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A mat in a sale,, 46 quid, normally 58,,,,,you would have to be bonkers to spend that sort of money on a mat. What's the betting a load of riders do,,, the ones who probably saying they don't make any money from speedway.

Totally agree with the Flint statement , but you don't have to be the greatest rider to be able to pass invaluable experience on.Often the advice given could be on the mechanical side or how to prepare yourself better for meetings.In yesteryear often the best captains and motivaters were riders who were no superstars themselves but could motiavate and get the best out of others.

Why don`t those interested in finding out what the Showground are doing to now provide access to blue badge holders send a POLITE email to Jason Lunn venue director at JLunn@eastofenglandarena.com

All cleared up except for a abusive answer from you know who what an advert for poole speedway he is

Unlikely I agree but decisions get unmade when it suits all the time. Disabled people often feel bad enough about their situation as it is without requiring special measures to highlight them and their problems, whatever they may be. What takes more time, cost and effort: special measures to deal with a newly self created problem or just reinstate a system that worked perfectly well for years?

This is one of the many reasons for the crass stupidity of the edict

Thing is, most public events nowadays have disabled parking (if parking spaces are provided at all) as those spaces nearest to the entrance/perimeter. In this case, can there not be space allocated near to where the riders parks their vans - I assume they'll still be allowed to drive inside the venue? If so, as far as I remember, this area is not segregated from the public so presumably a van hitting a person isn't thought to be as much of a risk as a car?

Mike Hope of Wooler announced today as again backing the Bandits in 2020. Commercial department doing very well so far with getting sponsors on board. (IMO)

I just find this whole Kent side a little uninspiring but hoping to be proved wrong. Mulford showed enough last year to see further progression (if he arrives with better bikes), Hagon ive never been impressed with but recent reports suggest he has turned a corner in progression. Jenkins was stagnant last year, Ledwith has a lot to do in the Champs and may find the pressure could affect his NL performances. Gilkes from reserve to Number 1 is a big ask but has been many times before. Clouting deserves a chance but will face a tougher run at 2nd string and Spooner has limited improvement left especially with a short league season. I fear for the NL venture as there is nothing to draw supporters away from the more exciting CL side and crowd levels could be poor. Certainly going to be very interesting what the gate prices are this season?

I think you miss the point. This was a friendly match between a few Australians and a bunch of young Brits (all under 21 I think) wintering in Australia (plus Tai Woffinden). It was not a representative test match and neither country would put up teams like that if it had been. What should be taken out of it is, after so many years in the doldrums, how positive the future looks for GB with Bewley, Edwards, Flint, Kemp and a whole load of others all coming through.

Why don't we all agree to disagree & enjoy the 2020 season on both levels aswell as the Njl because if it wasn't for ROB GRANT what would we be discussing now eh

12 teams. would have been perfect to re-introduce the fours qualifiers. three groups of 4 with each winner to the final plus the best runner up. Missed a trick I think.

Interesting that some fans are calling for the return of the fours qualifiers on the basis that four meetings in four days would be an attraction, but the BSPA is being widely criticised for organising events either side of the British GP. How many fans can actually afford to go to four meetings in four days? You really think the interest level would be there on the fourth (or even third) leg for supporters of a team well behind from the first couple of legs? Can you imagine the logistical nightmare if one (or even more) of the legs is rained off? It's bad enough trying to get two teams to agree on a re-arranged date, never mind four. Fours qualifiers are best left in the past, when every day was sunny, every meeting was close, every race had passing and life, in general, was just better. Except it wasn't always so. Fours finals day can be a great occasion.

That was my point in the first place

Excuse me you rude prick??? If the quoted text below from the website doesn't intimate home and away being separate then i think your illness has affected your visual skills a little more than i previously thought. Poole Pirates will be operating a home and away management scheme when they take their place in the SGB Championship for the 2020 season, with two club legends, Neil Middleditch and Gary Havelock, spreading the race day team managerial duties between them. Middleditch, who has masterminded eight top flight league titles and steered the Pirates into all the Elite league play-offs 15 times (from the 18 seasons in which the play-offs have been in operation), and will be honoured, at the start of the campaign. with a special meeting in his name, in recognition of his services to Poole, will be at the helm for the Pirates' home meetings whilst former club captain and 1992 world champion Gary Havelock will be handed the rulebook when the Pirates are on their travels.

It'll be the away Thursday to Sunday Northern meetings, as thats when Middlo's business is open to the public!!

Looks like the fixtures could be out later this week.

Think Pete Adams pee's off on holiday through the season as well

There is !!!!!.. Inside the Showground where Blue Badge holders have always parked.

Why out of interest? There have been seasons in the past where Luke has been in with an outside shout but having hardly ridden last year and unspectacularly when he did i fail to see any reason why 3 points would be dropped on him? Would be the worst reserve pairing in the league by some distance if he was the choice.

