4thbender

Stead WILL be fit, which led me to believe (in my ignorance) that for the first time in a year, a Sheffield team would be taking to the track without a guest rider. Then what do I find? Garrity is riding elsewhere - meaning we STILL have a guest in our ranks! As a paying customer, my desire is to see a full-strength side of genuine Sheffield riders taking on all-comers. I'm heartily sick of seeing "Sheffield" teams cobbled together with riders from here, there and everywhere. When oh when will we get to see a full-strength Sheffield team instead of the PL All-Stars we've become accustomed to?

Didn't turn up for a 'practice' on Sunday though!

Just noticed - it's 50 years today since I attended my first Speedway match... think I might treat myself to a pint in the Panorama Room tonight.

Terrible news for the whole of the UK Speedway fraternity. I really hope the management and fans manage to pull something out of the hat to get things moving again.

Kings Lynne is a bogey track for Sheffield. In 2013 Steady busted his ankle there when he only went down to try out some new machinery, causing him to miss half the season. In 2007 there was the infamous 75 - 15 scoreline, when Andre Compton went out in Heat one and went a***e over t*t into the fence on the first corner, claiming afterwards that the track was so slippery he couldn't get the bike to turn. I always have my heart in my mouth when Sheffield riders visit KL and, it seems, not without just cause.

Clearly Marc Bates is being groomed to become the permanent manager for the long term. Eric's influence will harden him up: teach him how to be a complete b*****d when the situation demands.

How long before the joint team managers come to blows?

My money's on Josh to go like the clappers this season and depose Howarth for the third heat leader spot.

Doug Wyer?

I think Hall is taking his (last) chance seriously. He's on the lookout for new sponsors (see http://goo.gl/l3YGl0 page 3) so he must be thinking of investing in some new kit.

For any PL side looking to win the league, this Sheffield side looks to be the one that stands in the way. Whilst I welcome Howarth, I'm a bit disappointed not to be including Ty in the team after the way he was treated. I hope he gets fixed up.

Ty Proctor's tweet yesterday: "Relieved would be an understatement right now! Now who wants me in 2016?"

Whether Steady can keep up his average or not, we mustn't overlook his impact on the rest of the side. If riders stay fit, Stead's influence on the likes of Bates, Garrity and Greaves will add 5+ points to the overall team points average. We saw last season how, even on crutches, Stead's mentoring helped transform Bates from a reserve into a heat-leader. Can't wait to see him team up with Garrity!

Before the play-offs Barker said of Owlerton: "It's not a track that excites me". Doubt we'll see him in Tigers' colours.

One of the true "greats" of Sheffield Speedway, but he's struggled for pace lately and he's finished the last two seasons with bad injuries which could easily have been far worse. I hope he retires gracefully and with his health intact. It would be a travesty if he were to cop some bad injury now, after his many years of faithful service. I would also hate to see him end his career struggling to retain his place in the top five. In his glory days he was good for double figures anywhere and that's how he should be remembered. He should go out on a high, having done his fair share in helping the team reach the playoffs in 2015. I hope he can be found a place in management or coaching, so that he can continue to use his vast experience to serve the sport, but where he no longer has to risk life and limb to make an impact.

I hope he shortens his name before the printers have to fit "Jack Parkinson-Blackburn" into the programme every week. Speaking of which, today's competition: Anyone know of any other riders (past or present) with double-barreled surnames? (must be hyphenated, so Michael Palm Toft, the Bjerre Jensen brothers, Andreas Lyager Hansen and Kasper Lykke Nielsen don't count!)

Great news. Makes you proud to be a Tiger. WATAW!

Compton has been a great servant of Sheffield - one who deserves to be remembered as one of the all-time Sheffield greats. But his form of late has been well down on what we all know he was capable of in his heyday. Age is not on his side and it's unreasonable to expect that he will ever be able to consistently repeat the feats of years gone by. In the past eighteen months he's also succumbed to some serious injuries: not least the whack on the head during the televised 2014 Somerset match which finished his season. For these reasons I hope he makes the decision to retire. He's far too great a rider to be seen struggling to avoid the drop to reserve, and no-one wants to see him risk his career being ended by further injury. He's had a momentous career, but I sincerely hope he goes out on a high, having been instrumental in getting the Tigers to the 2015 play-offs and - who knows - maybe looking forward to continuing to serve speedway in some managerial or coaching role. Compers is a speedway hero and I hope he gives us all the privilege of remembering his great achievements in that way.

Why on earth doesn't the PL adopt the 2 home / 2 away fixture formula, guaranteeing all teams 24 home league meeting a season? It could then do away with the ridiculous play-off system, whereby theoretically a team finishing sixth in the league (i.e. mid-table) could be crowned league champions! It would also mean that the season would not come to an abrupt end at the end of August, as it does currently for the seven teams that don't make the play-offs. Nor would there be so many blank Thursdays in the fixture list, and riders could potentially double their PL earnings. From March to October, Thursday night is speedway night at Owlerton. We want competitive speedway, not Eastenders (promoters please note).

Couldn't agree more.

Generally agree, but what's the view on Stead being a big risk? Coming in on a 10+ average, after the knock he's had at Rye House who's to say he can maintain his own high standard? Could be he'll struggle next season. Kurtz might be a safer bet for no.1.

This isn't sour grapes (the Rebels won fair and square and hats off to them) but has Leigh Lanham undergone some sort of radical transformation since leaving Sheffield?

Is it true that Jason is the grandson of Freddie Garrity of the 1960's "Freddie and the Dreamers" fame?

That's rubbish. India ARE into cricket in a big way but haven't taken over English cricket. The Indian players that make the trip to play in English leagues have raised the standard of English players and given us goals to aim for.... just as Aussies have done for speedway.

You COMPLETELY miss the point Steve. Any Tom, Dick or Harry CAN get in... provided they come from an EU Country. Let me prove to you how unjust and ridiculous this is: Last season Taylor Poole thrilled many of us at Owlerton and proved beyond doubt that he is a potential star of the future. It now looks likely he will be excluded from taking further part in British speedway, his only 'sin' being that he is Australian. Another Australian by the name of Arthur Sissis, whose only claim to two-wheeled fame is finishing 29th last year in Moto3 grand prix racing, will nevertheless be allowed in to race in Sheffield colours on the basis that one of his forebears happened to have Greek heritage. How can that be just and equitable? The Whitehall jobsworths who dream up these inane and stupid immigration rules do so for the sole purpose of keeping their well-upholstered backsides in well-paid jobs. I've got £5 for the first person who can tell me any REAL justification for excluding citizens of the British Commonwealth from coming to practice their profession on these shores whilst allowing free and unfettered access to anyone and everyone from the so-called European Union (European Dis-union would be a more accurate title).