freddyfivetoes

Yeah, drugged-up twenty-somethings! Bring 'em on!

Do we know the weather in Bahia Blanca tonight? There were tweets about horrendous thunderstorms yesterday.

We must hope the 2013 U-21 Finals have better English representation than this year, with just one qualifier (who was sadly sidelined early on). Although the Berwick round will have two home-nation wildcards as well as any Brits who have qualified through the rounds. After Cardiff and the WTC meetings at King's Lynn, this must be the most-important speedway event in the UK next year.

Certainly looks the form horse in that one. But chains can break, plug leads can come off, who knows? Remember Chris Holder in the race after he clinched his world title? Fat lady. Song.

Don't be silly. Terrible suggestion. Where's the saving for a "southern" section containing Scunthorpe and Sheffield, for starters? Redcar would much prefer the comparatively-short trips to both the above circuits than regularly hauling themselves on 400-mile round trips to Armadale or Ashfield.

No chance of Nelson, who (if he is released from Australia to ride in UK is at Rye House) so put Facundo Albin in his place and you've got a pretty fair team, with a lot of potential and the all-important ability to please at home. Only problem is only four are assets (providing Bellego get the the nod) and there might be a case for trying to buy contracts of Dyer and Smith. Ricky AShworth is a little bit too old for what would be a ma\jor investment at this time.

Any further word on Fridays? Like many people, I prefer speedway under floodlights, meetings run swiftly and without dust. None of which has ever seemed possible at Ashfield -- until now

I am pretty sure there are no fares as such paid to Scandanavian riders by PL clubs. Obviously, their points-payment scructure may reflect their expected travelling when contracts are agreed. As for the awful comment about hospital fees, I am not disappointed. I am appalled.

From a neutral point of view, yes. It was a baptism of fire, and he held the sport together at a time of real crisis. The behaviour of people like Trump was shocking from where I stood. But please, go and play somewhere else. Let people who can contribute to the discussion regarding Edinburgh Monarchs get on with their debate.

Anything can happen. Last season he was 10 points ahead of PP and Darcy going into the last one, and they both pulled something like six points back from him. And the year before, didn't he start the last meeting about five points behind the Latvian guy and still won the thing?

What pish. In his three years in office, Harkess has been faced with the ridiculous Coventry/Peterborough stance (which really harmed the PL, when KL and Brum were force-fed upwards to satisfy Sky), the Polish "silencer strike" and a horrific and brazen episode of match-fixing by a visiting team at his own track in the first two seasons. This year, he has had Plymouth ('nuff said) and the worst UK weather since speedway began. All of which he handled with dignity. None of which has displayed any puppetry. A new chairperson will inherit a sport with troubles, but will hopefully continue to steer a steady ship. Now, having said that -- can I ask thet you beggar (misprint) off and leave this thread to the all-important matter of a great old club's survival?

Moving on to Round 7, do we know if Alex Loktaev will turn up to join his bikes? Free airfare, if he's signed off OK by doctor, why shouldn't he?

I guess that Holder will be out after getting the leg injury. Ward's already in GP, so he won't care. Only advabtage of getting into top four in Aussie Title is to then automatically get into the GP Challenge. So maybe Batchelor, Masters, Schlein.....?

Sorry, but although popular with northern fans (although exactly which four from six teams you'd want in "your" group might be a cause for discussion) 4TT qualifiers mean financial suicide for the rest of the league. Plymouth (for instance would have to pay for three away meeting' travel and points top-up) on the strength of one home "gate" -- and how many travellers from, I'd guess Rye House, Somerset and, er, Ipswich would turn up in Devon for that leg?

I'm sorry to have to observe that if Berwick do survive, and the promotion/management get just reward for all their improvements, it will be in spite of (rather than because of) the wishes of at least two of their "Supporters" on here.

Phil lists some interesting terms there. Not what I've heard really happens though. Another way would be to ask Dick Barrie exactly what conditions are like over there. Berwick programme lists him at dick@berwickbandits.co

Second bottom when Smith and Barnfield were hurt? As an observer, I'd say your posts appear to display some (personal?) vitriol towards the management at Berwick, which is surely not needed when the club is in a parlous financial state. Do you want them to spend funds they clearly don't have to buy you next year's title? Or get the club solvent, running and attracting the respect of BSPA and FIM with their improvements?

It seems from a distance that the authorities want Berwick to run (Benevolent Fund meeting and World U-21 Final leg) and clearly supporters do. This is all goodwill which might sway a company into providing backing for the club.

Half-decent? If the racing's as good as that, then who could complain? Huge crowd too. With competition and attendances like that, there can be no complaint over big meetings being staged there. It is only because these crowds and that racing aren't taking place in Europe that we are moaning about the globalisation. It seems that the Argentinian trip next week is easier to achieve in many respects than getting to a qualifier in the further-flung reaches of Russia. What about Australia -- they certainly deserve recognition of their U-21 achievements over the years, and if the MA put in a firm bid to stage a round, who could complain (on sporting grounds)? The FIM's problem in taking U-21 "around the world" is that there is a qualification system, so the Finals (and seven is probably far too many) can't start until June. This will mean any future U-21 Finals "going global" will probably always take place after the European season.

Wet stuff or not, it will go ahead. Len would suffer a financial penalty if it doesn't -- unless he restaged it Mon/Tue/Wed. Which might mean a bigger financial penalty! So get the brollies out, and see the Trophy won and lost.

Now that is a good idea. Cynics and non-contructive critics stay away. Let's do as the lady says, let's get together and fix this thing!

Here's the thing folks. Constructive criticism -- good, often very useful.. Destructive criticism -- bad, worse than useless. Discuss.

As someone who has read these threads for a while but hasn't previously posted, I find the Berwick topics get torn apart by either personal attacks on the promotion and staff or people from other clubs just stirring things up. From recent publicity it is clear Berwick need a sponsor, and I think it looks that if they get one they'll carry on. Their Facebook pages (maybe it was the club website, I'm not sure) had a request for supporters to seek out possible club sponsorship and present a brochure of some kind to the right people at such a business, while reporting back to the club that they had done so. Maybe something will come of this, and a club which is liked and admired through British speedway will carry on. I do hope so.

Good post!

As with most Premier League arrangements, it is 'way,'way better than the EL KOC, and a number of other things happening "upstairs". As stated above, is the original poster aware of the number of rained-off meetings in October alone, let alone the whole year? It has been a once-in-a-lifetime scenario, not a devious plan concocted to deprive Ipswich from contesting a third final. Good luck to Rye House and Berwick