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Such a shame there's so much bitterness and sniping building within this thread, no need for it really, on Monday we were treated to what has been described as one of the best meetings in recent years, the scores are finely balanced and fingers crossed we will get more of the same tomorrow evening. Whoever wins will deserve the victory, Peterborough have had some tough luck but so have Belle Vue, that's speedway. As far as I'm aware no team has cheated their way to the final, as unfortunate as the injury to Hans is it occurred after the final had commenced, just like if it had happened tomorrow evening, the final is underway and both teams just have to make do with whatever changes they can make that fall within the existing rules, no special dispensation should be allowed imo. Would say the same whichever team I supported. Obviously the usual trolls chip in with their stupid comments, one even claiming the Belle Vue doctor isn't a proper doctor and that Hans should ride in the 2nd leg, if he was knocked out then he cannot ride, it wouldn't be fair on himself or any other rider taking to the track. Here's hoping we get to see some great racing in front of a bumper crowd, whoever wins will be crowned champions and will deserve the accolade.

2 days for 40 and over

When every British rider in the Premiership and Championship this season plus our two GP representatives started in the third tier of the sport, it was complete nonsense to suggest that the NDL needed to 'get back to its roots'. If truth were told, it was already there. Whatever the make up of the league it was admirably and extremely successfully doing one of the jobs for which it was created. I think its absolutely clear now - although as you rightly say many do not need the benefit of hindsight - that the decision to cut the points limit was an extremely poor and damaging one provoked by nothing more than the self interest of the top two divisions.

Zach cook probably scored more than neilsen so that's lady luck for you Shovlar

Give over Mike, I hope he gets a big fat zero.

The majority of supporters would like to see the Premiership expanded to 8 or 10 teams, but if this does happen, there would have to be a pretty drastic reduction of operating costs (or a big increase in admission prices - which nobody wants!) and there would also have to be a dramatic reduction in team strengths in order to make the new entrants competitive. People always jib at any suggestion of weakening teams, or "watering down" as it is usually described, but in reality, there isn't an alternative - we have to accept that team strengths can only be levelled downwards - not upwards! As far as doubling-up is concerned, it is my firm opinion that allowing this to happen in the first place, has been the damaging decision that the BSPA has ever made, and we are left in the situation of now finding it totally impossible to get rid of this, or even restrict it. The riders now consider themselves to have a God-given right to belong to more than one team, and any attempt to do away with doubling-up will be savagely opposed. I detest the rule myself, but I just don't see any way of getting shut of it.

This thread is full of trolls and wind up merchants unfortunately. Do yourselves a favour and ignore rather than bite.

Showing as Thursday 21st on SpeedwayGB site.

Craig will give 100% for whatever team he rides for

You can talk some amount of Sh*te at times.

Probably the Peterborough supporters were still driving around trying to find somewhere to park that was safe

So why didn't we get a guest on Monday and likewise for Belle Vue then. Wouldn't be the first time the chuckle brothers got something wrong.

Stewart Dickson as said that he didn't want to discuss his intention to use a guest against Poole and r/r against Scunthorpe before last night's meeting because he didn't want to be disrespectful to Scunthorpe. Talk about double standards, the club are being disrespectful to the SON! Hey well the Pirates will just kick ass tonight and make the 2nd leg irrelevant!

Yes It states on official recacard on Bspa site he was withdrawn due to concussion. So this weakens Peterborough massively and no adequate replacement available. I have no idea why you would have a rule stopping you from using a rider from a team that was beaten in the semi final therefore no longer in the playoffs.

