Leaderboard

Perhaps for this season alone we could abandon the play offs and just ride one home and one away and the KO cup. The top of the league are league champions... Back to the good old days of finishing first means your the best team !!

Andrew Dalby is a great guy to have IMO as a Centre Green Announcer and we are very lucky indeed to have his services. But, do you know what, I think I have a slightly sour taste in my mouth about the departure of Roy Clarke. Maybe I shouldn't, but my recollection is that he stepped in at very short notice to replace Andrew without having any previous experience of undertaking such a role. That takes some gumption and like his style or not, he was ever dependable and became much more proficient in the role as time went on. He was also very knowledgeable about the sport and had the ability to chat away during those long pauses which sometimes occur when fence boards are being replaced in between heats, or during a long track grade. There's a lot worse than Roy and I suspect we might well miss the rapport that he had with the riders and a large number of Diamonds supporters.

If he's short of a few bob he could flog his Carribean island. He's made a hell of a lot of money out of the labours of his employees over the years. Now they need him, he's gone missing. Shouldn't get a penny piece out of the taxpayer.

I truly have a deal of sympathy for all concerned as many will face hardship or worse, and are in denial mode. Anybody who thinks the season will start mid april are in cloud cuckoo land

On BSPA site Speedway suspended with immediate effect, will be reviewed again on April 15th. Don't think the virus will be gone by then !

As expected all speedway meetings have been suspended and the situation will be reviewed on April 15th http://www.speedwaygb.co.uk/news.php?extend.37980

Not without ambulance/Paramedic cover you can't

No rent not sure about that? Season tickets will need refunding yet riders advances will still have been paid out. Vans booked, race suits made etc. There are sizable pre season costs that if not recoupable could sink a club......oh and bspa fees which im sure will be returned immediately.

I like some of the stuff Roy does and he is very knowledgable about speedway in the past.

Hugh Pym on the BBC has been told by the BMA the virus in the UK won't peak until late June or early July.If that is the case, it's hard to see any kind of normality in sport before late autumn.

It’s what we all expected despite the lone mouthpiece of the forum thinking they were the only one that knew.

I was actually thinking this would be a sensible move.

Stands with Donald Duck,,,, Looney Tunes. Loves blowing her own trumpet

Fair points mikebv, correct most clubs are currently running at a loss and on a hand to mouth existence and this will push clubs and promoters over the edge into bankruptcy, it is ultra optimistic that the public and sport will return financially in a better shape. The BSPA have historically proved to be totally incompetent and will be incapable of dealing with this major problem. A similar situation happened to grasstrack in 2000’s when foot and mouth epidemic more or less wiped out the sport. Also riders will have to find other jobs which will be difficult and may not return to speedway assuming the sport does resurface. The current situation is catastrophic and life changing for all and it is obvious that speedway and many other minor sports will not survive.

I would add m,y very best wishes to this. Both Martin and Barry are excellent people as well as fine examples of how to promote sport.

Good points “sings4speedway” i would suggest a club could say to season ticket holders we will honour your tickets for 2021. riders advances race suits - yes they have been paid for but the rider would be told you keep the money but no advance for 2021... race suits used for 2021. they ain’t going to be riding anywhere in 2020. Vans booked ? Cancel the booking . BSPA fees - that’s up to the BSPA if they want the sport to survive ... refund them Tough times and tough decisions but if the sport is to survive action is needed ... personally I am not hopeful that anyone in the BSPA is capable .........

Tbf, I dont think anyone really knows atm..

No point in P&P as the season has no chance of starting until at least July , if it starts at all.

Still going ahead.

i'm booked with LOT, Polish Airline

The medical cover here is for the riders if a supporter gets ill the racing has to stop while the paramedics deal with it

RATHER WATCH A RIDER LIKE Josh coming from the back and providing top entertainment ,than the boring gate and gone merchants ,that is not good speedway

I like Roy and he brings some laughs and keeps our place at Redcar going during the meetings. Better than having someone who hasn't a clue on the sport or nothing at all. Maybe Newcastle could have a bingo caller during the interview that might be better for them. I agree what Rob Grant has done keeping the Diamonds going as nobody wants to see a team fail, but disagree with Pipey not getting a chance but that's speedway everyone tells me.

