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What connection did Freddie have to Birmingham ?

Chapman and especially Godfrey are a pair of absolute clowns. Sad to see Rye go. So many southern based sides gone in the past 15 years. Exeter, Trelawny, Reading, Oxford, Newport, Arena , Rye. Sad.

So many unanswered questions. For a start: Who fouled up the TV deal that led to the enormous drop in the revenue that was originally used to entice a move to the top flight? Who forced through a change of race nights before the anouncement of the reduced TV money? Why weren't riders who were owed money after racing stopped paid out of the bond that all promoters were required to lodge with the BSPA and was it a coincidence that the BSPA formed itself into a limited liability company while riders were still chasing wages? Why did the BSPA appear to put so many hurdles in the way of the queue of promoters that were allegedly lining up to take over from BMR? Did the BSPA, SCB or any other governing body of the sport ever contact the new leaseholder of the stadium to see if there was a way to keep the track open? Maybe the Star could look at that rather than just giving us fans a tantalising glimpse of a fantasy that won't happen.

6 man teams seems the obvious solution to rider shortage. That potentially saves on around 20 riders across the top two divisions.

TERMINARZ DMP 2021 CZĘŚĆ ZASADNICZA 1 runda 03.04.2021 Eleven Sports Grudziądz v Wrocław Lublin v Częstochowa 04.04.2021 nSport+ Toruń v Zielona Góra Leszno v Gorzów 2 runda 09.04.2021 Eleven Sports Wrocław v Toruń Zielona Góra v Grudziądz 11.04.2021 nSport+ Częstochowa v Leszno Gorzów v Lublin 3 runda 16.04.2021 Eleven Sports Częstochowa v Zielona Góra Leszno v Toruń 18.04.2021 nSport+ Grudziądz v Gorzów Lublin v Wrocław 25.04.2021 data rezerwowa 4 runda 30.04.2021 Eleven Sports Toruń v Grudziądz Eleven Zielona Góra v Lublin 02.05.2021 nSport+ Gorzów v Częstochowa Wrocław v Leszno 5 runda 07.05.2021 Eleven Sports Grudziądz v Leszno Lublin v Toruń 09.05.2021 nSport+ Częstochowa -v Wrocław Zielona Góra v Gorzów 6 runda 14.05.2021 Eleven Sports Leszno v Zielona Góra Grudziądz v Lublin 16.05.2021 nSport+ Toruń v Częstochowa Wrocław v Gorzów 21.05.2021 data rezerwowa 23.05.2021 data rezerwowa 7 runda 28.05.2021 Eleven Sports Częstochowa v Grudziądz Gorzów v Toruń 30.05.2021 nSport+ Lublin v Leszno Zielona Góra v Wrocław 8 runda 04.06.2021 Eleven Sports Częstochowa v Lublin Wrocław v Grudziądz 06.06.2021 nSport+ Zielona Góra v Toruń Gorzów v Leszno 9 runda 11.06.2021 Eleven Sports Toruń v Wrocław Leszno v Częstochowa 13.06.2021 nSport+ Grudziądz v Zielona Góra Lublin v Gorzów 18.06.20201 data rezerwowa 20.06.2021 data rezerwowa 10 runda 25.06.2021 Eleven Sports Zielona Góra v Częstochowa Gorzów v Grudziądz 27.06.2021 nSport+ Toruń v Leszno Wrocław v Lublin 11 runda 02.07.2021 Eleven Sports Częstochowa v Gorzów Lublin v Zielona Góra 04.07.2021 nSport+ Leszno v Wrocław Grudziądz v Toruń 18.07.2021 data rezerwowa 12 runda 23.07.2021 Eleven Sports Toruń v Lublin Leszno v Grudziądz 25.07.2021 nSport+ Gorzów v Zielona Góra Wrocław v Częstochowa 13 runda 30.07.2021 Eleven Sports Częstochowa v Toruń Lublin v Grudziądz 01.08.2021 nSport+ Gorzów v Wrocław Zielona Góra v Leszno 08.08.2021 data rezerwowa 15.08.2021 data rezerwowa 14 runda 20.08.2021 Eleven Sports Grudziądz v Częstochowa Wrocław v Zielona Góra 22.08.2021 nSport+ Toruń v Gorzów Leszno v Lublin 29.08.2021 data rezerwowa CZĘŚĆ FINAŁOWA 15 runda 05.09.2021 Półfinały 16 runda 12.09.2021 Półfinały - rewanż 17 runda 19.09.2021 Finał Mecz o 3. miejsce 18 runda 26.09.2021 Finał - rewanż Mecz o 3. miejsce - rewanż

Crowds have been dropping at Glasgow for a while

I can only speak for myself, but my enthusiasm for speedway has been restored in the past year. I've been watching since 1974 and had become disillusioned in recent years. I have kept taking the Star (fantastic work Mr. Rising), but my visits to the track had dwindled. I've now realised how much I've missed the sport and will be going more regularly as soon as I am able.

Well, I'm relatively confident of a gradual return to normality over the course of next year. I think there may have to be elements of social distancing and mask wearing indoors in certain situations until the end of the summer, but even the pessimistic Chris Whitty who predicted no vaccine until the middle of next year (if ever), thinks there will be a gradual relaxation from the spring. There will be elements of society who won't come out from hiding behind their settees but if that's how they want to live their lives, it's up to them. From what I saw at Scunthorpe this year, there is still a large enthusiasm for speedway, even in the older end of the population and I woudn't be surprised if all elements of social activity, including speedway, saw something of a resurgence.

