Grachan

Actually it is controversial, because he did hit Carter's bike and you can see it in the original World of Sport footage. The rest of it, though, is perfectly reasonable.

Best thing for Swindon as far as Zengota is concerned is a year out on loan as a heatleader then coming back in 2017 with a more realistic average.

I got his autograph that night. Unfortunately my autograph books are now a long time lost. Saw him ride a few times, including the next challenge against Dave Jessup, which may even have been his final UK meeting. Great rider. World champ? Who knows? But up there with the best.

I think Troy would have done well at Swindon next year as he would have had Jason Doyle to take the pressure off him. He became a much better rider when Darcy was in the side. I think that how he does at Lynn depends on the same factors. If he his coming in as a top rider in the side he may struggle to maintain that, but if the Stars sign a proper number one then Troy will do the business.

So, basically, you're excited because we have to sign someone who's not as good.

The difference with Reading, of course, is that Smallmead stadium closed down before another was started. At least, as we stand, the current stadium is keeping going. As long as that is still the situation then I think we should remain positive and we have that as a bargaining tool. I don't think it's fair to criticise the Swindon promotion as they are doing what anyone would do in the situation. Many people complain that they are not making statements, so they make a statement and people then complain it doesn't tell enough. But all they can do is relay what they have. Terry and Rosco are obviously committed to continue speedway at Swindon. We have that in our favour too. The Reading promotion (perhaps wisely for them) got out while still ahead, and knowing that the lease had been whittled down and would end. I'll remain with my glass half full until there is reason not to, but nothing can be certain until building actually starts.

The first match I ever went to at Swindon was Swindon v Wolves in 1974. Ole Olsen scored 7 from 5. I'd never heard of the guy at the time, but noticed that both sets of fans were shouting abuse at him and saying he was rubbish. I couldn't understand it.

Either that or get him on "I'm a Celebrity get me out of here"! And I'm only half joking.

The story is that he received the most votes one year, so they gave him second! There's also Bob Nudd - the fishing guy. He apparently got most votes one year but was completely ignored. So, taking that into account, I guess Briggo was lucky to get second.

It's not the Sports Personality of the Year. It's the BBC Sports Personality of the Year. Tai isn't a BBC personality. Far too much importance is put onto this contest in my opinion, especially since it became a phone vote - mainly because it once was relevant because BBC was the only channel I guess, so it once meant something. For Tai to get any recognition he needs to become a big household name, and despite what people like to think, that is something he isn't.

Lanning's commentry of the 1973 was incedibly biased. I don't think you can take much from it. His opinion on the Plech incident is nonsense.

Muller wasn't the shock winner people now like to think he was, I went on a coach trip to that final, and beforehand practically the whole coach thought he would win. My friend got him in the sweepstake and everyone else wanted to swap! 1983 was very much a limbo year. Penhall had retired and Nielsen and Gundersen were still on the way up. Muller was one of the favourites. I remember going to the 1976 final in Poland and he was pretty spectacular in that too. Was on course for 11 before his last race crash. Maybe won't be remembered as an all time great but just as worthy as riders like Loram and Havelock, if not more so.

If I remember rightly, I think it was 62-15, with Swindon even getting a 5-0 at one point. I think a 4-2 against Cartwright and a last place by David Ashby were the only times a Swindon rider got beat. I think it was either 23-55 or 25-53. Great one for me was Phil Crump's maximum against the might of Cradley Heath in 1983. We lost 29-49 but celebrated as if we had won the league.

Not sure what Belle Vue would think of it though.

Just for the record, this is taken from here: http://www.border.gov.au/forms/Documents/118.pdf "Application for Australian citizenship by descent - Step 1 – Eligibility If you were born outside Australia on or after 26 January 1949, you may be eligible for Australian citizenship by descent if at least one person who was your parent at the time of your birth was also an Australian citizen at the time of your birth. If your Australian citizen parent was a citizen by descent or full Hague adoption, then that parent must have spent at least 2 years in Australia before you make your application"

Even if they were Australian citizens (they may have been but they weren't automatically Australian citizens just because they lived there) Tai wouldn't be Australian because they weren't Australians when he was born. Therefore he would have had to wait to qualify by residency, which he could do if he lived there until he was 16. Then he wouldn't automatically have become Australian but would ave been eligible to apply. However, they moved back to the UK when he was 15, so he never qualified by that route either. I know people in this country who have moved here from overseas and since become British citizens. Their son, who was also born overseas, moved over with them. He cannot become a British citizen yet as he is only 14. How do you know they were Australian citizen? They weren't when he was born anyway, even if they were later. You don't automatically gain a country's citizenship just because your parents take it on after you are born.

Nick Morris has a British parent and a British passport. How does Tai quaify as an Australian?

So can you explain how he was eligible to ride for Australia? I've looked but can't find a way he is Aussie.

So if Greg is a second string but has a higher average than Nick, who is a heatleader, who rides in the heatleader position in the team?

He'd still be entitled to that anyway, even if he had dual nationality. It is based on your passport, not which speedway team you ride for.

How many times do people need to be told? He is not British for his own convenience. He is British because he was born here to British parents. That's it. British. Not sure how it is convenient to him. He doesn't ride in our league. Greg Hancock was also acting in a similar manner when the USA anthem was played. He chooses to live in Sweden. Is he Swedish? No. He is American. And nobody questions it. Tai is not, in any way, Australian. If he was he wouldn't need a visa to go there.

In this current climate, any initiative that encourages a certain section of fans to stay away is a bit stupid really.

Even with a low points limit, the best teams tend to get to the top by choosing the best available riders on certain averages. The rest are then left to pick over what is left, and it can mean having an uninteresting side that struggles. You can bet that whatever the points limit, the likes of Poole, Swindon and Coventry are going to be near the top come the end of the year - and two of those sides are in danger of not being around much longer. But other sides need to be kept competitive in this era of low crowds and team struggling to survive financially. The points limit can make quite a difference at the moment with the league losing top riders every year.

On the BSPA site they are all listed as 3.00, so it will be a slight gain from that. Not much, though, if it's as you say. Don't worry. Everyone might get a chance to nick someone from Swindon's side half way though the year if a house appears on the back straight..

I thought it was a bit high too, although if the reserves are getting converted averages it counteracts it slightly. But if riders are dropping out of the UK then it may cause problems for some clubs. Leicester, for example, could struggle. Then again - do we really need total equality at the start of the year? I remember a time when a good old 60 point thrashing over 13 heats was seen as great entertainment.