crescent girl

and Plaid Cymru?

Well, no dance then: THE DANCE : In a season so-spoiled by those record-busting nineteen postponed meetings it was hardly surprising to learn our plans to stage an End-of-Term Dance have been completely wrecked by rearranged fixtures, too! The Dance -- long-term planned to be at the Black-and-Gold on Friday, October 24th (arranged months ago, as soon as our participation in the PL play-offs was confirmed) -- had to be cancelled of course, and now the Glasgow restaging has wiped out the back-up plan of a party on Sunday afternoon, too! "It is a real shame" said Dennis McCleary on behalf of the promotion, as he confirmed that there would now be no end-of-term function. "Our commercial manager Lani Rae had everything arranged for the first date, and then brilliantly set up the Sunday function at short notice to replace it -- now that one must fall by the wayside, too". "I really feel for Lani, who does such an amazing job. She even had two further dates (Friday 31st and Sunday November 2nd) provisionally booked but we're faced by the cold hard fact that the bulk of the team -- Claus, Steen, Matej, David certainly, and I think Alex too -- will have gone home by then, and only Kevin, Matty and the two injured back-up boys Liam and Stefan would be available". "Which is really, really unfortunate, as we see the social side of our club to be important -- but at the end of the day, our business has to be about contesting speedway matches and co-operating with the other PL member-clubs, and that's what has cost us this year's dance". Dennis and his co-promoters are truly disappointed by these exceptional circumstances, and will doubtless be planning something special in springtime to kick-start the 2015 social, as well as speedway, season -- and your Black-and-Gold Bulletin will bring you the news of when, what where that will be, just as soon as plans have been laid! Questions over tickets, etc, should go to Lani on 07779-227535 or Lisa Youngman on 07773-759864. All tickets will be refunded . (From Berwick e-Newsletter)

....and you think he'd get a visa?

Of course, everyone would. Because back then, you got on a Thursday and literally everything in it, news, track stories and detailed results were absolutely fresh and new to you. Times change, and the Star has to do as well. I think the poster who commented on it being more enjoyable in the close season has a point. I hadn't thought about that until now, but I reckon I might do so too.

What a great opportunity for the "average fixing" conspiritors to assume every slightly unusual race result at Ashfield that afternoon to have an ulterior motive.......

Still German, like the article said......

OK then, Mister T: Who do you suggest, who will be (1) available, (2) is under 7.52 and (3) would be guaranteed to out-score Vissing, Doolan, Bellego and Jensen/Wethers around Shielfield?

From the Bandits' e-Newsletter (which must be doing well, it doesn't attract too much criticism): TROPHY TIME! With the Border Trophy added to the final home play-off match, Saturday's send-off to our 2014 term of trading should feature a packed party-night programme of racing --- just the thing to wrap up this successful season. The club are 'pretty pleased' with our fourth place in the PL standings, our solid squad's performances both at Shielfield and on the road -- in short, the plan is to celebrate the season on Saturday night with (in addition to a first-leg win) a 'bit of a party'. On track, the party features our age-old opposition from Cumbria, who are clearly seeking that Border Trophy, with big-name Dane Ulrich Ostergaard in as a guest for Josh Grajczonek (swapping one scrabble-friendly name for another?) and Britain's 20-year-old Kyle Howarth coming to the party on the back of a truly stunning performance last night in the Elite League play-off match at Swindon where, live on Sky TV, Kyle headlined a shock Coventry victory with 13+1 points and victories over all the big-name Robins such as Troy Batchelor and Peter Kildemand. With form like this going for him, Kyle could be on fire on Saturday -- but no-one said this was going to be easy! It might be a bit colder than high summer, but the meeting marks the close of our 47th season of speedway, our most-successful for a decade, we want it to be one great big hot party -- and you're invited! Teams: BANDITS: 1. Matej Kus (rider-replacement -- Matej is racing for his Czech nation's championship), 2. David Bellego, 3. Kevin Doolan, 4. Steen Jensen, 5. Claus Vissing, 6. Alex Edberg, 7. Matty Wethers (captain). COMETS: 1. Ulrich Ostergaard, 2. Ricky Wells, 3. Rene Bach (captain), 4. Mason Campton, 5. Kyle Howarth, 6. Joe Jacobs, 7. Simon Lambert. BORDER TROPHY - A HISTORY: This weekend's two meetings celebrate the fourteenth staging of the Border Trophy, which was first contested in 1970, the year Derwent Park opened for speedway. The first-ever meeting on the left-hand coast was for the Trophy, with Bandits winning 39-37, with our top scorers being Andy Meldrum (8) and Maury Robinson and Peter Kelly, each with 7. The return leg (44 years and eight days ago, on October 3rd, 1970) saw the Trophy clinched by a 6-point aggregate, our top scorers that night being Maury again with a 12-point maximum and guest Alan Wilkinson with 10. The most-recent Border Trophy clash was in 2000, when we took the pot with a 22-point aggregate victory. The Trophy has been captured by our Bandits eight times over the years, against (obviously) five by the Comets. WEATHER: The fearsome storms which have been sweeping through the nation of late will, we understand, have abated by the weekend. The forecast for Berwick-on-Tweed on Saturday currently offers less wind, and just a hint of a couple of lunchtime showers -- but by tapes-up time, it should be dry, if a little autumnal -- wrap up!

