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How dare they give some young, local lads a chance, you'd almost think that's what this league is about, terrible!!

Probably not a popular opinion but I've thought for a while now that the speeds of the modern speedway bike are no longer suited to Cardiff and any of the other indoor tracks. The circuits are just too small and tight. I'm sure Hancock said in an interview this year that you have to have a separate bike set up just for these tracks. The indoor stadium tracks are all about prestige and putting speedway in the limelight I suppose but just stick to proper circuits. I've been to Cardiff a couple of times and it was more about the atmosphere than the racing. Had some good times but I think the time is right to move the GP elsewhere though I do think a double header at Belle Vue is stupid.

Cook let the comets down towards the season end but let himself down when he missed the srbf meeting,ex riders in wheelchairs came hundreds of miles to support the meeting he was 15 miles away and didnt turn up!

There's a few ways to look at it, now I'd agree Joe T should be too good for the NDT, but as he has so few Championship fixtures, can understand wanting to get extra rides. Also Plymouth are probably keen for him to ride, they could end up losing 60-30 every home match if they replaced him with a NDL second string. If that happens, crowds drop & they lose lots of money, they likely won't enter the competition next year, then the other 6 riders in the team won't get the same opportunities next season. Is it such a big deal that Joe rides for Plymouth, when they are giving SIX other "genuine" NDL riders matches? Compare that to the likes of Ipswich, Berwick, Glasgow & Poole who haven't entered a development league. I'd also disagree that the development leagues should be for "NDL second strings, reserves and newbies" the weaker you make the development leagues the harder it is for them to make the step up to the Championship.

Plenty to do around wembley these days,loads of bars,cafes,shops etc

Maybe decent around Armadale,but his average went from 2.63 to 3.33 for a rider that’s been around 10 years it’s hard to see him improving much more which is really what you need a reserve to do.IMO.

DATE SET FOR IVERSEN – British Speedway Official Website

I stayed near Belle Vue when I watched the Smashing Pumpkins earlier this year. Had to walk to Piccadilly the next day because the trains didn't start running early enough to connect with my Intercity train. I walk pretty quick and it was 35 minutes or so from memory. The city centre must be another 5-10 minutes from there, depending on where you define the city centre.

I generally agree with your posts and always respect them but I do think this is a bit disingenuous. The NDL has always provided opporunity for riders who enjoy riding, have neither the ability nor in some cases the aspiration to go higher but who are more than capable of competing at a decent level. To think of a few recent examples, Danno Verge a loyal servant to IOW who was never going to be any more than a 5 point NDL rider. Tom Spencer, who I watched riding and struggling on lawnmowers in his early days, who has steadily developed and hit a very decent NDL avergae last season and has got a deserved bash at CL level this year. In this Plymouth team is Kai Ward who I watched a few years ago when he could not do 4 laps without falling off. He's gone to amateur racing, learnt and steadily improved and last year proved he could be a competitive reserve in the NDL. There will always been Brennans, Kemps, Flints etc, the likes of Cairns and Boughen and some other newer riders look well capable of aspiring to a full time careeer in the Sport. However I do agree with your general train of thought. As a Brummies fan I felt the NDL of 2016-2018 was excellent, when Brummies moved up to CL in 2019 and struggled unable to compete i realised that the BSPL attitude was to neuter the NDL by making the better clubs move up. The supposition that it was to support Clubs like Buxton, Stoke, IOW etc blown away by the fact that those Clubs left for varying reasons. There are 2 ways forward really... (1) make the NDL totally amateur and assist the amateur tracks and providers to have a more sustainable footing (2) to remove a lot more of the big earners - cream off possibly the top 16-18 over 30's and to make the CL the equaivalent of what the NDL was up to circa 2019-2020. But of course we go back 20+ years to the Sky TV cash cow that was blown, spaffed up, secreted away don't we?... The legacy that 30-40 riders have to ride PL and CL to generate the 40 + meetings to make Speedway pay and stuff the rest. Too much water has gone beneath too many bridges I fear to rectify the issues now. No disrespect to them but thats why i see the likes of Bomber ; Scott ; Lawson, Masters , Worrall ; and many more riding well in to their late 40's and early 50's. A few classy kids will arrive and join them, a few might by-pass them (like Brennan) to join Lambert and Bewley but the model is utterly BUST I'm sad to say. NORA may be the way ahead for MANY of the current lower tier Championship Clubs but if they don't own their own stadiums and generate as much income from anciliaries like food and drink sales as a result, the future looks very bleak

4.35 ave at Armadale last season hardly poor fir a guy that was signed on a sub 3 average

Thomson riding NDL these days is a waste of time the lad got a 5.77 average in the championship what’s he gaining beating kids by a country mile. I don’t to hear the track time rubbish cause he’s been around the block enough now.

