TotallyHonestJohn

Honestly Treat this year as it is... bit of a non-entity... after what we have been through with this Covid carry on just enjoy that you; your club and the sport is still standing... I know several people who would be happy watching any team than where they are now... You will still see some exciting and entertaining meetings at the EWR that's for sure... Regards THJ

Possibly but for me it's about loyalty and having a bit of a concience and not being mercenary... but I am a bit old fashioned in my views... I know there is a lot of Mickey taking on here but if it was one of our riders I wouldn't be happy if we found ourselves in the same situation... and when something similar happened at Worky a few year back I was bouncing but these thing do happen and who gives a monkey's what anyone else thinks these days... However I don't think we know what the full situation is and doubt we will ever find out... Regards THJ

As Harry Hill used to say on TV "FIGHT" Regards THJ

True... but was the idea not just to roll one year into the next with a little good intention... Scunny kept his spot for him and then he said he wasn't coming so fair enough but should he change his mind an now want to race over here should Scunny not have "first dibbs" on him so to speak... That's if he is coming... Regards THJ

To be fair IS were clubs not going to stick with (and stand by) the riders they had (if they could) and each club was to honour the rider places once the pandemic restrictions were lifted so if Jake can now race in the UK surely Scunny must have the first options on his services... it would be hard on Josh Macdonald but it is a two way street... is it to much to expect a little bit of loyalty from riders surely considering every thing we have been through over the last 18 months or has he been made an offer elsewhere he cant refuse.... if he couldn't do Scunny in the UK he maybe shouldn't be allowed to start for anyone else... I appreciate circumstances change but as the season hasn't started yet there may be an argument... or maybe not... I'm sure there will be an opinion or two on the matter for sure... Regards THJ

So anyway... Not wanting to allude to anything but how gutted will IronScorpion be if Jake Allen signs for Redcar... Oh hang on a read it earlier "Absolutely Gutted"... oh dear... poor fella... Never mind... welcome to our world... Regards THJ

Aye Lewy ya right but even you can only swallow so much... surely... Regards THJ

Well when I posted the top one on "APRIL THE 1st" it didn't get that many bites IS now did it... Well apart from "Soft Lewy" at Plymouth but we will forgive him that little nibble... Regards THJ

Aye Reg is ya man but a think you have missed the boat on Jake Allen... see what the odds are on Rob Godfrey blowing a gasket when he finds out he has lost a 7.24 rider and signed a 4.00 point averaged rider instead... Might be worth a punt .. Regards THJ

Ruff would I lie to you... (cough cough)

Books closed... it's Jake Allen... to slow was the cry...

Odds shortening all the time Ruff... need to be quick but a reckon it's odds on now...

Jake Allen next... get ya shirt on it at Paddy Power...

James Sarjeant and Jake Allen... both fit and Scunny not happy... How's that... Regards THJ

How about James Sarjeant...

Thing is there was always the hope of bringing in an Ole Olsen Anders Michanek Niki Pedersen Kenneth Bjerre Kenni Larsen Rene Back Peter Kildermand Freddie Lindgren Jacob Thorssell and any other Scandinavian who might give your team a boost then offer a return on a transfer (especially to second tier teams) or some of the other riders like Ludvig Lindgren Lasse Bjerre Dickie Juul Rasmus Jensen and many others who were attractive propositions as they worked hard and offered regular points for a team... even the bad ones or lets be polite and say the ones who didn't quite make the grade still came committed with good gear and a different work ethic to the current crop of UK guys... so you can see the attraction of bringing in the Johnny Foreigner... (apologies for the colloquialism) Agreed it is/was "A very strange way to run things" and as per your previous post what an opportunity to change things and I think it must be dawning on promotions that the current model isn't quite right in the current environment but what an opportunity to change things around and shake things up. Lets hope that opportunity isn't wasted because I sincerely think that the Polish position will change next year and they will stop riders racing anywhere else other than in Poland and if that does happen there will be a lot of squad member's in Polish teams; of all nationalities having to make tough decisions… Do they want to race or warm a bench waiting for their opportunity when someone gets injured or their form drops off and not have the opportunity to race anywhere else in Europe... Who knows... But that's next year!!! lets get this one over first... Regards THJ

