R87

Filled a notebook with it all, armed with a couple of pints. It wasn't that I've been a bit brilliant and memorised it!!

Update from Cleveland Arms tonight. 2016 SEASON CVS said club badly needed a successful 2016 campaign after the nightmare of the previous few seasons. Said the trophy is ours for keeping as the last Elite League winners. His favourite memory was Max Clegg beating Richie Worrall on the line in heat 12, as he felt Belle Vue were deflated by that. PA said he felt in the last few weeks the championship win was never in doubt due to the form in closing weeks of the season. His favorite memory was beating Coventry on the opening night at Brandon as it showed what team was capable of. He said the team spirit was the best he's ever known. TAI WOFFINDEN PA said signing Woffinden was good for business as crowds improved (Lakeside for his debut was pleasing as Lakeside normally don't provide great crowds). He felt that Tai's scoring wasn't massively crucial as Kylamkorpi was scoring well enough, plus Tai has something of a phobia of British tracks due to previous injuries and Monmore not a track which suits him. PA said no chance of Tai returning full time in 2017. CVS paid tribute to Kylmakorpi and club ensured he received a medal for his efforts. Was very complimentary about club as and fans after leaving and would have no issues with returning to Wolves in the future. CVS admitted that it is out of character to make the sort of change we did and suggested maybe he had picked up something from sitting by Matt Ford at a control meeting! MAX CLEGG CVS said it was a year where Max stepped up and that he showed the progress expected. All of the team lines ups considered for 2017 include him. JACOB THORSSELL CVS said Jacob has been slow burner, but again believes he has made strong progress. SAM MASTERS CVS said Sam is in Wolves' plans for next season, but not in clubs hands as Somerset own his contract. He said he felt the club owed him a chance after hsi visa problems in 2013. PREMIERSHIP CVS said he hated the name "Elite League" as was a nonsense without having the very best riders. However, he said the name was forced upon them by SKY. HE said he is sad that the race format has been dropped and reverted to the previous one. Said its been done to to "referee's who are not very bright" being confused by the different formats! CVS said relegation/promotion is more workable now than the previous attempts as the leagues are closer in strength. The BSPA are discussing whether to introduce a parachute payment for any club which is relegated to the Championship. CVS said Somerset is a good addition and that they have moved in his opinion as more tracks in the Premiership are closer to them than in the Championship. Also that Rye House are a good addition and that they are making a serious investment into the club and stadium. PA said Chris Harris was a target for the club, but that he feels Rye House were able to make a better offer in terms of finance and also track time, as he is considering running training schools at some point. BELLE VUE CVS said rumors first began prior to the world cup, but praised Manchester City Council for being very supportive. He said the BSPA and MCC are working hard to ensure speedway continues, as losing the NSS would be a blow speedway wouldn't recover from. He said he knew they were looking into making changes due to complaints about an "unfriendly" welcome from stewards there. CVS said he felt Craig Cook embarrassed himself in the play-off final, particularly when he was still trying to confront both Freddie and himself 20 minutes after the meeting. NICOLAI KLINDT PA said Nicolai didn't take up the clubs offer to return to Wolves and suggested it may be down to the negative attitude some Wolves fans on social media have towards him..... PA distanced himself from retirement talk and said he will be with the club for as long as he is wanted. POLAND CVS said the Sweden, Denmark and the UK all feel "betrayed" by the changes the Polish authorities are trying to enforce - believing them to be "illegal". PA ruled out Nicki Pedersen returning to Wolves!!!! PA said promotion and relegation WILL happen. They have brought the leagues closer to make it workable and that teams cannot "wriggle out of it". CVS said he things Danny Ayres is a very entertaining rider, but no plans to sign him as he feels he wouldn't progress due to starting speedway late. RE Cradley. CVS said he is working on the situation surrounding fixtures, but said they will NOT be using alternative dates as Wolves and Cradley will have more fixtures in their two leagues. CVS blasted the Premier League for not supporting British riders enough, feeling many jettison them far too quickly. CVS said rolling averages are now being discontinued. Once the first GSA's come out, the points limit will drop to 42. There were suggestions about capping riders on 12.00, but that it wasn't followed through. CVS said Adam Skornicki is being considered for a spot, but Ricky Wells is unlikely due to his average being too high. PA said that he is reducing his work commitments which will give him more time to begin work on his autobiography. He revealed that his son Thomas is applying to be a referee! CVS said that in the event of a promotion/relegation play off featuring a rider racing for both clubs, then priority will be given to the club that owns him, otherwise it will go by which club he has ridden for the most times. CVS said rumours of a World League in Dubai were true, but probably not being staged - certainly won't be in Dubai. CVS he is uneasy about buying Aussie's due to the poor treatment they get from the border authorities. he also said he's not sure how BREXIT will impact on speedway. PETER KARLSSON Both men paid tribute to PK as a magnificent servant. CVS regaled the story of how he was told in 1990 that he wasn't good enough to have a long career in the UK and that he should sign Alun Rossiter! PA said he didn't think it was a coincidence that PK has featured strongly in previous championship winning teams. CVS said he will never forget the look on Matt Ford's face after the play-off semi-final win! FREDDIE LINDGREN PA said never in doubt that Freddie would re-sign. MIKKEL BECH PA said he feels he could have done something with Bech had he been here longer, but that he sensed early in the season that something was wrong. He told the club early on that he had problems and needed to get back home, but both PA and CVS praised him for agreeing to stay for a few weeks while a deal was done with PK. CVS said the turnover for the online shop was incredible - especially since winning the league. They have sent clothing and other items to counties you wouldn't believe. Both CVS and PA said they were confident that the club can defend its title with the team they have in mind. Think I've covered everything. I'm sure others will add bits I've missed.

