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For me there is zero reason whatsoever for the points limit to be reduced, the 2 arguments for it seem to be 1 - rider availability 2 - cost cutting both of these are absolute nonsense, there are riders available to fill slots left by riders not returning and if the issue is lack of heat leaders then instead of having a 9 point man and a 3 point man sign 2 5.5/6 point man there seems to be an abundance of these. cost cutting is the biggest fallacy of proponents of reducing the average as simple economics is cost is dictated by supply and demand all you do in that instance is move the demand to lower average riders who in turn increase their demands. I remember the year that 2 British reserves were dictated below a certain average the Monarchs approached a few and were keen to sign one who then promptly demanded a ridiculous signing on fee and other perks that would have made his package on a par with Craig Cook all this for a guy who has never turned a wheel at Championship level (and now I think might be out the sport) The limit should stay at 41 points and if we have teams that can’t build to that and aren’t competitive then that’s on them. Why is there always this constant rush in speedway to lower standards to that of the worst rather than raise them to that of the best?

Do you manage to get it in Penge, after all you are such a vital supporter of modern speedway, not having attended a meeting for about 15 years and no intention of doing so in the future. Sure all the tracks in 2021 will thank you for your support, as will the Speedway Star

Without actually naming the team (defunct or active) you support(ed), tell us your favourite FACT about your speedway club . . . I'll kick off with: Our catchy slogan was 'Make It A Date, Friday At Eight'.

The guest system should use the home or away averages for riders rather than the combined i.e. riding away from home you can only use a guest with an away average up to the absent riders' away average.

What is the problem with doubling up and doubling down? The teams in the Premiership and Chanpionship never race eachother and they no longer ride on the same nights to create a clash of fixtures, so what’s the problem? The only thing it does is create a solution to potential rider shortage and fill up the quota of riders needed across both leagues. The problem is the guest rule - where you have one rider ride for several teams within a week before then riding against them for his actual team at the weekend. That is madness and should be limited and/or stopped. I’m a strong believer in that guests shouldn’t be allowed full stop if only one rider is missing. In which case rider replacement should be used. If two or more riders are missing then a guest should be allowed, but only on the value of their home or away average depending on whether they are at home or away. I remember back in 2008 at Somerset when we had guests like Craig Watson replacing Simon Walker away from home because of his inflated home average, when he was pretty useless away. A guest replacement should never make a team stronger. There has to be some sort of limit imposed either on the rider, the team or over a time period restricting how many times they can be used in my opinion.

I saw the one last night with Erik Gundersen. Fantastic. I've enjoyed all of the interviews that Lee has done, and it's great that legends like Penhall & Gundersen are commenting live during the interviews of others as well.

You obviously haven’t been following the speedway forums for very long as EVERYBODY was kicking off about too many riders doubling up, no club identity, no club loyalty, no difference between the divisions and outsiders thinking the sport was a joke . If your happy with doubling, that’s your choice but don’t then try and use the guest rule as an excuse. If there isn’t enough riders to fill teams in the first place then guests are going to be used , and abused , like they have done. Hence the arguments about too many Friday night tracks, lack of available riders! If we haven't got enough riders , don’t have so many teams or even perhaps so many divisions?

It’s been going on for years. I remember in that year I mentioned in 2008 it was actually seen as bad news when Simon Walker came back from injury. It’s too easy to use guests nowadays and nobody wants to watch a team full of guests. That is one of the biggest problems... especially when the chairman has said the reason certain teams can’t ride in the league because it limits his own choice of guests for his side!! D’oh!

And in your day, some English bloke being promoted as a Russian called Baranov wasn't mickey mouse or others riding under aliases ?

i think we should take the view that if poland stops their young riders racing in gb then thats their loss,also if average british riders think they can succeed in poland they are being naive and misguided.British speedway can indeed prosper without "top stars" as an example british superbikes is a very successful and profitable competition even though everyone knows the top riders are in moto gp,moto2 or wsb,also british riders would know theyd have no chance of moving up until they were at least top 3 in bsb .If a truly talented british speedway rider emerges theres still a route to the top through the gp qualifiers,finish top6 in gps then you can demand the mega bucks from the poles.

Honestly... The way these Brexit talks are going no one will be getting in (or out of the U.K. ) anytime soon after Jan 1... We will all be going to "Sunderland" in a handcart... a was going to say Hell but a think it will be worse than that... What will happen to Brits over in Poland when that French government bloke gets his way and any Brits who stay over 3 months will need a Visa to stay in Europe and that's before they do any work over there... flitting in and out of Europe could become very difficult .. It will be very interesting (but could get very stupid) as there could be lot of petty retaliation and reprisals from both sides on workers and visas as the divorce turns from amicable to nasty... We might be getting all these Brit riders back by default... Regards THJ

For goodness sake give the lad a chance, He’s British as excellent machines ana he’s as keen as mustard and he WANTS to ride for the Diamonds, He doesn’t want to read some of the stuff on this Forum

Be careful Geoff that will be 2 baths in the same year

Just thought I would wake up the thread. No news or anything to say, other than wishing everyone a merry Christmas, with the hope that we can start next season on time with fans allowed inside stadiums. Oh, and Pirate dominance of course.

Herein lies the problem. 2021 isn’t 2020, the world has changed. Everyone has had to adapt their way of living. You can’t even go to the shops now without wearing a mask, a minor detail but it would have seemed alien just 12 months ago. Yet Speedway in Britain seems to have taken the, “we’ll just carry on with what we were planning for 2020,” approach. Self-interest of some who are too stubborn to have to do a bit of work team building to a new limit will cost other clubs. But ultimately these kinds of issues can kill off the clubs that were already struggling and are asking for a lower points limit so they can cut their cloth accordingly. Then the stubborn club will die too because they won’t have anyone to race against. Self-interest is the cancer that will kill British Speedway.

Whatever team rob & the rest of the promotion get on track hopefully will be a team of 100%ers & ride with pride & that will do for me

An obvious opportunity that should have been taken the year it became clear Poland was THE priority for the very best riders.. Instead we have had well over a decade, of moving around fixtures and guestfests to accommodate and replace, by far, the most expensive riders, who, if they knocked on the doors of the houses on the streets adjacent to the tracks, no one would recognise.. Covid 19 has given those who run it an ideal opportunity for a 100% needed complete reset.... Fans desperate for any Speedway will turn up next year in strong numbers I would say, regardless of team strengths.. Will this opportunity be taken? We already know the answer don't we?...