HGould

I was shown many years ago that best way is to move your feet not your head, so you do 4 x 90 degree feet turns and makes you a lot less dizzy as head is always pointing in same direction as feet. Trick taught me by an old Squaddie at Coventry Speedway.

Steve Boxall got a 2 year ban for NOT failing a Drugs Test but refusing to take one - so 2 years would seem to be appropriate for someone who takes one and fails one.

I think Eastbourne may have missed the boat as he signed for Mildenhall so they own his contract. I know that as the Brummies had a look at Jason when we made reserve change but Stoneman was preferred.

Is Edwards the new No 7 then? Good signing for them if he is; might be a bit soon but he'll do well there.

British League of 14-16 Clubs and a National Development League of 8-10 Clubs No doubling up apart from NDL to reserves

Eastbourne Promotion in 2019 has been excellent, Cook is a part of that and he's not my favourite by any means but I get impression the Business and Marketing driving force is Jordan. In fairness to Jon Cook, at the Opening Meeting I attended with Brummies he (and Jordan and Bellerby) were very evident chatting to big Crowd waiting to get in and Cook was walking round chatting to people at the Good Friday match I attended to. I get the feeling he quite likes to play the "bad guy" but sometimes oversteps the mark. I can only say that he does more good than bad but gets bad wrap when he says silly things.

Agree entirely, this was chance for Kent to come out of shadows of their big rivals near neighbours down at Eastbourne with them and us Brummies moving up and Mildenhall weaker this year, looked open goal when they announced that 1-7. thought too they would clean up but now look to be behind Leicester and Belle Vue in pecking order. They will find it harder to attract riders than both BV Colts and Leicester if they all stay in NL as BV/Leic have option of offering both training facilities and top level rider/coaching sessions. Not sure where Kent go from the end of this season, do they move up to PL (can't currently ride in CL on a Monday night) or do they hope for a 1 League solution and pitch for that??

Len must have run over a few black cats, most thought Kent would bulldoze League with Team he started with but hasn't really clicked. OK they won early comp but that was just fixture fillers , already out of KOC and League would look 3 way fight with BVC and Leicester looking stronger right now. Time to get the cheque book out Len... options anyone??...Bowen? / Boxhall ? / Baseby ? / Brennan (when fit again) ? / Kinsley? / Bowtell ?

1000 for a run of the mill home meeting v Scunthorpe - that's excellent crowd!

Been to Leicester twice and Eastbourne twice and Somerset once + Wolves twice and Cradley twice, biggest crowds were at Leicester (CL) I'd say 1200 and Eastbourne (KOC) was reported around 1400 and also over 1000 for (CS) but all early in season, I read Leicester and Eastbourne still averaging around 900-1000 with a few blips/peaks. Doubt Brummies have had more than 600 so far and Wolves/Cradley around 650 mark. Somerset looked about 500 cold night though

Cradley are down on last few seasons, regularly go there, set up of track also makes it look bigger in numbers than some tracks where supporters can stand all round - I would say about 600 - 650 excellent for NL but down 200-300 from a few years ago.

I can see 2 Leagues "Big League" for want of a better name-: (key would be moving away from 2 fixed nights and telling Sweden and Poland to "do one". Does not benefit UK. Belle Vue; Ipswich; Kings Lynn; Peterborough; Poole; Swindon; Wolverhampton; Glasgow; Leicester; Scunthorpe; Sheffield (if sold); Somerset. (12) possibly Kent ? National (Development) League Berwick; Birmingham; Eastbourne; Edinburgh; Newcastle; Redcar ; IOW; Mildenhall; Plymouth ; Stoke (10 ) 11 with Kent. Can't see Cradley Heath running next year based on programme notes re new track and not sure BV / Leicester running 2 teams...

Fair to say I think that any Promotion needs "luck" and for a variety of reasons Mason's not getting any at moment on or off the track. Wish them well as tonight will be a tough sell at the Turnstiles for floating fans.

Great initiative from a Club who lost its "heart and soul in Bob Dugard" to Cancer last year; and I understand from recent film that Tom Brennan's mom is bravely fighting it as well. If more people do turn up and Club and charity both make a few quid, then that's a win/win surely?

agreed Len was outstanding at Hackney as were a number of Promoters of that era, hard to think of any/many of that quality left who know how to put on a Show.

Kent's biggest problem is their track and the curfew. If they could get an extention to 3 hours (or at least 2 1/2 hours) and spend a few quid of Len's petty cash on the track, they would find the 5-10 points their ability shows they are missing as everything would be a little less rushed. Not Kent's fault as it's a shame they cannot fulfil undoubted potential or consider moving up.

