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Despite being in the 'old fart' age group I'm blessed with fairly good health, and although l'm starting to dislike stairs I don't have any mobility problems. So this Blue Badge issue doesn't affect me personally, but I've been following it with increasing dismay. And the whole thing stinks! The same as everything does with Panthers - and, come to that, with speedway in general. For what it's worth, here's my two penn'orth: It seems to me that there's been more and more cars parking in the inner stadium areas, and they can't all be blue-badge (BB) people. The club seems to be saying that some BB fans have somehow been abusing the parking privilege; maybe by parking in the "wrong" places? I tend to rock up a few minutes before the first heat, and by then 99.9% of cars are already there and parked up. But I hadn't noticed any particular orderliness as I walk briskly from the Arena doors to the stand. Cars seem to park willy-nilly, and it's a different configuration each home meeting. So I can't help wondering if it might not be BB holders alone who are causing whatever the problem is. Or maybe it's a money issue? Are some BB holders somehow sneaking other occupants of their car into the meetings for free, when they should be paying full whack? Have there been problems at the gate along those lines, and staff feeling miffed at having to deal with unpleasant situations? I'm not pointing any fingers; just wondering if that's what lies being Bluster's decision. One things for sure, we don't have the full story :-/ Whatever, it's f*****g disgraceful that a blanket ban has been imposed on all disabled people. You'd have to be a complete **** to think otherwise. The main car park is way too far to walk if you have reduced mobility. If there has been a problem - whatever it is - surely the best way to resolve it is to organise the entrances and inner parking areas better. All it needs is a few well-placed signs for BB cars to follow, and a clearly marked/fenced off parking area for BB holders, preferably quite close to the rear of the stand. There's plenty of space there ffs! Would it be too difficult to issue special EoES/Panthers disabled permits rather than just go by the standard blue badge permits. If anybody flouts the new system, and provided it's been made clear from the outset, there can be no complaints if that individual gets his/her parking privilege withdrawn. How many BB cars are we talking about anyway? It can only be in the dozens surely, and not in the hundreds. How about BB cars keep to the left at that first entrance, and signposted accordingly with a couple of staff to supervise it. And all the other vehicles - vans, sponsors, chums of Bluster, et al - keep to the right. It’s not rocket science – but I suspect that the Club Bluster simply lacks the will to resolve it in a decent and compassionate way.

I know you’re the great defender but.....the three number ones were only 7th, 17th and 20th in the top 20 riders by GSA in last year’s Championship. It would be easy to spin each individual rider, or to do them down, but I won’t do that. And I don’t think there will be any lack of effort from the team. But my opinion, and that’s all it is, is that Poole’s starting 1-7 is too top heavy and will therefore be vulnerable to better balanced teams.

So we have rewarded a rider that could not be bothered to turn up last year with a team place, says it all really

Neil you will not be aload in to Peterborough because you are not agreeing with the management, and for coming up with common sense ideas

Championship discussion that has no place in the top league.

Todd Kurtz, Jack Holder, Kyle Howarth, Sam Masters, Nicolai Klindt, Brady Kurtz, Josh Grajczonek, Charles Wright, Dan Bewley, Rasmus Jensen, Nick Morris, Chris Holder, Jason Doyle, Rory Schlein, Troy Batchelor and Peter Kildemand. Should be a cracking meeting for Todd, what a line up!

The fence was taking down by the track workers on the request of the stadium owners after they had a meeting with Rob to meet the new requirements of the height of the fence on the home straight & there are or they may have been in this week fencing contractor's going in to install it & also the speedway office has had a new concrete base put down & the roof has been re felted.. major cleaning up operation in the pits this Sunday so if anybody can help out see you there thanks in advance...

Actually there could be a very interesting story behind their name. Not 100% certain, but think they were originally the Schutze brothers. Then during WW1 it was felt Schutze sounded too German and they changed it to a good English variation of the name. A lot of people did the same such as the royal family, plus others like the American ketchup family Heinz cut links with their homeland and stopped talking German. Wimbledon's Gus Kuhn also falsely denied that his family were from Germany. So it wouldn't be unusual. But I think I have stumbled across some correspondence from Frank stating that although their surname sounds German, their family have absolutely no links with that country as their father emigrated from Lauenburg in Schleswig-Holstein in 1857, and his grandfather and great grandfather also lived in Lauenburg and at no time were subjects of Germany, but that Lauenburg was part of Denmark at that time and also that his mother was also Danish.

