Roger Jacobs

Indeed, it’s *easier* to see who appears to have the most fans - although ask a number of people and you’ll get a number of varying estimates. However, the post said Carl Johnson reckons Peterborough sell the most season tickets - that’s impossible to verify, unless the clubs actually release details.

Impossible to say what that means, given that such info remains top secret throughout the sport. Johnson, Sunak, Raab, Zahawi, etc. would be delighted at the openness and transparency of the BSPA/L.

News always seem to elude the fans. Hopefully any announcement will allude to some specific info :)

They don't pay £20+ to watch a match in Poland. The big money is all from nouveau riche business people with successful businesses and money to burn.

Sorry, I misunderstood what you were asking. I agree with you too - the ACU is aligned with the FIM and is the governing body for motorcycle racing in the UK.

A page or two back ...

“… still regarded as Russian by the FIM …”

What has happened in previous seasons is irrelevant, because as we know the Regs are fiddled with every winter. Even so, I think the version of Reg 12.02 in the 2022 set was rehashed from before, because of the previous problems and other changes, e.g. the Transfer Window, etc. Every time the BSPA & SCB make a cock-up with the Regs, they patch them up, but don't seem to conduct a thorough review. Any idiot can see that "proven long term injury" is a hopelessly vague statement (any idiot except the BSPA and the SCB). The point is that Belle Vue didn't make a tactical change, it was made because their #1 rider was absent with a proven long term injury - what ever period was set as a precedent (possibly based on Jake Allen's and Erik Riss's absences), and was completely within the 2022 Regs.

It took a solicitor because the BSPA and SCB originally approved a poorly worded Regulation, yet refused to interpret it, even though precedents were set with previously approved changes - that's the only taint. People are wrong to question the necessary change made by Belle Vue - they should question the continued poor quality Regulations, and the BSPA's & SCB's inability to use them (nobody even knew the clearly written Regulation for tied teams in the Pairs - including the Sheffield team manager!). If Sheffield had beaten a Belle Vue team that was using a random guest or R/R, then their win would have been tainted, as have previous wins against weakened opposition. As it is, Sheffield's defeat was tainted by Holder's miserable failure at Belle Vue.

Yes there was, as per the wording in Regulation 12.02 which I have posted. It's quite clear - even if the term "proven long term injury" is vague. Also, it isn't a Belle Vue only rule, because as previously stated (do you read replies?), both Sheffield and Ipswich took advantage of that Regulation - and neither of the injured riders were out of acton for a significant length of time - both returning in the Championship, but for some reason neither required by the Tigers or the Witches (except Riss was eventually reinstated to the Witches line-up when they realised he would need to be in the final 1-7 so that they could use him in 2023).

Except that it wasn't.

"A Premiership Transfer Window opens after 25% of the League fixtures are complete and closes when 75% of League fixtures are complete. This permits changes to the team on 2 occasions, except for proven long term injury."

First Brit to stand on the Individual World Final rostrum (1975) since Peter Craven (1962). Join "Speedway Friends" on Facebook - that's the ideal place to post photos and chat about the past

Max Fricke was injured! Why do the whingers keep making it sound as though BV made a tactical change? They had suffered in the play-offs before when losing a rider, and this time they were able to bring in a replacement, within the Regulations. Of course, no-one would batted an eyelid if the Aces had been forced to use a guest or R/R and Sheffield had waltzed to victory ... "Unlucky Aces, play-offs injury curse strikes again", etc. As it was, the Regulations allowed the change because of the specific circumstances of Fricke's absence. In reality, Sheffield lost because of Holder's awful performance (and, to a lesser extent, Howarth's erratic riding) at Belle Vue. But that's speedway.

The article in the Speedway Star mentioned transfer windows - it made no mention at all of the Regulation containing the Long Term Injury statement.

This is a Forum, not Facebook or Insta

Fascinating that nobody seems to have complained about Sheffield and Ipswich exploiting the same Regulation. It certainly was of benefit to the Tigers.

Has the Regulation been rewritten? 2023 version hasn’t been published yet …

They didn't manipulate anything, the "long term injury" Regulation is poorly written. Sheffield and Ipswich also took advantage of it, even though the replaced rider returned to ride with their replacement still in the line-ups! Transfer windows, etc. had nothing to do with Lambert's signing - unless the wording of the "long term injury" Regulation has been improved, then it can still happen.

Not a ringer - a legal replacement for an injured rider. Certainly more credible than a guest. Unless you know otherwise?

Definitely him, so maybe “only” Gold Cup matches … and I had no recollection that he then rode at Hackney! They only managed a handful of League matches before folding. Edit: just saw Mau’s reply - thanks for the confirmation

Brhel always rode Foxhall well - with or without a dodgy silencer

That's an error. "Vlad The Impaled" only ride for Ipswich in early 91, and then disappeared never to be seen again. Tesar of course battled on establish himself as a very popular rider. Kalina's best effort at Foxhall was Good Friday against the Deadbeets, scoring 7, including a splendid heat win against Michael Lee (who was making a short-lived return).

No, I wouldn't fall off the chair because, looking at those accounts, it's obvious there has to be an opaque market of cash doing the rounds. They should have used those skills to become PPE suppliers - the profits generated would have funded the sport for years!

Indeed, the difference in prize money makes it all worthwhile