Halifaxtiger

Fair point............but it will be a better meeting as a result of their inclusion. Me too. Top field, weather looks good and Mildenhall is a brilliant race track.

I disagree. A fair point can be made that testimonials should only be awarded to riders who have spent ten years with the same club (or, at least, the same parent club) but to suggest that benefit meetings given to riders who have merely completed ten years is 'undeserved' is wide of the mark. I'd say that a benefit meeting is an opportunity to thank a rider for 10 years service to the sport and, given the relatively paltry earnings made by many (I was told last night that Stead has a job outside speedway as he otherwise couldn't make ends meet) a fully deserved financial bonus for the person concerned. Still, as Iffoid says, if you don't like it you don't have to go.

I saw someone with a young blind lad; hope you both enjoyed it. Strangely, there wasn't much passing and Rye House never even got close, yet I was very glad I went. The meeting took two hours but it seemed to pass very quickly. Rye House, an unlucky Morley and Chessell apart., were poor and it was sad to see Sarjeant, Franklin & Hazelden struggling, because I had hopes for all three.

Week in, week out, Peterborough is better than that ? In my (albeit limited) experience it isn't (but its still one of my favourite tracks). Quite. There can be little doubt that that meeting was a huge success and a superb advert for British Speedway. Why on earth would you want to move it elsewhere ? I am firm believer that if someone makes a success of a bif event they get it again, if they don't, they don't. I am was no fan of King's Lynn or the Chapman's but quite simply they deserve next years round after that.

Hyde Road certainly. Plough Lane could be fantastic, especially when packed to the rafters. To throw in a wild card, St Boniface Arena Plymouth. Usually big crowds and good atmosphere, some excellent company and the racing on that tiny track has to be seen to be believed.

I agree, Matt. Groups look a little lop sided to me, too. Stoke, Dudley, Mildenhall & King's Lynn for the semi's. I fancy a Fen Tigers win.

The thing is Mick is that the Leicester track isn't a 'dog'. Dogs don't produce a meeting of the quality that I saw against Scunthorpe. So the much maligned shape isn't, after all, completely to blame because if you can produce a meeting like that once you can do it again. It seems that fingers should not be pointed at David Hemsley so much (and, to his great credit, he is the most visible promoter I have seen for a long time - every time I am there, he is wandering round talking to people) as at the Leicester riders. I suspect that the theory that they were responsible for the change in surface to the appalling one against Plymouth is true. Its one reason why I have always said that you prepare tracks for spectators, not riders, because spectators pay, riders get paid.

I am not so sure. Branford's performances at NL level this season haven't been that impressive and he never looked like scoring points at Redcar. I think Blackbird would be a much better choice.

I think we agreed on that at the time and I will agree now. Stoneman did look very good but I too thought Bates was very impressive indeed.

Well said indeed Based upon the match against Scunthorpe, that is simply not true and Leicester is no more of a gaters paradise than virtually any other PL track.

Coldish ? the master (or is that mistress ?) of the understatement Can you tell me the teams please, Jayne ?

I didn't think the crowd was that bad - around the 500 mark - although it was well down on the league match last season between the two clubs. A freezing night, rain blowing about in the area, a challenge match and the FA cup all probably had their effect. Stoke have been at fault in the past for delays in meetings but they can't be accused here. Two nasty looking accidents (particularly the second) and there is always going to be a hold up. Worrall never looked liked getting beaten and broke the track record in the process (although one or two times were questionable). Birks wasn't quite as dominant as I thought he would be, and Stoke's long tail was all too obvious. They won't be able to carry two riders all season. Ben Reade showed flashes of real ability last year and this was easily the best I have seen him ride, with some sharp gating and a superb pass of Ritchings. For the Heathens, Perry looked good - a couple of very fine passes on Birks - and with Roynon in they will be a handful for most teams home and away.

Kerr will bounce back, he's a terrific rider. Very few will pass Heeps this season at NL level, home or away. Lowe was very impressive indeed.