Ron Mountford started at Birmingham in 1950 and went on to give great service to the Brummies for the next seven years, only moving on to Coventry when Birmingham closed mid-season in 1957. Ron went on to give equally yeoman service to the Bees right until his mid 40's. He was a hard rider, and never took prisoners, but he could take it as well as dish it out, and he came back bravely after first losing an eye in a workshop accident, and then smashing his leg in a huge crash which left him with one leg shorter than the other. When the years finally caught up with him and his form deteriorated, he lost his place in the Coventry team but was reluctant to give up riding and did approach Birmingham with a view to rejoining the then, second division Brummies. Joe Thurley though, wanted to build a young team which he could eventually develop into a First Division team, so wouldn't consider including Ron. Ron rather resented this rebuff, so he was lost to speedway when with his long experience, he could have been very useful, and I believe he only made one more visit to Brandon before he died. Les Owen, whom this topic is supposed to be about, spent the whole of his career at Coventry - which as he was born a Coventrian, is no real surprise. When the BSPA tried to allocate him to Cradley Heath in 1965, he refused to go, preferring to just ride in second halves at Coventry, and in mid-season, the BSPA relented and allowed him to return to the Bees team. Les was a fearless performer who took numerous risks on the track and suffered some fearful injuries as a consequence - the last one when he and John Harrhy ran into each other and in which he sustained very serious head injuries, finally finished him. He did make a partial recovery and I'm told that he presented himself at Brandon with the intention of riding again, but Charles Ochiltree would not allow this. Later, Owen's mental condition deteriorated sharply, and he finally committed suicide by stepping in front of a train - a very sad end for an admittedly rather reckless speedway rider, but a very likeable bloke.

Just seen a flight of pigs flying past my window

On 3rd June 1939 at Harringay there was a Milne Brothers v Parker Brothers race in the second half of the meeting against West Ham. The finishing order was Jack Milne, Cordy Milne, Jack Parker, Norman Parker.

If fit that will be the pick. All I said was Cook goes well round Manchester I didn'ty say pick him. It's good to have him as back up with Charles Wright. Lambert will take more risks than Cook to put himself in with a winning chance.

would have preferred one manager for the whole season myself if neil could not then he should have stood down .still If its only for a few meetings on the northern circuit it don't really matter a managers role is not so important as it was many years ago when the manager could pick gate positions and tact subs etc just my opinion

Sadly, this wouldn't happen. How many Kent fans would travel to Somerset, or Scunthorpe fans to Birmingham, on a Wednesday night for such a meeting? Even in the glory days of the 1980's, the southern tracks ran these meetings at a big loss. Nowadays, with far fewer travelling fans -- even at weekends -- the costs, especially for the southern and midland sectors, would be absolutely prohibitive. As sporting contests, such rounds would be entertaining, as business propositions (especially in the south and midlands) totally unviable.

In that meeting Steve, Swindon beat Sheffield 44.-34 and lost 35.43 to Reading.Ashby beat Michanek in heat 1 a rare feat as Michanek was great in 73 also the late Geoff Curtis scored paid 10 and the late Mad Jack Millen rode and scored a point remember it being a big crowd.

Both missed the two minutes: http://www.speedwaygb.co.uk/19results/edinburgh_04.10.19_res.pdf

The penny might drop one day, horses and water and all that stuff

It should be but what if, for example, Lambert makes a really slow start to the season and is in bad form but Wright or Cook are riding as well as they ever have done? Would be daft to not pick who is riding well at the time.

Great team, but somehow finished runners up to Reading, even though we beat them at home

I just can see Ledwith and Gilkes getting injured on the grippier tracks in the championship you give an inch in that league and you’re getting nudged

Removal of the concession isn’t a surprise, and brings speedway in line with other events on the Showground. What is needed is for the promotion to lay on a reliable buggy/shuttle service from the car-park, recognising the multiple barriers of rough ground, darkness and distance that blue-badge holders face. Whether they have the vision to do that remains to be seen.It is also important that a similar clampdown is placed on all in-stadium parking, reducing it to the absolute minimum - a disabled person struggling towards the track being passed in a car by a member of track-staff who has no need to be driving in will cause a good deal of discontent.

Sorry but Why should they? No one owes Poole Speedway anything

I do hope so Skidder. I kind of get angry that my team - based in an affluent part of the Country should be getting more support/sponsorship if so rightly deserves. There are plenty of reasonable well heeled individuals and companies in Dorset area who should be doing more to support our club. I really hope they do secure a good main team sponsor plus as many smaller sponsors as possible. In fact I am about to enter the said arena with Poole myself for the very first time in my own smallish way. I hope that many others follow as it all contributes to a successful club that also allows us fans to participate in. I live 3.5 hours away from Poole in Essex, but this team is my team of choice and I want to support in a way i can even though retired early (by my own choice). Appreciate not everyone can but there are a good few who could.

