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We had it once Mike. We called it the National League. How it was allowed to be sold down the river in the name of amalgamation and the needs of one club in the nineties is still a mystery.

Totally agree, time to let the Poles and riders who wish to race there go. Rebuild our leagues using riders that are far more sustainable and start putting on a show for the viewing public with better presentation, tidy up some of the stadia and concentrate on making it a good night out.

2020 Update is here... It can now be downloaded from this Dropbox link - https://www.dropbox.com/s/jxxywvs6cwn479r/Speedway Promoter 2020 Update.7z?dl=0 2 ways of getting this working, I would suggest downloading Notepad++ if you haven't already - https://notepad-plus-plus.org/downloads/ The 2nd method is the best experience. Option 1 (Easy method) This method just involves copying over the files and a simple edit of the 2020.dat to edit to your Preferred team name. Unzip and Copy all 3 files from the 'Speedway Promoter 2020 update folder, into your current GDW2002 game folder; So it now looks like this; Now open up the 2020 file with either Notepad or Notepad++ (Preferred) Edit the line containing "ENTER YOUR TEAMNAME HERE" to Your Teamname, with or without quotes is fine.. (Line 2159 in Notepad++) Then load up the 2020 Saved file within the Game and you are good to go.. Option 2 (Preferred Method) This option is preferred as it gives a random fresh start to the Game each time, but requires a tiny bit more editing; Unnzip and copy the ride2002.dat file into the game, load up Speedway Promoter and start a NEW Game After starting a new game and configuring your options and Team name, instantly Save and Exit the game. Load up the saved game in Notepad/Notepad++ Edit Line 133 in Notepad++ ; Edit the "2002" part to "2020" The Last part is to edit the all of the Team Names to reflect the below, has to be in this order, you can simply copy and paste this list into the Notepad file so it looks like the below Before and After screenshots; NOTE: Quotations are not required Berwick Belle Vue Birmingham Ipswich King's Lynn Eastbourne Edinburgh Glasgow Isle of Wight Lakeside Kent Peterborough Poole Leicester Somerset Sheffield Swindon Mildenhall Newcastle Plymouth Redcar Scunthorpe Wolverhampton Workington BEFORE; AFTER; Let me know how you get on and if you spot any mistakes in the data

Without going 'all our yesterdays', watching the many various meetings on YouTube from the 80's showed just how it worked too.. Crowds seemed to be very healthy indeed when compared to today.. Hardly any full time professionals on show, and all mainly with one decent bike and a 'good enough' spare.. The best riders were also in the main, the only ones who rode in the top league at the same time, and for many of them it was a 'toe being dipped into the water' to see if they could compete at that level before moving up permanently, rather than the necessity it has become for dozens of riders of various standard so they can earn more to afford the cost of riding.. It was interesting to read Shawn Morans interview in the SS a couple of weeks back where he said he got £35 a point riding for Sheffield in the early 90's. That's equivalent to £88 a point today. I wonder how many world class No1's in the top league ride for £88 a point today? (And given their outgoings even be anywhere able to afford to).. Indeed. Could you get away with paying £88 a point to a second tier No1 nowadays? As you say, they had a pretty good business model, heaven knows how they lost sight of it..

Been the obvious next step for around the last decade or so... Yet, for some reason, British Promoters have steadfastly chosen to have their businesses hugely adversely impacted by running disjointed fixture lists, using many contrived septets of borrowed riders, (to accomodate individual riders own agendas), all on many nights when you wouldn't ordinarily want to be running a 'show' in the entertainment sector.. A very strange business plan..

I think that for a while Nielsen knew he was the best in the world and it got to him. He over-rode in a few finals and it cost him. He was even guilty of it when winning his first title and was lucky to get away with it. I think a GP would have enabled him to settle a but, although Gundersen might have been the master of the GP when they had the KO system instead of regular heats. It's weird to say it for a 4 time World Champion, but I think he under achieved. I've never seen a rider anywhere near as good a Nielsen. He should have been the undisputed greatest of all time.

Nielsen was the best rider in the world from 83-89. I don't think he would have won every year under a gp system, but i reckon maybe 5 of those with Eric winning a couple - maybe 84 & 85. He would have lifted himself for GPs.

Bob definitely held the track record at Exeter at one time. I remember him being in The Guinness Book of Records as the fastest speedway rider - which was always the Exeter track record holder.

I've followed this from a distance while you and the other clever buggers have been working on this. Frankly am amazed at how you've all got so far with this.. i do hope it can be made available with the chance to donate a few beer tokens to say thanks. Cracking work gents.

Well done. I played around a little and of course put myself in the game with a realistic 9pt average

Means nothing then as its not theirs to sell.

I thought there was some sort of covenant on the land saying that it had be for sporting use.

