Blackadder

I have always thought that the scrapping of the aggregate bonus point was a mistake. It often kept things more interesting towards the end of meetings. Just my opinion.

It wouldn't take much time to publish the agenda and the minutes, so that everyone can see what has been discussed, who said what etc., but it won't happen.

Best wishes Derek. Enjoy your retirement.

The playing of Ace Of Spades by Motorhead took some of the heat out of that episode. Very funny at the time.

League riders are underpaid for the job that they do, and the risks they take. As there are no signs of a few extra thousand fans coming through the turnstiles any time soon, the only realistic way to increase their income is to substantially reduce their costs. Let the GP riders ride what they like, but changes to equipment used in British leagues need to be done with urgency. There aren't very many winters, if any, left before it's too late.

I was talking to a Promoter a couple of years ago about BSPA meetings. He smiled at my concerns, and used the term 'bear pit' in his response.

An excellent post Star Lady. Well done. My comments:- Meeting Stewards are Referees and are used at certain meetings so that 1 Referee is in the box controlling the racing, and the other is in the Pits overseeing everything else. Delays are usually caused or requested by Team Managers, Team Captains, Clerks of the Course or Promoters rather than Referees, who always seem to get the blame. Something to be done to encourage team riding. I find it annoying when a rider takes off miles in front and doesn't even look to see where his partner is, and doesn't get criticised for it. There are situations where it's fine, but not always.

In a nutshell, as it is a long letter.How the recent postponements at Poole should have been handled, the poor state of track surfaces and facilities at some tracks, not enough exciting racing, guest riders; the usual stuff that most fans are aware of. Plus how football changed after Hillsborough, Bradford and Heysel. Speedway needs major changes, otherwise it will die.

Latest Green Sheet averages from 01/10/2014. S.Stead 9.96 T.Poole 6.05 A.Compton 5.59 B.Wilson 5.03 L.Lanham 4.96 N.Covatti 4.21 J.Bates 3.53 T.Proctor 6.27 Can see Nico being popular for 2015 line-ups, as long as he stops using Alfie Flowers engines in the UK.

3 heat leaders/3 top scorers from programmed rides qualify. Nico is a heat leader.

SHEFFIELD: Simon Stead, Rider Replacement for Andre Compton, Leigh Lanham, Ben Wilson, Nico Covatti, Josh Bates, Taylor Poole IPSWICH: Richie Worrall, Ritchie Hawkins, Morten Risager, Gino Manzares, Rohan Tungate, Cameron Heeps, TBC

“I believe I can be an eight-point rider in the Premier League and hopefully I can show that sort of form for the rest of the season,” continued Hall.

Now Liam Carr for Josh Bates.

R/R for Leigh Lanham and Mark Lemon for Andre Compton.

I believe they changed the rule just to apply to guest appearances, and as he won't be guesting for Edinburgh he is ok to guest for Sheffield. A similar thing happened at Sheffield recently, with Nicki Barrett guesting for Newcastle, and riding for Peterborough the following week.

Assistance please. I have read of problems with road works at King's Lynn. Have they been completed yet? If not, advice on the best way to come from the Newark area, going in to north Norfolk. Many thanks.

I think there may be a delay after heat 1 due to the Comets complaining about too many spuds still growing on the back straight. Graham Trollope won't have brought his harvester attachment for his tractor and we will have to phone round for some spades. Joking aside, the track has had a lot of work done on it this season, and it is the best it has been for several years.

Wolbert and Birks are guesting for Sheffield on Thursday. I am trying to remain optimistic.

It was 2 matches actually, and would have been 4 were it not for 2 postponements. That's a lot of lost wages for Simon because of an FIM ruling, but he chose to ride for Team GB and therefore had to lose money by not riding in the PL matches.

Entry Of The Gladiators was used years ago at Sheffield. No idea if it's the tune you are looking for, but thought I would mention it.

I saw it on the BSPA site just before my post.

Somerset and Plymouth rained off.

There is no meeting at Owlerton this Thursday. Andre is targeting a week on Thursday for his return.

I believe that there are different grades of concussion and that the doctor can specify when or if a re-examination is required before the rider can ride again.

Sheffield have Richard Lawson for Simon Stead, R/R for Leigh Lanham, Hugh Skidmore for Ty Proctor, Jason Bunyan for Andre Compton, Ben Wilson and Taylor Poole. Not sure if Josh Bates will be fit. Somerset will have R/R for Oliver Allen who needs a re-examination by medics in 7 days before he can ride again.