Not a chance, even the end of May is very doubtful The government is planning now for three months, so add another month onto that and we might start in August, never know first meeting we can attend might be Cardiff if we are lucky When it does start it will be a very truncated season probably with just league meetings with no play offs

Should have said earlier could have had a whip round for you.

more time to save up

I can see a May start for speedway as I see maybe mid april as a time where cases of covid19 will start decreasing (depends what sites you read and what you believe). I think if the BSPA can run at least one home vs one away meeting I.e. league tie for the prem then straight into the play offs at least there will be some top flight speedway What they could do also to help british riders is extend the British championship to a 7 round series at each prem stadium and offset 50% of the gate into prize money to help the riders against costs and loss of earnings through less league meetings

Not so sure Kent and other teams that have two teams will be able to fore fill all meetings?

Speedway has been on a rapid decline for years and personally I cant see how it will survive all of this. Unlike Footballers and other sports people. Many Speedway riders only source of income relies on racing week in week out, whether it be in the UK or Europe. If this coronavirus escalates as experts seem certain it will, then I can foresee many riders hanging up their boots and quitting. I also think that if by some miracle we are able to race this season, then I fear crowds will dwindle and disappear, because of the constant fear the public has for contracting this dreadful virus. It is going to change peoples mindsets for a long time to come and I worry whether speedway will ever survive this both financially and publicly.

Thought you probably would.

chinese virus listening to too much donald

Announcement today was expected. I disagree with Godfrey that this has 'come out of nowhere'. It hasnt. It's been going on for the last 4 months and done nothing but gradually worsen. What needs to happen next is planning. Long term planning. Not the sad face in an interview. What I want to hear is that the association are actively beginning to put steps in place that could potentially safeguard the future of the sport. At this moment in time I don't see a leader in this sport who has the acumen to take us through to the other side. That is my biggest concern.

My biggest concern for the sport is more to do with how many people will have to take unpaid leave, or business owners suffer as people dont leave their homes.. You cant help thinking that as their disposal income crumbles then Speedway (and indeed sport in general) will become very, very low down their list of priorities.. It's fine getting 'payment holidays' but bill's will still need to be paid.. Premier League football is pretty much bomb proof given their sponsorship and level of season ticket holders, however not sure about the other leagues and sports.. And you also have to factor in the way several Speedway clubs are often subsidised by the promoters' other business's so these other streams of income may also be impacted, not to mention possible sponsors' other income streams being hit.. A bit random, but maybe Speedway would he better off writing the season off completely..? Many, it is often said, lose money anyway so maybe an hiatus would help the following year? A year to regroup, iron out its obvious flaws and start again with some modern publicity/marketing blaze 12 months in the making.. And a 12 month gap might mean the public are in better shape financially next year to attend once more?

If it survives it survives,, if it don't it don't. I dare say we will all find other things to do.

The sport will survive and if it comes back with more realistic people in charge it may prove a blessing. I don't see many Promoters or leaders anywhere in the sport though and that's the biggest concern. Needs bright new and independent thinking. Off the top of my head. Pretty short short list - Rob Painter and Ian Sinderson

speedway will survive yes, unfortunately some clubs wont survive

Flippers mate,,, ffffing idiot.

You'd hope that Branson would dip into his $4 billion to help folk out wouldn't you? If he were to divide his fortune amongst his employees each one would receive $466,690... probably enough to see them through

who is ron seal ?

This sort of speculation is reckless as you cannot possibly know what will happen to the sport.

Always sitting on the fence?

Better keep you head down then Ruff x Regards THJ

Whisper is that season delayed until at least May

Many of the private staff are NHS workers, who would be better employed in their normal jobs on overtime than standing in the pits at speedway.

I would have thought running a sport that could potentially take away I.C.U resources is morally wrong at this time. Sorry but the BSPA has no choice but to postpone the start of the season.

The dogs don't carry humans on their backs

The worlds gone totally mad most people support banning large gatherings closing bars and restaurants etc so they are a lot safer.Then a lot of the same people this weekend swarmed into over crowded supermarkets panic buying , queuing for over an hour with hundreds of other people to get to a till when there is no need.Make your mind up people a crowd is a crowd wherever you are. They are both the same risk the only difference is that a supermarket crowd panic buying leaves some old folk without some food toilet rolls.milk,pain killers etc.Mums without baby milk and baby wipes etc if this applies to you get a grip this virus is going to be around for quite a while. By the way my wife works in a supermarket on a till and had to go in on her day off yesterday to cope with this madness and witnessed all said above.

No they shouldn't have.. It's only the indoctrinated panic merchants that have caused the entire thing. Too late now, the indoctrinated have done the damage.

Hi fellas, just came across this topic. I presume you’d be talking about my dad and grandfather. They owned a motocross shop and dad rode for Honda uk motocross team. Regards Mayson jnr

Woffinden or Zmarzlik for me.