JAMES Easter has been a mate for more years than I can remember and both he and TPT have made a tremendous contribution (s) to speedway over the years. Unlike some of his predecessors, when thousands travelled to World Finals, James has remained loyal to speedway and puts his heart, sole and considerable reputation into his tours. No one is forced to go with them but hundreds who do come back every year because they like the itineraries, know that the hotels and travel arrangements will be perfect and that everything is taken care of. I make no apology for any favourable references to TPT.

Honestly What a real shame Chris is a great lad; His dad was a nice fella so was Tom his other "Spanner Man" and little Doreen who lives in the borders must be past herself as she supported Chis for years... Hope things sort themselves out sooner rather than later and he gets back on his feet... Get well soon "Big Boy"... Regards John Oh and on a lighter note a couple of laughs about Chris that I will never forget... His waxing escapade in the bar at Brough to raise money for the air fence (I think) when a flock of women led by Gillian set about him with waxing strips and a razor (I believe) and if you had seen him stripped to the waist it looked like he was wearing a mohair jumper tucked in at the waist and when he came back looking like a plucked pheasant; pink wasn't the word he was actually bleeding... and still with that beaming smile... and the time he decided to take a short cut across the centre green when avoiding a fallen rider and we asked in the bar what he was thinking about and he said he hadn't seen the fallen rider he was going for a gap but forgot he had to go round the 3rd and 4th bends... he said "I though I had cracked it and found a fast way around Brough" and again never stopped smiling... Great kid; some good laughs and always came in the bar for a chat and a pint (usually because (Pepsi) Tom was driving) it was a pleasure to be associated with the Guy... a genuinely nice bloke... Get well soon pal from the BFG; Leah; George; Doug; Kyle and Emily... Regards THJ

Chris is one of those riders who when you watch the racing on YouTube from the past five to ten years or so appears in loads and loads of meetings for a good many various teams, and was often it seems very much an in demand guest.. A rider who came across as someone who gave his absolute all in every race regardless of who he was riding for.. One of those '100% triers' that the sport is built on and the fans often appreciate the most.. Best wishes to him and his family, and let's hope he can overcome his current issues and find himself in a better place in the not too distant future..

He wasn't very good. One might even call him a 'Mickey Mouse' type of rider!

Always one of my favourites and vastly underrated in my opinion.

Makes sense. Absolutely great piece of work - really enjoying

Appear to be two Adam Ellis' in the game (1st time I loaded it, they were both on the Transfer List which made it easier to find). Have deleted one of the Adam Ellis' out of the file and it doesn't seem to crash though so that's good. Also found a issue building an initial team. Partially due to a lot of riders having EL(Premiership) averages and no PL(Championship) averages when they should have. (Drew Kemp being a good example). No idea how to fix that although I'd imagine it'd be fixed the minute they rode 6 EL(Prem) meetings. It's genius work though!

Excellent @Marksman Will get the laptop and give this a go.

In the Christmas issue of Speedway Star there was a lengthy "Where Are They Now?" feature on the 1972 Crewe Kings. 8 pages with detailed updates on the likes of John Jackson, Dave Morton, Dai Evans and Phil Crump. Only a small update on Gary Flood, says he went back to motocross Down Under and won numerous championships and awards as well as being inducted into the Australian Motor Sport Hall of Fame. Also says he's an introvert who shuns the limelight. In the Phil Crump piece he says he keeps in regular touch with Garry and talks about his expertise with motors.

Yes she was good company to stand with. Couldn't believe how generous she was with Chris, who was obviously treat like a family member. Lovely lady.

This really is tremendous stuff. Just one tiny gripe though - how Josh Pickering costs less than Scott Nicholls, Ellis Perks or, to a lesser extent, Broc Nicol is beyond me!

Had his rosette on my bedroom wall from 1963 final. Was sad news when my Dad woke me that night to say he had been killed. We followed Bjorn at West Am.Didnt like Ove or Bazza as they were his main rivals.

Doreen was a lovely person ,she used to help Steve McDermott a lot and was at Berwick often.She lived in London then I think.

Barry Meeks got the track record in 1970 - 70.4 the track was huge then it suited Barry well as he was a very good grasstracker then.He averaged well over seven in 1969 and 70 then the track size was reduced Lou Sansom held it in 1973 and then surprisingly Cliff Andersen in 1975.Meeks must of been very quick to be Quicker than Crumpy,Flood, Jacko who could all shift a bit.

Stupid post, stupid post.

Perhaps he was being ironical? Perhaps the virus has affected your sense of humour.

I've never read such load of crap

I remember that, too. I never heard of him other than for that.

There the two that i missed out on to Steve and Knutsson often gets forgotten a real class act. Craven often gets forgotten as well and he is still my no 1 English rider mainly because of the era he rode in very strong one he also died when approaching his peak.

Would have enjoyed watching those three riders in their prime...alas I was far too young! At least I got to see Ronnie Moore who was still a very classy act and, of course, the last few years of Briggo.

