crescent girl

Berwick's e-Newsletter this morning keeps the pot boiling..... Only a tenner to come in on Tuesday, and you can bring the kids for free! On Tuesday 12th, we presume you might just be aware of a midweek visit from Edinburgh Monarchs, plus the cameras and crew from Sky TV! Having lost to Edinburgh here in April in the Premier Trophy, but then defeating them soundly last month in the KO Cup, honours are even so far -- Tuesday may therefore be looked on as a decider for the Shielfield Park bragging rights in 2014! The eyes -- and the cameras -- of the world will be upon us! This meeting is a really tough test for your New Holland Bandits, and with the miracle of planet-wide live television focussing the eyes of the world on our efforts, the boys are going need all the support we can muster. Your attendance, along with as many friends, maybe first-timers, will be really welcome. Tell everyone you know -- it's only a tenner on Tuesday, you can bring the kids for free, and they are allowed to wave at the cameras! Don't miss it!

Berwick's e-Newsletter reports: The last time Edinburgh's fast-starting Justin Sedgmen raced as a guest at Berwick, it was for Peterborough Panthers -- and we all know just how good he, and the Panthers, were that sorry, sorry night! Tomorrow brings Sheffield Tigers back to Berwick and, needing a guest to replace the unlucky Andre Compton, who does wily manager Joe Screen call? Sedgy, that's who! The Steel City boys are led by Team GB's WTC Finalist Simon Stead (an absolute master around Shielfield, and their top scorer as the Tigers snuffed out Workington's spluttering Comets 52-40 last night) and have the "tiny tadpole" Taylor Poole at reserve -- the position he was in as he collected payment for no less than 17 points against mighty Somerset last week, live on Sky Sports! His fellow reserve Josh Bates took a tumble last night and had to withdraw from the meeting, although we obviously hope he will be fit to race tomorrow. However, our own riders are now hungry for the points that will consolidate their position in the top three of the Premier League. From here on in, home wins are a must! Get your backside trackside on Saturday, and cheer them on! Having now won five away fixtures to boost ourselves into the magic half-dozen, it is imperative we hold our place by winning at home, and Saturday's visit from the steel-city Tigers is the first of eight vital home encounters. Bandits: 1. Claus, 2. David, 3. Steen, 4. Matty, 5. Kevin, 6. Alex, 7. Matej. Tigers: 1. Simon Stead, 2. Leigh Lanham(R/R), 3. Ben Wilson, 4. Mason Campton (guest), 5. Justin Sedgmen (guest), 6. Taylor Poole, 7. Josh Bates (if fit).

From Berwick e-Nesletter this morning: The Premier League table makes interesting reading this morning. With several clubs having matches in hand the actual table has a lop-sided look, but on adjusted performance the mighty Monarchs continue to lead on a +19 rating, your very own Bandits last night moved into second position on +15 and Somerset are holding steady at +12. No other club has currently anything better than +4 (Ipswich, Scunthorpe and Workington are at that mark) to offer as of right now. Interestingly, Edinburgh, Somerset and your Bandits all have to race each other during the coming week, and when the Shielfield dust settles after the Rebels' visit on August 16th, the situation might be clearer.

It really all comes down to population. Berwick achieve miracles in attracting support from their catchment area, by far the least-populated (given a 40-mile radius) of any speedway club in Britain.

Er, Jensen did have five rides! Kus probably the correct choice of Bellego for Heat 15.

Interesting prospect, this one. Bandits won at the STMP last month, but since then the Bears have come to life and mauled three top teams - Worky, Scunny and Newcastle. Berwick have reintroduced Alexander Edberg, Redcar have Thomas Jorgensen in as a guest at No 1. Bears: 1. Thomas Jorgensen 2. Hugh Skidmore 3. Mark Lemon 4. Carl Wilkinson 5. Aaron Summers 6. Jan Gravesen 7. Rafal Konopka Bandits: 1. Claus Vissing 2. David Bellego 3. Steen Jensen 4. Matthew Wethers 5. Kevin Doolan 6. Alexander Edberg 7. Matej Kus Weather looks fair, here's hoping........

