Sidney the robin

King's Lynn and Swindon were easily in the top 6/8 tracks in England for exciting and fair racing now both are living off past glories a real shame.

Swindon the second bend has ended up being a big problem and riders getting sucked into the air fence.Also Nick Morris last season had a problem with bend four also other riders had problems there.As you said are the bikes more tempermental now? are the bikes to quick are the straights to long at the abbey? Some of the GP stuff is very good but there are a few mediocre meetings thrown in as well.

Great book a great read there is a picture in the book of Kilb beating Briggo in heat 1 of the Swindon v Exeter match.I love that picture Bob had a great time at the Country ground and he was hard to beat there.

My take on it Tiger is we have lost Wimbledon, Hackney, the brilliant Hyde Rd ( luckily replaced by another great track) Exeter, Halifax, Reading, Leicester , Oxford ,Coatbridge,(ect) all good tracks in there own unique way when they were prepared.Now Swindon, Wolves,Sheffield, Kings Lynn, a few examples are nowhere near the level of yesteryear for entertainment maybe the bikes are to fast now who knows. But i dont believe the entertainment level now is better far from it not from my experience at Swindon anyway.

Sadly i think you could be right, i felt this year Chapman had a chance to revamp the sport by trying something different but he chose not to.Do any of us have the real answers? i don't think so but i do believe when the show is put on right the product is still there.Chapman odviously has kept the show going by bailing Peterborough/Ipswich out which is commendable but the concerning thing is he seems to give the impression that everything is rosy in the garden and the show just plods on.

My lasting memory of the racing is reality, yes there was some poor racing but by god there was some decent stuff as well.Now i could probably name on one hand the decent races i have seen in the last five years a real shame the sport can come again i just hope the damage done is not terminal.

The racing then was different most sides had a In/out no1 some often had three good heat leaders and then the BL was the best.Also the tracks were more varied and they were all a different kind of test. You could do Wimbledon, on a Thursday, Hackney on a Friday and then the pacy Hyde Rd Belle Vue on a Saturday all different tests for a rider.Dont get me wrong i still love my speedway but not to the degree i used to.

It was not gate and go with Briggs,Ashby,,Crump (snr) not in my experience anyway all of them could pass and had to the tracks then you could pass consistently.

Vince you are a guy who i respect big time, but you are way off the mark here speedway today generally is nowhere near yesteryear,I go some weeks and by 9 o'clock i want to go home be tucked up in bed in the last five years i have not seen a lot of great racing..

Veijo Tuoriniemi recommended by the great Bob Redford also had a torrid time for the Budgies.Going back to Raba believe his figures tell a wrong story I do believe there was a good rider in there somewhere.

I have been to Scunthorpe once under the Godfrey ownership and it was a terrific meeting. That along with the Torun GP 2018 are the best two meeting's i have seen live in the last five years and believe me i have seen some crap racing at Swindon.

It did make me laugh what Mr Godfrey said in the speedway star this week that he believes speedway was overrated in the 60s,70s,80s.He believes it is every bit as good nowadays if not better, i really thought that was a strange comment to make.lf he is correct why have the crowds dropped off so badly? but what i will say is Scunthorpe for racing is one of best tracks that i have ever seen racing and Mr Godfrey should be applauded for that.

Riss,Jorgensen are two riders i really like both can improve and it has puzzled me why Jorgensen is not a In/out Premier no1 he is good anough.You odviously see something in this side so if both of those did step it up then that could push Lynn to another level.

The last two meeting's in August can't remember him coming back you learn something everyday eh!!! The management must of thought something of him to bring him back his pedigree was pretty good and he proved in the early 80s he was decent and got in the Poland WTC team in 84.

Maybe Chapman believe's the Lynn side will be good anough.??

Out of six matches i thought 3 of them were challenges and 3 in the Gulf british league.?

Thought he had less meeting's Frigbo as you said including challenges six matches the other pole we had Jerzy Trzeszkowski was poor as well.

Leonard Raba had. six official meetings for the Budgies three of them at home. Reading (h) paid 2 from 4 rides ( two falls) Bristol. (h) 1 point from three rides beat Sjosten. Bristol (a) paid 2 from four rides. King's Lynn (a) 0 from three rides. Wolves (a) 0 from two rides. Leicester. (h) 0 from one ride pulled out of meeting. Six matches 17 rides paid for 5. points i do think given time he would of been ok but Swindon in 1978 were pretty weak.

Is that where Proctor's average restricts what you can do? do Kerr, Auty get lowered on there average because they were once conference riders.?

With the make up of your team i really thought it was imperative that you had strong reserves all year.Would Palm Toft,Auty, Kerr reversing places all year make you stronger than having Kasper.?

Do you believe Andersen is the weakest reserve in the league? or do you think those promising Sheffield performances may have brought him on.

How many races did Raba finish?? he certainly had ability as he was picked for the Polish wtc team in 1984.?

Does that mean Kerr will be in the top 5 ?? a big ask after his serious injuries even with Palm Toft at reserve compared to other teams it does not look strong.

It is great how we all have different opinions and Peterborough have really had a go and have assembled a good side.For me Poole out of the four i picked need Kurtz/ Holder to step up and both are exciting talents and i expect them to do that.Peterborough away is where i believe they will be vulnerable also i am not totally convinced with there reserves away, both are experienced but other clubs have younger and maybe more hungrier reserves we shall see.

Agree with everything hyderd, i would predict Wolves to be top though.