Beirao

Here's a quick and rather rough attempt to look at team strengths of teams should the Big League actually happen. It would need some fine tuning but it gives a flavour of what it would be like... And it only has 5 men teams Underlying assumptions - teams retain their racenights so riders who dont ride in the Championship wont be available to ride in the Big League - Premiership teams get to keep Rising Star and one doubling up rider 2026 Team Rider Ave Belle Vue Hodder 2.70 Belle Vue Wright 9.11 Belle Vue Mulford 4.37 Belle Vue Zischke 5.76 Belle Vue Vuolaas 6.87 Belle Vue Total 28.81 Berwick Morris 6.86 Berwick Kemp 8.05 Berwick Jeppesen 8.29 Berwick J Smith 2.68 Berwick Wood 2.24 Berwick Total 28.12 Edinburgh Palovaara 7.35 Edinburgh Sedgmen 7.34 Edinburgh Castagna 7.05 Edinburgh Grahn 5.30 Edinburgh Loftus 2.00 Edinburgh Total 29.04 Glasgow Hume 5.10 Glasgow Harris 9.13 Glasgow Nagel 7.39 Glasgow Perry 2.35 Glasgow Foord 3.78 Glasgow Total 27.75 Ipswich K Thomsen 5.93 Ipswich D Thompson 8.72 Ipswich Starke 4.13 Ipswich Edwards 6.60 Ipswich Spencer 2.00 Ipswich Total 27.38 Kings Lynn Heeps 4.93 Kings Lynn Lawson 9.83 Kings Lynn Lambert 4.65 Kings Lynn Harrison 5.10 Kings Lynn Borke 4.57 Kings Lynn Total 29.08 Leicester Hagon 3.57 Leicester Masters 10.09 Leicester Gusts 5.49 Leicester Allen 6.53 Leicester Cluff 3.00 Leicester Total 28.68 Oxford Kildemand 8.08 Oxford McDiarmid 5.18 Oxford Killeen 5.28 Oxford Nicholls 8.08 Oxford Ritchings 2.50 Oxford Total 29.12 Plymouth Klindt 8.36 Plymouth Barker 6.32 Plymouth J T hompson 6.02 Plymouth Frederikssen 5.49 Plymouth Trigger 3.60 Plymouth Total 29.79 Poole Jenkins 6.16 Poole Kerr 6.94 Poole Z Cook 7.34 Poole T Thomsen 4.81 Poole Cairns 3.91 Poole Total 29.16 Redcar King 8.81 Redcar Riss 7.12 Redcar Scott 3.92 Redcar Pijper 4.17 Redcar Knudsen 4.93 Redcar Total 28.95 Scunthorpe MPT 6.12 Scunthorpe Worrall 7.07 Scunthorpe Mountain 6.11 Scunthorpe D Kennedy 4.63 Scunthorpe Z Kennedy 5.24 Scunthorpe Total 29.17 Sheffield Howarth 8.12 Sheffield Flint 7.12 Sheffield Gilks 4.71 Sheffield Rowe 7.57 Sheffield Butcher 2.00 Sheffield Total 29.52 Workington Bowtell 4.77 Workington Batchelor 7.10 Workington Bowes 5.63 Workington Etheridge 5.45 Workington Hook 5.57 Workington Total 28.52 While Championship teams have been watered down, I Cant see Premiership supporters being pleased with their teams shorn of stars. How much would supporters be expected to pay to watch these meetings £10,£15 - how much would you pay? How much would riders get paid per point? Half of the 2025 rate? Sorry but this would kill speedway by the end of the first season.

As the last couple of years team build limit has been set at 40 but teams will always end the season centred on 42, a 5% increase (2/40) is to be expected and doesn't suggest the an improved performances

If tomorrow is rained off will it be restaged the following Wednesday replacing the Blue Riband individual?

Redcar are at home on Sept 20 and 26 so undoubtedly wouldn't want another home meeting the following day, nor the 27th. Sept 30 may be embargoed due to SON in Poland ( Sept 30 to October 4) crazy but would also explain why Sunday October 5 is the first available date.

Will it be restaged. Really hope not as another Friday becomes unusable.

