Vincent Vega

Nice to hear your thoughts Middlo and that you werent happy as no-one remembers who finished second winning is what matters.

Tac sub I agree wholeheartedly with you we will win it next year with Ronnie Russell in charge.

Robbie C you say RR couldnt manage a conference team so why are Arena who he manages by the way in case you hadnt noticed sitting near the play offs look at the league table if you dont believe me when all the so called experts said we would be bottom. If he wasnt a good manager Arena wouldnt be where they are in the Elite league table. You all say you are proud of Middlo and the team but when it came to the crunch they bottled it when they were in a winning position. If the England football team had done the same you lot would have been slagging off Sven so what is the difference?? This is what is wrong with the sports in our country it seems second best is good enough. Oh England done really well they finished second!!!!!!! If Tim Henman done what Team GB did last night in a Wimbledon final e.g. winning it up till the last 2 games then blew it he would have been slated from pillar to the post. LOOK AT THE FACTS LADIES AND GENTLEMAN TEAM GB WERE WINNING LAST NIGHT AND BLEW IT IN THE LAST 2 HEATS FACT YEAH??? The buck stops with the manager. Why did we blow it in the last 2 heats?? Were the riders too nervous? if so it is Middlos job to calm them down and keep them focused before they go out to race. As I said before this is only my personal opinion and again I repeat myself for the dozy people out there who cant digest vocabulary Middlo is a GOOD team manager and a TOP MAN I like the bloke a lot he has done a good job in his time as the national team manager but look at the facts he has NOT won the World Team Cup during his time as manager which in my eyes is a failure and it is time for some fresh blood.

Thanks Sandman maybe tomorrow when people have calmed down a bit from the emotion of it all they may see the point I am making.

You say a manager is only good as the tools he has to work with well all you so called speedway experts said Arena would finish bottom at the start of the season. RR said in the speedway star preview that reserves will be the key this season and you have to have strong reserves to do well in the EL. Big Ron has shown his managerial qualities by building a team with good reserves cos he studied the race format in advance and realised that is what was needed to have a good team. Arena are currently in contention for a play off spot and will not finish bottom of the EL where you experts ha ha ha dont make me laugh said they would finish. This is no way a personal attack on Middlo like I said earlier he is a top man and I supported him all those years ago when he rode for Arena. I am sure he is probably asking himself the question can I take the team any further?? Please everyone this is only my humble opinion. Looking at the previous postings you lot disagree with me and think Middlo should stay on as England TM fair enough that is your own opinion. Speedway is full of people with different opinions which makes this such a great forum and a wonderful sport.

Mr Hammond Bryn I respect your opinions and speedway knowledge to the hilt really I do. I am just expressing my personal opinion. If this was football and a manager had a team in 3 or 4 world cups and did not win one of them when they only have say 3 decent teams to beat to win that world cup questions would be asked.

Once again it is a British Team not having the killer instinct or mental strength to go that extra yard and win anything. In normal league matches Loramski would beat AJ more times than not the same in the past when Nicholls has ridden against PK. The pressure got to the riders in the last few heats and when it came to the crunch we bottled it I am afraid. Stats do not lie Middlo has not won a thing as England Team manager that is a fact ladies and gentleman.

Please read my post carefully I did not say Middlo is a bad manager I said he is a good Team manager but managers are judged on results he has been in charge for 3 or 4 World Cups now and we have not won one of them. He should do the honourable thing like Kevin Keegan did and admit he hasnt got that bit extra at this level and resign.

Middlo has done a good job as England TM but after another World Cup has proved elusive I think it is time for Neil to step aside now as England manager and let someone else have a go. Middlo is like Sven nice bloke good at his job but doesnt have that bit extra at the top level. The BSPA should make Ronnie Russell England manager at the winter conference and mark my words with Ronnie in charge Team GB will win the world cup next year.

If you thought he was drunk last night you should have seen him in the bar at Armadale last season after our match at Edinburgh. He was legless chatting to some Glasgow fan about James Grieves being hairy. Its all on the Hammers Go North video.

Lanzilla Bleached hair fake tan you on about shazzy bird or matthew ford??

Come on then forum pundits who will win the world cup next week? Anyone have any odds from Billy Hills?? My prediction is Australia.

Does anyone know where old copies of the excellent Kestrel news can be obtained from as I have mislaid my old copies of the fanzine.

