TotallyHonestJohn

Honestly Nothing will develop the club has been annulled by the BSPA and what I cant understand is the day the Liquidation notice was officially published which was Thursday the 11th of April; Laura was having a meeting with the council to discuss Speedway yet she new then that the "Date of Winding-up Order" had been issued on the "3rd of April 2019" and that C Hudson 2nd Floor, Rosebrae Court, Woodside Ferry Approach, Birkenhead, CH41 6DU, had been appointed as the liquidator of LJM Asset Management. Nothing will develop at Oldside (Northside for those who don't know the area) unless a new company takes the licence forward, (which is now up for grabs for anyone daft enough to take it on) the licence is no longer "on ice" it has been "annulled" due to the fact that the parent company LJM Asset Management have gone into liquidation. On the politics side of things (and only as an outsider looking in) I have been involved in West Cumbria since 2006 and I have never seen such a shower of local politicians not only divided on party lines but tribal ones as well. Uppies; Downies; Reds; Town and everything Workington centric. Labour have done nothing for a region crying out for some vision and leadership, I know for a fact the two Independent Candidates in Maryport George Kemp and Ian Greeny would do more to support the Speedway than any so called Labour councillor. Don't be fooled by the rhetoric of any Westminister backed party they would say "the moon was made of cheese" if they thought it would get them a vote. The independent guys are the way to go (IMHO) and make them all work together for the people of West Cumbria not just whoever supports the local football or rugby teams. Unfortunately the LJM backed Comets have officially gone; you are looking at a whole new chapter now Regards THJ

Ah the good ole VAT Man... and yes it was classed as tax avoidance in the first instance and the money was to be clawed back by HMRC however on appeal (in a certain promoters front room where the VAT Man was told to "go forth and multiply" (I know because I was in attendance) and the VAT Man who ironically had the same surname as the promoter but was no relation; conceded) it was a bit contrived and I wont go into all the detail however what was going to be a £14k VAT bill was reduced to £3K and the programme became a match day magazine and the rest as they say was history. Q. So when is a programme not a programme Ans... When it's a match day magazine (at zero rated VAT) Regards THJ

But did you know that if you call your programme a match day magazine it is zero rated for VAT In the UK, printed books, newspapers, journals and magazines (or 'periodicals') are zero-rated for VAT but not programmes... Which club issues a match day magazine rather than a programme BB... Regards THJ

No confusion here bonny lad they may have shared a common title since then however in 2010/2011 when we were fighting on with them they were two separate entities. Tax and NI dealt with from a Newcastle office and a guy came to our office to sort out his issue and when we asked about the VAT element he said that had nothing to do with him the office dealing with that is Cumbernauld. Every payroll issue is dealt with from either a Newcastle or Sunderland office, pension queries go to Tyne View Park in Benton and VAT queries and issues go to Cumbernauld all separate and none of them deal with another in anyway whatsoever... They can't even access each other's IT Systems... I assume all the monies end up in the same HM Tax Revenues pot however they are all separate entities in there own right and as I still run my own business it is still what we have to do each time they get things wrong and we are really looking forward to making Tax Digital (not) but at least the mistakes will be down to us as we will be doing the bulk of their jobs for them... Jezzzussss don't get me started on the Tax Man in whatever form he comes in.... nearly as bad as Brexit... Regards THJ

Think you are spot on with the final comment so its R/R at home which technically makes the Bandits stronger (at home) and for the short term either R/R away or a guest or two for the up and coming meetings with Edinburgh and Birmingham, question is who (or whom) would be fancied by the fans to guest for these two meetings? Regards THJ

Fully agree but we need to remember if you opt for a facility to make a temporary injury replacement you can only bring in a rider up to the average of the injured rider for 28 days, obviously if you were to bring in Tero (or any one else for that matter) who has a higher average than Jye then you would have to re-declare the team, (with all the implications that brings) so it is always a difficult call for a manager (or promotion) when this situation arises for all the obvious reasons. Who would be a team manager eh? Regards THJ

