Halifaxtiger

Theoretically, there's nothing wrong with that. Arthur's post above is spot on, though. I think it will be difficult but not impossible to bring them all together - the points limit will remain in existence - and while there's no doubt wealthier clubs will cherry pick riders that happens in the PL now anyway. I certainly don't think that the NL should have to change in anyway to support any team that might be discarded as that risks the existence of teams at that level. The creation of a third league between the two others is possible, but no-one should be forced into it. I think the problem of amalgamation in terms of finances comes when clubs are forced up. Going down or staying the same (and we are talking about a PL level set up) should not involve the same issue.

Personally, I agree but you can't ride 46 league matches in a season, and that's what you would have. This way, you do get to see and visit northern clubs, just not all of them.

My groupings were: Edinburgh, Glasgow, Berwick, Newcastle, Redcar, Workington, Sheffield, Scunthorpe, Belle Vue, Leicester, Dudley, Wolverhampton. Plymouth, Poole, Somerset, Eastbourne, Lakeside, Rye House, King's Lynn, Peterborough, Birmingham, Coventry, Ipswich,Swindon. The Midlands clubs (Coventry, Dudley, Wolverhampton,Leicester, Birmingham) miss out on local derbies (to a degree) so they get their fixtures guaranteed - ie Dudley get Coventry and Birmingham, Birmingham get Leicester, Wolverhampton & Dudley. I actually think that in terms of travel costs the current PL clubs will do better, the current EL ones worse. Top level riders will be the current PL ones - ie Craig Cook, Jason Doyle etc. As most of the northern PL clubs already attract then, I don't think that is a problem. I suspect that if it is run like this the first season would be a bit of a pig's breakfast as far as teams were concerned. It should settle down more in future seasons. That stays in, mate - as do the play offs

And yet people can't stop opening new tracks. At present I know of 5 where there is more than limited interest - Cornwall, Norwich, Castleford, Bristol & Bradford. In the last 10 years, we have seen Scunthorpe, Leicester, Plymouth & Dudley all come back. No-one in their right mind would suggest that speedway isn't in the sick ward, because it is. But its not terminal. Next season - amalgamate the top two leagues, dump the top riders and let Dudley in. Divide the league into northern and southern sections, with 12 in each. Southern teams ride home and away against each other, as do northern ones. They also ride 6 matches against teams from the other grouping. Midland sides have matches guaranteed against each other. KO Cup to be national. Recruit riders from the NL (one per team) and from abroad to make up the gaps. Get a Sky deal at £25k per team. I suspect that most (if not all) teams would be in profit, breaking even or be close to that.

I must admit its a bit galling to hear someone from Leicester making adverse comments about other teams announcers. Their's aren't exactly out of the top drawer. Rob Godfrey is, though. I'd say he is one of the best, and having a straight man like Graham Tagg in the box only improves matters .

Spinny's right about Doyle and Barker - the latter has always looked unconvincing at Owlerton. Then again, Stead would have scored more than Lawson. Let's give the Tigers some credit. That was a battling performance, probably the best I have seen them give this season. Wells took the lead with another consistent display and has put the doubters very much in their place this season. Compton looks more like the rider of a few years ago every time I see him, only the graveyard gate 4 catching him out in heat 15. The young German lad was anything but outclassed and may yet be a prospect for the future. To me, though, the really important contribution came from reserve. Albin showed glimpses of the fine rider he can be and Greenwood's beating of Ellis and Hawkins was vitally important. He may yet get a deserved PL place next season. The mood was 'deflated' on the picnic benches - I think they all would have settled for that result at the start, but clearly hopes were raised only to be dashed. I don't think they even noticed me putting down my programme board and maligned hat ready to join in the celebrations when Sheffield won. How times have changed.

According to the Somerset website, very much so. I think you have hit the nail on the head here. Wright has been almost unbeatable in the NL this season but he's had a lot of chances in the PL and has been dumped by a number of clubs. There's no doubt that this is a gamble that could really backfire. Perhaps the timing of it is the worst thing, taking advantage of the fact that Lambert and Nielsen rode at home then dumping them for away matches on the close off day. While you could argue that it is simply good management to take every step to be successful, personally this crosses the line for me.

Nonsense. He is far better than that other bloke they used to have, you get the impression he is there for your benefit rather than the other way around and he knows his speedway. As far as I was concerned, his comments towards the refereeing decisions on Monday were spot on (taking into Rob's comments regarding the Auty exclusion above) and were what the fan on the terraces would say. He might get in trouble for it, but why shouldn't the announcer comment on crap decisions ? As to influencing the referee that is positively

Had the worst view in the stadium for that one - I was on the back straight - so I couldn't possibly comment. Thanks for the clarification on the Klindt tape breaking issue. One last thing : Having Mr Godfrey on the mic is a bit like having a Scunny fan from the terraces doing it - one with a bit of wit, that is. His 'you're having a giraffe' comment when the referee ordered a re run with two in heat 8 was priceless.

