The Voice Of Reason

To make those numbers meaningful though, bear in mind that there were 13 teams in the PL and 10 in the EL. To this end, that works out 3.2 British riders in the PL, compared to 1.7 in the EL. So levelling these numbers up to actual bodies, it equates to around 3 compared to 2. Not too great a differential, is it?

Nooooo Bryn. A certain Aussie rider that, if the track doesn't suit in his first ride, often appears to go missing (particularly away from home). No names mentioned, of course.

I can actually think of another Aussie, much closer to home, who has sometimes demonstrated the exact same traits. Heaven knows how they can tag us 'Whinging Pomms'!

Just to add, £200, minus income tax AND a mechanic's wage.

Irrespective of who goes where, I just think it's bloody fantastic that Poole have to finally track a couple of British Riders. Fraud and The Lapdog must be spitting feathers!

George Michael?

Agree that many aspects of a stadium are simply out of the hands of what a respective promoter can achieve. Major refurbishments, improved facilities, etc. are, in many cases, the responsibility of the stadium's owners; many of whom seem unable/unwilling (possibly both) to meaningfully invest. As for my own team - Lakeside. Undoubtedly, one of the worst places you could imagine. Very little cover, toilets are a disgrace and it's location (particularly on Friday nights) is a nightmare. On the plus side - visibility is excellent (albeit a long way from the track), food outlets are generally reasonable, the car park is free and, despite the rhetoric from those on here still apparently living in the 90's, the standard of racing is very good. I know first hand just how much Cookie and Duggo have tried to improve facilities. An example of this is by renting a better P.A. System for each meeting. Unfortunately, their enthusiasm to make ongoing improvements is seemingly not shared by the Arena Stadium owner(s). However, one area where Hammers Fans desperately want to see improvements, is in the area of merchandising. Over the past few years, it's become a complete and utter farce. Whilst I believe our Promotion are pretty forward-thinking (ride & slide days, training track, excellent sponsorship, community involvement, etc.) I do find it pretty frustrating that they don't appear to be able to tackle the relatively simple issue of selling club merchandise. Whilst there are (apparently) restrictions selling this within the stadium, it really isn't too difficult to set up an ebaY shop, is it? At the end of the day, we make the best of what we have. With a pretty solid fan-base, it's quite a successful club. However, when I compare Lakeside's stadium with my now local clubs such as Coventry, Birmingham and Wolves, it's frustrating to see what can actually be achieved.

- Is he therefore going to have his own oche, 3 feet from the board? - Will he want to play with 6 darts? - If he's feeling a bit off colour in the practice room, is he just not going to bother turning up so that he can get a re-match when it suits him? - If he's not playing too well, are his promotion going to pay for Martin Adams to take his place? Oh no, thinking about it, Adams is English. They'd probably go for Simon Whitlock as they prefer Australians over their own Countrymen (plus if Pearson was commentating, and Adams was playing, the cries of "Wolfie, Wolfie, Wolfie" would be too much to endure). - If it's over 5 sets, is he going to demand the game is awarded when he's 2-1 up? NOTHING would surprise me with anything associated with Poole Speedway these days if I'm honest.

Surely, the most hollow league victory in the history of our sport. Anyone that is happy with the plethora of Poole Speedway Clubs' antics throughout this season, clearly condones cheating, lying and deceit. And that says as much about YOU as it does Fraud & lap-dog. Absolutely shameless - a despicable promotion that is truly below contempt.

I think we've seen Davey Watt demonstrate (in the past few weeks) where his loyalties really lie. Far too often, away from home, he just goes missing. As for Ulamek. Thanks, but no thanks - a 'spent force' unfortunately. I'd much rather have Kim Nilsson back. Ulamek took Kim's place and basically failed to deliver.

Are there actually ANY non-Poole Speedway Supporters on this forum that want them to win? I would guess not. And a point for 'The Shovlarosi' don't patronise other team's fans by saying it's simply jealousy or envy. It's because your Promotion are CHEATS! Come on Brummies, please do your best for the integrity of our beloved sport; and don't enable it to be dragged further into the sewers.

