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I come in peace and am not envious, a moaner or a victim, I am but a lowly mushroom (aka a Comets supporter) who is going to push his little head slowly above the parapet formerly known as Hadrians Wall. I am not asking for a solution to the Irish Border situation or for details of what impact a no deal is going to have on our economy, all I ask is please, please, please someone in the know (or noooo) from either camp tell me when are we taking on the Tigers home and away. Its nothing much to ask you would think, but the longer we are kept waiting, the more the insults and vitriol fill this vacuum, replacing the usual 'friendly banter'. Frankly I am bored with it all, though probably not as bored as the Lakeside and Panthers fans are with the thought of facing each other 7 times I believe in the next couple of weeks - couldn't they sort it all out during 2 meetings, one at each venue, much like they do in boxing when they have their unification bouts. Because by the time the 7th meeting comes around (probably around Christmas time) they will be lucky to have the proverbial one man and his dog there to witness/give a toss about it.

Excellent. A child should never be stopped from seeing a parent because a couples relationship has broken down. No child should be used as a weapon.

This is one of the things we are most proud of on the IOW and it also adds to our evening’s entertainment because MFS students and Mini Warriors are all part of the show. Every week from 6.15 - 6.45 we have around 12 mascots on track on Revvis, Piwi's, 160cc and 500cc machines - we have noticed that people are now attending the stadium earlier to watch the mascots - at 6.45 when they have finished we bring them on to the centre green to receive their applause - this is part of being a speedway rider... it gives them (and us) great pride to hear people clapping and cheering for the mascots - we also interview them to start to teach them public speaking... one of my favourites for this is Chad Wirtzfeld who would not look at anyone let alone speak as freely as he does now on the microphone. At every opportunity we include piwi races in our main events - obviously non-league or cup meetings. This has proved hugely popular with the fans and students and again it teaches them from an early age what it is like to win but more importantly how to improve, how to react if your bike stops, how to interact with the crowd, what to do when another child asks for your autograph... the pride of wearing a MFS race jacket. As it stands as a direct result of the school, My First Skid, we have a stream of new riders all wanting to be speedway riders. So much so that we decided to enter a Wizards squad in to the SDL league with an ethos of no matter what, we only use our squad and riders in that squad must be My First Skid students. It has shown remarkable results in my view - Morgan Williams, Ben Ilsley, James Luckman, Steph Whitlock, are now totally different riders from just 6 months ago and indeed in my view exceeded our expectation. Of course, we now want them to continue on their path and become Warriors making way for other students coming through the school who want to be Wizards. I believe next year we will have a very healthy supply of second halves with 3 new 15-year olds joining our Wizard squad who will want to push for a team spot. Let me tell you, this is so rewarding - we are now seeing result from 2 years and if it continues as it has then there is just so much potential. Our school takes everyone, and we operate in a fun, safe, educational environment, that has rules and seems to work. It constantly sells out - on Oct 11th we have 22 children and 22 adults booked in, some living the dream, others wanting to make the dream begin and others really wanting to make it. Their ages are 4 - 78 and they come from across the country. I have no idea why they choose us, but I am so proud they do. I am more proud they keep coming back. Finally, I have learnt so much from the school too - our school basically pays for itself and a set of team tyres for the Warriors per event. No one is paid, no one expects it. I have learnt that kids and adults love our sport, our kids want to be speedway riders and we make them all feel like they can make it to be world champion… why? because they could. I also know that people have brought their children just to ride a motorcycle not knowing what speedway is... it’s true...but they are all converted when they come to our fun filled nights where their kids are part of the show. They love it.... we all do. It is brilliant. Enough of my ramblings.. It’s true to say that we love our school, we love the reaction of the kids and adults when they achieve, we love that our methods do work and riders are progressing, we love the teamwork and sense of pride that we instil in our students, and if you ever want to try look up My First Skid on Facebook or twitter. Come live the dream. See you trackside.......

