Mr. Clemens

After donning a certain colourful Halifax jumper, in a nearby public phone box, Mr Clemens transforms into his altered ego. (It’s a lot like Clark Kent turning into Superman as both these super heroes wear red and blue coloured costumes). Then sits down with his nephew for Speedway World Cup part 2. The sun is hot (as it always is) and the sky is blue. ‘Luckily’ Mr. Clemens has a refreshing cuppa tea at hand and a pen and paper to write down the scores. On with the motley!!! ‘Who’s riding tonight then’ Th’australians, Th’swedes, Th’poles and th’germans. Should be a good meeting if we’re lucky’. ‘I see Lee Richardson’s riding for Sweden tonight. Has he been given licence to do that??? I just can’t keep up with this international merry go round. All these riders swapping countries at the drop of a clutch’!!! ‘Put yer glasses on Uncle Mr. Clemens that’s Tony not Lee’. ‘I didn’t know Lee had a brother which league team does he ride for’? ‘No yer daft old myopic Uncle, it’s Tony Rickardsson th’world champion in waiting’. ‘Have you found out what he’s waiting for yet’>>??? ‘Just sup yer tea Uncle and shurrup meeting’s abart to start’. Heat 1. Adam’s wins from the gate, slick start from Leigh. (Nowt lucky about that eh?) Australia 3 Sweden 1 Poland 2 Germany 0 Heat 2. Protasiewicz wins in second processional race (No luck for AJ he can’t catch him though he tries hard to do so. Ryan’s off the pace again, it seems as though th’australia will be right out of luck tonight). Australia 4 Sweden 3 Poland 5 Germany 0 Heat 3. Holta first, T/R can’t catch him, Crump looking slow (Lucky that t’poles chose him to ride for them eh >>> what??) Australia 5 Sweden 5 Poland 8 Germany 0 Heat 4. Hampel around them all comfortable win. (Th’poles again, luckily they are well prepared for this meeting). Australia 6 Sweden 7 Poland 11 Germany 0 Heat 5. Gollob on fire back to his old self. (We could see Tomas at his best tonight >>> if we’re lucky) Australia 7 Sweden 9 Poland 14 Germany 0 Phase one was all very processional. Looks like our luck’s out for tonight’s meeting. Where’s the excitement of Sunday night that’s what I want to know !!! Lucky for this lot GB’s not in town tonight we’d give t’poles a run for their zlotys. Shurrup daft old Uncle the best is always yet to come. Heat 6. T/R cool as a cucumber Shields makes neat pass over Kasprzak. (Lucky for th’australia that Shields manages to keep them in touch. Lucky for th’swedes th’world champion in waiting wasn’t waiting for anyone in that race). Australia 9 Sweden 12 Poland 15 Germany 0 Heat 7. Karlsson an untroubled first. (Watt lucky not to fall off his bike has Protasiewicz almost fences him on the back straight. Luckily th’new th’australian manager didn’t think of using th’joker >>> eh >>>> Watt???) Australia 10 Sweden 15 Poland 17 Germany 0 Heat 8. Adams smooth as silk. (Lucky Lingren creeps at gate Adam’s round him in a trice. Unlucky Holta 3rd). Australia 13 Sweden 17 Poland 18 Germany 0 Heat 9. Hampel wins. (Lucky for th’poles they’ve someone coming up to take over Tomas’s mantel. Lucky for th’germans that Sullivan back pedals to last. Kelvin said th’germans might be lucky to score a point tonight. Luckily for th’germans Sullivan was unlucky). Australia 13 Sweden 19 Poland 21 Germany 1 What’s a mantel wicked old ancient Uncle? It’s a ‘piece’ upon which you put your clock. Heat 10. AJ flies from gate to win. (Luckily for th’australians AJ shuts off unlucky Gollob’s way through on t’back straight. Jason lucky to pick up an extra point he would be lucky to have otherwise). Australia 15 Sweden 22 Poland 22 Germany 1 Heat 11. Crump scores 6 points. (New th’australian manager with a lucky second opportunity to use joker comes up trumps. Unlike unlucky new Danish manager who chanced his luck t’other night by missing his chance to use his joker. Lucky for GB that happened >>> eh >> what??? Luckily Boycie has th’world champion to call upon. Jason having nothing to wait for heads off into the sunset). Australia 21 Sweden 23 Poland 24 Germany 1 Heat 12. Shield great win (Lucky for us a great race) Australia 24 Sweden 25 Poland 25 Germany 1 Heat 13. Holta licenced to win (Lindback almost touches tapes. Luckily for th’swedes Polish referee puts all four riders back in). ‘Lindback was lucky not to be excluded’, quoth Kelv. (Lucky Lindback out of gate first, in the rerun, passing and repassing with Holta. A great race. Unluckily for Lindback Holta pulls away and crosses the line first.) Australia 24 Sweden 27 Poland 28 Germany 2 Heat 14. Adams on top form. (Hampel and AJ fight it out in a real tussle for the minor places. Lucky for us these two are well prepared to mix it with each other). Australia 27 Sweden 28 Poland 30 Germany 2 Heat 15. Gollob wins thriller against TR. (Pundits can’t decide who won. ‘Photo finish’, growls Millard. Though it’s obvious to any myopic, senile, ancient, wicked old Uncle that Gollob crossed the line first). ‘Do you think Gollob’s luck will be in, there being a Polish referee’, quoth Millard? (Th’germans unlucky that Sullivan didn’t back pedal to last this time). Australia 28 Sweden 30 Poland 33 Germany 2 Heat 16. AJ super smooth win. (Lucky 2 points for Watt as