topsoil

The British Youth Championships have got as much as anything to do with the increase in quality of riders coming through, year on year it seems that more good young riders are getting into the system. Hopefully those in charge can see this and give it all the support they can. Meeting against other countries are an excellent idea, the more experience they can get of different environments the better.

Makes sense, the team will be put together within a budget, understandable given the financial constraints. The majority of this team made up the side which just missed out on the playoffs last season and had a really good chemistry about it. It has local interest in Leon. At least three other riders live locally, so cutting down on travelling expenses. All the riders familiar with the home track. Happy with that.

There they go, gazumping again :-)

Allsvenskan?

Ken Barlow?

According to the BBC website, the final is on the 9th. So the chances of a big screen at the speedway are slim :-)

Probably the most sensible post you've ever made :-)

Touche. I suppose you could add Rymel, Makovsky and Franchetti to that list as well.

When have we ever had a GP star ride for us?

Not on here, surely? The forum is positivity personified :-)

Spot on, speedway has become an arms race. The top GP riders have a stable of bikes and a "team" behind them at every GP. That filters all the way down. Everybody has to have that "edge" or they are being left behind. Finding a way to limit these costs has to be the way to go.

Promise?

Been a good signing for Berwick for the two seasons he rode here. Had some cracking races last season and interacted well with the fans. Would be a good man to have in your corner to help out, especially passing his knowledge on to younger riders. Always came across as a genuine character and fitted in well with the club. Good luck to him.

This would be financial suicide for a lot of Championship clubs, many of whom are struggling to afford running at Championship levels, never mind increasing costs to compete with the Premiership clubs. But as long as it pleases a few "elite" clubs, who cares?

And where would the extra riders come from? There aren't enough to solve the doubling up problem at the moment, let alone provide a squad for each club.

Speaking as a neutral (I support a Championship team) I cannot understand the annual whinge about the playoffs. Why do they do nothing for the integrity of the sport? It isn't cheating or anything underhand. Why are the "happenings difficult to understand"? It's there in black and white, top 4 teams into the playoffs, semi finals and final. Every U S sport does it this way, rugby union (all countries across the board), rugby league (both here and Australia), there are probably others, but I don't follow that many. Does it do "nothing for the integrity" of those sports? Fans don't just go to watch the final, the playoffs just attract more casual fans because the meetings are more important.

So your solution to covering injuries is?

It's been a tough season scoring wise for Kyle Bickley, but credit to him, the club and the fans for sticking to it. I suppose it helps when the rest of the team are scoring enough points to still win, had Workington been struggling, would the same scenario be true? But riding for your home town team certainly gains you a bit more leeway with fans etc.

I can't see why Berwick wouldn't be the best option for him on the next step of his career. He would get all the support he needed from local fans, he would be popular, Berwick have shown in the past they stick by their riders, he would have plenty of local sponsors. If he (hopefully) progresses further, then he moves on.

His crash at Berwick was one of the worst ive ever seen. How anybody could come back from that beats me.

Great way to end the season for a team that was supposed to finish last.

Exactly, but because this is Poland and Poland can do no wrong, nothing is said. Must admit, this was my first taste of Polish speedway this season, usually I haven't got time to watch anything, but tonight I had a bit of spare time. I watched the first half dozen heats, all processional, massive long gaps of silence in the commentary and when he does speak, he shouts at nothing exciting at all. For all that moan at the Sky / BT coverage, they should get a load of this and be thankful for what they have. i switched off after heat 6, I couldn't take any more of the shouting and the racing was boring me. Give me live action, where I can speak away to friends after races any day. Had this been a British meeting there would have been no end of "another nail in the coffin" comments.

Was always going to be the case, as other teams catch up with their games in hand. Might sneak 7th but more likely to be 8th, unless unexpected away points can be picked up. Decent finishing position, given that we were expected to finish bottom by many in pre-season predictions. Finished the season strongly at home with cracking big wins against Edinburgh, Glasgow and Peterborough, all possible playoff teams.

I would be very surprised if we see GP riders in Britain for a long time and I am happy with that, if it means security for the clubs in the long run, as it is obvious it would be financial suicide to try and match the wages riders can attract in Sweden and Poland, along with their other demands. I could see a few fans being attracted back, but not near enough to meet the additional costs. There has been a lot said about the 8 point rule and I don't know if this rule is the cause of this, but the league table, minus one team, is a lot closer than usual this season, which should, in turn, have created a more exciting finish to the season.

I think you misunderstood me, I would like to see every team run a junior side as part of second half racing, not as a separate team on a different night. These juniors would be part of the NJL, MDL, SJL set up, rather than National League. It would be set up for riders starting off in the sport and on 125, 250 and 500cc, a stepping stone towards the National League. I realise in the past many clubs have tried to run second teams in the National League and yes, it is very tough financially. Only clubs who are lucky enough to own their stadiums can really justify it, which is a shame, because I still think in the long run, it is the best way to establish riders in the sport.