crescent girl

I know I posted about this last night, but the club are anxious to emphasise their offer. This from today's media briefing: Racing begins at 6.30pm on Saturday with Berwick repeating their exclusive ticketing offer whereby any adult booking online can add juniors (11-16 years) and children (under-11) free of charge, saving £6 and £1 respectively per person on admission via the cash turnstiles.

Interesting, but untrue. Reference to the referee's official report to the SCB on Berwick's double-header on June 5th last year -- endorsed by SCB Track Inspector Mick Bates, who was in attendance -- tells us that 30 heats (plus one re-run) were completed by 21.15, well ahead of the curfew. Dust? Yes, on what the report observes was a dry, sunny June evening, dust appeared after Heat 6, but was controlled. What you imply was a meeting being rushed through to meet a curfew was in fact a meeting of 31 starts which was briskly and efficiently presented.

Serious question: Why? Surely the future wellbeing of your home town club lies in developing raw British talent. Why have you zero interest in an NDL match on your home track, featuring riders such as the Thompsons?

That would be correct. Brexit is the bad apple here, not any lack of ambition on the part of the clubs who desperately need to find riders.

A feast of speedway this Saturday at Shielfield, with both Leicester teams visiting. The Bandits remain without Jye Etheridge, and Ty Proctor is also again sidelined with neck injury, meaning a return visit by the popular ex-Berwick star Lee Complin as a guest. 30 races on the menu, with admission (to both matches) Adults £24, Concessions/OAP/Students £20, Juniors 12-15 £6, Under 12 £1 (but all kids under 16 are free if accompanying adult who has booked online and selected Kids Go Free Pass). It is emphasised that the meeting will be starting at 6.30pm. Championship line-ups: FTS BANDITS: 1. Chris Harris, 2 Jye Etheridge (r/r), 3 Theo Pijper, 4 Leon Flint, 5 Ricky Wells, 6 Lee Complin (guest), 7 Kyle Bicley, 8 Luke Crang Watling JCB LIONS: 1 Nick Morris, 2 Connor Mountain, 3 Rickie Worrall, 4 Joe Thompson, 5 Kyle Howarth, 6 Anders Rowe, 7 Dan Thompson

Another tough test for the table-topping Bullets, forming the second part of Saturday's double-header....... GHT Bullets: 1 Kyle Bickley, 2 Mason Watson, 3 Ace Pijper, 4 Greg Blair, 5 Luke Crang, 6 Kieran Douglas, 7 Ben Rathbone Lion Cubs: 1 Dan Thompson, 2 Mickie Simpson, 3 Connor Coles, 4 Tom Spencer, 5 Joe Thompson, 6 Kyran Lyden (guest), 7 Vinnie Foord Admission (to both matches) Adults £24, Concessions/OAP/Students £20, Juniors 12-15 £6, Under 12 £1 (but all kids under 16 are free if accompanying adult who has booked online and selected Kids Go Free Pass).

Well, Plymouth have booked Bomber.....

Gotcha! Sorry ...

Edinburgh have to use r/r for Lasse Fredricksen (#5 in averages) and will have Ben Trigger (!) at #7 for Sarj.

Reserves dont get the +5% if replaced by a guest at home.

That'll do nicely!

Nope, Lasse will still be in the 1-5 next month -- but if unavailable, it'd be r/r for him, a guest reserve for Sarj.

They were brown! Old fivers were white....

You'd suspect they were tossed out of the National League for producing that abomination of a race-jacket, rather than any other failings .....

The averages for June confirm the Bandits -- if they can stay healthy -- are very much on the up. Team total for May was 41.88, for next month it'll be 42.56. Bomber, Leon, Jye, Theo and Kyle have all increased their rolling averages. Ricky Wells is virtually level (7.03 from 7.09) and Ty (while scoring above the mark) has an average of 4.19, despite rolling figures from 2019 (high) and 2021 (low) still pulling his CMA about.

Forget it! They couldn't make it work, and nearly bankrupted the club when they ran in a comfortably-plush, big-city stadium just 45 miles from Edinburgh in 1996. No way could they contemplate running at a place like Northside -- in the early stages of its development -- 130 miles away. Plus, it was proved in 1987 that the Workington public have no interest in supporting any speedway team that isn't called "Comets"...........

Kyle Howarth has been named at No 1

Greg Blair filling in for James Sarjeant at Armadale on Friday

Good move by Berwick promotion this Saturday -- kids go free, if accompanied by an adult who has purchased their ticket online. Offer will clearly attract more families to buy online -- visiting Glasgow supporters should spread the word among their troops, too. The ultimate aim is for as many spectators as is possible to buy online, ease turnstile congestion each Saturday. The cash turnstiles will still be open, but kids under sixteen will only be admitted free if coming in with an adult who has bought online, otherwise the regular price of £5 for 12/15, or £1 for under 12 will apply. Book in advance (kids or no kids!) at https://www.berwickspeedway.com/tickets

Consultation with those involved in attempting to run clubs in Cumbria "from a distance" -- I'm talking Berwick-at-Barrow in 1981 and Glasgow-at-Workington in 1987 will reveal that such a concept is a total no-no. Indeed, running the Scottish Monarchs at Shawfield in 1996 was equally financially disastrous, although that operation did at least see out the season.

The guest for Auty tomorrow will be Tom Brennan. The guest for James Shanes will be Joe Thompson.

Jye Etheridge still on the injured list this weekend, but Bandits hope to have both Ty Orictor and Leon Flint back for both the important KO Cup match at Redcar on Friday, and Saturday at Shielfield . Glasgow have listed their usual 1-7 for the visit.

As announced last night, Bandits will return to Poole on June 29th. Weather permitting.

If this meeting can get anywhere close to the excitement provided (for a tenner!) at the last NDL match at Berwick, it'll be well-worth watching. Plus, the NJL follow-up has interest, with Stene Pijper adding to the family adventures on the Berwick side, and Redcar's Katie Gordon showing that girls just wanna have fun, too!

The top two in the NDL table go head-to-head at Shielfield on Saturday! Bullets: 1 Kyle Bickley, 2 Mason Watson, 3 Ace Pijper, 4 Greg Blair, 5 Luke Crang, 6 Kieran Douglas, 7 Ben Rathbone Royals: 1 Alfie Bowtell, 2 Jamie Halder, 3 Danno Verge, 4 Joe Alcock, 5 Ben Morley, 6 Chris Watts, 7 Sam Wooley. As well as the NDL racing, there will be an NJL mini-match, festuring Berwick's Academy youngsters and Redcar Cubs. All for a tenner! Which means you get 21 heats for your money at less than 50p per race! Bring it on!