Leaderboard

Just making the numbers up is very important in the modern era given so few "numbers" now exist... You are never winning leagues on crowds of less than 500 or so, so it is simply not worth threatening the clubs' long term future by spending "daft money" doing so.. The sport has seen several "winners" close down due to the costs involved in "winning" being much too far a stretch for them.. The way Speedway has been poorly ran for several decades it is now very much down to its "die hards", so the feeling will be that they will turn up to watch anything put in front of them, (as they have become 'bomb proof' to anything but watching the racing), therefore any track with such a low following are 100% correct in cutting their cloth accordingly.. "Success" wont bring crowds up by 100% to around/over 1000, so putting a team together to win most weeks at home (or at least always in contention to make it entertaining), will be the right plan.. Good luck to them...

His book was a great read... You could certainly see that in those days it really "meant something"... The big sponsorship of Gulf, so many teams involved, admission costs more reflective of what disposable income people had, and stadiums full of punters, many of them there to see true "sporting superstars" not just "speedway superstars".. And riders like Wikie, happy to earn in a night what they could earn in a week in their other "real jobs", and could earn that money four or five times each week, and sometimes more... A much different landscape from today where so many riders of Wilkies level (and much, much lower), are now "fully professional" and septets and meetings get contrived just to provide them with that opportunity, (which obviously then destroys the credibility of the product being served up)... No major sponsor, no major mainstream coverage, no "household names" who resonate across the sporting spectrum, no league title winners getting good financial rewards and publicity for winning, no tracks struggling to fit everyone in... As the saying goes.. "We've never had it so good"...!! NB (Exactly like Poland has today, be interesting to see if they blow it like the UK did)... Wilkie...

I may be wrong here,, can only go by my own club,,, people who buy season tickets will buy them regardless of the team, or if they know the team,,, cos they are gonna go and watch it no matter what.

You are assuming I support birmingham. Like yourself, I didn't miss a meeting at monmore last season but I don't support Wolverhampton, I support speedway , not every team will be strong. Without those at the bottom you won't have anyone at the top.

Wilkie was a childhood hero of mine,but the real hero was his wife who gave her all in looking after alan after his accident ,and yes his book is a fantastic read get yourself a copy and cherish it .

Look at some of the replies on Carl Johnson's season ticket post on the Panthers Supports Club page on facebook. Patience is beginning to run out now.

I would be interested to know how many have been sold at this point last few years to now,, don't think there would be much in it. I don't buy a season ticket anymore because I know I won't watch all the meetings. I used to,, but now I find I've had enough half a season in. And I've already had enough of this season,, and it ain't even started yet

Same here. I've got my money ready for a season ticket but I'm waiting for the team to be announced first because I won't buy one if the team contains both Andersen & Worrall because we'll just be a punch bag for other clubs again.

I think most Peterborough supporters agree with you, it’s been far too long winded this winter.

I don’t know where you get Berwick will rely on Flint and Rory at home TJ and Etheridge will beat most round Shieldfield and Knudsen is a talent.

Does it make you feel big, pouring out this rubbish? No more than we expect from Wolverhampton, though.

I know what you’re saying, every 2 weeks would be just fine It’s just when you go 6 weeks without a meeting due to postponements and the fixture schedule being imbalanced etc. People can start to lose interest

Imo for a new beginning of the comets around 10 home meetings is ok, a meeting every couple of weeks at home away matches in-between, got to remember some of the riders in this league will be riding in the championship and will not be available every weekend, also sometimes less is more, and probably more affordable to people every couple of weeks especially in the current financial climate

It will work I think people will.be pleasantly surprised...

Would you say the team is stronger than it was last year? do you think Berwicks team are going to win the league with the team they have? do you think Edinburgh will win the league when pretty much they’ve swapped Masters for Cook and Serjent for Bickley? Were fortunate to have them come to the tapes again or otherwise our season would be even less meetings than it already is.

I used to Baldy, then went a few seasons paying on the gate before getting one again last year. This time I’m 50/50 so the last couple of signing will swing it either way for me.

I would have thought the budget would be based on sponsorship secured, and average season tickets sales from the last few years, rather than waiting to see how many they sell this year before telling a certain rider they are signed….. also, haven’t seen any confirmation of new owners yet…..

Some people won't buy tickets until they know how strong the team is going to be, simple... Announce the team then people will know what they're buying, it's not that hard is it??

Cegeilski was excellent on small tracks. I remember he scored 16 on his first visit to Kirky Lane. A very good rider whose career was bitterly cut short.

Between the two, it was really from the smallest to one of the largest, both gave great racing but because New Cross was so small it always looked like close racing. Craven and Young were fantastic there!

Well I’m on the fence personally, and will wait until the final two riders are announced before taking the plunge on a season ticket. It’s gonna need an eye catching signing to persuade me.

