Mr Snackette

Unlike the Grand Prix, a facility is only available for the day of the meeting only, and is not available to cover official practice. This may be part of the reason why the home meeting against Somerset is being run on an off night. The real concern would be the away meeting at Glasgow, as getting from Forus on a Sunday may be issue.

Well if you go to the FIM website he is entered in the competition at number five: http://www.fim-live.com/en/sport/long-track-finals/news/news-detail/article/1319191186-fim-long-track-2012-calendar-entry-list/ Looks like somebody needs to be having a conversation, as I wouldn't think either the FIM or the French Federation would be too pleased if he withdrew from the competition at this stage. Furthermore, I really can't see him missing Marmande, especially as it ends on the morning of "le quatorze juillet". I'm sure time will tell.

It's a pity for what looks likely to be one of the most significant PL fixtures of the season, Somerset away on 13th July, Matt Tres is a likely absentee. The traditional Marmande fixture, which forms part of World Longtrack Championships, is always one of the highlights of the season....even more so if you are French!!! However the decision to run the Somerset home fixture on the preceding Wednesday has the advantage that Matt should be available, and also avoids a clash with the SWC Run Off. Matt could also miss the away meeting at Workington, which is a pity as he goes well there. It remains to be seen if it is logistically possible for him to get from Forus to Glasgow the following afternoon. It's also interesting to see that the three of the four qualyfing rounds for the World U21 Championships are scheduled for 19th May, the day of the Witches visit to Berwick, with Newcastle away the following evening. One hopes that Witches riders with aspirations in that direction will be allocated the qualifier on the 29th April.

2012 Fixtures now available: http://www.ipswichwitches.co/index.php/fixture-list

Well for this year we have potentially a very good team, racing in a fantastic competition that covers the whole of the Kingdom. As CL has alluded to, a return to the NsEL is an objective, but isn't yet on the immediate horizon. Until such time as the financial imperative can be changed, JL will not be persuaded to return to a competition that is guaranteed to lose money as opposed to one that actually makes money. However it is good to see that the NsEL are gradually, albeit very slowly, making the changes which might actually make the difference. I remember arguing, probably three (maybe four) years ago, that amongst other things the NsEL needed to do was to reduce the number of fixtures and introduce a squad system. The number of fixtures have already been reduced, with the likelihood that it will be reduced still further in the years to come, and the rumblings are that a squad system could into existence very soon. The competition still has a long way to go, but who knows if the progress continues it might even lose its "Ns" prefix!! In the meantime, most Witches fans (apart for those with their own perverse agenda) will eagerly look forward to the 2012 PL Season, and embrace the concept that this is a genuine national competition that encompasses teams from not just England, but Scotland and Wales as well.

So I "did even deal with the question"!!!! Whatever that means???!! Before dabbling in hyperbole, perhaps in future, a cursory glance over your copy may help alleviate a grammatical faux pas!!!!

Nice piece from Mike Bacon on the EADT website: http://www.lovespeedway24.co.uk/teams/ipswich-witches/rohan_s_ready_to_rock_foxhall_1_1186394

I think any attempt to run on a Friday would certainly face some opposition from the cycle speedway at Lekeside!!! Indeed I think the PL needs another Friday track, like it needs a hole in the head!!! A move to Friday night would mean running at least eight league and trophy fixtures on an off-night......not good for business. Anyway for most Witches fans, Thursday night is speedway night which was one of the major attractions of joining the PL.

Based on past performance I'd be inclined to rely on BFD's information rather than the Ipswich website!!!

I can't say I've really noticed. Always used to be Rossini's William Tell overture, but might have changed.

Young Poole and potential ace reserve Tungate scored very respectable ten and nine points each in Round Two of the Aussie Championships in Kurri Kurri, finishing sixth and seventh in the meeting respectively. For full details: http://speedwayupdates.proboards.com/ind....ead=9807&page=1

And it still makes it more of a speedway venue, than the Millennium Stadium or the Parken!!

And you clearly haven't been reading too carefully......it's called DUAL NATIONALITY. A quite easy concept for most to grasp, but for others it appears a tad difficult!!!!!

Reports from Australia that young Heeps has withdrawn from the Aussie U21 Final owing to an injury. Does anyone have any more information?

