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The 1918 pandemic killed 100 million people worldwide which was an appalling total, but 95% of people escaped it. Any deaths are bad enough but it's important to keep a sense of proportion before people get terrified of ever touching a person or leaving home again. I've seen people going way over the top here and justifying it as being "realistic". The reality is that so far we've sadly lost 10,000 people. This means 99.985% of the British population have survived so far. Stay safe - stay sane.

This is what I said about Nigel Boocock in my article for Classic Speedway and why I placed him at no. 1: "1. Nigel Boocock. Top place in my best of the 1960s goes to Nigel Boocock. Noted for his blue leathers, there is no doubt he always gave 100% to any race he was involved in, whether it was a second half scratch race or the World Championship final. Throughout the 1960s he was a loyal servant to Coventry. A top rider in the old National League, starting the decade in 1960 with a 9 point average, he really came into his own with the formation of the British League in 1965, knocking up five successive years of 10 plus averages, including an incredible 11.08 in 1965. He qualified for the World Final every year from 1963 except one with 4th place in 1969 proving his best. He appeared for England/Great Britain over 30 times as well as taking part in five World Team Cup finals. He also won many other prestigious individual trophies including the Internationale and Brandonapolis against riders of the calibre of Barry Briggs and Ove Fundin."

We were talking about this the other week Witcher was the meeting that good at Wembley 1981.??? Two great races in with a few interesting ones but in reality it was pretty average apart from that.The atmosphere and day out well that was a different kettle of fish terrific great memories .Myself i am not a fan of Cardiff but it is a great weekend out, which endless supporters enjoy which is great and the crowd is holding up nicely. Just a shame that Belle Vue does not hold 10,000 plus because the track is superb and it deserves big meeting's to be staged there but in reality we know it won't happen.

Thanks for the nice comments guys, That film was made by the NC+ platform here in Poland in 2014 and we had some great feedback from it. Here is another video we did with Gerry Sims (former racer). It was supposed to be used by IMG but never got released. Feel free to give my Facebook and instagram pages a follow and a like , We try to post content regularly. All the best Ash https://www.facebook.com/1469737636632481/videos/510522086252291/

THE bottom line is that none of us know but, personally, I prefer to remain optimistic.

Most speedway fans have a favourite year depending on age and length of time watching our sport. Mine would be 1965. The British League was formed and we had a long league season. Many more teams to visit Custom House and many new riders to watch. West Ham won the league, the KO cup and the London cup. Bjorn Knutsson became World Champion and finished second in the Internationale. All in all the year that has remained in my memory when others have faded.

With the current plethora of speedway being made available to the converted and present speedway fans I feel an opportunity for a wider audience is available. Both BBC and ITV have made it clear that to delve into their vast sporting archives is presently difficult and are limited to what they have available to screen. Over the past few Saturdays historic Rugby League, Football and various other sports have been screened at peak viewing hours. Is it not possible for any of the present organisations screening weekly speedway matches to offer the footage to them or even Free Sports for airing? If children can upload footage of their football skills on a Friday and have it screened on Saturdays Football Focus, surely anything to promote to a wider audience is possible. Prior to the screening of Glasgow `In the Red` documentary I contacted several friends who don't follow speedway and informed them to watch it. Being a speedway fan and advocate, I was surprised by 2 phone calls informing they switched it off within 15 minutes and why did I recommend it! I was told it was not informative or intriguing viewing and I was told to watch SUNDERLAND TILL I DIE SEASON 2 Wow what an insight, yes its not SPEEDWAY but it just shows the determination to get things done and change for the better. Maybe some Promoters/Owners need to take a leaf out of Glasgow`s forward thinking or even watch the Sunderland documentary to see and deal with reality. The point being made is that preaching only to the converted does not expand or grow Speedway!!!!

