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Fans have always had an issue with their riders representing other clubs. The main issue of course is perhaps due to them potentially getting injured, doesn't diminish the fact though. The disconnect I'm talking about isn't the "Oh so and so used to come into the bar after meetings." It is simply being able to get behind a rider who represents your team and your team alone. It creates an identity. Riders should be allowed to carry on. But they should do so at one level. The level they are capable of performing at. The doubling up free for all (helped by the relaxing of the average conversion rate) dragged the standard of the top two leagues closer together because so many of the riders are shared. Those riders taking second tier spots has absolutely stood in the way of youngsters coming through. Maybe not directly but that is a consequence of the rule change. It has been squeezing the air out of development for almost two decades now and we're at a breaking point. The sad thing is that those riders now having an easy life also had a more defined path to the top as the gulf from Conference to Premier to Elite was a less abrupt one than the pathetic excuse we have for a third tier into the Championship as it is now. We now have a weaker top tier than we did 20 years ago but a much stronger second tier. That is a fact shown by there being Championship heatleaders who are also heatleaders in the Premiership. To use one of your old riders as an example, Tomas Topinka was an incredible second tier number one in the mid 2000s. He wouldn't have been anywhere near a heatleader berth in the Elite League at that time though. And if you wanted to watch Topinka you had to be at a Kings Lynn meeting. Even now Scott Nicholls is a shining example of the way it should be. He has one team at the level his ability allows him to race at and still be competitive. The raw product draws fans in. Once you fall in love with that it is the bureaucracy and stupid convoluted rules that is a turn off, not the state of a stadium or what music is being played between the heats. I'm not saying these aren't issues, they are but the real issues come from the way the sport is run. There are some stadiums in Poland that are falling apart, they play the YMCA three times a meeting but the places are still banged out to the rafters. Yes, the standard of riders may be better but the real difference is that they don't deal in half the BS we do here.

I love the debate that comes around guests necessary evil etc etc & what the alternative is. Its not a necessary evil, Poland & Sweden run with out guests they use a squad system. Back in the day the old National League under the management of Stekesbury & co banned the use of guests. At the time the NL was a fair better & more professional outfit than the BL. Guests & doubling up come about because of the absolutely ridiculous operating model that the uk have gone with. If you go back to the 80s & early 90s every team had a junior team which meant most clubs had their regular 1-7 with them a back up of anywhere between 4-7 good junior/second half riders. If you were running in the NL basically you had a squad of 11-13 guys the juniors would be called in to the team to cover injuries. The promotors decided to bin that off reducing the number of available riders though lack of opportunities to race remember those juniors rode in their own league match’s each week. While every other ‘professional’ sport have invested in increasing their squad systems & opportunities to compete & train British speedway has done the opposite. There is a route out however that will take time vision & creative thinking. The out of control guest & doubling up system is a condition unique to British speedway brought about by the way the governing body has chosen to operate the sport. It wasn’t ever necessary!

Could be a signing of biblical proportions then

Spot on... They have basically tied themselves up in knots by using short term fix after short term fix, rather than having any vision, strategy and ambition for the sport.. That lack of an independent, no vested interest, voice clearly being missed... They needed (still need), saving from themselves, as they lurch from sticking plaster to sticking plaster to cover major (self inflicted), wounds.. So many well meaning, passionate about the sport hobbyists, being in charge of, and self policing, a national professional sport, with so many widely different needs and wants from the team owners, can never work successfully... Hence it hasn't, and we are where we are.. Is it too late now? It is if nothing radical changes, and quickly...

Logistically it isn't an issue. Especially if you are a rider wanting to line your pockets without the inconvenience of having to be good enough to be asked to ride in Poland. The problem is deeper than that though. Starting with it causing the disconnect between fans and the riders who race for their team. Ideally riders should have one club, having another club overseas is borderline acceptable. Ideally that wouldn't happen either. A lot of top tier riders have ended up with second tier clubs due to a relaxation of rules (doubling up numbers allowed and average conversion rate) 15 odd years ago. They've then hogged the team spots and stopped other riders from racing at second tier level and thus reaching a competitive standard. That is directly to blame for the lack of good enough riders now. To top it all off, most of them are now in their mid thirties plus and when they retire, which they'll have to some day sooner rather than later, leave a massive void in both leagues. These things hurt Speedway's credibility. As does guesting, which isn't a necessary evil, it's just an evil. It makes the sport look amateurish in the extreme to Speedway fans, let alone someone who may be a newcomer to the sport. The sport has to look credible to keep teams active, to help new/returning teams get back on track, to try secure another television deal and ultimately to draw in new fans. All these things that look stupid to outsiders (because they are stupid) need to be removed from the sport. For the good of the sport.

