Halifaxtiger

Having said that Plymouth was last week I had my mind changed yesterday. Great stuff

Stags much, much improved since I saw them last time

Cracking meeting

I think you express here very aptly some of the feelings I have had - not just this season, but over several seasons - and I am as enthusiastic as anyone. As you rightly say, if we find it hard to stomach what would a newbie think ? Far too often fans are taken for granted and that simply has to stop.

I think you might just be able to put it that way so yes, I am. Personally, though, I see it is a very astute decision that will create additional income that the sport desperately (more than desperately) needs and I think that while the majority would still prefer the team at the top as champions the overwhelming majority now accept that the reasons for using the play off system are fully justifiable and do not object to them. I have said this before but I will say it again : the best match I have ever been to was the NL play off final, second leg in 2011 at West Row, Mildenhall. The principal reason why it was so good was because it was a play off.

I got told that after the first four heats the track was fine - and that comes from a rider (a Stoke one admittedly). The track should have been right to start with, though, not after 70 minutes.

Spot on. I prefer the team that finishes top wins. But our sport simply isn't in a position to turn down the crowds that the play offs generate.

I actually don't mind the bloke in the middle but his music is simply dreadful, the only bonus being that you can hardly hear it (I am advised that that is because the locals won't stand it). The gang I stand with seem to regard it as a sort of a joke, to be seen as part of the entertainment because its so bad. There's a great deal of difference playing Land of Hope and Glory in a huge stadium with 40,000 people present and an international field of riders competing than playing it between heats at SBA during a league match in front of maybe 1,000. I think SBA is a terrific little place but with the best will in the world its difficult to see it 'rock'. MikeyT was my updater on Friday and when I complained about the music he responded by asking if The Wurzels had been on......

The same as my hopes for 2014 (and it would apply to the NL & EL too). Good track preparation. Good weather. Good presentation. Keep delays to a minimum. Speaking to fans across the country, that's pretty much what they all want.

I thought it was a very decent meeting too .

Press release by Peterborough 13/08/14: “In fact Joe had indicated to the management that wanted to miss as few meetings for Mildenhall in the coming weeks, something which would have caused us a problem as we have pencilled in two more Sunday home fixtures.”

Fisher has been out for 2 months and the season has another month to run. It would be unusual (and probably undesirable) for a team to run with rider replacement for that long for one rider. Peterborough also have two double header meetings. I disagree about Hall. 7-8 points at home (not away) is not an unfair return for him based upon past form and on a track he apparently favours. His poor scoring has cost the team dearly in the last two home meetings. I think you're right about Dilger for Jacobs but I am sure I read that the reason was not scoring but Jacobs commitments at Mildenhall.

The question is what did you expect ? The injuries to Fisher and Blackbird meant that replacements had to be found and given that Jacobs had stated that Mildenhall had priority with Peterborough's Sunday fixtures it wasn't surprising that he was replaced, too. Roynon has (with the exception of flattening Bjerre) done better than I thought he would, particularly at home. Dilger will take time to settle down but I suspect he will match Jacobs. The problem has been Hall. It would be unfair to blame him entirely for the recent losses but had he scored what was probably anticipated of him its likely Peterborough would have won both matches. I can very much see that it would have been disappointing to see Fisher, Blackbird and Jacobs replaced by the above three but I am not quite sure what might reasonably have been done otherwise.

In this case, I think he's probably right. Step up from The Wurzels, I suppose

Pretty decent meeting on a well prepared track. Roynon seems to have bounced back - aside from losing it and hitting Bjerre, he was impressive. Best I have seen Kurtz ride, while Allen was imperious.

A couple of other points: barker and Newman might be banging in lots of maximum heat wins but they should be split up as they ride the same line and Plymouth need some new music. I know my taste isn't up to much and the standard across the sport isn't good but rule brittania stoops to a new low. Encouraging to see a big attendance.

Usual quality SBA meeting - for racing from the start and round the first two bends it really is the best in the country. There were a few cracking races too - Simota's win in heat 12 was superb. Peterborough were full value, especially Ostergaard and Barrett.

Its not often I start a thread but its not often Plymouth fans do either. Another visit to one of my favourite venues and with young Mr Newman restored to the side Devils to take all three points, I think (despite the presence of track expert Mr Boxall). Plymouth: Ben Barker, Kyle Newman, James Wright, Rasmus Jensen, Josef Franc, Roland Benko, Zdenek Simota. Peterborough: Rider replacement for Lasse Bjerrre, Adam Roynon, Steve Boxall (guest), Ulrich Ostergaard, Ales Dryml, Max Dilger, Nicki Barrett.

See you Friday

Racing at Glasgow in 2014 has been the best I have ever seen it there - indeed, Glasgow v Plymouth is one of the best matches I have seen this season anywhere.

I thought it was a decent meeting with the Devils doing much better than I expected. Kurtz was the rider who impressed me - again. Always good to see the boys from Plymouth. Haven't laughed that much in a long time

According to the Sentinel: Stoke: T Atkin, C Widman, B Hopwood, L Payne, J Armstrong, R Shuttleworth, A Kirby. Devon: T Webster. R Andrews. L Chessell, J Shanes (r/r), M Bates, H Banks, T Govier.

It doesn't. But the post above says 'someone looked at the updates and made an assumption' when in fact I was doing them in the first place. I haven't mentioned what the riders and officials I know have said about Buxton in the past. I could put Michael Lee's comments up as an example, though.

I'll take your word for the fact that the track was not doctored. I think you will find that I said that the track 'bordered on dangerous' and looking back to my updates that day described it is as 'unsafe'. If the photographs of the holes on the first bend that day are evidence, it maybe possible for me to obtain them because I know pictures were taken. If you are 'fed up' with people saying the track is dangerous I am hardly likely to be the first, am I ? As to my source, if it is possible to read the Kent facebook page for that day, do so. As I have been to every track in the country in the last couple of years (and 23 this season) I can definitely confirm that some are better than others. I am struggling to think, though, of the last time that fans were critical of Mildenhall, for example. It is indeed my choice where I spend my money. It is also your choice how you treat paying customers. I think you will find I was doing the updates that day. There 6 were falls in the first 4 heats and it was a lot more than 'a bit slick and dusty'. As I have said supporters took pictures of the holes on the first bend where the track had worn away completely.

I used to be an occasional visitor to Buxton (4-5 times a season). It is, after all, one of the closest tracks to my home. I thought about coming this Sunday but that made me recall why I don't go any more - it is as a result of attending the same fixture last season. The track was awful - bordering on dangerous - but that wasn't the worst of it. I was told by more than one source that the track had deliberately been prepared that way to pay back Kent for the state of their surface when Buxton were at Central Park. Who on earth sabotages their own product and then expects paying customers to come back for more ? Two friends of mine are Sheffield supporters but used to go regularly to Buxton. A friend of their's complained to a member of the promotion about the track and was told 'If you don't like it, don't come'. Needless to say all 3 of them don't go any more. Adding me to that, that's 4 fans who don't go to Hi Edge and what is appalling is that's not because of the racing, the track, the stadium itself or the presentation but solely because of the attitude of the promotion towards paying customers.