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And will always be the case whilst team limits are set below what it takes to win a meeting It means season after season averages inflate and eventually if you keep inflating something it reaches the point it goes POP! Team total needs to be at 42 as a basic Below that you weaken the product gradually Raise the limit and over time the quality can rise - so long that quality is available willingly and able

When reading through some of the comments on the Premiership play-off final I noticed a number of fans' only meeting of the year (or one of very few) was the final. You could see by the crowd number at both meetings it was true. The draw to that meeting though is not the caliber of rider it is the fact that it matters. The teams were actually weaker than the start of the season, no Dan Bewley or Jack Holder. I am not sure if the draw of a top rider name is strong enough anymore. I think fans would rather see their team do well or watch competitive, close exciting racing. Also, the vast majority of the public have no idea who Robert Lambert is. I genuinely think moving to racing on any day of the week and losing those top riders to the Ekstraliga could work. It would cut rider fees costs and allow racing on Friday or Saturday (or Wednesday if you're Poole). I think racing and the overall league would be much more competitive if all teams can truly afford to run, therefore making each meeting matter more. If the only teams that can make profits are high championship ones why don't we make that the level of the premiership? The new championship would be a combination of lower championship riders and national league riders. Nearly all teams could afford and would want to be in the premiership then so we could bring back relegation/promotion.

Surely Jody Scott would be top of the list for bringing back. I've not seen anything yet about whether a team can or can't have 2 riders over 8 (or whatever average) for 2027. So I'm going to guess Klindt and Wright would both be wanted back. If not, then maybe Ace Pijper as I expect him to be back. Redcar seem to be about the only team that someone hasn't claimed to have already signed Tate Zischke, so maybe I should start that rumour 🤣

What benefit is that to anybody….more people are likely to attend to see the world champion appear…speedway is for the fans as well

I'll say a few things just to make my position crystal clear..... 1. I'm not a Poole fan. I've been a Bees fan for a lot of years and our conflicts have been "intense" to say the least. And don't get me onto Poole's track preparation. Its a joke. 2. I watched both legs of the final, supporting Scunthorpe, although they mean very little to me apart from their speedway abilities. 3. I was excited to see the second leg go to a Super Heat. I was particularly impressed by Josh Pickering's understanding of what it takes to win a race where coming first doesn't necessarily win you anything. 4. I saw Zach Cook take a "very tight line" when Josh Pickering let him take over the lead. Did he put both wheels where they shouldn't have been? The evidence (so far) is inconclusive. Yes, that's right, False dawn agrees with the referee and the speedway supporting population of Poole. 5. The SCB clearly said that Zach breached the rules. My conclusion. The SCB ruled on something they didn't need to. They knew before their investigation that the result could not be changed so why do anything? And worse still, why muddy the waters by saying they are 100% certain the rules were breached. And worse still than that, why say the rules were breached without saying how they reached that decision. What evidence do they have that we haven't seen? So, despite my history with Poole, my argument is not with Zach Cook, the club or anyone associated with them. The SCB have many questions to answer and their response to the controversy is silence. I am, first and foremost, a speedway fan. I deserve my sport to be managed better.

Well I suppose I do have the time now I've retired Not sure I have the patience though!

It’s the way it works I’m afraid and I do agree. As a fan, do you want your club to win things or not? It’s that simple. Musielak and King make poor signings because of their GSA. Brennan has had an absolute stinker of a season but should be the first name on the team sheet. The perverse way Speedway works.

id like to see just the 1 race night next season, preferbly monday, 1 home match every 2 weeks, facing each team just once home, once away, i think you could entice more riders over if they didnt have to fly in twice a week. they then get more family time from wednesday/thursday till weekend

harrison to leicester i think

This is one of my biggest frustrations in Speedway, fans (or clubs) not wanting riders to come back because they did "too well"

Me too bloody hell. On that average I thought he’d be certain to return to Belle Vue. Maybe he was a bit miffed at being ousted this year? Who knows but nice to see someone sticking to Northampton and showing a bit of loyalty. He’s obviously happy and enjoyed his season there.

