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For the first time since league speedway began we are now 'enjoying' the first year when top-level speedway will not be staged in Britain at weekends (including Friday nights), with the exception of Cardiff. Once we had six senior tracks racing on Saturday nights with several more racing on the also lucrative Fridays. Now we have none. Fridays and non-GP Saturdays are Poland's playground now. Add in endless breaks in continuity and you have a toxic situation, as I fear several tracks will find to their literal cost. From a six day a week sport, top level speedway is now on two nights that nobody else really wants. The sport and its supporters will wake up one day, as usual far too late.

I think the decline/rot has already set in and the weather is just what it has always been, dire. I am sure they are justified, but call offs are all too frequent when even there is a hint that the weather looks dodgy. Go back a few years and they would do anything to try and get a meeting on and go back many years they used sawdust. The lack of speedway on nights (mainly thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday) when fans want to watch and with weekends when you have the best chance of good crowds, is something I find ludicrous. The decline is evident on this forum. The lack of feedback to those meetings that are on and in some cases nothing at all or perhaps one comment says it all. I agree with Rob re the state of things and I think it could well be the end of the road for a number of clubs come September. All very sad and no doubt many more will get out of the habit of going. One big league with home and away, ko cup and British invidual championship and you probably would get back to regularly weekly meetings. This country can no longer compete with Poland, Sweden or Denmark and the other nations such as Germany will soon overtake the U.K. Back to basics might just save speedway in this country.

Why do you have to start an argument by the way for your information we need Chris back sooner rather than later otherwise we will, be also rans !!!!

Think the lack of regular weekly speedway will come back to bite the Clubs,sad IMO

Looks like the Diamond's are ripping the p*ss as well putting the reserves out in 15. There not as bad as some on here said they would be, credit to them for that they may take a few beatings away but at Brough they will be no mugs as they have proved.

Is it alright if I drop some shirts and a pair of trousers round?

Hawk127 has hit the nail squarely on the head in the above post " All very sad and no doubt many more will get out of the habit of going" I know I have already. From being a regular at Rye I stopped going each and every week in about 2008/9 and just started picking and choosing my meetings. Moved to the East Midlands in 2012 and not been to a meeting since coming up here and now get my fix via television, internet, youtube and dvd. Sad I know and Im sure many on here will say im not a true supporter BUT watching it this way I dont have to drive for xxx amount of miles each way, stand around in a clapped out stadium and go home £30 or £40 lighter in the pocket and moan about the meeting or lack of meeting at the end of the day. Plus the best bit of watching speedway my way is that if its crap there is always the off switch or something on another channel. High speed bikes with lay down engines and slick tracks I think killed it for me its all open throttle and hang on today ........ what happened to throttle control and riders natural skill and ability? I think whats even sadder is that im 61 this year and I just cannot see myself attending another live meeting

I would think after this season the Monday and Wednesday night odd scheme will be forgotten. When live TV matches start that's when it will hit home. You could not get a worse night to stage Speedway than a Monday

Jye is OK rode for berwick Saturday night

The first paragraph above is so true. People think they know THE reason why British speedway is in such a mess, but the reality is that there are so many, and not all of them are speedway related. I've said it before, but I will say it again; one of the big problems is that speedway is no longer a city-centre sport. When we had tracks in urban areas, everybody was exposed to speedway, even if they didn't actually follow it. Now, thanks to the constant quest for industrial estates and housing developments, the demise of greyhound racing, the ever-growing NIMBY population, dereliction (let's not forget the age and condition of some of the older stadia) and several other factors beyond our control, we are being forced into rural locations away from the population. With 24-hour live television sport, obsession with computers and video games, and stuff like that, people don't want to leave the house, let alone drive out into the sticks. As far as your second point, it is a ridiculous state of affairs, and of course, much of that IS speedway-related. Living in Surrey, I wasn't always going to travel the country, but I ALWAYS had options. Even when Wimbledon changed from Thursday to Wednesday, it changed the specifics, but not the opportunities. Exeter was too far on a Monday, but Reading was easy to get to. Tuesday, Poole, and later MK and Crayford were doable. Wednesday was White City, later Poole and Long Eaton. Saturday was wonderful with all the choices. Even Sunday was great for choice. Those were the days... Steve

I think you're exactly right but the key problem will be persuading those who worship 'names' that this right. We need, sadly, to isolate ourselves from Poland before their needs and demands destroy what remains of British Speedway. Unfortunately losing the remaining 'names' is probably too much for the short-sighted that post here. People believed the fairy tale that switching to fixed nights would bring back the 'names'. It didn't, only money and the occasional bout of loyalty (c.f. Jason Doyle) will. We need to rebuild and get our weekends back. All we are doing now is retreating to accommodate the needs of the Poles and their chequebooks.

