crescent girl

Topsoil's memory is first-class. After the 4G coverage came in for the area, the already-limited range the radio mike could be used got even less. Interviews with that mike can only be done on the infield, and it is nigh-on impossible to get riders to come out and do interviews during racing. The club has very recently been given use of an improved microphone system (which was not there on Saturday) which might hopefully improve the range after some sound tests. And yes, as Topsoil reports the club would love to have been able to do interviews from the pits area for years, but up until now this has been impossible for technical reasons.

Scunthorpe have Thomas Jorgensen at No 1 and Matt Williamson in at reserve. For Rohan Tungate, r/r is the only option.

e-Newsletter tonight emphasises the statement, making clear it is new people, either on the board or taking over the club that are needed. Also mentions Ian Rae coming back.

e-Newsletter is pretty clear, I think: Saturday's result, perhaps more than other defeats this season, brought a feeling of gloom and despondancy to us all. Thomas Jorgensen, who has been such a star for us this season --- so much so he has swept into the No 1 race-jacket next month -- may have felt the bitter taste of defeat more than most, given that he has been the leader of our pack so often this year. "I truly felt for Thomas" said John Anderson yesterday. "He was so keen to go for it, and had put a brand new engine into his bike for the cup-tie -- but the new engine just wouldn't perform as it should have". "Poor Thomas was just devastated, it was terrible to see him struggling to make his bike work -- so unlike the young man who has been such a credit to the club since joining us this past winter". "He was trying everything, but nothing was happening for him -- I'd put it that TJ's attitude was right, as it always is, but his engine was wrong!" John went on to say that, if anyone thought he was referring to Thomas Jorgensen when he was quoted over 'lack-lustre showings from some areas of the team' they are very much mistaken. "TJ has been a brilliant and refreshing shaft of bright sunlight shining through the darker days here this year, and I know -- and he knows I know -- that one under-performing engine on one difficult night for the club won't draw criticism of any kind from anyone here within the Bandits' organisation".

Just to help them over the hurdle on Saturday, Bandits have a guest (Matej Kus) at No 1 this week for the last time. From August 1, TJ will be No 1 with Claus hopefully be back to avoid r/r at his position. Also interesting to note that Alex Edberg's CMA has gone up over the last month, and he is now the higher reserve.

Well, he did score eight times as many points as Jason Bunyan did that night................

Well, who's making up the 14 days for Berge?

Well, the newsletter tells us they are both in the team on Saturday, so let's get behind all the Bandits to get them into the semi-finals. Matej Kus the guest. Plus something to give Shads and B4E a smile.

Good luck to former Bandit Tero Aarnio on his return to British speedway, even if it is with the Geezers!

Via Tweedmouth, surely?

He is not protected. Berwick do their homework on such matters. As John Anderson confirmed in e-Newsletter and this morning on BSPA website, he will (provided he rides the requisite number of matches) become a Berwick asset.

THJ? Sundstrom?

From e-Newsletter this afternoon: ROHAN'S OUR GUEST: Following his sparkling display last Saturday, when his points very much assisted the Witches in their last-race victory over our Dixon Building Bandits, Australian Rohan Tungate turned his coat on Sunday to be our guest at Rye House, when his points in black-and-gold very much helped us to the creditable six-point away victory over the Rockets! With these two sparkling displays in mind, Rohan was an obvious choice to ride as our guest in a slightly-changed line-up this Saturday (he will wear No 1 in place of Claus Vissing, with new man Mathias Thornblom at No 3). Edinburgh will arrive without Sam Masters, who has a hand injury, replacing him with Richie Worrall.

That's it, Screm -- the club sign a rider who's been in a GP, and all you can do is pour scorn on a typo (which looks like a case of predictive script) in the same newsletter. Good man!

No loophole. Rule 18.11.6. Look it up.

Not so. If your team is in the play-offs, you cannot also appear as a guest in the play-offs.

No, that's the same Kevin Doolan that approximately half a dozen attention-seekers on here wanted out of the club. The vast silent majority were quite happy to have him stay. How are you anyway, Shads? Do I hear a lady, singing happily in the kitchen as she prepares some delicious humble pie for your tea?

Uninformed pish.

There's no reason to suppose this match won't be a close contest -- the Sky match with Newcastle in 2013 saw an understrength Diamonds' squad take a big enough win over the full Berwick side -- and Peterborough last season turned up understrength and guest-heavy, and that was a walkover for the Panthers! This'll be a good night too, both previous Sky Sports visits have been well-supported, and Berwick know how to put on a good show for the cameras.

The guests will be like-for-like and Panthers with benefit from r/r for Grondal, who wouldn't have scored many. The changes therefore favour the Panthers, so the contest will be as close as if had they brought their Danes. Lambert is there, and he's the big attraction. Sky being in town will add a touch of glamour to the occasion. Not Berwick's fault by any stretch.

What's unfair on a promotion is that Peterborough are arriving with a strange-looking line-up thrust upon Berwick's promotion (and Sky Sports) at a very late date. The Bandits have a guest and r/r because their No 1 and No 2 men in their averages are injured. Part and parcel of speedway, and always has been. The Panthers are injury-free, yet now announce a team with two guests and r/r. At the very least, that sounds naive.

TJ will be there. Berwick do their homework. This is not Berwick's fault, nor that of Sky Sports or the BSPA. When the date was rearranged to provide the PL with another televised showcase, there was no warning from Peterborough when they accepted the new date they might not have their full squad available.

Bandits will have to change their programmes to accomodate Panthers' changes, and I'd imagine Sky will be going ballistic! Details for line-up changes will doubtless be in e-Newsletter planned for tomorrow. Just hope no-one is going to blame Berwick for any of this, although the main draw (Robert Lambert) will still be there, of course.

I'm sure, too. Of course the same rules apply. But Edinburgh, like Berwick, tend not to announce signings before they're validated, or at the very least would use the caveat of "pending MC approval" if a need for publicity prevails. Peterborough fans now feel disappointed in their club because they thought they had a big new signing, who seemingly now won't be appearing. Whoever they now sign might be a bit of a let-down. Whereas, if you don't say anything until you have the rubber-stamp on the 1-7, your fans are all happy with you. His name's Robin.

I don't think it is crazy to ignore a written rule, it is at that point you would create a precedent. Berwick had a few moves blocked back in wee Peter's day, but since the current promotion came in and Dennis began to handle the paperwork, the club has been better-served in such matters. Peterborough's biggest mistake was announcing the planned signing without even adding the caveat of "pending BSPA approval" although the sensible way to do things is not announce anything at all until signed, sealed and delivered.