It happens enough in Poland. Wroclaw went into a playoff final a few years ago with half their team missing IIRC. There's a million different things to fix first, but having an actual squad who represent your club is a way more legitimate option than the guest system.

In perfect world it would be nice to bring in two unpolished gems on five's and swap out Sedgemen and Cluff.

Reading "Simmo's" book and there's a chapter on where he deliberatly scored zero so he could get his average down to move to Hackney lower league the following season.

The two U21 positions they must now have would have influenced that decision I would think..

I would say that Scott is a must.

Maybe, but many of the riders that the UK need to attract over here see Thursday as being too close to the weekend, where they earn their major money and expectations of them are at their most pressured.. And don't want to be in an out of the UK twice a week some weeks as can happen... Plus Poland use Thursday now for rearranged meetings which, as we know, negatively impacts UK Speedway.. If the UK can improve the product then maybe Mondays only would work? As we see with the play offs, all teams have possibly even as much as double the followers that attend regularly through the season, therefore maybe if the product, and its credibility improves, so would the crowd levels??

R. Lawson 8.15 C. Rushen 5.01 W. Cairns 6.44 L. Harrison 5.70 T. Zischke 6.56 S. Lightcap 4.00 B. Landon/V. Muddle 4.00 Total: 39.86

A new Aussie is usually the go to. Or maybe Brady Landon?

What we need is consistency. As it is we may get three meetings on consecutive Mondays one month then one meeting the next month. I like the suggestion of one night a week for top-flight British speedway and one meeting every two weeks. We'd soon get into the habit. Eight teams would be perfect but I guess that six or seven would be possible too. Also, we could have some 'fillers' for the 'diehard' fans who would go whatever the meeting. Possibly three-team matches, local challenges, etc. Hope I am not getting too carried away but have the sense that some of the promoters are getting serious about presenting a more credible product! Just hope that there are enough of them to change what we have had to put up with for so long!

Why would a sport run on a day when crowds will be generally at their lowest? Monday may work best for the Aces, but there’s a reason why most of the Premiership clubs race predominantly on a Thursday. Louis referenced it a number of times, and Coleman re-iterated it recently that for the Witches crowd numbers on a Monday are significantly lower than a Thursday.

I agree with much of this but do think team strengths need equalising somehow - it works well in other sports. If Ipswich had been allowed to keep their side from 1998, not only would the 99 season probably have bankrupted them if they'd retained all riders, would other teams have actually stood a chance of competing either? There should be a much wider gap between Championship and Premiership.

I thought Luke Harrison was Poole bound

So a team of Lawson 8.15 Rushen 5.01 Zischke 6.56 Cairns 6.44 King 7.76 Lightcap 4.00 Southwick 2.00 Total 39.92 That team would definitely have the right balance and would be the team to beat again.

Is that official Phil?

Would much prefer Zach to Ben Cook. Zach has really improved over the last couple of years and I sometimes find myself questioning Ben's comitment. Zach seems a better team man.

One of the most requested things on the forum down the years I would say.. That, and let whoever finishes top of the table be the benchmark for the year after... Fans build an affinity with riders and then they move on!!! Absolutely crackers from a business perspective... You become successful and then have to start again the year after!! What nonsense is that?.. Using the top of the table teams' figure would also mean riders not having to (ahem) "manage" their averages late in the season.. Kids in particular love having "heroes" so to maintain their interest, let their "heroes" stay if the club wants it happen... (THE biggest opportunity for the sport is more kids as they bring paying adults!!)... Due to the lack of any large number of new riders coming into UK Speedway each year, what we have is akin to shuffling exactly the same deckchairs on the Titanic each close season... Put simply, have an incremental growth plan for the sport, and stop dumbing down..

Currently is it more lucrative to be in the premiership or championship? I just feel like we're getting to a point where the only teams making a profit are those at the higher end of the championship!

