topsoil

Genuine question. What would be more beneficial to British speedway. Four to six test matches a year, or the same number of rounds of Elite League fixtures? Spread the Test Matches around the tracks, promote them like hell, try and get TV coverage, so the BSPA can make some money and spread the profits around the tracks. It would probably do the Britain team a lot of good as well, get the team used to riding with each other and against top quality riders at Grand Prix level intensity. Unfortunately I could never see the BSPA going for this, as British promoters, in the current financial climate, are too busy looking after their own back. In their eyes its all about survival rather than seeing the bigger picture.

Personally would love to see a return to the Test Matches, with Poland, Denmark, Sweden, USA, Australia, even Russia, Czech Republic. Half a dozen matches a season, some away, would be an ideal warm-up for the World Cup. But there is little chance of this happening with the current number of league meetings.

Good news that Liam Carr is fit to make a comeback, after the nasty injury. In an ideal world the Berwick team would be made up from seven local riders. But in the meantime just to see a local rider in the sport is encouraging. Hopefully start back in the NL, get his confidence back. Nicki Barrett has always been good around Glasgow. I'm actually quite surprised Glasgow haven't snapped him up yet. On a favourable average for what he would score there each week.

Nice performances from Thomas and Claus, both guesting tonight. Thomas 12 for Redcar in the (surprise?) win at Scunthorpe and Claus top scoring for Peterborough with 13 at Somerset. Hopefully the expected rain clears up in time to see the meeting tomorrow night. Even without Stead and Bellego, Sheffield have brought in quality replacements and it has all the makings of a cracker.

The forecast sounds like the perfect example where covers would come in handy. Sounds like another bad night for Alex at Ipswich, three retirements. But encouragingly, three heat wins for Claus at Redcar.

Big personal disappointment Stead and Bellego not riding, would have really looked forward to their clashes with Bandits top 4. Stead v Barker (when both fully fit etc.) is the type of clash that the Premier League should highlight. Bellego could be brilliant or ordinary around Berwick. Stead was awesome at Berwick last year. really like his riding style. Still a very close meeting call IMO.

Personally don't think they will. Mid table to bottom half I reckon. Reason for that is a lot of Premier League teams have got stronger this season, Glasgow, Edinburgh, Ipswich, Somerset, Workington, Sheffield (looking very strong until Simon Stead unfortunate crash) then you have Newcastle, Rye House, both look decent. Just on Simon Stead, I was sad on a purely selfish note to hear of his injury. I was looking forward to see the likes of him riding against Ben this season. If Ben gets himself fit and on good machinery, battles between him, Claus and the likes of Simon Stead and plenty others, would have been something to look forward to. Simon Stead was brilliant up here last season.

One in the eye for all the Jorgensen-bashers last night (one in particular on here, man of many names) who said all winter he wasn't good enough.

It's easy to come on here and fans to say sign this rider and that, what we never know are things like wage demands, does a rider want to ride certain nights, etc.

My wishlist for the ELRC and all similar events:- 1. The BSPA try and get a sponsor to cover all the events. 2. Bring the prices down and basically get as many people through the gates as possible, you want capacity crowds. 3. TV coverage for all the events, even if a league fixture has to be sacrificed in return. 4. Promoters, riders, officials create an environment where these events are seen as the pinnacle of the domestic season. All riders should want to ride in them, all fans should want to go to them. 5. Once on TV, give the sponsors the maximum amount of exposure possible.In front of a TV audience and a big crowds. Give sponsors their moneys worth and then some. then they will come back, with bigger deals. 6. Pull out all the stops to make sure the event goes ahead, if this means increasing the stadium workforce for the day, getting more workers for the track etc. so be it. Never have a repeat of the 2014 ELRC meeting. Hopefully this would get the sport back to a situation whereby clubs actually benefit from these "shared events" and the profile of the sport is raised again. It's a sorry sign that at the moment, these events seem to be seen by some as a nuisance or a distraction.

On the whole, the sport could help itself by reducing the gaps between races to as little as possible, i.e. putting the two minute warning on soon after the previous race has finished. Then introduce more races to compensate for the meeting speeding up, so fans are still getting a couple of hours of entertainment. There will always be injuries and if a rider is badly hurt, you can appreciate the delay, surely anybody with sense can understand that. As long as there is constant communication to the fans, music, interviews with riders / officials / even fans, this should provide a distraction while the rider is being seen to.

