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Not by me it isn't. No team should go into February without the full 1-7 known. It's a nonsense situation

Fine but exactly how many people who read it nationwide will make a trip to the Lynn terraces? Not enough to counteract the number of Lynn fans they have alienated who won't be there

Same. It’s been such a strange winter with a lot to take in and there’s been a fair few up and down emotions but now the dust has settled and the season is nearly upon us, I’m very much looking forward to it. From an Ipswich perspective, I don’t think we have a great team but that’s not stopping me from looking forward to the season. I’m really interested to see how the Pole takes to Foxhall as he is a rider I’ve not yet seen. Enjoyed the Ipswich/Panthers meetings in the Championship and I’m looking forward to these meetings again in the top flight. Will also be good to see old favourites like Hans Andersen back at Foxhall too.

The considered opinion is that Rev Limiters only have any effect at the start. Back in my days as a 17 year old owner of a Triumph Tiger Cub, we had a rev limiter! Only it was just called a throttle in those days!

I for one am looking forward to the new season

According to a rider I know, when I spoke to him a couple of years ago, it is still in the rules that all riders have to sign a document to say they have been paid for the previous meeting before the start of the next meeting. Obviously the reality is that riders sign even when they haven't been paid for all sorts of reasons and we end up with this type of story where riders are owed large sums. Of course, the authorities would blame the rider in these circumstances for not refusing to ride.

And NO, you can't have Ed Pye and Ryszard Dolomisiewicz either...

Hopefully the majority of fans who go to support their team, don't visit this forum. All this negativity is no good for our sport. The simple answer is. Back Speedway or lose it.

Kennett will certainly be Top Dog around Eastbourne but for him to dominate the league, he would need to have undergone a huge transformation with a sports psychologist. He holds the unenviable record of having the worst away average - compared to his home average.

I'll be surprised if you have actually seen him. I saw him a couple of times last season and he was just superb - the most talented youngster I have seen since Woffinden. The first was riding for Mildenhall at the NSS - never the easiest place for visiting NL riders. After a couple of seconds he really got the hang of the place and his last to first in heat 15 was just sublime. The second was for Ipswich against Scunthorpe in what was probably the most impressive individual performance I saw anywhere in 2018. Paid 14 from 5 starts against Championship opposition tells its own story. If he can stay clear of injury, he should easily put at least 2 points on that staring average.

You would have been better saying nothing rather than some of the absolute crap you put in that.

SGP must have used the same person to write and put this release out as the bspa do for the rules etc.

This is a step towards making riders wanting to ride the practise instead of an Ekstraliga meeting. Thats it. But if lets say six of 16 are away from practise and are under the lottery, what difference does it make? Bugger all. Add one 5 mins of rain between heats 3-4 and all that was gained is gone. Politics.

Dead easy to cut down the number of guests. Each team to have a NL (2.00) no. 8. Guest for your number 1 only. R/R for nos. 2 to 5. If both teams are using R/R then your highest reserve is promoted into the team and your no. 8 takes his reserve spot.

I found it completely depressing. The boss of the CL and yet he can't in 5 pages mention my team Birmingham - Britain's 2nd city Club moving up and does not warrant a mention. He can't be bothered to talk positively or even mention 2 x KOC winners in 2018 from other Leagues moving in to the CL - Somerset down but adding to the quality and Eastbourne up, a Club with a very recent Elite league tradition. Does he actually see the CL as a "Northern League"??. I'm sad Workington and Lakeside won't be lining up, but he can't be bothered to talk much about those Clubs who will enhance the Championship! his comments about protecting Friday nights for his own Club by stopping Lakeside race on a Friday are as much to blame for their and Workingtons Fixture backlog as any amount of rain and bad Fixture planning. Time he took some responsibility for that. I get that all Clubs have to tighten their pockets and that does not make great news but overall it was typical Godfrey - ego ego ego. I just wish the guys at Glasgow and Edinburgh and other successful Promotions could join this "top table" or is it just a closed Club. Snide comments too about some Clubs seeking a lower limit to survive.

which is why, and i've said this before so apologies, you offer free entry for a match or 2 in return for registering via email. You then have a database of potential and existing customers, even though it was free they showed an interest, and then you can market to them.

modesty always was your biggest strength

As i say i don`t expect any sympathy but other bookmakers price up on the morning of the GP. I however being the no 1 Bookmaker betting on speedway always price up at least 7 days before them and unable to alter the spread once posted, i am therefore always sweating on riders getting injured and now no longer a random draw. I haven`t become No 1 by accident as i will prove once again in 2019