Brady 7.50 Zach 5.57 Max 4.84 Jaimon 4.00 Norick 4.00 Dan 3.00 Tom last pick RS Didn’t break the bank signing this lot.

Only just checked the Northampton thread after I posted on here. Stunned Belle Vue haven't got Jaimon back on his GSA.

Phil has said Lidsey is staying with Northampton. They’ll be the team to beat whatever anyone else puts together.

A club using their own resources to pay riders is not “taking money out of a cash strapped sport” so stop being a drama queen ffs. If you work hard to attract good sponsorship and have a good relation with those sponsors who are willing to help finance deals for good riders, then good for them.

I think that's what the likes of Bewley and Lambert have alluded to. UK on Monday Sweden on Tuesday Denmark on Wednesday More like a Soccer concept - home one week and away the next If they had a spare week every 4th week for rain offs it would allow some form of continuity.

Mafs ain’t maffing for me there Phil! Six team league once home and away is five home league fixtures. If you’re having one home meeting every fortnight then that’s one hell of a short season!

It's already been announced.

When the BSPL (sorry, I mean Poland) decide that the Premiership can run on nights other than Monday and Thursday, especially Wednesday. And Poole move up. Or, more simply Leicester drop down. Then we can run the Jubilee Final. Doesn't feel very likely eh? 🤪

Will this take place before or after the jubilee final ?

Well they do give British youngsters league titles, knockout cups etc, not to mention the experience of riding for the most successful speedway in Uk history

Ok. Maybe i need to be more clear. 1. SCB are saying front wheel over the line and rear wheel on the line is excluded. 2. Ref did it on basis of being over the line imo. Otherwise he would have excluded Zach. This is where interpretation is different. Maybe they should write things better so no misunderstanding. 3. Two other refs have apparently said they wouldn't have excluded Zach either. 4. Josh Pickering even David Howe DID NOT KNOW before superheat that rear wheel on the white line meant exclusion. (360 podcast). 5. Imo they only looked through rules because superheat went against them. If they won superheat, rules wouldn't have been looked at and nothing said or known.

"We’ve seen how tricky a grippy track can be, even for experienced riders, and the last thing we want is anyone getting injured at the end of the season." so it is a rider safety approach which leaves a slick ,bald surface with a big blue groove on it, even though Zach Cook seemed to find plenty of grip in the infield

Depends on the contract - no reason why they can't be exclusive It is common practice for contracts to exclude working elsewhere or require permission - particularly in the same sector

Sounds like a plan so long as it means no doubling up/down

Well bringing on 2 of the best GB teenagers isn't too bad......

I don’t see the rush personally, keeps the club relevant during the off season and deals to sign new riders from abroad logistically are more complex than re-signings or British riders

If he does end up there, I'd deffo take Jonatan Grahn at Northside. He's scored 58 points + 8 bp, in just 6 meetings here

This should stop testimonials for the riders though (not benefit meetings). When you are declaring yourself as self employed and the clubs get nothing from you moving to another club, then you should give up your right to a testimonial (surely cannot have it both ways).

Typically classless from you, you may want to consider that these" forum fannies " probably, unlike you, post money across a turnstile and support Berwick Speedway in a very real way. That, IMO, entitles them to their opinion, even if I disagree with it. As for Jye`s comments, he can say want he wants, though he may want to consider he is slagging off those who go to paying his wages. Sometimes if you have nothing decent to say its best to say nothing and do you talking on the track.

Nice touch by the Comets management with a message on the electronic sign at the Ramsey brow junction at the end of the A66. Saying thank you to the fans and sponsors supporting the comets in 2026 😄🏁🔵⚪

Why not plymouth and Berwick do has very little if any impact on crowd numbers imo. Supporters will always prefer live speedway

Probably, makes no difference to the crowd. Most people will probably watch the GP's on demand anyways these days. The only time over the last 27 years we've avoided running alongside the GP's was when we had a rider in it. Running up against Workington Reds/Town at 3pm on Saturday/Sunday, is a far bigger issue in the Town IMO.