It's hard to fathom but since a lot of the media has been farmed out to Mr Pearson's Company (correct me if I'm wrong but that's the way it looks) I guess that we have to wait politely in the queue and end up with something too little and too late. It's a shame that when you have outstanding servants like Brian Buck around and great support from local Radio and Press that we can't bring it "in house" and sharpen it up. The Clubs that are doing that are tending to be the ones that lead the way media and PR wise.

From my recollection Bristol wasn't proper shale, wasn't it sand based as they had used sand old dog track. Steve Gresham liked it I recall. I'm sure i went to a track at Weymouth (not Radipole Lane) that was round a footy pitch. Halifax was horrible, everything about the place was horrible, granite dust, steel fence, dangerous banking, Charlie Monk liked it i remember and the Pusey's. Paisley that was round a footy pitch early 70's? Canterbury used to love going there in days when Brummies had Georgie Major and Arthur Browning and Phil Herne.

Don't rule out Birmingham Brummies. Can't yet decide if some Teams already have too many matches to cram in (Redcar) or have ridden too many too soon (Eastbourne) and may suffer as a result. I think current top 4 Leicester / Sheffield / Somerset / Glasgow may well stay there followed by Redcar - Birmingham - Eastbourne in that order.

Doesn't read well at all, can only hope and pray that the young man pulls through and makes a full recovery.

i agree about their social media and website and TV - I watched this the other night a documentary over 30 minutes https://www.eastbourne-speedway.com/eagles-tv-trackside/ click the link under the picture to Eagles TV then go half way down page where it says Trackside - it's outstanding by speedway standards

looks like Cook's fellow Eastbourne Director and Eastbourne Management agrees with you, found this on one of many Facebook threads about the comments and was posted by Ian Jordan Eastbourne Director-: As my name actually appears on that picture as a Director of Eastbourne Speedway I feel obliged, after a lot of soul searching to comment. The comments made are the personal opinion of the person who has made them and Jon is perfectly entitled to make them as is anyone in a democracy. They are not and should not be taken as anything other than that. As a passionate advocate; supporter, watcher and sponsor of 6 current National League Riders all of whom can slide a speedway bike exceptionally well, I do not personally agree with the comments, in fact having put significant sums of my own money where my mouth is to support NL Riders and an NL now CL Team I think it is patently obvious that I do not agree with them. That does not diminish my respect and support for Jon, as we are all entitled to our opinions, and we all express them in different ways. On the vexed and un-linked situation of National League and Professional and Amateur or "not professional" as the case may be, my interpretation of the situation is this. The word "Development" is as a direct result of the Speedway Authorities desire to keep the current 3rd tier as a League predominantly for riders who are born and brought up in the UK or who have valid UK Passports or parental rights. By using very clearly the word "development" they circumnavigate very complex EU laws which without the word "development" would possibly mean the League being flooded by EU and other nationalities. I look forwards to continuing to support, sponsor and ultimately promote the CL and PL riders of the future in the National League.

looks like his fellow Director Ian Jordan agrees with you as he posted this on one of many Facebook threads about the Cook article - typically diplomatic of Jordan in fairness to him and rest of Eastbourne Management-: As my name actually appears on that picture as a Director of Eastbourne Speedway I feel obliged, after a lot of soul searching to comment. The comments made are the personal opinion of the person who has made them and Jon is perfectly entitled to make them as is anyone in a democracy. They are not and should not be taken as anything other than that. As a passionate advocate; supporter, watcher and sponsor of 6 current National League Riders all of whom can slide a speedway bike exceptionally well, I do not personally agree with the comments, in fact having put significant sums of my own money where my mouth is to support NL Riders and an NL now CL Team I think it is patently obvious that I do not agree with them. That does not diminish my respect and support for Jon, as we are all entitled to our opinions, and we all express them in different ways. On the vexed and un-linked situation of National League and Professional and Amateur or "not professional" as the case may be, my interpretation of the situation is this. The word "Development" is as a direct result of the Speedway Authorities desire to keep the current 3rd tier as a League predominantly for riders who are born and brought up in the UK or who have valid UK Passports or parental rights. By using very clearly the word "development" they circumnavigate very complex EU laws which without the word "development" would possibly mean the League being flooded by EU and other nationalities. I look forwards to continuing to support, sponsor and ultimately promote the CL and PL riders of the future in the National League.

if anyone knew Morleys ability and limitations it should be Cook, had him for years after all at Lakeside. Not sure what his gripe with National League is either he did manage Lakeside in National League didn't he?, must think its beneath him.

It's a shame Cook has spoilt the very impressive reputation the new Promotion were building with a silly and unnecessary throw away line but that's his style. The project seems to be driven more by the new bloke Jordan, who as someone has pointed out seems very un-speedway like e.g transparent and good in print and on the mike.