Yes, a topless calender, that's what is needed! 12 promoters as youve never seen them before (when sober). Fire-up the Grok!

He's another jumped up aussie with a face like a smacked arse much like Jack Holder, and also a bit of a gating tart, he wasnt all that special the few yrs he rode at Foxhall tbf, he might get a look in now Louis aint running the show, don't think he left Ipswich on the best of terms when he last rode for them.

as bad as the guy who does 360. speedway

I think its most years that you don't notice whether they have turned up or not

I don't think folk are against guests if they are absolutely necessary (ie number one or a reserve) but R/R should be compulsory for numbers 2-5 unless more than one is missing and then it really should be a rider who doesnt already race in that league. Riders helping/hindering direct rivals is absolutely bonkers and needs to be kept to a minimum. And we certainly need to clamp down on absences, particularly in the Championship. Far too many last season.

No need to get personal with someone for having a different opinion but here goes. If second halves were re introduced , do you reckon that would provide 1 or 2 extra riders to add to the usual 7 , making a squad, so any absences would be covered by your own riders, not some fuc.er else’s ? These 1 or 2 riders would push for places so anyone not producing in the 7 would always have their place under threat. You know like in football? Probably nonsense though, as all this would get in the way of the half time band, comedian, juggler etc that you’re pushing for.

Invoking the SAS implies an elite service - not sure that holds for speedway futures maybe Trotters Independent Traders!!

I can imagine dreamboat Phil would be well up for it 😂

Are bears constipated whilst standing in the woods? Is the Pope Muslim?

But there has though been a huge amount of money spent over the past two decades of decline.. The largest issue has been how it has been spent.. In fact, every season, around a couple of million will be spent on all the riders who, with all due respect, wouldn't be recognised even if they rode their bikes stark naked through their local town centres.. There should have been, and still needs to be, a significant marketing and advertising budget to bring the sport into the vision and awareness of a populace with almost zero knowledge of the sport.. If that means "lesser riders" used to free up this money for a couple or three years, then so be it, as these riders will resonate initially as equally as the "top stars" to anyone that a national strong marketing campaign attracts... With competitive meetings that have relevance and resonance being the objective above who actually is riding in them.. It certainly isn't a lack of money spent that has held the sport back over the past good many years...

At the end of the day, we all want what's best for British Speedway, we've all got workable idea's. The biggest problem we all have & see is that the Promoters Association ain't even trying anything at all.

Just imagine "the half time band".... It would be somebody like "The Spinners" from the 70's doing their folk tunes.... But not the original members obviously... In keeping with where they are playing, they would have guest replacements for those members unable to be there...

How do a similar sized sport in Sweden do it? A country with a similar lack of young riders from their own country coming through.. Probably worth finding out isn't it I would have thought... Denmark run five rider teams due to also having a lack of Danish riders to fill spots and, five rider teams also keep costs down. They run similar sized crowds to the UK... Something else to explore maybe? Or... Just carry on with the nonsense operating model used over here? "They used guests when Speedway was popular" is something I have read on here as justification for them... A great many things accepted 50 years ago in a non instant 24/7 media world, are no longer accepted today... UK Speedway hasn't even come out of the 20th Century yet....

"In the interests of Speedway"... Surely you must have seen and heard that oft used phrase given out as the reason why they, once more, completely go against their own rules and regs.....? Edit... NB. An ironic phrase if ever there was one, as the decisions made "In the interest of Speedway", ie completely going against their own rules and regs, are invariably "NOT in the interest of Speedway" at all, as it complelety undermines the very competitions where it gets used... There are dozens of examples where it has been used but probably the most recent stand out is changing the Semi Final teams for "Commercial Reasons", thus, going completely against their own rules and regs...

I'm tired of repeating myself... with an adjusted format there's plenty of riders available for such a small number of teams in operation.

4 guests and R/R in a "team", not amateurish? You're having a laugh 😂

Total nonsense in your opinion. All I know is the sport is dying a death and unless a new generation of fans come along to see a relevant meaningful product professionally ran with an identity attached to keep those new fans interested, it’s all over sooner than later. It’s a speedway meeting. What entertainment other than the racing do you suggest during a break . Yes people want the good days back but the sport was run properly in those days. Second halves etc.

