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I’ve said this a while back, but what a refreshing change in the world of British speedway Rob Grant is. It’s never going to be a world beating league winning team, but ran to a budget to remain financially viable and complete open and honest communications to the fans.... the paying customers keeping them informed. Some of the silence from other teams is deafening and shows a complete disregard to their paying customers. Fair play to Newcastle.

Whilst never being someone stuck in the past, I am sure there is some mileage in some of the 'model' that they had then being transposed over to today.. The pot that all riders share is not as big as it was pro rata in the 70's yet there appears to be many, many more full time professionals than there used to be.. Even when "all was good", and riders could earn some very good money, it was mainly the heat leaders (in the top division only), who were "fully pro" and the rest did it as "well paid sideline" to their usual job, and could make a months salary from their 'proper job' on a good night... The ultimare irony is by the very way the Promoters have run the sport over the past two decades or so, they have all but devalued their own competitions to pretty much zero kudos status yet, I presume, expect riders to turn up with top 'expensive kit' to compete for these 'prizes' which can only result in higher salary expectations for the riders to meet their costs.. A strange operating model to follow..

Or the so called ‘ Premiership’ is full of championship level riders which it’s paying too much.

Never a problem for the Swindon riders as always in the shade created by the Cheetahs/Rebels in front

How much will a pint be next year?

and this is where forward thinking will clash with stuck in the mud

I`m sure you are correct- at Smallmead there was an occasional problem out of the 2nd bend with the setting sun- The one stadium that stands out for me was Kings Lynn- always a hold up as the sun was into the 1st bend.

Always a major problem when the sun sets in line with the 1st bend- riders are less concerned on the other bends.

Danny Smith has signed as a Newcastle asset (copied and pasted from Facebook): Welcome Danny Smith! Hot on the heels of the signing of 16-year-old Archie Freeman on a full club contract comes another addition to the side's ever-growing youth portfolio by signing another recently-turned 16-year-old locally-born rider in Danny Smith! Like Freeman, Smith has been shifting the Brough Park shale during junior and second-half events for a good number of seasons, often battling well with Freeman as they both have developed a high degree of speedway skill side-by-side. Diamonds' team manager, Darren Hartley is full of enthusiasm for the signing, saying: "Danny was always on the cards to be signed into our set up once he turned 16, and he perfectly fits the bill of exceptional young talent, home grown in the North East, and as such is another local lad desperately keen to improve and go all the way to the top with the Gems and the Diamonds!" Dave Tattum, the club's co=promoter went on to add: "We're really pushing the club's youth development policy this season, like never before, and now with Danny fully signed and, on our books, the future is looking very rosy indeed." "Newcastle Gem's manager, Steve Pate was also thrilled at the signing, adding: "Both Archie, and now Danny, have been honing their skills on the 500cc engines over the last couple of seasons, and last year Danny too took part in pretty much the only full-scale 2020 competition to take place on UK tracks, the British Youth Championships, gaining vital experience with every round and will join Archie at first in the ranks of the Newcastle Gems NDL side, gaining more, and more experience with the aim of joining the full-time Diamonds in the Championship at some point in the future. We are really getting a bubbling youth scene going at Newcastle right now, and just at the right time for the lads and the club!"

School nurse used to do 300 BCG jabs in one afternoon session, so all we need is NHS to get their fingers out. Doctors- does anyone remember them, seem to be in hiding since March???

Speedway's last "Golden Era" and I was mighty glad to have experienced it!

Thought Elite sports were cancelled in Wales years ago... Interesting to see Sam Allardyce commenting that he tried to sign 4 players but due to Brexit regulations around work permits, couldn't, due to the players failing the 'points' system now in place to be granted a permit. . In many instances one rider coming over will actually have 'two jobs' due to doubling up, meaning he could be seen as actually taking two places UK nationals could take, and also, unlike other sports like football, will already have a job in his homeland which he will keep and do concurrently, so maybe that could be seen as another issue and could work against any application... eg Why should a work permit be granted to someone who won't be residing here, already has a job, and wants to take another two jobs that two UK people could have? Maybe that is part of the reason no info has come out yet for the season ahead?

It's alright guys it's not hot gossip ! It's that time of the year to say a really big thank you to both to Sue and R and R for the brilliant results service that Sue and her gang provide, and to R and R for his fantastic mine of information and knowledge of Polish and European speedway, and above all providing us with links so that we can enjoy quality speedway on the internet. You've both kept my life time involvement and interest in speedway alive Happy New Year to you both and stay safe Roll on April !

Yeah it's what has been needed for a long time at Newcastle... A fresh input from a new promotion with new ideas on crowd entertainment & good to that most of the old dead wood have been ousted & it will only be good for Newcastle speedway in the long term hopefully

its low because there's nowhere for them to go!! The championship is full of div 1 riders that it can not afford

Very good to see Rob Grant and Newcastle joining the small but increasing list of Clubs who are more independent and open and transparent IOW, Belle Vue; Glasgow, Redcar ; Eastbourne; Swindon; Edinburgh probably the most effective of this positive new trend.

Honestly How refreshing... not just that statement but the whole post... Regards THJ Oh and happy New Year let's hope this one is better than the last one... let's face it that shouldn't be to hard should it...

The Stoke track came under regular criticism when Tatum was doing the job. it was the reason I stopped going to stoke

Wembley tickets England v Scotland 18th June 2021 A close mate of mine has two tickets in a corporate box for this match. He paid £300 each, but he didn't know when he bought them that it was going to be the same day as his Covid-19 postponed wedding. If you are interested, he is looking for someone to take his place. It's at Hamilton Registry Office, at 2.30pm. The bride's name is Moira, she's 5'4", about 8 stone, quite pretty, has her own income and is a really good cook.