Two 'bites of the cherry' and you spelt 'business' incorrectly on both occasions. I was pointing out to Mr. Shovlar, only yesterday, his woeful spelling. It really does seem that the education system down in Dorset is sadly lacking; or maybe all those private tuition fees that Mummy and Daddy spend are a complete and utter waste of money.

It wasn't an insult - clearly you don't know the actual meaning of the word 'pleb'. I suggest that you refer to it's origin, and subsequently learn something. Notwithstanding this Mr. Shovlar, it's fine for you to throw insults at people by perceiving them to possess little 'inTERlect', but you cannot accept an example of somebody basically proving that YOUR personal intellect is sadly lacking. Truly incredulous.

Gavan, You should have realised by now that Shovlar only responds to those points that he wants to. Like a third-rate politician, he cherry picks what he wants to answer. Even then, his responses are not constructed with any logic, but simply a brain-washed perspective in support of his corrupt promotion. His constant defence of the indefensible speaks volumes about him as a person. If he was a Lakeside supporter, I'd actually be embarrassed to even be associated with him if I'm honest. Prime example? Well old chap, look no further than his opening line above (Quote) "I only bother to debate with people that have a bit of interlect". 'A bit of interlect'? It's INTELLECT you utter pleb!

The sad truth is guys, in relation to Shovlar's most recent drivel, he probably WOULD celebrate. I can honestly say that for many of us on this forum, if our respective teams' won the League this year having engaged so many underhand tactics, then we'd feel that it was nothing other than an extremely hollow achievement. But there you go. Mr. Shovlar (and the other Shovlarosi) all probably got their 'swim a width' certificate with one foot on the floor of the pool. After all, what's wrong with cheating and lying to yourself, at any cost. Winning everything, and having a total lack of any dignity and respect for your fellow man, is what life is all about..........isn't it?

I would not for one moment doubt that Mr. Shovlar is actually a Speedway fan. However, what I would doubt is his sportsmanship, fair-mindedness and integrity - and that goes for ANY other Poole supporter that would consider winning the Elite League Title in 2013 as being nothing other than a very hollow, cheap award; achieved basically by cheating. Fortunately, there are some Poole Supporters contributing on this forum that don't have such a blinkered, idiotic view of proceedings over the past few months. Full credit to you for having the ability to speak your own minds; instead of being swayed by 'The Shovlarosi'. As a Speedway Supporter who, let me make this clear yet again, has NO dislike of any Poole riders OR the majority of their supporters, a Poole victory for the 2013 title has about as much depth as a grain of sand.

Just to let you know that WASN'T the 2013 Lakeside Team. Do keep up.

What a childish, idiotic thing to say. As I've said countless times, I do not dislike any Poole Speedway Riders, nor the majority of their fans. It's simply their promotion that I utterly despise; and no doubt, there are countless other speedway supporters who feel the same way.

If there is any JUSTICE left within this sport, then I truly hope that the Robin's emerge victorious from this meeting.

Nice one Robins - 10 points give you some degree of breathing space (albeit, hopefully not complacency). Half-time then lads. Who's for an orange? Meanwhile, we'll let Hinge & Bracket suck on a lemon.

Re: Team GB and "What is Neil supposed to do"? Well, how about signing some Brits for the Poole Team, and developing their talents; thus truly earning the respect of the British Speedway Community?

You are right about some shale being placed on the rubbers to hold them in place. However, one thing that we've done is to drill and double-affix the rubbers with cable ties - the Velcro fixing is insufficient in our book. And the clips on Lakeside's are different than you describe. As far as I'm aware, Lakeside's is a first generation Briggo; they are zipped together and the plastic clasps are all the same design - namely male/female. The outside of the bag is also attached to the retaining straps with metal spring clasps. These have a lovely tendency to rust and subsequently stick during the course of a season. Unzipping the airbags at the end of the meeting is a nightmare. If anyone can imagine a thick metal zip (often with some teeth missing) and caked in wet shale, there's no surprise that it's one of the tasks that's hated by most. Just to add that unlike many tracks, Lakeside also has to build the track each week, and take everything down at the end of the meeting - given that the venue is also a banger car circuit.

