Grachan

So no point having the 1 GP rider rule either then?

The current rules prevent that anyway, with the 7 point rule.

Swindon's number one was out from the first meeting! We didn't have a number one! How is that lucky? Had our number one still been in the team I'm sure he would have been dropped anyway to fit Ward in. Lakeside could have had Ward, but he didn't want to go there despite Poole agreeing the move. He chose to go to Swindon instead.

Swindon couldn't fit Ward in. They had to drop Kyle Howarth.

My memory may be playing tricks with me. Perhaps Arnieg can tell me if I'm right or not. I'm sure there was a 70s match where Doug Underwood was the only Reading rider in a side that otherwise consisted of 6 guests.

Poole are pretty much nailed on second place in the league, so could maybe afford a bit of average dropping, but too much would be a risk. I can't see Holder getting down below 7 without them risking a top 2 spot, even if they do try and get him down to fit Darcy in next year. Don't see why people get so outraged about it anyway, even if Poole do do it. If team strengths are dicted by averages, then it's a perfectly legitimate tactic to ride taking those into account as far as I can see.

I wouldn't say Swindon are on a roll just yet. We had a couple of good wins at Wolve and Lakeside last week, but also had a defeat at Poole in between. We're doing ok, and still hopeful of a play off place, but I think you're over-egging the pudding there. Also, we just won at Wolves so Sod's law says we'll lose this time.

I've always tried to remain positive about the new stadium being built. But when you turn up to a match and see houses actually being built INSIDE the current stadium and no signs of a new one you suddenly realise how final things are getting. As things are, I'd say never mind next season, I reckon we should worry about completing this one. If the builders are told they have to stop building their houses because of the speedway track it only takes one to get fed up waiting and plunge his digger into the fourth bend and we're done for. At the moment I'd say that the EL could be losing Swindon, Coventry and Lakeside very soon. I don't know whose responsibility the building of the new stadium is, but they need a kick up the backside. Remember the Racino?

That'll explain why I'd never heard of him then.

Swindon Advertiser http://www.swindonadvertiser.co.uk/sport/13521440.SWINDON_ROBINS_50_LAKESIDE_HAMMERS_39__Guest_Branford_comes_up_trumps_as_hosts_hold_off_valiant_Hammers/

Banford rode well. I'd never heard of him but he had a couple of decent wins. Now I read the match report and it turns out he's Australian. Grateful to have a guest at reserve who could score points, but how come Australians can ride at reserve? And how did he get a visa? Does he have British parents?

Decent meeting tonight. It was close for most of the match and Lakeside looked dangerous, but Swindon put in a big finish. Darcy Ward was excellent tonight. It's great having him in the side, and crowds are looking healthy too - possibly as a result. Good point for Krcmar, beating Howarth. He looked pleased with himself too, doing a celebration lap. Great to see the riders coming out into the crowd for autographs and photos. It's always nice when that happens.

That's a joke, right?

Is my brain deceiving me, or can we use Chris Holder as a guest for Nick Morris from 1st August?

As I recall, ITV didn't show the Overseas final that year, but had a single camera there to show a couple of Kenny Carter races. I remember one of them was against Phil Crump. Why would I remember that? Why??

I think Sedgeman's average was too high.

Really enjoying it so far. Bringing back some good speedway memories of the Carter v Penhall rivalries. I've already been over to Youtube to watch the 1981 Overseas Final. Carter's interviews with Gary Newbold really were tv gold.

Okay. You persuaded me! I just bought it.

Oh give over. You're no more Polish than Gater1 is a Poole fan.

So was mine.....

Did you complain about Wimbledon using the Vietnam flag? All Somerset have done is do what other teams, such as Reading and Lakeside, have done in the past. Reading adopted the old Harringay nickname and emblem. Lakeside did the same with West Ham. Somerset have taken over the "Rebels" from Oxford and White City.

It was interesting to see a programme on Channel 4 last night, called "Inside the Klu Klux Klan". The conferderate flag was very prominent in the organisation. They were all flying it outside their homes, had sew on patches on their clothes. One member even wore Confederate Flag trousers!

Hey, what's this? Another Swindon topic being hijacked by Poole fans?

I think you've missed the point of what people were talking about. It wasn't about EL being better than PL, or about how good a league the lower league is. It was about whether or not the PL is a stronger league now than the NNL was in 1975 in terms of the ability of the riders in it.

So does that mean that Iwade and Mildenhall juniors were better than todays PL teams because Michael Lee was riding?