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I can't take any credit anymore after been involved since the beginning I've stepped aside this year and left it for others. After 20+ seasons I think I've done my bit

Andrew Chisholm is in charge of the day to day running of the club, not Coleman who has his hands full elsewhere. Chisholm and Hurry put the team together, and decide on team matters, that was confirmed before the season started. I’m not quite getting this overreaction either. It’s all explained in yesterday’s article. They planned to use Kennett while the uncertainty around Bangs continued. They were less than impressed when a scheduled practice session after Thursdays meeting didn’t materialise when Kennett didn’t bother turning up so quite rightly binned the idea. They then booked Mulford as a guest for Thursdays meeting under the impression that Bangs would still be unavailable. That changed literally yesterday when Bangs himself is quoted as saying he only received the paperwork from Doctors to resume racing yesterday I have been working really, really hard to get some papers from the doctors to allow me to get started as soon as possible. I got that today, and now I am ready.” What have they actually done wrong here? I agree it’s an unusual set of circumstances, but circumstance it is. People are being overly critical and typical of this forum, overreacting to trivial matters.

I think you lose the right to privacy when you put all your troubles on Facebook, strong language and all, available for the whole world to see

A fantastic £1819.49 was raised for the Ben Fund on Saturday. Well done to everyone who contributed

Miracle recovery from Nicolai Klindt today in Rybnik racing to an unbeaten, 5 ride, full, 15 point maximum, must have flown over Lourdes on his way ✝️ Pulling moves like Michael Jackson while digging his start positions out at the gate with seemingly no ill effects from his knee injury 👍🏻 Must be a relief for all of the Bears' fans. 🐻🍵🍵

This isn’t on the paying punter. It’s all on whoever signed him. I’m a bandits supporter and as sceptical as we all were most gave Cook the chance last year and actively supported him. I hold absolutely no ill feeling towards him as a person. He simply should not have been given a team place. The gym, motocross and his push bike seam to do his mental wellness the work of good. Speedway however just isn’t working for him anymore.

Which is a shame. You won’t have a clue what went on in the races and updates really paint a picture when you get the right texters.

Bottom line is it’s not Speedway so who cares.

70's racing was no better, nor worse than today's, for me.. What made it stand out was the crowd sizes thus, the atmosphere got created that made you return.. BV's Yorkshire rivals would bring a good few coaches with them ran by their supporters clubs, whiich had several thousand members, meaning an "electric atmosphere"... Almost 20 teams in the league meant there actually looked like something worth winning, and the vast majority of riders were yours and no one elses, (apart from young UK lads being allowed to double up for development, rather than due to a lack of riders, or tier two clubs wanting to use tier one riders at a reduced rate).. Teams rode on their best nights for attendances, and the admission costs took up a far lower percentage of your disposable income after your bills are paid, than it does today.. And Guests were the exception, rather than the rule... The Superstars were on TV most Saturdays, and also crossed over into mainstream non sporting programming... The top lads rode massive averages, making them "box office" particularly away from home when you may only got to see them once... Their averages often being down to them picking the best gates, bonus points being included, a "gimme" tac sub ride against the weakest second string and reserve, and less "head to heads" than today against the oppositions top two, and, usually, especially at home, just four rides.... It was though, overall, the size of crowds that brought the atmosphere and made it "an event"... The promoters of today though still have thousands of "lapsed fans" who still closely follow the sport, but see no reason to attend UK League Speedway... A huge opportunity should the promoters ever one day decide to get these thousands of fans re-engaged with their version of the sport...

Rye House Speedway Needs You Put the date in your diaries – 11 August 2026. The long awaited Appeal to determine Rye House Stadium’s future will be heard at the East Hertfordshire District Council Chamber, East Hertfordshire District Council Offices, Wallfields, Pegs Lane, Hertford, SG13 8EQ on 11 August 2026. This is a public hearing and presents supporters with an opportunity to show the level of interest in saving Rye House Stadium as a Speedway venue. A strong turnout matters. It demonstrates that Rye House Speedway is not forgotten, not abandoned and not without supporters prepared to stand up for it. If you support Rye House Speedway keep this date free. If you’ve booked a holiday – cancel (or postpone) it. If you’re thinking of booking one, avoid Tuesday 11 August 2026. The decision to hold a public hearing instead of dealing with the appeal on paper reflects the scale of public interest. Now that interest must be seen. More details will follow — but for now, save the date and be there.