Nonsense. I didn't see Blackbird do anything wrong in either heat - certainly nothing that I haven't seen many, many other riders do. In heat 9 (and I have seen a very good replay of it), Nathan Stoneman clipped the back of Blackbird's bike in a tight first corner and that sent him ramming into Lowe, nothing more. Cockle's reaction was entirely unnecessary and in sharp contrast to Blackbird's sporting gesture when they returned to the pits.

Personally, I think that Volty has been pretty fair in his comments concerning Leicester Speedway. He has been critical of the fact that track improvements were not made and shown concern for the club if things don't improve, but is not one of those who refuse to return without actually finding out whether it is better this season. Voice of reason (amongst others)for me.

You're dead right too. It might be the promoters job to promote, but there is no better form of advertising than word of mouth. From what I saw against Rye House things have improved but, for all those who criticise Robert's postings, he has a point. Everyone knew the track shape needed to be changed and in Glyn Taylor the club had the man to do it. 'Short term financial pain' in this instance, is most certainly better than the potential alternative.

I think you are dead right here and indeed that's pretty much when Glyn Taylor proposed to do. The problem is that they would have to move all the drains and that will be pricey. Whatever the case, the track and the racing on Saturday was better than last year and for that reason alone they deserve at least another shot. I am glad I went and will go back.

Should be a cracker. Fen Tigers by 8.

I agree Dark horses for me.

Have you been to Plymouth ? In my experience gating is not the be all and end all there - in fact, I'd say its one of the best racing tracks in the country and some of Barker's rides from the back there last year were absolutely fantastic. A good example is to be found on the Plymouth v Edinburgh thread where Barker passess and re-passes Wolbert - definitely no slouch himself. He also averaged over 11pts a match there last season, so the number of opposition riders who actually beat him was very small indeed and there's no reason why a rider of Fisher's quality shouldn't be the same.

When I saw Barker at Owlerton he wasn't that impressive and no-one will know better (or give a more honest opinion) than Spinny. Having said that, I think that it is at home that he is referred to as being nigh on unbeatable and an 11pt average last season says that's true.Fisher can do the same, and what's just as important is that they are both terrific riders to watch. MikeyT was dead right when he said the signing of Franchetti is a disappointing one. A 5.5 or 6pt rider would make a significant difference. Pint of bitter says Plymouth finish above Sheffield

Very honest and fair and, in my view, probably all too accurate. I still think the Devils will be tough to beat at home and, thanks to the presence of Barker & Fisher, competitive (but winning very few if any) away. I think you have hit the nail on the head with that three point gap. A 5.5 rider slotting in could have made an enormous difference.

He is a gamble but on a small tight track like Plymouth he could be a real asset. I think that's dead right - I certainly can't see them getting in the play offs. I do, however, believe they will be very difficult to beat as SBA where the long tail is less of an issue. Barker averaged over 11 there last season and Fisher should do about the same. That's 26 or 27 points per match from those two alone, leaving just 20 from the remaining 5 and Glanz, Cockle and Franchetti are all easily capable of scoring that never mind Boxall and Holder. I think the problem with Plymouth is that its a question of what might have been; the location means that getting riders there is always going to be a problem but you can't help but believe that the team should be better than it is.

I think they will be a real handful at home, certainly as the new riders settle in. To illustrate the point, Plymouth beat Sheffield at home last season without Barker and Fisher. I think its fair to suggest that those two will be nigh on unbeatable at SBA, so that's nine heat wins and two 5-1's in most meetings and that's going to take a fair bit of turning round. Cockle banged some big scores in at home at the tail end of last season (albeit at reserve) and Franchetti did a few as well. Glanz will be a very decent reserve there and Boxall will be a 6-7 point man. I think Plymouth will take some real beating at SBA and the presence of Fisher and Barker means they will be reasonably competitive away.

See you there The 'chublet'