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Too many people....

Why not do it BEFORE Heat One when the score is 0-0? Would save a fortune on wages by missing out the next 15 heats.. And, as so many complain about how long it takes to complete a meeting, it would mean the meeting finishes only a few minutes after the start time so everyone wouldnt be waiting around... Meaning all go home positive as to the way the meeting has been ran, which can only help in hopefully attracting them back again.. Also getting meetings done and dusted in five minutes or so, at any track, would also mean families could attend as kids would be home in good time so as not to impact their school work next day... Less wear and tear to man and machinery too, as less races means less tired riders, and less need for tuning, replacement parts, three bikes... etc etc.. It might even persuade some GP superstars over given it wont impact their racing schedule too much... I do think though that there needs to be rules around Guests, as if there is only one race per meeting, then each team can only have a maximum of two Guests each... Anything more and it could become a bit of a nonsense...

Can you bring a Guest in for Press and Practice day?

I arranged BOTH visits....both teams were great to deal with...one of teh Russian support team was a solid KGB man...the riders hated him

I think Iversen will end up staying the full season & Kildemand replacing someone else. There's always rider's getting banged up at the start of the year. I have to say, Iversen's name on the teams sheet looks good, like a team that could seriously challenge that Sheffield team in 2022. Keep him fit, on form & he stays, title challenge IS ON

And it's the dispicable 4-3-2-0 scoring to contrive a definite result. A draw is often a very good and fair result especially for an away side, achieved with a full 7 riders (hopefully). So now it's just down to which team has just the best top two only and the justice/joy of a hard fought draw is lost. Ridiculous to change it. Boils my p!ss.

jye av 5.22 ..jake allen av 4.80 think i would pick allen

That's the order I would go with. Heeps will be partnered with Doyle in 3 heats and in the protected heat 8

I may be wrong, but I believe the gold cup matches (whilst yes being official fixtures) were treated like the KOC and play off matches today and were not included in the calculation of the greensheet averages. Hence no official average/ record recorded.

Is the rocking up at the gate something to do with age and dodgy knees and hips?

Vissing is a decent signing. Certainly much better than I anticipated but a much needed boost to the top end of the team. the last two signings are going to be very interesting. the promotion have certainly invested in the track and new air fence and hopefully will get a good crowd for the Coventry challenge match. if the weather is good and the racing decent then that will set things up nicely.

A nice big juicy win at the Foxhole on the 31st will set the season up nicely

Very sensible !!!

hope he has plenty of toys in the pram , cos he throws an a fair amount out of it .

I just cannot see the point of this extra "super heat ". What is wrong with a draw in a League match? It has been fine since League Speedway started. Usually both teams supporters go home happy. It will just drag the match out, as most if not all the riders in the super heat, will have ridden in heat 15. So another long delay !!! The supporters dont seem keen on this, and it will cost the promoters more wages, as the riders wont be racing for nothing in this race. So why bring it in?

if you weren't being paid would you put yourself out for your employer?

Woofy Bewley doyle british based before polish season starts so wont be flying in fricke might also be here think his partner lives in knutsford I meant that zagar is now only one who could race here because others had polish extraliga plus one other foreign league now that NKI has signed for kings lynn Ah well only just over a week to go then maybe belle vue will announce our surprise signings must be good if its taking them this long ha ha

Personally I think it should be the same admission price for everybody,unless you have saved on a season ticket.

It tends to be a last minute decision on a Friday if the stripes are off. 20 quid on the gate makes that decision a whole lot easier. Like from afar says just stream it for 12 quid n between me and the old man that's 18 quid saved.

Only when he's not getting paid

Not yet...still only 5/7 of the way there. The rest is pure speculation. No doubt I'll get hammered again for not getting carried away and for relying on facts rather than fantasy, but hey ho. Now that Santa's signed, let's wait and see what other presents we get.

Good to finally read that Birmingham have got a team together. Was worried at one stage they might not even come to tapes. If this touted team cones to fruition, they should be strong at home, and a team winning in front,of its home fans is paramount. Weak teams do the league no good. Let’s hope the Brum fans support their club in decent numbers.

