TotallyHonestJohn

Don't think you will be seeing Ludde any time soon at Brough LOL and as I pointed out (very much tongue in cheek) its all speculation and if I could predict what riders averages will be at the "End of June" I think I would be putting my efforts into predicting the lottery results for next week rather than how many points the Diamonds might (or might not) have to spend on a new rider come July 1st Regards THJ

Oh just shows what I know, Good Luck to him, hadn't heard his name for a long while and thought he had hung up his Kevlar's following a bad injury; wondered why it had popped up. Remember watching him at Redcar 2009/10 ish and he looked a great talent but he certainly fell off my radar that's for sure. Regards THJ

Honestly Ben Wilson at 33 and not rode since "who can remember when" will be on an average of about 4.50 pints a night if he has any sense sitting in his carpet slippers; dressing gown and smoking his pipe each evening filled with a good rough shag!!!! (isn't that right Bill) Nothing will happen team wise I would suggest (unless possibly a bad injury or "Force Majeure" is inflicted on the team) until the 30th of June when the following rule kicks in 18.6.4 A Championship declaration must not exceed 38.00 points in any declaration following the issue of established CMA’s for 2019, thereafter from 30th June must not exceed 40.00, except where the MA of the introduced rider is equal to, or lower than the rider being replaced. Once the above date arrives it gives greater scope to amend the team and if current averages were the averages on that day then I would suggest the vulnerable rider (in this make believe scenario) would be Simon Lambert as I can not see young Phillips getting the chop (if he was to go it would have to be of his own volition and his own decision) So.... NEWCASTLE DIAMONDS Starting Ave 2.5% Red (if app) Current Ave 2.5% Red (if app) 1 Steve Worrall 8.17 7.97 8.21 8.01 2 Thomas Jorgensen 7.66 7.66 7.59 7.59 3 Lasse Bjerre 7.08 7.08 7.01 7.01 4 Matthew Wethers 5.78 5.78 5.88 5.88 5 Simon Lambert 4.45 4.34 4.15 4.05 6 Max Clegg 3.25 3.17 3.11 3.03 7 Danny Phillips 2.00 2.00 2.00 2.00 Total: 38.39 38.00 37.95 37.57 So if the current rolling averages above of today 11/04/19 were actually those on the 30/06/2019 by dropping Lambert you would have 6.64 for a Brit and 6.48 for a foreign rider; so it is crazy to start talking about changing team members this early in the season as it just will not happen. Furthermore; if say the two Danes and Steve W got their acts together each could add a near point each on their averages reducing the figures above available to replace a rider; by nearly 3 points so it is all speculation, Lambert could drop into reserve and start banging in double figure scores, Who Knows it is all speculation, The averages will change at the end of April; May and June and as stated who knows now what they will look like. All of the riders could loose a point off their average the way they are going and we could bring in Freddy Lindgren if he doesn't get a GP wild card and finally if my Aunt grew a pair she will become my Uncle One thing is; it is all speculation; and the potential options and permutations open to the promotion could be endless; and it wont be an easy task for them and the numbers will ultimately dictate the options available. Like many often state on here nothing in Speedway is straight forward however these type of conundrums are the ones most like to ponder. You cant beat a bit of speculation and mine is Bradley Wilson Dean who would come in on a 6 point average (might as well pinch another rider Workington would have had) and poor old Simon Lambert to get the chop. If today was tomorrow that is; however; and hopefully Simon proves everyone wrong and ups his average by a point or three (as opposed to two). If we ended up with a 7 point difference by dropping someone as Sings4Speedway points out an asset would be good and that could bring in a potential new Dane "Who Knows" So instead of talking about changes back the team to the hilt and hopefully they can pull things around themselves sooner rather than later; however as stated it is early days yet that's for sure So another quite day at work (doh!!!) roll on Easter and all the clients have there budgets sorted for 2019 and start spending money and stop using Brexit as an excuse not to spend Regards THJ

Should have done my homework

You are right there isn't a problem per sey it's just the referees are not applying the new rule uniformly yet and the riders are struggling to get used to it... I just hope it settles down sooner rather than later as these twitchy starts get right on my thruppenny bits if you'll pardon my vernacular.... Regards THJ

Correct totally agree... but if a new rule brought in to improve starts only proceeds to make things worse... Well? No one disagrees that tape touchers or people jumping shouldn't be punished but rule changes should help shouldn't they? Or am I just being daft? Regards THJ

