Leaderboard

What a meeting Thursday could have been, a fifteen heat shootout for the league title. Instead, we go into play-offs that could see a team that finished mid-table, win the title...

Well done Glasgow. The people's champions 2025.

Back in the sands of time if the sport had been run correctly a proper squad system could have been established doing away with guests & rider replacement. While also given opportunities to more riders for track time. it didn’t happen & we now have a situation where to keep 2 leagues going 50% of the riders double up between the leagues. Totally farcical.

Championship definitely needs more meetings imo. Worky recently had a run of weekly home meetings and the crowd held up well even with holidays and the usual many summer attractions in the area. It was good to talk about who is it next week rather than having a gap of 3-4 weeks without a home fixture. Need to change the current model it has stagnated and proved detrimental to British Speedway for too long now.

I know it's not likely, but I kind of want the following to happen to show the flaw in the scoring system to the organisers (so they fix it). What if Zmarzlik & Kurtz meet in LCQ1. Kurtz is 2nd which means 11 or 12 points, Zmarzlik is 3rd (9 or 10 points) or 4th (7 or 8 points). The world title would then be decided in LCQ2, the finishing order of 4 riders who cannot become world champion, would determine wether Zmarzlik or Kurtz wins the title! I challenge anyone to explain why this scenario is the best way to score the GPs.

I paid £8 entrance £2 programme and free parking to watch Jason racing for Częstochowa at gorzow on Sunday

Is that the ‘we are the people’s champions’ or does that risk alienating half the fanbase 😉

I think bringing riders in who are unattached is a much better "look" for the sport... You cannot use averages all year and then not use them just because something may not look right to some... As long as Rider A has an equal or lower average than the one he replaces then all is fair game for me... At least it makes the sport look professional and in line with other sports, and also makes it look like winning the competition has kudos, is something worth winning, and will stimulate plenty of interest!! It wouldn't take much to work an algorithm average for each level of rider from BZ down, and there would also need to be caveats such as the missing rider mustn't ride elsewhere, and be injured/ill tll the seasons end (eg like Fricke when Lambert replaced him)... If Emil got injured and missed the play offs, then Lambert, Madsen, Dudek etc would be much better "like for like" replacements than anyone from the bottom three teams, and a much more credible move for a pro sport... Wroclaw brought in Charles Wright when Tai got injured and he then subsequently got injured, which meant Wroclaw got hammered in the final, but, for the greater good of the competition, they couldn't bring a "ringer" in, which meant the status of their league stayed top level, maintaining TV and "major" sponsor involvement... UK Speedway needs to aspire to that level of professional credibility, and, somehow, find a way of achieving it...

The play off dates would be logged in the International calender and priority established accordingly

With the answer being from some on here.... "Well, that's just the way it is!"......

Just want to say to Kings Lynn and their fans thanks for a great evening. The racing was great and the atmosphere was very friendly. I think that if K.L. could have riden like that all season then the top four could have looked different. As a sheffield supporter I'm glad I made the trip. I left Sheffield in rain of biblical proportions and wondered if it would be awaste fo fuel, but it certanly wasn't. On a final note it was so pleaseing to see the Tigers on tour / Bend 2 Barmy Army group get a round of applause as they left the stadiun from a group of K.L. fans on the first bend. This is how it should be. I have loved coming down to kings Lynn ever since I was on the spanners for Adam Allott and Kev Doolan. All the best for next year ( except when Sheffierld arer in toun).

It's poor planning of end of season meetings, that should have been run earlier in the season. With so few league matches, there's no reason why clubs can't fit in BSN / KOC meetings earlier in the season. I don't remember that many rain-offs. Biggest problem is probably 4 Friday teams, who prefer not to race on their off race night. People still ask for 2H & 2A, but clubs can barely manage 1H & 1A.

Where does it say people are staying away. Also they was no public statement when Poole fans were abused at Oxford, just move on and forget about it.

A lot of speedway fans couldn't give a hoot about football

What is this problem that some people have with Simon lambert? Simon is still a very good rider and still a big influence in the pits with his wealth of experience and still gives 100% on the track.He has,and still is,a loyal servant to the club,a rider who gives 100% regardless who he rides for so instead of getting on his back,be grateful for a rider who bleeds Scunthorpe scorpions!

Agree but perhaps giving the punter what they want with a weekend race night does possibly reduce the odds of losing so much money. Speedway use to be a good weekend sport but alas circumstances dictate that it is not possible albeit NDL teams seem to cope. This is possibly why a rethink is necessary and perhaps go backwards first in order to progress. I would rather go to a Saturday evening meeting or a Sunday afternoon meeting than go mid week. Thursday is OK but after that having been brought up on Friday, Saturday and Sunday meets I would not bother with any weekday/ mid week racing. Just my view and others may feel different but promoters should race on nights which give them a best chance of a return on the asset/investment.

