Black Angus

Very unlike you to give a brush-off, Philip. Tyretrax is just one of maybe 25 local-to-Glasgow subscribers I know of who are suffering from a truly awful service. We do talk to each other, you know. You do have a real problem -- people who complain to your office when they don't have their Star by (say) Monday get another copy posted to them, which invariably arrives the very next day, usually along with the missing copy. For you to say that you pay Royal Mail for a first-class service and then just shrug your shoulders and say you then just hope they deliver isn't really good customer service.

Edinburgh area in August is very expensive because Festival & Fringe are in full swing. If you are travelling up, might be better finding accomodation in Berwick or East Lothian, just going up to Armadale for the meeting and back to base afterwards?

Add in Andy Galvin and Mark Courtney. Plus all the guys who fought for six years in WWII, I suppose. Willie Lawson had so much talent -- remember, less than eight years ago he was in the World U-21 Final alongside Sayfudinov, Holder, Woffinden, etc -- and it would certainly be possible for him to come back in at PL level and score meaningful points. If he wants to.

To quote John Anderson in the newsletter: "We must be doing something right!"

Outstanding! A fourth Sky visit in four years --- to quote John Anderson, "we must be doing something right".

Makes one wonder how you let him escape from under your noses.

Full marks to pits people. Despite Glasgow running r/r and utilising Coty to the max, the whole match was finished in 90 minutes. Track preparation was great, evidenced by Stuart Robson recording fastest time of the year and the amount of passing, and after the football was on, too. Glasgow supporters in fine form, matched by Berwick's third bend crew. Just a great night out at speedway.

I think Andre Compton has another, more permanent gig in the pipeline, just awaiting May averages. But if he were available to take on a 28-day contract as injury replacement, maybe........ However, if Anders Mellgren is only to be out for "up to four weeks" from April 13th, that could hopefully see him fit to return in just under four weeks for Newcastle's visit on May 7th. The club has a quieter period coming up, no away meetings in that time, and just two home fixtures (Glasgow and Scunthorpe). Damned if you do, damned if you don't. Especially on here!

I don't think you'll have first call on Richard for a rearranged fixture........

Can Richard now make a sudden recovery and race against Bandits at home on Sunday, since he technically didn't have to put in his sick-note tonight? First date Edinburgh have for restaging (of course) is May 6th -- fortunately, Glasgow don't have a meeting that night (!) On that night, Lakeside are racing KL so they'll have first claim on Richard -- bad news for Tigers is that Workington are at Somerset and will probably want Ricky Wells!

Do we understand you are of the opinion that the Glasgow authorities are, er, at it?

Got a prostate worry?

Or a really thick Welsh one?

Last season, it was probably because he was getting paid promptly by the teams he guested for.

Be fair, they've got three club assets in the team, plus Etheridge who will be......

I heard the were looking for a village idiot at Lennel

What average would Guy Martin come in on?

At last! Off to the Press & Practice shortly. Weather dry, not even too cold (yet)

Nothing wrong with Cumbria that better weather and a little genetic variability wouldn’t fix.

Newsletter today is inviting volunteers to help spruce up the speedway this weekend. This coming weekend (Saturday 5th and Sunday 6th) is going to be our "Spruce Up Shielfield Weekend" with our track staff (and just possibly a rider or two) going hard at it to repair, refurbish and generally smarten-up our speedway facilities in time to get everything ship-shape for the new term. There's a fair bit to be done after a wild winter, and willing volunteers will be very welcome indeed if they can come along either day to lend a hand. Both days will see Ian Rae and his band of happy helpers hard at it from 9.30am --- if you can manage to join us, you will be made very, very welcome! Sounds like a worthwhile project. We'll be there on Sunday.

The talk around the tracks was that it was £20K, but the only people who know for sure are in Glasgow and Redcar.

I see from Berwick's newsletter that Liam Carr will be in the Coventry line-up on Easter Sunday.

From recent Bandits' newsletter (I have to say that) Theo Pijper is perhaps the only non-sponsored Bandit so far this year...... "I'm delighted to be back at Berwick" Theo emphasised. "I've always felt so very welcome at Shielfield and being happy in your surroundings is a huge part of doing your job right". "As I told you last week, because of the upset I haven't had a chance to talk to people about local sponsorship from Bandits' followers -- for maybe the first time in my career, I'm going into the season without a sponsor. But the baby's well-being came first, of course". "Needless to say, I'll be very happy to talk to anyone who might be in a position to help on that front -- I'll certainly not let them down!" Anyone wishing to send good wishes -- and of course to offer any backing, big or small, for Theo's racing as a Bandit this year -- can do so directly, contacting the family at: carrieandtheo@hotmail.com .

Ritchie Hawkins was British U-21 Champion in 2004. Taylor Poole was Australian U-21 Champion in 2012.

Good to read the home matches at Berwick will still be filmed for DVD sales.