Leaderboard

He isn’t available.

Better meeting than the score suggests. What has happened to Cookie? Hugely disappointing. Never looked like winning a race. Didnt understand him getting the TS, when at that point Nicol was far better. I said previously that I was impressed with Nicol when he guested here earlier. Same again tonight. Always in the thick of things. Unlucky to get excluded for tapes, when 2 others moved as well, including Cook. Winning Ht15 by a good 30 meters or so, when he shed a chain or similar going into bend 3 last lap and crashed heavily. Hope he is ok? Thank you to the Tigers fans who stopped us by the start after the meeting. They congratulated us on our victory and wished us well in the play offs. Safe journey to Leicester and then home to all of them. Gracious in defeat.

Dick keeps us all updated about what's happening at all clubs bar Berwick on here though.

Interesting comment but what do you actually mean and how often have you actually seen him ride this year? For example, do you mean he's not the same as when he was in the GPs when he got stick from so called British fans because he wasn't apparently good enough? Or do you mean compared to when he started out? Perhaps you say this just because his Championship green sheet average has fallen from a starting point of 9.93 to 9.32 in 2021? Yet funnily enough despite being 'nowhere near the rider he used to be' he's still performed better, average wise, over the current season than all of the Poole team and respected riders such as Richard Lawson, Nick Morris and Chris Harris. Ignoring assessed averages he is currently 4th in the league, behind Scott Nichols by 0.01, 0.05 behind Sam Masters and 0.12 behind Bjarne Pedersen (ironically another rider that for some reason attracts stick from some fans). As he has grown older he has become even more of a family man, his family comes first, end off. If this means he won't take risks on dodgy tracks - blame the promoters, not him. If he decides it is better to score a bonus point when in third place rather than go flat out to try and win - blame the promoters who brought in the rule that bonus points don't count in your green sheet averages. If he starts to think about next year and feels his family would be better off financially if he does ensure he has an 'attractive' average that will get him a team place AND lots of guest bookings like many other riders allegedly do - again blame the promoters. Just so you know what he can still do on a proper speedway track https://fb.watch/7NZibVvAUj/

You may need to lend him a calculator on the journey as a fully fledged witches fan hes not used to counting over 40 these days so the high numbers that the Panthers have been achieving may be a bit much for him at first but given a bit of tutorial he will be fine .

I've decided to become a Panthers fan for the play offs

Maybe instead of trying to standardise the engines just handicap the riders like in horse racing? Bike and rider weighed before the meeting and ballast added to the bike so that they’re all on a level playing field. Simple and effective, no flyweight will spend thousands on tuning if he has to have 10kg or more to his bike

Just looking at Isle of Wight Masters Championship. www.dirthub.co.uk/island-masters-shale-track-championship-schedule-entry-list/ You have to applaud the promoters for taking on meetings of this format. There's no reason why stadium racing of this type can't be run with both speedway and grasstrack bikes dependent on the size and condition of the track. I think individuals on this forum are too quick to dismiss this type of event ultimately who cares at least it gives UK riders an opportunity to race instead of applauding Wolverhampton with their plethora of imports.

I think that Sheffield have been unfairly treated by fans of other clubs re the inclusion of Bates as an RS.. I bet no one was more surprised than them to find out that within virtually every one of the criteria needed, Josh got in by the skin if his teeth... Wasnt their doing that this was the criteria used I am sure.. A complete coincidence, and, in keeping with so much of British Speedway, beyond reproach integrity and credibility wise... I wonder (for next year), as the riders will be a year older, and will have actual averages, if the age levels change alongside the qualifying average needed to be an RS..? And if so.... More 'coincidences' maybe to look forward to?

I used to love going to Sheffield Speedway… really enjoyed the racing. I went 8 to 10 times a year for many years. in recent years there has been a serious drop in the quality of the racing culminating in only going once a year…. Then a decision to not bother going at all. sad times

There was an MDSL match on after so plenty of options for a number 8 not taken by Poole

In 2018 I was involved in the purchase of waste land, probably big enough to build a speedway track on, from North Tyneside Council. It's in between a rubbish tip a motorway and a railway line and cost £1m. With all councils struggling for cash and planning for housing developments much easier I just can't see any public authority making a significant plot of land available for leisure, especially motorsports. There's plenty of grant funding out there to stimulate the construction industry but you've got to prove that your investment will benefit the local economy. They obviously did that in Manchester with the promise of National and World Finals attracting visitors to the city. Something like that would be great for an authority like North or South Tyneside or even Gateshead, to have world class sport staged in their area but the promise of attracting up to at best 1,000 people once a week for 20 weeks of the year for a noisy motorsport is a tough sell.

Jim Mcmonarch made sure that wouldn't happen.

