RobMcCaffery

Maybe they could come up with a more meaningful name, such as "Stars of the League", or "Cearns's Dons"?. Showmanship? Giving the public what they want - naaah, what do they know". I'm sure it's not Silver's choice. I still remember warmly Rayleigh v Jack Millen's Anzacs in 1972.... What harm does it really do calling a side racing in a second half with minimal publicity Outer Hebrides Hawks? Talking Scotland I remember a side being tracked in the SJL at Blantyre called Darvel because the riders concerned either came from or practiced in the area. No wonder the Tigers had to move to Shawfield. Or take rugby. Just where does this side called "The Barbarians" play their home matches? I'd be interested to know what would happen if someone offered Scunthorpe ten grand to sponsor a challenge match against Boston ;-)

You can feel sympathy to him without treating him as a saint.

One of the key factors in awarding the mobility benefit PIP (Personal Independence Payment) is whether the person can walk 20 metres unaided or aided without resting. . If not they get the full points. So, since there is now no such thing as "Registered Disability" anyone with the higher rate of PIP is considered by the government of being unable to walk more than 20 metres. Obviously the BSPA know better. I need aids to walk now (a rollator - wheeled frame with seat) and have the highest levels of PIP. I asked one track that offered discounts for the disabled what they considered 'disabled'. "Well, do you use a wheelchair" was the answer. In this modern world such ignorance of the law is dangerous. If they say "Are you registered as disabled?" well that registration hasn't existed for years. Another consideration offered by a surprisingly large number of leisure businesses is the question of free or discounted attendance for carers. At many places I go to, such as wildlife reserves or other tourist attractions they see my mobility problems and ask if my wife is my carer. If she says yes she gets free or sometimes reduced admission. Speedway is miles and years behind the times in far more many ways than toilets.......... Whenever I visit a stadium now I need to plan out my entrance and accomodation long before I travel. Thankfully I have previously visited all but three. I have to consider how close to the entrance I can park, how far inside the stadium I need to walk to get to basic facilities such as a disabled loo and whether if there is a stand that I can get into. I'm getting a bit old now to sit out in the cold. Put it all together and even if I can afford to go when on benefits you have to think "Is it really worth all the hassle?" which is awful since I still love my speedway and would happily watch a match every night of the week as I did in my youth in London. Sometimes the TV is a lifesaver - literally in some cases.

The number one speedway consideration. "What's in it for me?"

Its usual meaning. It's too far away from many people in positions of authority to notice it. Having said that NJL was being staged at Scunthorpe. One benefit of being 'distant' is the ability just to get on with things without interference.

Out of sight, out of mind.....

Call them "The Racers"?

That only applied to Britain, SGP excepted.

Yes, of course it was but that's irrelevant. The two stadium profiles overlapped and I cannot see how a few yards will produce significant noise differences. I strongly suspect that the people buying houses were told not to worry since the stadium was on its way out and now they realise that's not the case. They were foolish if they believed it. No doubt if this goes legal the truth will emerge.

I live in hope. Trouble is the next village is called despair....

Hmmm, might be bit tricky to fit the pits in behind the Food Hall.

If you prefer a car boot sale to Selfridges then fine. Not for a major speedway event. It would be like staging the British Grand Prix at Berrington Lough. There's 'funny' and there's 'funny'.

I suspect the response may be. "Hey, you can't run your DL team any more but you can run mine for me"

Let's face it, Groningen was more fun than Norden ;-)

A great Dutch tradition. Simple food in the automatic dispensers, larger or more complex meals knock on the kitchen door ;-) Not being able to read much Dutch back then it was like playing edible Russian Roulette with the croquettes in the automatic dispensers. Then there was Tony's Tattoo Bar. Let's see if anyone admits to knowing that place.....

Guilty as charged, but in my defence it was only a pit stop between bars. "ok, it's 2 am, we're closing but there's a great bar down the road open until 6" I did have to pick up a mic the following day.....

But it's in the same place!

I can see Sheffield signing Dag Lovaas and running a full season with rider-replacement at number 2 for him. Shares the load ;-)

Sadly the DL clubs have to focus on the Championship and National League tracks. Effectively though they have only lost seven tracks, although seeing it written down it still looks harsh. I see the press release refers to tidying up the system. That's to fit in with the rest of speedway in Britain.....isn't it? Somehow I managed to keep a straight face while writing that. I wish the new competition well, and the development leagues too. Anything that adds to the value for money for supporters has to be welcomed. Consideration for volunteers and supporters? That would be a nice idea ;-)

Ah, Groningen! A superb base for ice racing trips to Assen. I was lucky enough to cover Dutch ice hockey at the time and made many trips to Groningen. Oh those bars and a marinaded pork chop from an 'Automatiek' in the back streets at 2 am. Some Ice Racing qualifying events were held there for a while.

Thank goodness for the mute button, eh? My goodness, I haven't even got a copy! That was a rather, ahem, 'unofficial' job, shot from the terraces. After the event the KM Video proprietor had the cheek to get us into the hospitality tent and chat to Barry Briggs while a very camera-shaped object was hidden in a holdall under a jacket....... I went 'straight' later, honest!

Only one of us commentated on it ;-) The point about Muller's engine is probably very close to the mark. Either way, maybe it was the surroundings but the whole event just didn't feel 'right'.

I didn't say nobody else could ride it . If having the track prepared to favour the home rider and to allow maximum track practice isn't an influence why do countries, especially the Poles but apart from Britain do it?

Were you there? If the track had been set up for Muller then having the fastest times would prove, not disprove the point. There were plenty of people with this view on the terraces. Muller had been good at speedway bit not that good, either before or after. So, how was it that suddenly he was faster than the world's elite.....for one day?

I take it Coventry's match at Leicester is still on? ;-) Re Milan, it doesn't matter what the balance is between landlord and tenant the argument was put forward that all ground sharing is undesirable. The fact thast it works in a major sporting league is surely relevant, whether Internazionale are landlords or joint tenants?