leander

I'm assuming you'd want him to replace Lambert. The only way you could do that would be to get rid of Clegg as well and bring in another 2 pointer (if you can find a decent one), or get rid of Steve ( if you want a lynching). We've had four meetings, the last two on tracks that have been as slick as a baby's bum, where gating has been key, especially at Berwick where each race was a 40 yard drag race to the first turn, race over. There is supposed to be a new starting procedure this season but it has only been used once in Newcastle meetings, and that was at home v Redcar. Whether this is the reason for our woeful gating I've no idea, but we need to sort it and sort it fast.

That's ridiculous, if true. It's like a football referee deciding not to use the Offside rule. Referee's shouldn't be allowed to decide whether to implement a rule or not. According to the speedway updates site, during the Sheffield v Redcar match. After two chaotic heats the referee went down to the pits to explain the new starting procedure to the riders! This was Redcars fifth and Sheffields fourth meeting of the season, for goodness sake. (Not to mention various open meetings).

Once again we had a referee who appears not to know the new starting procedure, not illuminating the green light until the Starting Marshall has walked clear past the rear of the bikes. Then it was green light and go. The green light is supposed to be illuminated as soon as the Starting Marshall has indicated he is happy the riders are lined up correctly and BEFORE the starting Marshall moves to rear of the bikes. Yesterday's ref is supposed to be the HEAD HONCHO of referees yet he didn't apply the regs as laid down. What chance do the rest have?

This is the correct line-up except Max is at 6 and Danny is at 7 for Newcastle

That's true although by the 30 June I would expect just about every team will be averaging above 40 since the starting point is so low below the base mark of 42. As an example if you have someone signed on 5.00 at the beginning of the season and his GS average has dropped to 3.00 by 30 June. It is likely that the other six will have increased there averages so that the team total is over 40. Then you would only be able to replace him with another 3.00 (or lower) rider.

It's not designed to make the starts slicker, it's designed to stop the green light - go. it forces refs to to vary the length of time between the green light and tapes up as he has to wait until the start marshall has cleared the the back of the bikes before releasing the tapes. Newcastle, especially T J, struggled with this a bit. Though for most of them it was the first meeting it was used properly. Whereas for Redcar they used it during Barkers Testimonial and, I assume, at Leicester on Saturday. It certainly wasn't used at Redcar on friday where, For whatever reason, the green light wasn't illuminated until the Start Marshall had cleared the back of the bikes ( as per last year). It is, however, something we need to adjust to and quickly. I would have thought that it should have been done during Press/practise day so that they could get used to it. (I wasn't there so I don't know whether it was or not but the tapes haven't been used during practise in the past when I have attended).

Not according to Barker and co.

They were left dead at the tapes when off 2 & 4 as were Newcastle when they were off 2 & 4. gates 1 & 3 were by far the best for at least the first two thirds of the meeting. the new starting procedure seemed to have been thrown out of the window in this match. Starting Marshall is supposed to indicate to the ref that he is satisfied riders are ready. not sure how he is supposed to do this, does the dropping of his arms the signal. Green light is supposed to come on BEFORE he walks to the back then the tapes are released. Well that certainly didn't happen. No green light until Starting Marshall was at the rear of the bikes (as per last year). Not sure who was to blame , the ref for not putting the green light on early enough, or the starting marshall for walking back before the green light. Needs to be clarified/ sorted otherwise confusion will reign. That said it didn't spoil what was a very entertaining meeting.

If it was a polish team I'd know where they would be and it wouldn't be Sheffield!!!

Two out of seven is a shade over 28% to be more exact, so in reality it's not even 3/4.

That may be so, but it's not like they signed yesterday. Plenty of time to ask Sheffield if they could get two replacements in the three weeks since they signed. I'd much rather they practised around there 'home' track (especially Lambert) instead of somewhere where they are only going to be there twice at the most. It doesn't look good for the press ( come and meet 3/4 of our team on press day) or their sponsors ( sorry but your logo's wont be appearing in the local press as I won't be at the press day).