Oh dear the dreaded VAT man and some may not be aware that he (The VAT man) is a separate entity to HMRC and all three posts are valid and correct in certain respects.... I have had run ins with both departments and you can deal with the HMRC on issues like PAYE and NIC but the VAT man is a totally different prospect and he doesn't deal he goes for you with a vengeance having once been told off him he would remove my chattel's to the value he was owed and when I said I've never owned any cows he went on a major rant down the phone... no sense of humour whatsoever... plus he was based in Glasgow and we know what their sense of humour is like from experience... So yes large figures can be run up quite quickly... 60 grand of VAT on bad debt in our companies case over 3 month... and the Directors of No 10 Catering are saying that the Tax man is wrong so I am happy to give them the benefit of the doubt until it is proven otherwise... knowing the issues I had to resolve with the HMRC over the years they do make mistakes... There do seem to be issues surrounding No 10 and LJM Asset Management both companies Laura has interests in but; if, when or ever; we find out the facts everything else is just speculation... Also there is a myth that they can only go back 6/7 years which is wrong they, HMRC and VAT can go back to day one it's only "us mugs" who are time restricted... The bottom line is none of this helps bring back Speedway which is really the concern we all have... Regards THJ

Actually there was a quote by a former Prime Minister that went somewhere near Margaret Thatcher — 'The problem with socialism is that you eventually run out of other people's money.' As much as I wasn't struck on the woman she may have had a point Also just to pick up on Jenga's last post here you go https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MaYI4tEd3Yc Regards THJ

From what I have been told I don't think it has been "knocked on the head” yet but it's certainly having to go back to committee to be discussed by the council again Regards THJ

Latest I have heard on Jye is that he has been advised it will be 6 weeks so he will potentially miss 5 matches.... However as stated most Speedway riders tend to half the recommended recovery time as a target anyway... It's like when the sat nav says 2 hours to your destination it becomes a "Challenge Anika" effort to see if you can better it... all the injured riders I have know adopt this policy... the doctor said X but I am going to be back in Y.... however the doc is invariably proved to be correct... Regards THJ

If you read the report it tells you that they think there has been a mistake... which is not unknown... HMRC chased us for what they said was a £34 and coppers underpayment... they got really nasty then realised it was their mistake and sent us a cheque for 800 quid not a word about the balls up they made and no apology either but they threatened to close the business if they didn't get what they said they were owed... and they were going to charge a daily interest payment on the £34 until us bad people paid their dues to the state.... total shower who are never wrong... until you prove otherwise then its oops... Grrrrr.... Regards THJ

As Tero is on an average of 6.83 and fits where as Theo is on 5.49... Tero was also suggested as "an option if Jye was out longer" on the premise that you would surely go for the rider with the highest possible average available... So not sure what you are driving at here... however if Jye ends up out for three or four months (hopefully not) would you prefer Theo or Tero... both would fit as a longer term injury replacement... Tero is also available now so that's where I got him from... Regards THJ

I know No 10 Catering was a business she was involved with but knowing the turnover they did and the contracts they had the turrnover of the company wasn't enough to generate a 300 grand tax bill and there was a connection to the Speedway as No 10 sponsored a heat (I think) and provided the catering in the Blue and White cafe on the second bend and if that turned over 300 quid a meeting I would be amazed... Regards THJ

Just been looking at this and a good link posted by Steve Park and unfortunately it does not look good at all for the Comets An Insolvency Services Company from Birkenhead have been appointed to wind up LJM Asset Management Ltd however I am not sure where the £300k figure of debt owed to HMRC comes from but it does have implications with regard to the Speedway. No doubt this story will grow and rumble on however it made the move to put the "licence on ice" for a year and not to run an astute one as it would have resulted in the collapse of the club right at the start of the season... Very sad situation Regards THJ

Honestly After Heat 11 I thought it was curtains (sorry Newcastle) as Sheffield were starting to step it up and I had them down to take the match then 3 x 5-1 in the next three heats after the break and the worries were lifted and the fears allayed.... Diamonds had a bit of help when Nicholl forgot to turn his fuel on in Heat 9 and in Heat 10 in what looked like a massive jump by Lambert went unpunished by the Grand Monarch but sometimes you get the rub... But luck had nothing to do with Heats 12, 13 and 14 when the Diamonds stood up to a man and blew away the threat; great drama and fantastic to watch as a diamonds fan... Note to self; don't panic at heat 11 when there are still 4 heats to run, even if the opposition are looking decidedly good... Regards THJ