All of that, total nonsense. Let's go through it. "Starting with it causing the disconnect between fans and the riders who race for their team." That's just not true is it. Before, during and after the season, no fan complains about their riders, riding elsewhere overall. The only disappointment is when a rider gets injured racing for someone else. The only time "fan disconnect" ever gets mentioned is when people try to argue against the doubling up/down. _____________________ "A lot of top tier riders have ended up with second tier clubs due to a relaxation of rules (doubling up numbers allowed and average conversion rate) 15 odd years ago. They've then hogged the team spots and stopped other riders from racing at second tier level and thus reaching a competitive standard. That is directly to blame for the lack of good enough riders now." This one again. The sport has changed globally, not just here. The older guys are not 'blocking' anyone. The majority of the top rider's are 30+. Some near or nearing 40. Why shouldn't these guys be allowed to continue their trade when they lose that "Elite" edge?? When King's Lynn went Premier League, I really enjoyed (with the competitive moaning) watching the Topinka's, Screen's, Havelock's etc. I bet most still enjoy Harris & Nicholls in the 2nd tier. Nobody wants them gone. There only thing that stops youth coming through is the youth itself. We've had 100s come through the lowest tier of British Speedway & almost all of them get shots at Championship & Premiership Rising Star programmes. Life is what gets in the way of youth across the world in every single aspect. If you want the younger rider's to get more opportunities, they need to be better, as simple as that. __________________ "It makes the sport look amateurish in the extreme to Speedway fans, let alone someone who may be a newcomer to the sport. The sport has to look credible to keep teams active, to help new/returning teams get back on track, to try secure another television deal and ultimately to draw in new fans." Let's get things straight here, 4 rider's, 4 laps, x15 is never the embarrassment of the sport regardless of who & age. The embarrassment is everything that surrounds it. Standard of Stadia, 70s & 80s music, zero mid heat / mid meeting entertainment etc. = zero Value for Money. All the problems with Speedway, globally, is everything the promoters put on offer away from the racing. Newcomers never give a s#!t about the rules, I'd argue 50% initially, enjoy the thrill of the racing. Why do they disappear?? Quite simply, away from the racing, lack of comfort & boredom, again, = 0 Value for Money. Everyone today wants everything yesterday. Nobody can handle a void, the brain has to be constantly entertained. If British Speedway wants the under 30s trackside for 2+ hours, the brain needs entertaining for the 90 minutes of nothingness. Practice starts, the odd wheelie & 4 laps will never, ever be enough in 2026.

The BSPL / Speedway futures have issued a new line of promotor inspired t shirts

Possible, but again it’s the only one that is inaccurate. Ipswich has been removed from Doyle’s etc.

Speedway is in his DNA and he mentioned a Polish club in the article yesterday so whilst he said he wants out he may be tempted if the opportunity arises and he could make a difference. Imagine if other clubs decided to look at the alternative given the current operating model is drab, boring and will never attract a new younger generation of supporters. Today people want a quick fix and action not 15 heats drawn out over two hours on average. The sport needs to be innovative and try something different, not the same old format and it needs to stop the riders dictating when, where and how they will ply their trade. It is not just about the riders.

Give Steve Boxhall a go.

That makes sense as if he was happy with 5 teams he would run Ipswich not sell then put money into something he wasnt happy with in the first place.

Could be, but maybe he's now riding mainly for the love of it, doesnt need the additional work except occasional guest bookings, and he is getting on a bit in years now! Someone like Chris Harris is still squeezing the lemon till the pips squeak, and maybe Nicholls would do likewise if he needed to!

Wasn't it Nicholls, who was a key figure in loosening restrictions on doubling-down? I could be wrong and memory isnt clear, but seem to recall he either started legal action or maybe threatened to persue it?

Yes agree, he does have attitude issues sometimes but on that average could be a good addition. Rode well recently in Australia.

1996. Was because of the purchase of the stadium by Buster rather than a change of promotion.

That would be a great addition. Transponder feedback by lap per rider etc. could also be added - access to other meetings' data going on on the same night would also be useful. Predictions for races/times etc. and prizes/shoutouts for winners, online interview quotes from riders/others involved in the meeting. Technology is what youngsters thrive on.

Traditional timescale is late Jan early Feb isn't it?

As opposed to the Oleebo....?

Other suppliers are available!!!

Have to say Lynn’s social media is good. Well done to those responsible.

