse. As for crowds, the die hards will always come, they will watch anything, but how an earth do you attract news supporters if that's the product on offer.

They're frightened the IOW will be a success and others will follow I imagine is part of it.

It does seem a bit strange. "We" adopt a new tyre across the board to save money. Now "we" appear to think it is necessary to allow riders to use 2 (or is it multiple?) tyres per meeting. The logic appears to be that one tyre is not capable of completing a normal meeting (not to mention 7 rides). How will this save money? Surely two cheap tyres are more expensive than one more durable one? I've seen an unusual number of tyre failures / flat tyres already this season. Seeing some of the pictures and listening to several riders, I have to wonder if the new tyre rulings are wise.

If that's the case then I would take Josh or Archie as a no. 8, just to cover any eventualities.

after a year and a half without racing, isnt it a bit bizarre to call for any rider to retire at this stage?

Allitt and Schroek dont have a clue thats why. Allitt has never been a good manager or promoter going back to his young stars day. Young stars had a team of Lambert, Worrall, Kerr, Rose and still couldn't win the league.

I think most fans could of told the Lynn management that, before a wheel was turned.

Worrying times. CVS and Adams have been in charge since 1984, a tremendously long period of stability whilst many other promotions have come and gone. Both of them very knowledgeable and experienced. Also not to underplay the part that the Parrys International sponsorship have played at Wolverhampton, the longest continuous sponsorship in the sport. Just hope for the sake of the sport that the government make the right decision.

The BSPL should come out and give an open and HONEST explanation, because at the moment, it seems like victimisation for no reason. Riders aren't stopped from Grass Track Racing or for clubs and events overseas. For whatever reason, this sounds like a personal vendetta without hearing both sides of the story. Nobody on the IOW, whether it be management, sponsors or the public deserve to be treated like this, just because they have the balls to want to try something different. They depend to a large degree on the holiday trade, on an island that has almost zero entertainment for families in the evening, other than walking round Tesco that stays open until 10.00pm. Speedway has stood still for years now, and needs freshening up, and if something different from 15-races and the announcer saying goodnight, thanks for coming can be improved upon, then let them try. So many times these days, people have never heard of speedway, let alone seen it, and if they decide to check it out whilst on holiday (I know I would, as I did with a sport on Guernsey), and enjoy it, then when they return to their respective homes, they might just check out to see if there is a track near to where they live, and go along, and all clubs could do with those extra newcomers through their gates. So come on BSPL, ask for your toys back that you seem to have thrown out of your pram, and work with this promotion to see if their ideas are going to be for the betterment of the sport, and if it's not, then it will be their loss not yours. We've all been in lockdown for a long time now, and if this club want to offer us a different type of motorcycle event, with the main thing being speedway, then they should be applauded for trying to bring our well being back into some sort of normality.

He will take it in his stride and earn decent point scoring money Scott takes every meeting as it comes a great servant and rider.

Glasgow made that difficult at first, speedy recovery to Jack Smith and Dan Gilkes, the Tigers came good in the end, thanks to all the Kent fans who were very gracious in defeat, we apologise for using air horn but stopped when we realised it was not allowed. Tidy wee stadium, hope Kent goes on to have a consolidating season.

They've had rain apparently, not sure what your complaint is. At least they have the equipment available to put it right.

I seem to remember Steady being told the same thing years ago... Bates like Stead is probably just not good enough to put the teachings into practice

Apparently I get 10% of the gate receipts if it’s behind closed doors (they originally only offered me 5% but I’m not daft)

Be nice if Kings Lynn publicly apologised to the fans over the Bridger debacle. Every man and his dog knew he wouldn't last yet they still wasted money setting him up in the team with all the associated gear (money that quite frankly could have been better spent elsewhere) if you stand up and say we believe in this chump then Lings Lynn have to accept responsibility when it goes wrong

...or a Sledge

Clubs don't make the rules. Mask requirements will have been imposed by local public health officials.

When I used to attend Monmore regularly to watch the Aces, and some weeks as a neutral when the Aces didn't have a match on, during the nineties, the track was always very grippy on the outside from around mid track, and made for some excellent racing... I think two fundamental things have changed since then.. One is the second turn fence being reshaped which pretty much lost the outside run on that turn, and two is the fact the modern bikes don't handle the deeper conditions well... In the last 20 years or so, the best meetings.have been when Monmore has been wet, which is similar to how Kirky Lane went, a track not to much different in shape.. Usually meaning the dirt is scraped off and riders don't ride full on gas and don't then have to pull sudden full lockers, which can spit them off around such a tight track, or snap chains.. As you say Doc Bridgett was a key factor, but for me, the standard of rider is too.. Josh Bates last night for example was taking about four goes at each bend to try and get round, and some of the lower orders of both teams seemed to be concentrating more on staying on rather than racing... Which will never deliver any entertainment, and provide what we had, which was lots of very strung out races... When the heat leaders rode against each other the racing improved but when any track goes from blue groove to grip within a few feet, it must very difficult to focus on much more than completing races, rather than actually racing, even for the better lads.. And given the way modern machinery seems to have to be ridden 'full gas' it must be very difficult for any track staff to prepare such a tight circuit with exactly the correct amount of grip to provide close racing without providing additional risks to the riders too... Edit: It did amuse me seeing critical comments from a Poole fan... At least the lads at Monmore last night didn't have to decide if they had to 'double' or 'triple' any 'whoops' on the back straight ....