It's all anticipation really rider and to a lesser extent the ref... but if everyone at the start is twitching and squirming around like a bag of worms it invariably ends up with a scrappy start Regards THJ

Are we not in the "Hey Day" now? Or is it the "Swan Song"? Starts can be so contentious and jumping starts causes quite a furore and to introduce a process that makes riders even more twitchy just doesn't work for me. I don't mind something being introduced if it helps but I just can't see the point... hope I am wrong and things settle down only time will tell I suppose.. Regards THJ

Think I said this after the Redcar meeting and all the meetings I have been to so far this season the Starts have been scrappy Berwick Saturday wasn't to bad but McGregor wasn't fully applying the new rule. Someone needs to sort this quick Refs have done the same process for the last 30 plus years and they are adding to the problems either revert back to how it was or get the riders together before the meeting starts and tell them how they will apply this new rule... at least at the start of the meeting the riders will have some idea of what to expect... not that it would have helped Newcastle in either Rogering they received at the weekend but it is starting to boil my bladder now... Regards THJ

But apparently Leon is telling on his Dad for pulling his last ride; Doh! who would be a Team Manager (LOL) Regards THJ

I am in the same boat I talk to the riders (and promoters) and just watch, ultimately you pays your money and you know what you like; unfortunately you don't always get what you like... Regards THJ

Honestly Carlisle United stadium isn't too bad and quite modern but West Cumbria seem to be the "poor relations" in the county being perceived as "off the beaten track" (the M6) to my mind, its a fantastic place to live and work and the people are great but I honestly can't put my finger on it, Don't know if it is under-funding or local authorities without any vision. As stated its the people who live there who have a much better grasp of what is going on in the area than I have (as a part timer). Politics and that's not just the Party type at a national or local level its also the politics with mutual hate and distrust between the Football and Rugby clubs and the Speedway is a bit of a pawn in all of that The malaise in Speedway isn't just peculiar to Workington the Sport appears to be dying on its backside everywhere in the UK and again all you need to do is read the posts throughout this forum and see what people are saying with regard to the failings within the sport in general (some of them very sensible). Costs; Rider Demands; Venues; Promoters and Promotions and there lack of action and empathy, Supporter expectations Arrogance (perceived or otherwise) of the BSPA and there apathy towards the sport. Lots of things working against the sport not including kids who have many and varied things to do now rather than come to Speedway and before cars were so cheap how many Dads and Granddads went to work on a motor bike rather than in a car so there was more of an affinity to two wheels rather than four back in the day which has been slowly eroded. Sports venues do galvanise communities however in a country and especially a county where Football and Rugby are held up as the sporting activities to follow they get precedence and the "New (Vanity Project) Stadium" will be central to these sports rather than Speedway, which is even more ironic after the Comets exploits last year and the plight both the Football and Rugby are in at present. Also back in the day of 2000; 3000.and 4000 crowds half of those guys will have passed away by now and again rather than go out and promote the sport; promotions have sat on their hands and not brought in new (replacement) fans. The whole thing needs a shake up from top to bottom but the BSPA are struggling IMHO to adopt new ideas quick enough. Moaning on here wont resolve the issue and money is the driver, without funds and income its a game where you eventually blow your brains out trying to sustain and maintain something on a shoe string. We are where we are and it will take an awful lot of good will from many and varied parties I believe if Speedway is to return; or a fan of Speedway to win the lottery (me please! me! me! me!) and then have a "Vanity Project" of their own (at Northside) Oh and I am not sure you get my humour but never mind the content above is genuinely sent. Regards THJ

Its no good running a fair track in a league of 11 when 8 or 9 of the others are not following suit However I do not fundamentally disagree with what you are saying but you cant say the EWR is smooth and consistent, Rob G tried his best last year and over the half dozen or so meetings I attended last season at the EWR it was possibly only the last two meetings where the track seemed consistent. Also does that not make wins all the more sweeter if a team has had to overcome the obstacle of a track that has been prepared to suit the home team? Dunno and just an opinion... Regards THJ

