Halifaxtiger

That's the problem, though. They are never consistent. Craig Cook can't double up because his two teams ride on the same night. So do Dan Bewley's but he can. You can't help but think that the rulings are dependent upon precisely who is affected by them.

Considering what has happened to Peterborough over the last week or so that's a good performance because Sheffield are no mugs. All credit to the Panthers

Nice try, Alan It doesn't convince me and I doubt if it will convince anyone outside Scunthorpe. Whether he's a new rider or not, he has an assessed average. That means he should be on a 5.00 minimum.

Possibly not but every other club would do it if it suited them.

Couple of small teething problems - ticket office opens at 6 (very good) but turnstiles didn't open until 6.30 (bizarre). PA system wasn't brilliant. Bring back Natalie Quirk and Ken Wrench Other than that, stunning.

Amidst all this (largely pathetic) squawking that is an excellent point and one that I'd want answering if I was Peterborough. They'd be better hitting the BSPA hard with that rather than starting petitions, taking legal action or threatening to pull out of the league.

I saw Dan Bewley ride for the Colts at Cradley and knew he was pretty good. He really only looked like being beaten once, when Connor Mountain trapped on him in the first run of heat 12. Otherwise he was fast from the starts and very fast out in front. The rest of the Colts were a mixed bag but there was enough there to suggest that they will be entertaining enough for the rest of the season. For the Fen Tigers, Mountain and Jon Armstrong were as consistent as ever, with Armstrong (who I am reliably informed has ridden at all three Belle Vue tracks) pulling off a brilliant ride in heat 13. The star of the show, though, was the stadium because its magnificent. What's even better is the size, shape and banking of the track lead me to be believe that Armstrong's superb ride will be the first of many excellent races there and it will be a most fitting place to hold meetings of the highest calibre. Can't wait to see the Aces on it.

Is that right ? Belle Vue website says grandstand only.

That still doesn't get away from the fact that they tried to sign a rider who doubles up with a club with the same race night when there is a precedent (Lewis Kerr) that you can't do it or the fact that Rathbone was told by Godfrey that it wouldn't happen. Even with a ruling in place and advice from the VP of the BSPA (which, lets face it, is pretty good) Peterborough still went ahead. That's entirely down to them, even if the fact that it became public knowledge isn't although what's the chances that we wouldn't have had an outburst of a similar nature even if Porsing hadn't said something ? Slim, I'd say. As to your second point you might be right but its never stopped them ignoring the fans in the past. The thing is the rule was already in place - its why Lewis Kerr rides for Lakeside, not King's Lynn. This hasn't been created for this occasion. I can see your point but there have to be limits somewhere. You can make a case for a rider riding for Swindon doubling up with Peterborough but when home fixtures clash potentially every week its very hard to do so. On your second point, completely agree. The only thing is at least we have an explanation here not the usual mushroom theory and that must be a step in the right direction. I have always said that you can't have an independent body running the sport but you must for arbitration, as here. The only thing is for once I think the decision would have been the same.

This forum is chock a block full of people complaining about absences, doubling up and guests. The BSPA make a decision that will stop a rider doubling up between two tracks on the same night - a situation that will undoubtedly lead to more of the same - and people complain about that too. When I first became aware of the ruling made, I thought it was appalling especially when the only justification was 'in the interests of speedway'. Great credit to Rob Godfrey for giving us all an explanation and for treating us like people who care about the sport and not simpletons to be milked for every penny, which has happened so many times in the past. For what my opinion is worth, I agree with what the BSPA have done. Doubling up is, as Godfrey says, a necessary evil. What is not needed is a situation where guests are continually required because a rider is contracted to two clubs whose home meetings are on the same night. Its all very well to say this is only three meetings, but this decision sets a precedent. I also think that fingers are being pointed in the wrong direction. According to Godfrey, he told Ged Rathbone that signing Cook was unlikely to be permitted but Rathbone went ahead anyway. If that's true, then Rathbone is to blame for what has happened, not the BSPA.

I was wondering how to respond to that pathetic, patronising and ignorant post but you have done it for me. Absolutely spot on, couldn't agree more

Definitely old age

Crap memory I stand corrected : the programme was £2.00. 'Family of fatties' Brilliant Quite. I don't think its expensive (some would disagree), but its more expensive than everywhere else (including EL tracks). £17.00 at Berwick, £22.50 at Glasgow. That's a lot of difference.

Paulco actually told me £15 yesterday, I just should have listened a bit better That increase is too much. Berwick the night before was £17.50 (including parking & programme), and they let a child with a paying adult in for nothing. The development of Ashfield has been fantastic but the design on the back straight was poor. If you stand on the upper terracing, you can't see the track.

