Wee Eck

Can I assume you are talking about annual global deaths? The World Health Organisation estimates annual deaths from influenza as being between 290,000 and 650,000 so upwards of 800 a day. Public Health England says the average annual death rate from influenza is approximately 17,000. As England has around 89% of the UK’s population, that equates to 19,100 across UK or just over 52 deaths per day. It’s been reported that 938 people died from or with Covid-19 today, which would have taken 18 days for the equivalent number of influenza deaths. Or, looked at another way, it seems likely from the statistics that more people died in UK today with or from Covid-19, than died in all of the countries in the world from influenza.

How many are still in the country, though?

I’m not sure why that should be. Most tracks make losses. Will the losses be greater if they don’t run? In my view, speedway in UK will survive if speedway supporters want it to.

My money is on Cardiff staying where it is, but becoming the first GP

He had to apply for a second visa. The one he had (like Jack Holder’s) only allowed him to race in one league

I thought they were running after every league meeting?

Yeh, ok. I’m not convinced Newcastle will end up bottom but I couldn’t by **sed coming up with a new list

I think Somerset have just moved into pole position and shoved everyone down one. Poole now 5th bottom

Bound to win the 300 class then. Or did MD get it wrong?!

You should know better than to believe every word of a press release. It’s some of the truth, but is it the whole truth?

Sorry. That was a typo by me! I missed one crucial word. What I meant to say was there was there are no promoters licensed at more than one track. CVS was shown as such more than 10 years ago, but that was changed. There is a rule, however that an individual who is a director and or a shareholder at more than one track, they still are liable for the activities of the all three businesses they are involved with

I think you’ll find that there are promoters licensed as such at more than one track.

I think Paul was down the pub when the deal was being discussed with Jason Crimp. Meanwhile, I suspect the Poole management were kept fully informed about negotiations with Jason Crump

I really don’t think you can compare the two

My recollection was he was banned because of his behaviour as a Birmingham promoter. The ban was implemented after he’d walked away from Birmingham but tried to come back as a Cradley promoter when Cradley rode at Birmingham. Something like that anyway.

Smolinski is first reserve

Everyone’s entitled to an opinion. Even eejits. How can you over-rate someone who’s won four world championships?

That’s a good load of accusations from someone who supports a team who a few years back had a promoter who was barred by his stadium landlords from attending home matches. So, one by one, name the 2-3 changes made “at some point before mid-season” over, say, the last three seasons. Name the assets signed and then “dumped” only to be brought back when someone else had “honed their skills”. You can go back as many years as you want for that one. How did the “cheat” their way out of the KO Cup and what relevance is Newcastle. There are 12 teams in the league and they would all have to agree to any changes. Why would the other 11 help Poole?

Buzz Burroughs? He’s definitely retired

As I said, I’m not doing anyone down but your point is valid. I suspect that lack of involvement with and, truthfully, interest in the lower league and its riders, has caught the Poole management out. Without changes, the Pirates will be nowhere near the play-offs. But, if league structures stay the same, I’d expect them to come storming back in 2021. Meanwhile, the Poole faithful are in for some exciting racing as the fearless young riders, coming through from the British Youth Championship strive to prove they’ve got what it takes, and the old heads show those young whippersnappers that experience isn’t easily overcome.

I know you’re the great defender but.....the three number ones were only 7th, 17th and 20th in the top 20 riders by GSA in last year’s Championship. It would be easy to spin each individual rider, or to do them down, but I won’t do that. And I don’t think there will be any lack of effort from the team. But my opinion, and that’s all it is, is that Poole’s starting 1-7 is too top heavy and will therefore be vulnerable to better balanced teams.

When it’s laid out like that, it looks a really weak team but I assume that the predictions of greatness for Poole in 2020 are dependent on some (most? all?) of the above list being replaced during the year.

Maybe not Poole track experience but Josh MacDonald has plenty of Championship track experience

Shame that. Everyone thinks he’s entitled to reductions for everything else, so I thought it worth a go

I seem to recall he has joint Australian and British nationality so wouldn’t need a work permit. But, would that mean he was eligible for the 2.5% “British” reduction?