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Why are a lot of negative posts on here regarding our youth riders ! Just let them develop onto the next stage of there carreers & see how they do

The IOW are the most forward looking club at any level, that I can remember seeing for many a long year. We're not privy to whatever the issues were to cause Messrs Bishop & Widman to withdraw from the BSPL, but whatever they were, the Board of Directors should have worked their socks off to ensure the club could continue to provide much needed entertainment for those that live on the Island, along with the holidaymakers. The sport just can't afford to keep losing clubs like this, and I just hope that sense prevails, and they can be welcomed back in 2022, because speedway is dying on its feet, at a fast rate of knots. Gutted for all you people across the Solent, along with all your sponsors.

Spot on.... At 16, Joe Screen was riding in the top division of World Spedway and regularly beating genuinely World Class heat leaders, and at 19 winning the BLRC in front of a truly World Class field that would have been full of GP riders if that had existed at the time... And even with all that, Joe 'only' reached No 6 in the World.. No mean feat at all, but it shows just how far behind these lads are to where he was at their age (and even younger)... None of them would win races in the Polish top league regularly like Joe did in the equivalent level top league over here... Maybe they will develop to become 'top level' riders, and riding in Poland will definitely help with that, but there has to be some reality check as to where these lads are actually at... Genuine World Class talent is usually winning, or finishing top 3, in 'junior' World Championships at Under 21 level... Scoring maximums in the NDL, or riding at reserve in the Championship, at the same age as those who do win junior World Titles, is miles behind.. Robert Lambert is the most modern example of where you need to be at U21 level to become genuinely World Class.. Let's just give them some slack and see how they go, as being 'World Class' is truly a long, long way off for them all...

As I apparently have an agenda to like the Bspl I will have my say. If the IOW were such a progressive club why have they not embraced what is in my opinion a dawning of a new era in British speedway with the advent of the rising stars and taking the NDL back to its original intention of a development league. Admittedly the cut to 35 for team build is harsh and has led to some unsavoury measures to allow teams to come under the limit but it had to be done . the new era may not be the promised land but speedway in the uk could not of carried on as it was . I personally hope the 5 year plan continues and in 4 years they announce what is going to happen after that . Remember the plan actually covers riders who are 11 now as they will be coming into the system. also like to add I do think it's a shame they didn't choose to try to make it work.

Sings4speedway appears to be after the job of ‘ Voice of the Isle of Wight ‘ club or even after ‘ Voice of the NDL ‘ but then there are some happy clubs involved so perhaps not. Personaly I think it’s about time the division did go back to its roots of bringing on young riders , who only ride for expenses , like they did in the old days , or as it seems to be popular at the moment , “ for the benefit of the sport “ !

What village do you live in Geoff?

Where payment of riders is concerned, each NL club picks up the tab for their riders home and away. So when Mildenhall ride at IOW, the Fen Tigers meet the wage bill for their team. If you run a challenge or an individual, you pay all 12,14 or 16 riders. Aside from the fact that challenge matches are likely to attract lower attendances, they could increase the clubs costs. i don't know the full reasons why they have withdrawn but the above might be one, and I know they were against any reduction in the points limit as it almost inevitably lowers the standard of the product at this level (something that is most important if you are a stand alone club but matters little if you are running all your NL meetings as double headers with a higher league match, as Newcastle apparently plan to). If the clubs were simply told about the points limit without any form of negotiation amongst members and the Warriors promotion believed that that would damage their business taking into account other factors - the lack of fixtures, likely difficulties with sponsors, the confidence of fans returning to stadiums following covid etc - its little wonder they withdrew. Why should they accept being dictated to without even the chance to discuss the situation by persons who don't even run an NL team ? Following the BSPL's approach to arguably the most innovative meeting held in Britain for some years - the 2019 NICE challenge - the chances of them going out of their way to accommodate the Isle of Wight promotion were non existent.