Polska Liga 1 fixtures, taken from: http://www.sportowefakty.pl/zuzel/2012/01/09/terminarz-i-ligi-zuzlowej-w-sezonie-2012/ 1. kolejka - 9.04.2012 Speedway Polonia Piła - Start Gniezno Ostrovia Ostrów Wielkopolski - GTŻ Grudziądz SKMŻ Lublin - Orzeł Łódź Lokomotiv Daugavpils - pauza 2. kolejka - 15.04.2012 Start Gniezno - Ostrovia Ostrów Wielkopolski Orzeł Łódź - Lokomotiv Daugavpils GTŻ Grudziądz - Speedway Polonia Piła SKMŻ Lublin - pauza 3. kolejka - 22.04.2012 Lokomotiv Daugavpils - GTŻ Grudziądz Ostrovia Ostrów Wielkopolski - Speedway Polonia Piła SKMŻ Lublin - Start Gniezno Orzeł Łódź - pauza 4. kolejka - 6.05.2012 Speedway Polonia Piła - SKMŻ Lublin Orzeł Łódź - Ostrovia Ostrów Wielkopolski Start Gniezno - Lokomotiv Daugavpils GTŻ Grudziądz - pauza 5. kolejka - 13.05.2012 Lokomotiv Daugavpils - Speedway Polonia Piła Orzeł Łódź - GTŻ Grudziądz SMKŻ Lublin - Ostrovia Ostrów Wielkopolski Start Gniezno - pauza 6. kolejka - 20.05.2012 Start Gniezno - Orzeł Łódź Ostrovia Ostrów Wielkopolski - Lokomotiv Daugavpils SKMŻ Lublin - GTŻ Grudziądz Speedway Polonia Piła - pauza 7. kolejka - 3.06.2012 Lokomotiv Daugavpils - SKMŻ Lublin Orzeł Łódź - Speedway Polonia Piła GTŻ Grudziądz - Start Gniezno Ostrovia Ostrów Wielkopolski - pauza 8. kolejka - 10.06.2012 Speedway Polonia Piła - Orzeł Łódź Start Gniezno - GTŻ Grudziądz SKMŻ Lublin - Lokomotiv Daugavpils Ostrovia Ostrów Wielkopolski - pauza 9. kolejka - 17.06.2012 Lokomotiv Daugavpils - Ostrovia Ostrów Wielkopolski Orzeł Łódź - Start Gniezno GT Ż Grudziądz - SKMŻ Lublin Speedway Polonia Piła - pauza 10. kolejka - 24.06.2012 Speedway Polonia Piła - Lokomotiv Daugavpils Ostrovia Ostrów Wielkopolski - SKMŻ Lublin GTŻ Grudziądz - Orzeł Łódź Start Gniezno - pauza 11. kolejka - 1.07.2012 Lokomotiv Daugavpils - Start Gniezno Ostrovia Ostrów Wielkopolski - Orzeł Łódź SKMŻ Lublin - Speedway Polonia Piła GTŻ Grudziądz - pauza 12. kolejka - 15.07.2012 Speedway Polonia Piła - Ostrovia Ostrów Wielkopolski Start Gniezno - SKMŻ Lublin GTŻ Grudziądz - Lokomotiv Daugavpils Orzeł Łódź - pauza 13. kolejka - 22.07.2012 Speedway Polonia Piła - GTŻ Grudziądz Ostrovia Ostrów Wielkopolski - Start Gniezno Lokomotiv Daugavpils - Orzeł Łódź SKMŻ Lublin - pauza 14. kolejka - 29.07.2012 Start Gniezno - Speedway Polonia Piła Orzeł Łódź - SKMŻ Lublin GTŻ Grudziądz - Ostrovia Ostrów Wielkopolski Lokomotiv Daugavpils - pauza 15. kolejka - 12.08.2012 16. kolejka - 19.08.2012 17. kolejka - 26.08.2012 18. kolejka - 2.09.2012 19. kolejka - 9.09.2012 20. kolejka - 16.09.2012 Polska Liga 2 fixtures taken from: http://www.sportowefakty.pl/zuzel/2012/01/09/terminarz-ii-ligi-zuzlowej-w-sezonie-2012/ 1. kolejka - 9.04.2012 Kolejarz Opole - ROW Rybnik Speedway Wanda Kraków - KMS Krosno PSŻ Poznań - Kolejarz Rawicz 2. kolejka - 15.04.2012 KSM Krosno - PSŻ Poznań Kolejarz Rawicz - Kolejarz Opole ROW Rybnik - Speedway Wanda Kraków 3. kolejka - 22.04.2012 KSM Krosno - Kolejarz Rawicz Speedway Wanda Kraków - Kolejarz Opole PSŻ Poznań - ROW Rybnik 4. kolejka - 6.05.2012 Kolejarz Opole - PSŻ Poznań Kolejarz Rawicz - Speedway Wanda Kraków ROW Rybnik - KSM Krosno 5. kolejka - 13.05.2012 KSM Krosno - Kolejarz Opole Speedway Wanda Kraków - PSŻ Poznań Kolejarz Rawicz - ROW Rybnik 6. kolejka - 20.05.2012 Kolejarz Opole - KSM Krosno PSŻ Poznań - Speedway Wanda Kraków ROW Rybnik - Kolejarz Rawicz 7. kolejka - 3.06.2012 KSM Krosno - ROW Rybnik Speedway Wanda Kraków - Kolejarz Rawicz PSŻ Poznań - Kolejarz Opole 8. kolejka - 10.06.2012 Kolejarz Opole - Speedway Wanda Kraków Kolejarz Rawicz - KSM Krosno RKM Rybnik - PSŻ Poznań 9. kolejka - 17.06.2012 Kolejarz Opole - Kolejarz Rawicz Speedway Wanda Kraków - ROW Rybnik PSŻ Poznań - KSM Krosno 10. kolejka - 1.07.2012 KSM Krosno - Speedway Wanda Kraków Kolejarz Rawicz - PSŻ Poznań ROW Rybnik - Kolejarz Opole 11. kolejka - 22.07.2012 12. kolejka - 29.07.2012 13. kolejka - 12.08.2012 14. kolejka - 19.08.2012 15. kolejka - 2.09.2012 16. kolejka - 9.09.2012

