topsoil

If you want to attract spectators to events these days you have to provide a "package" and not just 15 heats of racing. I have witnessed this on trips to various sporting events away from speedway this summer. Promoters need to take this on board, but it is likely to get the usual "but this costs money" reply. Glasgow are in the fortunate position where they can afford to spend a bit and good luck to them, they will be the ones reaping the rewards. As far as Leon Flint goes, he does look a good prospect, he's been going around Berwick for a few years now and is benefitting from starting to ride at an early age. As for being "signed" I doubt if it will be legal to sign him as I think he's barely a teenager (although I stand to be corrected on that, don't know his exact age).

Every team goes through bad spells. Fans just have to just grow a backbone and face up to it, until better times come round again.

I honestly don't think Alex Edberg is doing himself any favours. He looks like a man who is doing something he doesn't enjoy. As I've said before on here it looks like he's had one big crash too many and has lost his confidence and speedway is the wrong sport to be involved in if that's the case. You need to be absolutely fearless and once you've had some off the injuries Alex has it must be tough to come back without some of the mental scars.

When we've been relying so heavily on Doolan and Jorgensen so heavily, all it takes is for one of them to have an off-night (according to Doolan's twitter feed he blew his best engine last night) and this is the type of result you get. On to next week and the Cup now.

That's what I can't understand

Jason Bunyan?

Agree with a lot of your points, at least Berwick have a few "assets" now in Thornblom, Garcia and Liam. Would like to see Doolan, TJ and Vissing back, especillay after seeing TJ and Doolan improve this season, they have been excellent. The last place? Take your choice, give Barker another shot? Seb? David Bellego? Matej Kus?

I'm asking this question as I admit I have total ignorance in this department, but why is it that Berwick riders can't make the gate at home but often do away? Is the track at the start line set up different at Shielfield? I did hear Chris Louis say on Sky that bike set up can be difficult because you see the size of Shielfield and you immediately think of power, but it is a short run to the first corner and if you set the bike up for power it does not always get you off the start quickly.

Any time

Scored 7 and 8 in a couple of the meetings last season winning two races in each match. Not in the Cook category granted, but for a second string perfectly adequate. When he gets in front, difficult to catch.

Wolbert has upped his game considerably from last season. I've also seen Sedgeman have some cracking meetings around Shielfield. Richie Worrall, like his brother likes the track as well. Edinburgh do look strong, probably the strongest team I've seen this year. Certainly wouldn't label Doolan or Jorgensen "pish" if you want to give them an adjective try "100%ers". Garcia also seems to like chasing the dirt as witnessed by his sweep round Wolbert and chasing Sedgeman in heat 8. Couldn't fault his effort.

Sometimes you just have to hold your hands up and say you were beaten by a better team. Edinburgh far superior from the gate, very similar to the Peterborough match. On a positive note, the track produced some good racing later on in the meeting, Doolan brilliant, some great moves round the boards and up the back straight when you thought there was no gaps. Again TJ and the captain gave everything. Felt sorry for Garcia and Hall both falling trying to pass, can't fault the effort. Thornblom got better as the meeting went on, give him time, he looks like a decent second string. Really pleased for Liam Carr as well, coming back from the bad injury and showing he can perform at this level. Always like to see the local boy doing good. So to Glasgow.

Edinburgh by 6 tonight, unless the reserves can improve on the past two home meetings. Cook to go through the card, like King. I don't think he will be stopped tonight. Thornblom will take time to get used to the surroundings. Hopefully Garcia will chip in with a few. TJ and the captain need to keep up their superb form at the moment and hopefully Rohan Tungate will ride like he did last Saturday night. Hopefully we can ride on the crest of the performance at Rye House but my head tells me that Edinburgh will just be that little bit stronger, especially with Cook in three of the last five races.

