MD

Often happens to riders during their testimonial season. You really should have seen off the manky mob tonight though Pickering is looking a shrewd Aussie after the last dud. Just dont go making any changes for the next 7 days, we could do with picking up some away points.

I think we went a bit OTT with dirt, catching out the inexperienced Phillips and Smith who got a sore one. Quite a few races were well strung out like last week though Phillips and Coles are well out of their depth which didnt help. Hopefully Perry gets his engine issues sorted pronto, three EF's in a row wont do. Lets see if we can get a point at Scunthorpe tomorrow.

FFS it seems the boot is well and truely being put into us. One of the unintended consequences of endless positivity on social media is that it creates unrealistic expectations. We may be suffering from it, but lets please keep perspective here, it was only the first meeting of the year and whilst not a classic, not exactly a borefest either with Scunny keeping it interesting up to ht11.

A common sense post. First match of the season, a fair bit of rain through the week and forecast for Saturday so the track was prepared conservatively. Scunthorpe were good when they gated but that was about it for them. Glasgow top end plus Lunna were slow to get going but did and the bottom end will take time. Smith is pretty raw and Bewley wasnt on the pace. You dont get GP speedway from day 1. Crowd was very good last night, backstraight terracing looks excellent and night racing under lights enhances the experience. A concern is that our top 3 dont have Premiership teams like last year, even if the Premiership is just another Championship, its an extra meeting each week to stay sharp. Another issue is we have an advert for the local MSP in the programme. Whilst advertising revenue is very important this is one that shouldnt be IMO. Sport and politics dont mix and the divisive nature of it now even more so. Lets keep the Tigers politic free and focus only on our target market of families.

If MPT could gate it would have been a serious fright. Auty put in a standard Ashfield performance with Douglas and Kerr starting well but fading. Wallner looked decent for a first visit from reserve. A decent ish opener, the floodlights under darkness were superb and added to the atmosphere. Jack Smith looks a bit raw and Bewley lacked speed all night even though he won a heat. He'll have to be on the pace next week as NCL will be a much bigger challenge. Absolutely, a decent start though was lucky his chain snapped exiting turn 4 than entering in ht7.

A bit like insider trading it is very difficult to prove wrongdoing. In Wolberts scenario he is largely now unemployable at the majority of British clubs which is almost as good as a ban.

Leicester was his avenue to return to the 0131 next year as there was no way he was going to carry off being third in their order. His average would have fallen rather quickly and may even have replaced one of the Monarchs mid season should conditions on both sides have been right.

His engines are probably still in a shed in West Lothian with last years dirt on.

Thunderbird anywhere else.

Other than Poole or Kings Lynn, most clubs with the odd exception would be an old school Premier League challenge.

Can you buy online?

His engine from the previous season was lying in a shed in West Lothian until the week before Press and Practice such was his lack of preparation for 2014. There were numerous promises from the rider himself about a new engine arriving that went on for several weeks. It never did arrive.

Thats on a par with the 'in the interests of British speedway' quote to justify the unjustifiable. Wolbert has dedicated himself to himself, and his club. British speedway is his second league. He may have picked up a place at Leicester because there isnt much choice left at this stage and his numbers fit but im very surprised Bates has taken him on.

Wolbert will struggle in the main body and will find little home advantage on a shockingly unappealing track. So a win win situation for the 0131 to gain a familiar face at reserve. By June!

A wind up merchant all the same. At a Ber v Edin match, on spotting the elusive Thomas H Jonasson in the crowd quipped 'funny he can turn up to watch'. Hilarious at the time especially as the 0131 in the stand were raging.

On 12 March they are more than pushing their luck with the weather. Do we ever learn? A rain off is disastrous in trying to re-schedule. A meeting which is weather affected but run just to get it on loses the goodwill of the paying punter who wont re-attend in future. Surely an early April date could increase the likelihood of fairer weather and be more suitable.

Is Wethers now holding a UK passport?

28.7 miles Gazc. Get it right up them.

The bold THJ wouldnt lower himself for tier 2 speedway in Britain. Besides he didnt like Armadale and was elsewhere most Fridays when he was in their 1-7 a good few years ago now. He really has fallen off the radar or perhaps more likely found his level.

With a middle order of Campton, Proctor and Roynon there'll be more zeros than the national debt away from Derwent Park.

Having a contract in Poland and riding in Poland are two separate things.

Is that as an alternative to waiting in an NHS queue and not being fit for March?

Just shy of 30 miles apparently.

How many times will he tell you the new engines are coming!

Wolbert now needs a victim club for 2017 to drop 2 points from his average and confirm his return to the Dale the following season.