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I think some on this forum don’t fully understand what is happening. Despite Putin saying otherwise he has started a war, but you want speedway to carry on as before. People in Ukraine, normal people like you and I, who have done nothing, are being left homeless, without water, power, and without hope, yet you want speedway to carry on as before. They are encouraged to walk out of the area down a peace corridor, but it’s a trick, they get fired at and some have been killed, yet you want speedway to carry on as before. Over 1 million people have managed to get out of that hell hole, Poland has taken in the vast majority of evacuees in just one week, far more then UK has ever done I think, people with no hope, no future, no home to go to, no where to put their feet up in front of a warm fire to watch speedway. I been saying for a week now their is a strong bond between Ukraine and Polish people. There is probably 800,000 Ukranion refugees now in Poland, being welcomed with open arms and acts of love, the Polish people are really putting themselves out, as are those in Slovakia, Moldova, Latvia, Lithuania, Germany, etc, yet you want speedway to carry on as before, as if nothing has happening nor is happening. The scene of this world has changed, for the worse, and may take decades to get back to where it was. Because of Putin, Russians are going to feel the brunt of the effects, the world is letting him know their feelings, and their actions will be felt by the Russian populous. For sure the rest of the world will probably feel the effects too, higher prices for oil, gas, probably a multitude of things we don’t know about yet, but speedway must carry on as normal. If Russians feel the bad affect then they can petition for democracy, make sure that their votes do count without results being falsified. That can only be done by the populous of Russia. In the meantime we may get to see some top class speedway, that’s if Putin doesn’t do what people in more then a few nations are worried about……. They may be next for the attention of his “manoeuvres”.

Agreed But it may force those innocent people to overthrow their current leader as if the West go into try and sort it out we will definitely end up with WW3. The only way to solve the Putin Problem is for the Russians themselves to do it. Hopefully they have a suitable candidate for leadership with a following in the general population and among the armed forces.

Concerns about large numbers of young adults attending in gangs. You should be so lucky. Small groups young adults will attend at best. The sport needs as many as possible to attend so stop trying to put them off.

We've got 3 Gaps at the minute ?

He still thinks David Howe will one day be world champion.

As a long-time Brummies fan, I have to admit this never-ending delay in hearing ANY news on the remaining three riders is totally frustrating. I appreciate the new management team came to the party late, in respects of putting a team together, but with only two weeks to go to P&P there MUST be some morsel of news for the long suffering fans. Whilst we are waiting on the revelation of the mystery fourth rider due to processing of his paperwork, which obviously implies he is not a British rider (so not Adam Ellis), where are we with signing the last two riders. Does LR have some firm names in the frame or is he still in discussions. For god's sake give us some tiny scrap of news to cling to in the hope the Brummies may have a team come the start of the season, let alone a half-decent one.

Aye, if you belive it, batch had agreed to ride for us then went ipswich for the money before he signed his Contract, (nothing wrong with that) Then plan B was tai woffinden and trying to persuade him to do a whole season and not just home meetings. Then plan C was Dan Bewley and kye thomson, and that very nearly came off. Now we're on plan D, wither lebedevs and tungate or lebedevs and Jye. Whatever people think of mark he's tried his dam hardest to put out a competitive team and not just any old team to fill the numbers. He's not give up and kudos to him for that. And eventually he's gave us a good team which will be revealed soon

I was a toddler when Penhall graced Dudley Wood, still the biggest hero of my childhood, one of our dogs is named Bruce. Cradley shut when I was at college, but my Dad had stopped going regularly before then so I couldn't go to Stoke the season we rode there. I didn't go to a speedway meeting for a long time after that, started going to Wolves occasionally in 2004, had a season ticket in 2005. Had a season ticket for Birmingham when they re-opened and until the season that was ruined by injuries - Roynon & Legault were a pleasure to watch but R/R & two guests every week put me off. Visited Brandon a few times each season when the Bee's were riding on a Friday night. Didn't go to speedway in the UK for a few years, Peter Karlsson's farewell being the only exception - only Wolves rider I have ever liked (although Becker is growing on me) and a couple of Poole meetings when on holiday in Bournemouth. Did a few GP's & Polish trips. When Brummies stepped back into the second tier went a few times the first season and had a 10 match season ticket the next year. This year I've got an Ace's season ticket, more because I have AL from work to burn, I love the NSS and living near an M6 junction north of West Mids means the travel time isn't too bad.

I'm not sure it does. The Russian speedway riders with Polish citizenship have the option of riding in the Polish league if they have previously ridden for Poland or if they denounce their Russian citizenship. (Personally, I feel the SGP should have waited to see if Laguta and Sayfutdinov took up this option before expelling them from the GP) Take a look at the line-up for the Indian Wells tennis tournament this week. Plenty of Russians and Belarussians playing, but not representing their country. Daria Saville playing as an Australian, as she has done for several years now. I don't actually think any sports bodies are banning people purely on the basis of them having been born in Russia.