Lambert has certainly got himself up to that '2nd Tier' of riders who are currently behind the likes of Zmarzlik, Woffy, Lindgren, Madsen, Doyle, Vaculik, Emil Laguta and Janowski... And possibly the best placed within that 12 to 15 or so riders to go on into that "Elite" group given the 'glide path' he has been on.. Not many riders become "overnight sensations" like Doyle did after about six years of pretty average performances.. Usually after three years or four years racing you can see who will make that "Elite" level as they will be riding to HL level over here in the top league.. Dan Bewley is the 'next cab on the rank' I would say given his end of season performances last year. Another full season like he finished the last will see him leap up the standings I would say, however, a season of mediocrity and where he is now (a solid HL in the UK) just may end up his level.. Woffy's support will be a huge opportunity for him to succeed, let's hope he can use it to move his career to the next level. (Top 25 or so in the World)

Scoobydoo will be happy (or less unhappy) anyway.

Yep and it's been fantastic to watch Sam and Harry McGurk, Archie Freeman , Danny smith ,Jordan Palin , Leon Flint, Kyle Bickley, Luke Harrison and many others come through from 125 to 500 then into league racing. Best format tell me if there's a better one .

He can't even stay on a sledge

Because it's the bsf and it's the law to embrace negativity and frown upon positivity

The main issue for me is that we’ve had plenty of promising youngsters come thru the past 15 years however either those riders lacked the ambition to get into Europe to progress further and settled quickly for a comfortable life of doubling up in the UK or the governing body of the UK has no plan to progress it’s youth riders. Or, most likely a combination of the two. My own opinion is that riders need that drive to push for places abroad as it’s the only way to measure if they can turn that promise into reality so riders like Tai, Robert were always likely to succeed and it’s good to see riders like Rowe, Kemp, Ellis already getting team spots.

...and Robert Lambert

That was in the days when the majority of the Top riders in the World rode in GB,it’s a very different scenario nowadays.Basically the way the to the top is getting into Poland but you have to perform from the day you arrive ,irrespective of what league and level it is.It’s going to be a long road to the top for British youngsters ,but Tai has proved it can be done if your good enough.Good Luck to them all.

Hi mate he's on the 250s at the moment and not old enough for 2021 but will be involved with the njl when 250cc are racing at Berwick

So nice to know that you bothered to take the time to post , also see your puppy dog followers hit the like button again .

It's not difficult to find out. Try googling "Plymouth speedway covid restrictions" September 21, 2020 Update: Tuesday 22nd – 12.15pm – Tickets for tonight’s meeting have now sold out. Thank you for all of your support. Please note due to covid restrictions, entry is via advance tickets only, and tickets cannot be purchased on the gate tonight. A big thank you to everyone who has purchased a ticket for tomorrow’s match between Plymouth Gladiators and a GB Young Lions Select. Your support is very much appreciated, and we look forward to seeing you tomorrow. We have a small number of Tickets available and they will only remain ON SALE until all are purchased, or to 12 noon tomorrow, whichever is the case. Click here to purchase. The Match is Strictly ALL TICKET and they must be purchased in advance with No Cash or Card Sales on the night. The Stadium is fully Covid 19 authorised and regulated; allowing the Match to go on as planned despite some new restrictions being introduced since the last Match. The “Rule of 6” introduced since the last Meeting means that you should leave space between yourself and your Group (maximum 6) and other Groups, please seek the assistance of a Steward, if you have any concerns about this. There is plenty of space allowing everyone to feel safe within the allowed maximum Crowd. The weather forecast is for a DRY but cloudy day and Evening, but it may get a bit chilly later on as Autumn encroaches, so we suggest you dress accordingly. Gates Open at 5.00pm – Tapes Up at 7.00pm prompt – Parade at 6.50pm The FREE Coypool Road Park and Ride is OPEN. Please note this Car Park CLOSES at around 10.00pm on Speedway nights (ignore signs on Car Park saying earlier on normal days). If Parking within the Stadium; please Park in the designated area on the Football Pitch applying social distancing to nearest vehicle. There will be a Parking charge of £2. It is important that you sit / stand in the area your Ticket designated, (Home Straight side / Back Straight side / Disabled Area) Entry and Exit and Flow markers will be clearly visible to all Areas. Food and Drink and Toilet Areas should be used within “social distancing rules and as guided”. The PITS AREA will be closed to all but essential Staff before and after the Event (ACU / SCB / BSPL protocols) There will be NO CARD payment facilities within the Stadium (Covid Regulations) Cash only in Bars / Food with exact change preferred. There is an 8-page Programme for the meeting including the Race Card which will be issued FREE to all on Arrival. We are launching our new and exciting ONLINE MERCHANDISE Store with full details in the Free Programme. We have installed 40 new LED lights to cover ALL Spectator Areas to enhance Spectator safety and visibility since the last Meeting following constructive feedback and this is part of further ongoing enhancements to the Stadium. We also plan to upgrade all Track Lighting during the winter and the first 10 of 30 new more powerful LED lights, which use a lot less electricity, but offer increased luminosity; and which are more environmentally friendly, will be switched on for the first time tomorrow night. This is all part of our programme of continuous improvement to The Coliseum Stadium as part of our hopes of moving up the Speedway League pyramid as soon as we are allowed to do so. Masks must be shown and worn on Entry and when in an inside or confined place. They can be worn or not in other outside areas of the Stadium at your own discretion. Please take note of any Covid 19 announcements during the Event. We are delighted to be able to stage LIVE and COMPETITIVE Speedway but are very much under the microscope, so your cooperation in abiding by the strict Covid 19 Guidelines will be very much appreciated as any issues could cause the loss of forthcoming Fixtures. We hope that you have a great and safe evening, and if you haven’t got your Tickets yet, please Don’t Delay and buy them today. It promises to be a great night with some of the top young British Speedway talent on display. None of us can be sure if further restrictions may be implemented later in the week, so hopefully we can all enjoy some LIVE SPEEDWAY while we can. Regards Plymouth Gladiators Speedway