Since coming to Berwick, Drew has added over three points to his average, finishing the '25 season as #1. He has been a delight to deal with, on and off track, and if his (quite reasonable) ambitions of riding, and earning abroad had not prevented his racing in the Championship in '26 he would most certainly have been invited, and welcomed by the Bandits again. If he finds it possible to return at some time in the future, Berwick fans and management would most certainly be delighted.

Great post . Your views make total sense. We all know the speedway fan base is a rapidly ageing one and to attract younger ones to the sport , they would need to feel an attachment to the team that they are watching. That they identify with the riders in their team , the same riders week in week out and choose their favourites. In return those riders will feel the attachment to the club also, rather than riding for two or three teams ( if a guest) . Things need to be professional in that sense and not the free for all that has ruined our sport.

Lots of the young Aussies interviewed by BSN during the Australian Championship last week said that they wanted to come over to the uk. Actually saying "call me"

He carried on building wheels of all sorts, I had a friend, now deceased, in Rochester Kent and Malc Simmons built all of his classic bike wheels

Have you read his book( the whole truth) that's worth reading as well ,until I did I never realised he built s/way wheels as part of his living .

Andrew basically confirmed in the live YouTube interview he did last night that one of the final 2 riders would be from outside UK speedway. Can only assume that this will be a 5.00 or 4.00 rider

There is no 8% reduction. It's only in the championship that. Probably so scunthorpe (godfrey) can sign auty and garrity on very low averages

The fact that Cookie has been given yet another opportunity to ride is a reflection on the short fall of riders willing to race in this country. Whilst I hope he can ‘find himself’ next season for the benefit of Worky and UK speedway, the Comet’s promotion should already be looking at eligible replacements on his average in readiness for the inevitable.

BCP council are morally & financially bankrupt. Unfortunately I believe that you are correct in your assessment of the situation.

The issue is "The Professionals" don't want and need what "The Hobbyists" want and need from the sport, and vice versa... One side of the equation pay their way in life through the money they make from their business, whilst the other side of it are quite happy funding their main leisure interest, and can be quite satisfied in not making any money at all, as long as losses are within budgeted figures.. One side see the sport as aspirational with "winning the league" being the target as this can deliver higher financial reward.... The other see it as a hobby where "winning the league" can actually cost them more, and, as we have seen, even get them closed down due to unsustainable costs which were not covered by extra punters coming through the turnstiles, with "winning at home regularly" being their main aspiration... One side has punters used to watching sone of the world's best, paid for by the promoters at that level, and mid level riders earning their highest wage of the two they earn... The other has punters used to not seeing the world's best, with promoters not having the resources to use them at that level, but are happy to pay exactly the same mid level riders a lesser fee than the top tier do for their services, (but can only do this due to the top tier paying these mid level riders the bulk of their money).. To accommodate riders the top tier have to ride on nights not conducive to the entertainment industry, and the second tier can ride on the "better nights" but often do it with teams using many guests due to other rider commitments, (136 used last year in tier two, 62 in tier one).. To be honest, given the complete opposite needs and wants of the promoters, who in their right mind would see the Chairperson role as something to aspire to and actually want?... Putting together a plan that suits all, given their disparate "wish lists" does look an impossible task, and when you add in a lack of independent leadership, with a lack of vision, strategy and ambition for the growth of the sport, and you really do have major, major problems....

It seems that DPP who the planning agents are claiming that they have satisfied all the requirements for the redevelopment of the Abbey stadium even though the status of the Studley is unknown. Interesting article in this weeks Star and some of their arguments including using the current state of the sport in this country to justify why permission should be given. The one hope is that the Council stick to their guns and refused to budge on the issue of a replacement facility. Sad that people like Clarke Osborne are allowed to walk on this earth.

No, far from it. But he is the only rider, as far as I know, that has robbed an elderly woman armed with knives whilst out of his head on crack cocaine. There have been many instances where a rider can come back from a drugs ban. Smarty came back from missing a season and a half and was better than ever after it. Roger Lobb made a successful comeback and Nick Morris seems to of done okay. I do think the ban should be longer for being caught under the influence and they should be tested every meeting for the rest of their career. People say its expensive but it really isn't, I was working in the mines in Australia a few years back and drug tests cost them next to nothing. It is mad how it gets out that drug testers are in attendance at tracks which causes riders to suddenly have a van break down on them. Its criminal how a plank like Garrity can do what he has and now seemingly has Havelock and Wilson backing him on his comeback whereas genuine decent lads with equal ability get next to nothing to help them.