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When riders are signing up and agreeing to contracts on Poland when it knowingly means they can only ride in 1 other league, how is that a restriction of trade? They have agreed to the rules in place by signing the contract.

Laguta is probably the most exciting rider in world speedway at the moment for me.

Laguta is anything but a let down

If you are looking to dispel the cliche of a moaning Aussie ... Never interview a Holder.

Saw this pop up on Facebook yesterday. What a cracking piece of film, well worth half an hour of anyone's time. Really takes in the surroundings of a much loved iconic venue. I was there too, but couldn't quite spot myself! Others might see themselves here.

Spot on... If I said to my window cleaner I will pay him 5 times his money to only do my house and one other, and not the other three houses around my cul de sac, he has a.choice.. The choice to agree to those stipulations, and match what he would earn by keeping his current deal with all five of us, but now by just doing one house.... Whilst at the same time tangibly adding to his earnings by doing one house more. And also cutting down his workload to 40% of its current level and only having 40% of his current costs to pay.. Or he could decide to not do my house and do the other four, meaning he earns 20% less than now, and still has 80% of his current workload and costs to carry out and pay.. Hardly restraint of trade is it if he agrees to my contract stipulations... And you would need to be a bit daft not to take the deal wouldnt you? If some riders dont like what the deal is in Poland, then I am sure plenty of others will..

Eurosport covered the second day at Assen live a few years back (possibly 2010 but I cant be sure) and the UK had Jack Burnicle as the commentator. He also came out with the line "Why do they still use straw bales on the outside of the track, why don't they use an airfence?" I don't think he was being Ironic.

Asda didn't have it this week either

Josh Grajczonek must be on his way back to Europe as he’s signed on for Bydgoszcz again. What a squad they are assembling! I think I’m right in saying he rides with a Polish license now so counts as a Polish senior too. I haven’t seen it confirmed anywhere but this will also surely spell the end for Kai Huckenbeck in Bydgoszcz as they simply don’t need him anymore.

Tarnow trying to tempt him. They should be able to offer him a better deal than Rybnik after the sale of Cierniak.

Is Trowimov on his way to Tarnow? Tarnow making a late dash in the transfer market. Another rider I rate highly and would be a useful signing in Division 1 I think.

Not much margin for under inflation when many only use about 5 psi in the first place!

And only 1 team can win the league...? Wroclaw have 3 number 1’s, Gorzow have 2, Czestochowa have 2 and Leszno has 2 realistically. Lublin arn’t a ‘big’ club, they have built a brilliant team all things considered (bar Buzz unless he improves on last season drasticlaly) and will be able to challenge others despite not being able to attract the biggest names, unlike Torun for example who can attract the biggest names and are a big club, but have a weaker team on paper than Lublin

Honestly I think this story has got legs but I doubt we will ever get the whole truth on the matter... but it says a lot about in who we should trust... could get interesting. Mr Newcastle Speedway my posterior... Regards THJ You know when you read that it reads to me like he still thinks he has an involvement in what is going on at the club... but rest assured after what he's done and the mess he has left behind he wont be seen around Brough again... ever... or the new venue for that matter... hopefully Rob Grant and his team can learn from this debacle and go from strength to strength... Just a little after thought....

Mmm just got in from a big double shift from graft as I'm now helping out at the NHS delivering parcels etc & find this snippet interesting..

You have to have some sympathy. We've been doing that for years.

All the BSPL are doing at the moment is planning for a near normal season. From that will come all kinds of contingencies that can be implemented. You seem to want to plan for nothing and then make it up as you go along Better to plan for everything and if you have to reduce you reduce. Your negativity is demoralising and planning for the best has built in contingency for the worst Planning for 100% allows contingency for 10%. You'd plan for 10% and pray come February that your doom laden hopes have come true. Sad..

Sure will... got the old BCG at school an never looked back... They should be made compulsory... this thing is a killer and anything that helps to fight it off and stops it spreading is okay by me... Had a business lunch on Osbourne Road in Jesmond about 3 weeks back and there were students on the other table planning a Covid party cos they reckoned once they had it that would be it... idiots... give me a jab any day of the week... Regards THJ

GB had their chance to monopolise the sport years ago but got complacent,hence the position they are in now within the Sport.Can’t blame the Poles for that.

Scientists change their mind quicker than the wind ,nobody knows what the real story is.Godfrey is just getting hopes up.Would like to think everything would be BACK TO NORMAL but certainly wouldn’t bank on it.

