HGould

I think Speedway got to stop beating itself up on that score though as all Sports now same and many far worse. my footy team (Villa), my cricket team (Bears) my rugby team (Worcester) all in far bigger debt and reliant on TV deals and benefactors.

Youth Racing and the programme being led by Neil Vatcher and the GB Academy is excellent news for the future. Not sure where "amateur" racing fits in, especially when one ex rider now in his 70's pointed out in the Speedway Star the other week; that Scunthorpe is full over over 50's riding every weekend. That may be good for the pocket on the Chairman, not sure it benefits anyone else. Speedway can't survive as a recreational pastime for a lot of amateur riders however nice it may be if you are one of them. Hope surely lies with the youth programmes on the track; and attempts of some Clubs to bring youngsters in to watch the sport from the terraces, which works for Brummies.

Against a 7 team league and a 3 team league it probably is the place to be.

Sad to see Rye house gone but isn't the bigger worry the fact the NDL might be gone too? Only 3 actual standalone clubs and no news from them or the BSPL about the future? If many NDL riders are needed in CL or PL what happens to NDL?

95% of teams will be same as 2020 so nothing to announce.

A lower limit would suit Brummies. Don't want Championship dumbed down to NDL level though. Can't see problem with 41 point limit. Read what Glasgow and Somerset have said in today's Speedway Star. How would you fancy ringing up a Rider and telling him he's sacked and you want his suit and signing on fee back due to reduced points limit. Higher the limit better the quality. Don't see any signs of any Championship Clubs dropping out, quite opposite. Championship is thriving.

you're right...... whoops...sorry! http://birmingham-speedway.com/news.php?extend.2904

Wrong You've encountered same problem Brummies and other Clubs have in the past. Rob Grant's is now a new company. It was initially Rob buying out an existing Company. Changed when HMRC intervened. A new Company formation can't apply for a Work Permit for a set period (not sure what it is but at least 2 years I think) Surprised Roynon gone to Newcastle as he had been appointed new Track Curator at Perry Barr, could he have ridden for us and been Curator too? Wish the lad well, deserves all the luck going.

West Midlands...we don't have successful footballs teams in the main, was my point comment was about lack of football success rather than it affecting speedway

Not here mate

If any Team have their declared 1-7 should be allowed to keep it. Their fans have paid good money to see it and their riders they have should not have to pay back if forced out unfairly. Everyone knew the rules. Why fiddle the points limit down? Plenty of good riders to go round to fill up the gaps according to Mr Godfrey; and I agree with what Stewart Dickson said in Speedway Star, it will be a season when winning League might not be as important as the Sport and getting it back for the public. My team needs a couple of riders, they say they have at least one lined up and Grobauer for Johannson is already announced months ago.

if a Club like Glasgow have confirmed 7 riders, can get them all back and happy to pay for any work permits why should they be penalised. Why not let them field their declared 1-7 in 2021 so that clubs who have to back-fill can but Glasgow are not penalised. If Glasgow have to release a rider why should a club benefit when Glasgow are penalised. probably a few other clubs with 6 or even 7 riders available, why penalise them? (Leicester / Kent / Eastbourne / Poole / Redcar - all indicated can get 6 or 7 back). Stewart Dickson was quoted as saying maybe the winning of the Leagues in 2021 was may be not the most important thing as a reason for reducing average, actually that could work both ways. If Glasgow can get and pay and cover cost of getting their team on the track, why penalise them ??

Fair point but probably a lot more Poles living and working in UK now than then.

I went to the Plymouth v Young Lions match in September. They had and marketed a big Polish/German style BBQ on the 3rd/4th turn run by a friendly Polish couple. Great Food and speedway fans running it. They explained that they and the Club are encouraging Polish fans and write marketing in Polish especially for them. Maybe something that BSPL could pick up on for the 600,000 across the UK?

I'm sure someone will correct me if I'm wrong. 12 Teams in the League Tuesday - Kent Wednesday - Poole / Brummies Friday - Edinburgh / Glasgow / Redcar / Scunthorpe / SOMERSET Saturday - Berwick / Eastbourne / Leicester Sunday - Newcastle So presumably the other 4 Friday Clubs take precedence over Somerset for CL Fixtures as they are changing dates?. Leaves most Friday's with 10 Teams therefore in action? You only need a few Friday rain-offs and it will be complete carnage. Would only also need one of the Teams not involved to refuse to release Guests and it would be a complete joke! As Workington / Lakeside found out the Chairman does not like to be left without Guest options. The fact this is a Management Committee Member Club really does not look good for the transparency of the Sport. Unless of course one of the other Friday Clubs are seeking to change their race night? Could Redcar move to Saturday or Sunday , could Glasgow move to Saturday or Sunday, especially as most foreigners won't be back so needed on the Continent Will have to wait for it to all come out in the wash!

