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now , now my little padawan . in order to sell your chips,burgers and nice refreshing hot drinks . YOU HAVE TO BE OPEN FOR BUSINESS !

THIS week, under the direction of Editor Andrew Skeels and Art Editor Mick Smith, we start a process of a facelift for Speedway Star both in terms of presentation and content.

Anywhere else I would be worried this meeting may be cancelled, But this new track appears to cope with the bad weather better than most. This sure is a hard first meeting for the Stars, and one that most would relish to see. Difficult to see anything but a home win. Would obviously like to see a good meeting and if we can put a good performance, we might be rewarded with our first point of the season. Am eagerly looking forward to seeing it. Then hoping to get a ticket for the City match the following night....... Fingers crossed...

Any team with only one race winner are going to be up against it to say the least, but to be fair to Newcastle 31pts round Owlerton will be par for course for many visiting teams this season.

I hope when Swindon visit that the fans don’t bother booing or throwing insults at the Aussie, just ignore him and treat him with the contempt he deserves. Will need to keep close eye on him with regard to sandpaper in his pocket.

The Met Office forecast isn't too bad for Monday with no rain forecast after 7am until a 50% chance of light rain at 7pm. Let's wait until Monday before deciding it is certain to be off.

You mean the Millionaires Den has no covers yet shock horror... they are slacking Far too early call-off , Bomber must have looked at weather and thought "nah not travelling" Light rain around 4pm the bugger all after that

With the weather looking good for Wroclaw and Rybnik tomorrow, it should be all systems go- I`m out for most of the day so hopefully there will be good internet coverage. 1st up Wroclaw v Leszno on N sport programme starts 1.30pm UK time 1st race 2pm UK time- this is followed(clash for a bit !!) by the Nice Polska league Rybnik v Pila Eleven sport 3 programme starts 3pm UK time 1st race 3.15pm UK time. http://www.soccer-live.pl/transmisje.php?id=motorsport https://www.meczyki.pl/

Cheers for the links Steve. But despite me being totally clueless, I managed to get it up and running last night after about a thousand texts to my Manager at work who knows his stuff!!! Must say it looks awesome - all the main sport channels in HD and looking great with no buffering!!! Cant wait for the first meeting now!!!

Ipswich lost at home tonight, that should keep Gavan off here for a bit

Around 1800 respondents made their voices heard, 99.4% objected to the planning application with only SEVEN applications in support! The campaign group would like to sincerely thank everyone who sent in emails/letters of objection, including representations made by the BSPA, SCB and ACU. Find out more here: http://www.savecoventryspeedway.com/news.php?extend.136.1&utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter

I have done what I should have done earlier in the conversation - look on You Tube. There I found the 2018 Dorna/FIM coverage! Age is clearly claiming me. So, you can see for yourself. This is the Astana round. It's all on the tvfim channel. At least anyone who wants to catch up can.

Lambert should be doing better at reserve or has the captain syndrome struck him now

Often later than 31st October. It was as late as November 10th one season in the 70s, and a challenge at that if I remember right. In those days any track running fewer than 26 meetings a year was seen as being in trouble with 30+ being commonplace and expected. But then meetings made profits, even those open events that the modern day 'fan' sneers at.

But still no caviar...or prawn sandwiches....

Does not apply at all now rule amended. http://www.speedwaygb.co/news.php?extend.34055

Maybe Somerset riders are better at the Leicester track than the Poole riders are? Anyway you don't actually think Poole will win you are just saying that so if Poole lose you can just say we are rubbish. Bit sad really!

Are Poole a better side than Somerset??? Yes and Somerset went to Leicester and lost by only 2 points. On that basis you should win at Leicester or are you saying that Somerset are a better side than Poole? If Poole dont win, and Somerset can get within 2 points, then i would say thats a poor result for Poole.

Jenga lives under a bridge so how would they find him.

The den is open all day everyday for food and drinks so once again you look rather silly.

In fairness it is in Workingtons best interests to do so. They are as you point out the home track and as such don't want negative comments affecting their business/crowd especially if inaccurate. They gave Glasgow 24 hours to do so first from what I can see so don't see the problem

Yes and no. The club is there and has been involved in Russian lower league last year and also this year. They also have land and Im today told that there was a mx track and speedway track there. But theres been some problems with the land owner recently and the future remains unclear with the complec.

