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https://www.newsandstar.co.uk/news/19695338.speedway-rider-dan-bewley-ruled-belle-vue-planning-2022/ Probably this one. Obviously there's something quite glaring when you read it properly...

Jason Crump has also retired... A double blow for the Aces...

500 to 600 fans a week are not suddenly going to grow to 1200 a week, which you would think is a minimum to compete in Div 1.. No1 riders certainly dont come cheap, even with TV money to subsidise it.. A huge challenge for the Birmingham leadership team, let's hope they can deliver a competitive and affordable team on their support levels.. It certainly wont be easy, so best of luck to them.. Will go when the Aces are there if not on TV..

Talking Crap again. I remember, Len coming out after every heat on his tractor, 2 laps and in again. Never delayed meetings as always finished within 90 mins. If there was a break he's be out with the hose.

To be fair Trigger has been at Redcar a lot, Boycie probably a tad past it now!

But what about the games England are in...?

Personally I’d have Cook at number 1 still got plenty in the tank in my opinion. I also think riding for his local Club with the right people around him and local support will let us see the best of him on track. He’s rode at a high level for the majority of his career and will be a top rider in the championship if he’s in the right place, time for him to come home.

Having been a fan since 1967, I used to love weekly speedway and it's demise is disappointing particularly when it's more to do with the influence of foreign leagues, GP'S etc rather than the willingness of fans to turn up regularly. You mention the patchy fixture list, well that is something the fans have to endure rather than enjoy. Any promoter would give their eye teeth for weekly attendances. As for cost Oxford should be able to come with packages for those who want to attend 1,2 or all 3 leagues. I must admit running 3 leagues is exceedingly ambitious and I wish the promotion the very best of luck.

Wooden spoon

With the comment of "the sport doesn't attract young fans I beg to differ, yes the sport can always do with more fans young and old but the problem is how do you get them to attend the sport? Back in the 60/70s when I started going it was mostly a family outing, these days how many family's do things together apart from watch tv? The first meeting I attended on my own was Wembley 71 and I could walk from home to the stadium in 45 mins and the same home again after the meeting. I was 14 that year and lets be honest how many of us would let our son or daughter do something like that these days? Yes the latest generation need to be tempted to speedway but exactly how? In 2022 my grandson was gifted a couple of free passes for Sheffield speedway by the Bluebell Woods charity and he asked me if I would go with him and his family to a meeting as he knew I was a speedway regular at one time. From that meeting in May that year to the end of the 2023 season I think we have missed one match and we have also attended a few away tracks as well. He is obsessed with the sport and on the phone to me daily with speedway updates he has found out, AND to go with his obsession he has a subscription to the Speedway Star and he had a 2023 subscription to BSN. The lad is not into football as much as he is his speedway and its all down to Sheffield speedway and the Bluebell woods Charity for those couple of tickets.

Not too sure what terraces you’ve visited, but the three venues I went to last season - all of them had loads of kids running about. In fact, Oxford and Poole I’d say there are/were far more kids than over 60s, with a crowd predominantly made up of 25-40 year olds.

300 is a fair percentage of the Wolves attendance, I think that might be pushing it to expect that many to be regulars at PB. Its not on the doorstep, it's an horrendous journey in rush hour and the parking/viewing at PB isn't the best. Possibly the first meeting or two due to the novelty factor but it'll need to be good and the team competitive to stand any chance of getting people back regularly

The book 'Out of the Frying Pan' about New Cross speedway is a great read.

That’s great a real positive step, hopefully it will provide something far better than the old what the fans think page on the British speedway site. Just for old times & a laugh here is my favourite……. From the first race it became obvious that, despite this being a testimonial, the riders meant business. As they jostled for position around the tight bends, every sinew straining to keep control of the sliding back wheels, the crowd roared on their favourite, struggling to be heard over the deep growl of the engines. The blur of sound and colour, as they passed only yards away, was replaced by the one sensation that, for me, made the whole experience real. The exhaust fumes from the methanol fuel forced their way up my nostrils and left an overpowering but not unpleasant lingering smell reminiscent of cooking oil. It was at this point that I felt a connection with my fellow spectators, as if I had just experienced some rite of passage, which no amount of armchair viewing could bestow upon

Hodder? surely Harrison after spending most of last season.

Personally no, alot of ppl keep saying if he's in the mood but if he isn't he could end up being a no show again which ruins any decent team when your no1 is out. Saying that I can see it being cook at no1 tho

That’s what I thought too, apart from Hodder.

Doesn’t matter about Dan, I’ve just seen Hitler has invaded Poland so I think the season will be postponed!

Should do

I believe so.

Its 2.5 ..

As well as indoors, dry, warm, comfortable seating and little danger of any last minute call-offs! Very little point in comparing any outdoor sport with anything indoors!

You'll be lucky to get any beneficial answers out of Michael Gove - he's all about levelling up!!

Funnily enough, that's exactly the same as the Top Ten I would have chosen.

A fair few years ago "Classic Speedway" magazine did a top 20 of the 60's. Compiled by a "respected author".... Obviously is the whole of the decade rather than the period in the OP..... 1. Nigel Boocock 2. Ken McKinley 3. Peter Craven 4. Mike Broadbank 5.Eric Boocock 6. Ron How 7. Martin Ashby 8. Ray Wilson 9. Terry Betts 10. Dave Younghusband Focusing on the BL era, would see Craven and How removed from the list and probably higher positions for Eric B and Ray Wilson.

