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The shift in power of the council has definitely helped Speedway’s cause. The pressure we have put on AEPG is immense and guess what we’ve only just begun. The next two weeks are going to heap even more pressure on AEPG specifically with one confirmed (and as yet not announced publicly) event and one that I hope will be confirmed early next week. These two events will hit AEPG very hard. There is also another rally in the shopping centre of the ward where the Showground is on Saturday 2nd December. Also worth pointing out that the document you mention above originates from the PCC Planning Department. Great to see that Speedway is specifically mentioned in LP30, which kicks AEPG in the nuts as they have recently stated in a statement that LP30 does not specifically relate to Speedway. ‘ave it!

Just thought I'd set this up as no one seems to have started one, please feel free to add signings and averages as and when they happen thanks everyone!

Some harsh reality. Some teams fans will have to learn to accept some speedway is more important than winning speedway. The recent, mid and long term past is littered with clubs who have tried to buy success without the funds to bankroll it and failed. Good intentions no doubt, greedy riders possibly, not enough supporters prepared to turn up definitely. Supporters always blame owners and Promoters and expect winning teams. Normally and with only a few exceptions there is a correlation between supporter base and success or strict spending limits and realism. Poole have massive support in terms of people turning up. Glasgow have massive financial backing Scunthorpe have a great pragmatist who refuses to buy what he cqnt afford. Mark Phillips works incredibly hard, shoulders massive stress, spends more than he probably can. But. You can't make a silk purse of a sows ear. Fans have to be realistic. Speedway is it more important to have it or to win? Or maybe a few hundred more at many Clubs like Brummies and Plymouth could get off their backsides turn off the streaming and support the teams in the flesh... I'm guilty if not supporting as much as I used to but this Autumn has struck home... My club Brummies may not have a track after this season.. So support it whenever possible I will. If plymouth can't build a competitive team. More people need to turn up. Then they at least have a fighting chance.

Glad that I read that again because the first bit answered what I remembered you saying about going to the SoS if their applications are rejected when they eventually get examined by PCC and hopefully thrown out. Secondly, Butterfield is, IMO, incapable of admitting that he's wrong so will keep chipping away throughout 2024, trying to plug the gaps in AEPG's increasingly unpopular concrete vision and attending more dinners for influential business people that he somehow keeps appearing at trying to make out that he's one of them. The longer it goes on the worse it looks for EEAS/AEPG so keeping the pressure on as Bratters and co are doing is vital. If they can I think that AEPG will go early. Bearing in mind that it was reported in September that: Peterborough Panthers speedway team informed in 2022 that the 2023 season would sadly have to be their last in the Showground grandstand, as that area is expected to be under different ownership by the time the 2024 Speedway season begins. Sale of the land is expected to be approved by Spring 2024, again subject to planning approval. The spades-in-the-ground date is still unclear until the planning committee's decision. Plans are at the outline planning stage now, which will be referred to several more stages of detailed back-and-forth, no doubt, before anything can physically go ahead.

There is really no need to refer to people as idiots and write posts like you are thirteen years old. Surely we can all debate and discuss in a mature and controlled manner? Not difficult to show some manners and be mature.

Yet he's not being held to account, surely he's as culpable as Butterfield

Load of fuss about nothing. As long as the meeting is run in a reasonable time ie 90 mins or so then what difference does it make how often the tractor does a bit of grading?

I think Paul Starke is worth a go on a 4.00 average. He had bad season last year but his average is based on him riding in the main body on a track he didn't seem to get on with. Every year previously he has been a dependable 5 or 6 point second string, is he really in decline at 33 years of age?

Young Hodder was very impressive for Belle Vue at Berwick.last season Can only improve me thinks

I don't think I've seen anyone "belittle his attempts" or "decry" Nigel Tolley. Virtually everyone agrees he's doing his very best, probably doing too much in reality given the long term future. It's also widely acknowledged that the last two seasons of Championship teams have been naff. Using the word "bile" in regards to people's thoughts on Nigel is so ridiculously untrue. I would also question if the Premiership move is to assist the rest of the league, or because it's necessary because of stadium availability. It's funny because it's always the people that say they don't post because of the "bile" on this site, posting their moaning and being negative like this. Oh, and the "number of colleagues" who've all happened to do the same - LOL.

I don’t think anyone is belittling him but you need to look at the facts whether you or Mr Tolley agrees, they’ve been in the championship for 2 seasons and truthfully put out poor sides each season, on numerous occasions he’s came out and said crowds aren’t good enough. So he moves up a league higher rider costs but perhaps no increase in people through the turnstiles that is a huge risk for anyone to take. I don’t know if they are banking on attracting some wolves fans but if he is that’s a risky strategy imo and there’s only so much losing money someone can take.

Don’t think he’ll be riding as a rising star. Think he’ll be riding at number 6 for someone..