THE documents for Brandon and Bretford Parish Council’s Neighbourhood Plan application have been submitted. These are available to download from the Rugby Borough Council website. https://www.rugby.gov.uk/downloads/file/1738/brandon_and_bretford_neighbourhood_development_plan We would particularly draw your attention to section 12 (starting on page 54) concerning Potential Development Sites, which makes detailed reference to Brandon Stadium. Note particularly the following paragraphs: 12.6 In the survey circulated to residents for the development of the Neighbourhood Plan, residents were asked what uses they would like to see included as part of the future redevelopment of the Stadium site. An overwhelming majority of responses wanted to see the site retained for sporting use or for the development of community facilities. There was some support for the development of small business uses, but only a handful of responses supported any form of residential development with those responses favouring either affordable housing or specialist housing for the elderly. *This survey response is entirely in line with our own survey of local residents carried out in Autumn 2017 and indeed the overwhelming response of 1,800 objections to the planning application as part of the council’s consultation process. 12.7 The site is wholly within the Green Belt and the adopted Development Plan does not contain any policy that is specific to its existing or future use. Similarly the emerging Rugby Local Plan contains no policy that is specific to the site’s existing or future use other than general policies for the redevelopment of PDL within the District. *This is an issue which we have raised in our representations towards the Local Plan and will do so once more during the public hearings later this month. 12.8 The Government’s planning policies as contained in the NPPF contain policies on the redevelopment of PDL within areas of Green Belt and on the loss of existing open space, sports and recreational facilities and buildings. Paragraph 74 states that: “Existing open space, sports and recreational buildings and land, including playing fields, should not be built on unless: a. an assessment has been undertaken which has clearly shown the open space, buildings or land to be surplus to requirements; or b. the loss resulting from the proposed development would be replaced by equivalent or better provision in terms of quantity and quality in a suitable location; or c. the development is for alternative sports and recreational provision, the needs for which clearly outweigh the loss”. *The Parish Council are absolutely correct to highlight this section of planning policy, which is also included in our objections to the planning application. 12.10 The site has played an important role as a sports stadium for almost 90 years and is an established and valued facility within the Parish. Alongside the local and wider sporting value it has delivered to generations of people, the stadium has provided local employment and has become a valued landmark in the area. The survey of residents showed that there was overwhelming support for the retention of the site as predominantly a sporting facility whether in total or as part of the site’s redevelopment. *Again, this is entirely consistent with our own findings having surveyed the local residents. Policy PDS1 commences: POLICY PDS 1 BRANDON STADIUM As a long established and valued sports stadium, preference will be given to the continued use of the site either in whole or in part for sports purposes. Support will be given to proposals which would allow the site to remain in its current use as a sporting facility subject to acceptability with other policies in the Plan and to adopted Development Plan policies. *Interestingly, there is a brief reference to the Neighbourhood Plan within the Design and Access Statement in the Brandon Estates planning application. It states: 2.1.34 Brandon and Bretford Parish was designated as a Neighbourhood Plan area on 12th May 2016. The Steering Group are currently in the process of writing the Neighbourhood Plan for the Parish, no draft has been produced, and therefore no weight is currently given to this. *We have made reference to this brazen statement in our own objections to the Planning Application, the full text of which will be reproduced on our website next week. We have included, amongst others, the following comment: 10.6 Why have Brandon Estates suggested the decision on the planning application should be made giving "no weight" to the wishes of the local community? Is it because the local community are substantially supportive of retaining the Stadium facility?

Good Friday was 30th March this year!

No covers but we do have TEA, BURGERS AND CHIPS that you can eat and drink unlike Workington

Apart from crowd levels I think one of the things that actually was better in the 'good old days' was Speedway starting on Good Friday and finishing in mid September. March and October are too prone to bad weather for Speedway in my opinion and perhaps a shorter season would encourage clubs to have a more regular schedule.

All helps to get a bigger than average crowd when Batchelor visits with Swindon so well done Troy on that one .

I think we can take this as confirmation of Sunday

just extends the season out for some teams , bring on the rain . reading the tigers face book home page . it now looks like winning by 10 @ home ( v monarchs) is now classed as an obliteration of the away side . the Glasgow propaganda machine is working overtime to attract even more PAYING customers through their gates . you can put lipstick on a pig , but its still a pig .. meeting cancelled i do believe ! it would not have been cancelled this early if you had not signed bomber ...