In the words of Sir Elton: "Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word"!!!!

Absolutely correct, both riders are now on the Ipswich Retained List. They have both signed contracts which commits them to Ipswich until 31 October 2012. After that time they become free agents and will no doubt sign for the promotion that will pay them the most money.

Let's not forget Young Poole. An excellent nine point haul, and a highly creditable seventh place overall in the meeting. As others have commented, it is far too easy to read too much into a few Aussie results, but none the less it augers well for the season ahead.

Don't let the good folk up at Shielfield Park hear you, as they are convinced thay have the best reserve pairing in the PL!!! All wil be revealed in March / April......but I know who my money is on!!!!!!

Reading this thread and many of the others, I do find it a little surprising the number of riders that are being tipped to end up with a nine plus average. I wonder what's going to be so different in 2012? In 2011, just three riders finished with averages above 9.00. Indeed there were just another ten whose averages topped eight. I'm sure that mathematically there must be a finite number of riders that can end up with averages at this level. I consider that teams that will be successful, are those teams whose collective averages increase over the season. I don't feel it unreasonable to expect all the Witches' riders to put and extra 0.6 on their averages, with the possible exception of Tres whose 6.87 looks about right. Against this a target of 2.60 for the Heeps boy, would match the expectations of Tungate. If these objectives were achieved the team would have a final collective average 46.75. Last year Glasgow and Sheffield finished on 45.24 and 45.84 respectively. So if the 0.6 increase per rider were to be achieved Ipswich wouldn't be a million miles away.

Didn't she own a horse called Shergar? Or was that someone else?

Not at once. As I remember Heats 1 to 13 remained the same, Heat 14 was a re-run of Heat 2, and Heat 15 was, as it is now nominated. I'm sure those with better memories will correct me, Heat 12 was 1 & 4, Heat 13 was 3 & 5. And happiness was 40-38, which is a proper speedway result!!!!

" Beware of folk who quote Ezekiel 25:17 and Alan Dundes on the same day"!!!

Well done, you finally worked something out, without it having to be explained by way of a patronising children's story. I knew you weren't as dull as others would have us all believe!!!!

I tend to take what's on that site with a very large pinch of salt. As Witches fans will confirm, a couple of years back, a certain Darcy Ward appeared on the confirmed line ups section for Ipswich, only for the rules to change and his name disappearing almost as quickly as it appeared. Indeed I think that the teams as listed for 2012, may well change. As I understand it the MC are still reviewing some of the line ups, and have yet to formally sanction some teams. So time will tell.