The die was cast the moment that the professional league promoters, but particularly the British ones, failed to grasp the opportunities offered by the SGP and allowed the FIM to sell it off to a private promoter with basically no benefit accruing to them. The SGP affects the Polish and Swedish leagues much less - if at all - but even so it's ridiculous that they allowed a prime asset that basically utilises their assets for free to escape them. Very poor vision and even poorer politicking in the FIM corridors of power. Once the SGP got a foothold, the British leagues were screwed either way as the speedway-going public were used to seeing the top riders in Britain, so any stand against using GP riders would cost fans, yet by trying to accommodate the SGP they found they had to run on off-nights and/or not on prime summer weekends, and lost fans anyway. The GP riders dropped Britain once the wages dried up, not least because the fans stopped coming. I'm quite sure they'd still be turning up if the British leagues paid Polish wages, whatever other excuses they may have given. But the whole issue of insufficient riders is a wider one, and is another thing that wasn't well addressed over the years. Doubling-up is fine as a development pathway through the league structure, but ridiculous when it's just a way to make up the numbers. It just becomes the thin end of the wedge - reduce opportunities and you ultimately reduce the number of riders competing for those places.

Just a pity Lions chose such a rubbish guest

has he transferred to Peterborough then

Rising Stars should be kept as reserves even if their averages are preventing it. Like the Polish under 21s,

The official site really is very poor, twenty four hours before a meeting no preview, no team news, very poor. On the positive side for those interested you can still but a 2021 season pass.

He posted this in 2019 when the Stars visited Poole.

Sorry Bruv had to put a laughing like to this post,although being a Lynn fan I'm not use to counting over 35. If Peterborough happen to be at home in the play offs on Mondays then I will be there too.Don't worry though I will bring my abacus

Which song will you be belting out at your initiation , you will also need to kiss the badge and prove in a picture that you have completed this task

Your being ironic again!

We’ve got Poole riders so we can use their rule book. Simple !!!

He's getting a hair cut

One other thing I want to mention that I've noticed about other tracks is that the average age seems to be a lot older at Newcastle (and Birmingham) both tracks who seem to be struggling for crowd numbers, seems to be a lot older than some other tracks, such as Poole, Ipswich etc... Something to look at perhaps? There's an awful lot of young people seems to go to them tracks, which are the types who need to be attracted... What's so attractive about Ipswich and Poole that isn't about Newcastle?

If Scunthorpe are still unbeaten at home after tonight they'll have done very well indeed

Hopefully he will give it one more season. He has just started up links with 2 football teams, he will have season ticket money next year, and hopefully more sponsors will come on board. I just hope with the early statement it does not hinder the attendances for last 3 matches as we really need the fans to turn out in force.

Already in the play offs and Batch taking his chance to lower his average in the meetings that count towards it. Come the playoffs where the scores don't count I think you will see a different outcome..... Ben Cook can't replace Neilsen - Stefan is a 3 point rider and Cook would be 4. I know yoy struggle with these concepts but I don't think even Sheffield could get away with that one

There will of course be legitimate cases. But some of the sick notes used in speedway are laughable! What I'm saying is it's open to manipulation. "Overnight" in a foreign hospital can be written be anyone with a blurry business card pretending to be a doctor!

I think we should ride against Berwick instead

Regardless whether we get into the play offs or not on current form it would only be to make the numbers up sadly.

Poor night for the scorpions no heat leaders turned up which eventually cost us. Must say I was impressed with Connor Mountain as the guest scored a handy return and well earned his place in heat 15 wouldn’t mind him in Scorpions colours in the future !

My usual moan, tac subs for the home team are a farce.

The ultimate demise of the traditional Friday/Saturday race night for "elite" speedway in the UK was the Grand Prix. When the GP launched in 1995 the British League could cope with 6 weekends a season where their top stars would be unavailable. Slowly over time the GP series increased in the number of rounds and with the big bucks of the Sunday Polish league on top of that, the British league system could no longer sustain weekend racing at an elite level.

I would Danny has had an awesome season this year, Jake and Anders started like trains then fizzled. Drew has had an awful HOME season, however we know he is better than that so my choice would be Drew and Anders at reserve next year, obviously having the 2 * riders will put paid to the likes of bomber and hans cleaning up again. Paul Stark had a nightmare last night, bike packed up in his first race, then as he put it Nicholls tried to stuff me in the fence, but you can't take away from him that he's a trier, so I'd have him back. Never felt comfortable with cook as a witch, not a favourite of mine, so hopefully he's off. Jake is a favourite of mine, I have to admit, but I can understand why others aren't keen. So will Nicolai and Nico be available next season.?

