Bagpuss

I'd have thought the idea of a number 8 would be to help cover R/R and the odd match that your RS will miss, for longer term injuries like broken bones you'd imagine that a replacement could be signed.

Surely you can change your rising star if he's out long term?

You beat me to it, he's in great form right now.

Bald Bloke has clearly posted in good faith but if you are intent on being a mardy bum about it you might be best served putting him on ignore

As good as Bomber can be we need to be looking to the future now. We have plenty of U21 talent to be blooded.

I know Morris won H13 but from my sofa 133 miles away I'd have gone for Becker & Douglas. It'd been far too long since Worrall was out, schoolboy error putting a 2 in heat fifteen.

Amazes me that folk can't/won't/don't ignore the wind up merchants. Response is the only reason they carry on!

Well done Ippo. Too many things didn't go our way tonight but that's speedway. Some away wins needed now!

No room for error (or more bike issues) in the last three heats with Doyle in two of them.

Double R/R and Bomber guesting.....feels much more like a British league fixture now.

I know you can't stand the bloke but no it wouldn't be funny, it'd be disrespectful.

Can highly recommend this podcast

Refreshing that Alex Brady wasn't happy with a point and is disappointed we didn't win......that's the kind of winning attitude we need to see and its been missing for quite a while, arguably since Rob Lyon left.

Even without Hume scoring the other five Witches and all the rides they will get concern me, we need to be absolutely at it to get the three points.

It is as long as the weather is set absolutely fair and there are no showers about, some people like to decide at the last minute whether to go or not having been messed about by riders, promoters and referees in the past when there has been some late-in-the-day wet stuff.

The bit in bold make it sound like you are questioning BV as a racetrack based on last night alone, if I've misunderstood you then fair enough. Last night was a half decent watch without hitting the heights that the NSS has on many previous occasions, I think the missing riders contributed to that and R/R is always a nuisance. There is no if, BV is by far the best track i the country and very rarely is the inside line the quickest, usually there are multiple fast lines.

You've seen other meetings from BV I presume? Daft to judge a track from one meeting.

But he 'bangs the drum' when there is cause to, and with British speedway it's so often because it is run so badly. Happy clap if you like but the fixture planning, the team line ups and as a result the crowd tonight were embarrassing. I'm surprised so many people paid £20+ to go and watch it.

Unlucky Jason, couldn't happen to a nicer bloke

I'll only be watching this because it's from the best track in the country (world?), the fact that this meeting has been arranged for today let alone put on telly is farcical with multiple riders missing. British speedway is an expert in shooting itself in the foot time and time and time again.

Only just got in and watched the final live, WTF was the track all about? Dear me. This is supposed to be the pinnacle of the sport.

Assuming Rawicz told Edinburgh what they are claiming then it sounds to me like they've told the Monarchs what they wanted to hear. It's a big old mess and with respect a situation the like of which was gong to occur sooner or later. Not sure doubling up in the UK is compatible with racing regularly in a foreign league too, I'm assuming the fact that Mr Campbell does the fixtures means this hasn't happened until now.

Yep it's not Bomber himself that's the problem it's the system.

If it was decided to not grade so as to get all 15 heats in quickly then fair enough, but grading g needs to happen at some point, it doesn't have to be all or nothing. Sounds like the track was slick due to the forecast which is fine and led to good racing early on but its almost impossible to have good racing for 15 heats without moving the shale around at some point. I'd have thought a brief grade after heat 5 and 10 would work but perhaps no watering led them to just leaving the track alone.

You always know when r&r starts a thread it means missing riders