crescent girl

This is good stuff -- the kind of forum discussion that allows opinions to be aired! My opinion is that, as the teams are all starting 2026 at the same strength as 2025 then is is incorrect to suggest they are weaker, they are at the same level as last season. Cancelling out a second 8-pointer means more pointage to build a stronger middle order, or employ better reserves. Overall, the league starts out as per the past season, built to 40.00. Not weaker!

I have to disagree. In April, each club will be (or should be, if they recruited sensibly) at exactly the same strength as it was at Easter this year. Not stronger, not weaker. The same.

But it isn't a weaker league! The points limit is still 40.00, same as we started with last season. It is up to the clubs, the team managers, etc, to construct their side up to this limit. But it won't be weaker.

One advantage of the smaller communities (in speedway terms, Workington, Berwick, King's Lynn and maybe Poole) where there is no big-league soccer in the towns to distract attention is that the speedway clubs -- who can boast "international stars" in virtually every meeting -- are usually the biggest sporting attraction in town. Also, in these smaller communities, even if people don't attend, I believe the whole town knows about the Comets, Bandits, etc. They know speedway exists there. Whereas in the cities, in Glasgow or Edinburgh, if I mention speedway to people the usual reaction is "oh, is that still going?" The downside being, there are less than 30,000 people living within 25 miles of either Workington or Berwick. There are about two million within 25 miles of Glasgow!

But first, he needs a visa.....

Over a full season, probably yes.

If it indeed transpires the "one over the eight" regulation is adopted at AGM, then the unemployed "over eight" rider(s) will be the ones who have demanded too much from a prospective promotion. Having a surplus will prevent unreasonable demands, if a rider thinks he's the only game in town, he can cripple a promotion by asking to be paid the earth.......

Can't agree, there is obviously a power source already, track warning lights, etc, don't run on gas. Forty years ago, Berrington Lough was totally self-contained and ran everything -- including floodlights -- by generator, which wasn't a huge one. I'm certain things have moved on space since then, and you could power a stadium with a fairly compact generation unit

When he makes the gate.

Yip. He told then he was fighting fit, and ready to go.............

When he rode, Craig Cook was a very big scorer for Berwick last year. His 8+ average tells you that.

Most, not all, stadium owners will charge a flat annual fee for a speedway club to operate If that was (f'instance) £65k, and you run 15 meetings, you're paying £4.3k per meeting. But if you run 25 meetings, it'll only be £2.6k.......

Bluey Scott, Charlie Monk, Nils Paulsen, Trevor Redmond, Bruce Ovenden, Willie Templeton & Graham Coombes. Maury Mattingley on bike, Two Aussies, Two Kiwis (3 if you count Trevor), One Norwegian, One Englishman and a Scot. Not many 2.5% reductions there......

Bailey got a visa yet?