What you propose is a huge financial gamble (and I think you know that) at absolutely no risk to yourself. Very easy to make suggestions and come up with bright ideas when you won't be the one on the wrong end of it if it goes pear shaped. To be fair, you're anything but the first to do so. At Mildenhall, we once had someone who 'guaranteed' that gates would go up if advertising was done properly. I suggested that he pay for it - after all, he couldn't lose - and would then approach the promotion so that he could have a share in the increased revenue. Needless to say, he didn't want to know. Cutting prices has been tried many times. I think SCB quoted Belle Vue doing it a few years ago in that they cut the prices for one meeting and got a bigger crowd in. The next week they did it again and the usual number turned up, resulting in a substantial loss. I know John Anderson did it at Berwick a couple of times; the fact that he doesn't any more speaks volumes. The simple truth is there is absolutely no certainty - indeed, evidence suggests otherwise - that a substantial reduction in entry prices will result in clubs becoming more viable. One last thing : cost is anything but the only factor when considering the level of attendances. Isle of Wight charge £11, Birmingham £13. Of the meetings I saw at those two tracks, Birmingham's gate was at least 3 times that of Isle of Wight.

It has a right to charge those prices (and indeed double those prices) if people will pay them. The question is, will they ? To me, it was the price hike and the comparison with other clubs that made me raise my eyebrows at the cost of Glasgow yesterday. There is an argument about reducing costs to attract more fans and I am sure more would go with a £5 reduction. The next question is, though, would there be enough to make up for the loss of £5 per person ? 1,000 at £17.50 is £17,500 takings. At £12.50, you need 1,400 to match it. Would you get a 40% increase ? Doubtful I'd say but whichever way you look at it its a huge gamble to risk such a cut in prices. Its also been tried, many times. Incidentally, Halifax Town is £17.00 to go in and they aren't even in league football.

Its a 10% increase on last season when the inflation rate is less than half that. If all the costs in your household went up by 10% overnight I doubt that you would regard that as 'petty'. My point was its now quite possibly the most expensive speedway in the country (Lakeside is £18, but the car park is free) and I find it difficult to justify a PL track charging more to get in than most EL ones. What's worse, that extra amount might just put people off to the degree that takings will be down.

Not so much expensive as the most expensive. That £1.50 increase in entry might not dissuade the diehards but it could put some of those attracted last season off. The equivalent at Belle Vue is £22 for EL racing in a brand new purpose built speedway stadium.

Sadly, not a good meeting - I counted one pass outside the second bend all night . That wasn't helped by the one sided score line. Berwick will take some beating at home this season and will have a lot tougher tasks than Scunthorpe. They tried hard but - Wilkinson aside - they just couldn't cut it. I, too, thought that was a pretty decent gate for Berwick.

Few decent races although the track became a bit one line by the end - gate and stick your back wheel on the fence and you weren't going to get passed. A bit of a shame because Ashfield now has a superb shape - the days of the squaredome are long gone - and it could be very good indeed. Tigers were excellent - maximum from Worrall (never looked like getting beaten), Barker, Lunna (very impressive) and Lawson beaten just once. Ostergaard made a couple of gates, Jakobsen was OK and Perry tried hard but the rest were rubbish. Far too much bumping on the kerb after two or three laps, too. At £22.50 for parking, programme & entry Glasgow is now the most expensive PL track and Belle Vue tomorrow will be cheaper

'What is significant, however, is that on average 16% of the complaints received were when no races were taking place at the stadium. This raises questions about the validity of the complaints, particularly since between June and October 2015 there was no difference in the number of complaints on days with or without races'. Brilliant, and I am sure you will all agree with me in saying a big thank you to anyone who contributed to that 16%. There's no doubt that they would played a part - quite possibly a major bone - in Kent receiving planning permission.

It probably is about that, yes. The closest tracks to me are Belle Vue, Sheffield & Buxton but I count Redcar & Scunthorpe as local too. Stoke would be but I also don't go there. Belle Vue is about 40 minutes away, Sheffield 50 minutes, Buxton & Scunthorpe 75 minutes and Redcar 90 minutes. Coventry 'reluctantly'. Love it Mine loathes speedway......but it doesn't stop her coming if I go away on tour.

There were more than that at Eastbourne - I estimated about 500. That's pretty good for NL speedway, especially given the fact that it was indeed very cold and its not in the holiday season. Dead right, Gem. If they aren't going and have no intention of doing so why are they part of this forum ? I really don't think you can decide that gates are falling based upon attendances during March and April. As some have pointed out, its been bloody freezing and there is always a heightened threat of bad weather. I think its better if someone who goes to a track every week comments here, for the simple reason that they will be able to give a more accurate view than someone like myself who only goes occasionally but.......... Of all the matches I have been to, only Coventry (NL), Scunthorpe & Isle of Wight seemed noticeably poor. That's especially disappointing for the latter two, as Scunny's reputation for racing is well known and Isle of Wight have tried so hard to pull in punters. Lakeside was very good, and Buxton's possibly the biggest I have ever seen there. Of the others, there seemed to be little difference from previous seasons.

I thought your estimate was a bit high

Spot on - and yes they were.