It's talking already?

Absolutely. Which would you prefer, £45 per point, paid in cash the following Saturday night or £75 per point, never paid in full anyway and the other part after months of wrangling?

Sky might hope it does! Certainly there will be a lot of people tuning in to see if it does.

Great stuff! Don't any of you folk go to ice hockey?

Now confirmed by prompt e-Newsletter: Matty will be replaced by --- Sam Simota!

Simota for me, he was a willing stand-by when there were doubts about Matty returning from his big crash, and Czechs are always good value at Berwick.

Max Clegg is at No 7 for Edinburgh. Deek is unwell.

Although that wouldn't matter if it happened, since southern finalists won't be known until about then anyway!

From Berwick e-Newsletter: PLAYOFFS! HERE WE GO! Having waited patiently since ending our own PL campaign, we have at last had our Play-Off grouping confirmed. This came after several false-starts, as first-placed Edinburgh and runners-up Somerset hummed and hawed over their choices of opposition throughout Sunday evening. Finally, it has been absolutely confirmed -- only this morning -- that Edinburgh have elected to race against ourselves and Workington, with the top team from the group going forward to meet the winners of the other mini-league, comprising Somerset's choices of Ipswich and Scunthorpe, in a home-and away shoot-out for the 2014 Premier League Championship. We have quickly set up home-and-away matches with Edinburgh (this weekend) and will confirm dates with Workington (as we are both Saturday circuits, this will take a greater degree of organisation) in the near future. Needless to say, when the Comets agree the fixtures, we will keep Black and Gold Bulletin subscribers fully advised. SATURDAY NIGHT: On Saturday, your New Holland Bandits will be hosting Edinburgh in the first of our two home play-off matches. Having defeated the Monarchs in July (in the KO Cup) and again last month on Sky TV, this attempt at three-in-a-row is going to be a crucial hat-trick bid, as in such a short play-off programme, a poor home result isn't likely to be overturned! With Steen Jensen sidelined, Bandits will presumably re-jig the riding order, with rider-replacement for the little 'Danish-Scot' and Kevin, David and the two reserves available to fill his heats. The Monarchs will be at full strength for the fixture. Berwick are the only team to have beaten Edinburgh twice this year -- a third victory on Saturday will be sweet, indeed! SRBF: The Speedway Riders' Benevolent Fund collection, postponed last Wednesday, will now take place on Saturday after Heat 10, with riders from both teams coming into the crowd with their buckets, aiming to fill them to the brim in aid of this most-deserving of causes. HOSPITALITY CLIENTELE! With the sharp end of the season upon us, and the Monarchs -- they claim to be the best team in the League -- in town, what better than a night out in our Hospitality Suite this Saturday? Now get this, despite it being a really big occasion, there is no increase in price! For £35 per head, you'll get admission to the meeting, a free programme, the usual sumptious buffet meal and free drinks -- plus the captivating infield visit during racing! But obviously, you'll need to be quick -- at that price, the places within the lounge will sell out pretty fast. Call Lani Rae right now and reserve your place or places. Call 07779-227535 or e-mail lani@berwickbandits.co This offer is open to Edinburgh supporters too, of course -- no narrow-minded discrimination here! PUT IT ON THE CARD: Remember you can now pay at the gate to enter Shielfield with your Credit or Debit Card. If you wish to use the facility, please use Turnstile number 1. Card payments will also be accepted for purchases in the club shop after 7pm.

That went well, Taff! No messing about up north. First two fixtures Friday and Saturday....

Somerset will also get points tonight, so it won't be settled until the weekend. What might be clearer after tonight is who will be sixth, if Peterborough don't get a win at Plymouth, that'll open the door for Workington. Scunthorpe will be last team picked. Neither of the top two will want them in their section. They're in form, they don't carry a travelling support and are a Friday track, meaning fixture hassles for either choosing club.

Historically, Bandits have virtually always had a Scottish ethic, though. Nearly all the owner-promoters down through the years, the Taylor family, the Fairbairns, Peter Waite and the Andersons are Scottish, only Terry Lindon and Mike Hopes were English. To tease the question further, an independent Scotland might request "all lands north of the Tweed" be returned to their control as part of the discussion to follow next week's referendum. Leaving Tweedmouth in England, of course!

Alex Edberg out of Berwick side tomorrow. James Sargent is replacement.

What gets interesting is that, while if Workington fail by a point to make the top six (admittedly unlikely) this would be 'their own fault' for not staging/completing matches before the cut-off date. But if Edinburgh fail to top the table (again unlikely) by a point because other clubs failed to arrange matches at which Monarchs are the visitors before the cut-off, that makes a difference in the play-off groups, as Somerset would then get first and third choice of opposition.......

Berwick promotion have decided to postpone Benevolent Fund collection until during the play-offs -- which might well also be against the Comics!

That Belle Vue do get a stadium one day is definately important. But do we need two close-to-identical threads running here in parallel?

That Belle Vue do get a stadium one day is definately important. But do we need two close-to-identical threads running here in parallel?