I enjoy reading the 'speedway forum', with particular interest in the Workington Comets stories. However since a couple of years back, approx, two of my favourite reads have just disappeared from the 'forum'. Don't see any posts now from Jenga or TotallyHonestJohn......I always enjoyed the lengthy, and informative, input from the latter. I wonder if they are posting now under a different id? Does anyone else miss the two I've mentioned? Or does anyone know if they do post under other id? Or am I alone in this respect?

Yes!! I hope that all Redcar Supporters, Team, Management and Staff have a Very Merry Christmas and a prosperous New Year. 🙂🙂

BIRMINGHAM have completed their National Development Trophy side for the 2025 season. Max James and Sam McGurk will join Darryl Ritchings, Arran Butcher, Tom Spencer, Eli Meadows and Senna Summers with Max Broadhurst named the Ductair Bulls’ official No.8. Team Manager Laurence Rogers said: “Max James rode for the Buffaloes in the 2023 Midland Development League notching two maximums and ended with a 10.67 average. “He took some big steps in the right direction with Leicester in the National Development League this year and he’ll be a key rider for us. “Sam McGurk is only 18 and for me he is a highly promising youngster. “He gained a lot more experience with Workington this year and he’ll really kick on from that next season I think. “I’m glad we’ve been able to bring in Max Broadhurst as the Bulls’ No.8 - he was a Buffalo in 2024, he’s secured an NDL spot with Oxford and it’s going to be good to have him as part of the squad.”

@jenga clearly still on here under a different guise

There was never a ban, riders were sometimes 'discouraged' but that is as far as it went. There would be a lot of gaps in Champ/NDL teams if you banned all of the following: Scott Nicholls Joe Thompson William Cairns Alfie Bowtell Paul Starke Jacob Clouting Sonny Springer Dayle Wood Nathan Ablitt Jason Edwards Vinnie Foord Jason Garrad Tom Spencer Freddie Hodder Matt Marson Arran Butcher Jamie Etherington

I actually think they've got this one almost spot on. Most of the NDL/NDT clubs only want 5 home fixtures, but most of the development riders want more than 10 meetings. So doubling up in a separate league & trophy is the only way to allow both to happen. The only thing I would have done differently would be to allow stand alone clubs (Kent) to race in both.

Ive been 18 times. Best night of the year. I took my fiancee this year and she was amazed at the atmosphere and the size of the stadium. She had a great night was was really looking forward to 2025. Oh and by the way shes polish

As mentioned in an earlier post, THJ became disillusioned with certain aspects of the sport. Be good to see him posting again, as he didn't pull any punches, & was very witty.

Fair enough- didn’t know that.

I wasn’t ignoring it the original post I replied to had said he was poor at Armadale I was correcting that as he did a decent job around the Dale.

The problem i have with the Plymouth side is that the gulf from top to bottom is vast. Joe can very likely lap Morgan around Plymouth and that genuinely creates a danger on track with the disparity in levels between the two. Ive not seen Charlie ride for some time but my impression is that he would be behind Morgan in most races. Its certainly nothing personal as Morgan is a charming gent who will absolutely win hearts its purely down to ability and readiness. As covered above Kai ward was thrown in early and not ready, he went away improved and now fully justifies his places. Just because a 15 year old shows a little promise doesn't mean they are ready for league racing (even in the drastically reduced standard and amount of fixtures). There was a point in time when the best riders from the MDL/NJL along with the cream of the youth rounds were fighting for reserve berths, now its nearly all riders who compete are getting places and some in the 1-5. There will always be surprise packages and riders who really do succeed but the approach of nurturing talent appears to be replaced with the attitude that if you throw enough mud at a wall some of it will stick.

Last time he did that I believe Doyle went past him on 1 wheel looking at him 😂😂

Glad to make someone's day on a monday morning. Makes it all worthwhile.

Sadly its a team that sums up my complete drop off of interest in the sport anymore. If promotions can't take anything seriously why should fans. Delighted for the few who will be completing their dreams of becoming NL riders, luckily its just a few home meetings as i can see the fixtures at Plymouth ending up a farce again this year.

Surely one of the greatest posts of all time pmsl

Plus the additional problem of getting stadium staff in 'cos they all have other all-year-round weekend jobs in hospitality and security etc!!

Grandstand holds around 2000 add 3-4000 temporary seats on 3rd 4th bend, that's 6000 seats and 2000 on backstaight. So looking at 8000 per day, 16000 total, over 2 days more than most other stand alone GPs so will probably make money after costs of temporary seats, just hope tickets are sensible priced, £50 ??

