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The sublime Bengt Jansson going out to the fence on bend 3 of the last lap before swooping under an opponent to take the win. Poetry in motion.

You should have tried Brooklands at Romford for getting close to the action. The "Safety Fence" there was interesting.

After attending Rye House yesterday I think that the sport in the UK is currently run at an incompentance level. What they should be aiming for is to bring the sport up to an amateur level. This can be done by scraping team speedway, getting a mainstream motorcycle manufactuerer involved, standadise equipment and getting the the riders to pay to participate. This happens in the majority of amateur motorsport and for the organisers ensures profitability and continuity for their sports. So what about the professional side of speedway in the UK. Well that is dead now and should be left to the people who know how to do it Poland and Sweden.

I went tonight. Absolute shambles and I left at 8.30pm. The electrics at Rye were always dodgy in Len's day as the call always used to go out for Steve Naylor when the they went wrong. The fixture should be restaged and if Lakeside can't do so within the timeframe left of the season they should be chucked out.

Don't know about guest availability but two Lakeside riders in the Whoppa.

Quote M Ford: "It's a great club," he added. "It's well run and it makes a profit, which is unusual in any form of sport. See https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/speedway/45823480 One out the last four years ain't bad is it?

Notwithstanding the spectator viewing aspect of this, what about the rider's view which is far more important from a safety aspect. If a rider can't see a faller and hits them I can really see the doo-doo hitting the fan. Whoever signs off the track for racing should take this into consideration.

I think it may be a shock to some who stand on the back straight. I think that there will be a new supporter accessory that will overtake the fishing chair in popularity. The step ladder! Will need one to see the opposite straight over the jumps.

Have a look at what's on the centre green at Rye now: http://www.ryehouserockets.co/news.php?extend.1514 Lots of people ain't gonna be very happy!

Norbold I have just finished your wonderful book and your description of your childhood mirrors my own memories, although I was born a bit later than you in 1954. My first meeting attended was Hackney vs Belle Vue in 1966 and as they say once your hooked. A mate of mines dad worked on the gate and used to let us in for nothing when his boss wasn't around. Don't tell Uncle Len. I too lived in a "detached bungalow" in Chalgrove Road just off of Morning Lane and partook in the "Food of the Gods" at F Cookes in Dalston. I didn't quite make it to Parmiter's but my brother did and so I had to make do at Upton House instead. Even if you're not an eastender this a fascinating read in social history and is highly recommended.

Going to the West Country on Easter Monday so thought go a day earlier and take in the Swindon/Rye meeting as not been to the Abbey before. Travelodge booked on the cheapest no refund deal (I know, never trust a speedway fixture list) and now this has happened. The Rye website says that up to three of their riders could be missing, hence the rearrangement. Very angry about this. This is the thin end of the wedge and the season hasn't started yet. I reckon the Poles will encroach into UK protected days with rearrangements in future, you mark my words. So any sensible suggestions for alternative entertainment in Swindon on Easter Sunday evening (sensible ones only!).

2017 Regulations extract: 16.2.4 The BSPA are responsible for the calculation, production and circulation of Rider’s MA’s 16.2.5 At the end of each Season the BSPA will produce a Listing of all riders who have competed in British Speedway during that season and following approval and/or amendment at the BSPA AGM’s these MA’s (i.e. excluding Bonus Points but including other allowances) will be the Riders MA for the start of the following Season. 16.2.6 These MA’s will remain effective for Team Building, Team Positioning, Facilities, rider eligibility for Heat 15 etc. until new MA’s becomes effective. BSPA conference 18 - 20 November 2017. Final averages issued 22 November 2017. Max Clegg issued with a 2.00 point average. Max Clegg rode 2 home and 2 away for Wolves at an average of 1.75. So who is right and who is wrong on this one?

Link to elevation plan of building. http://pa1.swindon.gov.uk/publicaccess/files/152F0B2323F327FC3553E7FFDA63EFD4/pdf/S_RES_18_0027-ELEVATIONS-646103.pdf

For fans of Traxcitement the theme from the Magnificent Seven.

Spot on, although this is what they intend to do but over a longer period. The 8 point rule is designed to restrict foreign riders over for this year and hopefully encourage British talent to come through. This will also bring the standard of the top leagues even closer together culminating in one big league in I suspect 2020. The tac sub rule will get some bloke in the north east to attend again and the starting rule could possibly be about transponders. The biggest problem that there is no mention of is the TV contract, without which the top tier will have to cut its cloth accordingly.

Whats missing from this that was in the Bournemouth Echo article is that the Readypower 2 year deal was worth at least £100000 to Poole. If a sponsor of this magnitude cannot be found by Ford then I think this is the reason that Holder Snr will not appear. The Poole team will be made up of assets as I suspect that loan fees will have to go as well, hence no Ellis. Matt Ford has never nurtured British talent (with exception of Newman) and this year his failure to so may just bite him on the backside. We all await with interest this year's Poole lineup.

Please see my post no 195.