Tungate always got a smile on his face He is one of the most non smiling grumpiest miserable rider,, maybe even person I've ever seen.

Leicester need to be careful, he might take all the seats with him at the end of the meeting.

I reckon it will be something like this to start with (but what do I know) 1. King 2. Zane 3. Worrall 4. Nielsen 5. Ellis 6. Josh 7. Cook

Locked, no need for it here.

Strange choice of gif image for a contract signing. It's from The Simpsons. A contract signed by Apu and Manjula when they sell their 8 children to Eddie Munster and Zoo owner Larry Kidkill to become acts in a circus freakshow. They have to steal the babies back, and the contract ends up being fulfilled by Homer Simpson riding round on a clown's bike. Prophetic?

Fair point! Lets just say some have more than others then? (imo)

I noticed you'd mentioned him in your initial list. I liked him, and thought he was pretty useful too.

No there was no vandalism ruff.. weather permitting it's all systems go from 10am the more hands the better

So you're saying I'm wrong in saying that the negative camber on turn 3 should be removed and with better track preparation will come better racing ?

If people stopped commenting on the thread then it would soon end up on page 5 of list of PL topics. But you all seem to like keeping it on page 1!!

crump doing a few laps https://twitter.com/PinjarPark/status/1218121443600265217

If you read the BBC report (on a different thread) of the tradegy used in the club notice then the coroner is very critical of what happens within the confines of the track itself, albeit a different sport. It says that a report has been sent to Incarace and ORCi [Oval Racing Council International] and other organisations. Whether that includes speedway I don't know so those who go can see what effect that will have trackside, in the pits etc. We're still advertising a pit walk and centre green visit during the meeting so you'd assume that that would have to go?

Perhaps there were unfortunate errors in a previous visa application?! For some visas you are not allowed to apply again for at least 2 years with no guarantees that it would be processed quickly just because he is a previous World Champion. Any application would also need to be 'sponsored' by a club or organisation that holds a 'sponsorship licence', ie a potential employer!!

who with I think this league will be harder to replace than the premiership is just my opinion of course

Exactly what I was thinking. Phil definitely under-performed on the World stage after 1976.

All I say is you ask riders for a honest answer about the track? And just incase you ask what I know I will tell you after being involved for over 36 years think I may know a thing or two about track preparation.

Nothing or everything

Yes, a lot of things I had never heard about and a brief glimpse of his brother Frank, who was also involved in his speedway business. Frank was clerk of the course + manager at the Ekka and was also part of the tour of South America in 1930. Was talk of taking Fay Taylour with them, but I don't think she went. Frank was it say's quickly trying to get to grips with the Spanish language and it was going so well he thought he had a chance of being elected President, as they elected a new one every few months, so he said

I seem to recall that James Easter (one-time Aussie Manager) commenting on the feud in an interview in "Backtrack"? If you don't subscribe to the magazine I would fully recommend it (that's a pint you owe me Tony Mac!)

Since my last posting, every single comment about the track at Central Park has come from Poole, Workington, Birmingham and Glasgow !! Not a word from those who attend every week like myself. So much rubbish is spouted. I watch meeting after meeting with virtually every rider at National League going flat out for 4 laps in race after race. They could not do that IMO on a poorly prepared track. I don't consider myself a track expert, but I know what I can see.

It's a pick em. I lean towards Crumpy purely on what I saw with my own two eyes on visits to Northern tracks. I know they clashed at the 83 Aussie Final, but that doesn't explain them being kept apart at every World Pairs in 78, 79, 80, 81 and 82. Guys like John Titman, Phil Herne and Gary Guglielmi were preferred. Yet, I don't think there would many that would dispute that Sanders and Crump were clearly the top two Aussies at that time. Seems odd. On paper at least, a Crump/Sanders pairing would have nicked a rostrum place or two and may even have won it in 83. Clearly, there's more to it than meets the eye.

