Crump99

Nobody been found out. The sport looks like it couldn't run a bath as per usual. Sheffield could have explained it in those terms and perhaps got the sympathy vote but they just said that it's happening and shut up shop. On the face of it, it looks more of an unplanned inconvenience rather than real problem but it's a shame that grown adults can't act like them. Having said that, ever heard of propoganda? This is all straight out of the Cyril Crane book of speedway promotion.

Ronnie replacement would be my guess. Just hope that those three are on decent equipment as you'd imagine that logistically their best will be elsewhere or on route?

All sorted now. The gloves are off and Rathbone lets rip - this is a hyperlink We've made the effort to make the meeting credible: "However, Peterborough have received a huge boost with World Under 21 finalists Thomsen and Grondal, and Barker, who is due to compete in the prestigious Golden Helmet meeting, all vowing to represent their club in the battle for honours. Rathbone added: “The guys have all agreed to change their plans ahead of major weekend meetings to be at Sheffield. We have pulled out all the stops at great expense to the club to ensure we have the strongest possible team" And the funniest part is that in a sport swamped with rules, many unwritten which appear out of the ether as necessary, the BSPA MC sympathise but say that there is no rule in place for this situation: when has that ever bothered them

With most of that being out of our hands, but when it came to the crunch and we'd got a full team then you'd have thought that the fans would want to see those riders and Sheffield would want to say that they beat Peterborough's team? I thought we'd left the Poole mentality behind but clearly it lives in the PL as well. Why didn't Sheffield decline the fixture? (I'm assuming that they could?) If that really was the situation then I'd have told us to try again.

You're supposed to help though, not supply them with ammo Met office showing 7am shower then fine all day, which is better than earlier so can't see any help from the weather atm.

Firstly, who knew what and when is relevant. If we messed up (as we have done before) then I have little sympathy. Did Peterborough know the play off dates? Have any of the known dates changed? Would they not have expected some common sense when agreeing dates? I'd expect Peterborough to be flexible in such circumstances for the credibility of the sport but appreciate that it rarely works like that. Your second point sums up speedway really. Win at all costs, cheat the public because enough will come back for another dose in these circumstances, if not again when they eventually look at the detail of it all. That's not much of an argument.

So two of our riders who will be there Thursday riding for Panthers can read that fans are already filling out their P45. Don't you just love these posts before season end. I'd get MJJ back, Darren Fletcher & The Crew Girls etc. I miss the EL and resident looney.

It's not going to be Peterborough though is it. It's Peterborough Select due to foreseen and avoidable circumstances. It's r/r, 3 guests, MPT, the Pole and Lambert I assume. Should be a corker! Will be interesting to see what the behind closed door negotiations delivered on the team front, if anything?

That's not a problem. We've messed up regularly since 2006 so we can handle losing. It's the moving goalposts and lack of transparency from our sports guardians that's more of a problem, if not unexpected. With the Sheffield clock ticking at 3 days it's too late to do anything about this fixture so I'd imagine that Panthers Select line-up was the subject of negotiations behind the scenes. I'm looking forward to Sheffield's press release explaining how they could have taken on the real Peterborough next week but decided a select side would be easier - a win's a win after all

So it wasn't convenient and would short change both sets of fans as a Panthers Select side rolls up for one of the BSPA's season showpiece fixtures. Therefore Panthers are happy to provide credible value for money opposition on the 24th. As has been pointed out: "Sheffield have had the 10th, 17th and 24th down as reserve since as far back as at least June." so surely agreeing one of those dates is not a unilateral decision. Panthers are happy to agree the 24th so where's the problem?

The bigger picture isn't Peterborough's problem. As for our nonsense, unless you know the full facts (I know no more than anyone else either) then who knows who's created the nonsense.

Which brings us back to who agreed all of this and based on what as it clearly isn't a convenient date when a suitable one is available. It was pencilled in last Thursday and allegedly agreed with Peterborough on Friday, the same day that Rathbone said that he had not agreed it. If it had been nipped in the bud at that point then Sheffield could hopefully have fixed up something for the 17th.

Times are always the same. Credit where it's due. Trouble with speedway is that such opportunities are few and far between Don't tag poor old Ged with the mad brush. BSF Supremo Tsunami has a certain ring about it though

The could have arranged a challenge or other meeting of some sort, as Panthers did in July (ironically against Sheffield) when they had a similar break. Rathbone spotted the problem so why didn't Sheffield? "We desperately needed another home fixture during July otherwise we would have had a five-week gap between the victory over Redcar on Sunday and entertaining Edinburgh on August 9. That would obviously have been far from ideal for the riders and the supporters."

Very well put. It reminds me of your dad's keynote speech: " I wash born here, an I wash raished here, and dad gum it, I am gonna die here, an no sidewindin' bushwackin', hornswagglin' cracker croaker is gonna rouin me bishen cutter." I did think that there was more to this than meets the eye but can't access the BSPA site so thanks for that. It all seems a bit opportunist. Who gave them the ok to name the 17th anyway and were Peterborough consulted. You can't just pluck a date out of the air because it suits you and then get the cleaner at Rugby to ok it because they were the only person in the office at the time to answer the phone. I thought that the PL was slightly credible but it is turning into as big a joke as the EL. With the Sheffield clock ticking down to this joke of a fixture (can we have a clown in the top right corner?) then they need to make the logical decision quickly (unless we (Panthers) were consulted recently in which case we get on with it). Sheffield have 24th reserved on their fixture list and Panthers have the 25th reserved on theirs. I don't really see what the fuss is about or why Sheffield seemed to have jumped the gun

Swales was a regular at the waiting game which is why we've won bugger all since 2006. How many times did we wait for riders to return to form, whether due to injury or just because they'd lost it for good, if they ever had it. 2013 being a prime example, and that's partly the reason we are here. Rathbone seems to have a clue, it's a shame that he didn't surface a few years ago when we were in the big league with the clout. Loyalty & respect are nice but you can't retire on them

Some might say that it was good management on the part of Peterborough Speedway, given injuries and the continuing events thrown at them. Therefore, you may wish to add management to your credit/blame list. If that was local it'd be reported as supremo Louis Fair point but it's still Readypower Panthers with the club still owned, as far as we know, by Frost & Mahoney. If they are happy with the present arrangements and Rathbone/Swales have assurances that we are not privy to then you're probably right. If not then we're back to the first point and where that goes?

Have you been in a cave for the last 5 years?

Was probably by mutual consent and suited all. I wouldn't take too much notice of what was put in the public domain. Is next season confirmed then?

Don't encourage him, he's tedious enough without prompting

Is he really? Didn't know that, if true then I formally withdraw my vote

If you're going to edit it, at least correct your special friend's English "Hopefully it is nothing to serious"

Wouldn't even have made my shortlist pre-season but wouldn't disagree with my looney friend

Of course you can. You just add that proviso or similar to careful wording. Best not to dangle the carrot at all really from unreliable sources. Depends on your agenda (not you personally, just generally speaking) in the first place - jeez, that's a bit heavy for a Weds afternoon

One of those posts which says something but tells you nothing