IainB

What a performance by Joe Thompson! You can see his experience of riding Leicester being used around Armadale. If Ben Barker had performed anything like he should have done Berwick may well have got something out of this.

It'll be interesting to see if he rides in Poland over the weekend. I thought I heard he was knocked out in his spill, I could have heard wrong though.

I think we've reached the make it up as you go along because we've trussed ourselves up with contradictory rules stage of the season haven't we? Good signing though, how could you not after last Monday!

Wayne Jarvis putting in another remarkable refereeing performance!

I know you're anti-guest, personally I don't mind it, within reason... but I turn up every week and pay my money over and have become immune to it but I can see how it looks to outsiders. Speedway, at the moment, is quite a bit different to all other team sports in respect to replacing unavailable riders. The only way I can see to eradicate guests would be to operate a squad system, standardisation of machinery or handicap racing... or all 3!!!

And now Vatcher is going to war with Peter Oakes! https://www.scbgb.co.uk/news.php?extend.193

Normally the SCB sign off their statements with a we will not be making further comment on this matter type of statement and now they're going to war with a journalist that has done more to get the sport column inches in the national papers in this country than most... well played!

Although the ripping up of the track and relaying of a proper track will please the many of us that remain it's highly unlikely to attract anybody new to the sport. Look at BV, best track in the world, riders riding to a half empty stadium... and that's also one of the better run clubs with good rider continuity over the seasons. For me the racing is better than it has ever been, you only have to look at some of the old stuff on YouTube to see that. Maybe we were lucky at Leicester in the past at Blackbird Road, we used to have a pretty decent race track and a pretty crappy team, meaning we were often treated to last heat deciders to keep the entertainment and interest levels high. The cost these days though is just too high to attract many newcomers, you're looking at around £50 for 2 adults and 2 children. People will point to other comparable sports and I just looked at The 100 cricket ticket prices and yes they are comparable... but is the entertainment and interaction level comparable? Not for me I'm afraid. Would you take a punt at £50 on something you'd never sampled before? If Speedway is indeed a family sport, there needs to be a family ticket, a proper family ticket, 2 adults + 2 children £25! And no checking of passports and birth certificates at the turnstiles. That is comparable with a night out at the cinema, where you're sat down in a nice comfy seat, in an enclosed environment away from any weather. At £25 you may also make back some of that money with burgers and chips etc.

That's the Craig Cook I like to see and can get behind, we all know he's a complicated character and I'm not one for his antics of last week with the Edinburgh match... but credit where it's due tonight.

Not much to talk about on track, it was pretty turgid stuff and Stewart Dickson pretty much hinted as much after the match. Off track though, was listening to the rider interviews after the match and most of the Lions riders were being brought out for photos with a young family with a seemingly poorly young girl (by the new female promoter, sorry, I can't remember her name)... but special mention to Craig Cook who not only had his photo taken with the kids but also gave his, well deserved, rider of the night bottle of bubbly to the young family, probably making their night. Tremendous gesture and proves what a top bloke he can be

These riders are contractors though not employees... having been a contractor myself, if I'm lucky I'm on a weeks notice but generally it's 1 day notice. I would assume riders would sign a BSPL drafted contract as regards notice periods etc with the actual money "deal" left blank for clubs to offer and riders to accept or turn down.

Highly unlikely... enjoy the tractors

Jeeezarse, they say I moan about King's Lynn but at least I can end a conversation I've never heard anyone go on & on & on & about a subject on totally the wrong fackin' thread too. Oh my dayz

Enter... Mr Christopher Harris

Defo, saw him make his debut on TV a few years ago in Sweden, he was 16 and scored a 15 point maximum, I thought he was something special then, not quite sure why he's not been higher profile since. (All or some of those details maybe slightly incorrect, he was mighty impressive though)

Hope so!

No PHB then

Yet it's okay for riders to compete in both NORA & SCB events... where's the consistency?

I meant my reply to Sir Sidney was poorly worded lol. I didn't doubt there was a rule once he quoted it... But having said that... It's interesting that "intention" is mentioned in the laying down of a bike "deliberately" but that doesn't appear to be the case in actual foul, dangerous or unfair riding. The most recent example that springs to mind for me (that many will have seen) is the wiping out of Danny King by Sam McGurk in heat 11 of the Workington vs Redcar BSN Series match on the 20th of April. Imo McGurk could easily have been excluded for foul, dangerous or unfair riding but it was just a "fell excluded". He obviously didn't do it deliberately and probably just ran out of skill due to inexperience but that doesn't mean it wasn't foul, dangerous or unfair.

Yes, wasn't questioning whether it was still a rule, poorly worded.

I'm not sure I buy the watering down argument, yes it is watered down somewhat to what it used to be and that was probably understandable post-pandemic/brexit, but in recent years it has been watered-up again with the return of some "stars". Personally I think the reasons are many, I don't think there's one overall reason, you can tinker about with the rules until the cows come home, tac subs, league points, average limits, who you can sign and when it will not attract a single new fan. The best money British Speedway could spend would be getting some kind of consultant in to write a report on the current state of the sport and the reasons behind that and a plan for a complete overhaul. That may involve changes a lot of which the current fan base (and riders) may well not be happy with.

If it is indeed still a rule... I wonder when the last time it was used was and who against?

Was this to try and use trained Chimpanzee's to operate the cameras?

But apart from Josh Pickering, Kye Thomson, Ty Proctor and Cameron Heeps... what have the Romans ever done for us

I thought the exact same thing! I could be wrong but I think there may have been a couple of rules in days gone by, unfair riding and dangerous riding, I say that as I seem to remember years and years ago Chris Morton was excluded at Coventry and an announcement was made over the PA saying that Chris Morton would like it to be known that he was excluded for "unfair" riding and not "dangerous riding", whether there were 2 rules or it was just announced incorrectly I don't know, but either way the rule seems to be a thing of the past or just not used at all in the last 15 years or so (at meetings I've attended anyway)