And yet... Year after year, the same system is allowed to continue.... Quite baffling...

I took me a fair amount of time to find the rules, translate them and post.

The golden era was very much led by World Of Sport having an English Golden Generation on the International stage with which to sell the domestic sport... Winning Team World Cups often, and having PC riding like he did so regularly, was a perfect advert for the sport... And in the pre internet days you mainly found out riders were missing only when you entered the stadium, so "too late" to decide whether it was worth visiting or not... That "necessary evil" has now unfortunately morphed into a fundamental part of the operating model.. I have seen on here mention of giving out one point each for a meeting called off, (ianb?), and many dismissed this idea.. However, if last Thursdays meeting had been declared a draw (like cricket would have), I wonder if llosing several grand in payments may have been "very influential" in their decision to ride or not...? And also, focus promoters on protecting their tracks and preparing them better...?

Oxford have squeezed in 29 meetings at Sandy Lane this season. Instead of unfairly criticising them, try praising a rival club for an amazing job in staging all their fixtures so far - with dates also arranged for the three (likely) remaining fixtures. All done by September 17.

Does British speedway not have priority over Swedish speedway on a Monday/Thursday?

Poole are the only team trying to get the fixtures sorted. That's why they are mostly 1st legs. We don't mind lifting trophies at away matches. Why do we have to wait to play Oxford, yes a riders ban will be finished.

I have never been in favour of the playoffs...

Then just accept the competition will always be devalued.... Not a great selling point to media, sponsors or fans is it?...

You’re talking a load of nonsense here as usual. It’s simply unlucky that Sheffield’s final planned fixture got postponed leaving very little time to get the fixture in before the play offs. What happens if it rains on Thursday and the return fixture is postponed as well with the play offs starting next Monday? Would you then criticise Ipswich for not fulfilling their fixtures as well? There’ll be even less time to run it before Monday and in all likelihood, wouldn’t be run. Yes, they probably need to plan the fixture list in future, so that there’s a two to three week gap between teams’ last programmed league fixture, and the start of the play offs to leave time to fit in postponed fixtures. But you, or anybody else, didn’t question the fixture list when it was released at the start of the year. It was just unfortunate that a last fixture fell victim to the weather. Everybody knows how difficult it is for promoters to compile fixture lists when availability of riders is a nightmare with 90% of the team riding here there and everywhere. It’s inevitable that sometimes fixtures will get run when teams are missing a rider or two.

A legacy of the Tigers having three meetings to cram in... It isn't a good look for the sport is it that, once again, we have another self inflicted guestfest when a 12 match home season starts in April...? The guest system simply makes it far too easy to run the sport poorly given its a basic "get out of jail free" card to be played.... The bottom line is, once again, a meeting has been planned in knowing riders are elsewhere, and can be replaced by your rivals employees, with the only clear message it sends out being... "It isn't really that important this competition is it?"...

And the winner of this weeks most stupid post goes to….. Doyle has been the most loyal overseas rider to British speedway over the last 10-15 years This meeting could only be rearranged for Wednesday when he has a contractual agreement ……. You may or may not be aware this meeting has to be staged before the cut off leaving not many nights when it could be run If this was rained off mid season it would 100% be rerun on a convenient Monday or Thursday with 2 fill teams barring injuries. Ipswich have moved fast to secure 2 guests both of whom go well at Sheffield

What a load of twaddle! Doyle is one of the most loyal non-Brits to British Speedway. It's not his fault the fixture has been rearranged and it coincides with a commitment he's contracted to elsewhere. It's a rock-and-a-hard-place for the Witches, who have managed to find guests for both missing riders.

I'm not sure that the Hundred is a drastic shake up in comparison to Twenty 20, other than having much more money thrown at it, being marketed to a different audience and getting much more TV exposure- all of which could have happened with the existing Twenty 20 format. And, as I say, it is rumoured that once more franchises are taken over by IPL owners it will become a Twenty 20 tournament. So it isn't the format necessarily. However, speedway needs to think about how cricket attracted all that and carried out the marketing. Strangely enough, a lot of what you propose, and I agree with, already happens at most IOW meetings. If only BSPL would have a discussion with Barry and Martin about what works and what doesn't I'm sure they would be happy to help

Typical pilots fan always whinging about something 😛

Some great news, Filbyterna will return! Filbyterna announced today that the club have decided to return. They will start with fielding a team in Divisions 1 from 2026 season and also aiming for hosting the individual SM-final in 2027. https://speedwayfans.se/gladjebeskedet-klubben-drar-igang-verksamheten-och-ansoker-om-sm/

UK speedway was never ran professionally & the great chance of creating a future was blown when the Sky money was wasted. The fact that the poles have a product that attracts huge crowds, investment form business & more than one tv company broadcasting the league live is down to their hard work & running the sport professionally.

