Bryn

As I've stressed several times I'm not an accountant so forgive me for asking JL but it's obvious you're in a position to answer! My simple query is would 'loans' appear in filed accounts given to company shareholders or not together with any relevant details e.g. amounts, when made, by whom and length of loan? I can confirm once again that the company, i.e. Island Speedway (IOW) Limited holds a long term lease on the entire site (I believe there's still 44 years left on that lease), receiving income from other activities in addition to speedway.

And I see no justification in your comments bearing in mind you're not a shareholder of the company that was set up by speedway fans with the prime intention of ensuring the continuance of speedway racing at Smallbrook thus leading to the conclusion in many shareholders minds I'll wager that if speedway were to cease at the venue, then there's no point in Island Speedway (IOW) Ltd continuing to operate.

I stand to be corrected but as far as I'm aware the speedway company i.e. Island Speedway (IOW) Ltd are the overall leaseholders of the site (believe there's still around 44 years remaining on that) and receive income from all other activities that take place there although I'm not certain whether that includes the Table Tennis (would have to check on that). Those activities that generate income in addition to speedway include rent from the mini-cab firm now based there, catering, bar sales, rent from soccer / cricket clubs etc. etc., gym facilities, income from private functions and no doubt there may be other sources.

Some interesting figures there TDS - where did you get them from may I ask? The reason I ask is that so far as I'm aware, shareholders (myself included) have only been supplied with "UNAUDITED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDING 28 FEBRUARY 2013." Now there's no way I've ever been 'into' company accounts as I never fancied becoming an accountant (perhaps that was a mistake on my part as I've never met a broke one!) but I find this baffling to say the least as NO AUDITED figures have been provided for that year let alone any audited / unaudited ones for the period since! Any accountants out there who might be able to offer some sort of explanation why that should be please? Confused of Erith!

Not at all "gustix" as Island Speedway (IOW) Ltd was set up on the basis that you had one equal vote on matters whether you held five (the minimum amount) or 500 shares. The next Shareholders meeting (which I'm not alone I suspect in feeling that it'll somewhat lively!) will take place at Smallbrook on Tuesday January 21 at 7pm.

Not at all Peasepud my old mate BUT don't want to get too involved in this topic for, thinking about it and doing some brief research, I'm horrified to realise that I'll never see speedway again at: Birmingham (Ladbrokes stadium), Birmingham (Wheels), Bradford, Canterbury, Castleford, Coatbridge, Cradley Heath, Crayford, Crewe, Doncaster, Edinburgh (Powderhall), Ellesmere Port, Exeter (County Ground), Felton, Glasgow (Blantyre), Glasgow (Craighead Park), Glasgow (Shawfield), Glasgow (Hampden Park), Hackney, Halifax (The Shay), Hull (New Craven Park), Hull (The Boulevard)..... Jeez that's enough (and I can think of many more on 'my' list!) as, with the IOW's Smallbrook stadium about to join the list, it's getting me feeling well and truly miserable BUT, thinking positively, with luck and good fortune I WILL see speedway again at Sandy Lane!

All of them but most of all Crayford, Hackney, West Ham and Cradley for the pork sarnies like everyone else! And, alas, I fear the Isle of Wight are about to join the extensive list of speedway tracks sadly no longer with us!

To obtain the info you're after, might I respectfully suggest that you try telephoning the stadium during normal office hours on 01983 811180.

I'm sure that having been made aware of the facts Tsunami, when comparing Ping Pong to Table Tennis people would conclude that it's the same only different!

Alas there are just not enough clubs interested / suitable to / able to field teams to make resurrecting the Anglia Junior Development League viable/possible.

In a word..... No!

I'm on the point of giving up with you lot on here! I pose a question that I hoped would provoke some interest at the start of a new year and it sure did by soon developing, as I might have anticipated I suppose, into yet another would-be battle between those intent on slagging Poole off versus those determined to defend Poole to the hilt, both sets effectively saying "blow everything and everyone else!"

Having first witnessed speedway way back in 1966 I am as usual, apart from when I've been in Oz, bored stiff at this time of year and eagerly looking forward to the new season watching the sport I love at all levels from training tracks upwards on tracks of all shapes and sizes and different riding techniques required! My one fervent hope apart from wishing all clubs/riders well and an injury free run, no impossible dream alas I fear, is is that the level of moaning and whining on this and similar forums without putting forward constructive replacement ideas recedes dramatically! What are YOUR hopes for our sport in 2014?

Well then, to use a phrase pinched from somewhere else, "I'm not showing you mine if you're not going to show me yours," in that case!

Where can I find those stats 'Shadders' as would be interested to see them?

In response to greyhoundp, firstly my I say I'm sure everyone connected with the Wightlink Islanders fully appreciates the motives behind the thoughts expressed in your latest posting above, certainly I do, but a weekend raceday is and always has been a 'no go' I'm afraid. For starters Saturday & Sunday are Wightlink's busiest days of the weeks and there's simply no way they would be able to provide the club with free sponsored ferry crossings for riders and match officials on those days as they do now on a Tuesday. Additionally of course, those spending holidays on the IOW largely begin/end those by travelling to and from the mainland at weekends. Alas, it's not looking at all good in terms of speedway continuing at Smallbrook I've got to say and sadly, it's very much looking to me that providing my mate Chris has remembered to book the ferry crossings using his ex-British Rail employee discount, our trip across to the IOW for the conclusion of the Island Speedway (IOW) Ltd shareholders meeting will be the last such trip the two of us will be undertaking. And I simply cannot see the sport returning to Smallbrook in the future if NL racing is not staged there in 2014.

You're obviously not quite awake yet JH because I'll think you'll find that the club's PREMIER League side are called the Plymouth Devils! Go grab a cuppa!

Xmas Eve and postie has just delivered my copy of the new book available, "British Speedway Memories" and with it consisting of 200 pages that's my reading material for a while well and truly sorted! Alas thanks to stupidly falling over before a meeting at Swindon back in September and being carted off to hospital for an op on a busted hip plus an enforced rest. I missed the deadline for submitting my own happy memories but fully intend to enjoy reading all the other contributions. Now where's my reading glasses?

One minor query and that is to ask you if you might possibly have miscounted for I thought Tai's hashtags totalled 2416 although I might well have made a mistake of course!

Why not ask BT? They'd have the figures so surely that would be the logical thing to do wouldn't it?

Can I just make clear to avoid any possible confusion that what is now on the totally unofficial IOW website is, as are the vast majority of articles on that site, a copy of the Official club press release. This latest one yours truly typed and distributed at 7am this morning in my voluntary capacity as the club's PRO. It will also appear on the club's official website in due course adding that the webmaster of that does work full time.

It's now CRUNCH TIME in terms of the continuance of speedway on the Isle of Wight as the holding company's shareholders i.e. the fans, gather at Smallbrook to continue their AGM following no decisions being reached when they last met in November. Will the sport be staged on the island this year or will it cease? I'm just about to set off from here in Kent for tonight's meeting over there that gets underway at 7pm - undoubtedly the most important meeting in the club's history! I fervently hope for a positive outcome but whether that hope becomes a reality, well we'll just have to wait and see what is ultimately decided tonight!

Didn't watch it but is that right what I've been told - 1st: Scotland, 2nd: Wales, 3rd: Ireland?

Let's hope that when full details emerge Steve's injuries turn out to be minor rather than major. My thoughts are with him.