But its ok for a team manager to accept his rider getting in a fight on a night out and then the same rider being under drugs or alcohol and driving an uninsured and unregistered vehicle and being banned from driving................its what kids do. Watch the Belle Vue footage again, Simon Lambert is the issue here going up to Etheridge, which led to the mechanic getting involved so Allitt took him away up to the fence. Allitt isnt blameless but he was a manager protecting his riders , they all do it and Middlo is as bad if not worse in his backing of Darcy

I don't think Poole will ever get "the peoples vote".

Rosco and Terry Russell should hang their heads in shame at that excuse for a speedway meeting last night. A poor track, sloppy tired presentation and some riders just going through the motions in scruffy delapidated stadium. And both Rosco and Terry R have the cheek to urge supporters to make an effort to support the team. As somebody else said on this thread the BSPA rely on the goodwill of the current supporters to watch dross like last night. There's little chance anybody else than die hard fans would put up with it. As Rosco said in his programme notes he and his chums at the BSPA have to be radical at this year's AGM to save the sport in this country.

Nobody has mentioned him but i think Simon Lambert has really contributed to a great team effort punching well above his weight.

If they were getting paid they might have tried harder

Apart from Taylorj name one

Can i suggest that as many people as possible email biuro@onesport.eu to thank them for providing an English commentary you tube feed for every round with the expense of flying Dave and Sam out to the tracks- they certainly don`t have to and if they didn`t we would be scrabbling round for an Eleven sport link.

Hoorah at long last no more nail biting! Glasgow point blank refused the 6th October at Workington, and could not do 5th or 7th up at Cookies shrine due to prearranged stadium events... that they couldn’t actually remember what they were. Thankfully they took comets fans into consideration you all know we prefer watching the saviour of British speedway on the big screen rather than trackside! Nothing at all to do with wanting a full team out..? Who owns the stadium/can race any night at all? You just couldn’t write it eh.

We’ll agree to disagree but at least yourself and Phil are making your point without name calling or making derogatory remarks about Dale Allitt so fair play.

What a strange perspective ...

The crowd numbers started to drop in the 1980's, long before the star riders departed. I am not saying that the drop in quality in more recent years has not had an effect, I can understand that some want to see the best, they were used to seeing the best and so now either pick and choose when to attend or, don't attend at all. However, I don't see it as the most important problem to solve. Get the basics right, rules, credibility, delays, entertainment etc., and make fans feel valued and you then have the opportunity for the sport to develop and grow to a stage where the top riders are again affordable. Good facilities and producing tracks conducive to good racing will also help but again are not the answer on their own. I don't think there is a golden bullet, it's a mix of things that need to be put right but crowds were increasing at Belle Vue prior to being forced to race on Mondays and a return to a sensible race night will help to return to that trend. Many of the people who live in speedway catchment areas but don't know the sport exists locally, won't have a clue about the names of the top stars but find a way to get them to attend and it will be the quality of the speedway experience that will determine whether they attend again.

You do have to laugh but its the same person trolling over and over. Poole hot favourites at the start of the season. Had the best 1-7 assembled and boy did the Poole mafia let everybody know. The fact remains that Poole were awful this season and by hook or by crook and elements of luck they have almost made the final. The 1-7 Poole had should have walked the league and the fact they have changed 13 riders means it would look pretty poor if they didnt make the final. Even if Poole make the final and lose to a team that were expected to finish bottom then Poole have had a poor season, i also dont think Poole would have been where they are if they didnt benefit from Rye House closing and they have been very lucky as well with no injuries. And there is no way Poole will get the peoples vote lol. Kings Lynn have been the underdogs all season so a victory in the final will be against the odds

Just saying it as it is. Kings Lynn finished top so the pressure is all on them. No mind games needed. If Poole make the final against all the odds (bottom in July) they will have done a remarkable job. In doing so Pirates will have “the peoples vote” as the team to support.

The year it went to 36 wasn’t great, 34 doesn’t make it much better than 30! The limit needs to be 42/42.5 run all 3 leagues the same remove the D from development league it’s a full league on its own that is flourishing!!