2018 AUTUMN EDITION Welcome to issue 42 of our quarterly magazine MIRAC: Man of the People Following the death of New Zealand and Wimbledon legend Ronnie Moore, TONY McDONALD looks back on the life and times of a man many rate as the greatest speedway rider of all-time. We also present a list of the 42 UK tracks 'Mirac' rode at between 1950 and his final farewell in 1974. Plus, Ronnie's Timeline – from birth in Hobart, Tasmania in 1933, via two individual world titles, a host of other domestic success, Dons glory and the life-threatening crash that ended his career, up to his sad passing in August, 2018, aged 85. BOB ANDREWS – exclusive interview Former Cradley Heath, Hackney and Wimbledon star Bob Andrews on his quest to finally be reunited with the World Pairs trophy – nearly 50 years after he and Ivan Mauger won it for New Zealand in Sweden on the most glorious night of Bob's career. DICK BRADLEY – exclusive interview Former Bristol star and world finalist Dick Bradley was a reluctant hero when England came calling. But, as PHIL CHARD recalls, the 1952 Test against Australia at Harringay turned out to be the greatest night of his career. MIKE ERSKINE: Man of many parts JOHN CHAPLIN reflects on the multi-talented achievements of old Etonian Mike Erskine, a mechanical boffin whose engineering skills helped transform other riders into stars. MICK HANDLEY – exclusive interview Mick Handley had his local Black Country clubs Wolverhampton and Cradley Heath vying for his services but, as ROB PEASLEY explains, it was the chance to shine for Crayford's new second division Highwaymen that proved a shot in the arm . . . WHITE SPIRIT Coming up for 50 years since Glasgow White City staged its last speedway meeting, DOUG NICOLSON looks at the life and times of his spiritual home, where Tommy Miller, Junior Bainbridge, Ken McKinlay, Charlie Monk and Jim McMillan were among legends in stripes. BRADFORD: 50 Memorable Moments Bradford’s huge Odsal Stadium later became the venue of the 1985 and 1990 World Finals, after a million-pound investment from Bradford Council. ROB PEASLEY looks back at the origins of the sport in the city, when the likes of Arthur Forrest, Ron Clarke, Eddie Rigg and Jack Biggs were heroes. Plus . . . obits on Bob Dugard, Joe Weichlbauer and Kevin Hayden, crossword, your letters and full-page 1968 King's Lynn team photo. To order this single edition or subscribe for a year for a silly amount, please visit us at www.retro-speedway.com or phone Susie on 01708 734 502.

Yes I’ve criticised how the club has announced the team this winter - but in Speedball case it’s a definite plan in the clubs case to me it’s been a muddle along make up as we go along winter . take yesterday new team sponsor and Toft announcement the same day if it was to max out media coverage why announce both the same day ? It’s whats been said by Trees for one max out media coverage so two bits of news on the same day bet Poltec not too pleased .

mmmmmm lollollol

It did make me laugh what Mr Godfrey said in the speedway star this week that he believes speedway was overrated in the 60s,70s,80s.He believes it is every bit as good nowadays if not better, i really thought that was a strange comment to make.lf he is correct why have the crowds dropped off so badly? but what i will say is Scunthorpe for racing is one of best tracks that i have ever seen racing and Mr Godfrey should be applauded for that.

The article in this week's SS confirms DB can only get a mechanic to do one UK league not both - so BV suits his racing calendar better.

with BW-D very hard to fit him in at many places as most have 2 point reserves, so Somerset would have to ditch one of top 4 as an example. Many Teams close to 38 point limit too. If a rider with higher average than BW-D gets injured early he is a shoe-in candidate you'd think. I still think he will go to one of 3 most southerly Clubs - Birmingham (for Castagna or the Danish lad); Somerset or Eastbourne (for Morley maybe?)

One problem is that they nearly all, after a year or two, believe that they are "international star motorcyclists" even if they have only ever practised abroad. They are brave jockeys of high powered bikes who need only to battle for the first half lap of a race, before waiting to see if they can start better next time. That skill must be worth £100k a season they believe, but sadly there are so few paying punters interested in their gating ability that if they get 25% of that in future they will be lucky. Part-time semi-pro status for those who race on in future. Bog standard 250 cc bikes would produce better racing despite Rob Godfrey's declaration that racing is better than it has ever been. Were that so, the terraces would be heaving instead of being almost areas of empty silence.

