crescent girl

They grade clockwise at Berwick. Doesn't everyone?

Interesting meeting coming up at Shielfield Park, with the Heathens making a first-ever visit (they did race at Berrington Lough in 1991) for an NL-level challenge. Bandits are offering the night at £8 for adults, kids free as usual. Gary Flint is the mover and shaker, and had undertaken to pull in heat and rider sponsorship to cover the various unavoidable costs (ambulance, insurance, medical cover, etc, etc) of running a meeting at any level these days. Heats or riders can be sponsored for £70, anyone generous enough to take a heat and a rider gets their package for a bargain price of £100. Anyone who can help out with a bit of backing, please call Gary Flint on 07597-057413.

Following the big success of their Sky meeting, Berwick have taken another step toward their goal of keeping the club's activities very much in the public eye. Taking the link below announced by their Facebook site (it also appears on the club's website) speedway people from anywhere can sign up to receive a regular free newsletter, straight into their e-mail inbox, by simply clicking onto: http://eepurl.com/yVtjv and offering an e-mail address. The club's commercial arm will send regular updates, with links to club videos and rider interviews. They will aso use the service to confirm weather at home and away matches, as well as advising any late changes to line-ups. Absolutely free, and with the e-mail bulletins coming in direct to our inboxes, this saves any need to go looking for news on the website or Facebook. It comes to you!

Superb!

I think she gets saddled with dim questions through her earpiece. When interviewed on the grass last night by Dick Barrie, Charlie Webster seemed a different girl, giving bright, witty answers, and acknowledging the magnificently-rowdy crowd on the third bend. The Grand National winning jockey was also a good interviewee. A happy, cheerful night, despite the result.

About five years ago, Sky were to broadcast Isle of Wight v Berwick, but the powers-that-be reckoned the Bandits would be poor opposition, and parachuted Reading into the date a fortnight prior to the meeting instead. As it happened, the Racers were pathetic, and scored about 25 points in the poorest Sky contest ever. The same week, Berwick were (temporarily, I admit) top of the PL table. Meaning -- you just never know. Remember also, just last season the Bandits beat Rye House 50-39 with just four riders after both reserves went to hospital during Heat 2. Seven heats had only one Bandit! This could still be a classic, and I hope it is. You just never know.

How come Robin Aspegren is riding for Berwick, then?

While I have no inside knowledge, I'd guess the installation of Nigel's "studio" on the third bend might mean that walkway to the hut could be closed tomorrow. Suggest stocking-up with pies, etc, from the "chuck-waggon" on the first turn before heading around to the best vantage point in speedway.

You really are a cynic, aren't you? If the Berwick promotion have shown us anything, it is that they make every effort to tell their public when a rider is going to be missing, through injury or anything else. Website shows 'probable' line-ups, no doubt there'll be another media brief and website posting before Tuesday.

Saving himself for Tuesday!

At what point in time are people going to realise that Polish-licensed riders cannot race in the Premier League? One of the best rulings ever made by PL promoters.

Just as well the meeting is on Tuesday. Weather looks foul all day today, anything planned for tonight would probably have had to be postponed. Maybe the tide of good fortune is turning Bandits' way at last?

Ever since he raced there so well for the Bandits, Mitch would certainly be keen to return to the OTA. I can confirm Lu's statement. He was been offered to your management more than once.

You have expert neurological qualifications?

Eddie didn't suggest there was any time limit on the deal when he spoke on the mike. With Ricky Ashworth's situation clouded by neurological doubts, there will be no question of any short-termism to the loan. If and when Ricky is declared 100% fit again, a choice will be made by all concerned.

Nice of the BSPA site to acknowledge Eddie's new club, eh? In recent seasons Bandits have had Paul Clews and Ricky Ashworth in the British Final, but we'd have to go back 22 years to have had a Berwick rider in the British Final with every chance of winning it!

Matty Wethers and the reserves will cover for Bellego, and should make a fair fist of things. Not least with Kennett in three of them!

