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He has well documented health issues which to give him credit he has been very open about. There are two Craig Cook's he knows that better than anyone, sadly the nature of his health issues means that he can't always decide which one he is. Mental Health is silent, its not always visible and sufferers are left tofight with their demons, often in private. It can only be 100X worse IF you are in the public eye and exposed to the worst kind of bigotry, abuse and intolerence from keyboard warriors and others and from those without care or compassion. There are many people who commit misdemeanors who don't suffer health issues but who seem to be immune from criticism; or about whom some who attack Craig won't hear a bad word said; unfortunately Craig and others with similar health issues seem to suffer disproportionately. He has never sought to hide these problems and issues and hopefully 2023 will be a year in which he can do what he does best and not be afficted by the demons he tries to control. There is one irrefutable fact and that is that when on form, in the best of health and positive and motivated he is a world class talent and a joy to all. Hopefully Craig, Edinburgh and the whole Speedway world have a very positive 2023.

The fact he uses the word WE not THEY indicates the team will be under his control . IMO that one single use of a word and from whose actual account it was posted shows all is cushty going forward

I was what the medical community would consider depressed until i rekindled my faith in God and also tackled the root causes of what was making me unhappy. Ever since then i've never been more at peace with life. In most cases there are underlying reasons as to why people become depressed but these days doctors are all too quick to describe medication but i believe that's an easy cop out from a medical profession who are not what they used to be and are now merely pill-pushers. Craig has to face whatever was in his past and what is making him unhappy and become everything he truly wants to be and i'm not just talking in a speedway sense. [edit] i expect criticism for this post but i don't care

Yeah it was all fine when we were bottom of the league every year but changed when Facenna's took over, we now have a lovely stadium, great facilities and a team that challenges for the top, however ,I miss the old family atmosphere, I couldn't care if we won the league or not, I do like that we have exciting racing and to me that is the most important issue.

But Zach isn't an arsehole.

Personally, I feel a lot of that daftness started due to the new breed of Glasgow ‘fans’ that weren’t around before the takeover and started turning up thinking they’re entitled to win everything. There’s obviously a minority from both sides who take things too far but let’s hope things can calm down and everyone can feel welcome at home or away.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all speedway fans.

He only rides one track half decent in the Premiership… Belle Vud have better options

Seems very positive...

Key words -> Our first major signing.

Season ticket on sales..... Club has been non existent to the fans since season end, announce one signing and the club have maintained the sponsor. They now want the fans to fork out much required £££££, with huge question marks on ownership and the fact were missing another 6 riders.

I mean bomber was announced as signed for panthers the other year and still moved to Ipswich so I would be so sure… can’t fit holder and Emil in anyway hahaha

Well you all wanted your No1 named - there he is.....

Will probably just reconfirm Jenkins as the rising star......

Potential is great, recognising it something else,I do rate zach I was just making an observation, it'll be nice to get a loan fee from Poole and Wolverhampton in 2023.

What a shock Zach and Ben signed for next season

Once a Forum Fanny always a Forum Fanny is his Motto.

Same with the championship.

Haven't heard from you for ages,glad to see you're still one of us a forum fanny

That would save on the dummies at least……lol

The game at Kells (you need to know exactly where they play) was early season (April or so).The wind was howling off the Irish Sea and had flecks of sleet in it. The pitch wasn't frozen, but small puddles had ice on them . I and about 40 or so other hardy souls endured wind chill of about -5 and the game degenerated after every other pass was dropped into a major brawl . I remember my hands were so stiff with cold I couldn't undo my coat. Coldest I have ever been watching any sport.

What I like about Tomalin is he wants to win trophies and not just make up numbers

117 miles so if it starts at 3 and finishes at 5 pm.Would be impossible to do the 7 pm start time at Berwick.

How has he added to it he asked a genuine question and he is correct. There is not a thread you haven’t hijacked at some point. There are two threads relevant Poole 2023 and the most important one why does everyone hate Poole.

I think the important take away from that is that he’s still very heavily involved in the club which can only be a good thing.

I wish Cookie all the success and he can get back to being the rider we all know he is. Returning to an environment he knows and maybe not so much pressure on him will hopefully make that happen.. I am sure Craig knows what is required. Backwater Lol

Hopefully with cookie being held in high esteem by both sets of fans can quel some of the daftness been going on last few years. Haven't been to armadale for 5 years for that very reason. I'm all for banter but just gone too far. Used to go every week and support whoever the opposition was and have a laugh on the back straight, all turned after the takeover imo when we were no longer the poor neighbours getting skelpt every time.

No he doesn't, he broke his shoulder during his first meeting for Oxford and rode on without it being diagnosed.

