Terry

Why do you assume people who don't think the sun shines out of Tai's backside hate him or are jealous of him. I'm certainly not, but I've never liked arrogant bigheads and never will. I can't ever recall Mauger, Olsen, Nielsen or Rickardsson calling fans idiots or scum, just because they got booed a little!

No, Tai has most of his on social media, so his blinkered band of followers can reassure him on how wonderful he is.

He grew out of it though, I wonder if Tai ever will.

It's one thing having some input but it's quite another demanding who you want (which incidentally I can't imagine Louis and Loram doing, as they weren't 'up themselves' like Woffinden.) We may as well not bother with a team manager and let Tai make all the decisions! So if it was a clash of dates that stopped him riding in last years British Final what was his excuse this year?

I notice you've mentioned Tai helping with the practice, but haven't mentioned that he wanted to pick his own partner, which is the team managers job. Arrogance of the highest order..Britain is better off without him.

If only Woffinden had ridden for Australia. Years of bickering on the forum could have been avoided, and people would've just expected all the arrogance and big-headedness!

Team Cook up with somebody who is proud to ride for Britain.

To be honest I don't blame him for not racing in the British League (ah, those were the days), it's more the fact that he feels he's too good to bother with the British Final. People were making excuses for him last year saying it was the clash of dates that stopped him from riding in the semi-final, but I said at the time that was just an excuse and he never intended competing, as has been proved this year. I was cheering as loudly as anyone for him in 2013 in the gp's, but with each passing year he seems to alienate more and more British fans. I'd love to cheer the only Brit in the world championship, but I can't bring myself to..I know that Chris Harris isn't up to gp standard anymore, but I still wish he was in it.. just so I could cheer on a Brit!

Ditto that. These 30 minute versions are great, all the heats and no waffle.

Great picture!

He must mean Grand Prix champion. Peter Craven was the youngest British world champion.

You're a glass half full person, good on ya. Just like you I love the gp's, I was disappointed with Krsko but I'm already looking forward to Warsaw. I'd have them every week! Since my beloved Hackney closed I can't bring myself to support another team, so I love gp Saturday.

How can you tire of watching the best riders in the world. The more the merrier I say.

I hear he has a cousin in Liverpool. Dey Dudek Don't Dey Dough.

Yeah, you could be right.

Well done to Martin Vaculik. Hopefully that will be the worst gp of the year, bloody awful.

Nice to have a Monster-free final. Come on Doyley!

Woffinden £50 less Doyle £50 more

He always came across as a thoroughly nice chap who never involved himself in any petty bickering. RIP

Enjoyed that. Great last race.

I don't think Stefan Andersson would agree..

Decent meeting although I was hoping for a Laguta win after he was clearly the best over the 20 heats. I hate how everything 'has' to finish with a grand final these days. Good to see Nicki playing up his 'bad boy' image to the crowd, all good fun! After years of being against him, I've decided to change tack and support him from now on, as like a growing number of fans, I'm getting a bit tired of the nauseating Monster love-in.

The first match race I remember watching was Peter Collins v Scott Autrey in a decider at Hackney which PC won comfortably 2-0. Unfortunately I'll never forget the date 8th June 1979, the night of the awful Vic Harding/Steve Weatherley crash. On a happier note the following year I was there to witness the only (as far as I know) Golden Helmet dead heat between Bo Petersen and Chris Morton. With Bo winning the decider at Leicester to be the 80-81 winter holder. Unfortunately for Hackney fans Bo got well and truly whipped by world champ Michael Lee in his first defence. I remember reading in the speedway star that Mike couldn't breathe properly for some reason, and wanted to finish as quickly as possible! I think he broke the track record and beat Bo by about half a lap in both races, which took some doing in those days.

1980 Spring Gold Cup Hackney 20 King's Lynn 57. Even Lynn's reserve Pete Smith scored a max, while Bo Petersen top scored for the Hawks with 6. I suppose it could've been a good thing, because it spurred us on to our best league finish! That scoreline would probably be reversed today. (Unless Woffinden could be arsed to ride!)

When Zenon rejoined Hackney half way through the 79 season he was unbelievable. He was so fast, lowering the track record almost every week! I remember him beating Ole Olsen from the back twice one week and I wasn't at all surprised when he finished 2nd in the world final. I don't think the eastern europeans had the same opportunities in those days and Len Silver seemed to have a yearly battle with Zenons Polish club to get him released.