salty

Yet yesterday morning on another thread you seemed to have no idea about the Reunion - asking why somebody had mentioned "Watermills". Strange - almost as strange as your comments about AFC Wimbledon "cashing in" on the Wimbledon name on the Facebook site.

Pretty sure Ipswich used to put their attendances on their website a few years ago, though if memory serves, they were always suspiciously rounded numbers - so they might have been less than official.

Come on Gustix!! It's at Merton Abbey Mills and is the venue for the Dons Reunion & Memorial get together in a few weeks time. Check it out on Facebook....https://www.facebook.com/events/1569608146701756/

Don't know if anyone else noticed but in the interview on BT before last night's GP, presumably in Tai's house, there was a boomerang prominently displayed on the wall. Absolute disgrace. I think he should be made to undertake an Aussie type version of the "infamous" Tebbit cricket test.

Getting back to the original point of the thread. Good luck with the venture. If it leads to the resurrection of the Dragons - fantastic. As RMC points out it was the starting point of bringing back Rye House.

Stay of execution for Plough Lane with a new 2 year contract signed (with 6 months notice required). Cynics will say they are keen to avoid a repeat of the Oxford situation, but dogs continuing has to be good news.

Yes. Who was the mysterious "Man in the room"???

If you can't beat 'em join 'em.

My understanding of the rule (having read it) is that only the rider with the highest MA can move up - certainly doesn't say anything about only Tier 1 riders.

I've got a lot of time for Newman. I seem to recall he was always one to travel to the continent in the under 21 competitions, whilst others stayed in GB. Massive part in landing the last two titles for Poole, they would have been mad to put him in the 1-5 whilst they could keep him as a FTR. If only someone at Brandon could have done the same with Garrity, the Bees starting septet would have been so much stronger.

Point taken, but it was Michael Vaughan (Lancastrian originally) who lifted the Ashes in 2005.

I don't recall Jan Andersson skipping the Swedish Championships - certainly not whilst when he was riding at his peak.

Slight difference with Froome in that the cyclist competed for the Kenyan team (albeit whilst being a British passport holder) for a good few years before coming over to Europe to further his career. National boundaries in sport are becoming increasingly muddied (look at the England cricket and rugby union teams) and with regards to GP Speedway I don't see why riders have to ride under a flag - it's an individual competition. Don't forget the Poland v Rest of the World meeting at Warsaw is scheduled for the Sunday...

Once the British Semi-Finals were scheduled for May 13th and 15th respectively - with the Warsaw GP on the 14th this was always going to be a problem, for Harris as well as Woffinden. Obviously, neither would want to ride the day before the GP. Solution would have been to seed them through to the final. Wonder if this was considered/requested.

I'd say the semi-finals straddling the Warsaw GP ( with Poland v Rest of the World scheduled for the 15th) are more than a possible reason, I'd say they were THE reason. Will be interesting to see if Tai rides in the the latter meeting.

Either that or she's lying about her age.

As long as PJR bikes continue being the best then Chris has every chance of fighting for the medals

I think the issue is more with what the flag stands for today, or more importantly what people who have adopted it stand for. My local paper yesterday had a picture of the Confederate flag flying next to that of a Swastika on a loyalist estate in Carrickfergus.

By all means get an app that allows scoring to be done on hand held devices, but that is a rather cosmetic improvement isn't it? I've got 4 kids ranging from 25 to 9 and at some time I've taken them all to Speedway, some for domestic matches, the younger two just GP's abroad. Biggest thing they don't like is the gaps between races - "it's boring". At least for a Gp there is some modicum of comfort and they can sit with their phones, tablets etc, but I wouldn't inflict a British League match upon them. However, if I suggest a night at the Ice Hockey they are all keen to go. Not because they have any interest in the sport, but because as an overall package the whole night out is far more entertaining. Better facilities, food, drink and entertainment outside of the actual action.

Love your work Arthur. Haven't lived or worked in the area for the best part of 20 years but brings back a lot of memories. Surely the parking and traffic is going to be a major issue? My memory might be playing tricks on me, but I seem to remember utter chaos around the Durnsford Road junction whenever the Dons were at home. I have no issue with the Dons moving back to Merton, but I hate the fact the dog track is being lost.

Get rid of Rosco? The guy has already got us to the World Final next season.

Aye, but it wasn't "the dogs" as such was it? It was the GRA who are owned by a bunch of venture capitalists. The true greyhound fraternity wanted rid of them as well.

Mixed feelings on this one. Pleased to see the real footballing Dons getting back to the borough where they belong. Very disappointed to see the end of Greyhound racing at Plough Lane. As for Speedway, once the battle lines were drawn between the two rival developments - AFC v Paschal Taggart - there was never really any hope. A faint possibility of riding in on the Taggart plans, but once they were disclosed and required housing to fund the development then that was the end for any chance of resurrecting the two wheel Dons. It seems hopes rest with Boris Johnson intervening after listening to the Wandsworth Council complaints, but given how happy he was to see West Ham flog Upton Park to Galliard, I would be surprised to see him do anything.

I think part of the issue is the TV coverage. Nowadays all the top riders are interviewed during the Sky coverage and the nature of the interview doesn't exactly allow them to show a great deal of "character". "We really need the points tonight" "are you going to make any changes?" "Its a bit greasy but there should be some good lines later" As Charlie asks the same inanities season after season, meeting after meeting, any individuality is quashed. And they mustn't forget to apologise for any offence when any "industrial" language is overheard. Fifteen years of Sky coverage and the only rider I remember who I really enjoyed listening to, such that I can still remember him talking, was the wonderful Roman Povazhny. 45 years ago we saw the opposition once or twice a season and that was it. Garry Middleton was, I think most agree, a "character" but I don't think I ever heard him speak. My exposure to him was his annual visit, the occasional guest appearance, and his Speedway Star column. Yet he had a reputation at Dudley Wood in the early 70's that would have added a fair few to the gate. My advice to any rider wishing to be a modern day character. Keep the helmet and goggles on and never utter a word to the camera.

Very one eyed reporting in my view. The SLP article gives the impression that the "hardest hurdle" was the Dons Trust voting to sell Kingsmeadow and move back to Plough Lane. Surely the hardest hurdle is getting the planning permission? No mention of the alternative plans to keep the greyhounds. This article gives more detail of the issues that still have to be addressed... http://www.southlondon-today.co.uk/article.cfm?id=114818&headline=AFC%20Wimbledon%20chief:%20It%20could%20be%20months%20before%20we%20know%20whether%20Plough%20Lane%20Stadium%20will%20go%20ahead&sectionIs=sport&searchyear=current Whilst this report gives the residents view... http://www.racingpost.com/news/greyhounds/football-simply-not-wanted-by-wimbledon-residents/1992928/top/