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After the way that people have been messed around with the Cardiff cancellation, this situation is very poor and is showing total contempt for the fans. I understand the logistical problems in arranging 2 GP's at relatively short notice and working out the costing etc. But a statement explaining the reasons for the delay would go a long way, rather than the wall of silence.

Fair comment. He was one of speedways great stylists, a great team rider as team riders go in the modern era, totally focussed, and machines were always immaculate. In fact one could say he had all. That is all except possibly the most important quality of all and that is the killer instinct. Perhaps he was just a little too much of a fair rider, too much of a sportsman, to have the absolute hunger and will to win. Maybe he would have won the top prize if he had been a little more of a hard man, but if he had been harder he probably wouldn’t have been held in the high esteem we all seem to hold him in.

Always people want to knock any thing Poole do.Pretty pathetic really.

Would be very 'speedway' if Marson is in it...and wins it over Cairns! We all know who the better rider will end up being but it would make me chuckle all the same.

Anybody seen Trackprat, or is he still on school holidays

I genuinely thought that he would of been well suited to the new system when it first came in in the mid 00's . From memory, I think he got a runners up medal the year Pedersen won it in 07 or 08. But think Pedersen was streets ahead of the rest that season. As said, just as good as Crump in the leagues for me but when it came to GP's, he wasn't in the Elite class. Had he stuck around longer before retiring (think he was well under 40 when he called it a day) he could well of gone on to do well in the GP's , once Pedersen and Crump weren't dominating. Look at Hancock, OK he won his first title amongst great company but his last 3 titles were won when the likes of Crump and Pedersen were fading and the top end of the series was nowhere near as strong as it once was. Be a toss up between Crump and Adams for best EL rider ever though.

Love Adams, brilliant rider in league speedway. Stylish as they come. However, calls of him being the best rider to not win a world title are a bit off. He really never looked like winning one and was in the GPs for a long time.

Wait till the season starts, they will be out in full swing

For a contrary view I usually turn first to the Foreign Newsdesk - all the contributors do a great job and I'd happily see them given more space. I agree with you that it's rare to find a rider interview that is genuinely illuminating and that given the circumstances the Star does well to keep going.

That’s not his job or responsibility. He’s riding in the biggest, best paid league in the Speedway World. Why would he travel to other countries for peanuts. He owes nothing. We no longer have any entrepreneurs to entice him for any reason. It’s a promoters job to promote. His English is understandable. I’m sure he’s very happy what he’s doing.

Bet Poole would not hold this meeting if a certain Willie Cains was not in the ndl

Is one of them "The Briggo Bone Dome"?

Plenty of street parking on Stanley Grove which is handy for South Stand if you are standing

It's a bit away, as you said, but not a bad shout to save money on hotels. We've used Preston South Premier inn a few times for football in Lancashire as its always cheap, is close to the motorway junction & has ample free parking. The restaurant isn't great, but there's a big pub opposite which is better & does a good breakfast too. You have to take a 10 minute train ride from Bamber bridge to Preston in order to get the Manchester train though.

https://www.curtis-sport.com/belle-vue-aces

If Ipswich is tricky,, good job these riders don't have to visit lakeside, wolves and Eastbourne anymore then

I think its good that one of the so called best teams get dumped out the cup early....it gives one of the other teams (most likely Sheffield/Kings Lynn) a chance of some silverware 😃 (mind you....does silverware count for much these days?) that's a whole new topic I guess!

Incredibly difficult to predict opening meetings when you have no kind of form guide. In theory Ipswich should comfortably win the tie on aggregate because they have a better side, that’s a fact. BUT, Ipswich have more questions that need answering than Belle Vue. Has King’s hand surgery worked? Or will he still be heavily restricted in his movement? Doyle’s first competitive meeting for nearly a year, will he be sharp or sluggish. You never know how riders start the season either, even world class riders. Emil last year had all sorts of issues mechanically and didn’t get going for a couple of months. He inevitably found the solutions and started blitzing everybody again but it just shows it’s almost impossible to predict opening meetings.