3 Leagues, six man teams, or maybe five if needed to provide excess riders for replacements.. Div One - Fully Pro.. Div Two - Semi Pro.. Div Three - Old Heads/New Riders/Paid expenses to cover running costs.. Clear demarcation within the leagues to drive aspirational growth and ambition.. Guests allowed (if needed), but not within same league, only up or down leagues.. As a rough rule of thumb. Fanbase 1000+ = Div 1 Fanbase 600 - 1000 = Div 2 Fanbase <600 = Div 3 With the number of teams per league set structurely according to income based on fanbase/sponsorship.. No cherry picking what league you want to ride in so you can use riders which are "too good" for that level... And start delivering leagues that actually mean something to win, and encourage growth and development for both riders and teams, and, ultimately, the sport itself..

Ludicrous illogical hysteria as usual....

They have a reputable person who has already put an offer on the table to buy Brandon but BE haven't responded/acknowledged it. They prefer to make people believe its not viable, forgetting that it had been viable since 1928 up until BE closed the gates...

I would be shocked if Dani Gapp changed his mind and rode in UK this year

Birmingham have spoken often about building a team to reach the play-offs, so I can see the fans being very underwhelmed when the side is finalised.

I honestly can't believe some of what I've read on here and social media regarding the Russians not being in the GPs devaluing the series. Maybe it will maybe it won't Whoever wins, like it or lump it is World Champion. Even though the Russians not riding is only a very small nibble at Putin compared to other sports and Economic restrictions, I'd far rather see GPs without them than thousands if not millions of lives destroyed

Not actual "pairs" (it was the three person team/pairs event), but Patrick and Roy Verbrugge rode for the Netherlands in the qualification group in 1994. Before anyone says it, we know about brothers-in-law (Niemi/Koponen and Loram/Louis)...

https://britishspeedway.co.uk/miscellaneous/acu-statement-invasion-of-ukraine/ ACU statement

Russian riders banned in Sweden too.

No Russian riders in Swedish league racing. https://www.elitspeedway.com/artikel/4mfsal0i5-21mi1/ryska-forare-utestangs-fran-svensk-speedway-2022

1984 semi Jan & Bjorn Andersson 1987 semi Shawn & Kelly Moran in addition I assume Patrice and Alain Blondy (France 88) and Frans/Geert Cools (Belgium 89) were brothers Didn't spot any other finalists

Official team line-ups for 2022 season Esbjerg Vikings: A – Niels Kristian Iversen A – Tai Woffinden B – Jonas Jeppsen B – Matias Nilsen B – Kevin Woelbert B – Grzergorz Zengota C – Dawid Rempala C – Jordan Palin D – Emil Breum D – Esben Hjarrild Team Fjelsted A – Peter Kildemand A – Adrian Miedzinski B – Frederik Jakobsen B – Hans Andersen B – Norick Blödorn B – Richard Lawson C – Kasper Andersen C – Lasse Fredriksen D – Rasmus Pedersen D – Stian Vithen Grindsted A – Kenneth Bjerre B – Nicolaj Busk Jacobsen B – Patrick Hansen B – Krystian Pieszczek B – Mateusz Tonder C – Kevin Juhl C – Lukas Fienhage D – Emil Pørtner D – Rune Thorst Holsted Tigers A – Nicki Pedersen B – Rasmus Jensen B – René Back B – Mateusz Szczepaniak C – Lasse Bjerre C – Claus Vissing C – Steven Gorat D – Marius Nielsen D – Jacob Bukhave (Nordjysk Elite Speedway) Brovst A – Leon Madsen A – Matej Zagar B – Thomas Jørgensen B – Ulrich Østergaard C – Sam Jensen D – Tobias V. Thomsen D – Patrick Bæk Region Varde Elitesport A – Timo Lahti A – Pontus Aspgreen B – Tim Sørensen B – Nick Morris B – Phillip Hellström-Bängs C – Keynan Rew C – Tobias Busch D – Michael Thyme Slangerup Speedway Klub A – Mikkel Michelsen A – Michael Jepsen Jensen B – Andreas Lyager B – Jonas Seifert-Salk B – Chris Harris C – Kenneth Hansen C – Timi Salonen D – Silas Hoegh D – William Drejer (Sønderjylland Elite Speedway) Vojens A – Anders Thomsen A – Kai Huckenbeck B – Nicolai Klindt B – Mads Hansen B – Martin Smolinski C – Benjamin Basso C – René Deddens D – Jonas Knudsen D – Jesper Knudsen

Some very draconian opinions going on here.....

