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Olly Allen came to a meeting of the Nuneaton Supportes Club in February. He has been very active in getting the Poultec apprenticeship going. It provides for recognised engineering qualifications as well as specialist speedway knowledge. This includes bike and engine training, track craft (regular track days under the guidance of senior riders) and other aspects of being a professional rider such as diet, keeping in good shape and dealing with the fourth estate. Olly brought several youngsters from the course with him to the meeting and their appearance, ability to speak, and thier overall demeanour was very impressive. Olly explained that he has been jointly recruited to the GB Team Management with Simon Stead because of his expertese with young riders. What he is bulding is a speedway academy and I, for one, wish him well in this endeavour.

Much the same with many sportspersons, even in the rarefied world of the EPL or whatever. They make it in their chosen sport because they're talented and usually dedicated at doing that, not because they're good at business. And only a handful of people in any given professional sport make serious money, and even if you can make a fairly good living wage, you'll usually only have a short time in which you're doing that. There's also the issue that successful sportspersons will usually have always been successful from a young age, will invariably have people blowing smoke up their ar**s, and will often have others sorting their lives out for them. So they don't have perspective that the money isn't always going to be coming in, and they're not necessarily going to be successful at anything else they do. Plus it makes them vulnerable to hangers-on and those trying to rip them off. We've been doing some work for one of the major rugby bodies, so I've got to know some of the former professional players. This is a relatively mainstream sport where the players are generally better educated than most, yet it's shocking how far so many fall when their playing days are finished. But they way they're treated when become surplus to requirements, simply dumped and suddenly losing their entire support network, is actually also appalling. And of course speedway is even further down the food chain in terms of money, prestige and public image where some benefactor is willing to help you out with some work.

POULTEC is a really genuine, well run and thoroughly professional organisation. The owner is a former Grasstrack rider who knows all the pitfalls. I would be more than happy to send any son of mine there as a start on the sport.

Two year ago today since that historic night with comets cleaning up. The last night we would see speedway at derwent park. How I miss that place

And there was me thinking the topic was about Peter York!

Should never criticise others as look what's happened now.. just thankful young granty is at the helm now...

Mr English was very outspoken when Workington were in debt / going out of business, looks like it's now come back to haunt him

They are CMA. Alby dropped to 7.76 in the British League in 1965, with the rejuvenated Jack Biggs (9.05), Dick Bradley (8.23) and Peter Vandenberg (7.91) ahead of him. In 1966 he was on 5.35, behind Gote Nordin (10.53), Biggs (7.23), Jon Erskine (6.17) and Geoff Penniket (5.52). In the following final three seasons with Newport he averaged 6.29, 5.62 and 5.78 as a second string rider, with spells at reserve.

We will be on wave 4 or so by then.....

There was probably some action in Australasia or Southern Africa.

a footballer is not meant to give a speech at his testimonial events though or it becomes chargeable!

A football player can have a benefit match ( cant spell test*****) and doesnt pat tax yet a poor coach driver gets stung for tax on any tips he might get lol , just saying.

Tidiest I've ever seen it though...

Buster Frogley was Wembley captain in 1930, but, by the end of July, was actually their worst rider in terms of averages, causing him to resign as captain.

I wish red wine was VAT free.. Now that would be a result

Here's another from the distant past- .Alby Golden of Newport from 1964 onwards. As I recall Alby was our third heat leader behind Dick Bradley and Peter Vandenberg. And he was a superb captain!!

Never in doubt

Can I point out programmes are zero rated. However racecards are standard rated as they are principally for filling in. The HMRC leaflet on leaflets (!) and other printed materials provides very precise guidelines. For example a political or marketing leaflet is zero rated unless more than one third of it is a coupon or survey for filling in, detaching and returning. I believe the Sheffield 'pizza menu' racecards of a few years back were VATable, but in general speedway programmes will be zero rated.

Just seen the trailer for the recently issued DVD " Great Races of the 70's & 80's"...looks to be a winner with some classic action. A must for all speedway connoisseurs!

Hopefully second peak will be over and things will have stabilised by Easter. Having been to an excellently staged and very well stewarded meeting at Plymouth in September and witnessed what can be done hopefully enough Clubs will get approval to do the same in the Spring. It's going to be a long and stressful winter though for many Sports including speedway.

Newcastle Speedway get green light for 2021. After a very challenging and stressful 2020, with numerous issues going on behind the scenes, including an HMRC investigation from the period before the new managements took over, which ultimately gave sole director Rob Grant no other alternative but to appoint an insolvency practitioners company to wind up the company that operated the Newcastle Diamonds speedway team. After plenty of discussions, and sorting various issues out with the liquidation officer, Greg Whitehead of Northpoint Insolvency Practitioners, club owner Rob Grant can, with relief, confirm Newcastle Diamonds will take to the track at the Newcastle stadium in 2021 trading under a new company, NEWCASTLE DIAMONDS LTD. Grant added: "This certainly has been a rollercoaster of a year and we haven't even turned a wheel in anger. The challenging times we have just gone through have, at times, given myself a bit of a reality check, but I'm committed and enthusiastic as ever to ensure Newcastle Speedway continues. "I am the sole director of the new company and I want everyone to know that I'm raring to get this show on the road. "The new company will honour the benefits of the season tickets purchased as well as all the fantastic sponsorship packages we obtained earlier this year for 2021. "I can't thank you all enough for your support and look forward to seeing you all next season."

All very depressing.

Lester Piggotts cell mate lol

Also had a quick look at the old Stoke Speedway last week here's a link to the video...…

Quick Update - Nothing's changed at Coventry but they have beefed up security to make it harder to access the site unless you really wanted to get in.

No Holloway don’t help him get a spot and no he didn’t buy 6 tuned engines as that would of cost £30.000 He went with his English bikes and engines - so don’t know where you heard that rumour as all false