Roger Jacobs

I have always said that more people physically attend the Cardiff GP than the sum total of one week's fixtures for all EL, PL & NL clubs. I know several former fans who watch speedway on TV who have no intention of going to live racing again - or maybe once a season, e.g. Good Friday at Foxhall. If former fans aren't attracted back, why would new fans want to go - especially when they watch the TV and see largely empty terraces/grass mounds and people in grubby Wulfsport anoraks.

Well, I got an e-mail, from Graham Reeve which shows that he's not even slightly interested. Maybe not slamming the fdoor, but definitely no intention of doing anything positive. The BSPA / SCB attitude to everything about British speedway is: if it ain't broke, break it ... if it is broke, leave it ... and if somone else has a good idea, ignore it. Do you film your own porn, or make money out of what others have created?

The BSPA can hardly be accused of being competent, the way they have fiddled and jiggled with the sport (different formats, cups, rules) year-on-year. Perhaps the speedway series peoples deliberastely wanted to stir something up? Perhaps they simply are naive. I've no idea. Even so, I think the SCB slamming the door is short-sighted and counter-productive. Their own statement says they encourage the sport - but I can't see any evidence of that at all, anywhere (let alone in relation to the speedway series).

I thought that referees were ACU approved? The SCB may have it's name on the rulebook, but it's clearly the BSPA that change the rules around every year. There does seem to be any element of control exerted by the SCB in British speedway whatsoever - a bit like HM The Queen not telling the Government what to do, even though she's in charge. I have e-mailed the SCB with my view that the speedway series can only be of benefit and, using a word from their own statement, the SCB should encourage British speedway. This is a real opportunity to win new fans and sponsorship - when you think of all the naff rubbish that the BSPA has tried over the years (which the SCB has done nothing about), something as simple as a co-ordinated series of meetings really does deserve a try, instead of instant dismissal.

You can be fairly sure there are plenty of people who read the Daily Mail and hold those strong beliefs who would never consider themselves to be working class. Even so, it's unlikely they would consider Australians to be immigrants (illegal or otherwise) ... it's an historical and very much institutionalised view. Politics does have to come into it, but you can also argue that this country isn't run by politicians - certainly none of the current bunch, of any political persuasion, seem capable.

Shrewd is a weird looking word, so I decided to look it up. Thesaurus reckons it's from Old English meaning "wicked". Amazing to think that the youth today have almost got a word correct! Wicked decision, LOL

I think DD meant "shrewd"

I have to admit, I knew nothing about Freddie Williams except he was a British World Champ. His importance was emphasised last weekend when the Daily Telegraph included an obituary. I have taken a scan - so if you would like a copy, please PM me with an e-mail, and I'll send it to you.

The whole point is that they don't get the chances to progress.

You should be taking pleasure from the confusion of those people "in the know" who posted on here that Wells wouldn't sign, and refused to accept any arguments that it might be possible ... On the subject of Wells - when you consider the amount of time and second-chances invested in him by promoters - wouldn't it be great if they consistently did the same for young Brits ...

I would have said that freddyfivetoes is being quite realistic - given the incestuous nature of the BSPA. No?

A bit of a hotch-potch, but certainly more balanced than the line-ups of the previous two seasons, so should be more attractive on their travels.

Spoken with the trolling intelligence of the fat filled pie in your avatar. The new owner is trying to redevelop the stadium - based on the limits imposed by the District Council.

It becomes tedious as soon as one person starts to bully another over semantics. It's quite clear what the orginal poster was trying to say about the Wells situation, but another has taken it upon themselves to question every nuance in a typically repetitive and pointless BSF fashion. All teams have got a budget, and they will try to persuade the riders they want usign the budget they've got, in the hope that the usual market rules of supply and demand will come into play. Wells may still decide to give it a go - it all depends on the standards he sets himself. If he can get away without a retune or three and/or he finds a new sponsor or two, he might decide to sign on the dotted line. The same applies to any riders currently looking for a team place, and those promoters looking to fill the remaining few spots.

Somerset signing Nielsen is the clincher for me - all-round strength which makes the Rabbles the pre-season favourites.

It's on world speedway.com (don't think that site is anything to do with the BSPA!). http://www.worldspeedway.com/artman/publish/article_22020.shtml

Poor chap! The other consortium members ought to watch out, because they're now going to be pawns of another secretive organisation which puts on a jolly "everybody is equal" front, but happily shafts proposective members with their own interprepations of a made up rule book.

Robert Branford holds a British passport.

Not sure why you are still bullying this person over semantics. Most people would use the word "riders" as a generalism, not as a specific plural. Anyway, anyway, anyway: Harley Horwood, Damien Koppe, Ryan Douglas, Mickey Dyer, Simon Nielsen - and others (they were off the top of my head). I have long been an advocate that if non-Brits are employed, then their Green Sheet must never drop below their starting assessed average. If they aren't good enough to maintain it, then it shouldn't be possible to re-employ them at a lower value.

The problem is that after blowing up a couple of engines, Schramm only managed to see out the 2012 season with help from Chris Mills. Riders are finding it really tough, especially if they have got family / jobs which make it difficult to justify the expenditure. Richie Hawkins packed it in because he couldn't make the racing pay.