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Big fan myself but understand not everyone's cup of tea. Still banging in really good scores in Poland and was a pleasure to watch for Eastbourne. Plenty of other hard riders out there (Lindgren springs to mind) but think it's amplified by Nicki's character. If you hear him interviewed and talk to many riders in his peer group he's actually a really decent bloke, just a tough little so and so on the track. As was said on a previous post, if we had a few more Nickis in speedway then it would certainly increase crowd numbers, love him or hate him, he's box office.

It's not too often that Terry Tibbs talks speedway these days but when I do, people say Terry you're still the man! So Kings Lynn fans talk to me! I've told Busty so many times that unless his brings back Main Man Rogers into the fold that the sport in the Fluxing Arena of Eastern England is on a slope more slippy, than the EU butter mountains. I had a lunch with little Johnny C in the Wimpy in Chingford High Street just last week, after 2 Milk Shakes and a Quarter Pounder with Cheese, little Johnny C agreed that there is only one man to bring back the glory days and that is Main Man Rogers! I have sent Busty a telex telling him he needs to quickly contact The Ace that is Mase and agree a deal for Main Man Rogers to return with immediate effect. The German chap was ever so nice, in fact my 4th wife Greta had a liaison with him once in Krystof Stojanowski's caravan in the car park of the Smallbrook Stadium on the Island of Wight, but that's a different matter for now! Answer me this, is there is a man with more credentials that Main Man Rogers - the answer is simply no! Look what he did for the career of Bomabardier Harris, turned him into a near GP Gold Meadlist. Don't forget what he did at Coventry Speedway, the way he mentored Big Blayne Scroggins into probably their greatest team manager of all time and of course his success at turning Mildenhall Fen Tigers from the FSO's of the sport to the BMW's! Talking of BMW's my valet boy Christopher Mills, is around to do a bit of spannering if any of you are looking for someone who is handy with a wrench, whilst my business Jimmy Lynch is busy with that wench Audrey he met at the Chinford British Legion just before lockdown in January 2020! But once again I digress. I could go on for hours, but we need to act fast Listen to Terry, bring back Main Man Rogers, Busty! Thank you, goodbye, much looove!!!

Sad to see the ban for Nicki. I am a self acclaimed Nicki's no1 fan having signed him in 1998 for the Diamonds, and selling him to Wolverhampton the following year. When you get close and understand him, he is the ultimate sportsman. and will take every opportunity to get the win. Yes, he goes overboard sometimes but, like in the cases with Zagar, it is a carryover from a previous clash when Nicki had got done. These spats go on, and continue for sometime years, and refs know that and as long as there is no injuries and it's just being competitive, the ref will allow it and the majority of fans will see what they have expected and paid for. There are others on this Forum, also close to him, and they will tell you what a great guy he is when he has gained your trust. He is intelligent, mannerly, respectful and has you as a contact and a friend for life. I am lucky in having worked with him, so I admit I can be biased when I see his crashes, and I have to step back and have a rethink sometimes. Refs do get it wrong of course, as in the case in 1998 at Stoke for the first time, when Nicki overtook Paul Pickering on the second bend and Paul somehow dropped his bike. The ref then excluded Nicki despite all the protests. At the end of the meeting, the ref approached our Team manager George English and apologised for his error saying he thought it was Ronni Pedersen. Just shows that some refs can also carry the grudge, not just fellow riders.

From most viewpoints around the stadium you hardly notice the catch fence is there, it does not impede the view. Plus you have the comfort of knowing it should stop any errant machinery from descending onto the terraces. If you haven't been there to see it you cannot say it will degrade the viewing experience.

Bloke is box office and every promoter in this country would have him in their lineup no question if they could afford him. 100% of the fans would have him also if he was on their team. He’s only a pariah if you don’t have him.....

My favourite "vist to the refs box" was a young Martin Goodwin at Hackney .....who managed to smash a pane of glass in the refs box with his crash hat . He was lucky he made it back to the pits surrounded as he was by booing Hackney Fans. Gave us all a good laughat the time.

Hes owned by Wolverhampton but will never be welcomed back by club or supporters after his exploits.

If talking back to the ref in football was applied there would only be the Goal keepers left playing.

No mate, not there till they lift these stupid restrictions, Sorry Brian, but going to have to completely disagree with you regards Porkie the presenter. He always helps to create an atmosphere and is very OTT. Don’t think there are many presenters around that have the same personality and charisma as Porkie. He always involves the travelling supporters and gets a bit of banter going. Sadly lacking in today’s presentation. Can’t think of anyone better for the job.