I think everyone wants Liam, and Stefan Farnaby, and whoever else Gary Flint and Colin Easton produce through a vibrant junior scene, in Bandits' colours in the fullness of time. One day, a locally-based, young and exciting team -- marvellous! But we also seem to have a public hungry (too hungry?) for success, and seemingly voting with their feet when it is not forthcoming. Rock and a hard place for the promotion. Long term? Inexpensive National League racing, but still putting on top-class events once or twice a year? Queens Park and Hampden Park come to mind.

Absolutely correct. All the North American sports (the biggest, most-financially-viable leagues in the world) have play-offs, and teams there have long admitted their income is doubled in the post-season. Even soccer has play-offs in the Scottish and English leagues now. The old idea of a straightforward winner went out the window years ago. A couple of years back there were no PL play-offs, Glasgow had the title won by early August and their crowds dropped (perhaps creating their well-publicised financial worries of that winter) for the remaining, by-then-meaningless matches.

Sky Sports confirm Kelvin Tatum will indeed be up on the third bend on August 12th

They didn't agree to sixteen rain-offs though.

Edinburgh (+19), Somerset (+13) and Berwick (+12) are absolutely nailed-on to qualify. Scunthorpe, Peterborough and Workington are all on +4, Ipswich are +1. The other six clubs are all in the minus column.

Since you've asked: The clue is in the phrase "shared events". The profit -- if any -- is pooled, and divided among the member-clubs at the end of term. Probably not equally, as I'd imagine the EL clubs get bigger cheques than PL, and NL even less. But in theory, each year's profit -- if any -- is divided amoung the clubs, and they start again next year with nothing in the kitty.

Will they not just use Stevie -- who would know?

Can't see that being the case. His friend and former team manager at Birmingham isn't the best-loved chap at Glasgow, is he?

After a disastrous couple of months, with only ONE home Saturday PL fixture reaching a 15-heat conclusion since Ipswich's visit on May 17th (ten weeks ago) Berwick will surely get their Shielfield season back on track this Saturday with a new month bringing a visit from the always-entertaining Tigers and their ever-resiliant travelling fans. Weather woes must be crippling the Bandits financially, yet on-track performances (other than at Armadale) are their best for years, proving the wisdom of constructing such a solid squad. The Tigers' fans have their bright young things (Thomsen, Berge and Lykke) to savour, and with Berwick coming to the meeting after two matches on the road at Ipswich and Scunthorpe will be hoping that something can be taken from the night. NB: At the time of writing, Berwick have already lost FIFTEEN fixtures (five home, ten away) to the weather with three months of the season still to go. Costing the promotion thousands of unrecoverable pounds. Who'd be a speedway promoter?

When the Bandits have their own seven riders on track (as they will on Thursday) they can be dependably solid. They have already scored 49 at Workington, 52 at Plymouth, 50 at Redcar and 52 at Glasgow, collecting 4-point away wins each time. With seven matches in hand, Berwick are just four points below Ipswich in this morning's PL table, and seem nailed-on for a top-six finishing place, probably above the Witches in the finishing order. Downside is that I don't think the Bandits have achieved any kind of result on Foxhall Heath since a draw there in 1990. Should be good!

Saturday, August 2nd is definately Berwick v Glasgow Tigers.

Well, Mr Panther, at least Rye House fans know they have a dependable promoter, aren't likely to go bust (yet again) or call meetings off without valid explantations. Clubs' on-track fortunes wax and wane, but at the end of the day, it's the ability to open up each week, each year......

Berwick are always happy to check out a young French lad!

Yeah, well the rest of speedway hasn't discovered why Peterborough screwed Edinburgh's fans with that sodding "health and safety" excuse...... What goes around......

A note to wobbly memories about the (excellent) Sky meeting at Berwick last season. "Nigel and Kelvin" most certainly didn't make anything of it at all, as the presenters were Nigel and Chris. Who did indeed do a great job. Mr Tatum didn't make a return to Berwick, and we will have to await August 12th to find out if he'll be on hand this time around.

Where?

Don't think you'll be too disappointed. Accentuate the positives -- Doolan's going really well, Steen Jensen will deliver at Armadale and Rusty coming to us off the back of 14+1 on Sunday afternoon.

plus a kiss for the presenter?

Suspect you mean 2nd para? (Proof reading is impotent)