I have represented a speedway promoter in negotiating a tax settlement as a consequence of an Inland Revenue investigation. The HMRC selection criteria mean they are not likely to regard loss making businesses as a high priority. [Loss offset rules are far more restrictive than people believe and the commonly held belief that tax losses generated by speedway businesses have significant value is often misguided]

Mr Cook went missing either on track like at poole, after being brilliant the nite before at Plymouth, was totally missing at Redcar, and missed the key meetings towards the end of the season, may or may not had a good excuse being a new dad or injured, but appears to go missing most seasons these days, but on his day can be excellent. Batch last season was way better than expected, whether this coming season is the same, let's wait and see

Not too many seats at the Belle Vue Stadium ... so I guess get your order in quick is a good reason to book in advance. Having a double header must reduce staging costs dramatically - keep all the riders officials and broadcast facilities in situ for the weekend. Must be hoping for 2 near capacity crowds at a raceway that holds an estimated 10,000. In the mystery world of speedway we never ever are told of attendances, EXCEPT when the promoter closes down and quotes poor attendances. Somehow the accounts of speedway never seem to attract the attention of hte Inland Revenue, unlike every penny I have earnt.

Probably do not want to tell us Cardiff attendances as it would spoil their commercial reasons line. There was way more than 5000, I would have said around 20000.

Tommy price. Split waterman. Ken lebretan

i mean its a fair question perhaps the extra stuff that comes with cook topped the balance in batch's favour

7 riders make the team I couldn't care less who has strongest no1 or strongest no6 and 7 It's a team sport

Plymouth’s team is 1.joe Thompson 2.ben trigger 3.chad wirtzfield 4.kai ward 5.Charlie Southwick 6.morgan Williams 7.ryan Ingram.

Well if you think about it football teams release theirs for the following year before the current season is even over.

Doesn’t mean you need to instantly buy one. Some people will buy them now some will wait till all 7 are announced no big deal.

These days people would complain about a Wembley final. Wembley has no roof and it always rains in London. Also there's nothing to do around Wembley and it's too far from London, so you can't walk it from Buckingham Palace or Downing Street.

Wall of death he just rolled round 😳

How to ruin the GP series more than it already is

Parklife is 14 - 15 June.

14th/15th June https://parklife.uk.com

So, the "new era" keeps going from strength to strength, the series is down to 1 big stadium in a major city, there's little to no promotion, all of the world's best riders are not riding in the series, the points system is a shambles, you can win a GP by coming 10th, the "sprint race" is not a sprint race... hang on though, there's TV screens and a camera in each pit bay, that'll get the masses queuing for tickets!

Woke has killed off the Cardiff Speedway GP? I've heard it all now 😄 It's a sad, but inevitable end. And there's loads of reasons for it. I suspect the event has been propped up beyond it's natural lifespan from public sector funding in Wales. And that's not sustainable. Cost of living is a factor in this....people simply have less disposable income over the last decade. High energy prices mean that running major facilities...even your local pool...has rocketed and these costs have to be passed on. But the biggest reason is that British Speedway as a whole is on its *rse. The fan base is shrinking, ageing and ultimately dying....and without that hardcore of supporters, any big event in the UK will struggle. It was always a fabulous day out, it's the end of era, but I will always have some great, great memories from Cardiff.

Increased his CMA by 2.81 this year, super enthusiastic personality, interacts well with fans especially youngsters, captains the side again in 2025, presents himself well in tv media interviews e.g. BSN et al, and now asked back for his fourth year such is his perceived value to the club. A very positive character is Paco whose influence is bound to rub off on younger riders. If Paco is an example of an overrated rider by some, then others may say we need more Pacos in the sport.

Just hoping the fans get behind Danny as I feel it will be tough for him riding at 2 but the expectations should be lower For example Home To Belle Vue Heat 1…. Doyle Kurtz King Cook Heat 6… Doyle Bewley King Zischke Heat 8… King Cook Jenkins Mulford Heat 10 Doyle Lidsey King Blodorn Thats 6 points for Danny and doing his job… yes he could beat Lidsey but he could be beaten by Cook or Blodorn I hope true fans realise that he will have tough races at 2 and 6 or 7 points is fine not the 10 or 11 people expect

‘Old hands’ have always been part of speedway development leagues. Makes sense.

Not sure he would be allowed to carry his girlfriend into M&S ( unless she was deflated).

Arlington Stadium, Eastbourne, is still a fully operational stadium with a speedway track still in situ that the owners will not let anybody use.. That's really sad..