I have a feeling we will be seeing a new rider from Spain, Senor Pedersen! He's put on Instagram that he is en route to the Spanish embassy in Copenhagen to get an NIE number - wouldn't be the first and certainly not the last rider do get a license from another nation! I have always liked Nicki and am not ashamed to admit it he is box office, there was a lot that went on behind the scenes during his time at Oxford that weren't pubic knowledge and this includes that he wasn't sacked but it was announced as such so that he didn't get a ban for withholding his services! I'm not defending his actions in other situations but at the end of the day Nicki in a team brings in supporters, in this day and age, that is what the sport needs! Off track I have always found him a nice guy even when not in a speedway setting he has always acknowledged us - I know of others that wouldn't give you the time of day!

Urgh what a flop up so.....Tuesday July 20th. the rearrangement of Kent TouchTec Kings vs. Eastbourne Eagles (Championship KOC First Round, second leg) Tuesday September 21s, . Kent TouchTec Kings vs. Birmingham Brummies (Championship) [moving from July 20th.] This means that the fixture previously scheduled for Sept. 21st., Kent Iwade Garage Royals vs. Berwick Bullets will be moved to a later date in October – Provisional 19th Oct. Surely given the fixture congestion and requirement to actually get other rounds of the KOC completed (a competition that could have been dropped from the start) the tie could have just been handed to Eastbourne and costs saved?. As it stands there is now a dead rubber match to come in the middle of summer, a league match pushed back to unpredictable September and another Royals fixture shunted into the cold nights of October. It has to be said that the decision making at Kent is questionable at times....

Eastbourne have their critics regarding the difficult track etc however they're one of the most forward-thinking promotions out there. When Connor Dugard started running things when they dropped to the NDL they really embraced social media and generally engaged with younger fans to build the fanbase, with a bigger sense of community, and this has been carried on by the current promotion, always looking to innovate. Couple that with Kevin Coombes' excellent mic-work and mainly modern music, the whole operation has a good feel about it. No disrespect to the late great Bob Dugard and Jon Cook, but they were slightly more traditional in their approach. Anyone who visits Arlington regularly would see the perception of speedway as the preserve of the ancient fan armed with a flask and enamel badges changed, as there's always plenty of youngsters at the track. As regards the Glasgow match, another good turn out given the concerns about the weather, and the pocket of Glasgow fans on the 2nd bend backed their team well. The downpour just before heat 1 made the track tricky and the Tigers were much better out the gate. After heat 9, I couldn't see the Eagles turning round an 8 point deficit to be fair but they did and all credit to them. Some sour grapes by some on the thread I think, but the Tigers just faded a bit in the last few heats as the pressure was turned up. The score would have probably been closer had Bailey got off the track when the Eagles were on a 5-1 (of course that turned into a 3-3, the law of sod), however these things happen. Yes, the Lawson move on Ostergaard in Heat 15 was hard, but certainly not dirty and Tom did well to hold off Craig Cook. Another good, feisty atmosphere (was commented on by Sam Masters when Edinburgh visited) and overall good meeting with an exciting end. If Kennett can get sorted then think the Eagles will be there or thereabouts come play off time, would make Leicester favourites given the Anderson signing, with Glasgow, Poole, Edinburgh and Scunthorpe a threat too.

We are heading in different directions translated as Schroek: this team is tripe and needs changes. Buster: im not wasting any money on other riders so must be the managers fault.

for me, there are to many cameras, this is a sport where 1 camera can see all the action, that whats unique about our sport. all thats needed is 3 cameras at most, they spend to much time changing cameras means were missing action on the track,

sad to see all that's going on at KL, Peter is a top bloke, does wonders for training and bringing on youngsters, maybe the respect wasn't there from some riders because of that, nice guys normally get dumped on though .. always used to watch Rob Lyon at work, good team manager and knew how to deal with the riders without wanting to be the star of the show so to speak, and always after riders that would be right for the club, even when looking at guests

I beg to differ , if you are at track level the fence obscures the view. As I have said many times the undoubted cosmetic upgrade of the Stadium has done little or nothing for spectators

Just watched the meeting on the box. Heeps was so slow I thought he was a Deliveroo driver.

It's those little touches that matter to supporters. I remember going down one very wet day in 2019 when Somerset were there, never thought it would be on but it was and they were confident it would be. Just purchased Tickets for Leicester on the 18th at Arlington to go with a few Leicester supporting friends. I've seen that if you don't want to stop for Double Header v Cubs you can leave at set time and get a "reduction voucher" to reduce the price for next match you go to. £24 for double header or if you leave between 2 matches you get a £6 reduction voucher - difference between that match and just a Championship match. Another little touch, not unique; but it is very simple and the effort being made is as important than the offer sometimes.