Reading this week's S/S, It seem Troy Batchelor has a big dislike for the Stars and their Boss. He wants to remember, If he hadn't tried to pull the wool over our eyes, and done as he was contracted to do there would be no issues and he would have been able to ride all last year....... Obviously Buster has to be apportioned part of the blame of what unfolded, but Troy was no an innocent party. He seems to have forgotten that....... He's as much to blame as anybody. The biggest losers, as usual were the fans .....

It’s off

Its Pete Chamberlain hes very good.

Obviously I'm not a track man and all that, but was there not a chance to rip it up a bit and add a few sprinkles of water to the outside? Also riders need to adapt to track conditions, I love watching Nico when the track is there for him, but when it isn't, he really needs to try something else, same could be said of Heeps also, and Danyon, but he is still learning I guess. We need a miracle already after one meeting to stay in the shield. On to the positives from tonight, the new sound system was really good, for the few races it was working, and looks like the young German will be okay.

Very true mike, you're right. Things change and evolve, and times are obviously different now to what they used to be. But I do miss the days of once-a-week home meetings.

The Edinburgh promotion do everything they possibly can to get meetings on and that is fine by me. Much rather that than tracks that don't bother their backside. Sometimes that means they wait longer than they probably should but there was no way they were going to call that meeting off last week early. First match of the season after loads of publicity with a huge crowd expected, they were desperate to get it on. There were forecasts that gave the match a chance so there was always hope. Unfortunately those forecasts were wrong.

Who knows its done now. Anyway shouldnt you be interviewing teamakers and burger van franchises rather than worrying about Stewart. Your infactuation on anything Glasgow is slightly concerning and you should seek treatment immediately.

No problem with parking more than ample on site. However the Stadium leaves imo a lot to be desired. Take a chair is my advice. Last time I went mud terracing was the norm.

Done

Sorry to have to miss the ritual humping of the Panties. (OOPS I get told off for calling them that.) Prior commitment in Chelmersford tonight - typical now that the sun's come out instead of bl**dy rain & snow. And I'll miss Kevin's dulcet tones in the state of the art sound system. Hope to be moving away in the next 2 or 3 weeks so may not get another chance to visit Fox Holes. Enjoy your season.

Big big home win, although if nicholls is going to score big anywhere, it will be here.

I'll point out again that Jonsson had an official average when he came back to Lakeside but it was reduced by the BSPA because he was no longer as good a rider as when he got that average. Can you not see a precedent there that should be applied for reassessing riders who's form has improved or deteriorated during their absence? Governing bodies are supposed to be consistent in the application of their rules otherwise the system is unfair and lacks credibility.

Really have to check with Chris Harris how he wants to play this. Last week he wasn't too keen to travel north on a wet day due to a family birthday and a religious festival. I have no knowledge of birthday's in his family, but I do know that orthodox Christians consider this Friday to be Good Friday, so that could be a sticking point. Best play safe with an early call off I should think.

Looks a very good line up at Eastie. I might be tempted if the rain stays away.

Freesports guide now showing Polish league as: Round 1 Sunday 8th 3.30pm - live Round 2 Monday 16th 12pm - not live Round 3 Sunday 22nd 6pm - live

He never said he did Just saying that they shouldn't be shot down before they've got started until everything is known about Godden's intention.

Ah! days gone by...the Easter 3TT involving Oxford, Swindon and Reading. Oxford on Good Friday, Swindon on the Saturday and Reading Easter Monday. Those were the days!

That is a monster-ous suggestion!

In a more sensible world people would be offended by the grotesque sugar content of the drinks being 'pushed' to kids. Rather than the young women who choose to parade around in their panties for a living harming no one.

Seriously this is ridiculous in a variety of sports. No one is forced to do there job as a ring girl, walk on darts girl or umbrella girl. If a lady wishes to do the job then why not let them earn some money. A couple of people who are offended, its probably no more than that, should be told to clear off and find offence elsewhere. Its getting to a time where no one can say anything about any subject in case it causes offence. .

Having watched the sport for over 50 years I much prefer to see the youngsters having a go. They have not learnt some of the requirements for holding on for 4 laps. Witness for instance the ex-moto crosser Danny Ayres. He rarely made a full 4 laps without the need for re-mounting at some stage. Now he is a heat leader in the National League. James Shanes, he had the ability to stay up yet his starting let him down so he was an all out racer. Who could say that the 2 top leagues give any better racing. I see the GP riders going for the world title but rarely see that the racing is any better. Just my perspective, but I used to trip over to Rye House in the sixties when they had the winter training sessions and watch lads of all levels have a go to improve their style or mere speed. Just the sport.