Forgive my ignorance but why would only have a few fixtures stop the IOW running? Could they not run the six league meetings during the school holidays to maximise crowds and run challenges or individuals for any extra dates? There must be more to it surely.

It'd be interesting to see them trying to take licenses from riders for riding in meetings held under an alternative authority, the ACU went to court over this in the 1970's and told it was illegal. They have blustered and threatened many times since but never actually carried out their threat. Didn't the BSPA or ACU make a similar threat about Lydd but didn't take any action when it came down to it? I'd love to ride the Island on a flat tracker so you're right about getting excited but whether there is any chance of a DTRA meeting there this year is very doubtful. Only issue I can see for following years is that it is an expensive trip in a van so a rained off weekend would be a disaster. I hope for both Martin and Barry though that Speedway returns, they must have put an unbelievable amount of work in and have left everybody impressed with their efforts. The rest of the sport should be looking at the Island for answers not shutting it out.

Hope you enjoy your season as a fully fledged pirate Rich, I'm very much looking forward to visiting Poole this season to watch my team Plymouth against the pirates. Totally agree about not being bothered about winning trophies for us Plymouth fans we're just happy to be in the championship mind you there is one or two teams i would enjoy beating tbh.

For the first time ever I can honestly say that I am not too bothered where we finish in the league this season. Sure it would be great to be successful in our first championship season, but I just want to see some good racing with a Poole team that tries hard and displays that "Pirate Pride". I have only been supporting the Pirates since 2008 after my local team (Oxford) folded in 2007 and living in Buckinghamshire (100 miles each way) could only get down a few times every year. However, just before Christmas I took the plunge and moved to Poole! So now I am looking forward to being able to walk to every home meeting!

Article on Sportowefakty about the new 4 year TV contract, where it appears to be as you were with N Sport and Eleven Sport providing the joint coverage with N sport the prime broadcaster. 242 M Zl over 4 years compared to 60 M ZL over 3 years on the current contract. PGE Ekstraliga with a record TV contract! We know the details There has never been such money in Polish speedway. A record contract, but the same TV broadcaster in PGE Ekstriga - Canal +. The Meeting of Shareholders of the company managing the games of the best speedway league in the world is taking place in Warsaw. As we have unofficially established, during the meeting with the clubs, the president of PGE Ekstraliga, Wojciech Stępniewski, told activists that a new TV contract had been signed with Canal + for the years 2022-2025. We were the first to inform about it in December. There has never been such a lucrative contract in Polish speedway. The contract amounts to PLN 242 million! This means that PLN 60.5 million will be distributed annually to all partners in PGE Ekstraliga. Let us recall that the current three-year contract is worth a total of approximately PLN 60 million. The financial leap is therefore huge. Canal + is still at the stage of negotiations with Eleven Sports as a TV sub-licensee, but as WP SportoweFakty found out, it is only a formal issue. There are many indications that the matches will still be broadcast by two TV stations from 2022. On Fridays at Eleven Sports, and on Sundays at nSport +. Eleven is likely to buy some of the rights from Canal +, which will continue to be the main broadcaster with priority in selecting the first two matches in each round. PGE Ekstraliga matches can also be watched via Canal + online on the Internet. Let us recall that 2021 is the last year of the old contract with PGE Ekstraliga, and from April all PGE Ekstraliga matches will be broadcast on Eleven Sports (two games on Fridays) and nSport + (two games on Sundays). The inauguration of the season was scheduled for April 3 and 4 and there are no signs that it will be postponed. At the end of last year, PGE Ekstraliga concluded a three-year contract with the title sponsor of the tournament - PGE Polska Grupa Energetyczna. It guarantees PLN 10.5 million for distribution to EŻ shareholders in the years 2021 - 2023

