crescent girl

Brilliant positioning of Bandits' banner throughout last night's GP. Appeared before almost every race, often for 20 seconds or more. To buy such worldwide television time and product exposure would cost something like £100,000. Well done the Berwick fans who took it and placed it so well.

Whoosh

Considerably less than EL!

The Laws of the Game state the length of a soccer pitch can be between 100 and 130 yards, and the width between 50 and 100 yards. However, it must be expected that the SFA will have differing (minimum) measurements within these parameters which member-clubs have to adhere to. In any case, Shielfield is first and foremost a soccer ground, their pitch reigns, speedway has to fit around it. We don't like it -- a shorter, narrower pitch would make the track as good as just about anywhere -- but there it is. Even so, watch Sky on Monday, or come along and watch live, and you'll still see a pretty good show!

Well, according to a recent Newcastle programme, Sky are only at Glasgow and Berwick next week because these two tracks' supporters' clubs paid Nigel and Kelvin to do their roadshow for them during the winter!

In the words of the great Basil, you started it! Actually, I was thinking of pointing out how Sky do seem to like going to tracks where the standards have been dramatically improved, such as Berwick post-Peter, and more recently Glasgow. If the Rye stadium reconstruction matches their track improvements, then they might also get a future reconsideration.

And, as your e-Newsletter will by now have told you, your wish has been granted.

And when were Sky last at Rye? Was that the night the track was so bad even Chris Holder couldn't ride it?

Bandits beat Monarchs in 'Matty's match' -- last Heat 5-1 by Matej Kus and David Bellego over Cook and Sedgy took all the biscuits.

Fourth time in four years for Shielfield on Sky, and this year at a time Bandits' results are going well. Workington have been on Sky four times, and yet to register a victory -- is this the one to break the mould? As always, Sky Sports being in town means a carnival atmosphere at Shielfield, fancy dress, flags a-plenty and fairground attractions. Gates open at 6pm, first race at 7.35. Let's go racing!

Averages!

No guests after July 1st.....

To keep record straight, the parade was due to go out spot on time @ 6.50, but a person in the Ipswich camp raised a query at the last moment about a Berwick rider's equipment, and getting it checked (it was all in order) caused an eight-minute delay. Apologies, but not the home promotion's fault.

Looking forward to a good one -- Ippo are always handy at Shielfield, but Bandits currently on a roll. Danny King's first meeting since becoming Champion -- he'll get a good reception.

Absolutely, Steve. Compare this season's (brilliant) British semi-final at Scunny with a dvd from ten years ago, a video from 25 years ago or cine film from the 'glory days' of the 1940s --- today's racing can be amazing at times. And racing in the past was just as dull, just as spread out, as it can be today if you get the wrong race. But we were all younger and more-impressionable back then. We loved it, and probably laughed at old-timers who told us it was so much better before the war. There weren't cynics on an internet to tell us we're watching a dying sport (which was a whole lot nearer death in 1956 than it is sixty years on) and spread doom and gloom in front of the young fans of today -- who quite probably think speedway's just great today, same as we did in our own salad days........

Less than that, Manu was on the grass before the 30m marker. But that was back then, when wee Peter pulled the strings. And the strokes.

Until the averages change again?

See post #1935

Yes.

In contradiction of most of what's been said on previous pages, let it be known that Berwick Speedway announced some time ago that every living ex-Bandit, even if they only raced one official match, can get a lifetime free pass to meetings at Shielfield Park. All they need to do is contact the promotion -- at club@berwickbandits.co -- and give their name and current address. Their lifetime free pass is mailed out the next day. "If a guy has risked his life while entertaining our public at any time over the past 49 years, that's good enough for us" was the club's statement when the list of over 250 living ex-Bandits was published. So please don't include the Berwick promotion in any criticism being levelled at clubs not honouring past heroes.

Kauko is now 36, he resisted many invitations to ride in Britain last season before being lured back late on by Glasgow, allegedly for 'an offer he couldn't refuse', but lasted just one meeting. Unlikely to come back at any price now, and not for the kind of money that is within Berwick's budget. Really good guy, however.

Mark (Scott's dad) lives in Poland these days, doesn't he? He is also 55. Suspect it is doubtful -- more than doubtful -- he'd be doing sidecar grass-tracking. Matty is the fifth rider in the averages, currently on 5.43. Up from 4.96 at start of season. Since moving up from reserve, his home league scores have been 5+2, 7+2 and 5. Doing his job? That said, if he has 'one of his better meetings' I'm sure no-one will complain!

You're right, of course. But with Seb Alden obviously out of action, it would only be the next three Berwick riders (Doolan, Jorgensen and Pijper) who would have been considered. Strength in depth is good, but has its drawbacks!

You really don't get it, do you? Taffy posted an opinion, and has no need to prove where it came from, be it correct or not. What is honest and polite is to provide a source when a poster (no names, no pack-drill) takes information from another published source and announces it on here with the suggested implication that the news is their own. Look up 'plagiarism'.

I was merely highlighting that, when one learns news from a website, a newsletter, facebook or twitter, and then posts it under your own name, it is polite to acknowledge the source. Likewise if you use a photograph or a quotation. Otherwise it is plagiarism.