Just thought I'd pop over to take a look at the current state of affairs on here after a long hiatus. This place never fails to mystify myself and a number of my colleagues who no longer post. Here we have a saint of a man in Nigel Tolley who is prepared to go to extraordinary lengths in his attempts to keep our beloved sport alive in the second city and all that the majority on here can do is belittle his attempts, rubbish his decisions and generally decry him. I know its not everyone but there seems to be scant genuine support for him. He is assisting the rest of the UK speedway world in trying to bolster the flailing Premiership. Its all very well Sheffield trying to buy the title by grabbing the big guns before anyone else can get them but what are they actually achieving in finishing top of a 6 team pile, particularly if a couple of those teams are relatively weak and fail to see out the season. Once again it seems that the powers that be can see no further than their collective noses. I dont know why anyone bothers to pump their hard earned cash into these ventures, one can only hope that Nigel and others like him do not bother to read the bile that exudes from this site.

He was pictured in the press last week attending a homeless charity! Why I don’t know, maybe something to do with affordable homes. Luckily the reporter knew of him and refused to interview him, as hard as he may have tried to get interviewed. Tinpot.

As with the Tarasenko situation, it's absolutely hilarious to see Poole fans getting their knickers in a twist with this type of thing. The exact type of stuff Poole happily did for years and years.

Is it mutually exclusive to be "committed" to British speedway and also ride here because it benefits him? As has been said, we all go to work because it benefits us but we can still be committed while we're there. Jason Doyle came to this country 18 years ago and aside from 2009 has only missed riding here because of COVID. He is legitimately the definition of committed to British speedway. I agree, but they're right on this occasion.

See Spittaler post earlier You ain't going to get three heat leaders with new point set up Two yes and rest teams filled with 4 to 6 point average guys and 2 point reserve It way of the world now in Championship

It's an Ipswich thread... where you have singled out Doyle for signing for the Witches as it benefits him.. Just like it will benefit the other 6 Witches.. but theres no mention of them? (OK only 1 other has been announced so far) Have you also posted on the other threads saying it will benefit their teams that they have signed 7 riders? Eg The Holders and Woffy grabbing the poor paying publics money at Sheffield. What about Laguta last year using the Stars for the money ( when he wasn't injured/ill/ cba ) Why arent you using Laguta as the example of a "moneygrabber" rather than Doyle who has ridden in the Uk since 2005. Is there any other non English rider who is as loyal to UK speedway as Jason Doyle? But hey its all about his benefit right? Maybe you should go back to the King's Lynn thread where you can talk about the Stars latest team of journeymen and mercenaries ( not Niels of course he's there for the love of Buster)

Think we’ll be needing Gods help.

God help Berwick if that's the case

http://plandocs.peterborough.gov.uk/PublicAccess.WebSearch/(S(33qzxbe541ggm4e1rx5qcxun))/Results.aspx Currently second document down PCC Policy. While you’re there submit your own objection! Here: https://planpa.peterborough.gov.uk/online-applications/applicationDetails.do?activeTab=makeComment&keyVal=RSXWVDML04U00 And here: https://planpa.peterborough.gov.uk/online-applications/applicationDetails.do?activeTab=makeComment&keyVal=RSOMJ0MLIWV00

I'm glad someone has finally gotten around to doing this, i did last year's one and it was a pain in the ass. I wish you the best of luck

Because Poole think they are the cat whiskers and nobody would dare leave them out of choice?

When Matt ford gave his evidence at the Brandon planning enquiry he definitely didn’t sound like someone who was disillusioned with the sport at all, rather the opposite

Crying shame that Iwade will not be in the NDL next year - Si has confirmed that nobody has expressed an interest in running it. A solid, loyal group of fans now have no club. After an impressive first season, Si had only bad luck this year - allied to family health issues - and the powers that be seemingly went out of their way to make things more difficult. Now Iwade is no longer a SCB track. I believe the plan was to operate under the Nora banner and involve some 'nomad' tracks like Lakeside and Eastbourne, utilising three existing tracks, but with Mildenhall now under new ownership, I wonder whether Iwade and the Isle of Wight can still go it alone. I had hoped that a six team league, with say Lakeside riding with Iwade out of Iwade; Rye House at Mildenhall and an Eastbourne side on the island might have worked. Now it appears there will be no venue for speedway in a huge catchment area between Oxford and Poole where once there were so many. Finally, a huge thank you to Si Kellow for the last two years. There was always a friendly vibe at Sunshine Speedway on Sunday afternoons at little old Iwade and that was down to Si - a promoter who was always in amongst the patrons and regularly welcomed the visiting fans.

Danny Ford on the podcast this week, didn’t rule out moving up to top flight in a year or two. Does not sound like a stadium shutting just yet.

Nothing officially announced yet but Mildenhall statement said they would have been the only standalone team in the NDL (so gave it a miss). Shame really as the return at Iwade was actually a decent success (few blips) but sadly costs and limitations on top up income have cost another team.

The reason they would start with Boughen if they do is so that they beieve he will develop rapidly and that he would blossom through the season and be a weapon come the Play Offs. Not starting the season with him means that almost certainly wouldn't work. If the viewpoint is that he's going to develop at a rate of knots then averages in lower leagues are pretty irrelevant.