When they qualify via the qualifying rounds….. then Yes we will. I am sure Greg tried his hardest to push them as far as they can go, so we are where we are.

Theres me thinking the picture is actually Panthers fans after a 100% win rate against both East Anglian clubs on there way to the League title in 2021

All going well with your post until the schoolboy error at the end....... That's a picture of Ipswich fans at Compost Corner

Something that works in Iversen’s favour potentially is that in Poland he’s in a side that can only use two out of him, Kurtz and Lahti. Given the way things have gone for him in Poland the last couple of years it’s not a dead cert he will be riding every match so will be good for him to be riding regular in Britain and hopefully staying injury free.

You are one hard guy to please.

Yet another mad pointless idea. Bring back choose the rider via Twitter

fine but what's the stipulation? Do you have to be in business for a year before you can apply? Or can you just apply straightaway? I think Diamonds fans were told last season that they couldn't have any work permit/visa riders because it was a new promoting company without a trading history.

We signed him from Eastbourne after he'd recovered from a broken leg, I seem to remember, but swapped him for Phil Jeffrey, as you say, after he couldn't get his Diamonds career going. He rode seven matches for us in 1991 averaging 2.53. When he came back with the Tigers, he managed to beat David Bargh!!

Not overly bothered at losing Kennett, I don't think he would ever have got close to his starting average, the timing though is pretty crap. Keleher as suggested earlier would be a shocker. He was rubbish away and at home had a couple of half decent meetings but nowhere near good enough. If Ellis could be convinced to sack off Dackarna we'd be talking! Could Bjarne fancy one more year? I'd choose him over Crump all day long. Outside of that we may be struggling. Ellis Perks out of retirement maybe?

It makes you question whether in the act of becoming a Speedway Promoter do these numpties forget all and disengage their brains from remembering what it is to be an actual supporter paying at the gate ? How often is a drawn match likely to be a reflection of a hard fought match that in the end we usually say 'a draw was a fair result' or 'It would be a shame for anyone to have lost tonight'. How often is a drawn match a 'bad result' that needs to be modified by an extra race ? And that after a nominated heat 15 anyway. And with the match points reflecting the away team's success at running so close as well. And a different crappy point scoring for that one race.

Hopefully the Tangerine drem team will return to the Abbey next year, and finish where they left off in 2019, double champions.The new stadium is coming along nicely up on the hill.

£20 on the nite if I'm going to come from comets land it's God knows what in petrol once the season starts, so looks like monarch's and most teams won't get traveling fans, looks like streaming the way to go

I’m not disputing that but the casual fan or supporter from other clubs turn up on the night it’s £20.That’s all I’m saying is it’s rather steep.Just stream it .

Because with just six teams (Two under the same control) you only need 3 or 4 idiots in the Premiership to have a majority to make daft changes for themselves. The sanity within the Championship must keep the nutters at bay.

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

I'm sure Speedway will always bounce back. It's a bit like a petulant troll having a strop, hiding all its posts, and quitting forever... only to reappear a week later.