This is from Chris louis on the Ipswich website that clears up how converted averages will work: The former two-times British champion believes the new ‘one average’ based on Premier League figures brings a common ground between the two leagues. “It brings a commonality in terms of team building in both leagues and then the conversion figure will be adjusted in May when they are both up and running and we can see what it is. It was a team building formula and its simple and it works and that’s why they are going to Premier League averages so that everything is done the same way. “It had to be done because the previous Elite League format had confused the averages and they needed to fall in line with Premier League averages. Furthermore, the base average is now two as opposed to three and the number seven rider has to be British but does not have to be a two pointer in our league.” The current Sky Sports pundit is also pleased that team changes will not be permitted after July 31 saying the new system is more in line with other sports. “What Poole did at the end of the season didn’t look morally right and what Peterborough did in a bid to make the play-offs didn’t look right to me. Had they (Peterborough) have made the play-offs and then succeeded and did well, that wasn’t the team that had got them there and done well. We’re trying to make that fairer and other sports do it with transfer windows so I’m happy with that change.”

This is from Chris louis on the Ipswich website that clears up how converted averages will work: The former two-times British champion believes the new ‘one average’ based on Premier League figures brings a common ground between the two leagues. “It brings a commonality in terms of team building in both leagues and then the conversion figure will be adjusted in May when they are both up and running and we can see what it is. It was a team building formula and its simple and it works and that’s why they are going to Premier League averages so that everything is done the same way. “It had to be done because the previous Elite League format had confused the averages and they needed to fall in line with Premier League averages. Furthermore, the base average is now two as opposed to three and the number seven rider has to be British but does not have to be a two pointer in our league.” The current Sky Sports pundit is also pleased that team changes will not be permitted after July 31 saying the new system is more in line with other sports. “What Poole did at the end of the season didn’t look morally right and what Peterborough did in a bid to make the play-offs didn’t look right to me. Had they (Peterborough) have made the play-offs and then succeeded and did well, that wasn’t the team that had got them there and done well. We’re trying to make that fairer and other sports do it with transfer windows so I’m happy with that change.”

I missed that. Balance sheet has "Intangible assets" - £10000. Rider contracts possibly?

I did look by directors' names as well. If you search for Chris Van Straaten it shows he is a director of Cradley, Redcar and what appears to be his families Steel stockholding business. Absolutely no mention of Wolves. So Wolves may trade a sole trader or partnership (both highly unlikely) and therefore do not have to file accounts at Companies House. Alternatively as MrMungo says they could trade as ABC Limited and have directors not known to speedway circles. This makes it very difficult to trace.

Interesting that you mention this. If you look at my avatar you will see that the captain of the cycle speedway team (Hackney Cheetahs) is connected with Go speed. For my sins I am kneeling at the front, left hand side.

Unfortunately you cannot tell who is making a profit or not as published limited company accounts can be submitted to Companies House in an abbreviated format that does not require a profit and loss account to be submitted. However the abbreviated accounts do contain a balance sheet that does contain relevant information. When reading a balance sheet the net worth which is Total asset minus Total liabilities is the indicator of the solvency of the company. If the net worth is a negative value then the company is technically insolvent. However it may still continue to trade under the behest of its creditors. I have looked through Companies House records and have found information on the following speedway clubs: Track, Date Set up, Accounts Date, Net Worth, Belle Vue Mar-12 Mar-15 (£38,631) Berwick Dec-08 Dec-15 (£151,266) Birmingham Mar-15 Dec-15 £37,166 BMR (Rye) Mar-14 Dec-15 £100 Coventry Nov-11 Nov-15 (£25,591) Eastbourne (old) Dec-37 Dec-15 £676,608 Eastbourne (new) Jan-15 Jan-16 No a/cs yet Edinburgh Jan-86 Dec-14 (£172,962) Glasgow Sep-12 Nov-15 (£152,016) Cradley Nov-12 Nov-15 (£23,063) Ipswich Mar-89 Feb-16 £1,510 IOW (old) Dec-97 Feb-15 (£105,595) IOW (new) Jun-16 Jun-17 No a/cs yet Kent Jan-13 Jan-15 £996 Kings Lynn (old) Mar-15 Mar-15 £78,896 Kings Lynn (new) Feb-16 Feb-17 No a/cs yet Leicester Aug-09 Oct-14 £565,000 Poole May-02 Feb-16 £101,625 Somerset Feb-11 Feb-15 (£44,821) Swindon Sep-13 Nov-15 (£23,227) Redcar Dec-05 Feb-16(£140,437) From the above showing so may clubs having a negative Net Worth you can see that in the main UK speedway is being financially propped up by the promoters personally, or by a company they are involved in outside of the sport. There is however one UK company that is doing rather well out of speedway and due to its size has to publish full accounts. Its Turnover for year ending December 2015 was £7,850,975, net profit before tax was £1,492,161 and the Net Worth was £5,652,682. Any guesses which company this is?

Lindback news on the BSPA website. All as reported before with the four added words "subject to BSPA approval". The story continues.....?

Poole won the toss and took the advantageous inside gates. The track had some dirt on it and the riders were having difficulty in controlling their bikes in the early heats. Holder, Ellis and Starke were half a bike to a bikes length better out of the gate than Lakeside. Passing in the early heats were through mistakes rather than good riding, however the superior gating by Poole ensured that they got heat winners on the board. The break for rain was followed by a greasy track with Stake taking a tumble on the 3/4 bend which was followed by extensive track work. Dirt was taken off the track and it slickened up. Poole's superior gating ability ensured that the heat winners kept flowing and the Lakeside riders could not get near to them. The latter half of the meeting saw Ricky Wells come to the party to exacerbate Lakesides' problems. Three heat winners only for Lakeside had a not very happy Cook apologise to the crowd. The crowd was below average for a normal Lakeside meeting and the racing was mainly FTG. Poole should retain their crown with no problems whatsoever. For Lakeside another season of mediocrity.