Hamish McRaker

in that case i will disappear back to oblivion with the assistance of several large servings of Jura single malt

So your afternoon nap went on a bit longer than you expected, Colonel? I know the problem only too well. You're not related to that character in Fawlty Towers are you by any chance? Anyway to put you in the picture about what's happened: Australia mercilessly thrashed England 5-0 at cricket. The British government declared war against Australia for this act of hostile aggression. Scotland, Wales and Norn Iron together formed a separate government, because it was nothing to do with them. The English government (although it still called itself and acted as "British Government") realised there are no aircraft carriers, meaning that militiary action against Australia was pointless. Instead, Sir Les Patterson was deported back to Sydney on the first available flight and this seriously affected the export sales of Australian wines. The Borders Agency also started rejecting UK visa applications by Australians, especially from speedway riders with the initials "JD". Hope that's caught you up. Wake me up when the season's started.

I'd go for mud wrestling on the centre green when the grading's being done!

Fair point Teemy, but it makes them sound a wee bit like my grandaughter and her boyfriends - you cannae keep up with who she's with from one year to the next, and I'd not want the lass to get a "reputation" if you know what I mean (small round things made from pastry with jam on)! Anyways I hope that Leicester's latest is going to be good at coughing up the wonga, and that Mr Hemsley doesn't forget to keeep the local sponsors happy.

Very intriguing, this new sponsorship deal for Leicester. Seems to buck the general trend of teams having local companies as the major sponsor/s, and indeed as someone has said on here, this Rapid solicitors company would have been considered as a possible sponsor of the Elite League itself rather than of one club. Unless somebody "on the inside" breaks cover, we will not know the exact nature of the deal between Leicester and Rapid, apart from it being 2 years duration. Reading between the lines, I get the feeling that Rapid has footed the bill for the team kevlars, but does it amount to anything much more than that? I see that since returning in 2011, Leicester have had quite a high turnover of main sponsors. Breedon, Elliot and Harry Jordan have all come and gone in succession. Jordan Road Surfacing were stadium sponsors last year, but have they now disappeared? The best and most beneficial cases of sponsorship, in my experience, are when a substantial local company and the speedway team develop a long-lasting relationship. I think that last year, Swindon's main sponsors pretty much kept things afloat when things got very difficult - they were both local companies with long standing relationships with the club. But would a company like Rapid do the same thing if the circumstances arose at Leicester? I doubt it. I really do hope this deal is a lucrative one for Leicester and can contribute to the further development of the stadium, track and club generally. But as I've said, unless somebody breaks cover, the extent of the relationship is not going to be fully known. What I suspect, and I sincerely hope I am wrong, is that the deal amounts to little more than window-dressing. If that's true, Leicester will still need to be counting on whatever league sponsorship is forthcoming, and on sufficient numbers coming through the turnstiles in order to ensure the Elite League adventure is a success (and by "success" I mean staying in business). What would concern me. if i were a Leicester die-hard, is the realtive lack of significant long-term local sponsorship so far.

Bearing in mind that I'm a bit "remote" as far as being smack up to date with things is concerned, I'm wondering if theres been any news about Joe Screen's future involvement with speedway following his retirement as a rider? He seems to come across to me, as someone of great potential value to the development of young british riders.

Alex Edberg!!

Isna much else tae do up here in the Outer Hebrides this time o year, wee Skiddy

I think I have the answer to your question. In the Bible's "Book of Lennsilver", written by an ancient and wise prophet from the mystical eastern kingdom of Hack Knee, can be found the following: And it shall come to pass that in the year of our Lord 2014, a new Cathedral will be formed in the land of Lesstah in the middle kingdom of Ingerljund. It will rise from humble beginnings as a small church built behind a people's market, under the inspirational and visionary leadership of Bishop Hem, to challenge the supremacy of the nearby cathedral of St Brandon in The Fields, in the land of Cov. However, the plans of Bishop Hem will be more difficult to carry out than he thinks. The main weekly service held at St Brandon in The Fields will be on Fridayyes (the fifth day), and to enable the faithful of the middle kingdom to attend services at both cathedrals, Bishop Hem will be forced to hold his main service on Saturdayes (the sixth day). But this will prove to be troublesome for Bishop Hem. Whereas St Brandon in The Fields will employ priests who are mostly living and working in Ingerljund, Bishop Hem will be forced to employ the services of several itinerant priests, some of them also employed by the great Cathedrals of Swidden (far away across the sea)and the even greater Cathedrals of Pohelandde (even further away across sea and land). And it shall come to pass, that the great cathedrals of Pohelandde will hold their services on the Sundayye (the seventh day) and will seek to prevent itinerant priests in their employ from travelling to Ingerljund and working in the Cathedral of Lesstuh on Saturdayye, although some will disobey these orders. And so it will come to pass, that Bishop Hem will go down onto his knees and pray to the Lord, for the creation of an additional day of the week, to be placed betwween Fridayye and Saturdayye, and thus enable more itinerant priests to travel to Ingerljund and work at the Cathedral of Lesstuh, and return to Pohelandde without undue haste or possible disruption from the untrustworthy travel asssistants Ryan and Wizz. And the Lord will speak unto Bishop Hem, and grant his wish, and the new day will become known as Hemsday. And all will be well. Hope that answers your question ok?