If everyone is fit and available Norris, Richardson, Loram and Nicholls pick themselves as the Top 4. Dean Barker should be used at Eastbourne and Havvy at Poole as both are track specialists and will do better than Screeny, Howe, Robson, Neath etc.....

Well Norbold why couldnt they have a one off London Cup meeting at Plough Lane at the end of this season with Wimbledon using former riders Kelvin Tatum, Ray Morton along with their CL team and Hackney using Moggo and Chris Louis along with other CL riders. I am sure the place would be packed out if they advertised it enough. How about it Mr # Name Removed #???

My memories of Waterden Road are hearing good old Arfer every week walking round the stadium selling the Speedway Mail, buying memorabillia from the great track shop on the first bend. Reading the excellent Kestrel News done by Bryn every week. I found some old copies of the Kestrel News the other day and with it was a similar publication from that lot in SW19 as Bryn calls em called the Dons Digest. But I seem to remember Bryn leaving Hackney and working for that lot in SW19 in 1991 as PRO and writing the Dons Digest!!!!!!!! I went to every meeting at the Wick in 1996 when the team were called the London Lions and thought the promotion tried hard with ideas like Leo the Lion the team mascot and the nice birds on the centre green holding up numbers on cards at the start of every heat a la rounds in boxing. Hopefully the old London Cup could be resurrected one day???

Cagey/Ashie I would be grateful if you could answer me the following 2 questions. 1. Will the purchase of Station Rd be completed in time for speedway to be held there in 2005?? 2. I was watching an old video of Long Eaton the other day and the interviewer with long hair and a beard was called Ken Parton who was brilliant. Is he still around the speedway scene??

The Old Waterden Road circuit was fantastic I think in one meeting in 1988 they had about 50 passes in the match. Bryn will probably know who the meeting was against and exactly how many passes were made.

I would be interested to know how forum members days went in Cardiff tonight? What did you do before the GP? Who did you sit with? Did you go to any parties after the meeting and mingle with the speedway celebs?

Just like to wish all forum members a great time at the GP over the weekend I wont be there as I will be in Portugal trying to blag a ticket for the France England match. If I cant get one outside the ground I will probably watch it in a bar over there. Hopefully I will make it to Cardiff next year. Safe journey everyone.

Montine Dons I agree 88 & 89 were the best meetings. Do you think the current Wimbledon promotion would entertain the idea of having a Wimbledon v Hackney London Cup meeting this season with guest riders on either side e.g. Moggo, Kelvin, Ripper etc.....

What memories do supporters have of the old Wimbledon v Hackney clashes at Waterden Rd and Plough Lane? League matches, Ko Cup or the old London Cup derbies. The one that springs to mind for me was the London Cup clash at Plough Lane in 1989 when the Kestrels needed a 5-0 to win the Cup and they got it!!!!! Neville Tatum fell and was excluded in the original staging of Heat 16 then in the re-run Andy Galvin and Garry Tagg sandwiched Todd Wiltshire out of the start and Todd got excluded. The Pit Bend Loonies went mad!!!!! I also remember Hackney clinching the double by winning the Ko Cup at Plough Lane. Wimbledon every Weds and Hackney every Friday those were the days!!! Wouldnt it be great if they could have a Wimbledon v Hackney fixture at Plough Lane again this season Kelvin and Ripper could guest for Wimbledon with Moggo, Loramski and Chris Louis for Hackney. Go on Mr # Name Removed # the place would be packed out.

Great I thought my memory wasnt playing tricks with me. Didnt Bryn also referee a meeting once when the ref wasnt available for one reason or another. It may have been a 4tt meeting at Arena possibly Arena v Hackney v Rye v Mildenhall something like that??

Cheetah Hawk, Robyn, Cliv Clav, Bryn et al. Do you remember the meeting at Waterden Road in 1990 against Arena when Bryn took over as start or flag marshal for a couple of heats because the normal flag/start marshal had a barney with the ref and walked off!!!!!!!! I am pretty sure this incident happened and I havent dreamt it

Does anyone apart from Bryn of course remember and ever purchase the excellent Kestrel News that Bryn used to write and edit every week. Back in those days if you could not attend any away meetings the Kestrel News was the about the only way of finding out the full scorers and match reports from any away matches held during the week. I used to buy the Kestrel News every Friday and found it an excellent read. I always remeber one particular headline saying PREDICTABLE LOSS AT POOLE AND THE REF NEEDS SHOOTING!!!!! I seem to remember Bryn producing a similar thing at Wimbledon in 1991 called Dons Digest is that correct Bryn??