Kasprzak looks down on power). Australia 30 Sweden 33 Poland 34 Germany 2 Heat 17. T/R as his brilliant best. (Nowt lucky about that). Australia 31 Sweden 36 Poland 36 Germany 2 Heat 18 Interesting conundrum Holta boxed in and falls after clipping PK’s back wheel. (A dilemma for th’polish referee? Will he won’t he, will he won’t he, exclude a Norwegian Pole???? Gor blimey and lord luv a duck, unlucky Holta is thrown out of the rerun. How unlucky is that and just when th’poles and th’swedes thought their luck was in with Ryan in this race). ‘He could have taken the easy option and put all four back in the rerun’, quoth Kelv. ‘Perhaps the referee excluded him cos he was a non Polish Pole’, mused th’wicked minded pundits? Sullivan wins rerun!!!!! (Luckily for th’australians Ryan had a fast bike tucked away. Th’germans pick up a lucky 3rd point as luckily there wasn’t any Poles in the race). Australia 34 Sweden 38 Poland 36 Germany 3 Heat 19. Hampel first (Hampel gates, luckily Crump passes Lingren but can’t catch Hampel) Australia 36 Sweden 39 Poland 39 Germany 3 Heat 20. Gollob at his brilliant best (Lindback gates Gollob passes him with his classic style of overtaking. How lucky we are that Tomas can still turn it on when he feels in the mood to do so). Australia 37 Sweden 41 Poland 42 Germany 3 Heat 21 Flyin’ Ryan on fire wins again (Luckily for th’australians, th’poles decide to put Kasprzak out on th’fastest bike they have Holta’s)!!! ‘Is that a wise move’, quoth Kelv? ‘Is it wise to go out in such an important race on a bike that is foreign to anything you have ridden previously in the meeting. (Luckily we have Kelvin to guide us mere mortals through’t th’intricate parts of a meeting with astute comments such as this. Unluckily for Kasprzak, Kelv was right again as he struggles to pass th’german. Luckily he does so by the end of the race). Australia 40 Sweden 43 Poland 43 Germany 3 Heat 22. Crump glides brilliantly round the rest of the field to cruise to fine win. (Unlucky Pepe’s bike packs up). ‘Are the Poles running out of luck’ quoth Kelv??? ‘Are they ‘throwing the meeting to ensure stadium’s got 40,000 fans there instead of 40 at the race off on Thursday’, speculate wicked minded pundit’s??? Australia 43 Sweden 45 Poland 43 Germany 4 Heat 23. AJ wins in comfort. (Great tussle between Shields and Holta passing and repassing each other providing the best race of the night. We were more than lucky to see that one. Great race). Australia 45 Sweden 48 Poland 44 Germany 4 Heat 24. Controversy has Hampel causes German rider to fall but who is at fault>??? ‘Tony was lucky not to be excluded’ quoth Kelv, ‘very fortunate indeed’. ‘Perhaps fortunate’, quoth Millard, ‘but on the other hand perhaps he was simply elbowing Hampel out of the way as the Pole seemed to be laying down on T/R’. ‘I think Tony is lucky he is who is’, quoth Kelv, ‘otherwise I think he would have been excluded. Luckily for him he wasn’t’. Heat 24. Rerun T/R cruises home. Watt 2nd >>> eh? Hampel a lame 3rd. ‘Hampel seemed subdued’ quoth Millard ‘perhaps he’s learned the error of his ways’. Australia 47 Sweden 51 Poland 45 Germany 4 Heat 25. Now known to one and all as the luckiest race of the night Luckily, because T/R was lucky not to be excluded in the last race, the unlucky 3rd placed Hampel was in fact lucky to come in third because the lucky Poles were now luckily 6 points behind the unlucky Swedes and were now lucky to be able to use their joker. Lucky or what >>> eh ??? You can’t get luckier than that can you?? ‘If Gollob wins this’ quoth Kelvin, ‘and PK is unlucky enough to come in last, we shall have a race off between Sweden and Poland. But PK knows what he’s doing and if he rides the race we know he can then Poland will finally run out of luck’. What >>> wait >>> who >>>> how >>>> why >>>> eh >>> who’s this? What’s Smolinski doing out front???? ‘Lucky or what’ quoth Kelv, ‘Smolinski moved at the gate, the ref should have stopped it and restarted as it put off PK’s concentration. Unlucky’!!! Luckily for Gollob the Polish referee didn’t stop the race. The unlucky PK was now stranded at the back of the field. Gollob was going like lightening but unluckily for him Leigh Adams was in front!!! No matter how hard he rode Gollob was right out of luck trying every which way to pass Adams. Great race. ‘You know’, gasped the excited Kelvin to Tony Millard, ‘Sweden have been lucky to win here tonight’. ‘Lucky Sweden’, quoth Kelvin, at th’end of a great night of speedway racing. (Tony Rickardsson and the rest of the Swedish team were last seen riding off into th’sunset singing ‘lucky, lucky, I should be so lucky’). ‘We’ve been lucky to see such a good meeting tonight Uncle Mr Clemens’, said satisfied nephew, ‘I can’t wait till Thursday night for t’race off’. (Knowing most of all of this had nowt to do with luck at all, Mr Clemens gave his nephew a stern look as he took off his colourful Halifax jumper). ‘Yep’ said Mr Clemens, ‘I imagine it will be a great meeting too, what with ‘th’unlucky Danes, th’unlucky Poles, th’unlucky Australians and the Czechs, who really haven’t had any luck at all, it should be a good meeting. Put kettle on and make another cuppa tea’.