I think that's fair tbh. He wanted to be out a few years ago, and could of walked away, but has stuck around, rather than walk, and shut Lynn down. Also helped with Northampton's track i believe, as well as loaning our air fence. Some P/B fans wont agree though. Blunt, stubbon... Yep i'll agree. Put a lot of money into speedway over the years, agree on that one too. Lynn ain't the best supported club, and i don't think Buster can afford the loses of a late rain off. I'd rather Lynn run as they are, than close the doors.

I think his heart is in the right place its his methods that are questionable, he's saved a few tracks over the years and would love to be out of Lynn but can't even give it away with the sport as it currently is, he must have poured hundreds of thousands into the game over the years. I don't know him personally but having been to a few talk in's with him over the years my impression is if in the wrong mood he's blunt and can rub people up the wrong way in uber quick time and he's stubborn.

The riders, with today's bikes, seemed perfectly fine with things at Glasgow on Saturday night, racing on a wet track, often in driving rain... the difference, they were chasing personal World Championship glory in an FIM meeting as opposed to riding in a humdrum league meeting in front of one man and his dog 🐕‍🦺🧍‍♀️

15 point max in Poland today for Klindt apparently. Obviously nothing wrong with him on Friday, it just didn't suit his schedule. Should receive a ban from GB speedway and Redcar should sack him!

My favourite era was the 70s. Crowds were big and the atmosphere due to the big crowds was incredible, even for run-of-the-mill, very ordinary, bottom of the table matches. The racing is far better now than in was then. But today's racing in front of 800 people just can't match the atmosphere of a league meeting in front of 8,000.

That sums up speedway. What a meeting and a huge thank you to every rider who took part and showed why as a spectacle speedway can produce high octane entertainment when needed

Wonder if Klindt will be fit for Poland at the weekend.?

What a fantastic gesture from the club and riders involved 👏 Never knew Anne but she was always noticeable wearing her Lions race suit. Condolences to her family and friends.

If that's predictive text... what the hell have you been searching for 🤔😂

Whilst I agree with some of the comments highlighting the financial implications of screening these meetings and the fact that clearly Mayfield Sports can't afford, or don't want to spend the necessary sums to show them, there are in my opinion some anomalies in all of this, and indeed in the way the whole series has been promoted over the past few years. Firstly let's examine WBD, who proclaimed endlessly we were entering a "new era" of speedway. This crowd then gave control of the whole thing to a bunch of people who had very little, if any, knowledge of the sport. Incredibly they created a rolling package whereby considerably more than 100 people (honestly!) were transported around Europe for each SGP. The costs of this must have been enormous! Not only that, but they then tried to "Formula 1ise" the world championship by creating the most ridiculous system of running in front of empty stadiums for what was essentially practice, and made it even more ridiculous by then dishing out world championship points to the riders who got to the final 4 man race of the practice, again in front of empty stadiums. You couldn't make this utter nonsense up!! As if that wasn't enough they introduced drones and steadfastly refused to change this introduction when many fans complained bitterly that it interfered with their TV viewing. TV viewing that was proving to be costly and expensive. Their 10 year master plan quickly fell apart and they panicked and pressed the eject button to escape at the half way stage through their get-out clause. But before we leave them, let's not forget that they also made the whole series harder than ever to access, with difficult to find channels and live events hidden away in expensive pay per view places. It was an unknown-to-speedway fans company that out of the blue stepped in. Mayfield Sports. Most of us had no idea who they actually were. Now, we are only two SGPs in, so let's give them the benefit of the doubt as to what we are going to experience as we go forward. But the early signs as we have seen are slightly alarming. I was pleased to see the drones had gone. Firstly I imagined that was a decision based on customer feedback but now I suspect it's financially based and is a cost cutter. The fact that many SGP events are now 2 day events with meetings the day before suggests another attempt to close down the costs . Nothing actually wrong with that and actually it's sensible when you think about it. But, here's where it begins to unravel. This ditching of the screening of SoN2, SGP2 and SGP3 came out of nowhere and has, understandably, left lots of people unhappy. And it seems clear that Mayfield had no intention of telling folk beforehand. Until they were forced to. That's not good business sense. There's also been the reduction in prize money for the riders, which did come out pre season. So it seems we are now looking at a shoestring production, at least compared to previously. Richard Coleman claims he needs to get the SGP series itself right first, which is commendable, but let's put our hands on our hearts and ask ourselves seriously if you believe he will later extend things to what they were previously? And here's where I want to ask the question. Why didn't the FIM think about giving the whole series to Poland to promote? I'm pretty sure OneSport, organisers of the SEC series, have previously wanted to take it on, but were rejected. I have to ask the question, why? Poland leads everything in speedway. It's professional in every way at a level that no other country can match. Its weekly televised productions from Canal Sport and previously Eleven Sports are beautifully put together events that run to time, are superbly slick and professional and clearly there is a large pot of money to do things the way they should be done. Now, I completely understand that perhaps no Polish company came forward to promote, but I have to ask, were they actually asked? And if not, why not? To hell with FIM prejudices against the Poles, which clearly exist as Poland has long complained bitterly that they have to fork out more than other nations to stage SGP rounds. The FIM should, in my opinion, be begging OneSport or any other Polish TV company that will, to take this series by the scruff of the neck and promote it PROPERLY. Speedway is in a mess. Everyone knows that. Even Polish promoters and owners of clubs I've spoken with over the past couple of years are worried that their product is attracting less young people than previously. But, if we want to see our beloved sport, the sport where racing can be utterly spectacular and beautiful, be able to succeed, we have to market and promote it properly. And that includes promoting and televising the youngest and younger racers at world level too. If Mayfield Sports don't have the will, or the money to do that properly they should either change their business plan, or get out quick and be replaced by a company from Poland that can do it properly. It's the only way I see our world championship events remaining a serious TV proposition.