Because PL standard riders see GP riders, who are professional riders, because they ride in several countries and make it pay that way, want some of the same and think they can become full time riders, but as you have pointed out, crowds cannot justify this. Hence the reason why as many tracks are struggling. Before the GP came along, how many full time riders at PL level would there be in British speedway? Certainly back in the 1980s and 1990s all the riders I knew had part time jobs to supplement any income they got from speedway. Even if it was working for the promoter's business in some fashion. Until speedway can either i) attract much better crowds ii) much bigger sponsorship or iii) secure a lucrative TV deal, the future is the past i.e. part-time or semi-professional riders

Does this mean he is a Coventry asset then? Or did he not ride enough meetings? Just I've read in various posts that he will be come a Berwick asset. This would sum speedway up in a nutshell

Had heard rumours a couple of weeks ago that the promotion were making an approach for him. Must admit I know next to nothing about the rider, but full marks to the promotion. The past couple of weeks have highlighted the vulnerability of the team and they have addressed the problem. Of course he will need time to settle in and get used to the track and hopefully the supporters will give him that. Give him a couple of meetings and then hopefully we will also have Claus back and be a seven man team again, Hopefully that will also some of the fans back again as well. Time for the third bend gang to get the Swedish flags out of mothballs. A 15 point maximum against Edinburgh will catapult him into Bandits folklore! The legend of Benny Johansson lives on :-)

Funniest thing I've seen on here for a long time. Excellent work!

Never in a million did I see that one coming. Given the fact that Rye House, behind Armadale, is probably our worst away track and our performances of late. Once again TJ and the captain went above and beyond. TJ has to be one of the signings of the season? Interesting to see from the reports above Rye House were 'given a lesson in gating', which I found amusing after the way we have been given lessons in that department by both Peterborough and Ipswich this week. Makes me wonder if starting gate surfaces at tracks can vary that much?

I'm all for voting TJ into the Berwick Hall of Fame already :-)

Has done well this season to get over a horrible injury he picked up over a year ago.

This will sound defeatist but I'll be surprised if we get 30 this afternoon. I reckon this will not be the type of track for Hall, Edberg or Garcia, who will have never seen the place before. Again a lot of pressure heaped onto TJ and the captain. No idea how Rohan tTungate goes around there, but a repeat of last night's performance from him would be welcome.

If ever a meeting showed how much we are missing Ben and Claus this was it. Five from r/r from Claus and 7 from Matej Kus guesting for Ben, well down on what you would normally get from them. Can't go on asking numbers 3 and 4 riders to do the jobs or numbers 1 and 2. Danny King outstanding tonight, nobody even close. Tungate not far behind. Took a cracking second bend by TJ to beat him in heat 14. Only consolation was Edberg had a decent night, might get his confidence up a bit.

Playoffs looking slim now, injuries catching up with us. We got away with it for a while, but you can't do it for ever. TJ and the captain are number 3 and 4 riders having to act as number 1 and 2 these days and are giving it their all. Garcia will take time, something you don't have when you are struggling. To be effective we need one / both of the reserves to fire. That's not been the case in the last two meetings and it's been our downfall.

Huge meeting in the context of the season for Berwick this, a second home defeat in the space of a week could have a devastating effect on crowd levels, as we saw at the start of the season after defeats to Edinburgh and Glasgow. Danny King will take a lot of stopping, Manzares and Tungate are good heat leaders and I was very impressed with Stefan Nielsen when Ipswich were up in the Cup. Just glad they won't have Richie Hawkins this time. Which Berwick will turn up? which Richard Hall will turn up? which Matej Kus will turn up? You know what you will get from TJ and the captain, they have been brilliant this season. Garcia needs time, but you can see improvements. One for next season. Will Edberg be back?

It may well be the way to go, start all over again, so to speak. I can the "new" National League being inundated with clubs trying to join next season. It has saved the likes of Birmingham and Eastbourne. From what you hear, there are a lot of Premier League clubs struggling this season and may look to the National League as a way of surviving in the meantime. Unfortunately I don't there are just not enough riders around at that level to cope with more teams joining. Unfortunately the sport is being mismanaged massively. Because the promoters basically make the rules up themselves, they are only interested in helping themselves, by making small adjustments like tweaking the points limit, bringing in tactical rides, scrapping bonus points for aggregate wins etc. and not taking long term views on fundamental issues like rider availability, safety, machinery costs, track preparation / covering.