HAVE seen estimates of a minimum of nine months but only time will tell. Need to be positive ...

Really? I think it's great news that one vaccine is already here and hopes are high that the Oxford one will be approved before the new year. The NHS managed to vaccinate all the over-65s who wanted the flu jab inside a couple of months and the roll out for the vaccine will be massive. We don't need the whole population to be vaccinated before life returns to something like normal, just the most vulnerable who have to go to hospital and who are at the most risk from dying. The prospects are good for this by Easter and I think that outdoors events will be ok for the spring and summer months.

Jason Garrity-Cul-De-Sac,has a nice ring to it ,DEAD-END street.

No ,he will ride for the Scorpions again.

Thanks for your support Chris. You have always been direct but I have nearly always agreed with your comments You don't need to like Steve Ribbons and if you have past issues with him please park it Right now he is doing everything he can to try to save the day for Rye House, its gonna be hard but he has made real progress (it would be bad timing to list the details right now). Keep going Big Steve.

Didnt they get some 'bounce' off the demise of Lakeside too? Rye for me always seemed a well ran 'traditional 2nd Division' team that every now and then would unearth a 'gem' and they had a decent season on the back of it.. Mostly though I saw them as mid to lower table most years but always seeming to make money, and riders never ever mentioning payment issues.. A shame it was allowed to all go wrong..

Good job we got Graham Warren Way in while we could then, innit?

Like you say when 2020 season was written off in the summer that’s when things for 2021 should have been put in place.As usual the Chairman was too busy making sure Scunthorpe was running Mickey Mouse meetings every week.Think it was obvious in March the season wasn’t going to happen.

Indeed.. But, as has been said many times over the past months. We should have just 're-set' the sport over here when it became clear 2020 wasnt going to happen and planned in 2021 (and beyond), with clarity as to what standard each league would take and sorted out those teams accordingly.. There was even more need when Poland made their stipulations... To be still having statements coming out from tracks about which points limit will apply after you have had literally months to plan, prepare and even fine tune, is not good is it?

China?....

Nice to see positive things happening at newcastle , at least one club has news to spread , alot of other clubs are very quiet. ( Btw , I'm really pleased for archie's dad and Dave rowland on archie's great achievement)

The old track at Kirky Lane too has a 'covenant' on it that the land must be used for sports... I presume anyone who buys a house on there must have to buy a dart board?

Marginally better than Garrity Way.

Archie Freeman makes it a Happy Christmas for Newcastle Diamonds Newcastle-born teenage speedway star in the making, Archie Freeman turned 16 at the back end of November, and had now made the day for his home club and supporters by putting pen to paper on a Newcastle Speedway full contract with club owner, Rob Grant. Club co-promoter, Dave Tattum said: "This is a key moment for the Diamonds, signing a superbly talented, locally-sourced prospect as Archie Freeman is a vital move for us and our aim to cultivate a vibrant squad of young up-and-coming British riders in our squad and as Archie is a Geordie it makes it all the sweeter. "He's won lower cc class British Youth Titles a couple of seasons ago, and he's been involved in that important series of events all through 2020, on his 500cc machine, when other events weren't allowed to take place, and he has made more excellent progress, maturing into a fine speedway rider with bags of potential and we cannot wait for the winter to pass to get him on track next season." Team manager Darren Hartley added: "It's brilliant for Newcastle to get this strong young local lad into our squad, and while initially he will be in our National League side, once he gets more and more racing under his belt, we'll be looking at introducing him into the Championship Diamonds' side to continue his impressive progress. "However, we'll be bringing Archie along to all our Championship level matches in 2021 anyway as part of the team and he will be looked after an integrated into the Diamonds pit activity to get him accustomed to the whole match atmosphere at its heart and that in itself will bring him on in leaps and bounds with experience of real matches in progress. "We have massive belief in Archie's ability, and his future progress, which we at his home track were always desperate to make sure took place with us, and Brough Park is a track he's learned a lot about since he started training there on small bikes, many, many years ago, and the crowd who watch the second half racing will know what we're on about having seen his young racing, and this signing will be good for him, and good for us." Archie Freeman himself also commented, saying: "I’m over the moon to be riding for Newcastle, this has been my ambition ever since I sat on a bike at Newcastle Speedway, and from then it’s been a lifelong ambition of mine, and for it to become reality right now is amazing. "Next year I aim to move up into the main body of the team and to consistently score, and hopefully to attract more sponsors. Overall, I really can’t wait till next year and hope to bring in some more faces to Newcastle. I’d just like to thank everyone who had helped me over the years to get me here. Especially Colin Poole, David Rowland, Mark Hubbard, Lawrence Heppell, Trevor and Lynn Strawbridge and obviously my Mam and Dad, not to forget about Rob Grant for giving me this brilliant opportunity." From Newcastle Speedway Facebook page. Great News. Sounds like the right way to develop. Got #8 just need to find #7... once the points limited is decided.....

For me, speedway alongside Premier league football will have to remain on the back burner for the foreseeable future. No one expects the vaccine to lead to a quick fix to end the pandemic. Many experts are predicting it will be next Autumn before things start to return to normal. For now, i will continue to attend lower league football matches to help retain my sanity!

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?

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?

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

Sad news today on the passing of Ken Marshall.