old bob at herne bay

Signed for Brovst by the way. Fixtures most Wednesdays April to September.

He will only ride in away meetings for Poole in 2026. Denmark on Wednesdays.

Even with a cobbled together "Premier" league, with no TV sponsorship, budgets for team building will be very different from 2025.

That’s the solution then … BSPL will take that …. We have a government doing u turns and getting away with it … so why should the vbspl be any different. IMO still think that there will be a prem with one or two cl clubs “persuaded” to join . Wage. Control and a lower points limit in pl must surely be introduced to reduce costs ? Needs to be a phasing out of doubling up .

Ah that’s better one quote I wanteD to quote. Think most on here put their own cash in the promoters piggy bank every week during the season…….or more recently whenever they choose to consider to run a meeting …..

Ah that’s better one quote I wanteD to quote. Think most on here put their own cash in the promoters piggy bank every week during the season…….or more recently whenever they choose to consider to run a meeting …..

Come on guys, the writing has been on the wall for years in Uk speedway. You can speculate when it all started, but doubling up, over reliance on TV sponsorship, the loss of stadia to building developments, limited race nights due to Poland , and a steady dwindling of support at some have all contributed to the downward trajectory . To lay the blame for the current perilous state of the PL solely on Ipswich is IMO misplaced… one could look back and blame Swindon, Wolverhampton, Birmingham and Oxford “spires” . All have contributed to the slow and steady decline in Premier league speedway. The CL clubs have been complicit as well, failing to show any interest in accepting “ promotion” to the other league . We’re all right Jack comes to mind…….this is now surely about to be put to the test ?

100th anniversary of speedway - and OUT

Don't forget the fuel taps make a valid point, irrespective of how much £££ that anyone thinks a rider is paid. It is a fact with only one league they will not be racing in as many meetings per season and hence there will be less money on offer (assuming CL clubs arent going to suddenly double pay rates) Employing clubs may have to accept that a rider may not have 2 bikes, a mechanic and a van at every meeting ? Maybe each club should prepare a "track spare" available at every meeting should a rider have problems. There is certainly an air of the sport becoming more of a semi professional, or part time employment in the UK , with riders earning outside speedway and racing as a hobby. The days of every UK team member from 1 -7 turning up with 2 brand new bikes , a luxurious motorhome/van and a team of mechanics are surely over? Riders as self employed individuals have a choice.

That’s IF the 2025 CL promoters will accept them into their league? A few stumbling blocks in the way …… Rider availability …how many will ride in UK if only one league available ? doubling up riders …race nights….assessed CMA …….points limits in 2026 eg Dickie Lawson …..Poole or Kings Lynn ? Chris Harris …….??? etc etc Guess there was always going to be the final straw that broke the Camels back ……and that appears to be the retirement of Chris Louis.

Looks like the “premiership” has finally sunk ? Clearly the AGM scheduled for November wasn’t going to be a “rubber stamping” of decisions for 2026. Ipswich now up for sale, Sheffield up for sale , and allegedly Belle Vue running only NL. The AGM being postponed until January, signings continuing unabated in the Championship. Seems the CL will be running unchanged ……. all will be revealed in January’s AGM possibly THE most important in the history of the sport ?😂🤣

Four green bottles hanging on the wall…….

What’s the current asking price for a “speedway club” ? There seem to be a few available at the moment….which must make it a buyers market

What’s the current asking price for a “speedway club” ? There seem to be a few available at the moment….

Some very insular narrow minded thinking from head in the sands speedway “supporters” . Reflects fully the attitude of most “promoters” You never know you might get visitors to the show from the museum…… cross promotion of the event by parking some speedway bikes outside on a riders van .. or offering some freebies of club mercndise outside to promote the event. Really needs some on in PR at the BSPL to get off their a*** and do some work. Frankly I don’t hold out much hope…. But speedway lumbers along slowly sinking

Used to enjoy trips to West Row back in the day when the track was pretty much an oval with no straights, and the track material seemed to consist of shale with lumps of old turnips added. Wooden board fence then. An air display on the Sunday afternoons was a regular occurrence by the USAF. The track rakers with their strong suffolk accents were good for a bit of banter between heats 🙂 and really didnt like the Hackney Kestrels beating their "boys"🙂

Only because he is allowed to ride for 2 teams in the UK !

Think you have that the wrong way round its the riders who demand that they need a van !

When's the AGM November 5th ? All around the bonfire 🔥🤣

Sorry speedwaysliders .... yeah I know it worked for 5 seasons with Roger Cearns and Len , but there was always the issue with the neighbour forcing a ridiculously early curfew, and the final straw was the rent increase. There's decent support for Sunday afternoon 3rd division fare at nearby Iwade for half a dozen meetings a year, but for regular evening speedway that has to start at 6.30 pm on a Monday (a reserved Premier League day ) ?? Needs someone fresh I will agree with you there 🙂

The sinking ship called the Premier League is heading for the rocks. Loss of UK venues has been a major factor in recent years. Their defunct club supporters have all probably been lost to the sport never to return. Established stadia with a speedway oval and capable of housing a few thousand patrons in reasonable comfort aren't out there. An ever ageing but dwindling nucleus of speedway supporters with fond memories of past glory still cling on to the wreckage in traditional speedway hotspots. Attempts to promote clubs from the Championship League have been tried and I cannot name one that has been successful ? Costs of operating on the Premier League (although a closely guarded secret) and the restrictive race nights of operation are certainly a major issue. The money for riders is in Poland nowadays, why any of them ride in the UK can only be for personal reasons, it cannot be for the money on offer. WHEN will the league decay into one league and a training Conference league ? The PL cannot hold out for much longer.

If Len Silver (bless him) couldnt make it work, then there's zero chance of any of these new "promoters" making it work at Central Park. As well as the exorbitant rent demands, never shook off the silly local resident who seemed to have the local council in her pocket re the noise of the speedway. Seems barking dogs are acceptable ??

Have to laugh ... " mainstream channels SKY, BT, TNT, Premier etc" Oh dear, remember the BBC and ITV ? They are the mainstream channels.

Good name for a speedway rider. Hope his bikes dont go Bang(s) Hugh Skidmore was the most appropriately named.