These people are already attending, trying to suggest ways of increasing the attandances.

Or have a sign like the one outside The Oak Tree Arena? Better make sure its padlocked tho!

This could be a huge untapped market in the summer months when Berwick is swelled by holidaymakers. Get around Berwick, Haggerston, Eyemouth holiday camps and even if its free or heavily discounted admission get as many of the tourists through the gates as possible. I don't know if the club promotes at these sites just now, but it could pay dividends to get a couple of riders, a bike, a DVD of some of the races and hand out some flyers.

Genuine question, to a businessman, what sort of promotion work do you think would get more people through the gates? Leaflets throughout the town? Reduced admission? Adverts on local radio? Wonder what the best way to get your message out there with the minimum budget.

That could be levelled at the sport in general, the lack of promotion.

Both dyed in the wool speedway people. Good luck to both.

Cheers, I'll look out for that Excellent, thank very much That's great, thank you

Tried in there, excellent website, but doesn't cover these years unfortunately Brilliant, much appreciated

Can anybody help with the scorers in these matches:- Stoke v Berwick National League 19.8.1976 Peterborough v Berwick National League 30.8.1976 Berwick v Canterbury National League 9.4.1977 Berwick v Coatbridge National League 23.4.1977 Workington v Berwick National League 10.6.1977 Mildenhall v Berwick National League 10.7.1977 Oxford v Berwick National League 28.7.1977 Canterbury v Berwick National League 29.8.1977 Crayford v Berwick National League 30.8.1977 Peterborough v Berwick National League 2.9.1977 Stoke v Berwick National League 29.9.1977 Eastbourne v Berwick K O Cup Final 23.10.1977 Poole v Berwick National League 16.9.1986 Exeter v Berwick National League 13.10.1986 Berwick v Bradford British League 16.7.1991 Berwick v Belle Vue British League 26.10.1991 Peterborough v Berwick Premier League 12.6.1998 Berwick v Newcastle Premier League 8.8.1998 Glasgow v Berwick Premier League 23.8.1998 Stoke v Berwick Premier League 8.9.1998 Workington v Berwick Premier League 3.5.1999 Berwick v Exeter Premier League 2.9.2000 Berwick v Stoke Premier League 1.9.2007 Thanks in advance of any replies

Cheers for the link, just out of interest, who were the riders who failed to finish? Anybody get a maximum? Been reading about this season in old copies of the Advertiser in the library, the row between Kelvin Tatum and Terry Lindon over money. Must have been an amazing season, seeing the top riders in the world each week at Berrington Lough.

This is what annoys me, and I would think a lot of speedway fans. Look at the pages of Speedway Star on any given week and you will read about nearly every promoter complaining about losing money. Fair enough, they are the ones who put their money up, they are the ones who have to make up the deficits. But every year they have a get together to sort out the running of the sport. If things were that bad, you would think they would at least give the impression they were doing things about it. But instead of looking at fundamental changes, increasing the rider pool, TV deals, improving facilities, track covers, safety, training facilities, owning their own stadiums, they concentrate on tactical rides, taking a point of the team strength here or there, nothing of which does the sport any good.

Its a good point raised that sales is a specialised field, speedway in general and each club individually, could gain a lot by hiring dedicated sales contractors. Yes, I realise this will not be cheap, but hire them on a part time basis? This is taking nothing away from the people who currently do this job, on a voluntary basis, they are doing a thankless task. But a very good sales person could maybe be the difference between a sponsorship deal with a nationwide company rather than a local builder for e.g.

Not necessarily, I just think it would be beneficial for clubs to try and produce local riders. I look back to Berwick in 1997, Scott Lamb, Kevin Little, Scott Robson, David Meldrum, Mike Smith, David Blackburn, Michael Lowrie, all local riders. This cuts down on expenses and as I said I think local businesses, who are the lifeblood of sponsorship, have more of an affinity with local riders, who they can relate to more. Like I say, this wont be easy and wont be solved overnight, hence the reason I cant see it happening. Speedway is not a sport with a long-term view.

Every promotion is under pressure, costs rising year on year, but attendances and sponsorship income does not seem to be matching costs. Clubs need to try to get back to basics, employing local riders, reducing costs and local riders more likely to have an affinity with local businesses, to attract sponsors. To do this it takes a long term policy to introduce young local riders, second halves, training sessions etc. Unfortunately most promotions may not have the luxury of a long term view.