Steve Shovlar

Perhaps his Polish club should pay him the money that he is owed? You spout on about how good polish speedway is and the best in the world etc but if they can't pay their riders they are a corrupt bunch and should be barred from the sport until his wages have been paid in full. I read that they are trying to fine him 50,000 zl a meeting he missed when his father died. what a bunch of scumbags. Emil May well win the SEC but it will mean absolutely NOTHING compared to who wins the World championship. If he has taken advice he is a fool. A WORLD champion will get far more sponsorship than a winner of a relatively meaningless tournament.

".............because soon there will be no World Championships but the European Championships" The SEC will never be more than some small competition compared to the GP Series. One produces a World Champion, the other, we'll lets be honest who cares?

If it is a political move the lad is an idiot. The SEC is a nothing event compared to the GP Series. Being World Champion is everything in this sport. If he is genuinely injured I wish his a very speedy recovery. Seems strange though that his injuries have not been mentioned recently.

Think its a no brainer. He is an Aussie full stop. The closest he should get to team GB is either on the other side of the pits or in the grandstand.

The delays are ridiculous. No money to build it is my guess.

Never got caught and no one harmed. At Wards age I was out on the razzle every night having competitions with mates about who could pull the ugliest, who could bed the most women in a month and regularly getting into punch ups in clubs. A party animal. It's what lads do, isn't it? No camera phones then to capture the many great nights thank god. Looking back now with a wry smile on my face some of the antics were completely cringeworthy and bang out of order. But it's what a lot of lads do and my guess is Darcy did similar only has now curtailed it at an early age to concentrate on his career. Off track riders have lives to live and should be free to live them as they want but it seems the moral police on here have to have their moan about him if he slightly stepped out of line. Enjoy your life and career Darcy, and don't let the haters ever wear you down! Different laws in Aus. You can pay a fine and it will not be marked on your record.

Agree. End of the day the only thing he has done wrong is ride a little pit bike on a bit. Of parkland behind his house and had a spliff. Hardly serious stuff and he got fined but no conviction. The rest he was proved innocent in a court of law. Simple as that. No ifs, buts or maybe's. Innocent.

Think its quite clear that several on here won't like Ward if he gave all his money to charity and become a monk. The worlds best riders all suffer from the haters. Crump, Trick, Mauger, Briggs, Pedersen, Olsen, Penhall etc. NO rider at the top of their sport is universally liked. Even Chris Holder has his detractors.

So having a couple of spliffs and riding a bike in parkland is terrible? That's his only crime I can recall he has committed. Jesus I have done far worse things in my years!

Like I said, I don't remember him doing anything wrong at all last season. Was excellent on and off track and came across very well on Sky. Totally professional for one still so young. At his age my brain were in my pants and I spent very night chasing girls and getting drunk. That's what lads his age normally do, isn't it? Petty jealousy then, as I doubt you have ever sat down and had a chat with him.

Can't think for the life of me what Darcy did wrong last season to say he hasn't matured as a rider. Came across very well when interviewed on numerous occasions on Sky. Showed maturity beyond his age when made Captain of Poole and let the Pirates to ultimate glory at Birmingham in the final. Had his GP challenge curtailed by injury but came back to claim a top eight sport on merit. Leads the Pirates again in 2014 and comes across well. Loves leading Poole Åland the joy when winning the league last year was plain to see. And long may it continue, with hopefully he doing the job with the title of World Champ under his belt.

Reading a lot of petty jealousy on this thread. Darcy matured considerably last season and will win the GP series in 2014 if he stays injury free. He is Poole captain and proud to be. He comes over well on TV and put his past behind him. All this rubbish about him not committed, needs a major attitude adjustment, etc is pure crap. His attitude is of that of a winner. As for Oldaces posts, well he was found not guilty, which means he was innocent of any crime. Having a bit of rumpy pumpy with some girl who wanted to be involved in a threesome or moresome is not illegal. Many of us have been there, done that in our lives. If I was the father of the girl I would have been more disappointed in her behaviour than those of some young lads whose brains lie in their pants after a few drinks. I believe Darcy grew up a lot after that incident. Being captain of Poole will never make Darcy popular with many fans from other clubs. That's a fact but he is well liked here and will no doubt get the full backing of the Pirate fans. There's not a more exciting rider out there at this moment in time.

How do you know he hasn't been working flat out this winter? You don't know what he has been up to with his prep. Certainly been working with Crump on his gating. Going to be the best GP series in quite a few years.

Tai lost a few rides through injury but unlike his rivals who had their season ended early(Emil) or at the start (Ward) he rode through his injuries. As I said I would very much like Tai to win back to back titles but a fit Ward is a step up from Tai. Think this coming season of GPs will be a cracker.

Between Ward and Holder this season, though Ward will be less rusty than Holder. Would like to see Tai win it but feel luck ran his way last year and he took advantage of it. Don't think he will be so lucky this coming season.

It's just bowls on ice and just because gb won a couple of medals it gets publicity on the bbc who are covering the event. Give it 3 months and it will die back to where it was 2 months ago. To be honest it looks like a sport where you could play it for a year and be pretty good at it. And if you are crap just hurl the thing down the ice and smash the rest out of the way. A game that's as thrilling as tiddly winks if the bbc covered tiddly winks. The whole nation gripped on the bbc as to whether pert Suzy Wilkins from Dunfermline manages to flick the last tiddly into the wink. She does and it's wall to wall coverage ,

One competition for world champ, the other a mickey mouse tournament and who wins, well it really means nothing, does it? So Emil will not ride in the SGP? More fool him then as winning the SEC means nothing and winning the SGP means everything. Let him vanish into the SEC and let Tai or Darcy win what is important. We don't need both competitions, which just take race days away from the UK. Kill the SEC now.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GQWAvqxAbLs http://spikes-mag.tumblr.com/post/76417243663/how-running-helped-me-win-the-speedway-world-title

http://www.motorcyclenews.com/mcn/news/newsresults/general-news/2014/february/feb1614-moty/

My maths is correct. I get my initial £250 bet back as well as winnings. BSPA moved the goalposts reducing the teams in the playoffs from 6 to 4 rendering the terms under which I placed the bet invalid. William Hill refunded me after a phone call to them.

Is that why they are brining their own track man?

I placed a £250 bet at 100/1 a few years ago on Poole winning the league from bottom. If it had been successful I would have won £25,250. But the BSPA moved the goalposts from 6 to 4 for the playoffs, ending any chance. I got a refund as the rules had been changed after the bet was placed.

Really the other team should be Poole as we are the Champions of the UK. Surprised Sky are interested to be honest.

Polish League?

Just listening to tms and it seems Aussie cricketers are having Visa problems to play English county cricket. Rule change in visa applications were mentioned.