Looking at the league averages achieved in the top division as a measure of consistency shows the following: The peak years of the seven riders measured by the consecutive seasons in which they attained a 9.00+ average Terry Betts 1966-1977 (12 seasons) Nigel Boocock 1963-1972 (10) Eric Boocock 1965-1974 (10) Martin Ashby 1968-1977 (10) Ray Wilson 1967-1976 (10) Malcolm Simmons 1973-1980 (8) John Louis 1972-1979 (7) - there was a further season when he averaged 8.99 Nigel Boocock and John Louis averaged above 11.00 in one season each. The number of seasons in which the riders averaged over 10.00 in the league was: Eric Boocock 8 Nigel Boocock and Martin Ashby 7 Malcolm Simmons 5 Terry Betts 4 John Louis 4 Ray Wilson 2

On the other hand, John Louis stands out for being a later era than the others. Take 1969. Five of the seven were close to their peak, and the top two Englishmen in the averages were the Boococks. They were closely followed by Wilson, and Ashby and Betts were both pushing a 10-point average. Simmo still had a few years before reaching his peak, but was already a force to be reckoned with. Louis hadn't sat on a speedway bike yet...

China will rule the world. It doesn't need a conspiracy to achieve global domination.

So what you are actually saying is, you don't like Cardiff... therefore it's your belief nobody does. "Nobody who goes to speedway could care less about the atmosphere" You keep surpassing yourself with the absolute stupidity (that's being polite) of your statements. Atmosphere is the biggest factor. 1981 World Final at Wembley is remembered by many as the greatest meeting they've ever been too because of the ATMOSPHERE. Stage that meeting and have the same quality of racing in front of 1000 people, it would be deemed as an average meeting at best. Besides you keep making these bold statements of 'nobody goes' etc... when the reality is, they do go... 40,000 of them. How many pack in to the NSS, or Scunthorpe, or Peterborough? Tracks that deliver the 'great racing'?

Stannah stair lifts?

Suppose you're the marketing manager at somewhere like Jaguar or the Daily Telegraph (by the way, after the relatively huge investment by media standards - both financially and page-wise - that the Daily Telegraph's made into women's sport in the past 18 months, I'm sure its marketing manager will be crestfallen the moment you approach stereotyping that newspaper among the over 50's but that's another story). Such a marketing manager, blessed with a multi-million-pound budget (even post-coronavirus) and various options of where to spend that budget will ask you how many folk their company's going to reach by tapping into British speedway. However well you gloss up this potential reach, any marketing manager at that level of corporate-UK will look at that reach you've just quoted them and then thank you for utterly wasting their time by wanting them to consider a project whose reach is way beneath anything they'd normally consider. There's plenty of cross-credibility for speedway in getting itself linked to Jaguar or the Daily Telegraph - there's a miniscule amount of cross-credibility going the other way !! If hooking up with big brands is so easy, how come even rugby league's Super League has to dredge as low as tins of mushy peas (Batchelor's in case you're wondering) to fill its post-match interview background on Sky - and that's for a sport with at least 3 clubs (Wigan, St Helens & Leeds) attracting average crowds of 10,000 and several more at least attracting over 5,000, the type of crowds British weekly domestic speedway hasn't seen this century !!

Coming up tomorrow night, EMTV:Rewind presents a match from the previous incarnation of the Devils junior team: Dale Devils v Oxford from September 2004. Watch from 7:30pm! The Dale Devils always had a competitive team and were pretty strong at home, but when the Oxford Silver Machine Academy came visiting in September 2004 they brought top notch Conference riders such as Chris Schramm, Craig Branney and Jamie Courtney. Up against a home lineup of Wethers, Beaton, Campbell, Scott, Sneddon, Tully and Stoddart, we were ensured of some thrilling racing and a dramatic conclusion. Runtime: 27:36

You would hope that future generations / Governments would learn from what's happening now, but time tends to erode the lessons learned. Sadly the World Wars prove this.

Agree entirely.

This could be a blessing in disguise. Instead of being sponsored by the local builders merchant or industrial filter manufacturer, use this as an opportunity. Find eight companies who target the same market as speedway attracts, the over 50s. So Jaguar, Daily Telegraph, Fat Face, Saga and so on. Seven of the companies get assigned a team to sponsor and one sponsors the league. In turn, each sponsor brings a "roadshow" to every club twice in the season - which means 16 roadshows per club, per season. Speedway benefits from the credibility of recognisable brands and a small mention on each of the brand's websites/social media. In turn, the brands get to put themselves in front of their target audience. After one season if brands see value in this approach, they can be asked for a small contribution for sponsorship going forwards.

