Parsloes 1928 nearly

I can't agree.. They are deliberately leaving out third tier appearances - literally no mention of them. Simple question, why do that?

Not quite on this subject but relating to the 'Best of British' series. Very good stuff and I especially like how a broader approach given to putting each of the British World Championship winners' years into a wider context of world history. But what the 'eck was THIS about in the first part, the one relating to Tommy Price? Talking of the 'debate' on which of the big events pre-1936 and then between '46 & '50 might be called true World Championships. it says this, "Boxing and darts, of course, have been plagued by different World Championships over the years, to the confusion of most. And speedway's still at it to this day. In the season just gone we've apparently seen Exeter and Wimbledon take to the track. Strangely, Exteter's County Ground has gone while Wimbledon's Plough Lane merely echoes to the sound of yapping greyhounds and the occasional rumble of stock cars." What on earth does this bit about 'Exeter and Wimbledon have to do with the World Championship..?! I did get a bit of a feeling that the writer was lapsing into a stream of consciousness style in other parts of this piece but this is just plain bizarre!!

Is there anymore more stupid a thing than this so-called 'history' site on proboards completely ignoring the third tier racing record of riders? Why on earth does it do that? Completely nullifies any legitimacy of that site as being a full record of a rider's career. Here's an example: http://wwosbackup.proboards.com/thread/444 Misses out all references to the meetings a double Conference/National League Riders Champ has ridden in the third tier! Don't know if anyone on the BSF also deals with this 'proboards' site but if they do can they possibly explain..?!

Not sure what you mean? Why would it necessarily be a bad thing for a rider as 'old' (shock! horror!) as 26 to be given a chance in the upper division(s)?

Paul Hurry did retire on doctors' orders I believe but I think he was saying last year that he MAY return.. Hurry riding for the Kings would be quite something!!!

[quote name="Arson fire" post="237That's even worse than last year. I agree, wouldn't touch anyone with that high an average.... Including cook.Harland Cook's average would never be assessed that high!!! LOL!

As a matter of info. as it HAS been said on here(!) where has the line come from that the league is going to renamed the British League..? Can't see THAT in the rather flimsy official statement..!

THIS was where the notion came from - and tbf Mr. Rising is far, far more in the know than virtually anyone else who inhabits this Forum!

Okay - but all the early stuff which was posted said they'd only be two rides. I'm unclear in truth why they didn't release the news about race format when they were ready instead of allowing such confusion! Why not use the yellow paint to mark out hatched areas in the car parks and ticket all drivers who stray into it..?! Would be a great money-earner!!

The BSPA statement says they (the two 'NL' reserves) will only have TWO programmed rides NOT four!!

Is no-one paying any attention! The 6 & 7 will have TWO programmed rides only; both against the opposing team's 6 & 7... How is that so many can't grasp this..?!

Hands off Benji!!

You really couldn't do that. How could a rider based (just as an example.) in Essex, with a job/college commitments manage if he was allocated to, say, Belle Vue - a Monday night track...? Yes of course budding Speedway riders need to be flexible and do have to take a lot of time off but they also need to be able to make their own career decisions: being 'allocated' whether by draw or pick smacks of bloomin' serfdom!!

Need to be geography taken into account. Young riders at NL level have jobs and/or college (as part of apprenticeships for example) and find taking time off problematical enough... Being 'drafted' into a midweek EL side 150 miles away from where they live would hardly help!!

Sweden looks the more likely model BUT (or am I mistaken..) doesn't the statement imply these reserves will only ride against each other AND only (therefore) have two programmed rides so wouldn't therefore be the same as Sweden's..

Hmm, so you're saying that because they'll be two heats (only) featuring NL riders (actually the other word for this, is up and coming young British talent..!) it won't be worth going anymore, even though the Lions will now be racing in the EL..? Have a word with yesrselves Lions' fans; I love Leicester Speedway and think today's news is great news. Surely you've heard of the concept of looking a glass half full rather than half empty. Though in this case even by your argument it's a glass one eighth empty, seven/eights full!!!

