RobMcCaffery

We had it once Mike. We called it the National League. How it was allowed to be sold down the river in the name of amalgamation and the needs of one club in the nineties is still a mystery.

Career summary here: https://wwosbackup.proboards.com/thread/812/phil-disney

The ref's box is seen in the photo. It's always been out of alignment with the start line, as was its predecessor which I am very familiar with. No room on the back straight unless you bring the track back in.

Isolation from Poland is sadly inevitable for both Britain and Sweden. Rather than be at the mercy of PZM's bulying both have to accept that it is not possible to use riders who race in the Polish Leagues and resource their leagues from those who don't. Already the needs of Poland, and BSI have crippled British speedway. It can only get worse. It's time to rebuild employing riders who will be allowed to race freely here. Let the Poles do their thing, even if it means having to say goodbye to some of our own riders. We cannot go on this way. Poland isn't going to change as long as the money's flowing in. We have to.

Nothing on the Polish websites yet. Sportowe Fakty normally carry the dates. Talking of SF, they're carrying the story below. It's no surprise but the Poles are abusing the Covid-19 crisis to flex their muscles. Decent of them. There's also a headline claiming Poland is ready to fight the FIM. Unfortunately that story is on video so out of range of Google Translate. Link: https://sportowefakty.wp.pl/zuzel/883079/zuzel-szykuja-sie-by-powiedziec-zawodnikom-chcesz-jechac-w-polsce-o-innej-lidze- Slag. They are getting ready to tell the players: you want to go in Poland, forget about another league In PZM there is a growing group of supporters of options - one player, one league. Who knows if from the 2022 season the rule will not come into force that speedway riders wanting to compete in Poland will have to commit that they will not go in any other league. It's all getting very messy. Money talks.

Presumably there's not enough money in it for them.

I think the angle is a little deceptive. I don't think it gets that close, bearing in mind there used to be a dog track outside the fence. Worrying to see that spectators could well be denied most of the home straight, The old stand was a flaming nuisance, operationally and was very poorly designed but at least it gave people a decent view of the home straight, A case of 'wait and see' I suppose. Keep the faith. As long as the track's there we still have a chance.

The MEN website has a Crime section which is where I've been checking. There are reports on cases on Monday, but no mention of Garrity. Geryhoundp's post shows an routine adjournment.

Nothing on the Manchester Evening News website .... yet. They're very fond of crime stories so it'll just be a matter of time.

It would be a good 'one in the eye for BSPL/Eurosport' if BT did get the rights ;-) I expect they be too expensive.

Superb post Spl77. I hope you find your passion again but can understand why it died.

Thank you for battling on. We're still getting a very readable magazine. I can imagine what you are going through.

The point I was making was that EMTV show great matches and not their major triumphs. Of course you don't go to the polar opposite and show disasters. That's a ludicrous and pointless comment. You find middle ground, showing great speedway which doesn't always mean trophies. Perhaps their market isn't as knowledgable about the sport as Edinburgh's? All they seem to be able to watch is glory. I prefer speedway. Now I must apologise for inflicting Poole's poison on this thread. Sadly now they're in our league we will have to put up with them, hopefully not for long. Thank you EMTV, you are making the lack of speedway that little more tolerable. Poole, you offer nothing.

Nothing wrong with the Isle of Wight coverage. You know who I mean. Not your best attempt at wit. Well, half-way there. Poole's arrogance shines through in those videos that they are showing. Might it be an idea to show some decent matches rather than bathing in your trophy-hunting glory? We all know you've won so many titles, and how. Thanks to your pathetic mischief-making I've had to explain to Andy that my comments were not attacking him. Comparing the delightful IoW videos with the strident arrogance in the commentary on the Poole videos is like comparing chalk and cheese. By the way the conversation was friendly and we agreed on many points. Not the outcome you were hoping for but you can go and wallow in your endless videos of Poole's shabby glory. Edinburgh have won a fair bit over the years but despite this are obviously choosing meetings on their quality, not whether trophies were won. Perhaps you don't have any similarly interesting meetings down there? This thread has been rightly celebrating a great service from EMTV and sharing the enjoyment. You might try the same. I'm sure I'm not the only one hoping Poole head back to the Premiership soon without poisoning an enjoyable and generally friendly level of speedway.

The current issues remind us that speedway has a huge story to tell, even if there's nothing happening right now. The success of Backtrack, I suspect, is not just nostalgia, but the previously unwritten back stories - why and how things happened behind the scenes. These are things that the internet cannot provide as easily as it can provide results but along with speculation and gossip often posing as news. Sometimes it needs expert hands to establish and make sense of what is or has actually been happening and that's worth paying for.

Another great issue today, especially the saga of getting riders out to Rovno in 1991. It's the perfect example of very welcome 'filler'.

Worth having a word with Jan Staechmann to see if he's prepared to let some of his Classic Speedway Video library be shown? I'm sure there's action from old Perry Barr and Wheels in there. Apologies for the commentary if they are there ;-)

I'm thoroughly enjoying the racing. Always good to see a small track where you can pass on the outside. I've been a couple of times but you get a better idea from these excellent videos. Thank you for helping us through this awful period, Monarchs. As for Mike, I wish I'd had the courage to be quite so direct! A true antidote to the sycophantic videos being posted by a certain outfit near Bournemouth ;-)

Lovely. If that comes with the success of Polish Speedway give me failure any day.

It was November 1st 1974, against Belle Vue - and it was a "Revenge Challemge". I still think a meeting was held as late as November 10th in the 70s, just maybe not at Waterden Road.

I'm pretty sure I went to a meeting at Hackney on November 10th one year - and it was a challenge match.

It works in Sweden but that is a different society and economy to ours. I think the Isle of Wight meeting mentioned by someone earlie=er is this one:

That's not what I said.National League racing takes place in stadia now, not "some field where some people...." Still, if you want to believe such utter rubbish to look good then go ahead. The rest will leave you to it. Ever been to Iwade? That's real grass roots speedway and that certainly doesn't live up to your stupid description.

It won't simply because someone will always have the idea "Hey, what about four guys racing on a stadium track that all spectators can see, and have a team to support" It might fade away temporarily at the top but at grass roots there will always be speedway, it's a simple sport. The trick is not to mess it up by making it complicated. As long as there are bikes, tracks and guys mad enough to use both it'll survive.

If we add the effects of our departure from the EU the days of cheap and simply-organised foreigners has hit the buffers. I suspect that apart from a fully amateur grass roots league the only way forward at the higher level is a semi-professional set-up based on riders who are based here for the season and can commit to a full season here. This would effectively be a rebirth of the highly successful National League model of the late seventies and eighties, with a pool of British and Commonwealth riders. Those who wish to take Poland's money could be allowed to, but at the Polish club's expense. If they can pay megabucks per point they can pay the air fares.... Whatever level emerges it must fit one simple principle. The costs must not outweigh the revenue.