There ya go... 4 weeks for mere mortals 1 to 2 week for a speedway rider... only risk is Mark Lemon done that a few year back at Newcastle an got an infection in the plate which weakened the bone and put him out for nearly 3 month... great if it works but can be risky... Regards THJ

4 to 6 weeks depending on the break and how quick it heals but knowing Speedway riders as I do he will be back after 3... Tero would fit however if Jye is out for 4 weeks he misses 3 meetings 1 at home and Edinburgh and Birmingham away... Berwick are probably stronger at home with R/R and Edinburgh is Tero's least favourite track on the planet.... If it is short term it's probably best just to run with R/R Regards THJ

Exactly as in Redcar and Sheffield didn't loose all their matches but look where their team averages ended up... I rest my case.... I think..... Regards THJ

So what's ya point It depends on where the points are scored.... forget heat 15... and does it really matter we are talking about fairy land here not the real world, ifs' ands' maybes' and might never happens plus the team build was 38 and goes to 40 in June and the pubs are open and I'm blowing half a shift who gives a rats.... Regards THJ

Correct: However: like I said in the original post to the response that we should be changing and swapping riders out now that my post was "all speculation" and "who knows" what the averages will be in June and it was a "make believe scenario" however after two meaningful meetings in the Shield we are averaging 37.5 points per meeting and after four meetings to date we are averaging 39.75 as a team (if you include the Redcar matches); with the current team rolling averages coming in at 37.95 then take off the 2.5% reduction (for the qualifying riders) this brings the total team average to 37.57; so and this is "pure speculation" it is not impossible for the team average to be at this level come June but as someone stated the team would be in a bit of a predicament (bottom) I would suggest. Last year Workington third in the league with a combined end of season team average of 42.79 (strange when you need 45 to win a match) without any team changes and Sheffield were bottom with 38.60 then Redcar next with 39.66; Lakeside who were fourth had a team average of 44.23 and also didn't make any team changes all season with Edinburgh top of the end of season team averages with 46.44 and only ended up 6th in the league (with a few changes to personnel). What I was trying to do in a moment of boredom (and trying to inject some wit and humour) (to which I failed miserably) was to point out that unforced changes this early in the season are a complete waste of time, Tsunami has hit the nail on the head. Your argument is valid; however; exactly as I have done; you are speculating on what might or might not happen with regards to the averages, if you prove to be right and have that much foresight give me the numbers for the lottery this week I would like to retire and sponsor Speedway as a hobby. I also stated above "Like many often state on here nothing in Speedway is straight forward however these type of conundrums are the ones most like to ponder". If Newcastle continue in the same vein it could be a long hard season and I suggest there would be changes; the only point I was trying to make was "it is folly looking at swapping riders out after the first two matches of the season without there being a very valid reason to do so" Scunny have done it for the right reasons with the young kid they have swapped out so as not to destroy his confidence. Danny Phillips would be the obvious choice however he has been around some time and just come back after a bad injury, he was up over 5.5 points at home in 2017 with a rolling average of 3.5. does he not deserve a bit of time? So to recap my main point is "there is no value IMHO in swapping out riders this early in the season unless possibly a bad injury or "Force Majeure" is inflicted on the team" and by "Force Majeure" I mean something like someone has a total loss of confidence and says they have had enough and they walk or the situation the club found itself in a few year back with the sad demise of Matej Ferjan. So for me no changes please just yet and the numbers will dictate (as ever) who we can have come in whether it be April May or June even up to the cut off date for signings... A team what sticks together wins together Worky Lakeside nil changes and play off finals but its all just numbers at the end of the day. Pick what ever you want and just make something up? Regards THJ

With a name like BJ Col he could go down quite a lot MMMMMMmmmmm lollol slobber slobber dribble Regards THJ