In these circumstances I believe a person has a choice to make. When that choice is made then they have to stick to it. There will always be anomalies of this nature. I am thinking more though of those who have definite countries of orign, whose parents are of that nationality, having lived in that country all their lives. Also if the laws of the country of origin have connections to another country > Tasmania and Australia for instance > then it is lawful for the person to represent their country of origin. In my opinion if that person becomes a citizen of another country and lives there permanently then they are legally entitled to ride for that other country. But how many revert to their country of origin when it suits their purposes??

Thank you for the detailed answer > much appreciated.

Indeed neither should Rudeski play tennis for GB nor Hargreaves if he is not english nor zola budd or anyone else. It is a matter of opinion but I think that people should partake in sport for their country of origin whichever country that might be and I have always believed this and always said this. So my part of the question is answered. Also having been a member of the Polish community for 30 years I believe also that the Poles would much rather a Pole have ridden instead of Holta. In the play offs look for a Pole riding in place of Holta.

Being this person you are, you must be in a position therefor to answer the question 'why is it with all the riders that poland have at their disposal they should need to use Holta in the first place'?

Surely he will be riding on a speedway bike !!!!!

Holta shouldn't be riding for Poland, simple as that. He is not Polish whether he has a Polish passport or not. He could think of changing his name to 'Zola Budowski'. The question that needs to be asked is 'why is Poland, where the sport is at it's most popular, in the eyes of the people, with so many home born riders available, in need of Holta in the first place?

'Luck', said Mae West, 'luck has nothing to do with it'.

Simon Stead and Chris Harris must be given their chance to shine in Poland just as they were given the chance at Swindon. They will acquit themselves well in Poland just as they did last night. As for Screen, I will leave that decision to Joe's better judgement. If he personally believes he can perform in Poland then I am sure he will do. If he doesn't think so, then I am sure he will do as he did last year and step down in favour of the one he thinks will do a job he can't. I feel though that Screen will be there and he will acquit himself as well as anyone else.

Long live Floppyness

The reason why they probably didn't sing the National Anthem is because when they do so, Sky TV has a penchant for either sticking their cameras up the riders noses or down their throats. This is done in order to irritate and humiliate in the hope that a rider might stumble over the words, sing a few flat notes and generally make themselves look foolish. Most likely in the same way they were expected to make themselves look foolish on the track in front of the mighty Danes.