Realistically the BSPA have so much to discuss. After the Polish ran a full league, and Swedish a limited one in 2020, whilst in the UK we were spectators from a far.... The bspa need to plan for a full season. A full season with limited capacity. A full season behind closed doors A stop start season with ever changing restrictions. A season where non UK based riders may become unable to travel Etc etc etc. Basically the BSPA have to try and make a viable plan a,b,c,d,e,f,g,and h Whether we will need to enter speedway team and mechanics into social bubbles. In an ever changing world, the BSPA need to have total flexibility. Think Ben91 said it best. Plan for the worst and hope for the best.

For the best part of two decades the collective powers that be have buried their heads in the sand, thrutching around from one knee jerk plan to another, without ever accepting the glaring fact that they couldn't afford the riders that they kept insisting they needed. Riders whose own personal agendas often meant matches taking place as contrived, credibility destroying 'guestfests', or ran on nights suited to their calendars, rather than suited to when their clubs would have liked to have ran to get their largest crowds in.. Maybe Covid has finally meant that the "go it alone" policy, that should have been instigated years ago when it was clear Poland were calling the tune, will finally come to fruition and British Speedway will start to be in charge of it's own destiny..

Damned if they do, Damned if they don't on here! If they wait for Covid to go they'll wait until 2022 or 2023 and that would kill any Sport. Better to plan and announce as usual in hope something may be possible, than do nothing and then have to rush with accusations they haven't planned. A few teams got racing on with 400 to 500 allowed in September, if that's how speedway has to start up so be it. Something is better than nothing so may be for once stop moaning and whining and cut them some slack. I'm sure all Promoters and Clubs want to race so let's support speedway, why else are we here?

This is part of the problem. The sport is bigger than the riders, yet there seems to be the thought process that they are owed a living so can have two teams so they don’t have to get a proper job and race as a hobby. It’s time to put the fans first.

I personally wouldn't care if we rode at Div2 level with one big league with more local riders invested in their home club. We are like many other sports now where the power lies elsewhere, e.g. ice hockey, basketball, etc who have to rely on British talent and people who frankly are no longer or never were good enough in the best leagues. A parallel could be drawn with MLS football which is very successful using USA talent and lesser talents from elsewhere. Its true that people like to watch big names but that's no longer possible so we must emphasise the team aspect more. It no longer makes sense to fly people from all over the place to ride in front of 1000 people, in football terms a non league crowd level. Do they fly strikers in?

SOME really good features being lined up for inclusion in SS over the coming winter months... ideal reading in lockdown

As far as 2021 is concerned I really think something needs to be done with the categorising of Speedway as an elite sport in this country! In other words make it grass roots and pronto! Let's be honest, how many clubs even in the Elite league these days average much more than 1200 to 1500 fans. I would say here at Ipswich about 1500 is the norm apart from playoffs etc when it does go up. The British final was due to take place at Ipswich with a crowd as a test event but ultimately ended up in Manchester behind closed doors due to this wonderful virus. The following weekend 2500 were allowed in the same Ipswich stadium for a Stockcar event at £50 a ticket generating £125,000 of income for a grass roots sports organisation (Spedeworth) 2500 being allowed in the same stadium for one sport and not 1000 for another is just wrong on so many levels. Either ban crowds at both or allow at both! How is this even possible is my question but who the hell do you put it to to try and get something done for parity.

His story in the SS this week is a bit weak considering he is still in Country.Sounds really bitter that Fricke got the pick for GP challenge.Got an attitude problem IMO.

Holder is very bitter, he had his chance in the Torun GPs and looked out of his depth. Only has himself to blame

Can not see a full season, just hope it's a bit better than 2020.

The GB team used Anlas tyres in the GB vs Denmark test last October at Kings Lynn. They also used Anlas tyres in the Team under 21 final this year. Certainly at KL, it was one tyre per rider. It was the 2020 tyre that caused the problem, but it wasn’t only used in the GPs - some of the Ekstraliga riders - Anders Thomsen for one - was using them. Judging by the number of flat (Mitas) tyres in the Ekstraliga this year, I suspect riders have been running Mitas tyres at very low pressures to try to match the grip that Anlas was giving. The soft nature of the Anlas tyre was the reason why the 2020 tyre was removed from homologation. British speedway have had a contract with Mitas for years which has been both for commercial and consistency reasons. This contract expires at the end of this year. The contract with Anlas follows the same reasoning. Anlas tyres are not in anyway dangerous and, as the pricing will be the same as with Mitas, and all riders will be on the same tyre, what’s the problem? Mitas have been threatening to withdraw from the speedway market for several years now, whereas Anlas (check them out - they are a huge company) are keen to use speedway to spread brand recognition. I don’t see a problem with what’s happening.

So I'm told this was in this week's Speedway Star? No comment eh... lol Regards THJ