Is the reference to Nicki or KSF

Hospital admissions are way below the prediction made by the experts (which shows just how wrong they are) and the NHS is under no increased pressure from Covid. The experts predicted 60,000 daily by now and they are way off the mark. The truth is the variant isn’t a real issue to the UK right now. The sooner we get used to living with this virus the better, it’s going nowhere. So long as hospital admissions don’t start rising at an alarming rate (they aren’t) and deaths don’t start increasing at a rapid rate (they aren’t) then it’s time to start moving forward as a nation. The vaccine is doing its job (as well as killing some too).

In a nutshell, absolutely correct IMHO.

Ellis has a rolling ave from Birmingham in 2019, so shouldn't need 4H & 4A to get an ave. His Prem converted ave should be replaced by his Champ rolling ave on 1st August!

Listen to somebody with vast experience ( alongside your own ) Buster. Not everyone else is wrong. Otherwise speedway at the AFA / Norfolk Arena / Saddlebow Road is definitely on a very slippery slope to extinction. Feedback is not criticism.

I presume that’s why it’s taking time for it to be announced

No thank you, at Eastbourne we have a simple and efficient online ticketing system we don't need the "powers that be" messing with it. Hopefully as Cityrebel said we'll soon be going back to pay on the gate which is much easier and preferred by many fans.

The only reason anyone would see the catch fence as a problem is because the racing is just so bad. If there was good racing the fencing wouldn't be talked about

Yea I get that, he is a like or loathe sort of presenter. At least he isn’t Peter Yorke!

Having stood on the Lynn terraces and had at different times had 2 bikes (David Norris was one, forgot the other) and one rider ( Dukie Ermolenko) fly over the fence and land within feet of me, I was quite pleased to see the fencing installed. The benefit of safety far outweighs the very small effect on the view.

I remember that but i thought it was Gordon Kennett,but my i cant rember yesterday.But a lot of fun in those days with Andy Galvin even if he wasnt involved in a race ,would always be in the thick of things with handbags flying machanic always by his side to support him.Great entertainment to spice things up with knowone really getting nasty.I miss those days,when the CarrBrothers,Brett saunders,m Fiora,M puzy coming down from up north.

For me Bruce Penhall. Speedway was a big loser when he retired. We could do with a few more like him these days.

Having viewed the races (thanks Racers & Royals) I think only the first one (heat 4) was his fault. He took Kildemand by surprise clearly and he did do a bit of a Pawlicki and came down easily but there looked to be some contact (and Pedersen himself has done this many times as well when passed on the inside, particularly on the first turn). But, he definitely did not deserve to be exclude for heat 18 and 20. There was clear space and for heat 18, they went into the bend side by side and the rider on the outside should have known they'd run out of room. His questioning of the ref was justified but not knowing what he said then I cannot comment on the ban being deserved or not. It did always get people energised though when a rider remonstrated with the ref, whether on the phone or in person and as not as no serious threats are made I don't see the harm in that. I remember McEnroe in tennis using some choice language towards umpires/camera operators and other 'officials' which made him box office also.

Why on earth would anyone want them currently

Not for me, he was decent for Lynn twenty years ago for a couple of seasons when he was young but looking at the way he cuts up and chops across his team mates in virtually every race for his Polish team wouldn't want him in my side. He divides opinion, very much a marmite rider but whereas many would describe him as hard I think he is dirty and always has been. Happy to leave absolutely no room and assume that the opponent will shut off or back out.

Not getting it talk to me! I know the feeling Phillip, as I said to my 5th wife Bella just last night, I'm just not getting it. She quickly headed for the wardrobe, where I was expecting her to don that little short number I bought her off lovehoney.com last Christmas but instead when she opened the door, there were Main Man Rogers and Jimmy Lynch hiding, no wonder I haven't been getting it, those two old fools have been servicing her, whilst me and Christopher Mills have been grafting away at T Tibbs Motors Europe Limited HQ in Chingford! Thank you, goodnight, much love!

I’m certainly not taking anything for granted, there is still a long way to go to the end of the season and there are plenty of other decent teams in with a shout.