If you finished with lebedev and Tungate,,thats a trophy hunting team

Etheridge on a 5.22 What would tungate and lebedevs be? Will lebedevs be a 6.00? If he could stay fit i wouldnt mind bradley wilson dean. Very good round the nss when riding for pboro and somerset. The meetings i saw he rode at 3 and 5. Anyone know what average bwd would be out of interest

I would have let you off its if was about Cradley . All a matter of context and we all have bad days posting and reading things different ways on different days. Confusion doesn't take much but no offence taken

Could be ellis he is french after all

All this aside, is it a true world Championship this year? World #1 & 3 not it it. Can only imagine Emil woulda had a bit more fire in his belly with his fellw countryman winning last year. Very sad we wont be seeing these 2 this year.

Even if that were true - which is isn't - it still wouldn't make it right. Russians representing Russian federations and in official Russian teams are being excluded from sporting events, and few would object to that. However, wielding the pitchforks against people simply because they had the misfortune to be born somewhere, is really not the way to behave regardless of the strength of everyones' feelings against Russia. We need to distinguish ourselves by our higher standards of behaviour.

Well everything alway seemed finalised. But he's a bit like an incompetent man. Fails to finish

You’ve been saying that since Christmas

Apologies that my post came across that way...It certainly wasn't my intention... that's why I followed it up with 'my daughters first ever speedway meeting'... Exeter holds a nostalgic place in my speedway heart. I would never 'gloat/point score' about ANY speedway club folding/struggling....even 'Cradley' I read my post back and I can see why you thought that way....sorry for any confusion/offence.

Im very much of the "OLD" school Wolves were and still are the enemy, so I only go to Monmore when Cradley are/were their, I went to PB three times last year luckily not to any of the dustbowl meetings, I will hopefully attend a few meetings again this season but that will very much depend on what team LR puts together, right now the signings dont inspire me with a great deal of confidence in the season ahead however if 3 rabbits can somehow be pulled out of a hat that could all change,but if the rabbits are all rabbits then I fear for what lies ahead. Grow up mate, I take it you are happy with your Team?. When I do go to PB I always wonder over to a couple of genuine Brummie fans (Father & Son) and have a chat with them they always offer to buy me a drink but Im teetotal, Oh by the way I know for a fact at least 2 Cradley fans go to PB on Sundays to help with the work needed to get everything ready, is your owner a former Cradley regular or not ?, so lets put the whinging comments to bed shall we.

We are talking about 14/15 year olds here... Not 8/9.

Lets be honest it was a stupid plan A once Bewley had signed for a Elitserien club, he'd have been daft to give up his spot at Wroclaw and Polish authorities were never likely to change their rules.

Yeah. Mark as to take some of the blame, other factors also are Missing Brady was much more crucial for us and they took advantage of ulrichs rich vein of form early in season. Nevertheless Borough won. And deserved the trophy.

Surely there can't be too many teams. We just need to set the standard of riders to what the teams can afford to pay them.

Totally hungover John lol

If you get a few teams back in 23 then you weaken both the prem and championship and just have two leagues The prem should become what the championship is now ans the championship should be something between what it is now and the National league

No Russian or Belarusian riders in the Danish league for 2022. https://dmusport.dk/udmelding-om-forbund-atleter-m-m-fra-rusland-og-belarus/

If its £1 with paying adult what is it for a 14/15 year old who goes without an adult?

Whilst I believe the FIM have made the correct decision to stop all Russian nationals entering their events this is not aimed at the two named riders but the Russian nation. We have to remember that there are more than a few Russians involved in the Ice racing & the SEC events then there are the qualifying rounds for all the World Championships. I really think that Artem Laguta & Emil Sayfutinov would have withdrawn from this season prior to the start because of the adverse reaction of the public domain against the actions of Mr Putin in Ukraine. I believe them to be good honest sportsmen caught up in a political fight they have no control over.

4 out the 10 GPs in Poland and his 2 main rivals out the running Zmarzlik will have one hand on the trophy. Series has gone flat before its started.

Unfortunately, just about every governing body in sport around the world has suspended Russian sports people from competing. Therefore the FIM has no choice other than to follow suit no matter the rights or wrongs of it. Both Emil and Artem were born in Russia and that overrides any citizenship so that 'argument' is irrelevant. Whilst I do agree that they will be very sorely missed in the GP's in 2022, it's the right and only call the FIM could make. There is no way around it.

It isnt too difficult to share around the rider talent pool is it...? Which is far more important to the survival/development of the sport than any single team winning any of the trophies on offer.. Lose a team and 600 to 800 fans minimum a week are gone... Where as a trophy winning team wont get anything like that in increased admission numbers...

Innocent people having their livelyhood taken away from them because other innocent people are having their lives destroyed solves nothing.

Gonna say Danny Gapp as one of them. Total guess of course. Probs haunt Berwick on the opening night with a max

Exactly. Hooligans when they get together in a gang.

There could well be concerns about having large numbers of children of that age in the stadium if they run amok without parental supervision.