I agree. I've just come back from a weekend there. One of the most striking differences is the age profile of the crowd - but also that the older generation also join in with the chanting and scarf waving. Was the racing at the league match better than here? Probably not

Yes, agree with you there. The tribal thing with team and supporter connection is fundamental to working class sports such as football. That level of passion will never be witnessed currently in British speedway which relies (due to rider shortage) on guests and doubling up, thus diluting the rider/team connection.

Speedway in Poland is the complete opposite of the uk. It’s a proper professional sport that brings in crowds sponsors & tv money. No Micky mouse rules guest feats etc. It allows a proper connection between the team & the supporters giving the tribal aspect. This leads to the chanting & people wanting to wear the club scarfs etc Its everything uk speedway should be.

1. What's that got to do with how many meetings they have staged? 2. Where's the proof that's they haven't?

Well we have a new contender for the dumbest post of the week award. Maybe you should look at the Oxford fixture list for both teams and you will see that one of the teams has been riding every week at home.

I feel it’s more devalued when a team bring in a top rider like let’s say Robert Lambert who openly criticises British speedway , for a few end of season meetings to win a league….. injuries happen and that’s what guests are for

Im not arguing the fact but it was taken seriously by the mainstream media during the golden eras, becoming the number two spectator sport, nowadays it has become a big issue with the fanbase, i agree its not ideal, perhaps your suggestion would be better. Wasnt it last season when a play off meeting was getting pelters in Poland for a woefully understrength side being put out do to injuries? I dont really follow the sport over there but im sure there was some mention of it.

... and you pay your £25 entrance, £4 programme and £3 parking last week to watch former World Champion Jason Doyle perform and this week you get a 6 point rider from Ippo's bitter rivals!

Only guessing but it is SGP2 on Friday night, 12th September, so assuming Jake Mulford & Dan Thompson will be missing, hence racing on Sunday 🤷‍♂️

If correct, they cannot be bothered with a suitable replacement this sums up why the average punter cannot be bothered to regularly attend meetings. Sad to say that riders pick which paymaster calls the tune and ultimately not the club owners. The riders no longer consider the punters who wish to see a winning team unless it is Polish club and many of these throttle jockeys fail to represent the UK that they ride for and as to representing the town, no chance. It is no longer in a riders DNA to be honest with the fans/supporters. It use to be a tribal type of following given the number of tracks representing on many occasions rural or non cosmopolitan populations and this was evidenced by the number of travelling supporters back in the day. You use to have local riders who were migrating from grass track and other disciplines to speedway, now nothing can be further from reality. You cannot solely blame the riders but a lot of anger should be directed at the sports masters who treat the punter with such disrespect. The riders want to make a living at all costs and the powers that be have no balls to stand up to other market forces so GB followers can go to hell and put up with what is on offer.

It's good to know how well informed and up-to-speed Poole fans are with the names of non Poole riders

Clashes with England match on tv. WTF! They better change it or a lower crowd expected.

If so, he must've got something on those in charge 🙈

If it didn't take too much of my day I would love to come down, do like Mark and Gazza

Just fed up of being treated like dirt by certain people. And if wasn't for all the volunteers there would be no speedway for them.

Spine chilling entertainment 🥰

So after 4 seasons as a Director & Shareholder that's my time with Birmingham Speedway at an end. An eventful, at times stressful, at times farcical and at times enjoyable experience! A huge thanks to the small but loyal Brummie fanbase that put up with season after season of under performing teams, you deserved better! Full credit and my upmost respect to Nigel Tolley, he wasn't far short with the figures he quoted in the recent speedway star interview with what he invested in the club (there was also a six figure investment from other shareholders during the period I must add). Nigel is as mad as a (top) hatter, but I really like the guy. My only criticism of him (and he knows this, I told him enough times) is that he allowed himself to be influenced by others who failed to deliver for the club! Seeing the day to day finances and operations of the a Championship and then Premiership club is a real eye opener, so a massive thanks to Financial Director Tracey Smith, who somehow managed to juggle the finances to keep everyone happy (most of the time) a truly lovely lady, she has been the glue in a massively disjointed operation, which would have fallen apart without her. Some priceless moments over the 4 years on the management zoom meetings / race nights - I could write a book! You also learn a lot about riders, some smashing chaps around Paco Castagna (legend) Freddie Lindgren, Tobi M, Leon Flint, Sam Hagon, Jason Edwards, Thompson twins all really good guys! No comment about some mind Made some great friends, I will miss Guesty, Dave Rowe, Pete & Dan Ballinger, Chris Adams, the guys and girls from the supporters club and fellow shareholders Steven, Jake and Vic. Such a shame that Birmingham Speedway is no more, but without Nigel it wouldn't have got into 2023 let alone 2025 and for that alone he deserves the respect of those who knock him! Give us a B.....! Cheers Paul

I think back then though it was used more to help young riders gain experience and develop rather than make up the numbers because there was a rider shortage.