Sometimes clubs have a moral duty to do the right thing, regardless of any rules implemented by the BSPA.

Going back to a couple of earlier posts, one thing that always concerned me with fixed race nights is the fact that so many of us used to frequent other tracks on nights when our own teams weren't in action. Apart from being a fixture at Plough Lane, I was a regular visitor to White City during their short BL period, and it wasn't unusual for me to go to Hackney, Rye, Arena, Crayford, Mildenhall, Milton Keynes, Lynn, Swindon, and Canterbury. Again, I would see the same people at a lot of the tracks, and fixed nights automatically reduce those numbers. The sad reality is that it was the crowds that generated atmosphere as much as - if not more than - the actual racing. As crowds dwindle, so does the atmosphere. That leads to more people staying home. Fewer meetings will only cause more to stay home... Steve

Good little contest,some good talent there IMO .Thought Josh has a nice style and a touch of class.

Back in the 'Good Old Days' we used to go to Reading (occasionally) on the Monday, White City on Wednesdays, Oxford on Thursdays and more than occasionally Swindon on Saturdays.

Uilly was a very lucky guy last night last night. He drifted out on the forth bend and, with no grip, he hit the fence hard and him and the bike were strewn down the straight. The first rider in third place chose to go though the gap between the bike and Ully, but the last rider seeing it all late, chose to go though the gap between Ully and the fence, and watching it in the pits , it was a good choice which only just came off. Situations like that need quick and correct actions and because of the actions of those two riders Ulli was not so badly injured.

How can clubs that have traditionally ran at weekends, still expect to mainain their crowds levels when switching to a midweek race night. Lemmings jumping off a cliff springs to mind!

...personally I always preferred race jackets and the choice of individual leathers. It made it easier identifying one rider from another.

Above all else best wishes to Ostergaard and Lawson.

For the life of me, I don't understand how the BSPA could contradict the directives from the FIM on our allotted preference race nights. Once the governing body had made a ruling, surely we as a affiliated body take that on board. There should be no discussion or vote on it, these directives were made for the good of the sport, giving control of meeting priority. The BSPA should have excepted ruling as law. The Clubs should have been informed of this ruling and told this league will be running the PL on Mondays and Thursdays, and Championship will run on Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday. The only discussion and decision the clubs should have been given was which league and what day they wanted to partake in. If Ipswich, Sheffield or Redcar insisted on running on Thursdays, then fair enough, they should be competing in the PL. If they wanted to stay in the Championship then they would have to change racenights. Its not Rocket science. There is not much difference between the two divisions, illustrated by the number of riders that ride in them both. By giving individual clubs the opportunity to contradict a FIM directives , highlights what a self-righteous shambles the BSPA are. How can other countries take us serious when we make decisions like that . If the BSPA are saying the individual clubs are more important than the FIM , then that would illustrate why our speedway has dropped from being the best in the world to now also rans......

Predicted 41-49 and happy to be proved wrong. How different it would have been with Ostergaard fit who knows. Great boost for Berwick though. Doolan was superb, looked very fast all night. Really need to do something about the 3-4 pairing, which looks vulnerable. Impressed with Ben Morley for Lakeside, better than I remembered at Shielfield. Always good to see Bomber riding round here, non-stop racer. And good to see Nick Morris back as well. On a totally separate note, there was some absolutely cracking races in the NJL match, a couple of good battles between Keiron Douglas and Josh Embleton, then Sam McGurk, Luke Harrison and Archie Freeman had three really great struggles, riding way beyond their years.

He was? More than did his job and an integral part of the 2009 title winning side! Had a serious injury just as he was really beginning to make strides.

looks like our favourite speedway uploader has moved to cda after youtube blocked him. Motor - ROW available here - https://www.cda.pl/video/22227324c you're welcome

You can blame the Championship promoters for our Danes being missing

there you go starman thats who you should have a go at not me ?

