MD

They had no problem before Covid when the European fixtures were broadly similar and running meetings outwith standard race nights was common place. A choice has been made and for a third year in a row fans are f**ked off with it. They can only make this choice for so long.

Glasgow need to be careful not to come over with the track superiority complex thats become prevalent when we get pumped, usually at Poole. Cami's early meeting interview reeked of it. All it does is breed resentment, something we hated Edinburgh for 20 years ago. The reality of last night is we have learned nothing from the last 4/5 years of going to Poole mid season and taking a trouncing. Yes, it seems Poole prepare that track just for Glasgow visiting but our inability to gate consistently is Glasgow's failing not Poole's. They are a very good team who were never going to lose last night.

Edinburgh? Really.

Doubling up IMO was largely driven by then Elite League teams blasting the Sky Sports TV money in the 2000's on very decent overseas riders they could never otherwise have afforded. British riders were largely never given opportunities to ride at that level like they had been before. By the time the tv cash had dried up for good at the end of that decade, doubling up had started to take hold, by neccesity. No money was invested in the future of speedway, it was all blasted on trying to achieve instant success with most EL clubs having nothing to show for it.

In Britain perhaps but the decent riders will ride abroad and avoid here leaving the UK based riders who dont/wont/not good enough to ride overseas to make up the league.

Always the way!

He struggled at No2 in the main body but was a decent reserve last year. I think if he got more than one season at the same club he would improve.

He got better as the meeting went on. Some really good racing tonight and not a spec of dust despite the heat.

What a novelty that is!

Not much of a partner to be paired with, shhit like that breeds resentment. I'd shut off behind him when he did it to prove a point.

Not for the team mate behind him who ends up with an overinflated average as a result. Ironic that engineering his average to stay in employment could be at the expense of someone else being out of employment.

Definitely, Kyle and Leon avoided the dirt and stuck to the inside line to no avail whilst Poole adapted quickly. There was an inevitability about the meeting after the ht11 break. We are not as good as we think.

Well done to Poole, they adapted quickest to track conditions and had the experience further down the order to keep it going. I suspect the Glasgow riders wouldn't have asked for a track like that but that shouldn't take it away from Poole. Barker for Boughen was an upgrade, Leon returned to type and we struggled all evening for heat advantages when the top 4 except Harris didnt gate.

They already have, despite the best Spring weather for many years. Shortening the Championship season from April to August would push the same number of meetings into a shorter timescale and give the impression of a busier calendar, and more regular fixtures for fans. Once you get to September the weather is a lottery.

From memory last year GLA during the season had 2 three week breaks and only rode four home meetings in June and July. There are enough dates but perhaps not the will to push the Friday clubs to alternate days. If riders got more meetings in the Championship they may not need to seek racing abroad which is often where the rider availability problems come from IMO. I accept having fewer meetings lowers the cumulative losses of some clubs but with reports of tiny crowds at some recent meetings perhaps the losses at certain tracks could now be higher than if they ran 2H/2A. After three seasons of more blank weeks than fixtures the customers have spoken and probably lost interest and/or found something else to do. They will only take so much of being taken for granted.

Thats the bit no one in authority seems to grasp but will act surprised when clubs go to the wall or switch to NDL only. I suspect if the Championship went down to 5 or 6 teams they'd still cling to 1H/1A whatever the cost.

If speedway was transparent we would know.

You won't get it as the Premiership isn't struggling which is the only time you hear serious chatter of amalgamating leagues. Allegedly the 1H/1A was preserved for Oxford. Not accommodating them would've meant one less Championship team making 2H/2A easier to manage. If thats the case I know what I'd have told them, politely of course! The Championship can only go on for so long like this.

Good meeting with an excellent finale but took far too long to run at over 2 hours. Boughen already looks likes he needs a spell at reserve which he's not going to get.

Driving an ever shrinking fan base where the sport has to be propped up financially by a number of generously well healed individuals.

I know what you mean but you are more likely to have a tactical ride against you in ht14 than ht12 IMO and if you are already vulnerable, less likelihood of seeing it off. Lets see how the season goes.

Indeed, I think we may be better served with Dan T going out at No4, with Leon at 3, giving us a stronger run in to the end of the meeting.

Scunny took 7 rides to work out running high and wide off turn 2 was where you needed to be in the second half of the meeting. The only time they did, in ht15 they won it.

Lets see how he gets on at Ashfield first, particularly when he doesnt make the gate against a strong pairing.

The attendance reflects what was served up over many years. This was coming, just Covid and subsequent issues sped it up. Cardiff served its time and was magical in the early years, peaking with the Harris last bend pass on Hancock. Nothing lasts forever.