Tungate is a good rider and can beat anybody on his day and he had no other options but to ride for Peterborough given his Ipswich issues, so Buster had him over a barrel in terms of pay . As for Johnson saying he wanted him back, that is just for the press, I find it difficult to believe he was desperate to get a rider back that apparently went missing so often.

All of them at some point hopefully?! Not yet decided until the boys arrive in UK and have their initial chat with Middlo. Of course there is a bit of a risk but hey ho, its not how you start its how you finish!! My own thoughts are that Josh Mac will start in the 1-5 with Zane and Ben at reserve. Although I believe Zane will prove to be the better prospect over time. Both the latest signings had their visas come through yesterday so its full steam ahead with 2 new club assets. Incidentally an excellent turn out at last nights REF quiz night again (17 teams taking part but there can be only one winner ), with a telephone interview with Stevie Worrall and interview with Danny Ford who advised that 6 of the 7 team race suits have been sponsored - the last one expected to be done imminently. Also news about a new main sponsor is hopefully expected in the next 2 weeks?! The next REF event is a 'Middlo & Friends' chat show-style evening on Wednesday 18th March just prior to P&P day on 20th

Joe Owen for me as a Diamonds fan since 75. A potential world class rider if not for injuries. Tragic how a guy who probably only fell off once a season ended up very badly injured twice.

The CVS protocol. Join the club

Seems like uncaring management stance over BB parking has been virtually universally condemned but still they show little sign of listening

Tungate confirmed

A noticed most of the home straight fence was missing, dunno why anyone would wanna damage the fence? The track does look flatter tho.

For the record I wasn’t suggesting using ‘my’ buggy or similar - which only carry one plus the driver - but a ‘buggy service’ using a larger vehicle (see my earlier post) or something like the Dial-a-Ride bus. Transporting one person at a time wouldn’t be practical.

Sums Peterborough Speedway up in recent years

It's not some great adventure to overcome like climbing Everest. You're just looking for solutions to a club self imposed situation with as much empathy as whoever came up with the bright idea in the first place to exclude disabled fans from their long standing, helpful parking privileges which I'm sure that anyone affected greatly appreciated. Any regular will have seen the buggy or a buggy so it's no secret. They used it to pick up, amongst other things, the speakers that sat in front of the stand before we got a decent PA system. Other staff can be seen driving around in it, or one of them at times, as could Neil when inpost, hence why he suggested it I guess. Useful in those isolated situations but it's a crap idea here when the sensible solution is obvious to anyone.

I think the safest way to put it was that he has had a few scrapes that perhaps have made any visa processes not so straight forward.

freezing cold, miserable evening, not sure how many will want to wait in a queue

Can't see why a Witches fan can't donate a relative and marry Holder, should be easier for the Visa then.....

The critical point is that she was his partner not his wife, I believe that was the main reason why his Visa was refused. I don't think it was anything to do with the house sale.

Never have liked minutes silences... much prefer to celebrate the time we had have.... rather than what's been lost

I'm wondering that in honour of Danny being such an entertainer, that it would be fitting to have a minutes applause instead of silence or possibly a minute of each? Also whatever happens,,, we don't post any negative comments about team performance. Let's really get behind our riders and spur them onto the title in Danny's honour.

Scott Nicholls and Ben Barker confirmed for the Bees

Was that when an Edinburgh promoter was Chairman?

Would have gone to this at any time of the season But Somerset then Cardiff is enough for one weekend, so four of us will give it a miss

To be honest the GP series has grown into a huge part of the sport and British sp/way just faded away for a multitude of reasons all have been debated and little has been done .The social landscape has changed dramatically and we have to face the fact that the only thing to bring top riders is money but they are not guranteed to bring the fans through the gates.IMO all league s/way( particularly in this country ) is long term a feeder stream for the GP series . I genuinely believe had Doyle enjoyed success much earlier in his career at the top level of the sport he would not be riding in the PL .He has come to the party late and is making "hay while the sun shines" not least of which because of the many serious injuries he has collected along the way which will impede and curtail his career ultimately .

You can get sky practically where ever you live but virgin is only available in certain areas, Virgin have been saying for years they will be expanding there places to view but it seems its a long long wait.