smod

The important word in the thread title would be "rumours"

Since it is fairly clear the Glasgow promotion have agreed to release Thomsen since they couldn't afford to maintain an agreed deal, it is impractical to submit names which will cost as much or more to replace him? Glasgow, given any fiscal prudence, will shore up their side with inexpensive UK-based lads and stagger to the end of the season. Their supporters should consider the alternative, which would be to "do a Birmingham".

Any promotion voting to scrap the play-offs would be a turkey voting for Christmas. Go back to 2011 (the year without play-offs) and see Glasgow winning the title by fifteen points from Sheffield and Ipswich. The contest was over by early August, and no club, not even Glasgow (who were financially-crippled by big scores but after the title was won, sharply-decreasing income) could advertise the final third of their fixture list as other than totally meaningless. With the effect that no-one, not even Glasgow, gained any financial reward from their meetings in August, September and (if they were still running) October of 2011. This year, in mid-August, there are three clubs going hammer-and-tongs to finish in the top two (and dictate their play-off opposition) while another seven clubs have very real prospects of going to the same money-making play-offs, making their remaining matches attractive to spectators and therefore more likely to pull in the vital extra 100 or so customers each time they run. In short, ten out of thirteen member-clubs still have "something to sell" that might be attractive to customers. In these depressed financial times of alternative spectator attractions, the most important thing for your speedway club is to avoid losing disatrous amounts of money running meaningless meetings. We all have to understand, it isn't -- it cannot be -- about having the best team of thirteen being declared winners over a simple league campaign, or the Corinthian ethic of sport for sport's sake. It is giving members of the league their best chance of keeping their season 'alive' by making their season as meaningful as possible for as long as possible. Not just sport. Not just entertainment. Business. To quote Bill Clinton's successful campaign: "It's the economy, stupid"

Not just the weather. Remember "medical-offs", and the old "H&S-off"! Don't blame the weather when matches don't get run in lovely sunny conditions. Also, clubs who are at the thin end of priority for doubling-up/down/sideways riders' services make a rod for their backs when they choose not to run meetings because their full 1-7 isn't available, then find a fixture back-log at the end of term may prevent their getting into the play-offs.

Is that really jenga making a sensible post?

The business of the top two clubs picking their opposition becomes intriguing. Currently, Edinburgh and Somerset are on top and likely to finish there. Which, as has been suggested, might allow a north-south splitting of groups. However, if Berwick manage to upset the apple-cart and get into top two, how would the expected half-dozen split up then? It looks as if Edinburgh, Somerset and Berwick are virtually home and hosed, with, and in no particular order, Ipswich, Scunthorpe, Peterborough, Workington and Newcastle jostling for the remaining three places. Would I be far out if I projected any club having 42 points by September 14th would qualify? As was stated previously, while the weather has been the cause of most fixture backlogs the two clubs with the biggest home backlogs have surrendered meetings to what can only be loosely described as unusual circumstances. Failure of either to complete their home programmes would certainly have to be considered as a bit of an "own goal" situation.

What an incredible post! Shades of Operation Yewtree. Girls have liked boys who pursue danger since the dawn of time, and speedway riders certainly do that. Doesn't the same thing happen at every track, and probably has since 1928? But not at Rye House, from the nature of the post. Just the usual stabbings and thuggery there?

Perhaps the referee was aware that two of the Scorpions have the reputation of being the worst (or best!) "rollers" in the league. Just desserts.

If a new 1/7 has been submitted today, it'll be OK if approved tomorrow -- it is when it is submitted that counts. But what is it? Tigers have plenty of points available.

As posted elsewhere, according to reliable sources at Kings Lynn's WTC event, Theo won't be your Number 1 on Saturday night.

According to sources at WTC on Saturday, he won't be No 1 by this weekend.

Isn't Kelvin Tatum a hero at Berwick?

Joe Screen might well make a short-term comeback in view of Tigers' current crisis. What about Covatti? Sheffield have experience of Argentinian riders (Albin was hugely popular) and he might be just the lad to come in and do a great job, judging by Saturday's showcase.

Where is this fable about Richie Worrall being missing coming from? He is listed in Witches' teams logged with BSPA for Thursday and Friday. Only rider not available for this meeting is Gino Manzares.

As an interested observer of Berwick threads, can you explain what their promotion do for the big events that isn't done on regular nights?

I would think the last thing Richard will want is to be talked to about this, he'll be hoping it all gets forgotten. First-class statement from John Anderson, by the way.

Riders with non-speedway injury are automatically sidelined for 7 days for pretty obvious reasons. However, Management Committee can over-ride this regulation if it is felt there is no suggestion of malpractice.

Thought the two-minutes or so clip on Quest during Swedish Grand Prix showed Berwick in a good light. Scrubs up well.

Garrity, while impressive last night, tends to perform best on tighter, technical circuits. Danny King will be good at King's Lynn, as will (probably) Bomber. Cook or Barker? Toss-up.

Reading all this, I feel the medical officer at Workington (described by a senior SCB person in my hearing as a "bearded buffoon") is maybe the common denominator in the various incidents when meetings there are abandoned. I was told the gentleman in question was quietly dropped from a role as medical consultant to the sport's authorities a few years ago. I If Kyle Howarth's injury was not deemed serious enough to warrant a county ambulance coming to collect him on an emergency basis, could he not have been moved to the medical room and made comfortable there while running the remaining one (or six) races? After which he could have been transferred the short distance to Whitehaven in the track ambulance?

Lots of clubs take advantage of a meeting being held at their track in which their team isn't involved to fulfil an away fixture. In this case, their agreement to the match at Glasgow was only for the restaging date, which (with better luck) wouldn't be getting used. Only Berwick rider who won't be at Glasgow tomorrow will be Kus, who was a fairly late addition to the qualifier in any case. Berwick supporters have the choice of following their team to Glasgow (and sending their Saturday tickets to Rugby for cash refund) or staying home and watching the qualifier.

Except -- you did reply. Good luck with getting a refund at the next Workington rain-off, pal.

Do we know yet about Josh Grajczonek? Also what about Maciek Janowski (who was ill) and Roland Benko (collar-bone)?

What exactly is an E-Newsletter? What is it Berwick do that is so wonderful, it keeps getting mentioned on here?

Who said it was permanent? After independence, with Scotland in, and England out of the EU (go for it, Nigel!) the citizens of Berwick will clearly fancy "doing a Crimea" and realigning with the Scots.