Yes it's a good read. For me Ove was number 1 when I started watching speedway in 63, my first World final. Briggo took over mid 60s, special mentions to 2 faves Craven and Knutson.

Got the track record in March 1972 the time was 69.8 he went on to score a 12.point maximum that year Bob averaged 9.82.

I agree Sid...a great read!

Yes that was at Wembley Doris heat 11 , Dukey did well paid 8 from the ultra tough number 2 position Briggs scored 14. In the home match Dukey rode at number 6 so didn't meet Ove, Briggs got a max Pete Monday ( RIP)beat Ove in heat three as well. Wembley included Fundin, Eide, Wayne Briggs, Harkins have you read the Kilb book Doris ?? a great read still pick it up now and then and read again.

So true but millions use Ryanair as they are cheap and fly to places other firms don't. Plenty who moaned about the Wetherspoon boss not paying his staff and vowed never to use his pubs again will be back in them as soon as bars open.

At the end of the day, as much as it stinks a little, if the PZM insist rider's ride there only if they want the big bucks who can blame them? The amount of money the Ekstraliga clubs pay they should have that right & restriction on rider's. It's a huge financial inconvenience when rider's get injured outside of Poland. The issue that may not have been thought through is with squad systems. You'd know as a rider whether you'd be a certain starter or not. You'd need to weigh up whether a signing on fee & 5-8 matches a year is worth it. I'm sure most would rather then dump Poland for rides in Sweden, Denmark, Germany, Czechia & UK (if it survives). That last paragraph alone could put the spanner in the PZM works more than the concerns from the top, top rider's in the world.

Did you run the otvdmw.exe then when the box pops up then open SPE2002.EXE if so and that doesn't work try have the speedway promoter folder on desktop and run first exe then speedway promoter The update is going to be great, thanks @Marksman

Thing is, it wasn't even the best trio in the league. The strongest heat leader trio (Penhall, Gundersen, Grahame) backed up by a genuine fourth heat leader and quality second string (Collins and King). Their reserves were as rubbish as Eastbornes. Belle Vue were more classically built, with the 2nd strongest trio in the league (Morton, Ross,Collins) and then two solid second strings and arguably the best reserves in the league. You also had Ipswich and Coventry with similarly strong heat leaders, but much stronger support. Of course the following season Eastborne had an equally weak tail, just without the heat leader trio! Only Woods (along with Courtney the most improved rider in 83?) and to a lesser extent Eskildsten returning scores of any quality.

Was chatting to Barry Duke last year in Mns cafe in north Swindon, he said he couldn't believe that his two heroes Barry and Ove were in same heat as him as Dukey came third for Robins 4-2.

I think the GP series is EASIER to win if you are the best rider in the world (maybe even top 2) because it reduces elements of luck, or the impact of one bad ride. For anyone else, the one off world final was easier to win, as it required doing just enough to get through qualifying rounds, then 5 good rides on the big night.

Thought it was a vodka bottle?

The letter actually says they propose to resume greyhound racing at Poole when the public are allowed back in, a far cry from the implication of the original post.

Do you mean another 5-1..

Exactly. Nobody can seriously give a guarantee that this time next year we are out of the crisis. Or even that we were out, but are repeating the whole thing again

Isolation from Poland is sadly inevitable for both Britain and Sweden. Rather than be at the mercy of PZM's bulying both have to accept that it is not possible to use riders who race in the Polish Leagues and resource their leagues from those who don't. Already the needs of Poland, and BSI have crippled British speedway. It can only get worse. It's time to rebuild employing riders who will be allowed to race freely here. Let the Poles do their thing, even if it means having to say goodbye to some of our own riders. We cannot go on this way. Poland isn't going to change as long as the money's flowing in. We have to.

To be honest I am not sure how they are doing the production based upon current situation but on based upon how ExtraLiga was previously produced then yes it would be very easy to produce a clean feed it’s just another section on the vision mixer. Where there would be a cost is getting the pictures from the stadiums to broadcasters as unlike the UK Poland does not have a national fibre optic network for broadcast. So in the UK this would just mean sending two feeds down the connection to then be distributed by BT or NEP UK around the world to broadcasters. In Poland it would require another satellite channel and you pay per minute for that and is a more costly way of broadcasting but can easily be done so yes the declined request is likely to have been based upon a cost decision. Personally with the current situation and the lack of live motorsports I feel that the PZM and their media partners have missed a good opportunity here to sell to new markets. Broadcasters worldwide are desperate for professional live sport content now and I strongly believe countries that are motorsport mad that previously have shown no interest in Speedway like Italy,Spain,Germany etc would take the Polish league as long as it was priced reasonably.

Sarj has done well for the Witches on many many occasions.

He probably failed to arrive and a guest replacement was used.