With all due respect, it wasn't the actual safety fence that killed Denny Pyeatt at Hackney. In a freak accident, his back wheel was clipped by Marvyn Cox going into bend 3; which threw Denny high into the air, whereupon he hit (head first) one of the flood-light poles. Unbelievably back then, the tyres around the base of the poles just didn't go up high enough. Would airbags have saved Denny? Quite possibly, simply because they would potentially have taken a lot more of the bike's impact; and not therefore thrown him so high (if at all) over the top. And that's a misnomer I often see about airbags - that they make a rider bounce back into the path of other riders. In my experience, that simply isn't the case. Firstly, to hit the airbag generally means that the rider (and obviously his bike) are out on the furthest perimeter of the track. That isn't where guys tend to ride these days. But more importantly, as already mentioned, the airbag AND the restraining straps on the posts are designed to move; and as well as taking the weight/momentum of the impact, they actually deflate enough momentarily so that a 'bounce back' (in most instances) doesn't occur. The restraining straps themselves are a similar material to a seat-belt in your car; and they clip/unclip easily into place. Just to add, these straps are not actually fixed to the wooden posts - they tend to run through u-shaped brackets - so that they have added 'give'/movement. At the bottom of the air bags (certainly the Briggo ones that Lakeside uses), there is a very thick, heavy-duty rubber flap that lies flat against the shale, and holds the airbag down. However, fluke accidents can occur, even with airbags. Only a few seasons ago, Niels Kristen-Iversen hit one at the base and it actually lifted - sending him head first through onto the stock car track. Fortunately, he wasn't injured and could actually see the funny side of it when I went to check out his crash helmet for damage. I think that potentially, their major disadvantage is when a rider lands completely underneath one; and is potentially trapped with his bike on his body. Although the cut-out should disengage the engine immediately (and cut-outs are ALWAYS checked pre-meeting when the bikes are warming up) the heat of the exhaust, engine and particularly the silencer are tremendous. Whilst the material used on airbags is non-flammable, a bike can certainly melt holes into them. And whilst kevlars are designed to withstand considerable heat, I have noticed that there are a number of occasions when they've tended to cut/split quite easily. Burning parts on bare skin are therefore a nightmare scenario - hence the reason that as track-staff, you are trained to get that thing lifted up pretty damn quickly and get the bike away from the rider (if necessary). And believe me, both airbag and bike are extremely heavy bits of kit. It's also frustrating when you have to wait for that bloody red light to come on - refs are generally exceptionally quick but, at times, it seems like an eternity. Just an added bit to bore you with - track staff can make absolutely no contact with the rider - even if he's crying out on agony (as they often are when they first hit the deck). That's entirely the responsibility of the medical team. However, it does enable you to learn just one or two swear words in Scandinavian and Polish, etc.!

With all due respect mate, think back. Hasn't our 'desperation' come about since Nilsson was booted out (to be replaced by a two-bob rider in Ulamek.......when he's actually been able to turn up and ride)? As for Robbo. I think you'll find that he's actually a Cov asset; NOT Lakeside's. P.S. If I was Kim, I'd tell our promotion where to go - if they came hunting.

Couldn't agree more. As stated, I know a number of people that smoke a spliff purely for recreational purposes; from all walks of life and various ages. Personally, it's just never 'floated my boat' to try it. I am not aware of ANY of them becoming a financial drain on the NHS. And whilst I'm not making a pro-drug argument (I don't preach how people should ever live their lives), cannabis is possibly doing less harm to people than junk food; particularly if we bring the UK's apparent ever-increasing levels of obesity into the equation. But there you go. There are always going to be people such as E I Addio who don't just have an opinion (which is fine) but are actually opinionated. As for the 'dull lives' reference. Can we HONESTLY say that someone who smokes a spliff has a duller life than us lot - wasting countless hours each year, typing away on a forum associated with a minority sport?