cyclone

As it is only League fixtures (4 home, 4 away) which count in changing from an Assessed GSA (i.e. 5.00) to a GSA based on actual results, Max's recent improved scoring has taken place in the recent League and KO Cup fixtures. His League scores (excluding bp)so far are :- Home : vs Scunthorpe 2 (4) vs Plymouth 1 (4) vs Redcar 12 (6) vs Workington 14 (7) Away: vs Scunthorpe 4 (4) vs Plymouth 6 (4) vs Somerset 10 (5) I make that 49 pts from 34 starts which results in a rounded down average of 5.76. So he is actually above his Assessed Average of 5.00 at the moment. Weather permitting, he will complete his fourth away league match today at Worky. Even a zero return from 4 rides today would still produce a GSA of 5.15. It's just the senile witterings of the Whitley Bay Windbag As he is incapable of recognising Darlington from Middlesbrough , or spelling Sudden Sam's surname as Ermolenko, make allowances for his bitter hurt at his beloved Diamonds being dumped out the KO Cup by The Mighty Monarchs at Brough Park on Sunday

Jesper Monberg was in the GPs in 2004

Depending on where you are situated when spectating, you quite often see a different perspective of incidents. Generally when you are closer to an incident with an unimpeded view, the likelihood is you will see the action more accurately. I stand high on the fourth bend terracing and this offers a clear unimpeded view of both entering the third bend and a rear view of the home straight. The texter stood on the lower terracing near the start gate. IIRC George English was viewing from the pits area on the second bend. Myself and friends reckoned the ref called the Henry, Vissing, Fricke, & Lindgren exclusions correctly, which we had decent views of. The Pijper & Tully exclusions on bend 2 were the furthest away but to us appeared very similar (either all 4 r/r or the falling riders excluded). What I would say is that referees box in it's elevated position above the home stand will provide the best overall view of racing in the stadium. Perhaps if George English had taken time to consider he was not in the best position to observe what happened on track, he would not have made his petulant outburst.

Hopefully not the same branch that gave you spectacles that read "Middlesbrough" instead of "Darlington" when the name Michael Brekon appears in print

The FACT is the referee of that name resides in Darlington, not Middlesbrough. Check with Grahame Reeve who will confirm your repeated error, or below is a link to Michael Brekon's Twitter Page : https://twitter.com/speedwayref

Surely you know any decision against Newcastle must be dodgy

Thanks for a comprehensive insight re air fences. Would the same problems be encountered with the alternative of foam fences or do they have different operational problems ?

Surely one of the most heroic performances by any team. Already without two of their first choices through injury (in Tabaka's case, his scoring this year equates to no 3 instead of no 5 as per Green sheets), Pijper riding with broken ribs, Fricke probably still feeling less than 100% after Friday. So r/r & guest no 7 produced a 3 point return in place of Tabaka & Davey against a full strength Newcastle team who were 6 up (7 on aggregate) after 10 heats and we end up dumping the Diamonds out the Cup Looks like our good friend from the West, Paulco, was quite right after all, to dub Max "The Golden Child"

Is there a link to the photos on the web ?

Gating is an important part of a rider's repertoire and Diamonds gave us a lesson tonight in this department. However credit should be given to Robson for passing Cook off the second bend in ht 13. I agree the track appeared poorly set up for the home team, but from the feedback from some, it would be wrong to lay the blame solely at Doc. Tabaka has taken quite a battering over Tuesday and Friday (3 separate times last night) and I would not be surprised if he misses Sunday.

My guess would be Adam Roynon / Andre Compton

According to this week's Speedway Star's averages, which imo provide a more accurate reflection of riders form than GSAs, as they include all points (including bps) from all 2013 Official competitions, Richie Worrall is now the top Diamond with an impressive 9.29. I was very impressed by him when riding in the British Semi at the Dale, and he appears to be going from strength to strength, culminating in an 18pt EL max yesterday. Allied to messrs Robson, Tully & Henry being no mugs around Armadale and the sensational Lewis Kerr at reserve, the patched up Monarchs will be doing well to win their home leg. Over the two legs it will take another herculean performance on a par with that witnessed at Somerset on Tuesday, for Monarchs to emerge as aggregate winners.

