Bagpuss

Nobody said it was the highest standard of racing It's the highest standard we have here in terms of quality of rider. That's a fact, not opinion. Talk about hard work!

I thought they were favourites personally, having Bjarne at reserve was massive. They were able to cover for Kerr in the first leg as everyone chipped in and then got paid eleven for Ulrich R/R at home, that was the beauty of their team last year. Even Pailin got paid eight in the first leg. The Etheridge R/R didn't work out for Lemon at P'boro but in fairness he'd scored paid five from his first two rides. Peterborough thoroughly deserved it last season, no shame in losing to them in the final.

I'm not sure anyone would claim that a six team league is better but it's undisputedly the highest standard as it has seen Doyle, Fricke, Lambert, Klindt, Iversen, Holder, Musielak, Kurtz et al appear in it. Therefore whatever else you think of it it can call itself the Premiership

BV got ten from Kurtz's eight R/R rides in the final, he'd have surely scored more than that. You seem obsessed with blaming BV and Lemon for defeat when P'boro were the best team across the season and deserved to win the Play Offs. Belle Vue were simply beaten by the better (best) team.

They are though.....'best' / highest standard in the UK. Regardless of people's opinion of quality of racing, standard in previous years, etc. Its the Premier / Elite standard in Britain. Full stop.

Yep I agree, the issues started when they went back on the agreed format, should have been a one of final at a neutral venue weeks ago. That said Glasgow withdrawing is not good at all.

Shouldn't Edinburgh take their place?

As good as he is, Lambert ain't getting 15 on a track he hasn't been to for five years.

Wow, if you are having a pop at one of the best tracks in the land you really are scraping the barrel. Hope the Bears can keep it respectable tonight. For Poole's part they don't need to take risks with a league title to contest next week.

I don't see S Lambert beating any Sheffield rider personally but we shall see.

His gating will need to be much better than Monday. Pretty sure it was SS (choking/croaking) and semion threw it back at him as a wind up.

Pretty sure he's talking about a permanent signing.

I hate the term choking, really disrespectful. I also think folk are being a but hard on Wright, there was a grippy patch on bend three/four which caught a few riders out. Just one of those things.

Of he I'd going to ride here in 2023 I'd have thought doing it at the NSS would be the big attraction for him. Great track which is big, wide, well prepared and sage.

Not really bothered although as I'm married onto a Belle Vue family I'd better say Lambert

What makes you think it was tactical?

He has been very good since moving on, sometimes a change of scenery does everyone good. Good for him, I don't think anyone would begrudge him a bit of success.

And Brennan

The forum is full of them, especially folk saying the tie is 'done' after 10 heats. Quite enjoyed that tonight, feel Aces will miss Wright at Owlerton and on that basis 12 may not be enough, especially if Etheridge's replacement scores 000. That said BV's top three could get the best part of the required 40 between them so all to play for. FWIW I thought Holder deserved to go in heat 5, he put himself into a gap that was never going to be big enough. He was poor tonight, a very average and arrogant speedway rider stealing a living in Poland and the GP's.

Not at all old boy, Coventry legitimately used their number eight that year (Summers) in place of Pawlicki in enough matches to keep the latter at reserve. Morally dodgy perhaps but completely within the rules and very clever from Rosco and co.

I assumed it would have to be R/R.......

Absolutely. I don't understand why clubs wouldn't want to run every week right through the summer holidays, my own club is one of the worst and its bizarre. Have the Play Offs in August if need be and run the cups in Sept and Oct. Get the league title decided when kids aren't at school and the weather is good.

I remeber him saying on telly that there is too much clay in the material now and it was better before it was changed. Buster is obviously using the same stuff as at Lynn which is great for stocks but not for bikes.

You can't plan the weather, surely that's the main reason to try and get fixtures done earlier? And if Glasgow and Leicesters tracks weren't available in Aug and Sept then fair enough but I doubt it very much.

This has been a massive factor over the last couple of months IMO. Certainly not Poole's fault in any way but not good for the integrity of the competitions. Fixtures need to be much, much better in their planning across all leagues in 2023.