There are a few holes in that argument!!!

How is having diagnosed conditions self inflicted? Honestly the older generation on here are nothing but ….. I’ll leave you to fill in the blank but people like you are part of the problem as to why there is such a mental health crisis today. Cookie has his struggles and he has opened up on these in the past. But yet there’s still people like you who come with the old wise crack “ never existed in my day.” Well sorry to break it to you, times change. You unempathetic …..

Good luck with that. Finding someone in the crowd under 23 😅

Expecting a battling and thrilling meeting on a superbly prepared water saturated track against our rivals for the title. Glasgow come as one of the favourites for winning the championship and are stacked with quality riders. Harris loves the wide open spaces of Wimborne Road and as always is a real threat. Howarth is always very quick. Hagon is a top youngster and had a year at Poole. Smith has done many laps around here and Harrison is a battler. Flint can score a few. And then I woke up. 57-33. Dust from heat 3 regardless of track prep. 35c tomorrow.

You mean the bloke that went against the cartel and has been ostracised for it by looking after his riders by making sure they were properly insured? Yeah him.

It's the Buster basher brigade He can't do nowt right, whatever he does in some's eyes.

Mayfield are also responsible for there being Speedway at Foxhall and you don't always know the ins and outs of what is going on behind the scenes The lad has only rode a handful meetings and looked quite stylish at home scoring 5+2 on his debut which was a reasonable return, 3+1 away at Lynn was poor but same meeting Kvech only scored 3+1 too, and Belle Vue away was disappointing 1+1 Still a young man finding his feet riding in the UK for the first time, he really needs some home meetings on a decent track to get his confidence up for the away trips as most circuits he'll have very limited time on, I think fans calling for him to be sacked so early need to reel it in a little bit

When he signed for Redcar he didn't have a Polish contract he had cancelled it, which was one of the reasons he signed for Redcar. Riders missing a UK match through 'injury', but then rides the next day for a Polish club, should receive a lengthy ban.

Agree 100%. It will rain tonight, just a question of when, but yesterday was not the time to call it off. Forecasting can be more certain on the actual day

It’s going to be an interesting couple of years. It’s forward thinking people like Mayfield at Ipswich vs it’s our plaything like those at Lynn. The sport needs Mayfield to win out however I think we all know how this ends. The current promotions who have been around years win out & drive the Mayfields out leaving the sport to die out.

It really is time for the authorities to charge Dale Allitt and Buster Chapman for bringing the sport into disrepute. Everyone knows they are looking at getting rid of Paco Castagna so are deliberately postponing meetings.

Well a hard fought victory, thankfully. Solid performances from Jonas, Tate and Batch but what a meeting from Max Perry, looking so much better than he did on his debut and had plenty of speed. Pickering, sublime to watch as always, what a cracking rider he is. The scorpion that impressed me most was Luke. He seems to be getting better every meeting, great to see.

Back in those days, bonus points were included in the Green Sheet Averages. This made a huge difference to averages. (remember there are on average 10 extra bonus points in a 15 heat match). Also then, matches were 13 heats so the top riders likely met only once in a meeting. Nowadays with 15 heats including a nominated, top riders will meet at least twice. And with the 4 top riders all meeting in heat 15, someone is going to finish with a zero and take a big dent on their average. In the 70s, a top rider would go into every race with a reasonable expectataion of finishing second at worst. Also back then, leagues had 16 - 18 teams. They met only once all year. Nowadays with fewer teams and fewer riders, teams meet more often, so top riders clash more often. If was also quite common to turn up on a Saturday night in the 70s to find Peter Collins isn't riding tonight or Ivan Mauger isn't riding, because they had a lucrative Grasstrack meeting in Germany on Sunday afternoon. So riders might even miss their only league head-to-head of the entire season. (with no internet. no one knew they were missing until they'd paid their money, and no one seemed bothered). With just one bike strapped to the back of a car, no lower end rider had the equipment to challenge a top rider who may have a workshop at the track. If you want closer racing with a more level playing field, and riders meeting more often, then the current day is for you. If you want a few top stars for publicity purposes with the top stars artificially inflated to appear more dominant than they are, then the 70s are for you.

