Mimmo

PETERBOROUGH v SCUNTHORPE (MDL CHALLENGE) - 24 March 2017 Peterborough 28 1) Alex Wilson 3-3-3 = 9 2) Carl Basford 2*-2*-2* = 6+3 3) Kyle Roberts R-2*-2* = 4+2 4) William O'Keefe 3-3-3 = 9 Scunthorpe 7 1) Sam Chapman 1-1-1-1 = 4 2) Lloyd Ditchburn 0-0-1 = 1 3) Luke Whitehead FD-N-0 = 0 4) Sheldon Davies 2-0-N = 2 1) Wilson, Basford, Chapman, Ditchburn 5-1, 5-1 66.5 2) O'Keefe, Davies, Roberts (Ret), Whitehead (FD) 3-2, 8-3 68.1 3) Wilson, Basford, Chapman, Davies 5-1, 13-4 65.6 4) O'Keefe, Roberts, Chapman, Ditchburn 5-1, 18-5 67.9 5) O'Keefe, Basford, Ditchburn, Davies (NS) 5-1, 23-6 67.4 6) Wilson, Roberts, Chapman, Whitehead 5-1, 28-7 67.1

The only team I've heard mentioned is Reading, and if that is correct, then there is some confusion as to whether they will operate at Iwade, Eastbourne or maybe somewhere else!! Crazy really to think the speedway season is now under way, and these proposed leagues (MDL & SJL) are being kept a dark secret.

Thanks.

Has the 'Colts' fixture list been released yet? The only meeting I'm aware of is their home fixture against Mildenhall on the 28 April.

That has to be the shock signing of the season. :o

Over the past the few years, I think I've probably had to contact the SS around four or five times as my copy has never arrived. Without any questions asked, they've always put another one in post, which I believe I'm right in saying has arrived the next day, although at the same time, the original has NEVER arrived.

I agree with you completely Kelvin, and thought that we were finally taking a step forward with the sport....and we were. Each and every meeting that I went to in the country, and I travel a lot, watching teams other than my own local club, I ALWAYS stayed on to watch an MDL match, but NEVER just a few junior races, because as you said, to the public, they meant nothing. The fact that a/your club was being represented, made the difference between staying or going home. It matters not what sport you play, and at what ever level, if you are wearing club colours, it means something to you as a competitor, and makes you try that bit harder knowing the public are watching, as it's human nature to want to impress. However, if you're competing against others as individuals with virtually nobody watching or caring, you lose that edge, and don't push yourself to go that extra mile.

Looks like that meeting is now not going to take place.

Although having moved to Norfolk at the tail end of 1986, I supported the 'Dons' from 1958 until 1986, and only missed meetings due to the annual family holiday. Once moved, I linked up with King's Lynn, but still made regular visits back to Plough Lane, filming meetings for MBI Video. To this day, I still miss everything about Wimbledon Speedway, and as most of us older supporters say, the sport isn't as good as it used to be. The likes of Ronnie Moore, Barry Briggs, Peter Moore, Ron How, Roger Johns, Tommy Jansson, Edward Jancarz etc., had an aura about them that the modern day rider lacks. In those days, it was quite easy to become friendly with the riders, as they had time in their lives to devote to you, and it fills me with pride to know that I became good friends with the late Ron How, a friendship that remained even after his move to Oxford. Unfortunately due to family health issues, I'm unable to make that one last journey to Plough Lane on the 12th March, but my thoughts will be with everyone that is either there, or used to be there. Enjoy and savour the experience.

Yes these riders did live in the places you mention, although Andy no longer does. Unless they were born at home, it's more than likely they were born at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, King's Lynn. Keven William DYE Born: 8 May 1962, Norwich, Norfolk, England. Career record: (1980) Boston; (1981) Boston, King's Lynn; (1982) King's Lynn. James Michael BRUNDLE Born: 15 December 1986, King's Lynn, Norfolk, England. Career record: (2002) King's Lynn II, Mildenhall; (2003-04) Mildenhall, King's Lynn; (2005) King's Lynn; (2006) Mildenhall; (2007) King's Lynn, Boston; (2008) Eastbourne; (2009) King's Lynn II, Bournemouth; (2010) Mildenhall, Rye House.