Live internet coverage with commentary from Dave Rowe and Sam Ermolenko(from the track) start time 6pm UK time 1st race 6.15pm UK time No rain today

One of the most miserable nights I've ever had at speedway. Rossiter urging fans to support the club and turn up to this dead rubber had the desired affect and a more than decent crowd. To be honest he and they didn't deserve it. The most processional night of racing dragged out by constant delays at the start line for no apparent reason. Frustrated riders touching the tapes, when they did get going Swindon riders consistently trailing in the wake of the Belle Vue riders. The away side won at a canter such was the lack of effort from the Swindon riders. Can't remember hardly any passing apart from Musielak, who is the one Swindon rider who has consistently tried hard this season. Interviews at the end with the riders all saying the same thing, they were "disappointed" but "that's the way it is". Could have been a different story if Rossiter made team changes when it became obvious they would never win away and thus didn't have a hope of making the play offs. Would've loved a colourful firework display as was always the tradition at the end of the season but none of course. If this turns out to be the last ever meeting at Swindon then they went out with a whimper rather than a bang. Rossiter was "disappointed" but hey, ho, "that's the way it is". Oh and I'll be more than happy if I never hear those AC/DC, Van Halen et al tracks they always play ever again.

This has to be the worst speedway match of all time .10 mins between races to back drop of a 1980's sound track .if you wanted to know why speedway is dying this is it

Can't believe I am saying this but good luck Monarchs at least with Monarch fans we (weegies) get the usual banter, so hopefully Monarchs hump the Comets, as their fans come across as envious moaners who play the victim role. The Comets team have done very well this year and deservedly so , but certain fans seem to think that other teams should jump to their demands because they have a problem fitting their fixtures in after not having any during the long hot summer.

Maybe you should do some research 1st before spouting off about Sellafield... some people I blame Hadrian for not building that wall bigger.. I think trump might have the right idea!

In a season that has been brilliant to support the comets home and away, tonight was a let down that has been few and far between. Well done to Doolan, you surpassed expections! As for the comets.... that really was a poor performance, the score irrelevant. With a promising start, it clearly stood out that there was a problem in our camp. The effort levels seemed to drift, Klindt disappointingly looked like he was sticking to the back in each race, the touching of the tapes was the cherry on top. Not a good watch for travelling comets fans that brought quite a decent turn out at £18.50 a pop, only to be let down. This does not give me confidence that there will be a better crowd than last weekend. With a bit of luck any travelling monarchs fans will be given a good show from their team!

I know a certain witch who would LOVE to meet you MANSE

So, the two leagues are too close in class?... Well, considering they invariably use the same bloody riders I have to say I am not too shocked..... Next week, a Speedway Promoter will put in his programme notes that bears do actually defecate in the woods..

We offered numerous dates and times to suit Workington but funnily enough you didn't want to come without Klindt. we also thought it would be nice to have a few fans present . we realise you don't understand what a crowd looks like, although some people in worky think 3's a crowd. So we can now promote this semi in the manner required, something like we look forward to a nice match between the comets and their friendly likeable fans and the tigers. Regarding the day, we thought about Thursdays or even a Monday morning but that could have been a problem for a few of the danes as they celebrated on the Wednesday and Sunday nights having received wages, 'Wages' ? look it up in the dictionary.

Clearly the physical violence from Allitt is far worse. Anyone knows that. Verbally backing up one of your riders goes without saying. Can’t believe anyone would think any different.

Nobody asked you for an opinion. Perhaps you should find another forum to go on..

just tell it like everyone was thinking . i suspect even you topaz was thinking why the flip cant he just sit still and wait until the tapes actually rise . you cant have not heard the moans n groans and the odd word towards him when he broke/missed the gate or you could actually see him slowing down and getting his average low for his new ( old ) team . pity its taken this long to actually find some kind of form . . .

Thats what I thought about your response

The average dropping was pretty blatant last night and I felt really sorry for the Swindon fans parting with their hard earned money and having to watch it! I think one of the problems with league Speedway these days is that (unlike the fans who follow their team) many riders have little or no real affinity to the club(s) they ride for.

