TotallyHonestJohn

Ricky is usually a solid performer and although we aren't in normal times this season who would you replace him with... any normal season and I think he may have found himself cut by Glasgow before now but this ain't any normal season and who do you replace him with as there arent many riders out there to slot straight in... I think he will come good and work through this rough patch... hopefully... as he has the talent... we have all seen it Regards THJ A was a bit slow there Gaz because if they are looking and have someone lined up then maybe the clock is ticking...

Steve You just beat me to this... never mind hopefully I can get to start Newcastle 2022 and a brave new world under the same promotion with a bit of luck... Regards THJ

No IMHO its definitely brain cells Regards THJ

It's Berwick not Newcastle... Regards THJ

Oh dear you got a sad face off the very man... PMSL... Regards THJ

Oh dear... hearing on the grape vine a small change for the Diamonds at No 7... I wont say rumour because that stupid Mackem Ringitsneck gets his knickers in a twist... however JPB not very well so looks like he will be replaced by Archie Freeman... Be a tough one for young Archie and definitely a "Baptism of Fire" but good luck and stay safe... Regards THJ

If I was in the North East I would but I can't get owt like that in Maryport unfortunately... I begrudge paying my TV liecence over there because I can only get BBC Scotland on the telly... and I don't have an internet connection either so am stuffed really... Just seen the above post from Marshall7 and I like Micheal Max great guy very knowledgeable and done a great job at Worky when he was there... So updates will be ok and to be honest I think it might be a bit one-sided to be fair... and I don't want to see grown men cry when the Diamonds win... Bazzinger... Regards THU

Honestly Score... 59 - 31 just saved from the 60 point mark by and astute tactical substitution by the Diamonds 76th team manager Steve Pate... Should be a formality for the Tigers but if it ends up squally on a damp track with grip on the bends and slick up the straights; a south easterly breeze and the temperature doesn't get over 15 degrees (so a hot summers day for Glasgow) and a referee who had his leg over in the afternoon and the Tigers team all have a touch of "Delhi Belly" off the curry the night before well maybe; just maybe 48 - 42 and the Diamonds sneak a point... Oh dear then a woke up; the day dream was over and had to get back to work... never mind... as long as its entertaining and everyone enjoys it and of course no one gets hurt... and the beer is cold of course which goes without saying really... enjoy... I will follow proceedings on the updates... Regards THJ

Aye it doesn't read well in either language to be fair.. Regards T HJ

Nowt because the curry star rating still gets an average and moves into the main body... It's a pile of Pony and you will see it with Leon Flint when he ends up at number 1... However I can't say to much cos big brother will be watching and I will get another hydraulicing through a third party unless he does it in person on Sunday... T HJ bitty spanking centre green Brough Sunday weather permitting Regards T HJ

Trebien... ce magnifique... Definitely lost something in translation IMHO Regards THJ

What a joke this Rising Curry Star hydraulics thing is... I can't stand it... Regards THJ

Oh dear... Think some of that might have been lost in translation... hope so anyway... That's not how it works unfortunately Regards THJ

Could be time to say au revoir to one rider and Good Day Mate to another Regards THJ

Ondrej Smetana.... Regards THJ

So Speedway starts at 7 and the England match kicks off at 8... Wonder if the crowd will be impacted... or will the Courtney's and Mr Flint be doing a rain dance on the Friday night and Saturday morning in the hope that this one is called off... Mr Godfrey might have to extend the cut off date for the play offs at this rate... Regards THJ

Mike I know exactly where you are coming from and I used to work for a Ball Bearing company in the North East whose main competitor was a Yorkshire company called the Ball; Ball and Ball; Ball Bearing Company Bradford and we both made Ball Bearings for the Car Industry and as such neither company could make enough ball bearings so we used to support each other on short falls on various contracts because at the end of the day it is what it is; a steel ball and even though we had the same clients and worked in exactly the same markets I used to support (and collude) with my opposite number at the Ball; Ball and Ball; Ball Bearing Company Bradford called Kevin Wankbrake who was a great lad and had been at the Ball; Ball and Ball; Ball Bearing Company Bradford since he was a boy and worked his way up through the ranks and many a time we would ring each other to support both businesses because if we had not the Japanese would have stepped in and snapped up the business and the contracts we had and that would have been the end of both companies; and the Ball; Ball and Ball; Ball Bearing Company Bradford had two massive factories in Bradford and yet we still couldn't make enough of these ball bearings to satisfy the market between us and as it was a 24 hour operation the more we made; the more the car companies would take; and like I said we could never fully satisfy demands and I remember once because it was so busy I rang Kevin at one site and not knowing if that was the site he operated out of or not; I said to the receptionist who answered the phone "do you have a Wankbrake there" and she said ".WankBreak? Love we are that busy here we don't even have a Tea Break never mind a .WankBreak" True story that (cough cough)… but all jest aside it needs collaboration to a mutual benefit not screwing over each other... Regards THJ