It’s a completely unique situation regarding team building in the NL and even more so to the standalone clubs! The points limit was drastically reduced and they were just told it was being reduced. The league has to be viable and offer a competitive product, not just have other leagues impose rules on it for their own benefit. They wanted a reserve league and they’ve created a reserve league.

My complaints are about the calibre of riders offered opportunities (see kents new signings) there are riders who have busted a gut for years and are far better who get dropped or ignored. Yes there is deadwood that needs chopping out but a league of heat leaders and reserves with no middle ground is short sighted. All change again next year

Personally I think all opinions are valid don't always agree but there are lots of posters on here have nothing positive to say. Moan about lack of opportunities and the state of the sport then moan about the things that are put in place to help it. Support it embrace it it's easier to smile than frown

From speaking to him I’m under the impression that Peterborough is his number 1 choice and management are trying to make it fit with him in the side. But you never know, either way he will be racing in England for sure

FIM say it`s Gustrow

Poor taste that... He risks his life sledging for our entertainment... I would like to see you sledge for our entertainment... i bet you've never sledged for our entertainment... etc etc etc....

Who said Jacob is not in the team?

Very much a shame. They’ve stuck with him for so long and starting at the same time as everyone else in a weaker league would’ve probably been a breakthrough season for him at Central Park.

Kerr, Jorgensen and Proctor are surely nailed on. If it Lawson then that looks a really weak side. Would be totally reliant on home form as couldn’t see that team picking up a point away. Is Adam Ellis a non-starter due to foreign commitments? I know he was replaced by Schlein at Poole. Guess the aim of a top 6 finish isn’t all that bad

What is Peterborough the oap club what a load of rubbish

There is no point arguing with stupid. If you don’t know what being ‘Covid ready’ is then you are clearly on the troll. ive seen the hard work put in at Leicester, for example, and it’s pretty clear tracks are ready to go. Your own club even run a Covid ready meeting last year, I’m sure someone involved would tell you what that entails. To the rest of the sensible speedway fans it’s pretty obvious what Covid ready means, plus come May government advice will be much clearer as to what extra steps, if any, club bosses and fans will be clear what the advice is.

Beating Madsen, Michelsen, Grig Laguta and Nick P over 5 rounds hardly seems like the easy option.

THEN WHY CAN'T HE SIGN FOR THE DIAMONDS??? Please come bach We'll swap you, Barker for Bach

Sturgeon is losing plot just to be different,Best thing that could happen is Boris to announced a Sept start up and Sturgeon would probably change her timing to April

It’s a very small percentage in any sport that become” World Class”.Most lifelong supporters will have seen dozens of youngsters who they though were going to be the “real deal” very few will have made it to the Top in GB never mind the World as the record books show.The current crop have adopted a more Professional approach but you still have to produce on the big stage and they are along way off that.IMO.Can only wish them all the best.

Plus Iwade, and Lydd is a lovely little track.

IOW have withdrawn from the BSPL and therefore cannot run in the league. Roughly translated as we don't agree with the way you are running the NDL and want no part of your tyrannical rule. More will come out in the wash but IOW view speedway as a product across the leagues and not just about success for their own club/finances. Even purely based on this season they would face pulling apart the team they built whilst a lot of replacement options have been snapped up, paying the various licences and insurances for a much shorter and uncertain season, relying on being able to secure sponsorships from company's likely struggling due to the pandemic, the list of reasons for any team not to run is quite compelling but i still think the reasons are deeper and more long term.