Lots on here and previously on other threads have mentioned the ridiculous and unnecessary delays. Most fans seem to want the meetings speeded up so they can either get away or, as I would like, an occasional second half possibly for the young riders, ie reserves and possibly potential future reserves. Some of the weeks the meetings have finished earlier than last year but most want the pit gates kept closed for a restart, unless a rider is being replaced, but there should be no mechanics let out on the track for refueling etc.

Radical for Rosco and his BSPA chums means bringing in the green helmet colour or adjusting the points limit by 0.5. There will be almost no changes at the 2018 AGM and the withering of UK speedway will go on and on. Let's hope that Freesports goes on offering us European speedway and IMG the GPs.

No one in the old Boys club ever listens.

As a I’ve said before I think he got involved for the right reasons but ended up making things worse, I’m all for passion and defending your own riders but he went OTT. Haven’t read the article but I’d have thought he’d have been better off reiterating his apology and playing the whole thing down personally, perhaps there was other stuff going on behind the scenes on the night which we don’t know about which wound him up but he should have acted differently and been a bit calmer about it all. Notice I haven’t told you to go and find yourself a Poole thread starman

Ok, we went, a round trip of 100 miles from home and for what! This most be the worse meeting I have seen for the complete and utter lack of urgency from anyone to keep the meeting flowing. Not on the TV and took just over 2 hours to complete. The presentation just has to be improved, I do not subscribe to the theory that you need to make it last so long to give value for money, the value is given by the racing of which there was none apart from a very few exceptions. When tapes are broken there is no need to refuel and have a long break, put the 2 minutes on straight away, do not allow a return to the pits or tinkering, get on with it.. Thankfully there wasn't an interval! The track action, well very little, Swindon used to be a pleasure to go to, no more. This was a bore fest, gate and go and of course the scoreline didn't little to help. I'm not going to say some were reducing averages or not riding to their full, my observation was that the track offered nothing to those trying to overtake, dire. In the programme Rosco is calling for radical thinking, I'd like to see more races, a lower pay rate to allow that to happen and on tracks that allow those who miss the gate the option to overtake, nothing more thrilling . Swindon's man of the match, Tom Brennan, rode well, give it his best, very unlucky with bike trouble robbing him of a 2nd place. In summary, we went, we saw, we wished we had stayed at home and saved the £34.

Slightly changing tack. Ive just read the speedway star. How the hell has Alliit got the nerve to say he doesn't regret wading in the other night ? If it was me running your club he would be in my office and his feet wouldnt touch, he would be given a verbal warning. He is there as manager to set an example, not wade in with handbags. You dont see Neil Middleditch or Garry may doing it, they both have a different mentality and mindset. Yes its not Table Tennis as he put it taking a quote from Neil, but you have to show restraint and deal with the issue appropriately, not by wading in on the track in full view of the BT cameras watching public and fans who attended the meeting. His remarks in the Star do not justify his actions..

The Comical Ali of the Poole propaganda machine strikes again

Doubt the management and riders see it that way. Finishing clear at the top means anything other that winning the final will be viewed as failure. Either Somerset and Poole will go into the final as plucky underdogs.

so nothings going to change, lets go back to how it didn't work perhaps the so called big teams will realise there is a problem when they keep losing teams mid season like this year, but even then I doubt it so another nail in the speedway coffin

The solution to this one is quite simple. Use the formula that Poland had when they used averages. Take the last 20 matches (as now), but throw out the two highest and two lowest scores and calculate the GSA from the remaining 16 matches. Then if a rider wants to reduce his average he would have to underperform in no less than four matches to make a meaningful reduction in his average. That would be a big hit to a rider's pay packet (or promoter's wallet if they are subsidising the suspicious loss of form).