Think with 38 points limits not many teams will have a high average third top rider? Given Berwick got something like 22 points left for 5 riders it not huge and other clubs be the same. Maybe a 2 pointer at reserve leaves four from 20 points left?

And clearly states Peterborough speedway is fit for purpose

Just read it and not in apeg favor is it

Maybe he's on a big brown envelope promise, but has seriously underestimated those that have real passion for the club...

Because he doesn’t care & doesn’t want to promote Peterborough speedway. The ridiculous part of all this is had he put some effort in last winter or earlier this year to find out all that now come out about AEPG he may have found it easier to sell the club as undoubtedly Speedway could have continued at the showground

So why is our owner not fighting this?

I know it was raised a few years ago and dismissed because King's Lynn (Buster) thought it was too close, but Swaffham Raceway has just had a makeover and the owner is looking for new opportunities. With Peterborough closing and Mildenhall withdrawing from regular league speedway, it may be an opportunity. It may draw new punters from Swaffham, Dereham, Watton,Fakenham, even Norwich etc as well as the Mildenhall faithful.

He does enjoy throwing curve balls…

Bigcatdiary has spotted a document on the planning portal at PCC that all of us should have a quick read of (thanks for that). It is the one dated 22 Novermber and is listed with all of the objections. It brings their views out into the public following the meeting for the two planning applications that were turned down recently that should have curdled Butterfield's breakfast cereal. Probably the most significant bit of it is an overall theme that the tactic of splitting the site into two parts was a monumental mistake. Far from making the plans slip under the various portal doors, it has actually opened up the whole plan for what it is - an attempt to concrete the showground in an attempt to make loads of money in exchange for replacing a major Peterborough asset with little more than a thumbnail of silly unnecessary money making pretend sporting venues, a few corner shops and an unnecessary hotel. Clearly from this document, PCC planners, helped by local councillors lots of active locals and proper sports fans, have finally seen right through the whole charade. The tenure of that 22 Nov report is that the Local Plan was designed and passed into law with the aim of possibly adding a few new houses (although it is clear here that there are enough already on the planners books anyway) and keeping the showground as a working and very positive asset for the local area. The loss of all those events that Butterfield and his cronies actively killed off by stopping them booking the showground are highlighted in the report and it is very clear indeed that the PCC planners didn't buy all those sneaky tactics and saw them for what they were - a gigantic con trick. (applause please!) There is a section on LP36 that points out that the way the development has been planned does almost certainly not meet the requirements spelled out in LP36 to retain the character and use of the showground with either the two plans or a big single one. It specifically identifies the loss of the speedway in this part of their comments. The section on LP30 is absolutely devastating. It specifically says that AEPG should not have served notice on the club to take the safety infrastructure and lighting down to make the club non-viable. This is a loud barbed reference to the fact that making the club vacate the site is the real reason for Peterborough Panthers not being able to complete in speedway next season. It also highlights the objection by Sport England, so a second round of applause. please. I would venture to suggest that this PCC document is an excellent repost to any idea that Butterfield thinks it would be a good idea to appeal to the SoS against the first stage of the application that was so comprehensively rejected. A third and hopefully final round of applause please to all those who helped to highlight all of the flaws in this silly idea and let's make sure we keep our boots on their throats until the whole Butterfield gang are ejected southwards back down that lovely newly surfaced bit of the A1(M). I really do hope they will see the error of their ways although I am sure they will keep bashing away so we must keep our eyes peeled for the next chapter in this sorry saga.

Plese keep Scunnydan away from erecting it as it may face the wrong way

For me someone like Tom Brennan, a 3rd heat leader who spent the majority of the season at number 5, would be on a good average. It would be the same as signing Alfie Bowtell to use at reserve as his average was gained in a second string position.

Did you see my other post? The combined average doesn't count for much when his away average was 7.00, making him 19th on that particular list! Puts a lot of pressure on the rest of the team if the number 1 doesn't perform away from home.

Based on his 8.63 average being 8th= highest in the league, means he's a number one in a 9 team league. Remove Douglas, Basso & Morris & he'd be then 5th= highest, so ever more a number one for 2024.

The biggest issue with Speedway, right here. Why would any business pay more out than comes in? I know riders will say bikes / tuning is expensive, but they shouldn't be able to demand that they need to use the most expensive equipment if the crowds don't allow promotions to pay for it!

Rosco can hardly moan about people being hoodwinked . Him and Lee got taken for right stooges by Gaming and Osbourne

Kyle Legault? Theres a name i havent heard in a while! one of my fave riders as a Sheffield fan from down the years

I’d take him at Berwick at any number !

One of the best riders in the league.

Can't see Dan lowering himself to those kind of levels tbh. Leaving BV for KL is the equivalent of leaving Kate Moss for Vanessa Feltz.

Gilkes is riding Poland,so Saturday nights isn't any good for him,poole probably want to keep Joe and possibly sign his brother aswell. Can't see covatti riding in Britain again, Bowtell will be in demand for sure,barker a strong possibility.

Absolutely. This is just another episode in the Clark Oborne Takes The Piss Out Of Speedway box set.