Sheffield has already declared Stead and Roynon. With Morris added, would leave only about 16 points between 4 riders. Could be done I suppose, would then need to wait for Roynons 7.8 average to drop (and possibly Stead's too) before making further change.

I hear they organise excellent brewery visits

Good for them, and him. One of the best track men in the business

Maybe just not involved in signing Leicesters riders this time, then

Well, it could explain why none of these riders appears to have been hired by a Premier League team so far - and the mysterious disappearance of Glyn Taylor from the Leicester scene

From my crow's nest in the outer isles, I see many recent posts about Leicester already carry concern over the brave new world of elite league membership. Let us hope they are false concerns, and that in a short time young David slays them all and emerges triumphant. However, if the struggle is proving beyond his powers, including the difficult task of building an elite league team for Saturdays, would it be a more noble and sensible thing to return Leicester to the Premier League, before it is too late? If that would be too much of an admission of failure for him, then David could realise his ambition by stepping in to promote in the elite league at Peterborough, where I gather there is a current promotorial vacancy. There, he could employ his friend Mr Kasprzak (and indeed other Polish riders) without undue hindrance from the Polish authorities by continuing to operate on Fridays. A new (but experienced) promoter could then step in to operate Leicester, perhaps on a license arrangement? Or is it all too late. Or are all of the concerns of no value?

Will Ashley Birks be riding again next season? He suffered a bad injury at Plymouth.

In two words - Air Fences!

I have it on good authority that Mr Hemsley is going to create an extra, eigth day in the week to solve the clash problems.

So will this formula,when agreed on, also be adopted by the PL? With gathering uncertainties over the ability of 2013 NL teams to operate in 2014, young british riders will also need guaranteed places at 6 and 7 in the PL across all teams to protect them from being bounced out of the team due to pressure created by under-performance of the top 5 riders.(e.g. Branford, Sarjeant). Surely it makes sense for the EL format to be in place at both leagues/levels, to create a proper progession structure? As for the match format, we currently have 3 heats, which are either reserves only or reserves+second string. (2,7,14). Will the new format add further heat(s) of this type? If so, will admission prices be adjusted accordingly?

Cheers WK - sounds daft to have a separate AGM for NL but must be some rationale!

What I suspect (and hope), is they have had to state the reserves should be "NL riders" to avoid getting into trouble with EU Employment Laws. The definition of "NL rider" will, I expect, be a wide one, and include any rider who has ever ridden in NL, BUT with exclusions based on age limit and established PL average (eg. under 24 and not having a PL average of over 7.50). Hopefully this will widen the potential field a bit. Any British rider who is,say, over 24 and has earned a PL average over 7.50 would be expected to occupy a 1-5 EL team place. The problems are going to be for some NL/lower PL level guys being unable to combine midweek racing dates with work; and what are the doubling-up (and even trebling-up) rules going to be? Unless the EL-bound guys can ride PL too, that will just result in the PL being too full of lower-grade foreigners again. Also, the AGM statement was notable for the asbsence (unless I missed something) of statements about the NL. How many will be running? I'd also expect that one or two tracks suppposedly running in 2014 per the AGM statement, don't actually operate.

If what you say is right about draft proposals having been made then all well and good, my mind was open on the question. Hope the phrase "one equal vote each" is true in all senses. As long as the proposals are all based on zero TV income, there's some hope of a realistic plan being agreed. But will they all take the realistic line, or will one or two harbour more grandoise (and unrealistic for the majority) aspirations and try to go in a different direction? Based on............???

Any properly-organised business would be busy producing various models for 2014, based on NIL TV income, now. The fact that the season has yet to end, is irrelevant. May be the BSPA has done this, and is just keeping the alternatives to itself for now pending horse-trading. But then again, maybe it hasn't......

Very, very unlikely that Zagar and several others of similar stature wil be engaged by British teams in 2014. From among the crop of "top" riders I will guess that only Australians (but not all of them) and the top Brits (and that will include Cookie) will ride for British teams. What Woffy does is going to be interesting. The probable pay rates and team average limits would be likely to prevent him, but it's also unthinkable for him to not be racing in the UK league. Number one riders in next years "top league" are likely to be mostly those with 7-8 averages from this season - guys like King, Schlein, Doyle, Cook, Harris will be the no.1's

Simple new structure for 2014.. "Top league" - 2 teams; Poole and Poole. No team points limit. Ride against each other every week for the whole season. Playoff final is guaranteed Poole v Poole. Sky cover all matches, which will be much cheaper for them, as they can just instal basic facilities and leave them there. Just need a nickname for the "other" Poole team. "Second tier" - all tracks (except Poole) with airfences. No riders doubling-up with Poole allowed. Minimum number of British riders in each team. Maintain current team points limit. "Third tier" - any other track, running outside the jurisdiction of FIM/SCB, "the dark side" - a "Pirate" league (not to be confused with Poole) largely amateur but payments can be made at promoters discretion, no team points limit, strictly unofficial, many riders using false identities to avoid lifetime bans from the other leagues, and any payment strictly in cash and handed over in an unlit car park.