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I think Birmingham have put a very interesting and cosmopolitan team together and they might just surprise a few people. Hopefully, they can retain all seven riders throughout the full season and they certainly look a much more exciting bunch than last season. Will all the problems Birmingham have recently encountered (finances, crowds, lack of top riders etc), I'd just like to congratulate the management on the team they have ultimately assembled. Good luck and I hope your season is a success!

Vuolas was always likely to be available having been dumped by Belle Vue but I am surprised he has ended up at Birmingham, like the previous season when Tom was picked up by Birmingham having been dumped by Belle Vue.

As I said Peterborough City Council ignored its own local plan and the NPPF after a hastily arranged and very suspect appeals meeting. With the Chair shutting down any contentious discussion and then there was virtually no debate (compare that to the October meeting) at the end as everyone (or enough yes voters) funnily enough seemed to have made their mind up! The Planning and Environmental Protection Committee in October correctly refused the planning application for the following reasons (from the meeting minutes): 21.2 23/00412/OUT (where Peterborough Speedway sits) – EAST OF ENGLAND SHOWGROUND, OUNDLE ROAD, ALWALTON, PETERBOROUGH, PE2 6XE - The Planning and Environmental Protection Committee considered the report and representations. A motion was proposed and seconded to REFUSE the application. The Committee RESOLVED (For 6, Against 3, Abstention 1) to REFUSE the planning permission for the reasons set out below. REASONS FOR DECISION By virtue of the loss of the showground and speedway track, together with a quantum of dwellings which cumulatively would significantly exceed the allocated 650 dwellings on the showground site, the proposed development was contrary to Policies LP30 and LP36 and para 103 of the NPPF, and there were no other material considerations, including the NPPF “tilted balance” that carried such weight as to outweigh the conflict with the Development Plan. That decision should never have been overturned and the Chair, Councillor Harper, who made that decision was denied the opportunity to make representations at the planning appeal meeting by way of some sort of conflict of interest I'm led to believe? His Facebook post said that he'd been denied attendance for some reason that he didn't know? You would have thought that he'd be aware of conflict rules or would have had that communicated to him.? I don't really see how that differs from Councillor Fitzgerald who was the main AEPG/PCC mouthpiece at the October meeting: despite declaring in the minutes that when Leader of the Council he had been involved in the development of both EoES planning applications being considered as a liaison between the Council and the applicant. Isn't that a massive conflict, despite his alleged open mind? To rub salt in the wounds, Fitzgerald was then in the rouge four councillors who instigated the call in. To be fair to the BSPA, I think that they did as much as they could, apart from letting Chapman anywhere near our club in the first place. Absence of club and an AWOL uninterested owner was definitely a hindrance during Panthers fight for survival and factor at the appeals meeting particularly.

If Sheffield was that bad a track, I'm sure we'd see lots of Sheffield riders sidelined through injury. Like, for example, the end of the '23 season, when Tigers had to field 3 guest riders for the final, with Woofinden, Gilkes, Vissing and Jack Holder on the injury list. Or the '24 season, when Woofinden (again) was an absentee for half the season. The odd thing is, despite riding the Owlerton track week in and week out, NONE of them were injured at Sheffield... they ALL succombed to injuries elsewhere! As I've pointed out before, you have to go back to 2014 to find a Sheffield rider suffering serious injury on the (allegedly) "perilous" Owlerton track. It can't be that bad!

But if and when he disappears they will get a facility up to his average for the first month and 75%after that Oxford could get a rider to get them to the points limit and after he disappears continue with guests or sign a second string who will be a ever present but the team will be two points under the limit it’s so open to abuse

Oh dear, its only January and stories like this already

Get hold of Private Eye and let them loose on the story..... They love council decision making, and highlight plenty of "questions" around why decisions got made, after initially a completely different decision was announced.. Rotten Borough's is the title .

He come in on 17st 10lbs

I'd be very surprised if Vuolas doesn't increase his average. He's had less than half a season in the Prem, so would expect him do do better as he learns the tracks. Although I don't expect a massive improvement as it's a strong league these days.

I think Zagar would perform better than Klindt and Matej is one of my all time favourites. BUT I think from a club point of view Nicolai makes much more sense.

What.... a speedway promoter going against his word? No, sorry, not having that!

And Laurence pulled this trick at mildenhall too. Kaj laukkenen was signed on a short term contract. I asked the question directly at the first press conference and Laurence told me and the room that wasn’t the case. guess what happened

Incoming Nick Morris…

It’s not a bad side. I do worry that it will be incredibly inconsistent and I have question marks over Zagar and MJJ’s commitment But it’s considerably a better effort than 2024. Oxford are nailed on for the wooden spoon.

I would say given the points available it is a disappointing signing but I imagine the last signing for Oxford will be disappointing too.

I'd say Vuolas would be a good signing if they had 4.5 remaining, not so great when they had over 6. However, it was expected they would be building under the limit, so that's tempers any disappointment. I think Sedgmen is better now & would've picked him, but Vuolas is the better prospect for the future, so can understand the signing. Although that doesn't mean if he improves Birmingham will benefit in the future as he could move on (like Brennan).

Now nearly arrived for anyone wanting to purchase.

unfortunately he gets injured too often and when he comes back hes not the rider he was pre injury each time its a shame because at his best he was a very capable rider but those days are long gone imo

Won the Peter Craven in 2022....very capable rider, victim of the trendy names currently.

And hopefully Poole

Where did anybody say that any riders had been cleared by the BSPA?

Really don't know what you're struggling with. Riders are signed by clubs, and once contracts are signed and a press release is made to confirm the signing, they are added to the club's list of signed riders. Once a club has signed 7 riders, they have to be submitted to BSP Ltd, and ratified as a legal 1-7.

Assuming Kildemand is 6.00 [the inference to be drawn from the Berwick announcement], then 7.40.

Klindt or zagar is completely hypothetical as zagar wasn't available as he has polish commitments, Klindt doesn't. As a Plymouth supporter I would rather have Klindt.

The last rider should be obvious, youngish ,able to improve. That rules out all the other past it, over the hill guesses I'm reading here.

you are right the list is endless and the sport is badly run but i think the poor cardiff crowds is a result of external factors too cost of living in terms of affording to travel stay and eat/drink in the city covid the 2022 ploughed field and probably the novelty of the event wearing off a bit

For services to Polish Speedway?

Should be Sir Tai Woffinden before anyone else

So sad to see...