Tsunami

So he did. I put it into the top boxes the wrong way around.

We would have won with Stevie, but he wasn't there, so we got beat. Early on we held our own, and led by 6 for a few heats, but the one heat we lost 1-5, and changed the result IMO, was heat 9, when Ludde and Rose got beat by Summers and Tom Perry, who at that point hadn't scored a point. It was a shameful heat and it decided the result to Glasgow. If Steve is going to be missing say 6 weeks(usual period) for a broken scaphoid, we should bring in an injury replacement signing for those 6 weeks, as RR can't be sustained.

Best PM we have at the moment though.

They did when i bought ours on Thursday.

Did Paul Thorp not ride on a foreign licence one time. Polish or German ? Also Marvyn Cox.

And we think he talks Posh.

Trelawny. Greatest venue I have been to for speedway. When we went in 2001/2 they had Zagar. Harris, Wolf?, Phillips, Ondrasic,etc, and we lead them all the way, but they got an 1-8 in heat 14 and won heat 15 with a 1-5 so we lost 47-46. The mist came down early in the meeting and made it eairy, like a film set. Lovely people who made us very welcome, and almost apologising for their win. Wish it was still in use. Good shape and surface once they levelled it to join the PL at the time.

Well. it worked for Sheffield last year in the playoffs, didn't it.

Let's go back a couple of years. Fans said we were not strong enough and lacked a real top number, especially in heats 13 and 15. Ludde was actually our number one for a long period and he was only on about a 7.20 average, Newcastle tried to top up the top end and tried to get Danny King for number 1, with Robert coming in on an assessed 3 points. Sadly we didn't get Robert because his average was only assessed. We then got Robert, and last year and this year, him and Steve provide a dynamic duo which is the envy of other clubs. With them at 1 and 3 we are going to get that turbo boost to change our fortunes, even if we are behind after say heat 12. Whilst there is merit in shoring up the lower order riders, it would mean getting rid of the very signings that are currently making us a decent team. Rene is not a number1, is very inconsistent, and has lost that magic burst around the outside like he used to do before his unfortunate injury. I can imagine if we did go down your route, at the first opportunity fans would be saying 'why did we get rid of our most exciting rider'. Promotions I know will never do the right thing, unfortunately. It's all about opinions and risks. I am sure that Rene, if he wants to ride again in the UK, would automatically come to Newcastle, as he live with Newcastle owner and biggest sponsor, Alan Hedley of Sapphire Engineering. The A69 is going to be very busy. i hope. The 2 meetings in one day is more viable with Workington rather than Glasgow. Well done to the promotions for thinking out of the box.

I could well believe that, Ian Thomas would have been difficult to say NO to.

He rode at Peterborough then signed as a full rider for us. We claimed him as an asset as per procedures in 2009. Peterborough appealed, and said he was their rider but he didn't sign a contract with them. Unfortunately due to the politics at that time, Peterborough were backed be the BSPA so we lost a rider who was signed as a Diamond.

It would never have been even a consideration.

Barry always worked at the Ministry in Benton.

Since the restart of speedway at Newcastle in 1961 I think there has only been 3 announcers, and Barry has been doing it since about 1963. I know Maurice Morley was one and possibly Eddie Glennon the other one.

How about reading this, rather than bringing in your own biases.

Not true. Look at the thread on General Discussions.

Not true. They could not afford it due to the Football Premier deal, and have now gone for cheaper sports. I believe they paid up to get out of the contract.

Forgetting of course that the youth system is bringing on more riders that before, so the potential to reduce the number of DU's and foreign riders is greater. Develop British Youth.

Not happy with the inept performance from the Diamonds against the Bandits. Even allowing for the great scores from the rejuvenated Davis Howe and Etheridge, we should have been in with a shout and not rely on a 2 man team. Poor night for both Ash and Lewis, Hopwood OK, but shocking nights from both Coles and Ludde. I think the fight is now out of Coles as he realises this year is too early, and I expect him to go back and stay at NL for the rest of the year. Ludde is at a crossroad and we cannot put up with another performance like last night, when he was repassed by a NL youngster and only scored 4 points. Probably he is still testing the GTR engine, but we can't afford to let him do this, if this is the problem, and he should be made to test it elsewhere and go back to GM/s for the time being. Remember the GTR is being used by youngsters Jordan Jenkins and Tom Brennan with great improvement, so why not with Ludde. I always speak up for him rightly because of the club work he does off the track, but he is employed to ride and get points as a third heat leader and he is not doing that at the moment. Great to see Luke Ruddick get a win. He rode at Newcastle last year and although he didn't score a point, he led one race and was on the pace in the other 2. He is a Mildenhall rider who ride on a Sunday as well, so we are unlikely IMO going to use him instead of Connor, but you can't be sure with no other possible on the horizon. How about a 28 day loan to try it. Next meeting at Redcar on Thursday is suddenly a very important meeting to judge the team, and decide if we are going to do anything this year. I certainly hope so.

I quite agree and I applaud the efforts that the new promotion are taking to review everything. I know them all personally, and know they have the best intentions in everything they do. What some people have difficulties to understand is Berwick had the least obstructions with no dog track and a fixed air fence. As others have said, other tracks have more problems especially us, Lakeside and Ipswich so it is not the easy solution that others think it is. Covering the whole track all week is just crazy overkill and not viable. Extra weights to keep the sheets down and who goes in to maintain the blocks stay on the sheets during the week. Most doggie stadiums would not allow the sheets to be in view either for their live evening meetings or for the BAGS meetings in the afternoons.

The 'excuse' would be the volume of rain that fell on 2 days which almost equalled a months rainfall, and it continuing to lie on the track all week softening the top surface. On top of that it has poured down till teatime today, Saturday, which made it mission impossible. With dogs on tonight the problem could not be tackled till the morning. Just REASONS not excuses.

It was, and a lot of them got damaged.

It what was said when Berwick saved that FIM championship event about 3 years ago. I had reason to remember it. Don't forget not only do you have to have the covers but a large gang of people who can turn up at the right time to both put them down and lift them, and the duration and intensity of the rain to be to your advantage.

Not according to them apparently.

They only last about 4 to 5 meetings.