Mr Snackette

Why is racist filth like this tolerated? I appreciate that there are those who post on here, who lack a decent education and as a consquence post drivel, an example of which can be seen above. For your information WK, the life of a very good friend of mine was saved as result of the dedication and brilliance of a Slovakian para medic and a Bulgarian surgeon. The generalisations of your argument are frankly offensive. It's like me saying that everyone from the North-East are pot smoking, paranoid, racist scum.....OK come to think of it you win!!!!!!!7

I am pleased to see that the debate has at last moved on from the semantics of whether a league should be described as elite or premier. A mongrel with fleas, is still a mongrel with a fleas, even if someone chooses to describe it as a KC registered pedigree pooch!!!! .......plus the incompetence of the BSPA in failing to observe its OWN RULES!!!! There appears to be an assumption that the UK V&I were prompted into looking more closely at these issues as a result of the government reacting to the growth of UKIP. That may well be the case. However there is some evidence to support the view that this whole issue was "kick started" by two disgruntled riders who found themselves without jobs, and complained to the UK V&I that visas were being granted / applied for, to individuals who did not meet the BSPA's own rules / criteria. Indeed it may be six of one..... however, hopefully after the retraining of those involved has been completed, the authority of monitoring and administrating the situation will go to a more responsible body than the BSPA. It is clear that the BSPA palpably failed in the responsibility to apply sufficient rigour, so perhaps the onus for providing the GREs should fall to a body such as the ACU.

Sadly you miss the point. The sponsor (the promoter) prepares the documentation for the rider they wish to employ. They pass it to the BSPA to check that it fulfils the criteria that has been agreed, and countersigns it to demonstrate that it is in order. So both the individual promoter and the BSPA are responsible. The FCA analogy isn't that far away. For the FCA read the UK V&I, the Compliance Dept. is the BSPA, and for promoter read Individual adviser. So in financial services the FCA will visit the firm's compliance department and review paperwork to ensure it's compliant. This may lead to check the understanding of individual advisers. In extreme cases where questionable practices exist, the firm's license will be suspended, until the firm's advisers have been retrained. This has happened to some of our largest banks and insurance companies. Another analogy is that the BSPA has been subject to the equivalent of an OFSTED inspection. They have found that the teachers (the BSPA) have failed in their responsibility to ensure that their students (the promoters) are meeting the required standards. As a result the school (British Speedway) has been placed in "special measures" as a failing school!!! Of course the real problem with both analogies is that in some cases the individual adviser / compliance officer, and the teacher / student can be one and the same person.

I think you miss the point. The GBE qualification criteria isn't a government generated ruling. It was what the criteria that the BSPA set for a non-EU to gain a visa to work in the UK. It should be remembered that without the BSPA endorsement to the sponsor's form, the visa will not be issued. Now in the past, it would appear that the various government agencies responsible for checking the applications, have done so purely administratively, ie to ensure there was a sponsors form endorsed by the governing body. They were content to rely that the BSPA were applying THEIR OWN CRITERIA to the applications. With the change of political climate these applications become subject to a rigour review. Surprise, surprise the review established that there was endemic and institutional failure in the compliance of these rules. As a result the UKV&I have said to British speedway, sorry chaps you can't be trusted so we are cancelling all sponsor's licenses until you are retrained and prove that you know how to apply YOUR OWN RULES!!!! Presumbaly after these workshops, this criteria will now be applied with greater rigour, which explains Harkness' comment "........of ensuring that all ELIGIBLE RIDERS are able to compete in 2015....." So in summary, British speedway have been caught out misbehaving, and it's now got to stand on the naughty step. If can show to the rest of the class that it can behave, it will be allowed to join in again!!!