It'll be interesting to see who they bring in and what the reasons for this decision are but, at the moment, you have to say its an extraordinary one and that it is entirely possible that Nielsen's face simply doesn't fit. To me,its concerning that senior riders have so much influence over a team manager and promotion. He's put at least two points on his starting average and has been one of(if not the) best of the 3pt riders that joined the PL this season. It could yet backfire big time on the Rebels. I suspect its too late to get another place but I can't see him being out of work come 2014.

The meeting wasn't to usual Scunny standards, probably because of slick and dusty track. To be fair, it was very hot and somewhat breezy so such condtions are pretty much inevitable. One extraordinary point: the decision not to exclude Klindt when he touched the tapes in heat 5. True, virtually all the riders were moving but I have never seen a rider who then touches the tapes not be excluded in 50 meetings this season. Its the kind of refereeing inconsistency that annoys the hell out of supporters and does nothing to improve the reputation that they have.

Perhaps the strength of the comments - I haven't seen them - are a bit much but the number of mistakes made was ridiculous. I couldn't believe my eyes when updates stated that Blackbird was riding, and left me wondering who I was watching at Scunthorpe. I am sure I have made the odd mistake when texting updates but nothing like that and, bluntly, that's inexcusable.

One look at the score chart shows where your problem is - your reserves can't cut it. A bit of form from them and I'd say the Comets are as good as anyone, with Howarth again very impressive last night. There was the odd question about him getting heat 15 but I'd say he deserved it. Always good to see (and have an argument with) White Knight .

They could have done that when we had a big track grade after heat 8. Even allowing for injuries it went on too long. More than competitive, especially after getting wiped out in heat 9 by Schramm. Very good win to beat Bach in heat 15. Newcastle had no top end power and Workington's big four dominated. Howarth was especially impressive.

I don't think that will be a problem at all. I can see the track from where I am and it is very warm and sunny and every weather prediction says it is going to stay that way.

I was defending the Armadale circuit on Monday from some criticism because I have rarely seen a bad match at Edinburgh and while the second half of the meeting was pretty one sided there was some decent racing in the first part - enough for me to keep defending the track, anyway.

Dry. Doesn't look like it had rained or will rain other than the odd spot.

One last thing: I never ever eat speedway food but my pals from Plymouth told me that the burgers at Berwick are the best in the country. Can't comment on that, but they were bloody superb

Perhaps I should have said I was reasonably sure he said that..... He certainly did tell me that last weeks meeting was superb, as did Banditforlife. One swallow doesn't make a summer, though. We'll have to agree to disagree about Shielfield being a racers track. In my experience, it isn't and indeed never will be. What I give the Berwick promotion for - and I have said many times that Berwick have stepped up their game more than anyone else in the last few years - is that they do their best to ensure that it is as good as it can be. Even if it is accepted that the weather wasn't to blame for the track - and you live there, I don't - that on Saturday was wholly exceptional as far as I am concerned.

I was surprised that wasn't all four back.........but the decision to exclude North was definitely correct as far as I could see.

Thoroughly entertaining meeting. Have to say at the end I was rooting for the Tigers (which is probably why they lost). They rode their luck a bit but it was a battling performance, with Screen making a mockery of that I saw about a fortnight ago. He can stll beat the best. Jacobs, too, had a good meeting. Somerset are going to be a real handful for anyone in the forthcoming play offs.

I am sure my mate said it had rained heavily in Tweedmouth overnight (and he lives there). The track was poor but I made allowances for the very heavy shower that hit the place about 3pm and the forecast that we were due for more later (which didn't happen). Berwick is never going to be a brilliant racers track, but the current promotion have pulled out all the stops to make it as good as it can be. I can forgive them a one off at least partly caused by the weather.

Usual decent EWR meeting, with the highlight a storming heat 13 contest between Bech and Auty. Plymouth really seemed to have picked up two superb signings in the two Danes, because Jensen was equally as impressive.

We have had our disagreements in the past but I'd say every word of that is spot on. Well said indeed.

Without being too cruel (because his crash was horrific) Davey getting injured significantly assisted Edinburgh. He would have had to have had two more rides and its entirely possible he wouldn't have scored a point. The meeting would have been a lot, lot closer. I wasn't too impressed with the side the Tigers put out at the start of the season but what could go wrong has for Sheffield, particularly with injury. They had just rebuilt the side when Stead got injured, Koppe started to motor then the same thing happened and Roynon, too, seemed to be getting it together when he broke a collar bone. On top of that Haines - who could score some big points at Owlerton - retired. Merely brushing all that aside is most unfair and they are anything but the only team whose season has been destroyed by injuries. Very impressed with Greenwood. Agree on the crash - in a way, I am thankful it is only a broken leg.