It was indeed a Bank Holiday Monday morning, an 11 am start if I recall. It wasn't the return at Hyde Road later, but instead straight over to the Embassy Internationale at Wimbledon where PC was hampered by machinery problems. I think Eddie Jancarz won it, which was a shock at the time. His Wimbledon team mate, Larry Ross, was second. Wilkie's fine for his altercation with the ref was paid for by a whip round on the BV supporters' coach. His car windscreen was shattered by hailstone on the way home from King's Lynn, and he had to drive a fair distance without it. Things you remember as a 14-year-old!

For what second from bottom? Really poor side

Looks like we've found the sauce of the news

Apart from Bomber, Jye was our best home rider in 2022

Where has this been announced please?

Why is he know longer a Poole sponsor, did he not get treated very well?

Discovery+ Entertainment & Sport included for free with Sky Q/Glass/Stream Open the app from the apps menu, or say “Get discovery+” into your voice remote.

Has sponsored Poole and quite a few Poole riders ilast season, interesting that he's sponsoring the under dogs and not the favourites, surely he couldn't have fallen out with Lord Ford could he????

Workington will also have a team in the six team Northern Junior League: Northern Junior League 2023 - Youth Speedway and Development Leagues - British Speedway Forum (speedway-forum.co.uk)

Id rather stop in than waste my money on watching that ....

Guess we have to wait for the fixtures coming out, but would be happy to run may to end of August,every 2 weeks, then if qualified, play offs in September, before the weather turns unlike last year when still trying to run final at very end of October

Just the truth ....

I agree.....just making the numbers up ....very weak .....

9 may be ..but other than Sedgman not alot else ....ive heard the gates are really poor at Brum....

Yeah ....very poor...

All teams need to be supported. I feel for the club as no one wants to put out a weakened team and be whipping boys. I hope the Brum fans stick with their club during these tougher times and the club goes from strength to strength. Not turning up to support their team leads to only one outcome.

You are misreading my post or I've worded it wrongly. Chris Holder said he will only ride for Poole if/when they are in the Premiership! Riding for anyone else in the meantime is fine. You never know if it is to be Poole in Premiership in 2024, - and that is by no means certain - he may use this year to lower his average??

I agree....how can u put out a team like that and expect to win the league...very poor .....u wouldn't want to watch that weak in weak out ....As for N.Morris like u said No way will he keep his 10 ave .......Dont rate him ...

Whats your thorts on the Brum team ????

Remember when "Wilkie" strode across the centre green at Cowley and ripped the tapes with his bare hands from the starting gate! Great days and as you can imagine got the crowd going and adding to the atmosphere! For the life of me I can't recall what caused the outrage? Can only guess that the referee had excluded him for some misdemeanour? Great character and sadly missed. I never got a copy of his book but I can only guess it was full of anecdotes? Imagine an interview or a Q & A session with the great man?

Trouble is it was in a reply to two posts really. I started it off by saying if Poole went Prem in 2024 he'd be first on teamsheet and Hodgy said about the Champ in 2024. Skidder was just saying that he would only ride for Poole if we were in the Prem not Champ, not that he wouldn't ride for anyone else in the Prem. That is how I understood it anyway. Obviously I could be wrong!

Poor side......bottom i guess.....

Just released https://www.svemo.se/nyheter/tavlingskalendern-faststalld-for-allsvenskan-2023

Envious of what? Been stated on here many times that no one really cares who does or doesn't win the league as its all a bit of a farce anyway. so what exactly are people jealous of?

Poole are disliked through envy. The big green eyed monster. Anyone but Poole. Heard it virtually every season for the last 20 years.

I hope your right Rob! Didn't Rye House close mainly because a successful, well supported Saturday night operation was forced to move to midweek racing because of the dreaded set racenights for the top flight? - Same reason why Poole now reside in the 2nd tier when they are one of the biggest clubs in the Country and should really be in the top flight! I'm convinced that Rye House speedway running on a Saturday night would again be a viable well supported operation if it can be re opened! Good luck to the new Workington speedway set up at Northside. In this day and age of diminishing crowds, less greyhound stadiums around and excessive rental demands from existing stadium landlords, the Northside blueprint of owning your land and building it up into a bonafide stadium as and when funds allow seems the only way to open new speedway tracks. - Although obviously I hope Rye House speedway will be an exception to the rule as well as Eastbourne, Kent and Coventry!

Fingers crossed not just for us, but the league in general. I’m sure everybody would like to see him at their track. Without a doubt would add to the gate receipts everywhere.

Why would a business allow its former (self employed) workers to use its facilities for free, especially in the current climate. Honestly the naivety of some people staggers me, the riders of yesteryear (other than, at most, a handful of legends) got paid and aren't owed anything.

This is not entirely correct. Krzysztof qualified for the SGP in 2002 but lost his place in the Poole team because of the ruling that year restricting clubs to just one GP rider so he moved to Eastbourne. Poole already had Tony Rickardsson who joined them in 2001.