Congratulations on a great win to all of those boys tonight. Special kudos go to Chris Harris and to Simon Stead. Both these boys took the oppertunity on offer to them and excelled. They inspired the rest of the team to action, non more so than Lee Richardson, who answered all his critic with a brilliant 15 point maximum. Let it never be said again that Richardson cannot 'rise to the occasion when it matters'. Lee Richardson thread quotes My own quote on seeing him at Belle Vue 'I said he looked like 'death warmed up' in the pits on monday night. Looks like he's sunk even further into the pits.' Lee was there tonight 'looking as ill as ever' with the attitude, perhaps, that 'no matter what happens I will do my best for Great Britain'. QUOTE(cdl123 @ Jul 31 2005, 12:52 PM)taken from www.british-speedway.co.uk NEW GB FITNESS WORRYSunday, July 31, 2005GREAT Britain boss Neil Middleditch was left sweating on the fitness of Lee Richardson overnight ahead of their World Cup opener at Swindon.Richardson pulled out of Swindon’s Elite League clash at Eastbourne after three rides with illness.Middleditch said: “I sent a text message to Lee to check on him and he responded saying he had been sick and needed a good night of sleep.” My response to this was >> 'All the more reason for both Simon Stead and Chris Harris to take this opportunity to propel themselves to a higher status in Speedway. Good luck to both these lads and the rest of the team too. Nothing is a forgone conclusion and there is no reason why adversity (and the team being written off) can be the motivation to upset all predictions and come out on top'. From the 'Loram out Stead in' thread 'It's the oppertunity now for Stead to show he can mix it with the big boys. If he keeps his head and just goes out there and ride he can prove it to himself and everyone else.The Best of British Simon!!!!' This being being my response to the view that Denmark was guaranteed to win. 'Nowt like a good dose of defeatism to get the ball rolling. (Or 'realism as th'intellectuals will probably have it). The meeting (inclusive of typical reactions twixt Uncle and Nephew) Heat 1. Joe in last place (audible groan from everyone concerned with the fortunes of GB) GB 0 Denmark 3 Czech Rep 1 Russia 2 Heat 2. Simon in first place (a 'lucky' win for the lad over a GP performer) GB 3 Denmark 5 Czech Rep 1 Russia 3 Heat 3. Richardson wins (wow wasn't he lucky that Hans got excluded for falling) GB 6 Denmark 5 Czech Rep 2 Russia 5 Heat 4. Nicholls wins (well you'd expect him to wouldn't you he's captain). GB 9 Denmark 7 Czech Rep 3 Russia 5 Heat 5. Harris second (Well he isn't expected to beat Charlie on his home track). GB 11 Denmark 10 Czech Rep 3 Russia 6 Heat 6. Richardson wins (wasn't he lucky the ref excluded Charile pheew lucky GB) GB 14 Denmark 10 Czech Rep 5 Russia 6 Heat 7. Scotty second (well he spun at the gate and he's not Nicki) GB 16 Denmark 13 Czech Rep 6 Russia 6 Heat 8. Harris first (Wow what a great piece of overtaking Bjarne must have lost concentration for a moment). GB 19 Denmark 15 Czech Rep7 Russia 6 Heat 9. Joe wins (lucky for him that Hans can't get to grips with the track phew). GB 22 Denmark 16 Czech Rep 9 Russia 6 (Inexperienced Danish team manager fails to use 'Joker'. You live and learn eh) Heat 10. Stead second (that's more like it, the Danes are regaining their composure, this is it now. Good job, though, that Simon had the brains to stay in second place as it prevents another tactical ride. Pheew). GB 24 Denmark 19 Czech Rep 10 Russia 6 Heat 11. Scotty second (Yep the Danes are composed now). GB 26 Denmark 22 Czech Rep 10 Russia 7 Heat 12. Harris second again (yep Hans has realised he can ride a bike, this is it now) GB 28 Denmark 25 Czech Rep 11 Russia 7 (It starts to rain >>> hope against hope >> if we can make it to heat 15 we can steal a win >>> pheew >>>> rain damn you!!!!) Heat 13. Joe wins again (pheew !!! Good job he managed to pass Iversen but Joe's good in the wet >> lucky GB) GB 31 Denmark 27 Czech Rep 12 Russia 