Great news for Coventry. Now hopefully Sandhu and Horton can stop this petty little game of calling each others bluff and at least try to keep the Bees going at Brandon and then a new facility.

Can only imagine how you must feel. A (seemingly) sad and disgraceful end to Brandon inflicted by two egotistical idiots

Both him and Horton are as bad as each other. Both behaving like children. I feel for the Coventry fans, riders and staff. They don't deserve to be kicked in the teeth like this

Sincerely hope that this isn't the end for Coventry, but I don't think there will be another meeting at Brandon. Why remove and smash perfectly good seats if your going to turn round send say that they could be refitted? If the place is being bulldozed at some point, then it's hardly worth buying new furniture? Had some great visits there over the years and have always been one of the best and most professional speedway clubs around until the last few seasons under Horton, when it appears he's become more interested in playing games with Sandhu.

Also the World Cup is going back to Kings Lynn. Pretty obvious to me that Belle Vue will not run next year

Weren't the Hams involved with Scott Nicholls for a time? Certain they haven't promoted since Bradford shut in 97 mind. Certainly they'd be more trustworthy than the previous promotion turned out to be, though I don't think him and CVS always saw eye to eye..

Standing up to him? Knifing Gordon in the back more like. Very poor from Morton.

Pretty clear that this restructure is primarily aimed at reducing costs, which is all well and good. However, there also has to be some form of drive to bring in revenue as well. Simply cutting costs will ultimately mean you run out of things to cut. I would certainly hope that the BSPA are actively searching for a major sponsor for both the Premiership & Championship?

How can they declare they will run without anyone to promote it?

And Speedway loses yet more credibility - not that there's much left to lose anyway. No wonder Hancock does what he wants if he gets away with assaulting another competitor during a meeting (any other sport, this would land you with a very lengthy ban at least). Now blatantly throwing races and then issuing statements to try and talk his way out of it. The amount of power and influence he has over the other top riders is extremely unhealthy for Speedway. If you need to get out of a difficult situation, give Teflon Greg a call......

Even if they did release a statement distancing these rumours some people would still spread them, so releasing a statement is pointless. Did Alan Phillips go to press saying Birmingham had no financial problems, only for his promotion to go bump a few weeks later?

A new toy to replace the one's he threw out of his pram the other week?

I can see Harris ending up at Poole to be honest.

No doubt Gollob in his prime was a fabulous rider who may have been more successful in the world final system than the GP. Bottom line he was only good enough to win it once. I will say that Hancock seems to have more of a star-status over the rest of the field than Rickardsson had. Certainly Rickardsson never mucked about in the pits with the younger riders and thrust drink bottles in front of the camera every interview. He was ice-cool and had a hold over the others by psyching them out, not by trying to be peoples best mate.

Just catching up with all that happened. Poor from Hancock with regard to the incident itself and his childish reaction to walk out. Regardless of whether it would be the right or wrong thing to do, I just can't see that they would strip him of the title - particularly with the large and unhealthy influence Monster have on the GP series, but there has to be some form of punishment - maybe a ban from the opening round of next year. As I remember, SKY were egging Screen on to help Loram that night, yet I'm sure they then questioned Gustafsson for appearing to shield Rickardsson later on in the meeting. Might have got that wrong though. No problem with Monster backing the series, but they should NOT be collaborating with individual riders. It all adds to the number of "hangers on" in the pits, many of who have no business to be there and just get in the way - normally when something kicks off.

Have to say I'm glad Mikael never rode for Wolves again after his 2005 crash. Always feel it was good to remember him as the rider he was, not a shadow. On his day a very classy rider and was instrumental in us winning the double in 96 and then the play off final in 2002. Never forget his bruising debut at Cradley in 93 either

Just a few stats for PK Debut for Wolves at Belle Vue on 15th June 1990 Club record 584 appearances 5966 Points 405 Points 6371 Points all together 25 Full Maximums and 41 paid maxumums 4 League titles 1 KO Cup 2 Premierships 1 Elite Shield 1 Gold Cup The term legend is used far too easily these days, but Peter Karlsson is without doubt a legend at Monmore Green (no disrespect to the other clubs he rode for here). Most argue that Ermolenko or Olsen are the greatest riders in Wolves' history, and certainly they had more success in terms of individual racing, but Peter deserves his place up there with them. Maybe even above them, as he has had more team success at Wolves than any other rider. It really is the end of an era. 1990 was my first season, though I remember little about it. He is the last link to the clubs golden era of the early 1990s on the track. Fingers crossed he will get the send off from the club that he deserves.

Eh? Why Paul Smith in particular?

The Polish League has shown scant respect to British Speedway ever since they opened the doors to overseas riders in the early 1990s, by refusing to co-operate or even attempt to work with the British League. Ok so British Speedway has done itself few favors over the years, but I believe it has done more damage to the sport here than the GP has.

Simple. If you cant handle it when someone gives it back, then dont dish it out. He called some of the fans idiots, its not as if he jumped over the fence and lamped someone.

His form at Monmore has been patchy in the last couple of seasons.

One thing it did show was that there are far too many hangers on in the pits. People getting involved who shouldnt have been

From what ive heard, some of the fans in the stadium havent exactly covered themselves in glory tonight