Don't the majority of clubs lose money each year? If so, it could actually help some clubs to 'bank' what they would usually spend and then use it next year.. I personally am saving loads of money every week by not spending money on non essentials and usually I am skint every month, therefore clubs who lose money every week will (at the very least) now be breaking even.. ie none coming in and none going out.. I suppose a threat could be that some of the sponsors may not be able to continue their support until they can assess the impact of lockdown to their own businesses, however.. For me, Speedway's 'hand to mouth' existence may actually help it to weather the storm as it doesn't have long term contracts to its participants to honour, nor, in the main, up keep to pay for stadiums it owns, as most clubs rent. It also is pretty much based on volunteers rather than contracted staff on race nights and for admin, so won't be paying any wages to them during the downtime. .. And it also hasn't put itself in hock based on a huge TV contract, spending money it hasn't recieved yet.. Who knows, not losing money this year for many teams may be a blessing in disguise when the sport restarts?

I am totally shocked that normally sensible people are even contemplating any speedway this year. If we can get the 2021 season started that will be a success. We currently arent allowed to go visit our own children, so mass gatherings and sports events have to be way off on the future.

I watched them both the same night. Got to say how impressed I've been by the racing in several; old Bandits matches I've found on You Tube. There's quite a lot on there, mainly from the Bob Tasker days. I can now see why Michal Makovsky was such a hero up there.

Came across this video on youtube. Seems the fashion is knock engine builders/tuners these days but the good ones make a big investment in equipment and put in the hours for their money. Whether you should need tuned engines is a different argument. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VuqwkM7_-P0

Just watch the Documentary, can’t really fault it.Very professional and gave an good insight into the sport and a season review of the Tigers.The promotion deserve a lot of praise on their efforts to raise the profile Speedway. PS. Still can’t figure out how Craig Cook got away without a ban after the Eastbourne fiasco.(must have had Alex Salmonds lawyer IMO)

1972...my first year attending speedway. I was 12 years old and I was hooked from the very first meeting (Oxford vs. Coventry) watching four riders hit the bend at speed with no brakes and fearless. The smell and the noise was something else. As a long time football fan I was immediately struck by the excitement that speedway offered and from that day on football took a back seat. I have many memorable moments during my years following speedway (far too many to mention here) and wouldn't have changed any of it for the world. Great days and many fabulous memories to look back on.

Maybe suggesting air travel won’t be possible for sometime to come. Though can see Social distancing will be around for a good while yet

Let's also not forget Covid-19 hasn't killed 115,000... 115,000 have died who happened to have it. Or in some cases.. it was 'guessed' that they had it. Significant difference.

WITH respect cannot imagine spending most of the day virtually outside the NSS apart from the fact that no matter what it will never hold 40,000. The whole Cardiff package, in my humble opinion, is unbeatable. Yes, the track could possibly be better but in my view the pros significantly outweigh the cons.

Josh Brookes, favourite to win the 2020 British Superbikes championship is back in his native Australia and he does'nt think BSB will take place this year. That's what I am thinking for speedway in 2020 too. This virus is not going to go away as quick as we may wish it to.

Spanish flu killed 100 million worldwide. Covid has killed 115,000. That’s perspective. Put in the current flu and pneumonia figures and you’d have a much more up to date perspective that people could relate to. Unfortunately that does not suit the agendas of the government and the media, to control and scare the public.

The need to reuse very expensive video masters had eased by the 1970s so there's more chance of material surviving. Fortunately, although it doesn't show on-air, London Weekend TV still exists (probably renamed by now) so the World of Sport archive should be safe. The problems a ever are rights and persuading modern schedulers that vintage speedway is attractive programming, even in these straitened times. Just had a thought, it was Tony Jackson of Workington Speedway who got the rights to distribute the 1973 World Team Cup Final from Wembley. He might have some insight into the rights.