A poor show in my opinion. The club needs all the press/TV coverage it can get yet it would appear that at least one is missing and the other is buggering off early. No chance of the press getting team photo's etc. if they aren't all there. Then at 16:30 you've got "Meet three quarters of the team" in he bar.

I see Newcastle Diamonds' Steve Worrall and Simon Lambert are down to ride on Sunday. It's also Newcastle's press and practice day at lunchtime on Sunday. Not sure how they can do both. I'm sure the Newcastle promotion would want them to be at Newcastle!!??

Interestingly both Steve and Simon are still listed as riding at Sheffield on Sunday according to Sheffield website.

Hope not, as it gives teams who reach revised GSA's first a distinct advantage of strengthening up before the others can. it should remain unchanged so that teams can only replace like for like as I can't see how any team is going to below the points limit by the first change, unless they have a totally desperate start with at least three or more riders failing to reach there starting average.

Yes. His grandmother is british so he has a paternity visa as opposed to needing a work sponsored visa, which is why he can still come over and 'work' despite Workington closing (unlike the unfortunate Mason Campton).

Not a lot then. Carl Wilkinson , Max Ruml, Simon Lambert, Gino Manzares, and Josh MacDonald (if he's a 4.00) all fit. Not that I'm saying I'd want some of them signed up though. There are probably others I've overlooked as well. Tough on Victor as well.

Dead easy to cut down the number of guests. Each team to have a NL (2.00) no. 8. Guest for your number 1 only. R/R for nos. 2 to 5. If both teams are using R/R then your highest reserve is promoted into the team and your no. 8 takes his reserve spot.

According to this week's Star (07 feb) josh has a british grandmother. Therefore he is entitled to an Ancestory Visa which is valid for five years. All he has to do is come over and collect it. Presumably it enables him to do just about any job he wants (?) and as such he doesn't need a work sponsor.

I would think one of the reserve dates would be arranged as a challenge at a later date once the Shield matches are out of the way in case a date is needed for a rain-off.

I quote (from the article) :-"If I don't get that visa I get hit with the twelve month cooling off period. I have to be out of England for a year so I won't be able to return to racing until 2020 There's no way round that" That's next year. But he obviously feels that a year out of UK racing would mean he'd be practically starting over again, and at his age (25) it would be too much of a struggle. A great shame really.

A tier 5 Visa is valid for 3 years, and may be extended for a further 3 (as long as it continues without a break) which is where Mason is at the moment. Not sure the 7 point rule applies anymore unless it's at the end of year six. There are quite a few on visa's which didn't make a GSA of 7.00 last year.

They can base themselves in UK but they can't earn money by working in the UK. If they earn it abroad (i.e. the EU) and spend it here that's fine. As for other sports there are qualifying criteria for those as well as speedway. You don't find many non-EU footballers in the the lower leagues, only (mainly) in the top two divisions. Lower down they are not deemed good enough.

How? He would be eligible for a new visa (assuming he qualifies via a state championship in 2019) 12 months after his current one expires. Ok, he might miss the first fixtures next march, depending on the actual date of his visa expiry, but he would certainly be eligible from April 2020 onwards.

In Mason's case he has a work visa which expires towards the end of March 2019. He qualified in an Australian state championship for a new visa this year. However, it is, in effect, an extension to his current one. He needs to be in the UK before his old one expires, and have a job riding speedway (i.e. a work sponsor) for this season in order to actually obtain the visa. If he hasn't got a team place before his current visa expires then he won't get his new one for this year. This means he'll have to sit out this season in it's entirety as he won't be allowed to sign for anybody else mid season. Since most, if not all, clubs are not actually starting to ride until late (very) March or early April the chances of him getting signed up are extremely remote. A similar thing happened to Ty Proctor a few years ago. I suppose he thinks the missing a year at this stage of his career would make it hard to come back.