Cracking racing last night.

didnt know you had relations from this part of the world .

so much for the 'useless' team. Have a little faith

MikeBV, As a seasoned diehard speedway nut I too have very often spent hours delving into the reasons, this sport of our, has descended into the state it is. It was refreshing to read your post out-lining the numerous problems thus showing that I am not the only one who thinks along them same lines. For many years I have thought it was ludicrous that we should try and compete with them Poles . We have neither the power or popularity needed to do that, yet we continue to try.... Rider and machines have become too expensive for Promoters to arrange race meetings witnessed by a mere 1000 die-hard fans. This is a recipe for disaster, a sure-fire financial suicidal exercise that has all but killed the sport. The main reasons our sport cant attract new fans are Cost; VFM and Organisation. Expecting fans to pay £18 for 15 mins racing of riders, most of whom aren't top level, is way over the top. ( that's twice as much as the Polish charge to see top quality riders), Joe Public wouldn't tell the difference between Jason Doyle or Joe Bloggs so it ridiculous charging those expensive rates. VFM is just as important but again little importance is put toward the evening entertainment. It seems we are expected to pay to come in and then they forget about you.. Organisation is a joke, Sometimes we race on a Monday, next it might be Wednesday, before this year, it could have been any day. Sometime we race every week sometimes it only once a month. IT has been known to have 3 meetings in a week, sometimes 2 meeting on the same day.,. You cant imagine what a distraction that is. That wouldn't attract customers in a million years, but that is not important to them. Sometimes I think the BSPA haven't got a clue.. The only section to benefit from the way our sport is run is the riders.... and all they do is hold their hand out... Like you both say, the only salvation I can see is to separate ourselves from the other countries and run our own sport at a cost that the fans can afford on the days it best suited to gain maximum exposure..... We cannot afford to compete with the likes of Poland and Sweden anymore....

This match is brilliant. Will go to the wire with Drabik and Fricke coming in all over the place.

It is always easy to criticise after an event or non event, but lets be constructive here to stop this happening again. A new rule or appendix needs adding to the Stadium and Track Standards for 2018 Speedway Regulations by the SCB as soon as possible. 1. As soon as arrived, both Teams and Managers to do independent track walks and raise concerns, if any. 2. Minimum 1 Hour prior to the programmed start time, a meeting between Referee, Team Managers and Team Captains must take place to consider all track and safety concerns raised. 3. If possible address any issues, but if it is not possible cancel immediately. 4. Refund admission to anyone who requests it. Not rocket science any of it, but keeping the paying public happy is the main criteria.

I’m with Steve on this, I much prefer seeing riders with individual kevlars and bike colours.

So Garrity gets booked earlier in the week to replace Bjerre, that doesn't happen so now he replaces Howarth instead. Strange. A lot of toing and froing for a routine away win.

I find it staggering that this fixture couldn't of been rearranged in the knowledge nearly half the home side were going to be missing. With the fixed race nights, it surely couldn't of been that difficult? It's even more alarming that Kings Lynn have already acknowledged Iversen will be missing again at some point in the season.

I understand that Poole wasn't objecting to the idea of Mondays and Thursdays, but once it was known that the 3 Championships sides wanted to keeps Thursday race nights, Poole went along with-it, knowing that it would enable them to retain their Wednesday race nights... ( as per BSPA philosophy, thinking only of themselves) Had it been agreed to run on Thurs,& Mondays Poole would have run as per charter... It bothers me not which days the sport is run, as long as it is done properly. If all speedway countries run to FIM Directives, then why cant we do the same??. How can 3 second division teams be given the opportunity to overrule FIM idea of country priority for the sake of their own being?? What makes a mockery of it all is that Swindon are allowed to run on a day different to everybody else... ( I understand the reasons why) It seems to me that those who wish, can do what they like, when they like. and then they ask why are fans fed up to their teeth with it all... Piss-Up and Brewery come to mind............

Who are yer,who are yer

The sun shines on the righteous Up the Withes

No ,unless edited to 1st bend and back strait.

It’s just been called off waterlogged track

No was very boring racing

No. Can’t recall a single pass all night.

Newman was disappointing .Morley impressive.Also I thought the junior match was better entertainment some good talent on show.

Absolutely correct! A great wee mini-match, and well worth staying back for on a chilly night. Berwick Academy won in the end, but it was nip and tuck all the way. Great stuff!

A cousin of mine got banged up in Newcastle. Is that the same thing?

To get UK and Polish speedway in perspective, that is about two weeks worth of premiership fixtures ( in fine weather ).

Think we need to drop Szczepaniak. Riding awful even lost to Alfie Bowtell. Does Klindt fit when the new averages are released.

All rebels in good form ,expect Doyle to lead them ,no weak links in this line up,can see them getting the four points✊

From what I remember, quite the contrary! Injury wrecked what looked like being his best season, can't recall what year off the top of my head. Always liked Ty, passionate rider and a very funny, dry sense of humour. Pleased to see him making a good start to the current campaign.

Because it's the same situation for the opposition. There is, as Robert De Niro might say, a flip side to that coin. If Iversen gets injured, then when King's Lynn are at teams riding on a Monday or Wednesday they have a limited choice of guest. When they are at Swindon they can choose any guest from any other team. Just as unfair?