Grachan

Yes. Greenham Common (the old US air base) to the West. AWE Aldermaston to the East.

They could even possibly get away with calling them Reading Racers? It's only about 10 miles out of Reading after all.

Leave ittttttttttttttttttttttt!!!!!!!

Great number ones: Phil Crump Martin Ashby Leigh Adams Swindon Legend: Bob Kilby Greatest Entertainers: Shawn McConnell Andrew Silver That's 6 that pick themselves for me. Picking the 7th is not so easy. Briggo? A total legend but before my time so it would be cheating to say him. Autrey is always more associated with Exeter for me. Jason Crump was just one season, but a major signing as it concided with dropping dow to the second tier. Very much in tune with Sidney with these. So difficult to pick a seventh - one more rider that stands out above the others that remain from my own personal experiences. Jimmy Nilsen perhaps? Yes. I'll go with Jimmy as my 7th rider but might change my mind later. Or Brian Leonard, because he used to have a shop near me, his ex-wife is my mum's cleaner and he bought my book.

Really? I don't remember that. He certainly was going some. I remember him doing a lap of honour with a big grin on his facew and getting booed mercilessly though.

I remember Finn Thomsen getting 21 from 8 rides at Swindon that year. Four programmed rides, 3 R/R rides and a tactical substitute. A reserve could have possibly had 9 rides? Three programmed, 2 reserve replacements, 1 tactical substitute and 3 R/R? I'm not sure on that, but I think a reserve could have had that.

I was a heatleader for Poole from 1975 to 1981, winning two world championships during that time and also riding for Great Britain in the World Team Cup. I certainly don't remember anyone of that name being in my team at that time. The man is clearly a charlatan.

No it hasn't. Nobody really is disputing Chris nudged Nicki. It's whether there should have been an exclusion or not.

Er, I think the point was that Chris Holder is World Champion, not that Speedway Star matters. Good decision by the ref in my opinion. It wasn't neccesary to make an exclusion and he took the best option. Bottling it? I suppose some people could see it that way, but it made a lot more sense to have the title decided on track - and the differeing poinions on here show that it was far from a clear cut thing over who was at fault. As to whose fault it was - well if Holder had been excluded it would have been understandable and if Pedersen had been excluded then it wouldn't have been so I guess I'd say it was more Holder's fault. But all 4 back was the best call and, in any other race or any other meeting, there wouldn't have even been a debate about it. Craig Ackroyd clearly didn't want to be remembered in the same way as Tore Kittleson either. Can't say I blame him.

I thought you'd said your bit.

Hate to say it, but this is the only post on here so far that makes any sense! THJRacing. The voice of reason.

Strange times. Did it start raining or something?

Andrew Silver and Shawn McConnell. And Per Jonsson.

Guess what, Sidney. I remember seeing Mark Loram as a 16 year old at Hackney too. Hackney v Swindon when Simon Wigg was in the Hackney side. There was a "Yoof TV" station filming and it was on later on Channel 4 I think. Loram was featured because he was the youngest rider in the league at that time. I've probably still got it on an old video tape somewhere!

Didn't Hull win the National/Premier league once with a team of that sort of make up?

This is the World Cup though. I'm not so sure that Sky have much influence on that even if they do with league racing.

I don't think he was. It's the rule that's the farce. sky have constantly gone into a state of frenzied excitement at the prospect of Jokers and double-points ride while fans around the country cringe at the very thought of them. It was funny to hear Nigel getting indignant about what was happening. Seriously. Double points just for being behind in a match? Think about it. It's bloody stupid!!!!! And of course team managers are going to do what's best for the team to win a match. It's just so bleedin' obvious.

I agree, but for some reason these embarassing double-point fiascos keep being talked up on tv as if they are something great. Seeing girls dressed up all sexy and prading Jokers cards is, quite simply, a load of old nonsense. And well done the Danes for not only using the tactics they did but also openly ridiculing the rule in their interviews. Still think their tactics were prefectly legitimate though, bearing in mind the rules as they stand.

In the context of the meeting that's exactly what they WERE doing. I just don't see why some people are so outraged that Denmark were trying to make sure they won the meeting.

I suppose the closest thing in football would be away goals taken into account if scores are level on aggregate on champions league matches. A team could play accordingly to use that rule in their favour - so even though it's a draw they win. As for cricket it just baffles me. One team is all out for 40. The other team gets 742 for 1. So it's a draw. Or, at least it seems that way to me.

Blimey. And to think Iris thought my analogies were bad

It wasn't cheating. No more than, say, a football team going a goal up and then sitting back and defending the lead. Or a cricket team just running a single in the final ball of an over when they could have got two so that the best batsman faces the bowler again. There is absolutely no way that was cheating. Why be ashamed of trying to get your side to win the meeting?

The tactical ride etc is rubbish. Pure nonsense. Trying to limit its effect is a perfectly valid tactic for as long as it is in place. Not bad sportsmanship at all.

Why? They are doing their best for the team. I don't understand the outrage at riders slowing to prevent a joker in the latter stages of the meeting. What they are doing is trying to win the meeting. They are not throwing anything. Why shouldn't there be tactical riding? What is WRONG with tactical riding? There is a rule in place. A team 6 points behind can put in a TS and Joker. Sucha scenario can swing 6 points in favour of a team that might otherwise have scored nothing in that race. Trying to prevent that is trying to do your best for the team. It is not cheating anything. It is not throwing anything. It's doing all you can to get your side to win the meeting.

I don't think it's a farce at all. I think it's interesting to see the tactics of both teams. If you're going to have double point races then these are the tactics that go with it.