I think you are absolutely right about the part time status for riders. At the moment it seems to me that the sport is being run for their benefit and that just has to stop. Having said that, Hull, Bradford & Long Eaton all closed due to the loss of their stadiums rather than financial difficulties. I also think that sports teams are different to running a commercial business, and that is reflected right across the spectrum. Whereas a business just has to make money, many sports teams these days are more of a private hobby for wealthy individuals. Rugby Union's premiership, for example, loses tens of millions a year and the majority of clubs are supported by private backers. The problem isn't losing money so much as the scale of the losses. If Laura Morgan had been blowing £5,000 a year rather than £50,000 a year supporting the Comets I think its highly likely they would still be in operation.

I doubt it very much. Just about the only passages that were accurate were the ones he lifted word for word from my Speedway in London without any thanks or acknowledgement whatsoever.

Pity not for you though

Don't really understand when people say that about making changes. Why not just start with the best team available in the first place if they are prepared to make changes? I don't think Somerset are. When Berge was dumped we should of been making two changes and made sure Wilson-Dean or similar was coming in. No point waiting until you've lost your first few home matches. There is also not enough fixtures now for averages to vary and bring in someone far stronger for a weaker rider and to also gain ground lost early on in the season.

he appears to be 8 years younger so more likely to be his brother!

Agree top post, but have to disagree with the second part, someone with so many positive thoughts would not fit in promoting Speedway...

Hammerin' round confused a lot of us trying to read it. Did the author ever go to watch racing at West Ham.

Haha, I don’t know about the first bit. There really is nothing earth shattering there. It’s all basic stuff that takes hardly any thought. But there on lies the issue, there is very little thought to speedway fans in general. All the media stuff, just like the promoters is like an old boys club, controlled by the same faces giving the same rubbish to fans across up and down the country. How many times did we see cut and pasted tweets across clubs twitter feeds for live updates. Just embarrassing and amateurish. Most club websites look like they are from the 1990’s. Speedway in this country is dying on its arse and they are helping drive in the nails. The only club’s who do it well are Glasgow and the IOW in my eyes.

Whether we like it or not guests are a big part of speedway now, the problem with using guests on Fridays should have been seen before the fixture list was released.

So the first things to notice are that most clubs are listed as subscribers in the Memorandum Of Association with the exception of Leicester, Sheffield and Eastbourne. Kings Lynn, Peterborough and Ipswich aren't listed, but Keith Duncan Chapman is, so presumably he covers these three. The company is registered as British Speedway Promoters Limited however in the interpretations of the Articles of Association, (1.1) it states the following ; BSPA: means the Company Company: means British Speedway Promoters' Association Limited you will notice, that even in setting up a legal document, the attention to detail is worryingly lacking......

Probably because Keith Chapman didn’t put the team together, Ged Rathbone did.

Practice pics: https://www.baansportfansite.nl/nieuws/1720/wk-ijsspeedway-in-shadrinsk-van-start-met-de-vrije-training.html Pretty poor not to have a proper replacement for Zorn. Reserve rider Borodin will take his place. Tani and Bauer are in Russia. Iwema was proposed as a replacement as well. Nothing happened.

Agree Czech golden helmet is a big accolade scotty finished in the top 10 in the world on 4 occasions and has a record number of British titlesI really don’t see that as underachieving

Bottom line is though there is not enough income generated to pay them what you think they are worth. Comets fans have not turned up in big enough numbers to make speedway at Workington viable,you just can’t keep upping admission money.

We were told Bomber would be in the team - he isn't We were told Ged & Neil are staying - they aren't We were told Buster is the owner.... Let's see

Look under 'Club Officials'!!

Considering the current family-run No.1 UK Carpet Cleaners in Christchurch wasn't incorporated til 2014, I find that difficult to believe!! Maybe you should delete your post as at the very least its defamatory!!

But at least everyone will know where they stand. Pay up at the end of each meeting and a rider will turn up for the next (considering how easy it is to do via bank transfer these days). Should never be situations where riders ride for 9 meetings without getting paid. No pay, no ride but no risk of being banned.

Sadly it seems riders cannot live on that and will not accept it. One of the major problems facing the sport.

If only the Clubs paid standard rates,maybe the Sport would be in a healthier state.

With a start time of Sunday's 4.30 pm as opposed to Thursdays 7.30 pm I don't think that school holidays really matter.

Swindon fixtures 2019 http://www.swindon-speedway.com/fixtures19 There are quite a few long gaps with no home meeting, will have to pop down to Somerset for a few meetings.

Lloyds bank .

Another great edition...particularly enjoyed the interview with one time 'Cheetah' Mick Handley!