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Good news about the new sponsors as well.

The new ownership is good news for speedway but great news for Newcastle. So pleased that this great name with such an illustrious history continues. May they grace their own and many an away track for years to come.

You can tell it must be a decent deal because there isn't pages of whinging. Supporters of any other club would be shouting about this, but with Berwick it's met with silence. Speedway for less than £13, nobody else in the league can compete with that. Good offer for the kids as well, making the night out affordable for families as well.

He's been signed by Edinburgh!!

Has a British champ or Hans signed today yet?

Great news and great also to see the Speedway community at large weighing in with some very positive comments!!

Kurtz signed

This is taken from the WSRA Facebook page which is well worth a look: A gala occasion (words Tony Hurren, pictures Steve Hone) The speedway action in Britain came to its conclusion almost a month ago, but it was on Saturday (November 23) that the curtain came down on the social side of the sport, when the World Speedway Riders' Association staged its annual Gala Dinner & Awards night at The Leicester Marriott Hotel. The way the event was staged was up there with any similar sporting awards dinner. It was like a night at the Oscars. A full house of almost 200 guests including former riders (and a few present-day ones) and their partners; speedway officials; sponsors and supporters who all put on their Sunday best to make it a glittering occasion. There were large screens around the dining area so that everyone could get a close up of what was happening. This included some splendid action from the past season and featured some of our departed friends and all the riders and clubs who were in the running for one of the coveted awards. The timing of the dinner was 6pm for 7pm and this enabled guests to meet up and talk about old times. It did, as usual, feature the famous (or should that be infamous?) Rusty Nails offering put on by the Scottish arm of the WSRA. This mix of whisky and whatever is potent and there were certainly a few muzzy heads before dinner had been served. WSRA president Mike Broadbank welcomed guests, while secretary Alan Philpott led a toast to Her Majesty The Queen and called for a one-minute silent tribute to the recently departed Split Waterman, Ted Hubbard and John Chaplin – who were all featured on the TV screens. After Alan had said grace dinner was served and it was a sumptuous four course meal fit for any banquet. After dinner, presenter Craig Saul accompanied by the glamorous Roz Miles, revealed who had won the prestigious Silver Shoe awards, which were presented to the winners by some of the evening's best-known guests. The Special Bravery Award went to 15 year old Sam Norris, who is making a remarkable recovery from the terrible accident he had at Glasgow Speedway in June. The Youth Rider of the Year was 15 year old Sam Hagon; Young Rider of the Year 17 year old Drew Kemp; while the Isle of Wight retained its Community Club of the Year status. The Speedway Riders' Benevolent Fund Award was won by Ipswich, whose fans parted with the most cash in the annual Ben Fund collection. Drew Kemp was back on the stage to receive the Poultec Apprentice of the Year award from joint Great Britain team manager Olly Allen; while the Lifetime Achievement Award was presented to 90 year old Olle Nygren by four times World Champion Barry Briggs. The big one was the Rider of the Year Award which, not surprisingly went to World Champion Bartosz Smarzlik. Due to a conglomeration of commitments, Bartosz was unable to be at the dinner, but WSRA chairman Bert Harkins recorded a video presentation with the National Speedway Museum as the appropriate backdrop. The silver shoe will be handed to the World Champion at a later date. Among the riders promoters and officials present in addition to those already mentioned were: Adam Roynon, Alan Sage, Barney Kennett, Ben Trigger, Bengt Jansson, Bernie Collier, Bobby McNeil, Brian Clark, Chris Harrison, Chris Morton, Chris Van Straaten, Colin Ackroyd, Colin Pratt, Danny King, Dave Morton, Dave Parry, Dingle Brown, Eric Broadbelt, Frank Smith, Garry Stead, George Major, Gerry King, Graham Flint, Graham Miles, Graham Tattersall, Ian Bottomley, Ian Clark, James Bond, Jim McMillan, John Davis, John Hart, John Payne, Karl Fiala, Les Rumsey, Mark Blackbird, Martin Hagon, Mike Patrick, Neil Middleditch, Norman Hunter, Paul Ackroyd, Pete Sampson, Pete Saunders, Pete Seaton, Peter Wrathall, Ray Wilson, Richard Greer, Ronnie Anderson, Roy Carter, Steve Hartley, Steve Hone, Steve Weatherley, Tony Hurren, Tony Mole, Troy Pratt, Vic White, Willie Dishington, etc etc. This was an occasion that would not have been out of place at any venue anywhere in the world. The WSRA wanted this to be a very special event and that is exactly what it was.