Top work by Gerry , please give his company a follow, Blu monkey Media

You need to be careful asking Janice to keep you entertained - you might get a shock

I do wonder how historians will view the present situation in years to come...although far too early to predict such analysis and judgement...and how future generations will look back on it with curiosity and bewilderment? It's unprecedented and no doubt questions will be asked with the benefit of hindsight in years to come and a proper analysis carried out at the appropriate juncture.

Surely every human being feels some sorrow when anyone dies, possibly less so about the enemy in times of war. And while it’s right that the politicians should address this in their daily news conferences, I want them to be clear-headed in dealing with the crisis, not grief-stricken.

I think Nigel and Eric both had different qualities Bobbath, Nigel had guts tenacity a true racer Eric was more of a thinking rider..Entertainment wise i would have to say to this day Nigel is one of the most exciting riders i have ever seen and his Blue leathers gave him a real identity.Eric league wise was ridiculously consistent year after year posting great figures a thing that struck me was when Eric said that he had ridden better in other British Finals than he had in 1974.My uncle told me Nigel along with Arthur Forrest( who I never did see race) were both box office riders never a boring moment when they raced.Nigel would be up there with Collins, Gollob, Ward, Crump ( jnr) Morton as real in/ out racers.

Hi Matt, I just noticed you are missing Ray Cresp (born August 25, 1928). On the original thread, Ray was missed out there also! So, he would come in at No. 6 ahead of Billy Bales. Incidentally, can anyone confirm the correct spelling of Mr Close? I was always led to believe it was the standard "Derek" (and it was always published as such), but in recent years, I have seen both "Derick" and "Derrick", mainly on here... I still think it is likely to be "Derek".

Couple of vans and a classic car... All of which are now shining like a diamond in a coal bunker... Regards THJ

More interesting comments-guess many of us have read the Eric Boocock biography-I think that contained comments that showed his strengths and weaknesses-just a job to Eric. Great rider bur in my view couldn't compare to brother Nigel

Just think of the positive side tho I know it's another week without speedway but if every 1 does as there telt & stays indoors barring us key grafters the sooner every 1 becomes healthier & the speedway will be back

If we go back to work in a few weeks that's good. But if social distancing is in place for many months to come, then many many sporting institutions will go to the wall despite what some say. The government will need a ' functioning' economy which means just that food on the table and essential services which means sporting clubs and the leisure industry could cease to exist, probably unpalatable for a lot of people but the government will probably say it's a necessary evil!

The last time I saw George was after Brum v Glasgow meeting back in 2008 when the coach driver refused to let him board his trip back to Glasgow as he'd had too much to drink(he hadn't)He's come a long way since those days! Thoroughly enjoyable documentary from folk I know very well from years past

Anything Janice to keep us entertained.

There seems to be little doubt ( IMHO ) that she is Priti unempathic in much the same way that Raab also is. Looking down on the plebs.

At least we will not get beat tonight..every cloud and all that.

Of course we could protect the elderly and those with vulnerable medical conditions. The government told 1.5 million vulnerable people they would have to isolate for 12 weeks. That was a month too late and 15 million people too few. Every person over 65 or ill should be under special measures. Regularly tested. No contact with others who have not been tested. Support workers and their families to be restricted in their movements (and not allowed to shop). No deliveries that have not been disinfected. But encouraged to take in exercise, fresh air and sun in their gardens, not locked indoors. The rest of us could then have enjoyed a lighter touch with sensible measures and continued to work.

Hmm...difficult one that. Especially deciding between Crump Jnr and Youngie for no. 1. Apart from Fundin, Crump Jnr is the only rider to finish on the podium in ten successive seasons which should make him the no.1. However, I would say that at no time was he clearly the best rider in the world in the same way that Young was. Young dominated the early 1950s in the same way as say Rickardsson did in the 2000s. To offset that however, Youngie was not in or around the elite for as long as Crumpie. My instinct would be that if we are looking at Young just in the first three or four years of the 1950s, then he would be top. If over their whole career, then Crump Jnr. So, having weighed all that up, I would go for 1. Crump Jnr 2. Young 3. Adams 4. Sanders 5. Crump Snr.

Indeed... the reality is, the vast majority of deaths appear to be from those who were 'self isolating'.