I don’t get why masks should be worn outdoors. The advice is you can’t can’t catch it outdoors so seems a bit ridiculous.

“Thanks for your enquiry. Currently we are awaiting a decision from the local council before we can advise if spectators are allowed into the Stadium for the meeting on Friday. As soon as the decision is made it will be posted on our website and through social media.” Doesn’t take much really and it’s better than ignoring genuine fan enquiries. (This is not a Glasgow club statement btw but they can cut and paste it if they like )

What a complete waste of time!

Stan Bradbury 18 December 1926 - 03 June 2021 Stan started racing Speedway in England in 1945. He rode for Stoke, Wolverhampton and Motherwell to mention a few. He also raced in Sweden and Ireland. He immigrated to Canada in 1957 with his wife Dorothy and 2 year old son David and 9 month old daughter Susan, 9 months after arriving in Canada came daughter Hazel and 16 months later another son, Alan joined the family. Stan along with Mike Tams and Bob Fisher made several attempts to get Speedway going in Canada but the big break came in 1972 after meeting Wes Pierce the promoter at Welland County Speedway and then the Robinson brothers from Spencerport, New York. With hard work and persistence Speedway became a regular class on Saturday nights at Welland County Speedway and in Batavia NY and Owego NY. Eventually Speedway added venues in Paris ON, Shannonville ON and St. Marcel PQ. Stan was far more than just a competitor, he helped new riders learn the ropes and set up their bikes, he would even loan a bike to anyone who wanted to give it a go. He became the go to guy for repairs and frame and handlebar straightening. He made steel shoes worn for both Speedway and Flat track. He was also one of the founding members of the Canadian Speedway Racing Association. He held the post of Secretary for many years. His extensive self taught mechanical abilities earned him the "Best Motorcycle Mechanic in Ontario" award in 1982. He also wrote a book called "Speedway Notes" which he had uploaded onto the internet for anyone that was interested. He had everything in his notes from how to set your gear ratio to the importance of learning to lay down your bike, He also wrote the Speedway rulebook for use by the Canadian Motorcycle Association. Even the likes of Ivan Mauger and his wife Rae visited Stan and Dorothy to see what he was up to. In 2006 Stan was inducted into the Canadian Motorcycle Hall of Fame. He was known as "The Man Who Established Speedway Racing in Canada". Stan will be sadly missed by his family and all that knew him. He was predeceased by his wife Dorothy (also a great influence in the promotion of Speedway) and his son-in-law Tony Armstrong (1978 Canadian Speedway Champion and also rode in England with Crayford)

Being honest they shouldn’t be but Bowtell and Edwards are decent reserves,but when Bowtell beats the heat leaders as well that different.That’s speedway though.

No of course not but at the time I posted they were in the process of supposedly sorting the track, seen it done plenty of times in Sweden and matches have gone ahead, they are better equipped to do it than any other country.

True you have a good chance off breaking your hand though, bad person no not the brightest yes.

I'm rather glad the meeting wasn't on Eurosport last night, it would have been embarrasing to watch as a Lynn supporter.

He could be the only rising star due a testermoaneral.( spelt how I wanted it to be)

Weak wrists from punching pit walls

Look at my later post as the rules have changed and i was out of date

Is that because you're particularly ugly in that part of the world? Please take that as a joke... You do have a regional stereotype to live up to!

I have previously suggested to Eurosport( not going to bother any more) that they could show it " delayed live"( people could keep away from the score for a couple of hours) or show asap after the meeting an edited all heats version. As far as i can see meeting is not on the UK schedule at all !!!

Sad bit about it that team would now walk the league today - that’s how far standards have been lowered

Did we find out who signed the hat? I think people were too terrified to answer him.

I watched it all cause i was on the gin. But so tight. I wouldn't pay to watch that, if it was my home track.

Nice blue groove appearing..... Must be fun going from that to dust and then back to blue groove... Remember though, to be a World Champion you need to ride in the UK to learn all these type of tracks as part of your education ... Used to be a decent track in the 90's but I presume now bikes have moved on that shape of track simply doesn't deliver anymore... NB And Adams then? What an Ambassador for the Sport... Edit Poor track and even worse camera work....

Adams happy and jovial as usual

The Booking fee doesn't go to the promoters though, does it? And it shouldn't be necessary to book on-line after June 21st anyway? (Hopefully)

Bates "should" be destroying the averages but has been very poor thus far and being shown up by riders really grabbing the chance. Brennan has been unlucky not have more points and been very competitive and Rowe showing his class by opting out of the scheme and doing his own thing....certainly did Rob Lambert no harm

maybe you are of a certain age ( over 21 ) . any primary school kid should be able to help yo out . me , i am happy just reading and typing .....

Blimey, bit of a shock .Rode for every point. My age. Thoughts are with his family.