As far as I'm aware, the criteria for a Non-EU rider to be granted a Governing Board Endorsement (GBE) which is required in order to receive a visa, was set in 2009. As far as I am aware this has never been changed, and this appears to be the case as it appears under the "INFO" tag on the BSPA website. The criteria is as follows: GOVERNING BODY ENDORSEMENT The Governing Body Endorsement (GBE) requirements for non-European Economic Area (EEA) nationals to be employed in British Speedway in 2009 : Any Speedway promotion wishing to employ an individual rider to participate in their team will be required to guarantee that, for the previous season, the rider for whom the application is made has fulfilled one of the following criteria. a) Australia/ New Zealand/ U.S.A. Finished in the first four in the state Championships For the following countries which have professional speedway leagues: Poland, the Czech Republic and Sweden Achieved an average in excess of 6.00 points while competing in:Poland - Extra League and First Division Czech Republic - First Division Sweden - Elite League and First Division c) For riders who have competed, in the previous season, in any country not listed above, the rider must be the current National Champion to be considered eligible. Certificate of Sponsorships are normally approved for the speedway season which runs from 15th March to 31st October or for the contract period which can be for up to four years. Upon expiry of the permission granted by a Certificate of Sponsorship, a rider returning to the U.K. for the new season must have achieved the following averages in the previous U.K. season or have qualified by meeting the requirements of a) or or c) above. Elite League - 4.00 points Premier League - 7.00 points No exceptions or extensions will be granted to riders failing to achieve the averages except in the case of injury, medical evidence of which must be supplied. So how many of those riders awaiting Visas have met this criteria? I fear that there are a number of riders who fall well short of the standard set. Perhaps the workshops that are being organised, are to provide certain officials / promoters with basic English and comprehension skills!!!!!!!

Is having an ex copper as team manager any worse than having one of Chris Shears' coach drivers in the hot seat? No doubt time will tell. One wonders if the track shop will now stock a supply of Aprons, with Lodge meetings being held in Les Eaton lounge!!!!! Will the Grand Poobah be in attendance?

Not throwing any stones old boy. I'm just pleased to be following a promotion that can balance the books and continue in business.

I will keep my fingers crossed that I can look forward to a Workington 2013 thread. Sadly from what I have been told that now appears increasingly unlikely. Note to Aljack - whatever faults you find with JL & CL, they have put together a team that we can afford, and we will have a team to follow in 2013. I would much rather that that what Workington have done.

Well if you are running a business and losing money - £3k per meeting according to YOUR promoter - then clearly expenses are exceeding income. You don't have to be a genius to work out that a team has been put together that the promoter really can't afford......it really isn't rocket science!!!!! However you clearly struggle with simple mathematics, still you may have some time on your hands next season to improve your understanding on the three Rs!!!!! I certainly don't delight at any promotion's troubles and I don't believe you can find any evidence to back up your vituperative claims. If being a loser means that I'm a fan that's pretty certain to be watching their team next season...then a loser I am. I'm not sure that too many others will agree though!!!!!!!!

Or at Portman Rd for the Cardiff game, washed down by the Super League Grand Final. As far as I'm concerned both Rye House and Torun are well down the pecking order!!

Agree it is nothing more than a losers cup, andI have never suggested it's anything else. However it's far better being in that, than putting together a team together that the promoter clearly can't afford, and being a here today gone tomorrow set up!!!! Now that is the definition of a loser!!!!!!!!!

Indeed, but they are likely to be around next season!! Given that I think I'll settle for two semi-finals, the PLCT and possibly more!!!!!!

The real shame is that the semi-final has been moved, as I was looking forward to seeing a second rather than a first leg. Still I suppose with the extensive social commitments of the MOANarchs' riders, it was inevitable!!!

I will have to remember this advice for the next time when I go to do some debt counselling advice. Move out of your council flat, and get a 4 bed detached. Flog that clapped out Ford Escort and get yourself a top of the range Maserati. Then keep your fingers crossed that you get yourself a new job with a salary that can pay for it all. Mmm...interesting!!!!!!!!

Ah I see our friend Backless is now establishing himself the "interesting police"!!! Whilst I don't think that Pere's comments are that relevant, they are a darn sight more interesting than the pointless drivel that he's just posted!!!! If comments from North of the Border earlier in the season are any thing to go by, stand by for a myriad of complaints. Apparently there are those that believe that it's unfair that those with computers can obtain and enjoy discounts, whilst those without access are unable to do so.

So he put together a team he couldn't afford. His business model was clearly flawed!!!!