Yep... might be worth Uncle Len having a chat with the Newcastle and Birmingham promotions too... Regards THJ

Honestly... Welcome to our world... unfortunately I don't think you are wrong... Regards THJ

Never a truer word said... lol Didn't know whether to put a like on it or a laugh... Regards THJ

Can't disagree Mike to be fair its definitley the other side of the arguement... if it works that way... I just think the sport is a bit fragile and vulnerable at present... Bit brutal and I sincerely hope you are wrong but again opinions like this do stand up for themselves at the minute... unfortunately... so in that context "your not wrong" (either) Regards THJ

Google what an amateur is... for this meeting some of the riders are classed as amateurs (loosely) some are professional... the meeting winner gets a cash pay out so in real terms what should happen is the proffessional will collect it and the amateur shouldn't but I would suggest whoever wins the meeting will take the money and run amateur or proffesional so strictly speaking maybe the meeting should have been called junior, novice or journeyman meeting rather than amateur... but WTF it's a moot point do we really care? Its a good line up for the level and standard and IMHO there will be some cracking racing on offer... kudos to Redcar for getting such a good line up together and if they could allow fans in I certainly would have popped down for a look... some good young talent going to be involved in what I think will be a very competitive meeting... Good luck to all involved... hope they all stay safe... and there are no expensive failures on the bikes that cost these journeymen dear... Regards THJ

The T2 sports visa costs the frontier visa is free then depending on various other criteria there may be healthcare costs to pay... it's a minefield really and the promotions will need a sponsors licence and there are various other conditions to meet... Brexit certainly done Speedway no favours that's for sure... Regards THJ

Yes but it will read like war and peace and some of it will be guess work so check this out and look at Sportsperson Visa (T2) and Frontier Worker Permit and you will get a feel for the issues faced by Promoters and Riders... oh and the answer you are looking for will be on there... Brexit has made it really tough for these promoters that's for sure... https://www.gov.uk/browse/visas-immigration/work-visas Regards THJ

Take the 2.5% reduction off IS its 3.03 for a foreign rider and I did qualify the numbers with "for a Brit" and "not including any reductions" but thanks for the kicking even if a little undeserved... Regards THJ

Think you are right however 6 man teams for next year (or 5) must be on the BSPL agenda for discussion at least; although we have been down this route before a few years back and 6 man teams was shown to work at a practice session but the reluctance to give up 2 reserves for the different format was a bridge to far for some of the old guard... it was time to change then and some promotions thought it was ok and wanted to give it a go and others didn't want to look at it and weren't prepared to look at it; so maybe not... however saying that there was just as much arguing over the tyre sizes at the same meeting and by dropping from a 19" to an 18" would have saved a fortune in tyres (long story) but this was kicked out because "we've always had 19" tyres" (which I don't think is true as I am sure I have read somewhere back in the day they used a 22" tyre and the 19" only came in around the mid 50's) so change is very difficult for some to take. (and very slow in the BSPL) Redcar wont drop out and they will pull in couple of riders; maybe they will have some success with Claus Vissing at 8.43 leaving 3.11 for a Brit reserve who knows but at the end of the day they have 11.46 to play with for riders (not including any reductions)… as mentioned earlier there is the NZ connection and they could even have a punt for BWD... if not James Sarjeant is available and a 4 or 5 point rider added to that; Chris Schramm was considering making a comeback and we have had one Compton in Benji going to Belle Vue what about Andre? could he be tempted back... Covid; Poland and Brexit (to a lesser extent) have a lot to answer for but Redcar have a good promotion and they will be at the tape's with a 7 man team this season that's for sure; just possibly not a strong as they might have liked; but surely fans understand these logistical problems due to varying circumstance and after all we are trying to cram a full season into just over 4 months... lets just get on with it get this year out of the way and look to something better next year. On next year I have a sneaking fancy that the Poles will be saying to their riders you cant ride abroad so where will that leave all these guys who are members of squads; will they be prepared to kick their heals for a season keeping a bench warm... think we might find a much larger rider choice (if not that much stronger) next season if the Polish clubs run to form... Just a guess that mind... Regards THJ