On Official Edinburgh website:- John Campbell said "They were all heroes but none more so than Theo Pijper who was riding with two broken ribs after his Longtrack crash at the weekend." I was expecting Theo to be nominated for heat 15, given his emphatic win in heat 11, but now fully appreciate why he was spared further exertion. These guys are really a different breed when it comes to breaking the pain barrier.

Typical abusive reply from the Whitley Bay Windbag when someone questions his snide comments on the ref, when he does not give decisions in favour of Newcastle.

On the replays on Sky, Grajczonek's dirt deflector clearly brushes into Sneddon's front wheel, instead of holding his line, so ref called it correctly Agree with ht 15 decision also as Grajczonek & Tabaka both went for same part of the track exiting bend 2, and Josh got there first and the onus was on Jozsef to back off. Great match, great comeback from Monarchs, great prospect in Max Fricke, and great overtake by Cook on Doyle in ht 15 re-run, to secure three match points for the Mighty Monarchs

Really ? So every time a referee is considered to have been "rubbish", it will be the norm to include his place of residence, be it Middlesbrough or wherever, and refer to it at least twice in a post ?

As you twice refer to the referee being a resident of Middlesbrough in your post, can you explain why you believe it is relevant to emphasise this point ?

Just read the following quote from Sean Courtney re yesterday's match:- "We'll get it turned round, we have to believe we are going to, and I take my hat off to the supporters because they always get behind the team." Obviously he is unaware of some on here who take a different view

Give the Bears credit for overturning a 12 point deficit. Don't go for excuses about track conditions - they're the same for both sides, or Pijper's absence on Longtrack - was the FIM schedule not known before the Speedway season commenced ? The positive for Monarchs was Max Fricke's best home performance, including first ever wins (x 3). As previously mentioned, a concern is Cook's apparent ongoing discomfort with a shoulder, and given his busy racing schedule, will this affect his overall fitness to maintain the high standard he has set this season ? IMO Monarchs have a decent team, but are unlikely to be serious title challengers. Even with Pijper returning next week, I would not expect us to overcome Newcastle(the best PL team at the moment) in KOC ties next weekend.

Tonight's results confirm Newcastle are way ahead of any other team in the league. With Andrew Tully slotting in seamlessly they have the strongest 1- 6 and can afford to persevere with Steve Worrall, who will surely come good. Already resigned to the Monarchs exiting the KO Cup next weekend, barring some catastrophic disaster by the Diamonds. No doubt some of the other Challengers will still fancy their chances, but imo they are deluding themselves.

The Premier Inn, Bathgate & The Cairn Hotel are the most popular hotels with travelling fans, being a short car trip from stadium at Armadale. See this link : http://maps.google.c...A&ved=0COkBEMgT

If you were to change to a weekday, then what would be the cost to install floodlightlng that would also meet safety standards ? Given that Friday is already the established race night for Scotland's major team, to run in direct competition could result in both venues losing some support to the other. Perhaps Wednesdays, which used to be the Tigers race day in 1964, or Thursdays, which has been used at Ashfield when summer daylight permits, are other alternatives worth considering.

Fisher is doing quite nicely riding in the second tier in Poland on Sundays, and given the previous hostility towards him from the torn face Tigers fans, I doubt if Weegieville would be top of his choices for a move. Interestingly at the start of the month, the same Tigers team managed to beat one of the league favourites, Newcastle, at Ashfield in the PL. Wonder why certain riders are now toiling

Additionally, the Edinburgh Marathon is also tomorrow and the extensive road closures & diversions will disrupt travel arrangements, especially for those relying on city to city public transport, given the unavailability of private coaches because of the footy. at Hampden. I raised this on here some time ago, but for whatever reason, it appears that the date or start time could not be altered. Given the above difficulties and the fact that the final result will not affect the Monarchs League Cup progress, I'll reluctantly not be at Saracen Park tomorrow

If that is the case, as Ludvig Lindgren was initially signed by Newcastle and Wolves only took him on when their original choice, Masters, became unavailable, then imo Wolverhampton should no longer be permitted to use him in their declared 1 - 7.