You are quite right that the NL of a few years back wasn't perfect but it was thriving. There was pay disparity between some teams but that exists across all the leagues. What did exist was a widespread league which offered opportunities to new and developing riders. Whats more is that there was often a development league running after the meetings putting riders on show, offering precious track time and supplying a genuine conveyor belt of talent. The conveyor belt being that you had to be good enough to get a NL place, reserve spots didn't come easy and were even harder to hold on to but that meant that those who did were of sufficient standard to boost the league. As plenty could see at the start of the 2020 season the NDL had been pushed down as it was far too much of a competitive and viable product compared to the higher tiers and rather than take this approach on board and really embrace it the Board decided to squash the threat to their own businesses with the narrow minded viewpoint that they would get the few riders they needed through the diminishing youth rounds and could continue to ship in overseas riders to bolster the rest. The genuine board held belief that for a sport to thrive the top tiers must take priority is simply short sighted, narrow minded and selfish. For any sport to stand a chance in the short, medium and long term it needs to be built from grass roots up rather than the current approach of letting the (insert expletive here) roll down hill.

Talking out of your backside again …. Harris so much better than Andersen lol Harris scored 8 tonight Hans has scored 6 and 9 at Poole this season Hmmm please tell me how 8 is much better than 9…..Oh and Zach Cook scored more than Nielsen would have done so how the heck can you say Poole were weaker Nice to see a Poole choke though

Oh so he is going to claim injury for sat night then, interesting.

Don't respond to the helmet!

It's a final Mike, let's be honest I want Belle Vue to win I don't care about being entertained on Thursday. I want cook to have an absolute nightmare of a meeting, 4 engine failures will do me fine lol

Well, whatever rider shows up, whatever the outcome (although I hope a Panthers win), let's hope for a meeting similar to Monday.

Yes but at least he's funny and a bit of harmless fun. Peterborough one is just annoying.

Long John Silver?

Are Belle Vue fans sticking around for the Panthers title celebration tomorrow night? It wouldn't be fair on the coach driver if he has to cut his break short due to an early departure from the EOEA.

I thought the same reading it , there maybe more to this saga to come especially as it stated more info on riding order to follow on match day

But you did, and you are all taking the bait...

Hope you live to regret this post!

Even more so in a sport that allows riders to ride for all and sundry all season on an adhoc basis, and both finalists will no doubt have benefitted during "qualifying" by using any other teams' riders when the need arised... "Completely Contrived" or... "Not quite as Completely Contrived"... Doesnt really make much difference does it? Therefore just get two seven man teams out using the rules that have been used in getting both teams to the final.. Be sad if the final ends up one sided due to injuries, especially after leg one of The Final produced so much..

I understand why some fans are upset at Lambert’s selection over Bewley, but there is - with the greatest respect - a huge difference between beating the likes of Danny King, Richard Lawson and Sam Masters week in week out when compared to competing with world class riders like Zmarzlik, Janowski, Madsen, etc. As has already been mentioned, Lambert is on form - he’s made the last 3 GP semi finals, his Ekstraliga average is approx 1 point per meeting higher than Bewley and over the last 4 Ekstraliga meetings Lambert scored 20 more points than Bewley. And he has experience at this level. Bewley doesn’t and the pressure of performing at that level could impact negatively on a young rider. As we saw last night, on track prepared for the home team, Bewley was still beaten by MPT, Scott Nicholls and Chris Harris. No disrespect to those riders, but as has been pointed out the track won’t be prepared as Belle Vue riders like it so any home track advantage will be very much reduced. Bewley didn’t win the British Final on his home track, so he’s likely to fair less well against much tougher opponents. Bewley is a great rider and given time will hopefully become one of the best riders in the world. But he isn’t there yet. it was a tough decision but Lambert is the right partner for Tai IMO.

It's mind blowing that some are angry at the selection of Lambert. He's in the top 10 in both the GPs and the best league in the world. He was top of his team's averages whereas Bewley was just about 4th. He's has had a good season but Lambert has the experience of top level events. We all know the FIM track prep virtually removes home track knowledge so Lambert is a no brainer for me

Robert Lambert really does get some special treatment doesn't he. No reason to pick him over Dan Bewley at all.