You’re clearly a fan Badge and have defended the boy a few times, and that’s absolutely ok. We’ll agree to disagree. I personally don’t think he’s been “excellent” other than those two televised meetings at all, that’s quite a stretch. He’s scored well enough in a handful of meetings sure, but without looking particularly impressive whilst doing so. Just doesn’t look anywhere near the rider of 2019 for me, SO FAR. Time for that to change obviously.

No thanks

Baggy I’m still looking for Jafooli .... so cooli

From what I have heard repeatedly on Edinburgh Live Stream Commentary they keep questioning why no Premiership Club has picked up Picko already. Have never heard either of the commentators mention any stumbling blocks such as wrong type of Visa and both seem to know Josh very well. Lynn is the type of track which would suit young Josh down to the ground with plenty of grip and wide open spaces to wind it on. Pickering is certainly one of the most entertaining riders I can recall seeing in recent years. Every race 100% effort and a never give up attitude and he can score plenty points too ( mostly from the back ). Try to chose a race of the season and you will find that Josh has been in most of them. Getting better all the time too - it would be a great shame if was a Visa issue that was keeping him back. Looks as if KL may well have to go back to the drawing board anyway to turn round their season and this kind of move may prove to be the catalyst. Check out some of his races and make up your own mind !

That’s the number 1 requirement to be a yes man

I’ve not finished making it yet, still things to add. So I hope not.

Ah I thought I saw a dead horse waiting to be flogged - and there it is!

This used to be a regular occurrence and part of the fun of going to speedway. I remember Rosco doing it at Swindon. Everyone had a laugh and a cheer and a good time with it. Can't have that though, can we!

I'm no fan of Pedersen but this does look like the Referee did have it in for him. Referees don't half have life easy these days. 'Visiting' the Referee was a common occurrence years ago. It used to entertain the crowd too. I can remember a number of Riders popping into the Referee's box to dispute a decision. It was fun, all the booing and cheering, depending on which team you supported was all part of the Sport and the entertainment. Ah well, "The past is another country, they do things differently there". (Quote: L. P. Hartley). Sadly...........................................................

She doesn’t like anyone not agreeing with her does she! Needs to get her head out of the promotions bum lol

Whatever the speedway ill watch,but does anyone think tonights line ups could be a championship match,with promotors paying premier league wages.Crazy .

If anyone is traveling down. Its sunny19 deg, dry, Sunny with a breeze, that was 3.30pm.

At least the corks on my hat arent as big as the penis growing off your forehead. I see you have overtaken Starman as the forums resident pillock, probably even worse.

I completely agree with you, quite how people can post negative comments regarding the fixture list I find quite surprising, when it's not even known what riders will be participating. Yes, it's very different from the conventional team matches, but at the end of the day, it's still four riders turning left for 4-laps, giving it their all in the name of entertainment, something that is lacking at certain tracks in recent years. If I lived on the island, they would get my 100% support every meeting, and if I was a holidaymaker the weeks they were running a meeting, they'd also get my 100% support. In this day and age when British holidays are almost a thing of the past, 2021 is an exception to that rule, and if you check out the IOW website for things to do of an evening, you'll find nothing, with the exception of a theatre doing a show one night a week, and speedway, the only other thing on offer is if you take your family trolley racing round the aisles of Tesco at Ryde until 10.00pm. The people that sit on the top table running our sport, have seemingly done everything in their power to close this forward thinking club down, and thanks to the determination of Messrs Bishop and Widman, have failed. As many supporters round the country know, once their club closes down, seldom does it ever reopen, finishing up as a housing estate, or another supermarket. So I hope it is a success for them, they've put a lot of time, effort and money, travelling from different parts of the mainland on almost a weekly basis to get the stadium into what looks a lovely venue to visit, and you have only got to check out the cost of the Wightlink Car Ferry, let alone the cost of fuel in reaching Portsmouth, in their determination to ensure that Smallbrook Stadium isn't added to the defunct tracks from 2022 onwards. Bravo to all of you concerned.

And yes wouldn't most people like to see a league campaign but the fault does not lie with Barry and myself, but firmly at the doors of the BSPL Board of Directors who imposed rules on our operation without any consultation or agreement. You try running a business with your hands tied behind your back with all the financial risk being yours. The current situation is far from ideal but a number of people believed in what we were doing this year and we have tried to be loyal to them in the best way possible by coming up with this programme of meetings. Yes there are some omissions but our season has been curtailed by bodies not operating in the best interests of the sport so it is shorter than was anticipated. Apologies if the programme doesn't suit you personally but we are trying our best to put on events that will please and entertain, and will also aid the development of the riders who come through our training sessions. Martin Widman Co Promoter Wight Warriors