Andy Mountain in 1992 & 1993 Jake Knight was also a declared senior KL rider for a very short spell in 2010.

Berwick (Gary Flint); Halifax (Wayne Carter/Geoff Hayes); Glasgow (Colin Mackie); Newcastle (Dave Rowland); Northside (Paul, Bickley); Redcar (Jade Mudgway) and Workington (Malcolm McCoy)

Colin Mackie

That would be a bad signing.

The NJL seem to have their house in order. AGM held, teams and team managers declared!!

Over the years, I've lost quite a lot of money on hotel/motel bookings. But as mac101 says, it's better to pay a couple of pounds extra at Travelodge & Premier Inn to get the flexi-rate so you don't lose the money, which I now do. You're buggered if you've booked a hotel though, because sometimes, particularly at Stoke, the motels fill up very quickly in school holidays, due to its close proximity to Alton Towers. Even with motels you can't always cancel in time. There was a situation at Leicester last year, where I had family members at the Grand Central Railway, which is a stones throw from Beaumont Park, and it had been chucking it down through Friday night and non-stop all day on the Saturday, yet the speedway postponement wasn't announced until around 4.00pm time. So flexi-rate is of no help then. But yes, 9 times out of 10, what mac101 says is the best option.

Whenever the fixtures come out, it's to late for me now, along with another fifteen people (I made a mistake in my original posting when I said twenty, as five have informed me that they've lost all interest in speedway), as the fixtures I'm involved in compiling have a 7.30pm deadline tomorrow.

I run a sports league in the summer months, where at least twenty of our members along with myself, attend the NL meetings at our local track. Because of the ridiculous wait for publication of the NL fixtures, I've had to go ahead compile a summer fixtures list, knowing full well that none of us will now be able to attend the speedway meetings, of which there are bound to be many clashes. It's a major disappointment to all of us, as we love our National League meetings, but in my case, I'll just have to console myself with the fact that I'll probably only be able to see the team in away meetings. Also, I'm sure that many of us on here, are trying to plan a holiday around our respective clubs fixtures, but bit by bit, hotels with rooms that contain a decent view, are being booked by others. EXTREMELY DISAPPOINTED.

Okay, lets try and forget the past 12-months, as difficult as that might be, and wish Mr Darcy the best of luck in taking Leicester Speedway forward. Like many (particularly KIng's Lynn supporters), he didn't relay correct information to me last season, for which may or may not have been his fault at the time. However, everybody is entitled to a second chance, and I'm sure that he must have learnt his lesson now. So as I said, good luck Mr Darcy, I hope you turn the fortunes of the club around, and that everybody at Beaumont Park enjoy a happy, successful and trouble free season, and that the public get behind you.

1) Danny Phillips 6.25 2) Ryan Kinsley 5.39 3) 4) 5) 6) Taylor Hampshire 3.00 (Actual average = 2.89) 7) Lewis Whitmore 3.00 (Actual average = 1.50) --------- 17.64

I had no luck either David, and unfortunately, I asked two different people to purchase me one when they arrived, and both forgot!! Damn frustrating isn't it?

Probably take that long to get to Lakeside from Canterbury these days too.

The only thing that concerns me about bringing Josh in, is if he's already riding SGB Championship League, and presumably National League, would it, at such a young and still relatively inexperienced age be one step to far, to soon for him. I'm not sure also whether he goes to work during the day, and if he does, that combined with three leagues of racing could cause him burn out problems. He's a massive talent in the National League, and improves almost meeting upon meeting (when fit of course). He's still very much on a learning curve at Scunthorpe, and with absolute no disrespect to the lad, he's got a little way to go on that rung of the ladder yet, so it just worries me that the SGB Premiership would possibly kill off all the hard work he's done so far, and that the confidence that is growing along with it. He's almost definitely one for the future, but I think 2017 is just a little bit to soon. Just my thoughts anyway, and I might be completely wrong.

Cheers Gavin. Happy Christmas to you and you family. Regards Mike

I'm sorry if what I wrote offended you in anyway Gavin, as that was never my intention nor would it ever be. So my humble apologies if that was the case.