7 Heat 14. Stead wins (Charlie's trying too hard and it's wet and it's his home track >> good gate all the same Simon pheew) GB 34 Denmark 29 Czech Rep 12 Russia 8 Heat 15. Richardson first again (>> he must be sick!! >> Nicki lost control though and let him pass for tactical reasons >> not so sayeth Danish manager >> Nicki's not like that). GB 37 Denmark 31 Czech Rep 12 Russia 9 Heat 16. Stead second (Hans'll do it for Denmark now, for sure, with this double points score, this is it he's cracked the track) GB 39 Denmark 37 Czech Rep 13 Russia 9 Heat 17. Lee wins again (>>> is he sick or what >>> well he should be able to beat Iversen >>> he's a GP rider isn't he after all)? GB 42 Denmark 39 Czech Rep 13 Russia 10 Heat 18. Nicholls first (well Charlie's not doing as well has he should be on his home track >> luck's in again GB phew) GB 45 Denmark 39 Czech Rep 15 Russia 11 Heat 19. Harris second in rerun (lucky for GB again Lucas thrown out of the race >>>> especially when everyone thought Harris would be excluded for falling >>> pheew >>> lucky Harris was able to come out for the rerun >>> pheew) GB 47 Denmark 42 Czech Rep 15 Russia 12 Heat 20. Joe in third place >> groan (this is it now the Danes have GB in their sights ready to shoot them down) GB 48 Denmark 45 Czech Rep 15 Russia 14 (This is it now x 2 quoth pundits only 3 points in it but this is where GB's nerve cracks and Danes move in for the kill >>> but we'll be able to say they put up a good show >> but just couldn't cut it when it mattered >>> I wish it would rain). Heat 21. Harris wins !! (Lucky that Darkin packed up and lucky that Ales kept Iversen 3rd >>> but it's the Danish big guns from now on >>> so that's that for lucky GB tonight folks). GB 51 Denmark 46 Czech Rep 17 Russia 14 Heat 22. Screen third again (tut, tut Joe you're letting the side down >> as expected >>> but luckily Ales finally got to grips with the track >>> Charlie too). GB 52 Denmark 48 Czech Rep 23 Russia 14 (This it now though for sure >>>> Nicki's out in this one >>> this will be the first of a hat trick of wins that will seal it for Denmark >> with a bit of luck. Race offs here we come >> groan). Heat 23. Stead second (Wait >>> what's this >>> who is this >> who is Tomas Topinka >> bloke that won t race that's who >> what happened to Nicki >> why is Simon second >>> what's going on)??? GB 54 Denmark49 Czech Rep 26 Russia 14 (We could win this quoth pundit's >>> but we won't really Bjarne's bound to get a flyer and Lee's sick after all ineee eh >> what >>> Richardson sick >>> gerra way wi ya). Heat 24. Richardson first (Blimey Richardson's got a 15 point maximum >> what eh >>> how >>> who >>> why >>> are you sure >> well it says so here >>> mmm >> can't be right >> must be a dream >>> meeting will be on tomorrow >> >> Denmark ull win >>> make no mistake >>> GB's a sick team >> mark my words >> but Mark's not riding >>> yep I know >>> what did I tell you >>> Denmark ull win) GB 57 Denmark 51 Czech Rep 26 Russia 15 Heat 25. Nicholls second (Andersen in front >> must be a last heat decider >> Hans again >> these Danes >> No, No, Uncle Mr. Clemens wi your daft Halifax jumper >> with your chronic myopia >>> your inability to fill your program in properly >> yer senility's kicked in again >> Great Britain's won !!! What >> where (swindon yer dopey ol fart) >>> why >>> how???). You grew up tonight Simon Stead and Chris Harris. Good luck in the final. (They'll need it >>> what >>> eh >>> who >>> why>>>??? Well Th' australia's riding >>> they've got th'world champ and Leigh and Ryan and t'other two. And there's Th'swedes >> an they've got Th'world champion in waiting >>> why >>> what's he waiting for??? An't Poles >>> they've got Gollob and Hampel and t'other three >>> and it's their track >>> and it'll be fiddled for them t' win >>> and they'll have practiced on it for a month >>> like always. An' Nicki'll probably be there too >> wi them other lads >>> you know Hans >> Bjarne and t'other two. >>> what >>> uh >>> why >>> shurrup yer daft old fart).