Depends what the points limit is surely? Lots seem to think it's going to be slashed, some significantly. Len'll have lots of NDL riders to use who know the track very well and who'll be known to him. Just be a case of whatever he has to play with if points limit is a less than now. Unlikely to be like for like average wise therefore.

The M5 on a Friday night from Whitsun to August Bank Holiday.??. That'll go down like a lead balloon with some home Supporters I'd imagine and certainly from Away Fans like me who found Wednesday the quietest weeknight on M5. I wonder what Rob "there's too many Friday Clubs" Godfrey will have to say too? 4 Friday Clubs already - shades of 2018 when Lakeside were bankrupted by the Friday night issue.

I know Ellis has close links to the West Midlands. Uncle Dave was from Black Country and I saw Neil Evitts with Ellis a few times. Would seem like a perfect fit for Brummies to replace Garrity? I think a few will have heard about Leicester being late to pay a few riders at times in 2019. Ellis and Jack Thomas both went public and Stewart Dickson has acknowledged it to be true and fair do,s for that. May be Ellis wanted better deal as security but surely will be in demand from a number of CL clubs

I liked the old Perry Barr (now One Stop Shopping) because you could walk past Pits on way to Home Straight and watch all the bikes warm up. Like many Tracks the current PB is hidden but more down to lay out of a Dog Track and lack of access to large part of the venue. Most places you either can't see or can see from a distance. I don't think or can't remember anywhere better than Brandon, where provided you could arrive early enough you could get a great high vantage point and look down in to the Pits area. I used to like Halifax too, where you could see in and watch. Of the other tracks visited in last few years, Mildenhall, Eastbourne, Berwick are ones you can look in to if you stand adjacent and see what's happening during Racing and a few Tracks allow you in to view if you are there early enough. No excuse really for the purpose built more recent tracks like Belle Vue, Leicester and Somerset for hiding Pits largely away from fans.

Thank You

Not really up to speed with rules in L1 and L2 in Poland but seems may still be the main thing to watch in 2021 if not much action live in UK Could someone please explain how teams can be made up in the 2 leagues below the top one How many classed Foreigner / Overseas How many classed Polish Seniors How many classed Under 24 (Polish or Overseas) How many classed Polish Juniors are allowed in each match how many "overseas" in total do reserves have to be Polish juniors? How does the No 8 work, can it be anyone? Any confirmation would add to my understanding and enjoyment, it's all very confusing (I thought GB was!!) Thank You

interesting point about the "protected PL days". If Poland is going to dictate where Riders who are not Poles can and can't ride (e.g pick one other League only), shouldn't the Swedes and UK dictate that the only day they will protect is Tuesdays and basically open up PL to 6 days a week. Stuff the Poles. That could strengthen the PL immediately as some of the bigger CL Clubs might consider running PL on their preferred race nights. Poole / Leicester / Glasgow the most likely beneficiaries maybe?

Wouldn't it be the height of irony if UK via German Pfizer and its own Oxford and Cambridge led work had ample supplies of vaccine by May and the Poles were lagging behind and unable to keep up. How would that suit the bullies of Polish Speedway Federation. They need to realise they are part of a global sport and that other speedway countries may be behind in Speedway terms but light years ahead in other scientific areas.

I've rarely read anything so littered with inaccuracies and falsehoods. The one thing Polish Speedway always had was passionate fans. The one thing it didn't have in the 70s was money and financial clout. Quite the opposite, go and study Communism and the Fall of it in the Eastern bloc. There was no free Press, free Media, you'd struggle to find any Polish rider with anything but a factory Jawa and black leathers well in to the Briggo Manger Olsen era. When Zenon Plech was allowed to go on one of the Mauger Briggo Troupe Tours all he could take was his handlebars. If you are about 15 you might think Polish Speedway is the greatest thing on the planet. It may be now but that's a very modern phenomenon as the old timers before the end of the Communist era around 1990 and the dozens upon dozens of riders still owed fortunes by Polish Clubs up to the very recent past will testify...it was anything but the jewel in the crown. New Polish stadia to are a very modern phenomenon. Most are expensive returns paid for by local politicians keen to get reelected It's also the case in the UK that as many if not more speedway tracks were added to dog tracks, than the other way round and similarly most tracks round football or rugby pitches followed the ball sports. Purpose built stadia and those where speedway were there first is the exception over the past 50 years and not the rule.

All the pronouncements have been about same 1 to 7s. Would not put it past some to have been busy assembling new teams to reduced limits to suit themselves in the slightest. Don't have to be Einstein to work out which teams will be in on the secret. Lower team average would mean MORE riders out of a job, not less. A crazy prospect.