Well thank you those in power at the BSPL for ruining what is the most interesting League in British speedway! This smells very similar to the BSPA's attempts to water down the 1997 3rd tier and try and force standalone clubs to move up by restricting the amount of fixtures which wasn't overly productive. Having top up and coming riders beating novices by half a lap isn't going make them World class riders and will also cause fans to lose interest! Wobblers already had the Junior Leagues to start in and any rider with some potential would soon get a NL spot! Standalone tracks that don't want the expense of higher League racing were content in the 3rd tier including the IoW who've been one of the most go ahead clubs in recent years, now sadly lost to League racing. The BSPL have short memories cause a few years ago the NL was the saviour of current Championship sides Birmingham and Eastbourne. If a similar scenario occurred now would the likes of Eastbourne and Birmingham have dropped into the new watered down limited NL? - After all the IoW have opted out! As a Mildenhall regular I fear for the club in this new set up and the lovely Sunday afternoon racing at West Row which more often than not was better value for money than its higher League neighbours! I respect Rob Godfrey for what hes achieved at Scunthorpe but as chairman of the BSPL hes made dreadful decisions like the set race days, forcing other Friday night clubs to postpone home meeting at late notice a few years back and now this all of which have resulted in club closures.

Will we see a new signing tomorrow? We’ve had one every Thursday the last 3 weeks.

Skidder - This is a forum where we can share opinion and not just sing the praises of the owners. I have expressed an opinion and made comments which all are free to respond to negative or positive. I have also followed the Aussie seasons for a number of years now when we are in our Winter hibernation mode. I follow regular the Aussie sites as well as Youtube and the main Polish Speedway news site which shows all the results/comments and some meeting highlights. I have openly said that I HOPE that both Keleher & Cook step up to the plate. If they can't do it against a lot of weaker/inexprerienced reserves in this weaker league then they are obviously not of the quality the so called experts make them out to be. Personally I prefer both Macdonald & Kennedy but they are other clubs assets (but both available to Poole). both of them have UK experience and both had their UK breakthrough initial season. I think both would have progressed and would have been good switching in and out of reserve at this even more watered down level in 2021. We could even have had Ben's younger brother Zack as no Somerset and he is arguably in many Aussie's eye a better rider than Ben. Based on both Aussie results from previous seasons and future ability. As mentioned I hope my observation is misplaced but based on studying reports/results of these guys my opinion is as it is. Would love to be proved wrong but let's see as the season unfolds. As for Matt's Aussie contacts - Let's not forget that most of the Aussie NON UK Club asset riders were already signed up & sorted when he signed our 2. Ben was coming with Zach so made sense and Keleher had been telling all of Europe how good he was for ages before he signed. Let's hope the ability and scoring matches his own hype.

Now that the BSPL have ruined the National League and existing MSDL. What has happened to the plans for the savior bringing Premiership Junior League? After all ghost teams were forced out and the great fanfare announcement there has been nothing since. Surely the BSPL haven't gone back on thier word?

Maybe they can take note of how Mike Parker started the Provincial League in the early '60s and proved that it was possible to "promote" speedway. I may hate the memory of Parker for some of the things he did in Speedway and Stock Cars but he did have vision and he did promote.

Let's see how long before col69 manages to find the NL thread...

Wasn't that down to fact Speedway was an "Elite Summer Sport' and those who got offered a grant were classed as 'Winter'?.. Either way, I think the fact it wasn't "free money" was possibly the reason it wasn't pursued. Paying it back might have dissuaded them from going down that particular avenue.. Ironically, a year out for some tracks may have actually been beneficial given we hear so many "lose money" regularly.. And that year out has also, for me, put the standard to where it should have been in relation to its crowd levels a good many years ago. Which must reduce costs going forward.. A 'reset' was long, long, overdue, so maybe this season, with the TV money to add in also, could be a start of something more positive for the sport in the UK?

All Premiership teams are racing that night.

its a development team the way it should be local teams giving local lads a chance and long may it continue

I’m the opposite to Bagpuss on this one. I watched the vast majority of the Young Stars meetings and loved them. Yes some of the riders could be a bit rough around the edges but that was part of the enjoyment for me. I’d say when the Young Stars stopped that was the beginning of me falling out of love with speedway. I loved watching the riders progress. Not everyone was a Robert Lambert (few are) but it felt like we were investing in the sport and growing our own talent. Just a shame more didn’t support it. Also the big trouble is the NL has a mixed identity. You have big standalone clubs where it is just about winning and others where it was all about development.