The lovely Cornish man who was a real handful on the track https://classicspeedwaymemories.webador.co.uk/september-2025/just-an-unlucky-lad

month's edition will feature Who is going and who is stsying - which Tigers were planning to go home in 1965 classicspeedwaymemories.webador.co.uk/september-2025/who-is-going-and-who-is-staying The BLs First Season - September 1965 classicspeedwaymemories.webador.co.uk/september-2025/the-bls-first-season-september-1965 Just an Unlucky Lad - the life and times of Chris Julian classicspeedwaymemories.webador.co.uk/september-2025/just-an-unlucky-lad Brian Whaley - a Tiger and a Bandit of the late 60s classicspeedwaymemories.webador.co.uk/september-2025/brian-whaley classicspeedwaymemories.webador.co.uk/

It's a worrying thought that the current set up might be the least worst and needs to be maintained. IF we have a combined league, it's unlikely that it will stick to Mondays and Thursdays race nights so it's highly unlikely that Premiership riders who race in Poland will continue to ride in the UK. This would be the death knell of the sport as there wouldn't be enough riders and there would be a huge drip in standards. Some way has to be found to shire up the Premiership to six teams. Can Oxford be persuaded to stay, even if it means dropping their Championship side. Would Poole or Glasgow be prepared to move up if they get to retain their current race night - messy but the last card in the pack.

Didn't Glasgow ask for volunteers to run streams a year or so ago but none were forthcoming so the idea got dropped so they weren't against it at all.

Having googled fifth degree burns, they are serious and he could be out for some time. Wish the lad well in his recovery.

I think it was Mike Parker not TR as he was hoping to open Barry

Here's how I remember him https://classicspeedwaymemories.webador.co.uk/august-2025/the-other-bernie

It'll be interesting to see how Hagon goes as he generally does well at Ashfield. Our reserves may have a tough time but our 1-5 should score heavily. Would expect to break the 50 barrier tonight.

This month's edition will feature 60 Years on and it still rankles - a grievance from times gone by The BLs First Season - August 1965 The Other Bernie - recalling the sensational debut of Bernie Lagrosse True Blue - Bluey Scott https://classicspeedwaymemories.webador.co.uk/august-2025

Not sure that Cook does Fridays. Didn't he miss the meeting at Edinburgh a few weeks ago.

Allied sponsor Glasgow so you'd expect, f they were to use any influence at all, it would be to get Leon and Dan excused from going to France that well known hotbed of speedway finals.

"Drew Kemp chose club over country after turning down the opportunity to ride in the final." suggests that riding for Team GB is discretional. So what is the Glasgow's promotion stance on this. Do they support Dan and Leon riding in it or did they ask them to pull out a la Kemp? Do they consider the guests are even adequate? Two riders with considerably lower averages, neither of who have ridden at Shielfield before. Supporters deserve to know the promotions view on this.

While Max scored more than his assessed average, it doesn't mean our team structure is right. Nagel and Hume instead of Howarth and Perry would give a better balance. Might even have allowed Joe Thompson, our first choice, in as well instead of Boughen.

As you say Flint was never going to be the difference between winning and losing and there is little to choose between him and Drew Kemp so the obvious answer was to take Kemp on this occasion. What team does Flint ride for in the Polish league?

Probably ghost written well in advance and too lazy to update it. Glasgow management seem reticent to tell of riders missing, usually leaving it until the day of the meeting.

https://classicspeedwaymemories.webador.co.uk/july-2025/the-bl-s-first-season-july-1965 Remember the Russians visit and Ron How's career ending crash? Other memories?

AI certainly seems to think so ! Other "winners" beyond 1964 are also listed. Caveat lector! Reader beware! https://classicspeedwaymemories.webador.co.uk/july-2025/dangers-of-ai

The team building philosophy was wrong but the team is not terrible. The two reserves are actually averaging more this year than their assessed 2.00 figures so it's wrong to say they are "poor". However it will be a stretch to win a trophy this year, particularly if we meet Poole.

The July edition will feature Terrible Twos - the Irish attempt at Belfast in 1968 Dangers of AI - a futuristic look back at the Provincial League Sixty Years ago the BL's First Season - a look at happenings in July 1965 Doug Templeton's Coos - an ode to the Fife farmer and his beasts https://classicspeedwaymemories.webador.co.uk/july-2025

Riders will be self employed and few if any would have set up limited companies. Most speedway accounts are described as "unaudited and filleted" in accordance with the appropriate company regulations. As such they are a simple balance sheet from which liquidity and profitability can be deduced, though the extent of sponsorship isn't revealed.