Terrace Grumbler

How many points left for the last two riders?

It's apparently endless and has been going on for a couple of years now.

How wonderful to have the Poole WUMs on this board. You're not by any connected to Sh-- Shovellar, are you?

I’ll have a pint of whatever you’re drinking.

Be careful what you wish for.

That would be a pity.

I think a move away would suit both Steve Worrall and the club. I’m just hoping against hope that we’ll have a team at all.

There was an announcer whose surname was either Bird or Shield. The week he came George greeted him in the programme, then the week after apologised for getting his name wrong. Either way, he was hopeless.

Thank you, THJ No, no, we didn't. And only a fool would take anything away from Workington's achievements last season. But George has run a successful team for over 20 years: something has gone wrong this year and I suspect (but probably will never know) that this season's team may not have been all his choices. Doea anyone know if it is definitely the case that Rathbone (and Philips) are the new owners?

Will the fearless Eric Thornton be investigating the ownership position? I appreciate he may have been a bit miffed at being stood down by the SS, but I think we should be told what's going on, and maybe the nonexistent Eric is just the man for the job. Or perhaps that centre green announcer from a few years back whose qualification was that he'd been found in the pub and knew absolutely nothing about speedway...a tradition admirably carried on by Roy...

If so, why did Bjerre and Jorgensen stay? For whatever reason their performances were poor from the start.

If anyone can shed an light on the change of ownership, I'm all ears. I hope we will retain the best team manager in British speedway. IGWT.

Well I won't be there because I'm away on holiday, and I wish the Diamonds all the best tonight, but the choice of Serjeant (who ironically was in a "Newcastle" team at Redcar in - I think - Ben Barker's testimonial at the beginning of the season) just reflects how Jorgensen and Bjerre have been phoning it in for most of the season. I've said it before on here and I'll say it again - this does not feel to me like a Newcastle team, it's six guys wearing Diamonds race jackets. If I'm alone in thinking that, then I'll accept that I am just an old grumbler, but that coupled with the ridiculous breaks in the season and some of the statements the promotion have made make me wonder what exactly is, or isn't, going on. Having said that* I'm sorry I won't be there this evening and I hope Sarj bangs the points in for us - whatever else may be said about him, he's certainly a trier. * (c) Kevin Keegan mid-70s

I’d say it is beyond the realms of possibility. It’s been said on here that the rent at BP is prohibitive and if that is so I imagine NL wouldn’t pay. Anyhow, league structure is not the most pressing issue for the Conference: I don’t mind it being debated but only after helmet colours have been sorted out.

I have a feeling that the anniversary meeting was never going to happen anyway. It's half term next week so I won't have the opportunity to pay to use my season ticket for the cup final, and our season is therefore over unless we go to the Silver Helmet meeting (which might be a good idea). It just feels shabby, somehow, but I do hope the cup match is run next week.

Thank you THJ, thoughtful as ever. I can’t really put my finger on it either. But I’ll have a go ... - We were Steve Worrall’s second choice in the CL and perhaps on occasion that has showed; - I’m not sure Bjerre’s heart is in it sometimes; - Barker for Jorgensen would have been a good move (although I appreciate BB seems to bring a lot of baggage with him) Having said all that, Clegg, Wethers and especially Ostergaard have been good value. Also, the fragmented nature of the season hasn’t helped.

Yes, sorry. I may be in a minority but for me this season has been pretty dull, largely I think because in my eyes this isn’t a Newcastle team. Maybe we’ve been fortunate in the past, I don’t know. Nevertheless, IGWT - I m sure he has a cunning plan to win us the cup!

Well, I hope the cup match is run next Sunday as (I suspect like some others) I'll be away on 27th - it's half term. I wouldn't have attended the 90th anniversary meeting anyway after the fiasco around the first date for it. One way or another, for me it feels as though the season ended weeks ago: in fact, I'm not sure it ever really got started.

You can make figures show anything.

Who's Steve Thomas? Unknown Aussie or Kiwi?

I typed my thoughts on this evening, then read them; I’ve deleted what I wrote and will come back tomorrow when I’ve had a chance to think about it a while longer.

Anyone who seriously considers the current Championship to be comparable with the PL of 15 or so years ago can’t have seen the PL of 15 years ago. What is on offer now isn’t even a pale imitation. Coming back to Newcastle (this is a Newcastle thread,, after all) for me the issue at the moment may be in a lack of application: the (relative) lack of talent compared to 2003 has to be a given.

Agree 100%!

War cries? It's not the 1950s man! ;-)

Let's not feed the Redcar troll, eh?