And that's why we just love this sport! Wonderful match, well done to Grudziądz!

I wanted cookie to prove everyone wrong this season but it seems to be quite the opposite. Hopefully he is okay and gets the support he needs. Maybe it is time to step away from the sport and focus purely on himself and his family.

It’s a speedway track that requires a nice bit of throttle control and skill which seems to be beyond a lot of modern day riders with bikes that require it.

I tell you what,, Kye has to be the signing of the season,, I bet hardly any other clubs even considered him.

Monarchs firm favourites. Quite frankly embarrassing if they don’t win.

Categorically Poole do not pay inflated wage demands! However what they do offer is regular payment of wages and introduction to a range of local companies that are able to offer a variety of support services, eg, accommodation, transport, workshop facilities and yes some financial support. Plus of course a history of winning trophies - and all within the same team building points as everyone else. Some people on here seem to think that winning meetings/trophies is not entertainment!!🤩

That's good to know. Just another 95,000, and whitelinehugger will have to retire too.

They do NOT take risks for our entertainment. They have a job to do, which is racing motorcycles. Which is dangerous. The better they do, the more they get paid, and therefore, they take risks. It has nothing to do with entertaining us.

And quite rightly so, possibly the worst post ever made on this forum that sinks to new lows almost daily... congratulations 👏

I feel sorry for PHB in all honesty. He is a young lad who really wanted a chance to ride in Britain and he has come into a make shift team, if he came in with the actual witches or majority from last season he would have felt different and been given a massive helping hand on setups etc. Mayfield built this team to basically see the season out and if we can, get into the play offs great, if not then we tried, basically. So then stick by your decision and give the young man his chance, Ipswich fans have no expectation this season so now is a perfect time for him to learn with little to no care from most fans anyway. That’s my take on it.

https://ipswichwitches.co/witches-opt-against-kennett-move-as-they-wait-on-hellstrom-bangs-return/?fbclid=IwY2xjawSKZRJleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETFXZ0FSZ05FcVBad2N6SG9yc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQQMjIyMDM5MTc4ODIwMDg5MgABHj1mpkKtcwSlSgB3VzQO-GN7cOzHP3VgURKmH1D8uLR4aLhiHqr8GU9CBTsw_aem_WoiRqprV6u7E4QsLX24Qpg

The sooner Buster does one permanently the better off the Sport will be in this country. He's had a number of riders walk out on him, He's also rubbed a number of Clubs up the wrong way with his shenanigans and sadly he's dragging the entire Premiership down with him. It's due to cowboys like him why the Sport doesn't get taken seriously in this country anymore.

Massive confidence boost for Nicolai ahead of the away match at Oxford 👍. Oh, forgot he’s not riding in that one either🙈

I don't want to get controversial - but I will. I think a big part of Speedway's problems started with the Laydown Engines, and the 4-Valve bikes used in the 70's. It started the free for all with the Engine Tuners. Spiralling costs due to Engine Tuning etc. contributed to increasing the price at the gate, thus taking the Sport out of reach of very many people. Costs became prohibitive crowds grew smaller and smaller. This is where we find ourselves now. There is no doubt in my mind that the old 2-Valve was cheaper to run, safer for the riders, and no real advancement has been shown on the Track. The 2-Valve may have been fractions slower but, what we gained in speed, we also gained in injuries. Tracks built for Speedway nowadays can't cope with the the new 'rocket ships' that riders are using at the moment, hence the big increase in injuries. Tracks haven't changed much since 1928 - but the bikes have. THAT to me is a problem also. I don't believe that the GP System has done British Speedway any good either. Personally, I much preferred the old 'one off' World Final.

I have no time for people who only want to play at being speedway riders, I am not trying to say that mental health isn’t important, of course it is but if you are having issues you shouldn’t be racing in a team sport where your lack of wanting to ride doesn’t affect anyone else. Same goes to riders who only try when they make the start and always pull off the track after two laps when at the back.

maybe just maybe some fans should show some compassion to a fellow human being.....

I fully expect us to be on the end of a pumping we look poor this season whilst Poole look very strong high 50s low 60s for the pirates unfortunately.