SteveLyric2

I'm sure it is only co-incidence but with the recent announcements of several schemes or potential moves relating to a number of our 'senior' speedway stadia, what do people really think? Is it the beginning of the end or can we realistically look forward to some better, modern facilities? Coventry - stadium to be sold Swindon - final(?) season at Blunsdon with new development about to start. Poole - serious moves to bring back the football club to the stadium - redevelop or possible move away? Belle Vue - ongoing National Speedway Stadium issues. Mildenhall - Noise issues. IOW - temporarily suspended. I'm sure - and saddened - that there are others!? Comments

Don't really want to be involved with dragging all this up again, but verdicts of 'Not Guilty' and 'No Conviction' should be remembered! As someone who has met Darcy on many occasions - particularly last season - I can confirm he has acquired a much more mature and professional approach to his life in general and Speedway in particular! He may not win the SGP series this year but he will certainly have a big influence on the final placings!

The Tactical rule in curling allows for a stone that is twice the size of all the others!! It has 2 purposes - to cover the whole of the target area, scoring triple points - and/or to split any other stones that it comes into contact with, in two!! I can't understand why it wasn't used either??

I would think Holder, Ward, Pawlicki, Janowski!! They're all Poole contracted or Poole domiciled!!

Curling is being included in the Scottish Nationality/Independence vote as all the Team GB members are Scottish and all the 'curling stones' are made in Scotland. If the vote is for Scotland to go their own way - then the rest of the country will probably never hear of curling again! A bit like speedway now I come to think of it!!

The slightly older, much more mature Darcy will be there or thereabouts - subject to injury. Taking instruction and guidance from Greg Hancock and Jason Crump on his gating, his focus, his organisation etc will stand him in very good stead!!

There's a very good - and lengthy - letter in this week's Star from Steve Evans, Team USA Director on the state of British Speedway, entitled 'Showtime'!! He makes many good and valid points, but the main theme of the letter is 'To put on a great, value-for-money show' and market/promote the event rather than continually cutting back on costs!! 'A downward spiral only has one destination'! (that's mine not his)!

Some people seem to be banging on about European Employment Law!! What about European Contract Law??

Why? World/European Championships in a number of other sports are on weekdays!!!

Whats the betting it will be a 4-team, 4-rider tournament!!? If its to be on 31st August that'll make it a good SGP/Euro Cup weekend!!!!? When this competition was being talked about a couple of years ago, the question of 'who rides for whom' if certain riders represent more than one team, was going to be sorted by initially, 1. rider nationality; 2. Continuous length of club service. So, taking Poole as an example (assuming they will be taking part?) Darcy Ward would ride for Poole and not Piraterna!!

This is all about the political in-fighting and wranglings of FIM/FIM Europe!! BSI and One Sport have just been caught up in the situation - although imo One Sport have antagonised the whole issue by adding new fixtures (SEC/Pairs) after the official FIM calendars have been agreed and announced. It is what annoys some FIM leagues - especially EL - as the new One Sport fixtures, in addition the the SGP series will have an increasing effect on some EL league meetings!

So, 'One Sports' media partner stirs the pot some more.............!!

SCB, that's a slur on Ales Dryml!!!! Oh OK then, I see your point!!

Good luck to the future return of the Islanders. Thanks to Poole for paying for Chris Holder to come over in the first place and agreeing he ride for IOW!!

Out of interest, the following news item appeared on Sky Sports News yesterday (Saturday): Wimbledon Stadium: Where AFC Wimbledon want to move to AFC Wimbledon's attempts to return to their former home have been met by fierce resistance. The League Two club want to return to Plough Lane on the site of Wimbledon Greyhound Stadium. They have the backing of the current landlords, but campaigners hope to win support from the mayor of London in their fight to what is arguably the capital's only remaining dog track. "They're actually campaigning and putting leaflets around saying 'we're coming home', and surely that presumption is mere arrogance, pure and pure arrogance on their part," said We Want Wimbledon campaigner Diane McLean. "The greyhound folk have had enough," added McLean. "They are the predator and we're not, we are the innocent bystanders." Attendances have been dropping at Wimbledon in recent years but McLean says the stadium has been deliberately neglected and is adamant plans for a £60m development labelled the 'Royal Ascot of Greyhound Racing' are viable. "The mayor in several public documents has said that he would like to see greyhound racing retained here in London in the capital as long as it's viable. "We have viable plans and business plans and the Irish businessman Pascal Taggart has provided those to both Merton council and to the mayor's office." AFC Wimbledon have said in a statement that it has always been the club's "primary objective to return home to the London Borough of Merton". "A detailed study shows that this is the only practical site for AFC Wimbledon to build a new stadium and grow our community-based work." On Monday campaigners are planning a 'Show of Passion' when owners and their dogs will show their support of the track at London's City Hall. No mention of Speedway!!

Got mine on schedule yesterday. Its probably the Postie getting delayed by the weather!!

Agree wholeheartedly and voiced as such last season - but was generally shot down by those with the opinion that 'any speedway is better than no speedway at all'!!

Surely 'FIM Europe' only exists with the approval/ratification of the full FIM?! If FIM Europe have agreed to events 'outside their remit', Can't FIM just disband FIM Europe and be done with it!?

How many more Polish Promotions Companies are going to come out of the woodwork and try to takeover the (speedway) world??!!

Aah but he 'hasn't excluded anybody for the time being'!!!

There's nothing different to this report from Paul Burbidge that wasn't in the most recent Polish announcement - except it's missing the word Saturday!! The Polish press release stated , Saturday 19th March!!??

Yes I can see him dashing from Poland to UK for a Monday Sky pundit job, then off to Sweden the next day, on what Sky are likely to pay him!!

Perhaps that was part of his visa problem??

Although he is likely to be in the Pirates' pits for most home meetings when there is no clash with Polish or Swedish fixtures - which will probably rule out any Monday meetings!

You probably know the answer to that one...........??! BSPA AGM 2014 - Agenda Item 1. - British reserves, Has it produced better racing, better crowds and Do Sky like it??!