Neither can I. Some people appear to be implying that what it will be, is that the two reserves in each EL team have to be NL riders and will only have two programmed rides and these are against each other (ie heat 2 times two..). Is this correct..? Or have I totally misunderstood..?!

Crumbs, there are tough cookies there that's for sure!!

Well yes, depends how you define 'professional'. Speedway (outside of the STR & Dragons' kind of set ups) is a 'professional' sport in the strict definition of being paid. And that applies to the NL - riders get points money etc. If you mean 'professional' as in full-time and not needing or having another job/form of income then for very few at NL level will that apply. My analogy was with Football's Ryman League where players are paid too - so are 'profesional' in that sense but no way are any of them 'full-time'.

I think the point meant that there will be riders at NL level who are not ever going to do what Tai did, move on to being World class riders but have a perfect right to compete at the level they're at.. The example is football isn't it - where good players can enjoy playing at a good level (like say the Isthmian League) without needing to have placed upon them the expectation of others that if they don't improve and get into the Football League or Premiership they should pack up.. Too often in Speedway, riders at third tier level are castigated for remaining there and not moving up... The problem is under a two league structure such riders will lose that 'national league' (literally atm) where they can compete like this but if handled correctly and enough opportunities given to still ride, it could even possibly work out better for riders who want to compete at that lower level maybe..?

Crickey, and there was me wondering when the Potters were actually going to finish their 2013 home season...?!

Think there should be the requirement for junior races but can't see how it could work for them to count towards team scores - that would necessitate (for example) Buxton juniors travelling down to Kent on a Monday for a max of two rides..: that couldn't work. Juniors, virtually by definition, are going to be local - when I think of the sheer number of juniors/non-League riders who popped up at Crayford second halves over the years (the majority of which never got a team place) it certainly makes you think..

Now THAT'S a team! Though replace Nelson with Stevie Boxall!

Like others, I do think going to two divisions may (especially IF the TV money's lost...) be both a possibility and, certainly for the stand-alone NL clubs who sustain good crowds (like Kent & Mildenhall, for example..) probably a good thing. Certainly we need a good number of fixtures at Central Park and ideally not a repetition of the same opponents too much - if the NL got any smaller that would be damaging. Rye House certainly from a set-up perspective would fit well into the upper tier but crowds could be the stumbling block - I also think it's correct to say that in all their long history RH have never been in Speedway's top division have they? It would mean a large-ish number of riders not having a team slot but really it worked okay in the '60s through to the end of the '80s - but that was also of course the era of full 'second halves' which gave riders not in the team chances to impress and to take on existing reserves in the main side and try and beat them to force their way in.

I really don't understand this constant reiteration by some, of a 'concern' about the links with Rye House. People talk of them as if such a thing's unusual. Mildenhall have the exact same relationship (no, not the same - actually much closer) with their PL neighbours in Suffolk, the Ipswich Witches. Does it cause anyone at West Row any angst..? Not so far as I've ever been able to pick up. When Crayford opened first it was the 'nursery' club of Wolverhampton; when it reopened it had a pretty close relationship with Hackney - indeed Len Silver was promoter at Hackney and co-promoter at first at Crayford too in '75. He had been promoter at Rayleigh and of course then at Rye House at this same sort of time. Many of the Kestrels had been Rockets in the year or two before and/or were Hackney assets. So it's not unusual; and more importantly it's not damaging. For goodness sake, the link gave us Stevie and Ben, our top two; it also of course, gave us David and Connor. Was that in any way a bad thing..? Would getting - for example - Simon Lambert or even possibly Luke Bowen next season (just examples not speculation!) be a bad thing..? I'd be hard pushed to say yes so why on earth would anyone else. And to even suggest not coming to Central Park anymore because some riders are RH assets is utterly bewildering...