Bandits have made some great mid-season signings in recent years. Seb Alden and Magic Rempala come to mind, and I feel pretty confident Eddie Kennet will make it three in a row.

Meaning?

To add to the event, it was announced during Saturday's match with Workington that Grand National-winning jockey Ryan Mania will be an added celebrity attraction at the Sky event. He won the race on board 66-1 shot Auroras Encore. Because he comes from Galashiels, a lot of people in the borders had backed him -- he'll certainly get a big welcome!

Aw c'mon, don't start critcising what was only a positive comment on what we all know can be a very tough audience to convince.

A breaking story on Bandits' website...... Berwick’s speedway Bandits, sponsored by New Holland Agriculture, have been forced to effect major surgery on their squad. Star rider Ricky Ashworth has been sidelined by the affer-effects of a severe concussion suffered in a track crash at Glasgow a month ago, and has apparently no immediate prospect of returning to the saddle while under neurological scrutiny. “As a result, we have replaced Ricky in our line-up by signing 26-year-old Eddie Kennett, who is quite simply, one of Britain’s top riders” said team manager Ian Rae. “Eddie has raced in two British Grand Prix events at Cardiff (2005 and 2008) has been a member of Britain’s World Team Cup squad and is among the favourites for Monday night’s British Championship Final at Wolverhampton, live on SkySports TV” “He comes to us with an amazing Premier League average of 10.42 – the highest in the whole League and the only rider over the ten-point mark. He’s that good! Obviously, Eddie will spearhead our renewed challenge for the League title”. “We feel we owe it to the Berwick public to offer them the best team we can get on the track” said club director John Anderson. “Having to lose Ricky Ashworth in a horrible crash, and his continued absence from the team costing us so dearly to date – by seeing we are bringing Eddie Kennett up here as a Bandit, we hope our speedway-going public will respond, and turn out to watch him go!” Unfortunately, to accommodate Kennett, the Bandits will require to shed another rider from the squad to bring the team’s total CMA (Calculated Match Averages) below the ceiling of 42.50 points imposed by the sport’s rulers. “This has meant we are required to take one of our assets out of the squad for now, and the unlucky rider who has the average that fits – no other reason -- has to be Alex Edberg” explained Ian Rae. “It goes without saying that both Ricky Ashworth, when fit to return to racing, and Alex will be welcome back here at any time, and could hopefully return to race for us again in future. Ricky has made it clear he fully understands the uncertainty of his return to fitness made the changes inevitable, and still feels very much a Bandit at heart!” To complete the line-up, the Bandits are pleased to welcome 22-year-old Paul Starke to the club. Paul, from Bishops Frome, Worcestershire raced with distinction at Newcastle in the latter months of 2012, but has been unable to regain a place in the Premier League until now. He has meanwhile been racing at National League level for Dudley. Saturday’s teams (Berwick line-up subject to BSPA approval): Berwick ‘New Holland Bandits’: 1. Eddie Kennett, 2. David Bellego (rider-replacement), 3. Robin Aspregen, 4. Matty Wethers, 5. Kozza Smith (captain), 6. Paul Starke, 7. Nicki Barrett Leicester Lions: 1. Kauko Niemenen 2. Lasse Bjerre (rider-replacement), 3. Kevin Doolan, 4. Jan Gravessen, 5. Magnus Karlsson, 6. Simon Nielsen, 7. James Sarjeant

Yep, that's it. Love the way a week ago it was "I don't care that we've won a nail-biter, the racing was crap and the track is lousy" --- now it is "I don't care that the track was better and there was close racing throughout, we lost so the team we asked for during the winter is crap and must be replaced NOW"

I rather think it might be important to the PL for the Swedes to be there. The EL has got into a situation where they have about two dozen riders who rotate between all the teams. Better if Lindgren, Aspegren and Edberg were on parade at Berwick, helping (a small but important point) make the occasion look as smart as possible, with everybody wearing team suits, proving to viewers that PL racing is the real deal.

Steve Hayward was ill, and Dick stepped back in.