You may be right. However the crunch is how you define "a genuine number one". Our often heard, but seldom (if ever) seen little chum, suggests that a rider with an average of 8.50+ qualifies him as a genuine number one. In the last set of averages there are seven riders that meet criteria currently riding in the PL. Numbers one, three and five in the averages Barker, the much heralded Cheese, and Fisher represent teams that are currently struggling to "qualify" for the highly prestigious Challenge Trophy competition!! Of the others Berwick (Ashworth 8.84) and Glasgow (Screen 9.25) have failed to qualify for the end of season play-offs or progress to the later stages of the cup competitions. Somerset (Doyle 9.12) have done well qualifying for the play offs and progressing to the semi- final of the League Cup. So that leaves Workington (Lawson 8.60), who on the surface have enjoyed a reasonably successful season - progressing to the play-offs and making both semi-finals of the cup competitions. However this has been achieved, by the promoter putting together a team that he clearly couldn't afford. As a result, Workington (like Newport before them) may not be around next season - or indeed see this season out. So this just proves that a having a so-called genuine number one isn't the panacea it may seem. I'm sure even the most one-eyed of Comets' fans, would rather have the Ipswich team and sound financial prudence, rather than trying to buy success and having to live with the resultant shambles.

Lets face it, it's no more or less exciting / relevant than any of the other meaningless challenges that litter the season....Anglian Cup, War of the Roses,Tyne Tweed Trophy et all!! As someone else has already commented.....perhaps less really is more!!

As today is the final day that promotions can make changes to their declared 1 - 7s, are there any last minute deals expected?

Don't try and justify yourself, old boy, to the Forum's resident busybody. An EX promoter from the jurassic era, he has few original ideas, and even fewer original thoughts. The way to look at it is, if you have incurred his censure, you're clearly doing something right!!!

There is nothing to suggest that they have. I fail to see how his GBE would be invalidated!! Prior to the last set of published GSAs, could have replaced Young Poole and Tres with Masters and Jerran Hart. Now if they wanted to take this action now, they would need to add Masters and a three pointer, eg the boy Nielsen. Very marginal indeed, as Masters is a shadow of the rider he was last season, and any gain you make at the top end you would certainly sacrifice at reserve. For me the only positive in making this move would be, that it would enable a PL guest to be nominated for the boy Heeps, whilst he is injured.

I think you can ignore the Edinburgh website, as it was written by a Mike Hunter...one of the more myopic MOANarchs' correspondents in our sport. Pete Simmons has had his say. Recent tweets include: "Rohan Tungate laying down & not getting up to clear track! His second 'big off' of the evening-get real! You don't crash that hard for reruns!" He then followed this up with: "'cheats' ha Edinburgh website report fails to mention the 'homer start Marshall' not allowing Dakota North to use a rut in 15 he used in 11." Tungate himself wasn't over impressed: "What a dump, and what a s*t night for me!..." Still it augers well for the KO Cup Semi, which may well get a little tasty......assuming of course that the MOANarchs riders' can fit the meeting in to their otherwise busy social calendar!!!!

Blimey the old sweaty socks are getting their knickers in a twist!! It sounds as if the old joke - welcome to Edinburgh...please put your watches back 25 years - appears to be not such a joke after all!!!! I would have thought the residents of Auld Reekie would have had more to exercise their minds!!!!!! Anyway a very good point for the Witches, although probably not enough to secure a play-off spot. Mind you that could all change if the weather were to deteriorate and the MOANarchs fail to get their fixtures completed by the designated time. What a delicious irony that would be, following their shameful failure to arrange fixtures earlier in the season.

You're wasting your breath old boy. Tsunami is an EX promoter, who hates the idea of transparency and openness. Much prefers that we the paying public are kept in the dark as much as possible. It's probably the reason why speedway is the rip-roaring success it is at the moment!!

If only it were so!! Mind you, I remember Pete Chapman and Moggo winding the Poole fans up a treat, with similar antics back in the early 90s. Still a great result for Ipswich to grab a point. Fortunate for the Monarchs that they picked a decent guest, otherwise things may have been different!!!!