Spot on, he gets so much abuse , people just don't understand mental health issues, he does well to try and block out the constant abuse but it does have an effect, when he is on song , he is a delight to behold in his racing, I don't believe he is on the way down and I fully expect him to increase his average, although I am gutted that he is not at Glasgow, I hope he gets a maximum against us but that we still win the match, he will always be my number 1, look forward to Tigers v Monarch encounters, just wish there was more friendly banter between the clubs rather than some of the very nasty comments from fans of both sides, last couple of times I was at Armadale, there were some very nasty things said to Tigers fans, so much so that a few fans have vowed not to return, I wonder if it is newer fans that seem to carry the nasty football element, there are many lovely monarch fans, so lets make 2023 a better experience, Merry Christmas everyone

Think he would be good signing, a qlder for a start,lap record pace, always has flashest gear , room for improvement , bargin average ,as keen as mustard capable of heat leader

Having just finished reading the section in PC’s book about the free pass issue, I have to say that I am with PC on this one. I can equate this with some personal experience of my own. For nearly 25 years I was technical director of a theatre in a Northern college where our students across three year groups, performed in total, around 10 shows throughout the year most of which were open to the public. With reasonable frequency over the years, former staff/tutors would return to watch shows and renew acquaintances. There was no question of charging them to come in. These were people who, in the main, had made important and valued contributions to the department through the years and the idea of charging them would have been embarrassing and demeaning. I can’t even recall this subject ever coming up for discussion at any staff meeting. I mean, how many former Belle Vue riders can there be that live in or near Manchester? A tiny handful. It seems quite mean spirited of the BV management to stick with such rigid formality rather than show some heart, waive the entrance fee and instead wave these valued old timers in. If PC had not been able to secure the aces future at the greyhound stadium after the Hyde road closure, it’s almost certain that Belle Vue speedway would have disappeared into complete oblivion and the management and staff currently enjoying their positions at the NSS wouldn’t even be there because the NSS would never have been built. BV owe Peter Collins a heck of a lot!

He just needs loved.

U aint been to lowca yet then,its cold there on a hot summers day!

Bullseye

It's....... rebekah Vardy

To be honest I couldn’t care less how many play offs they have managed . I was under the impression that it was a prediction 23 thread not another look at us thread , there are plenty off those on here already.

Was at an Ivan Mauger talk-in and when asked about the Mortons brothers he said "there was no difference (in ability) between Dave & Chris Morton, until Dave got injured", think it was from when Dave broke his thigh; at Hackney in 1976 ?....

Merry Christmas everyone. Have a good one.

Agree it looks a really good team, not sure they'll walk it? Leicester and Oxford don't look too shabby, but that's how it should be, hopefully the NL will get back somewhere near to the heady days of 2015/18.

Tbh Lisa, I thought it a very complementary post re Poole. For whatever reasons, Poole cannot compete in the top league anymore. Sadly, neither can Swindon.. However, your success has continued in the Championship. Poole are ruthless at times, but that is what has brought you so many trophies over the years.

It's about context and respect. As keepturningleft pointed out: 'How many former Belle Vue riders can there be that live in or near Manchester? A tiny handful. It seems quite mean spirited of the BV management to stick with such rigid formality rather than show some heart, waive the entrance fee and instead wave these valued old timers in.' In fairness to the current BV regime, my understanding from speaking to several ex-Aces who have attended meetings this year, the club management's policy seems to be that all-ex BV riders ARE admitted free of charge . . . BUT they first have to contact Mark Lemon to get the OK from him. That obviously wouldn't be necessarily (and would save Mark time having to reply to requests) if BV simply issued the handful who wish to attend a seasonal pass with a passport-style photo that cannot be transferred to a mate or anyone else. It must be a little demeaning for prominent ex-riders, including one legend (not PC), to have to phone or text Lemon to get his permission. For this reason I know of one ex-Ace who, to avoid embarrassment, either just stays away or pays to get in. It shouldn't be this way. As for the lesser lights you mentioned, my purely personal view if that everyone who put their neck on the line for any club in at least six official senior matches should be offered a season pass. If I was running a track, I'd want the ex-riders to feel welcome. If they are, they are so much more likely to spread positive vibes about the speedway, which can only be a good thing when the paying support is diminishing at most venues.

In that case Thomas for the 4 point Aussie

Absolutely how it should be

100% agree.

Craig Cook completes the Edinburgh line-up

I worked at Tesco's for 4 years as a student. Can you believe they won't let have free food now? There's a difference in your comparison. No one would question the right for PC to enter for free as a lifetime guest of honour. But riders who were paid for their time back in the 80s and 90s....Mark Crang, Bernie Collier, Barry Ayres, Paul Embley and hundreds of other wannabees, why should they get lifetime passes - that's the issue.

I think it’s criminal if young dan Thompson doesn’t find a place to ride in this league what sort of message does that send out to the young riders that we will bring foreign riders in before using our own no wonder people become disillusioned with our sport.

Not trying to run speedway on a Friday so Mr Godfrey maybe OK with the comets this time round

Mr godfrey has built up scunny a bit like us starting in the lower league moving up when right,hope we can do the same.