Mike How many times have we discussed this and you are preaching to the converted here buddy... self-interest to the detriment of everyone else only results in overall harm to everyone even your own business... Stuff you Jack we are alright is okay if everyone is awash with cash (like football) but when you are in a niche market who rely on those other businesses to support your business it’s like a race to the bottom... What do these promoters want? We won everything because we were the last business running (or standing)… There are viable clubs currently who will still be viable in the future and one or two clubs may come back such as Bradford and Oxford but on a severely diminished pool of riders it will be very difficult. There are other clubs who could possibly be viable if they weren't in this arms race where riders hold all the chips... Fans have voted with their feet as has been mentioned and that is because they want to see top riders like Woofy Lindgren Pederson Lambert and Bewley in UK teams; however the UK can’t support the salaries that these guys demand and I doubt clubs will ever be back in the position to do so. The business model has to be on the terms of a financial fair play model: Clubs who can afford to run a top team should be pushed up into a top league; possibly Redcar Glasgow Poole Edinburgh Leicester and Eastbourne are championship clubs who can compete with premiership clubs on team build strength; crowds and finance: which will all level out in the top league and as a result the wages should also become more realistic because its ridiculous for a rider in what is in effect a second division earning more than what they get in the top league. This was why there was such a drive on the NDL/Conference league to stop clubs at that level paying more to riders than they could earn in the Championship and as ever the BSPL go about things arse about face and as usual. instead of sorting out the top end they strangle the bottom end? Anyway if the better off clubs go up a level it will leave the rest; Scunthorpe Berwick Kent Birmingham Plymouth Newcastle Mildenhall and the IOW to form a lower league where costs can be radically cut and hopefully make them financially viable. The NDL can then become the training pool the BSPL want it to be without having riders on massive guarantees resulting in them not wanting to race in the league above. There are not enough riders to run 1BL however there are enough to run a beefed up top league with more sides in it and a lower league with the odd one or two riders doubling up; and the kids being given the opportunity the BSPL profess that they need and deserve; however the pyramid is upside down at present. The favourite cry is that fans don't want to see the "product diluted" but we are where we are and I would suggest since the Polish leagues have risen to the top we will be in this predicament for a very long time if not forever now going forward. As for the product it is as week as pish... So the only way to combat a "diluted product" (hate that term) is to provide highly competitive racing and close matches with the riders you have available and bringing back the excitement to the sport. However when the second division is only a pseudo first division it makes a mockery of what you are trying to achieve IMHO... Regards THJ

Don't disagree with that comment but one big league isn't the panacea for Speedway at this juncture... and many fans don't want to see it that way... It will need about 4 more teams to go pop to push the agenda on for one big league because doubling up is what is sustaining riders... If it goes to one big league the sport will stop being a proffesional occupation for many riders and many will throw their hand in... and rider shortage is an issue now... If they do go down that route you may see the rise of clubs in the NDL... that's if the BSPL haven't destroyed the NDL as a competition... Regards THJ

Would disagree with that as I don't think there is a majority for 1 big league and think that would be the final death knell for the sport... Not that the sport isn't already in terminal decline... Regards THJ

Nowt yet Lewy!!! Did ya click on send?

A wager is a bet you ignoramus... think wage with er on the end... the wagger how you are thinking it is pronounced is the button mushroom that hangs between your legs that you call a dick... and contains your solitary brain cell... What happened to the promise you made yourself the other week about not posting on here anymore... That didn't last long did it... Regards THJ

It has been known... but would you like a small wager... Correct Did you expect anything else with the England Germany match on the box... although I have been talking to a good friend of @lewy who lives down there and he said the weather is (and has been) atrocious... So one consolation I suppose when the sun is cracking the pavement up here for a change... Barker should now be back for Berwick away on Saturday and Scunny at home on the Sunday... weather and football permitting... Regards THJ

Think that's it S4S I don't think Newcastle will be there next season under thè same promotion... and unless there is another brave soul out there to take it on that will be that... gone... RIP Newcastle... Regards THJ

No it's still about not losing any more money and getting as near to breaking even as possible rather than heamoraging cash... Regards THJ