Too much pressure on the wee guy. We should’ve binned Oor Wullie ages ago

Premier Sports will be covering both Monday and Tuesday's matches next week - the match covered on Tuesday depends on the result of the match on Monday between Indianerna and Vetlanda.

There is parking on site £1 charge ,should be plenty of spaces and two turnstiles in operation one for pre bought tickets and one for cash . Allow yourself plenty of time as our promotion run to start time as usual , i know recently there was Redcar fans still coming in after the first race . Snacks and drinks available in the ground entrance is a one way system in and out from the 2nd bend ,viewing is allowed all around the track ,hope this helps

thought that was only the sunday meetings!

Give me the Poole track over Wolverhampton any day of the decade. A proper speedway track not some little training track.

You can't use the same rider to guest on the same track within 8 days. Speaking of guests, a question being asked on facebook is how can Glasgow use Luke Crang to guest for Sedgman when he is not in a current Prem or Champ 1-7? Alternatively, how many rising stars can a club track in the same meeting?

Phew the Diamonds are saved!!! Unbelievable that the list of previous promotions have never thought of trying to get the cost of renting the stadium down?? I expect Rob Grant will have seen this now and announce the 2022 line up and first meeting date anytime soon. Then he'll be on the phone to Newcastle City Council who haven't got a pot to urinate in, can't afford proper social care, infrastructure maintenance etc etc, for a nice juicy hand out for a sport which attracts minimal visitors to the city and is probably in reality occupying a site which is a prime location for much needed new housing. Of your six facts, three are questions, two of the others are opinion and the other is bleeding obvious. Have a clown emoji Might you consider that young Dandelion was perhaps upset that her favourite team/pastime had just announced it was no longer to exist? So maybe some ill informed comments were made. Or maybe Dandelion is privy to the same information THJ has alluded to or the fact that Rob Grant was told to retain the same company as the previous promotion which was undoubtedly part of the reason he has walked away. Or the fact that despite knowing that there was never going to be enough riders to sustain the 2020 line ups in 2021 the authority decided to allow teams to keep the same line ups despite there being no obligation to do so and knowing that would mean some teams would track under strength teams. I don't blame Rob Godfrey. Yes the structure of the leagues and team building could have been better but speedway at Brough Park is untenable. Brough Park is too expensive for the level of crowds attracted. The track shape is no longer suited to modern bikes and riders. There's little or no opportunity for other income streams (bar takings etc). It's only available on a Sunday and therefore even at Championship level attracting heat leaders is extremely difficult (note who else now runs on a Sunday) even if they could be afforded. There are lots of other ways to spend disposable income in Newcastle and in a football obsessed area in which all the local teams are a shambles the last thing the general public of Tyneside want is to watch another uncompetitive sports team. I think this also answers the valid question as to why Redcar is successful compared to Newcastle. Speedway can still be great but all of the right ingredients need to be there and sadly for Newcastle the cupboard is empty. To his credit Rob Grant knew that the long term future of speedway in Newcastle was outside of the city but where and how much it would take are probably beyond anyones means at this point in time. Especially for a sport that, lets face it, nobody wants on their door step. Even if it could be proved to improve the local economy.

Bowtel in the stripes?

Two Swindon riders were going to swap sides at "Half Time" of the Div One Play Off Final a few seasons ago.. Swindon hadn't qualified for the final either.....

It's no good having a big shop, if there ain't many customers.

.It is an INDIVIDUAL event & he was not even wearing Sheffield kevlars, "glory boy" but he even races for Scunthorpe this year in the British Leagues. But , I agree, well deserved & I was there to see it. Even Swindon, Birmingham, Lakeside, Eastbourne, Poole, Ipswich & IOW could claim a bit in his progression, not including the foreign clubs.

He was injured last night.

Take Chris Harris as an example 23rd August rides for Peterborough, 25th August rides for Birmingham & finally 26th August rides for Ipswich. Anyone who can't see the issue with that or defends it are part of the reason this sport in the UK is finished it's utterly crazy & provides no credibility end of!!

As I said on another post why not just be open with the fans and give the real reason. Promotors would be more respected

I have bouts of mental health problems, and its only over the past few months that I've "Come Out" to coin a phrase. Some people told me to buck myself up, which is the worst thing to be told. Some people don't understand the situation, and I get that, because they won't if they've gone through it. Some people are very understanding. I'm currently having a great many demons, but have confidence, and obviously hope, that the people helping me with it, will get me out of the other end of the tunnel. I like Craig Cook. I feel for Craig Cook, and I pray he gets the help he needs from this invisible but deadly problem. Please people, whether you like the man or not, show him the respect and love that both he and his family needs at this present time. With the right guidance and love, he'll come out the other end with a smile on his face. Thank You.