To get 8 clubs in the second round.

Glad Stefan got signed up by you Pirates. He has been a pleasure for us to watch at Scunny and will do a great job for you. A genuine nice guy, modest and a sharp wit. We will miss you Stefan, on track and post race meetings, Have a good season in 2020, but don't come back and score well at the EWR.

My dyslexic Mrs is always banging on about it.

Blimey, not former British Champion Jonas Jeppesen, otherwise known as Hans Andersen?

The NDL has been a good training ground because it had a mix of young riders learning their trade helped by the old hands who knew they would probably never move into the higher leagues but enjoyed racing and passing on their knowledge to the youngsters. Maybe there needs to be a limit on over 25 or 30 year olds in the league but they are an important part of the development of the young riders. The older riders also improve the standard of racing and help the stand alone clubs provide a spectacule that is worth watching on a regular basis. Making the NDL into a juniors only league would see it vanish faster than a GP rider after he is told how much he can earn in the Premiership.

Is that what happened to Roy Rogers?

Well you said it big boy and don't forget ya warm flat beer as well... Yuk... Regards THJ

Think Ty Proctor will be at reserve. With his average and previous ties to Lynn, I can see that happening and think he could be a real trump card if he can find some confidence.

Vissing no thanks after his last stint as a Rebel he was awful.

Harris gives his all in every race for whoever he's riding for....even when guesting.....he deserves and earns every penny imo!

Chips and gravy are yummy

You’re a rubbish supporter so you fit in well.

While I share the worries that others have following the announcement which I quoted above, it is possible that things may be a lot rosier than we fear. Maybe some new to NDL tracks were present and having found out how many teams could be in the NDL they have gone away to consider if they can run that many meetings (if they are running NDL as a second team) or to work out how to pad out the fixture list (if they are a new standalone team). The current teams also have the same considerations to think about so it is possible that the meeting was positive but all parties have gone away to consider the best way forward which they did not have time to do on Tuesday. Time for everyone to keep their fingers crossed and hope for a positive outcome.

Bad decision not to sign our own asset, Musielak, especially on his average. It doesn’t encourage loyalty and that could be the last we see of him, unless no one else signs him and he comes back mid-season. Choosing Batch and Jensen instead on their high averages will mean poor reserves. One of them should have gone. 3.57 Ellis Perks as senior reserve, however much he’s a trier, like Shanes, is a mistake. Very strong top four, weak tail. Just my opinion.

He was one of the best Polish riders, in terms of adapting to the track, that I have seen at Monmore.

Like the sound of this; seems to have some ideas and plans in his thinking. Some good assistance in the background also. Hopefully he will assemble a competitive team, but everyone (Newcastle fans) need to give him their full support as only a couple of weeks ago it was desperately looking bleak. Well done Rob and all the best for this season and the future.

Trouble is we now have a chairman of the BSPA who only cares about the present and will only worry about the future come November 2020. A Vice-Chairman who has no interest in junior racing or development and a NL coordinator who will do as he is told. Make of it what you will.

Like this?......

my pictures from the WSRA Gala Dinner 23.11.19 https://www.flickr.com/photos/the_womble/albums/72157711954067898

How can you go backwards from stone last in the league?

