HertsRacer

Don't think this has been mentioned elsewhere, but on the BBC website there is a report that the music industry is hailing a major victory after ministers vowed to change planning rules in England to protect venues from complaints about noise. In the future It will be down to developers to address noise issues if they opt to build homes near a long-established music venues. The report also warns that this was not just confined to music, but also regarding complaints being made about the ringing of church bells as well as about noise emanating from speedway stadiums and even farms.

Andy, not trying to be picky or anything, but my son who works for them tell me they have just changed their name to Sports Information Systems.

Steady on, I only go to read SS. Waitrose don't stock it.

Same here, but I think you are right.

Know I read it somewhere. As I don't live anywhere near Poole it wasn't in the local press. Could have been Speedway Star or maybe someone on here mentioned it.

Always thought that was in the original plans for NSS, and was to include not just riding tuition but courses on bike maintenance and fitness. I assume this has all been dropped since Messrs Morton & Gordon left.

Might still be the same person. My info came from a local paper, and as we all know the press don't always get it right. Interestingly I also found an advert in a Scottish newspaper from 1947 of a Billy Galloway inviting people to "Come and see Scotland's Speed Men" at Torrance Grass Track every Saturday. Maybe this was also the same person.

Not sure if it is that Billy Galloway, but the officials of Long Eaton at the time were listed as S.H.Lish - Manager of the speedway company, Bob Peett - Promotor & Racing Manager. Also members of the speedway company were W.A.Galloway from Hanley and W.Boyer from London.

Not an expert on Rugby League, but I believe they have a salary cap, which acts as a limitation.

Rugby League certainly does. The bottom four in the Super League play off with the top four of the Championship for four places in Super League. Scottish football also has play offs to decide promotion/relegation. It was tried once in English football, as my team managed to beat Leeds United from the second division to retain their place in the top flight. Can't remember if we got a trophy for it though.

Just to add that Alf Markham made four appearances in the English Speedway Trophy and Fred Wiseman appeared once. Also in the league Bronco Slade rode in the home meeting against Middlesborough. Also Harry Saunders appeared twice in the English Speedwy Trophy.

Crystal Palace competed in the Second Division in 1939 along with Bristol, Hackney Middlesborough, Newcastle, Norwich, Sheffield and Stoke. They completed 10 league matches (won 1, lost 9 ) as well as riding 6 matches (won 1, lost 5) in the English Speedway Trophy before closing in July due to falling attendances. There were rumours of the club transferring to Edinburgh to complete the season, but this never happened, and their record was expunged from the league. Likewise Middlesborough were rumoured to move to Glasgow but that fell through and they closed, while Stoke finished the season at Belle Vue.

If you go to the SPECIAL FEATURES section in SPEEDWAY RESEARCHER and look in RIDERS AVERAGES 1929-1962 it shows that Stan Mauger made a single Southern League appearance for Coventry in 1929 and nine in 1931. It would appear from 1931 newspaper reports that he rode mainly in junior or handicap races.

Don't think Swedish speedway will collapse. There seems to be a few top flight teams in trouble, and Ornarna of the second tier are pulling out at the end of the season, leaving the league with just 3 teams. A merger looks likely with a lowering of standard of the top teams. Might mean some riders be looking to Britain instead.

Took a big hit in the SEC. Looked to be a very painful leg injury.

Can't believe that 47 years have passed since that terrible day. Remember going to the Wolverhampton meeting to pay my respects, and to the Memorial meeting. Gone, but never forgotten.

Glad to help. There is a good story attached to Parker's injury. When he returned in 1938, the insurance company refused to cover him against riding accidents as they claimed his fractured left arm had not properly healed. This was disputed, and in the end a compromise was reached in that they provided full cover for any injuries sustained except for any relating to the part of his previously damaged arm.

Newspaper reports from 1938 state that he missed the previous season due to an arm injury.

Think you'll find they bought Smallmead from Allied Promotions in 2002.

Followed Kevin from being a second halfer to becoming Number 1 in just a season at Romford . A great rider and fans favourite. Hard to believe it was so long ago.

My late father in law was a Wembley fan after the war and a member of their supporters club. He kept his membership card and some of their newsletters (which I now have) which show that in 1946 the supporters club had over 62000 members, so crowds of 80000 could have been very possible. I do remember reading of a London Cup match between Wembley and West Ham attracting 80000 with a further 20000 listening to a radio broadcast of the match in the car park. Can't remember the year though.

Think you've got it spot on. Polish, Swedish and Danish fixtures are usually announced before ours and on fixed days, so easy to work around to avoid clashes or to know when a rider will be unavailable. Its when the date of a fixture is changed for whatever reason or a practice session is suddenly called which then clashes with one of our fixtures that the problem starts.

Does anybody remember the year when the Aces received their new bibs from the manufacturer only to find they had used a spade rather than a club. Remember a picture in Speedway Star of Cyril Maidment modelling it. Don't think they ever used them in matches. Back to topic, one of my favourite jackets was the Walthamstow Wolves.

Sky were never worried about BT, they panicked when rumours spread that a couple of big US and Middle East companies wanted the Premier League rights, so bid way over the top in a closed tender. In the end neither of the others bid and Sky were stuck. Without football there would be no Sky. Will be interesting to see what they do next time round when the Chinese express an interest.