1 Max Clegg 10.14 2 Joe Alcock 4.36 3 David Wallinger 3.87 4 Josh Embleton 4.83 5 James Sarjeant 7.80 6 Kelsey Dugard 3.35 7 Archie Freeman 3.00 This is the winning team though...

That's as maybe, but without the necessary skills to do the job he will fail. I saw plenty of Havvy during his spell at Coventry & concluded he wasn't cut out for the job , I'm pretty sure I wasn't the only person to think that either.

If no Holder or NKI perhaps Mr G Laguta would certainly be entertaining

Well, another week of silence goes by. Is it the classic case of no news is good news or do we not have a 7th rider yet? It may just be a paperwork issue of some kind but we normally have confirmation by this time of the year! Come on Chris, it's time to tell?

Totally agree, however when does a youngster become an old hand or when does an old hand become to old. Blurred lines

Commercially there is a need to have big scorers to keep the team in the meeting, and to set an example to the youngsters . Youngsters thrashing around without guidance will take a lot longer to get where they want to be. If a group of youngsters are getting thrashed by full strength opponents at home, it doesn't please the home crowd who might withdraw their support as some fans insist on a victory whenever possible. Old hands can give advice with riding lines and bike preparation, and also give the give team a lift with their encouragement and experience.

Why on earth would anyone post this on a speedway forum? This forum is all the better for the many fans of defunct clubs who still follow GPs/Poland/Sweden/other clubs, but why bother coming on here when you've admitted to having no desire to attend another speedway meeting after a 15 year absence? I know your posts get a lot of stick on here so it should be expected, but this is just such a strange way of thinking.

So far, three Dans, two Joes. The last signing will have to be called Tom

The facts of the 1933 season as far as I have gathered from local papers. It seems Dick Case, Max Grosskreutz joined up with A.J.Reynolds, who I have an idea was involved at Wimbledon, so maybe that is where he got familiar with Case ( not sure) started up the track for 1933 and according to the press the first meeting was very well organised and a crowd of 10,000 though not brilliant was a promising start All the Australians won a heat, with Grosskreutz winning all 5 of his and Case winning 4 out of 5. Herbert Drews was the best German on show. Sebastian Rth and Alfred Rumrich having bike trouble A week later and it was a Germany v Australia team match as the highlight, but only 3-4,000 turned up. Who knows what the reason was ? One local journalist was dumbfounded. He was full of praise for the promotion and could only speculate that the entry price was to high. I wonder if the relatively poor performance of the German riders in the opening meeting xomared to the strength of the Australians was too much to bear with the political atmosphere at the time..... Resuts are here http://www.internationalspeedway.co.uk/gervaus.htm Only to add that Grosskreutz fell on the last bend in ht 8, but was already well beaten by Drews and Germany had a surprise 27: 23 win and collected 2 pts, so it seemed there were a series of internationals planned for the season. The next and last meeting had a Germany v Denmark match, so maybe a 3 way series or maybe one or two others were to be involved ? Evans makes no mention of this. A couple of match races in which Grosskreutz beat Roth and Müller beat Evans. Then a nasty accident when Müller and Ahrens clashed and fell in front of the following Australians, who thanks to skilful riding managed to avoid the fallers. But unluckily Müller broke his leg and Ahrens received internal injuries, which would put them out of the following meeting. Dick Case beat Grosskreutz and Glass in the main final of the night with Sebastian Roth trailing well at the back using somebody else's bike 3rd and last (as far as I know) meeting of the season and ever at Lokstedt A Germany v Denmark match, but strangely a shorter format than the week before again saw a win for the home riders http://www.internationalspeedway.co.uk/gervden.htm Sebastian Roth broke the week old track record that Grosskreutz had set finishing almost 3 seconds ahead of Drews and Knudsen !!! There followed a handicap trophy, which in the final Case just won on the line overtaking Baltzar Hansen, who had a 20m head start, then Grosskreutz and Drews followed in behind. Then in the final trophy of the night Alfred Rumrich won a great race to beat Grosskreutz, Case and Drews in that order So nothing that really comes close to Grosskreutz and Evans descriptions of events The next meeting was planned for 31.05.1933........if the Aussies went to Sweden + Denmark as stated I am not sure. But it would be great to find out about Sweden at least. Really know nothing about pre-war speedway there

No is was not, clearly you cant read either.

I think it will be Luke Whitehead

Judging by his Berwick antics he still doesn't know the rules and fell out with more than one rider there and down the road at Redcar but he will be good for your bar profits.