Well it has hit a lot of bull sh#t so far

I think killer will be a total disappointment, and probably an over paid waste of money one at that. Can see a few past it riders coming back for far more cash than they are worth, the extra tv revenue will soon be wasted away, just like before.

How about,,, MPT 8.18 Covatti 7.82 Wethers 6.92 Smetana 5.00 Clegg 4.93 Bulky 4.00 Sarj 3.90 ???

Dudley Council have been claiming that the old Freightliner Depot site is "earmarked for other uses" for the last 20 years. The speedway club could have been using it for the whole of this time if Dudley MBC had shown just a modicum of enterprise. I'm told that this "other use" is for a station for the new Metro tram extension, and by my reckoning, there is ample space on that site for a tram station, a speedway stadium and a large carpark. Dudley Council's performance has been pathetic.

Nick had a poor season which was partly affected by injury. He surely had enough rides to have shown more improvement than we saw from him in the last two months. He gave the impression his heart wasn't in his racing and he is only on a bargain average if he gets his motivation back

Kildemand has been awful this season so I’d add a side of caution before we get too excited about big names suddenly appearing in the top flight. On form he is awesome to watch and should be brilliant at the NSS assuming his bikes don’t look as slow as this season. It certainly seems the TV deal switching to Eurosport has reignited interest to those usually not interested in our top flight. Lets hope it isn’t the last of the bigger names back in our league next season.

Which is what was said & you ignored it all.

Yeah just seen should be a decent signing on his average.

Very jealous!!! An on form Killer is absolute box office and would imagine he's going to be top drawer round your place. Great signing!!

Rest in Peace, Heathens. as a former resident of Dudley Metropolitan Borough (and briefly employee) I find it staggering that none of the many disused industrial brownfield sites in that borough, or indeed neighbouring areas were considered suitable for a speedway stadium by the council who have obviously decided that professional sport is for others. Indeed Dudley must be the only borough in the old West Midlands county with no professional sport at all. Shame on them. Well done for surviving for 10 years without a home of your own. Only a special speedway club could achieve that. You could say that the killing of Cradley Heath Speedway over 20 years ago would be unlikely to have been allowed for most other sports where authorities bend over backwards to save sporting teams. Cradley was a rarity - a genuine part of the local sporting fabric. No question of "Oh, is it still goingt" when I lived in the area, Speedway needs Cradley needs speedway!

I was only commenting on the subtle differences in geographical culinary preferences but now you mention it...........

Why wouldn't he when a speedway career is a short one? Would you change your job for more money if you were just doing the same thing?

North/South divide confirmed in a single post.

Given the new owners business I reckon there will definitely be a meat draw at the interval.

Christ if that’s the case the rest of us may as well not bother!

But of a pipe dream I think. Plus, with crowd levels these days, I doubt that we, or anyone else, could afford it.

Oh dear, another wrong comment. Confirmed in the adver that Musielak & Vissing are the unlucky two from this years side to miss out. i can’t wait for the •welcome back Adam Ellis” & “correcto” comments in the coming days.

Think this now means we are going for a strong Number 1 with the extra points we will have signing Nicol. No concerns riding Douglas or Becker at 2.

I think this is the most detached and disappointed I’ve ever felt in regards to the National League. It really does seem like we’ve lost our third tier

Half way down: "Obviously the next step is putting a team together, and I can assure the supporters that as soon as we get names on contracts, signed and sealed, we will deliver them as soon as possible, but rest assured we're on it right now and the wait won't be long, and it will be competitive!"

What about Danyon Hume for a reserve spot Tsunami? lesser riders getting bandied about exciting to watch and English I hope you are keeping well.!!!!

Do you think there was a profit made at Lynn this year? Or previous years for that matter? I think that there is a misconception from some that the Lynn promotion do this every year to follow a cycle, and don't want to win. In reality, there is nothing more they want than to succeed! So maybe get behind the promotion/team and actually support them, through good and bad.... Just a thought.