Najjer

So what is the new planning applications (that’s in the local domain) actual purpose? Especially considering it is actually worded incorrectly according to you to say that the main racenight will actually be Friday with Wednesdays used as an alternative. That just seems a little backwards to me to apply for something they can already do, yet not alter the wording? Im not sure when the new Oak Tree business park is due for completion but you’d anticipate that would bring in a nice income. No idea on the Henry Atkins front and where that rumour has come from, but it’s been posted by two separate people now so there must be some legs in it somewhere. Either way, Atkins or not I’m very surprised that the team hasn’t/isn’t changing. Will take your word on that also until we see that actually officially confirmed. All speculation as you say... but isn’t that what a forum is for to discuss??

This is from the local planning applications: 12/20/00014: Oak Tree Farm, Bristol Road, Edithmead, Highbridge, Somerset, TA9 4HA: Variation of Condition 1 of Planning Permission 12/04/00005 (Variation of Condition 8 of Planning Permission 1/12/99/18 to allow alternative race night on Wednesday when opponent's race night is also Friday, when no other Friday date is available and fixtures cancelled due to weather. 14 day notification of any rescheduled fixtures) to allow for Speedway training days to take place on the track. Unless I’ve read that wrong, that implies the first condition is to switch main race night presumably to a Friday night - although it doesn’t specify which day but does mention Friday in the second part. The second condition being to allow for an alternative race night on a Wednesday and also allowing for training days, shows that Wednesdays are no longer the preferred main racenight. You’ll know better than me though.

It’s been a number of years since I last went to Plymouth, but I always enjoyed my visits down there. I also don’t know the background of the current promotion but from pictures of the track/stadium, the news coming out of Plymouth during the pandemic earlier this year, branding and efforts made to stage meetings look highly commendable - long may that continue.... and Friday night racing too!

I’m not privy to information about Plymouth’s situation and you’ll be much know in the know on that than myself - but I can’t get my head round that being a reason to block them joining the league... especially when we currently operate a fixed race nights system in the top tier! To use that as a reason for blocking Plymouth completely contradicts the Premiership racenight ruling. I think the more weekend racing in the Championship with non-Polish league riders the better!

Not getting muddled up at all - I’m well aware what league Łódź compete in. Although they aren’t usually scheduled to ride on Fridays, there was times this year when matches were rearranged to take place on Fridays in Poland in the Ewinner Divison 1. There was a few cases of this happening and I have no doubt that it will be the case in the future too. I highly doubt with some early start times usually on Saturdays that they would want Becker flying out a few hours before the scheduled start of a match over there too after riding here on a Friday night. Not to mention, in my original point that I had noted he would probably miss several away matches more than likely at the British League weekend tracks of which there are several in the Championship.

Don’t shoot me, I’m just the speculative messenger! It’s all subject to council approval and then more importantly as has already been eluded to, Mr Godfrey and his band of merry followers. For what it’s worth, I know of some fans who didn’t like the switch to the Wednesdays and I also know of some who disliked Fridays. You can’t please ‘em all! I’d assume though after being in the top tier on Wednesdays, dropping back down a league on a Wednesday, the want to switch back to a Friday probably tells you all you need to know in terms of attendance and revenue.

To add even more weight to my previous remark about Luke Becker and Poland, it now looks like Somerset want to return to their Friday night race night as oppose to Wednesdays - that doesn’t surprise me either.

Me too - I haven’t got deep enough pockets!

Damian Lotarski has left Grudziadz. They’ve now only got 2 juniors left in their ranks, weakening their already weak juniors even further!

I remember when # Name Removed #, Pavitt and Ronnie Russell came in “to save the day” at Somerset in 2009. It was like they see a golden egg and just wanted to try and rinse it as quick as they could before they were ousted. Wrong’uns!

The difference being that Etheridge and Flint are likely to be squad members, where Becker will be first teamer it is expected on a regular basis. That would result in him potentially missing a host of Friday, Saturday and Sunday away league meetings. If I was the Somerset boss, I wouldn’t be prepared to let that happen personally and would look at replacing him.

