Grachan

How is that different to the 2 minutes in the UK?

I guess Swindon still can claim Jason as a World Champion, because he hadn't been released when he won the title and rode all the rounds as a Swindon rider. I think we all know that it's Somerset who are getting all the joy of it, though.

So is your grammar.

I think somewhere like Malaysia or Japan would really embrace the Grand Prix as an event and get massive crowds in - particularly in Japan.

Although, to be fair, you could have had the same conversation with Batch a couple of years ago and got the same reaction. But, no, I can't see Jason coming back and my Hans Nielsen/Per Jonsson moment will be gone forever.

Swindon have lost their mojo now -and there's no World Champion to steady the ship any more. By being in the top 4, we still remain in the play-off race. But the reality is we just don't seem good enough at the moment and I can't see us getting into the play-offs. It's frustrating though. Look at the side: Batch, Nick, Toby, David, Adam and Zach - all capable of double figure scores and match winning performances. Why can't they all do it at the same time? All we can do is look enviably at Somerset. The club has a massive smile on its face at the moment. Doyley banging in a maximum. BWD battling away at reserve. How we miss those two this year. I guess it's the price you pay for winning the league, and I do feel that all of the 5 riders we retained deserved a shot again this year. Next year, if we still have a stadium, I expect there will be changes.

Why would he? Twice Swindon win the title, and dump him both times. Not getting a chance to see the World Champion at Swindon pretty much killed my enthusiasm for going to speedway this year, although, to be fair, Troy was a decent replacement considering the restrictions that were placed. Let's not forget that the "one over 8" nonsense was voted in by other clubs, but I would never have got rid of an opportunity to welcome home the World Champ.

The only way Jason will be back at Swindon is if Somerset decide they don't want him. But why would any team not want him?

Before my time, as I started going to Speedway in 1974! However, when I did go I realised I had seen it on television, and I'm pretty sure that this is the meeting I saw.

Well, I think you know what I meant Fixtures! One notable thing from that year - Barry Briggs injured himself riding in Germany and was out for a few weeks. No guest. Swindon had to ride with their number 8 riding at number one. And they ended up winning the league.

Backlog of fixtures is not a new thing. I once bought the Speedway Stars for the 1967 season, and looking through them, Swindon had a massive backlog of fixtures, and had to add an extra double-header meeting on a Friday in August to try and catch up. Their season also extended into November due to incomplete fixtures. Other notables from that year that would be seen as "Speedway RIP" now, included a Swindon meeting in pouring rain, with times of over 80 seconds, that was immediately called off after heat 6 (once there were no refunds). The match report commented that there could be no complaints from the fans, as the meeting should never really have started in the first place. Imagine that happening now. Swindon had the re-run their match at King's Lynn as the first one was declared void because KL used an "illegal" side. Speedway RIP again? It was also then decided that King's Lynn, despite being bottom of the league, were not allowed to sign Ove Fundin. Then Belle Vue - in contention for the title - were allowed to sign him to boost their title hopes. What? Teams at the top making changes and bringing in top riders to increase their title hopes? Surely that's just because of the play-offs? Speedway RIP again? If there was social media at the time there would have been uproar. I guess people were more prepared to put up with stuff back then then they are now. That's probably the main difference.

Yes, the smoking ban was major in the downfall of pubs. Pubs that have survived seem to be those who have successfully adapted to a more food/family based business or managed to attract a "clubbing" crowd.. The old style "locals" in town centres seem to struggle, with perhaps one or two regaining clientele while others have shut down. Interestingly, like speedway, if you look in a regular pub these days most of the people in there tend to be over 50.

It will be even funnier if Kurtz helps Belle Vue into the play offs and Poole get turned over by them. The Aces are certainly the most in form team at the moment.

Of course it makes a difference. It's not about the points being scored, it's about the credibility of the situation.

It is crazy to have a Grand Prix rider unable to ride in the top flight because he is riding the in Second Division. It's time for this stupidity to stop. Of course, supporters of Glasgow will probably call this Division One snobbery, but even they have to see the ridiculous of the situation here, surely. However, with the rules as they are, the decision should clearly be based on when this fixture was arranged and when he signed for Glasgow. Nobody seems clear which was first. But he should never have been allowed to sign for Glasgow in the first place.

In which case he should 100% be riding for Glasgow. Good decision by whoever decided it.

In which case he should 100% be riding for Belle Vue. Bad decision by whoever decided it.

If Poole win this, and it suddenly seems distinctly possible after they lost at home to Belle Vue, Somerset are suddenly having a few worrying looks over their shoulder. They'll have the worst home record apart from Leicester.

Was this re-arranged before Cook signed for Glasgow? If it was he should be riding for Belle Vue. If not he should be riding for Glasgow. Presumably this is what is being followed?

OK. 32 dates for 13 home meetings then. I don't know how it is at King's Lynn, but at Swindon there seem to be plenty of dates where there has been no speedway when there could have been. So much so that fans get frustrated by it.

The fixtures last from the beginning of April until the end of August. With Mondays and Wednesdays, that's 22 weeks to fit in 14 (say 13 with Rye House now out) home fixtures. Two days a week in which to do it. That's 44 dates. 44 dates to fit in 13 home matches. Why can't all the teams manage that? I'm not defending Swindon's scheduling either. It was appallingly bad last year.

There was a bit of a Martin Dugard / Brian Karger thing going on for a while.

I think the point was that fixed nights hasn't had an effect on whether or not a team completes their fixtures, and I don't see how it has. It's really not hard to get all the fixtures in. I remember at Swindon last year there were frustratingly many weeks with no matches - yet they still got their fixtures in before the cut-off despite this. With so few team in the league there really is no excuse.

Maybe, but they said at the start of the year that they were going to make less restarts, so maybe she's the one who is doing it right.

Good for her. Pulling races back all the time is driving people away from the sport. Wasn't there an objective to not pull races back this year? Anyway, Harris didn't jump the start. He just gated well.