Continuing with the Gladiators TV rewind stream premieres tonight (Tuesday 21st Nov) at 7pm on the Speedway Portal YouTube channel. This stream features : PLYMOUTH 'Gladiators' vs BIRMINGHAM 'Brummies' : Championship Enjoy. https://youtu.be/u1MNkRNpX4c

Maybe Danny King and Thomas Jorgensen. As other two heatleaders.

I can sense/feel your frustration and un-wavered loyalty and passion for the club.... I think Nigel made his best move for B'ham last season when (I hope) he realised that LR wasn't up to the job of TM and duly relieved him of team affairs.... So, with that in mind, I cant for one minute think that he'd allow LR to orchestrate things this season....obviously, 'we' will know that very soon, when signings are announced. But, as I previously posted....the Team Manager should be the first signing/announcement IMO, if 'we' are going to take things seriously! This is not a dig/criticism of LR....he does good things for the development/junior side of the sport.

Well that’s 1 less who won’t be at Glasgow.

Oops, my apologies.

I will confess I didnt know about the Glasgow episode, but knew 100% that he was with Reading when he was banned. Thanks for the info.

Basketball, televised on sky and crowds larger than uk Speedway. Patchy fixture list replaced by regular meetings. - not archaic, habit forming.

Could be very wrong, you should know how bad the news and star or times and star are, no reporters anymore just copy and paste of social media etc and still get a lot of stories wrong

-25%

No mention of Simon Lambert here? Simon rode his socks off for the team in 2023 and surely must be considered for a well deserved place in the team. Always gives 110% and is in the best form of his career at the moment.

Janowski No.1 is a 100% certainty. BSN running an article about Janowski being in talks with 3 British clubs, We know it's not Sheffield, Certainly isn't BV, Ips or Leic. So it's Oxford, Brum and KL......Oxford's owners can make Magic a much better offer than KL and Brum.

I’ve just caught up on this thread and it’s a joy to read in quiet times. And interesting that the BSF community has passed judgement - and, on balance, it’s not in Richie’s favour. As far as the comments on Danny Bird are concerned, davie10 has half the story. There were suspicions raised about Danny in 2006 when he was riding for Glasgow. At that time, there wasn’t the same drug testing routine that has been operating for the last 6 or 7 years. A drug testing team arrived at Glasgow which someone spotted and Danny feigned illness or injury and was given permission by the referee, perhaps ignorant of the drug testing about to take place, gave Danny permission to leave the stadium. Subsequently, the referee was heavily censured for his actions but, from that day, Danny was a marked man and tested positive for a distillate of cocaine when tested in 2007 at Reading.

The top 2 riders posted there are heavily linked with Kings Lynn and Leicester respectively

I would suggest the Team Manager needs to be the first signing, I can't see any point in signing 7 riders then get a manager who may or may not fancy certain riders, I'v said before Rosco would be the man to get Brum moving in an upwards direction, he is a 4 time winner of British Speedway's top league as a manager, and were I Nigel Tolley I would be getting myself down to Rosco's pub and would'nt leave until I had got my man.

I've said it before and I'll say it again you cannot be failed to be impressed when you first attend a Speedway match (Unless you've attended a shambles that we occasionally get). It's when you take a deep dive into the sport as you become more interested in it that it starts to let you down. It'll be interesting to see how your grandson retains his interest as he gets more into it and dare I say it Sheffield don't manage to put a serious challenge in to retain their title

Planning to watch all 3 but will miss a couple in the summer for family holiday.

I've only missed a couple of meetings home and away for both teams since our return, will make every home match for all 3 teams. My away trips will be more limited now thou, only have some many days off from work for a start!!!!

I'm currently planning to go to all meetings of all three teams but I live 50 miles away now so it simply might not be feasible. Cheetahs will probably still be my primary choice in the Championship, followed by Spires and then Chargers will have to miss out if I struggle to get to all of them. Season ticket options might also play a part. I'm hoping there will be season tickets available for individual leagues this year, as opposed to all meetings in one bundle like last year.

The irony that you decide to pop up and pick holes in probably the most positive post i have made about Mildenhall in years

You look at how Sheffield have started their team building (J.Holder,Woffinden C Holder) & look likely to add Josh Pickering & Kyle Howarth. I really fear that the team Leicester have put together will really struggle to challenge that team.

Interesting. I was going to go with Harris lol.

Ellis on his current average should be a highly sought after commodity next season. To write him off at 27 is frankly ridiculous.

Well said RoundTheBoards. Some people just moan for the sake of it. Two or three days in Tenerife is no big deal. As long as the promoters have utilised their time wisely then there should be nothing to complain about. Also, quite a few of the promoters seem to get a fair bit of stick but at least they're keeping the sport going. If they weren't around who would be there to replace them??

Totally, this really is no big deal. I don't think the optics are great, but really it's not important. - it's their money - the cost, in the grand scheme of running a speedway club is tiny If they think going away for a business is worthwhile then who am I to disagree. Not how I would conduct things in 2023, but not my money. It won't put any clubs out of business.