Honestly If this is the supporting information to your application for the position of West Cumbria International Tourism and Communications Officer I don't think you will be getting called for an interview somehow... I was at both home Glasgow meetings in 2017 and I am not sure which one you are on about here that you attended (1st or 2nd); however the first one saw Chris Harris and Simon Lambert guesting for Workington on the 29th of July and even Paulco from Glasgow who was doing the updates (in tandem with Kevcfc from Workington) stated at the end of the meeting "Fair play, cracking ride by Harris, well done Workington, very entertaining meeting. Beaten by the better team"... Workington were 16 - 26 down by heat 7 and the final result was 48 - 45 in their favour and I fully agree with the comment made by Paulco it was a cracking meeting. The second meeting was a 47 -43 affair to Workington on the 23rd of September with Rich Lawson of Glasgow putting in the fastest time of the season in heat one and with Workington trailing (or drawing) most of the meeting it was Heat 13 where we saw one of the best races at Dewent Park for a long time when Matt Williamson had a ding dong with Rich Lawson passing him on the last bend to grab second place, then in Heat 15 Mason Campton had a "Royal Rumble" with Richie Worrall on the track then coming off the track we had a "Handbags" moment between the two of them with a melee in the pits. Pure entertainment. As for the crowds; I got all the crowd figures off Steve W and looking back at the first meeting there were 753 people in and that was when Maryport Blues; Kendall Calling and Cockermouth Show were all on the same weekend, so no mean figures there especially as stated with all the other events happening at the same time however Harris will have had an effect. Week later against Scunthorpe match crowd 430 (just for reference) then the second Glasgow meeting there were 698 in so where you get your figure of 450 from is beyond me!!! However you do correctly state that the crowds at both of these matches were enhanced by the fantastic travelling support that Glasgow receive and there will have been an enhancement from the Bewley effect with him being a local lad. As for your source I would suggest that he only has a paucity of information and the same paucity of brain cells to go with his take on the situation, this whole stadium situation will hinge on the up and coming council elections and there is a large groundswell of opinion against this new stadium "Vanity Project" and Derwent Park may stay as the main sporting venue, the folk of West Cumbria will tell you better than me about the internal politics between the Football and Rugby teams and how long the council have tried to get them both into one stadium to free up saleable land. As an outsider myself looking in (adopted Cumbrian now I reckon) I can see Dewent Park being redeveloped rather than any new stadium being built but we will see; however this wont help the Speedway. As for your "Vandalised Dump" jibe aimed at Northside; well; granted it would need to be developed into a Redcar/Scunthorpe type of motor park and the council have said they would be open to this happening, personally I wont be holding my breath and Derwent Park still has 9 years I believe on the lease and it was mooted for the Speedway to take it over for 3 or 4 years whilst somewhere else could be developed for them but again this seems to have been a "Pie in the sky" comment made by the council and the Speedway have been dumped on from a great height, absolutely shafted. However many thanks for your concern and your support is greatly appreciated. Regards THJ

Honestly Newcastle looked like the away team... Berwick definitely wanted it more... we need fortress Brough Park and the sooner the better... two totally different tracks from last week to this... it's not the NSS it needs to be grippy and the grippier the better... there is no home track advantage whatsoever at present... Needs to be sorted sooner rather than later... Regards THJ

Honestly I think you are right it will take a miracle if we are to see Speedway back in Cumbria anytime soon let alone in 2020... Regards THJ

Know exactly what I was on about Biffa and the edit was to add the Honestly on the end.... just for a bit more comedic effect like eh... you being a total plum an all that... ok... Regards THJ

Not sure what you're on about there Biffa I was referring to your brain and if you had one more brain cell than you have now it would be lonely... Honestly... Regards THJ

From what I hear Jenga "Size has always been your problem" Regards THJ

A.N.Other has it spot on If the finances had been in place before the BSPA AGM there would not have been a problem, the Comets would have run. When the "local businessman" came in Laura thought this would be a better route in financing the club rather than the LLP proposal and went down that route. The club's licence would/could have gone "On Ice" at this AGM meeting and it would have cost them nothing, and they would not have started the team building process; However due to intervention by the Council and this "Local Businessman" this gave the false sense of security that the support would be there and in place to run and back the team in 2019, so the promotion went ahead with building the team; unfortunately nothing was forthcoming and we are where we are; and the promotion had to pay £5000 to put the licence "On Ice" post AGM. The only saving there has been is the £3000 fine the club got for not running the last meeting of the season against Lakeside in 2018 which also went "On Ice" for 12 months and will be waived at the end of the 2019 season if no further fixture transgressions occur! obviously this will not happen with the club not running. Keith Denham spent an awful lot of money and time setting up the track at DP and as such it could be classed as an asset of the club as without a track you can not race and how this can be ripped up unilaterally is beyond me. If the Speedway does comes back who pays for the reinstatement of the track? It is just another hurdle to overcome and I fear another nail in the coffin. Regards THJ