A sad night for me last night another poor night's entertainment again a real borefest.The only pluses were Musielak and young Brennan who looks impressive.Speedway does not seem to grasp that fans want a swift and prompt meeting last night delays galore god knows what the ref was on forever holding the tapes.The crowd considering was pretty good even after Rossiter's silly comment beforehand that was not wise in my opinion.Also can Rosco explain two things ? why did he replace Brennan in heat 8 with the poor Sarjeant baffling i would of been certain Brennan would of seen off young Bickley again.Also why was Anders Rowe not in that meaningless meeting? he is our number 8 why was Sarjeant there.He was an ex rider an ex junior sprocket who was given chances along the way he should of understood .That was very disappointing for me youngsters should get chances i am just glad this crappy season is over.

Cannot see Swindon riding next season unless the stadium and track stays as it is for another year. Quite clear to anyone that its only a matter of time before the whole stadiums bulldozed to make way for housing. such a shame, used to love standing at the 4th bend bar and bbq area in the summers back in the day when Newport were there.

I was busy tonight so didn’t go, thankfully. Sounds exactly like the waste of time and money I expected it to be. Its all well and good saying that crowd numbers need to be decent to put some money in the bank for next season, but what’s the point if you put on an absolute shower in the form of entertainment and expect people to cough up 17 quid for the privilege, denting people’s enthusiasm to do it all again next season. It sounds like the crowd was not too bad tonight largely because of the goodwill of the public after rosco’s words in the local media. Trouble with that is people only have so much goodwill and patience, and it feels that that’s what the sport is largely running on in the UK at the moment, goodwill. A meaningless result combined with a system for riders that means a poor performance makes them much more employable for the next season, a track not fit for providing close racing with today’s bikes and charging full price to the paying public that you’ve basically guilt tripped into coming to witness it all, is an absolute toxic mix. How promoters don’t see this and continue to ignore it is completely boggling. Any changes to the blunsdon track can’t come soon enough, but unfortunately that’s just the tip of the iceberg for the wider problems for the sport at the moment.

FOR most fans music of the 80s is far too modern

Probably because they have one very big foot in the final. Can they cope, I bloody hope so, but who knows. I wouldn't put my money on them at those odds.... I see Poole getting past the Rebels in the 2nd leg and it will be a Lynn v Poole final. I'm not bigging Poole up for a reaction either, remember I was offering a £100 bet on Poole making the play offs when they were bottom As much as I hate to say it, Over 2 legs I would make Poole favourites. I think you would if you were honest. I will be happy to take all the flack I might get if i'm wrong

“Didn’t bother” please read 18 pages of the same argument, do your research and get back to me. It IS a pity as maybe our riders would have given more than that half arsed attempt. Many Comets fans travelled to see them despite previous scores, not put off by a forum thread like your fellow fans. It’s a shame we were let down as such tonight, that performance was appalling. However we were racing one of remaining competitions. Kindly given to us by your Scottish friends helping us knock you out. If only Edinburgh were in the playoffs, I’d love to see you all cheering them on giving the tiggers a humping. Yes gazza, that old chestnut, I’ll put my rod away now. Happy keyboard fighting folks.

People do have a point re big names bringing in the crowds.We had at Kirky lane one of the worlds greatest riders in Jason Crump yet the crowds are still bigger at the NSS,and I for one and I think a lot of Belle vue fans would agree get as big a buzz from watching Dan Bewley ride as I did watching Jason Crump. Get the product right first ie no doubleing up, slicker run meetings,run with your own one to seven bar injury,well thought out even fixture list, with time spent avoiding any overseas clashes etc. Even if we loose the few bigger names we have left the league will produce its own stars in time eg in the championship Craig Cook is a big name rider in that league and I would think would put numbers on the gate. Two of the best races I have seen this year have included Cook and Fricke against Jason Doyle and Jack Holder swaping places throughout the race.Up against Doyle these three riders would be considered to be lesser riders but they held there own and even beat Doyle so if a few of the bigger name riders are missing next year I do not think the standard of racing we have watched this year will drop in the slightest,and the likes of these three riders will become the leagues top riders.

He doesn't seem like someone who can let things go but just gets more and more annoyed, how many times did he mention the track being different from normal? He did apologise at the time on tv so don't know why he is not playing it down like you say. I would tell Starman to go find his own thread if I were you!

If you do not ride over the lumps or down into the holes it is only 290 mtrs