1963. Craven killed, Ray Wilson arrives! AT COVENTRY Although Coventry looked to strengthen their squad the S.C.B. blocked attempts to sign someone on a Foreign Permit, instead Jack Biggs joined from Oxford.- But, he struggled. Bees finished 4th behind Belle Vue Norwich and Wimbledon. Lost points at home (30-48)v Belle Vue, with Home draws against both Norwich and Wimbledon) would have been enough to have seen the Bees finish Runners-up. Surprisingly the Bees only success away was at Norwich (Twice!!) and the Stars had finished second in the table...Just about everybody was winning at least one match away at Cowley (Oxford) who finished bottom, so two defeats for the Bees there was disappointing and costly. England’s No1 PETER CRAVEN was killed at Edinburgh in a handicap track crash involving George Hunter. Hunter had fallen and Craven crashed into the fence hitting a lamp standard in an attempt to avoid the stricken Hunter. The Handicap System was blamed. Les Owen returned from the fractured skull but, he was not the force he’d become prior to the injury. Jim Lightfoot again Captained the team and did improve his performances. Ron was off for a few weeks at the beginning of the season, having suffered a nervous breakdown as a result of pressure from work. He then crashed in July and fractured his leg. The S.C.B. refused us a Foreign Permit (Russian Boris Samorodov had been lined up to replace him.) The C.O. switched his attention to the Provincial League offers made for Norman Hunter, Colin Pratt and George Hunter were all declined. We applied for Stan Stevens from defunct New Cross, then Southampton turned up at Brandon with a certain Mr Stevens in the side... A protest resulted in Stan’s points being deducted as the move had not been cleared with the control board. Programmed in the second half in August 1963 was a certain Ron Wilson Jnr.!! Ray Wilson will go down as a NAME that escaped us.... Nigel Boocock and Jim Lightfoot qualified for the World Final, Nigel finished with 7th with 8 points having won his opening heat. Jim struggled in his first appearance finishing 14th with just 4 points. Fundin won the Final with Knutsson 2nd and Briggs 3rd. The 1962 Champion Craven, was only 6th in his last World Final before his tragic accident. Boris Samorodov the Russian the Bees had wanted finished 4th and Ron Mountford the man he would have replaced was at reserve in place of a future Bee, Toni Kasper. The Bees beat Southampton before going out to the old enemy Belle Vue, in the National Trophy. We beat Oxford in the Midland Cup. Coventry Scorer’s 1963. Nigel Boocock 244 (9.96) Ken Mckinlay 212 (9.12) Jim Lightfoot 159 (7.76) Bryan Elliott 105 (5.80) Ron Mountford 77 (5.72) Les Owen 65 (3.92) Jack Biggs 29 (4.24) Peter Brough 12 (2.08) Rick France 6 GUESTS 2 Howie Booton 1 Colin Cotrell 0 National League Table 1963 1. Belle Vue 24 17 0 7 989 875 34 2. Norwich 24 13 2 9 911 879 28 3. Wimbledon 24 12 1 11 934 920 25 4 Coventry 24 11 2 11 912 957 24 5. Swindon 24 10 2 12 907 875 22 6. Southampton 24 11 0 13 933 936 22 7. Oxford 24 6 1 17 861 1005 13 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1964. The end of an era beckons as National league folds The last season of National/ Provincial League Racing with the brand New BRITISH LEAGUE upon the horizon for 1965. Down to just seven teams, Coventry finished Runners-up. One solitary point behind the Champions, Oxford. Again a point easily found when the Bees were held to a draw at home by Wimbledon, although points difference would have seen the Cheetahs still crowned Champions. No changes on the team front, but a great deal of un rest between the two Leagues in a power struggle that almost killed the Sport. The season started in disarray, with the Bees winning the Easter Cup presented by Jack Mine at Wimbledon. This was probably the FIRST time Coventry ever won at Plough Lane against the Powerful ‘till then Dons. Booey scored 11 from No1 but, Ron Mountford scored a 12 point maximum on a track he had never considered a favourite. The Bees won 44-40. Bryan “Chirpy” Elliott was absent as he was seeking to ride in the Provincial League at Long Eaton. Only the threat of being “blacked” in future made him change his mind. In the second leg at Brandon, The Bees beat Wimbledon by six to take the Easter Cup. The Easter Cup and the re-introduction of the Britannia