Yet the Bears riders were singing its praises last night in the post match chat with Roy!!!! Funny that!!!! Regards THJ

I was once told that a Somerset/Newcastle televised meeting (Div 2) on Sky was only selected because both teams had team suits; and that Sky preferred clubs to have team suits! how true that was I have no idea; then I believe this was followed up with a Somerset/Workington or Scunny/Worky match where Worky were definitely not in team suits so it may be utter rubbish... Memory may be failing too but I will stand corrected; however I did hear the same said about a Newcastle/Glasgow televised meeting that it was selected by Sky because both teams turned out in team suits!!! You only pay VAT if your purchase comes from a VAT registered company The taxable turnover threshold which determines whether a person must be registered for VAT, is £85,000. You can only claim VAT back if you are a VAT registered company. The irony being there is an argument that the advertising on the suits is VAT exempt and to add to the confusion some riders are VAT registered!!! but all clubs will be VAT registered. Newcastle first went down the team suit route (2007 I think) when Darryl Illingworth and Darren Bond came up with the idea to get local businesses involved. Our company was asked (in 2012 I think) if they would pay £350 quid to sponsor a suit and be the main sponsor of that suit (they were told they would get preferential advertising on the full right leg, stomach and small of the back) (which didn't happen but never mind) the main sponsor had the chest and right arm and the rest of the suit was left for the riders, so 7 companies were approached for the 7 suits and it worked. No cost to the club. (except for injuries and team changes) and of course guests still ended up with a bib! The cost of a suit now is £500 quid and no VAT as our supplier is not VAT registered, and it is an easy way to provide team suits and gives the smaller businesses the opportunity to get their name out there; it just needs someone to co-ordinate it with the club/promotion; so £3500 gets you a full set of team suits. A small business or one man band may look favourably if his only outlay to get a bit of advertisement and kudos only runs to £500 quid As ever utter Horlicks!!! next to you Donald Trump is a Genius Here is a one we done earlier (sorry its not the right team) Regards THJ

Honestly I think if the Speedway had of run the Reds would have been looking for another temporary venue, or playing on a smaller pitch at DP no matter what protestations they made (about the FA and pitch size)... so the Speedway not running has saved the council a major headache in that regard... The new stadium vanity project still might not get off the ground despite all the positive spin we are hearing... The last thing I was told was DP wouldn't be demolished for 3/4 years and in that time the Speedway could use the venue and would be the sole users until somewhere more suitable could be found (Northside ish?) The Northside Track would need major alteration to accommodate big boys Speedway and this cost (around £150K) would be prohibitive... Also Keith Denham spent an awful lot of time; effort and money laying the track at DP, surely there must be some recompense if it is just unilaterally ripped up... Also my big worry would be the electrics laid to the inside of the track for the starting gate, as it will be a complete ball ache to try and reset; relay and rewire those should they get damaged... The outlook isn't that good I reckon but lets wait and see I would love to be wrong... Regards THJ

Honestly Well done Redcar as they rode with a lot of grit and determination... they deserved it... However... and I accept that it was the first home meeting of the season but I stand in line with the tapes and the starts seemed so disjointed and scrappy which was most unusual as Phil Day is normally a very good Start Marshall (as is Barry Simpson when we borrow him from Redcar) and although this had very little bearing on the final result as it was the same for both sides it did look very messy... I thought this new "starting" rule was going to improve the starts however I can't say that slicker starts or a slicker starting process was evident this evening... Regards THJ

Honestly The pitch realignment had nothing to do with the Speedway not running it was purely financial.... However with the Speedway not running it has opened the door for everyone else to maximise their own interests and agendas... Oh and I have been watching the Diamonds getting turned over by Redcar 43 - 46 today at Brough Park and I assume I will be watching my football team get turned over by The Gunners tomorrow (April Fools) night as well... Oh well "come day go day and God bless Sunday" as me old Grandad used to say... Regards THJ