George Dodds

Hopefully. It's something the club is actively looking into. There was a theory that with your 10% discount you could buy a top quality bandits' jacket from the savings you've made from buying an early-bird season pass ... and still have enough left to treat Sarah to cheeseburger and chips a couple of times

Seems a strange interpretation of the post AGM statement. The only obvious mention of north and south is to work out who faces who twice and who faces who once. Talk is of the top six teams in an extended playoff - not top three of each section. Suppose we'll see when the regs are finally published.

Apparently joining Alex Edberg's Escort Boys

Didn't notice that contradiction at the bottom of the release so apologies. I did check with the Berwick promotion before the original reply and they say it is Championship League and KO Cup only in 2020 and the season ticket is valid for the 16 league fixtures.

AFAIK the only doubt was Newcastle's participation. That would have thrown a spanner in the works and we don't really know what the contingency plans were had the Grants not taken over. So with that solved there's no reason to think that we have not reverted to the position decided at the AGM. Release was "The Championship will operate a new-style league format in 2020 aimed at giving clubs more meaningful and more local fixtures. Clubs will be split into North and South sections, and will race the other clubs from their section twice and home and twice away, whilst facing those from the opposite section once at home and once away. In addition, the play-offs for the second tier have been extended and will feature the top six clubs." Not sure where the confusion about the Shield comes from as it has never been mentioned except, perhaps, in some badly written press articles or web posts. Believe the clubs now have to submit their preferred fixture lists for scrutiny on the basis of the above.

£9.93 if you're a concession and there's 10% off merchandise

No Shield this year. Season is 16 home Championship League fixtures. Only other guaranteed home fixture is one KO Cup match. Progress in the KO Cup, qualifying for playoffs would extend the season but there is no standalone Shield. Think some have been confused about the league set-up which sees us race the other five northern teams home and away twice and the southern teams once. One big table, top six qualify for the playoffs. So to clarify the pass is for the 16 home Championship League fixtures.

http://www.berwickspeedway.com/content/season-passes-2020

But the point was that there was still the opportunity to reach the play-offs and with Aaron Summers also out injured rider-replacement wasn't really an option - especially away from home. Didn't work out in the end but the effort was made.

think jacobsen is still property of the BSPA (was a rye house asset when they folded) but I'm sure you're right about the the rest

surely it's the same as league - you only pay for your own riders - five each, although of course the home leg has to pay for the three away ones.

To be honest Newcastle, Edinburgh and Glasgow airports are all closer to Berwick than Stansted or Gatwick are to the rest of speedway - and there's not the M25/Dartford Crossing snarl ups to content with either but you're right for anyone south of Sheffield it's akin to travelling to beyond the north pole

not sure they need to be National League but would like to see British and under-21 at reserve - which may not be quite the same. They do not have to be protected for the season - ie they can move up into the main body of the team - but personally I would allow them to stay at six and seven all season.

Welcome back to the second tier you mean - I kinda think that lots on here are unaware that Poole spent five years in the old National League in the mid-1980s, even one when they weren't Pirates. Now a repeat of the 1989 KO Cup Final would be rather pleasant - especially the crowds.

I have you admire your advanced sense of irony bearing in mind the avatar you choose

If only!!! Population 12,050 at the last census ... around 35,000 if you throw a 30-mile radius north, south and west . Biggest problems is that population is relatively lowly paid and largely in hourly/seasonal work which means their disposable income is limited and not guaranteed. There are few national companies and those that are here have little or no interest in backing professional sport in the town. Shielfield has always been fast and tight - it used to be considerably longer - but one of the problems is that a lot of riders are beaten before they arrive - or just can't be bothered to try if they miss the gate. Sheffield, Leicester, Craig Cook, Stevie Worrall, Ben Barker have all shown this year that it is possible to both race and pass here - Rory Schlein, Edinburgh and many others have shown that they either haven't got the ability or can't be bothered to compete.

If you actually look at the touchline markings this season you might have noticed that the football pitch was considerably narrower at the start of the season - probably about three-quarters of a metre. I was told from a vaguely reliable source that it is now the absolute minimum width allowable. Football teams cannot change the dimensions of their playing area during the season. If you look at most modern football stadia these days the areas outside the actual white lines are almost always artificial turf. Presumably if the cost was not prohibitive that could be employed at Shielfield too allowing the track to be widened up to the actual white lines. All that would be needed was the desire of Rangers to allow it happen and, presumably, the Bandits to pay for it.

can't believe they didn't contact you before arranging it - disgaceful

Berwick that's why he's training to be a retained fireman in the town (Berwick programme and Speedway Star about five weeks ago).

Berwick?

You're welcome

different opinion I can put up with ... different planet, different language is a different story altogether.

would be surprise if there's more than one card in it ... and even that's a blank

yeah ... I think I got that thanks

Jye Etheridge's take on the matter - from his Facebook page. Mind you what would he know about what went on compared to those on the BSF "IN the know" ? "... obviously it ended in a dramatic heat 15 race with me and Craig and we are good mates their was contact going into the first turn and with the shape of Berwick and how tight it is their was no way I could have stayed on and craig did apologise after the meeting, I hope this puts all the speedway fans to sleep easier that know how to ride faster then us and think I just jumped off the bike going into the turn to get Cook excluded from the re run." So to paraphrase a racer tried to race, desperate to get his team the point which may be vital come the end of the season; it went wrong, he knocked someone off, got excluded, stayed out of trouble, was waiting to talk to the other rider at the pits gate, at some point apologised. What sort of example was that to youngsters who may have been watching? Little bit harsh for Jye to be advocating that speedway fans should be put to sleep ... but quite mild compared to some of the punishment being called for against Cookie by some. ... now the Glasgow team manager - he might want to take a look at himself