All the more reason both Simon Stead and Chris Harris to take this opportunity to propel themselves to a higher status in Speedway. Good luck to both these lads and the rest of the team too. Nothing is a forgone conclusion and there is no reason why adversity (and the team being written off) can be the motivation to upset all predictions and come out on top.

I was talking pre meeting run round the track.

Nicki is a great rider and so is Jason. Calculate the points, TR would be in front of the next rider in line by in the GP's, if those two weren't there to entertain us.

Bjarne P will put Nicki P through't fence on't first bend (all in the cause of team bonding and Nordic brotherhood) that'll take care of him. You have to think tactically in these kinds of meetings.

I said he looked like 'death warmed up' in the pits on monday night. Looks like he's sunk even further into the pits.

If Alun Rossiter looks 'fed up' in the pits beware !!!!!

Nowt like a good dose of defeatism to get the ball rolling. (Or 'realism as th'intellectuals will probably have it).

Perhaps you might see something they don't want you to see>

An article on Anders Michanek, what happened to him? And on Arnold Haley too. I would like to see something on both of these.

It's the oppertunity now for Stead to show he can mix it with the big boys. If he keeps his head and just goes out there and ride he can prove it to himself and everyone else. The Best of British Simon!!!!

Thanks for the update Vince. It's likely that we will be at BelleVue on monday to see the meeting there.

While speaking of Bernie Persson, who I agree was always a class act to watch, I recall a somewhat amusing incident at Halifax once. (This again was in the 70's). Halifax's redoubtable reserve Mike Hiftle performed a minor miracle by getting out of the gate first in a race that Bernie Persson was also involved in. As Hiftle raced up the back straight Bernie Persson almost caught up with him ready to make an overtaking manouvre, which everyone expected would happen. Just as Persson was about to make his overtaking move, the 'excitable' Hiftle did his customary 'wobble', which he was prone to do when he found himself in any other position but fourth place. Persson immediately shut off and fell some distance behind Hiftle. You could almost hear Persson thinking 'F... that for a game of soldiers'.

I agree and this was the reason I found it odd that there wasn't a thread started to 'boost and promote' these young riders for those who may not have read about or yet heard of the Academy League. A positive promotion of these meetings, through this forum, would I think make suporters aware of these meetings and motivate them to go see what these young riders had to offer British Speedway. Especially if 'non aligned' supporters, not connected to the main teams riding, went along specifically to support them. I think that would be the kind of positive support that might well 'enthuse' the young riders to put on there best possible show. But as your link indicates the enthusiasm for this league must come from the riders concerned first. Taking into consideration other prior committments of course. But surely those who have created the fixture lists for these meetings should have been aware of what committments these young riders had??