Tony

I hope/like to think it was an angry reaction in disbelief that their captain wouldv'e done something like this, nothing more than a defensive human reaction. I do believe they've handled themselves quite well since.

Welcome back to both teams, thank goodness for that! Be pleased to see those pesky Bees and Panthers around Arena :-)

Not a thing. Would be good to have a website on Irish speedway history (there's a challenge for someone!) Small piece (under D for Dublin) in the "Homes Of British Speedway" book. Track ran 1950, 51, 52, 54. Team known as the Dublin Lizods in 1950. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> With Easyjet fares so cheap and Raynair based out of Dublin this looks viable these days, I was just wondering if there was still any interest. But if no-one's bothered to put any history on line in this day and age when there's a website about just about every subject it doesn't look like there's a market. Thanks for the reply anyway TMW.

It's comforting to know that the current pickles we see in the sport are simply a continuation of a long tradition of speedway getting it's knickers in a twist. Cock-ups to you you and me Chapelizod - any info on line about this old club?

There doesn't seem to be an index/defauft page on that site now. I don't know if you're aware but it's therefore posible to view the contents and subfolders now.

Fingers crossed

Does anyone know the reason Lee Herne isn't riding? Bryn?

Thanks Tony. I'd do the same for you if the situation arises again Crikey, what a woman............ I normally have to at least buy dinner

Yes, brings a whole new meaning to warm and cosy, I must say that Joanne appears very friendly indeed

Skoal Bandits?

'Oh yeah, no worries Mick, you have Rico and Sully and we'll make sure we sort out Belle Vue over Bjerre too. Coventry won't mind you having two top graded riders, they wanted to ship out Hamil and Rico. Tel doesn't care he hated Loram and the fans at Eastbourne never wanted him back. Oh and while we're at it, those cockney boys at Arena wouldn't want Hamil or Hancock (insert any really) to go with Loram, will just make it better for you mate.' Now what was that self-destruct sequence? Leeway over top-end riders, don't make me laugh that's just embarrassing.

I like the theory that injured riders will more likely be replaced but it is a pity this may favour foreign riders more as Tsunami suggests. Except perhaps in the case of those PL riders who don't make the jump to EL due to expectations of higher earnings in the PL.

My sentiments exactly. Any rule change bringing about less use of guests and more team stability has my support. However with just a guest facility for the no.1 and cover for reserves the potential for two of the remaining four team members to be out at the same time is immense. Why couldn't the reserve cover option be extended to cover grade c as well? Like my fellow AE fan and namesake I do despair at all the rule tinkering but, as I say, I think this one's a step in the right direction.

Ah I see now from the title of this thread just what is is they get up to at these 'think tank' sessons. But along with the cards I'm sure they'll be playing pin the tail on the donkey for any difficult decisions.

I agree with much of your post above and the related thread but I'm not sure there's much appetite for the individual meetings. I always used to enjoy them, but along with many people do so in moderation, team speedway is my first love. But we now have to consider the format of the GPs, the likelihood of increasing numbers of events and the various national championships and qualifying events. I'm inclined to think the support for many more individual meetings is very limited and the attendances would reflect that.

I would think that wouldn't be the case. My hope would be that, in the above example, Crumpie would save all the time and expense of travelling abroad, at least so often, and be provided with increased meetings in the UK to compensate.

I really think Gjedde and Andersen should consider changing their surnames, it's not like their initials clash - think of the benefits in printing costs on race jackets alone!

Now we're talking, I like it. More domestic matches with meaningful European competitions and whole teams travelling to away fixtures.... we'll be pulling in more fans for less overheads if we're not careful! Goodness riders may actually stay in one counrty, it gets my vote.

I am so much in favour of that although I realise to make it viable we'd need each league to have more fixtures. IMHO supportes want to see continuity of their team and they want to bond with riders, this is so hard to do with the current merry go round in the winter and guesting arrangements. If this aspect could be improved I'm sure fans becoming more involved quicker will help to increase attendances.

But Tony, don't you think that the greater the popularity of the sport at the highest levels, the greater the attendances lower down? Hi Mylor I think I tend to agree with Lioness on this, it doesn't always work that way. Soccer may be slightly worse off generally though as much of the time the bigger soccer clubs are playing at the same time as the smaller ones. Fans have to be attracted to the the bigger game and cannot choose to be in two places at once even if they wanted to be. In speedway of course the fixtures are more spead out and it would be stupid for Arena therefore to run on the same night as Rye or Glasgow on the same night as Edinburgh. This should go some way to help attendances as the sport gains popularity.

That makes sense, of course it does, but I think that view is in danger of being too short termist (is that a word?). I believe speedway needs quite a overhaul next year and that must be a long term plan. All sports will attract money if successful at the highest levels, ultimately that results in cash shortages lower down and that really must be avoided if British speedway is to be healthy long term. If you look at any sport when it achieves big sponsorship things always look great cash wise at the top, but I can think of no example where a few years down the road the infrastructure hasn't then started to creak. Football, Rugby and Athletics have all been the same. My point is that speedway needs to recognise this now and ensure that the league structure it puts in place is here to stay.

IMHO I wouldn't think this would be a very prudent idea. Firstly, the three tier structure is enough and at the lower end it could use a few extra clubs with the same amount filtering up so the top league is increased. Another tier would almost certainly lead to another set of specific rules, lord knows we need more rules that differ - not. It's my view we need three leagues of roughly the same number of sides all working to broadly similar rules. Meaningful inter league competitions become a posiblity but there needs to be a proper distribution of Sky money. If Sky wants to cover the EL only that's fine, but some of the money MUST go to strengthening the grass roots of the sport. Otherwise it may not be there much longer.

Danny King ban - 97 replies Speedway, the future - 4 replies. I think we're floggin a dead horse on this forum wolfcrazy. I tried a couple of detailed posts, with solutions, on this subject and asked what people thought. - 0 replies. Conclusion? Members are more interested in trivia and negativity than the future of the sport :-( Anybody disagree? I think you'll find PL fans may not have seen this thread in the EL forum. Conclusion? The new section will solicit more response

Here here SCB, I would love to See Edward have a go too, as will his family & friends & give him a taste of his future Yeah why not. As luck would have it I think the future at least looks quite bright, but among some very promising youngsters Edward Kennet is a special talent. Let's plan for the future, he'd get the call from me.

Well, that's the side so they get my full noisey flag waving support. Have to agree though that we shoud've gone for more youth, I'm sorry for one or two of the squad but thier time's over. At least some of the younger riders should've been given the experience and frankly, IMHO, choosing Norris defies logic. But I'm happy if Loram's going, I'm hoping this means he'll ride in the early 4 man rouns because the guy is pure class. He's also a professional from whom the younger guys could learn a good deal. Obviously poor David Howe will have to be replaced, ironic that the one really bright young inclusion gets injured - get well soon David. Good luck guys.