Because if you change now you basically change like for like average wise in June you have 2 more points to play with so if everything stayed the same and no averages changed and Danny went you can have a 4 point replacement instead of a 2 point rider or if Simon went a 6 point replacement instead of a 4 point rider So as Tsunami said you might as well give what you have a chance to pull themselves round before chopping and changing for changing sake... Regards THJ

Don't think you will be seeing Ludde any time soon at Brough LOL and as I pointed out (very much tongue in cheek) its all speculation and if I could predict what riders averages will be at the "End of June" I think I would be putting my efforts into predicting the lottery results for next week rather than how many points the Diamonds might (or might not) have to spend on a new rider come July 1st Regards THJ

Oh just shows what I know, Good Luck to him, hadn't heard his name for a long while and thought he had hung up his Kevlar's following a bad injury; wondered why it had popped up. Remember watching him at Redcar 2009/10 ish and he looked a great talent but he certainly fell off my radar that's for sure. Regards THJ

Honestly Ben Wilson at 33 and not rode since "who can remember when" will be on an average of about 4.50 pints a night if he has any sense sitting in his carpet slippers; dressing gown and smoking his pipe each evening filled with a good rough shag!!!! (isn't that right Bill) Nothing will happen team wise I would suggest (unless possibly a bad injury or "Force Majeure" is inflicted on the team) until the 30th of June when the following rule kicks in 18.6.4 A Championship declaration must not exceed 38.00 points in any declaration following the issue of established CMA’s for 2019, thereafter from 30th June must not exceed 40.00, except where the MA of the introduced rider is equal to, or lower than the rider being replaced. Once the above date arrives it gives greater scope to amend the team and if current averages were the averages on that day then I would suggest the vulnerable rider (in this make believe scenario) would be Simon Lambert as I can not see young Phillips getting the chop (if he was to go it would have to be of his own volition and his own decision) So.... NEWCASTLE DIAMONDS Starting Ave 2.5% Red (if app) Current Ave 2.5% Red (if app) 1 Steve Worrall 8.17 7.97 8.21 8.01 2 Thomas Jorgensen 7.66 7.66 7.59 7.59 3 Lasse Bjerre 7.08 7.08 7.01 7.01 4 Matthew Wethers 5.78 5.78 5.88 5.88 5 Simon Lambert 4.45 4.34 4.15 4.05 6 Max Clegg 3.25 3.17 3.11 3.03 7 Danny Phillips 2.00 2.00 2.00 2.00 Total: 38.39 38.00 37.95 37.57 So if the current rolling averages above of today 11/04/19 were actually those on the 30/06/2019 by dropping Lambert you would have 6.64 for a Brit and 6.48 for a foreign rider; so it is crazy to start talking about changing team members this early in the season as it just will not happen. Furthermore; if say the two Danes and Steve W got their acts together each could add a near point each on their averages reducing the figures above available to replace a rider; by nearly 3 points so it is all speculation, Lambert could drop into reserve and start banging in double figure scores, Who Knows it is all speculation, The averages will change at the end of April; May and June and as stated who knows now what they will look like. All of the riders could loose a point off their average the way they are going and we could bring in Freddy Lindgren if he doesn't get a GP wild card and finally if my Aunt grew a pair she will become my Uncle One thing is; it is all speculation; and the potential options and permutations open to the promotion could be endless; and it wont be an easy task for them and the numbers will ultimately dictate the options available. Like many often state on here nothing in Speedway is straight forward however these type of conundrums are the ones most like to ponder. You cant beat a bit of speculation and mine is Bradley Wilson Dean who would come in on a 6 point average (might as well pinch another rider Workington would have had) and poor old Simon Lambert to get the chop. If today was tomorrow that is; however; and hopefully Simon proves everyone wrong and ups his average by a point or three (as opposed to two). If we ended up with a 7 point difference by dropping someone as Sings4Speedway points out an asset would be good and that could bring in a potential new Dane "Who Knows" So instead of talking about changes back the team to the hilt and hopefully they can pull things around themselves sooner rather than later; however as stated it is early days yet that's for sure So another quite day at work (doh!!!) roll on Easter and all the clients have there budgets sorted for 2019 and start spending money and stop using Brexit as an excuse not to spend Regards THJ