Glen

There are 2 names that come to mind - Ben Morley and Nathan Ablitt.

Thats a nonsense argument isn’t it ! Are you saying that Arron will be expected to a clubs number one ?

Peter Oaks in this weeks SS makes a good argument and puts forward a completely different league set up but maintaining 2 leagues of 7 clubs each.

That’s what the ‘Elite’ league of 2000 was all about with a Sky tv deal to back it up. The best riders were attracted (of course) because the cash was flowing. Teams became overwhelmingly non U.K. riders - I don’t think Poole had a British rider or maybe one. The then Premier league became the best most U.K. riders could expect - mostly because the standard was much higher at Elite clubs. It didn’t last of course - it would make me smile when promoters tried to do something about it (reduce team strengths - save money) and all people would say it was watering down the product. The system then can probably be responsible for the fact that Nichols Harris and the late Lee Richardson were our best riders for donkeys years with not a lot to challenge them.

Maybe those riders who want to make some sort of living out of the sport are securing this now rather than expect to be doubling up.

Got to give you credit for being a Premier snob - lower order riders mean your superstars have someone to race against!!

Correct ! Knutsson won in 1965

The amalgamated league as recommended by Lord Shawcross came into effect in 1965. Norwich had already closed so no Ove and Knutsson retired after winning the world title in 1964. Briggs was the only really world class rider remaining from the original club of 5 greats. Speedway didn’t collapse and in fact thrived with more opportunities to young riders and those who had been jogging along in the then lower provincial league.

I see you are now using the one big league argument and yes prem clubs would be saving lots of money - BUT they won’t be allowed to hoover up the best riders as I’m sure the bspl will introduce a rider control system that will try to even out team strengths. After all it’s been done before ! Drastic measures but necessary.

It worked then as the top riders didn’t have anywhere else to go and ride. Some promoters didn’t like losing a rider to another club so as to even out teams. As long as each club had a ‘top’ rider - the world class riders had diminished in numbers though as Craven Fundin Knutsson and Moore had gone. I think you have some similarities to what we may find now.

So are you saying those same riders who will fill the places of the absent GP and others won’t ride in the Championship as they do now?

No Lisa they will have to use their wallets!

And the tv deal is with ……… ? otherwise what’s the point of the Premiership?

Well can thank the ‘Elite’ league for the state speedway is now in. Future young riders are totally dependent on the investment by their parents and the cost of that is colossal. All this talk of a club being ‘forced’ to go Premiership is purely conditional on a TV deal otherwise where’s the money coming from?

Well can thank the ‘Elite’ league for the state speedway is now in. Future young riders are totally dependent on the investment by their parents and the cost of that is colossal!

All this talk of top riders and their value to the U.K. how do the Poole crowd numbers differ from now to when say Holder and Ward were riding?

Who’s to say that Bewley and Kurtz don’t ride in U.K. next year. Riders have very little loyalty and ride where they’re paid best. A TV deal is paramount I understand for the Premiership to continue in something like its present form. If it doesn’t then Lindsey could well be BV’s new number one!

It’s stated that upwards of 3 million people a week attended greyhound racing and speedway during the 1930’s . How times have changed for both sports, speedway almost disappeared in the late 50’s but a resurgence came about through one or two who didn’t want it to die.

Unsurprisingly Mark Lemon in the SS is bigging up the Premier league and saying it just needs 2 clubs to move up. Otherwise it could have serious repercussions for the Championship if the commuting riders can’t ride because our tracks operate when they like meaning rider shortage and wage demands from all the rest. No TV deal might mean it’s plan B !

The best riders in the world start level and then follow each other around the track very similarly to the ones who are not. Watching some of the Polish meetings it’s just like that!

It doesn’t harm the sport as it’s a development league - it’s what goes on in the Prem that does the harm. Rather like in 1974 when all the commuting Swedes got banned maybe it’s up for the GP riders!

Clubs or the BSPL should not be promoting the NDL as a professional league - rider availability is down to who can get time off work or travel. It worked 20 years ago when teams swapped riders around - I remember at Rye House you could see riders appearing for different teams all the time and no one seemed to be too concerned.

When top riders ply their trade in Poland and Sweden I’m thinking a new formulated league wouldn’t be so attractive. But the alternative isn’t going to be so attractive either if it’s only a league of a 4 clubs. For the common good of the sport those riders deemed PL to be shared within a 14 club league - 6 rider teams as well. 1965 all over again !

Best 16 year old i saw was Woffenden - had everything from such a young age. Spent 2 years at Rye House having fun on his bike so hopefully these boys can do the same. The sport gets very serious when you start riding in Poland!

Not if it were reorganised to give them the opportunity to compete - too many riders who are Premiership doubling down into the Championship.