If Sam is involved in the commentary for the GPs next year, I'll be watching the Polish coverage online.... I appreciate Sam as an ex rider, and he used to have some good input in the studio back in the Sky GP coverage days but he is, without doubt, THE WORST commentator I have ever heard for speedway on National TV...Eurosport's commentary team for their coverage of the SEC and U21 this year has been horrible. The first round of the SEC this year had a technical issue which saw no commentary provided....That was sooo much better than the following rounds and the U21 rounds where they got it sorted and I had to listen to their dreadful comms team. Please, Discovery, give me NIgel and Kelvin next year and not the horror that is Dave and Sam....

Anyone else finding it hard to sleep, not sure how I will get through work. I'm more nervous about tomorrow than I was for my school prom.

Poole fans and bitching it’s a match made in heaven. Or maybe not.

You should really need parental supervision whilst posting. internet can be a bad place for minors.

Does anyone else think the Panthers need to bring in Trevor Swales to help Rob?l I don't think Rob has managed in a 2nd leg final and Trevor's nous could get us over the line. The way Trevor timed his jokers in 2006 was legendary. He gave the black and white helmet to Hans and Sullivan, great times.

Hearing Andersen is going to see a doctor that isn't a Belle Vue fan on the Aces payroll in order to get clearance to ride. If he rides then it could be a cricket score in our favour.

Are you sure you are really a Panthers fan,, you are a disgrace to the club and other fans of the club. As a fan of good speedway I am gonna be there,, and will be cheering the Panthers on. Its been a long time since I've witnessed a team win anything

Hope BV make a good start to the meeting to make it good for the neutral. Hoping for last heat decider!

I'll try again I've put Hansen in any predicted line up for the Witches that includes Klindt, as I feel that will give any side a better chance of singing Hansen with a fellow dane in the side. However saying that I added Witches could get Klindt and another young Danish rider as its rumoured there is another young Danish rider who is looking for a Prem slot next season. It always helps a young foreign rider having a fellow countryman in the same side who can help them riding over here. As ever you are going to have at least 10-12 riders rumoured or linked with a side before any team is finally settled, King is without doubt going to be on the team sheet, all depends for me what the intention with Crumpy is, once that is known the other rumours slot into place

That's our Neil getting carried away again. The majority of Pirate's fans are more pragmatic. We know it will be a tough two legged affair which could go either way. Good luck to you but of course I am hoping it's Poole who prevail.

Having seen him ride on a few occasions this season I would say Ulrich was in the form of his life and would have maintained his form. I bet Peterborough would give anything to have him back for tomorrow.

Once he got to no1, he would have struggled, Just remember, I know everything

And people seem to forget that it has always had a few more experienced riders floating around - I give you young Rob Hollingworth and Czechoslovakkian world finalist Vaclav Verner. PS Scott Nicholls career started in the second tier.

They will be having a practice.

Who ever wins Thursday will be deserved champions. No excuses from me if kurtz being out costs us, its part of sport unfortunately, same for the Panthers.

Who says they'll win it. Messrs Nicholls, Harris, MPT, Pedersen, Palin won't give it up as easy as you have.

Couple of meetings too far for the Bears, who were always up against it in the circumstances. Sad way to end the season and not a true reflection on how the team has performed overall. Edinburgh seem to have hit a bit of form and Kemp finding his feet at home certainly helps. Good luck for the rest of the season.

Nobody is saying it is a new thing. Just interesting, and he is pretty damn good. Most of the stuff I have seen is like the Blue Peter stuff The speedway riders were very impressed. The guy reached the standard they had hoped for by the end of the day, after his first session

I know that people complained about it being a National League and not a National Development League, bit it did fast track the current crop of Kemp, Brennen, Palin, Flint plus others, don't think the current 'development' league if it continues will bring on anything like the quality or numbers. Seem to remember BV were fairly successful with their NL team. Whether that was right or wrong the current system certainly is wrong, hasn't enticed the likes of Buxton or the IOW into it.

Speedway hasn't always been played out in front of sparse crowds with not atmosphere in the UK