Shield started the season off, with the troubled National League not starting it’s matches until JULY!! The troubles flared again in May, when the Dons arrived at Brandon for a Shield Match. Bob Andrews had ridden the night before in a “blacked” Provincial League Match at Wolverhampton. Both Promoters agreed to let him ride at Brandon and settle this issue later with the Control Board. But No.!! The riders themselves said if he rode-they didn’t !! and the meeting was delayed further. Andrews was eventually left out. By this time Bryan Elliott had changed his mind and stayed with the Bees rather than risk similar occurrences to that of Andrews. But, Ron Wilson Jnr (Ray) decided otherwise and he signed for Long Eaton in the Provincial League which is why Willie became a big rival of Coventry’s instead of a Bee himself.... Big problems at Norwich, when in a crucial Shield Match The Bees trailed by 2 points going into heat 13. Booey and Biggs stormed away on a rain soaked track, Billy Bales retired and Fundin was just cruising around at the back...On the third lap the Red Lights came on..!! The race was stopped and a re-run ordered ?? The Bees of course objected but the Ref was not moved and The Bees then refused to go out in the re-run. The Stars then coasted round for two un-challenged 5-0’s to win the match. Bees lodged a Protest. The crucial dropped point at home too Wimbledon was mainly down to Ron Mountford being out with a shoulder injury, and we went into the match without the option of a guest. Nigel Boocock faced Ove Fundin in the Match Race Championship. He lost at Norwich, but won at Brandon. Having led the Britannia Shield Table from the Start of the season, Oxford pipped us at the death by one point....The Norwich result was that crucial. Having finished Runners-up to Oxford in the Shield, we also finished Runners-up in the Easter Cup and The National League, all to OXFORD. In the National Trophy we were beaten by West Ham in the first Round. Fundin won the Match Race decider at Oxford in July. Brandon staged a Test Match against the Russians Great Britain winning a thriller 56-52. Ten days later Swedish tourist Vargarna, visited Brandon with the Bees winning in the last heat 40-38 In the World Championships Les Owen won a qualifier at Rye House, whilst Jack Biggs also qualified. In the second round of qualifiers, Booey scored 13 at West Ham (3rd) behind Briggs and Brett. Rick France scored 7 Ken McKinlay got 8 and Jim Lightfoot got 12. At Brandon Les only scored 4 and Jack was unable to ride, But “Chirpy” Elliott scored 14 and tied with Mike Broadbank At Norwich, Nigel got 13, Jim 12 Ron 9 and Les 1 Les having fallen on three occasions. Booey (39) third highest, Ken (32) Jim (31) Ron (30) and “Chirpy” (30) all qualified only Les and Jack missed out Fred Hodder joined the second half brigade. In the U.K. Final at Wembley, Barry Briggs took the title with Ken McKinlay finishing Runner up. Nigel qualified in 7th with 8 points with Jim on 6 as reserve. Ron managed 5 and Bryan 4 The Midland Riders at Oxford was won by Briggo with Arne Pander 2nd and Ron How beat Nigel in a run off for third. With the close of 1964 came the end of an era, and the winter was a time of uncertainty with eventually a new era dawning at Brandon in March when Coventry opened the new BRITISH LEAGUE against Cradley where Nigel scored a paid maximum and RICK FRANCE scored the first BRITISH LEAGUE MAXIMUM. Nigel Boocock won the first ever British League race as well. Coventry Scorer’s 1964. 1. Nigel Boocock 129.5 (10.12) 2. Ken McKinlay 109 (9.80) 3. Jim Lightfoot 79 (7.12) 4. Ron Mountford 54 (8.12) 5. Rick France 38 (4.92) 6. Jack Biggs 37 (5.04) 7. Les Owen 35 (4.84) 8. Bryan Elliott 31 (5.36) 9. Colin Cottrell 16 (4.64) * This team was my own personal all time GREAT TEAM OF ANY ONE SEASON * National League Table 1964. 1. Oxford 12 9 0 3 545 461 18 2. Coventry 12 8 1 3 528.5 479.5 17 3. Norwich 12 6 0 6 490.5 517.5 12 4. Belle Vue 12 5 1 6 496 511 11 5. Swindon 12 4 1 7 509 496 9 6. Wimbledon 12 4 1 7 475 532 9 7. West Ham 12 4 0 8 479 526 8 That controversial defeat at Norwich cost bees the title. That's all I have I'm afraid the rest was lost... But I remember 65/69 being good seasons and among my favourite all time bees teams. Injuries struck in the early 70's and we plummeted down the table until Olsen arrived in 76.