crescent girl

New sponsors announced (and new 'powered by' backers, too) plus a new promoter on the block! Getting interesting now, folks!

Stevie W withdrawn from BenFund?

On loan

Yes, but...... Two top scorers have an extra race. Each, if they are No 1 in their team, earns about £100 per point. The riders would expect to be paid for racing for the Helmet. That's an extra £500 to be paid out -- and I can't imagine the prospect of watching that race would bring in the extra thirty adults -- who wouldn't be coming otherwise -- to balance the books. So, although I'd love to see the Silver Helmet coming back, I can't see it as a feasible prospect.

There's a thread in the "Individuals & Shared Events" section for the Bordernapolis. Although at present, only the expected first seven contestants are known.

I'm sure a quick e-mail to club@berwickbandits.co will sort you out, let you know where to collect. A sign of the season fast approaching is that this SUNDAY (10th) there will be the Staff Meeting, open to any potential new crew members who fancy joining the stalwart volunteers who help put on the Saturday show. As well as current staffers, of course. At the Black & Gold, 5pm.

There might now be a case that, in future, the 1-7 nominated and (presumably) contracted and registered pre-season is required to actually start the season -- with an obvious caveat of MC permission to make a change in the case of an off-season injury, or other unavailability.

Don't believe that for one minute. Two customers on the same morning?

Good idea. Hopefully our Webmeister will see this, and make it so.

If they're good enough, they'll get their chances, yes.....

Well, you can go the new Official Supporters Club's Facebook page and like and share - they're giving away a Season Ticket!

Saturday date now confirmed by BSPA - bring it on!

A fair question. As the EU is supposed to be a free market for labour, the UK restrictions brought in six or seven years back by a new-broom Home Secretary (a certain Mrs T May) are clearly different to those for the rest of the EU, and probably illegal in EU law. As for other sports, I question how it is that British ice hockey teams are almost entirely staffed by Canadian players, without any apparent problems.

Club's fixture list shows British U-21 at Berwick again -- well done -- on Saturday, April 27th, which would be huge. BSPA list has nothing on 27th, but shows a 'Berwick reserved' date on Tuesday 30th. Hmmmm. Surely Saturday meeting better for all concerned, bigger crowd, better financial return -- be it to club or BSPA.

Speedway GB are probably going to try to launch the big dates in one announcement. The U-21 Final is at Berwick again this year (in April) but isn't on the list issued on BSPA site this morning.

Moving on, news issued a couple of days back by the promotion: "We can confirm that the 2019 season at Shielfield Park will kick off with Press & Practice evening on Friday the 29th of March at 6pm but the real fun begins 24 hours later! Competitive action gets underway with the 2019 Bordernapolis event on Saturday the 30th of March at 7pm! Due to the devastating news that the Workington Comets are unable to take their place in the SGB Championship division in 2019, Bandits management have agreed that the Bordernapolis event will now be included in your 15 match season pass alongside scheduled Championship, KO Cup and Championship Shield matches. Everyone at Berwick Bandits Speedway Club sends their condolences to all involved at Workington Comets Speedway Club. Workington’s unfortunate situation brings home the very real challenges the sport is facing to survive and sustain in the current climate. We hope to one day renew our border rivalry with the 2018 SGB treble Champions but for now all thoughts are with the Promotion, Management, Riders, Mechanics, Fans and sponsors. There has never been a more important time to back your local Speedway club!"

Well, actually, he won't. As early as October, unsure if he'd be in the country in January, he notified the supporters in writing that they should give the seat in the Hall to someone else. Although back in Britain since early December, Dick has not received an invitation to the Dinner.

All coming together, Screm! Another positive blog from uber-fan Sarah on club website too, urging supporters to support the promotion, keep speedway alive in Berwick-on-Tweed.

I don't know, but a quick e-mail to club@berwickbandits.co should get their usual prompt response. Also, anyone who hasn't picked up on the option of the discounts, please remember that tomorrow is the last day of the offer........

Today's blog by the marvellous (I wish I could write as well as he does) George Dodds in "The Dirt Extra" on Bandits' website has opened the question of what it means to "support" the club. Drawing attention to the launch of the Berwick Speedway Supporters Club -- the new, officially-backed organisation with firm views on where funds raised in the name of "supporting" the club should be channeled -- he reminds us how the club has come so dangerously close to closure twice in the past three years and that monies raised in the name of supporting our Bandits should be used for just that -- securing the future of Berwick speedway. Let's get together, let's make it happen!

What other Wednesday tracks?

.....and only FIVE DAYS left to buy them at the bargain-basement offered price, folks!

So how many signatures have you received to date?

Agree 100% Every time the 'big league' gets in trouble, they lure clubs who were running successfully 'up' and put them to the sword.

Garcia and Castagna are both younger than Ben Hopwood