I’m well aware of that - he is still effected then by only being allowed to ride in 3 divisions.

Another transfer I had completely missed, but Oskar Bober who had left Lublin has joined Tarnow as an U24 rider

Gregorz Walasek has signed on for Ostrow again - although it’s expected he will be available for loan and isn’t guaranteed a starting place in the team.

Interesting article on the British Speedway website today about Erik Riss wanting to stay at Kings Lynn for next year. They are quoted as saying he isn’t effected by the new restrictions limiting starts in other country as he doesn’t compete in the Polish league - although he’s signed for German side Wittstock who actually compete on the Polish 2nd Division! Somebody should probably let Buster know....

Whose memory is failing who here - because yesterday you quoted as saying he was dropped in every match after 1 ride and now today you’ve gone back on that when you’ve realised that was also factually incorrect. Dan actually had 25 rides in Poland last season - trailing in last in 11 of them. Basic maths tells me that is well under half so therefore most certainly isn’t “most of them” to quote you. Dan actually scored 27 points too, giving him using British calculations an average of 4.32. Not bad for someone completely off the pace! Your memory is also mistaken you in that you’ve got the order of events muddled up. Dan’s last meetings of the season were the 3rd/4th play off where he scored 12+1 and then 8+2. It is also very likely Dan will get rides next season as he will likely feature as the U24 rider in Wroclaw’s team or as a substitute at no.8. Dan undoubtedly has a lot to learn and a lot of improvement to make, and in a side with three top GP riders then I would say he’s in the best possible place to make that happen.

If you read the article, Bewley was still in the side at no.8. He only left the match day squad when he injured himself. When he was barely scoring a point it was hardly surprising to see Holder preferred to him in the line up order. He shown what he was made of later in the season when he returned after his injury though and has earned himself another year at Wroclaw next year.

He wasn’t dropped - he got injured in a non speedway related accident and returned back home, making him unavailable for selection until the latter part of the season.

Another young Brit, Jack Smith has just signed for German club Wittstock. However, they compete in the Polish 2nd Division so add him to the growing list of young Brits in the Polish league.

I’m certainly not knocking them in the slightest - I am praising them for expanding their tuition even further. To continue their training schools in this country combined with abroad in Poland can only be of benefit in my opinion.

You are so wrong in my view. Having the odd spin on your own at Leicester is alright for blowing away the cobwebs or the odd training school with Wayne Carter at Scunthorpe but that isn’t going to turn you into a quality rider. Diving in feet first in Poland where you are coached by a large group of knowledgable and experienced people, with quality riders, learning all about set ups and the fastest tracks will however give you every chance of becoming quality - not to mention additional invaluable experience. Sticking to the comforts of their current surroundings over here will just result in them turning into a Josh Auty or Lewis Bridger. Anders Rowe has been taken on under Leszno’s wings, Jack Thomas and Tom Brennan at Łódź with Adam Skornicki’s guidance, Drew Kemp at Gdansk a team with huge ambition, that’s before even mentioning Dan Bewley at Wroclaw who we saw benefitted huge at the end of this season with Tai Woffinden in his corner. Its a massive opportunity for these riders and fair shout to them for taking the leap. It’s down to them now to make the most of it.

The huge difference is, Polish teams have training and practice throughout the week. They regularly ride against eachother and have more than enough chances to prove themselves there. There is no sentiment though if you simply aren’t good enough.

Rafał Okoniewski has retired aged 40

That’s a real shame - play offs always mean there is bound to be excitement right until the end of the season at both ends of the table.

How was Kurtz, KK and even Bewley treated badly? They were all dropped for poor form. Batchelor seems to have been treated badly at Rybnik, but even then was pretty poor himself on the few times he rode for them. He was then loaned out and was again dropped by Bydgoszcz because he was in poor form. No different treatment than you’d except from teams over here and in any other sport for that matter. Let’s not try and make this out to be something it’s not