rabbit

M30 something...just like my age. Oh..and it's my birthday on Friday night for any of you nice people going to Newport who would like to buy me a drink. Front row anyway - Cardiff that is, not Newport...so look out for a flag of some sort. Just not sure what exactly yet. Hope to meet up with all usual reprobates in Sam's Bar and the POW. Anyone that deosn't know me, just ask and come and say Hi. I don't bite and unusually for a Poole supporter I am quite normal.

Maybe because they've been there, seen it and done it already with the British GP in recent years. Perhaps Middlo has gone for Steady as he is the obvious choice and for Eddie so he has a chance to see what it's all about on the big stage - plus as someone mentioned as a pat on the back for being U21 Champ. Just a thought...

Hard..yes. Fair...you might want to ask his fellow competitors about that. And no - he don't give up - I'll give you that.

Aaah ...would this account for Mick Poole being at Poole last Wednesday night? Is he over with Chris?

I thought it quite a generous comment too. Personally thought Sullivan was awful. His form has been quite good for us recently although Thursday night pre-GP was not so hot. If it was GPitis it didn't work very well. Very true although the Danes are saying he did seem to apologise to Bjarne afterwards so we maybe don't know the whole story. Having said that, the 'interesting' moves are coming thick and fast from Nicki and somehow I think it might just end in tears at some stage during the season the way it's going. Makes for great talking points...but someone is going to get hurt someday very soon. I have to say that much as I like the controversy I dread one of our riders being out in the same race as him, and i'm relieved when it's over. That's not really supposed to be the way it is!

Can only echo everyone's thoughts on Rickardsson. The guy is pure class. Absolutely flawless performance tonight - bet there are some of the other riders scratching their heads at how he did that tonight. Lindback - what can you say? Really didn't expect him to go that well after he confessed to being so nervous before the start. Subedei you say no pressure - but this is the world stage - there's pressure in each of the rounds as a fully fledged member of the circus. But you're right...all eyes will be on him especially in his home rounds now to repeat the feat. As for Sullivan, Bjarne and KK...least said the better.

The Henka of recent years is not the Henka I remember or the one that Trees refers to. Definitely a pale shadow of his former self. He was awesome in his early Kings Lynn days and definitely a favourite visiting rider - i can still remember his paid 21 max around Poole . I think a few serious injuries and a bit too much of the wild lifestyle put paid to his ambitions over the years. He and Lars Gunnestad were a nightmare when they got together! Gave Lars' landlords a few headaches from what I remember!

Isn't Miskowiak World U21 champion? In which case probably a justified move and reward for his achievement last year. Can only imagine that the likes of KK were also possibly considered. Oh, that we had up and coming riders in that position! Sadly I'm with SCB on this - our youngsters still lack on the world stage at any level. Just look at the world U21 final - who were our representatives there? Much as I would love to see British youngsters at the GP if I'm paying £50+ for a ticket I expect to see riders of a certain level taking part with a decent chance of mixing it and progressing for my money. Harsh but fair I'm afraid.

Make sure you get to Sam's Bar and the Prince of Wales for pre-meeting entertainment. Oh...and the speedways not too bad either!

Have to agree with you Onceadon. I was quite stunned (and with no disrespect at all intended to either club, because I had a great time at both) at how poor the attendances were when I visited Newcastle and Glasgow last season. I don't think there could have been more than 400-500 at either meeting. I know I'm not coming from a level playing field with Poole as my indicator but it made me appreciate how lucky we are and that despite all the hype things aren't as rosy as some in the sport with have you think. Add to this that on average, an EL number 1 apparently requires around 300-400 people through the gate just to pay that one rider and you can see that however it may appear there's not a lot left at the end of the day to line anyones pockets! And that's just one out of 7 men to pay - God knows the wage bill for clubs with 2 or 3 GP riders! No wonder sponsorship is so important - but even so how do some of these clubs keep going? Say what you want about promoters but I can't see there's many getting a lot back out of the sport on it's own!

Don't necessarily think it's always just to do with the taxman. If Poole are anything to go by, their rent for the stadium apparently increases if they go over a certain crowd number...strange but true. So on the one hand, they've said that when the local paper says they've had say 4,000+ through the gate (the local reporter's take a figure, double it, take off the last figure you thought of type calculation) it's great for potential sponsors and the prestige of the club to have that number mentioned (especially if it's more than AFC Bournemouth's crowd!)..but then they have to convince the landlords that actually it wasn't quite that high in reality... What the actual figure is - who knows?!

Well I guess Poole are luckier than most with crowds. Reckon we get on average approx 2000 with the larger meetings like the play-offs etc getting 4-5,000 maybe. Certain teams as opposition in the summer months do attract huge attendances down here - around 3,000 possibly. I know that the figures mentioned in the press are a little on the generous side for sure. Having said that, before M&M took over in '99 we were down to under 1,000. Not that I can remember...even I stopped in 1998 we were so bad!! Part -time supporters...shocking!

Blimey...give the poor guy a break. What do you want...a personal appearance! As one of the longer term (not going to say older! ) posters on the forum I can vouch that this is the 'real' Rick as if he should have to prove it's him! He used to post on the previous incarnation of the forum as well. Can see now why some ex-riders keep their anonymity on here lol !

Why? Is everyone over 40 going to kick the bucket within the next 10 years? Depends on your view as a minority sport? Most sports are 'minority' compared to the big 4 or 5 and it depends on what country you're in. Is speedway a minority sport in Poland? All comes down to marketing and until promoters get away from the safe 'family' image and start portaying it more as an extreme sport you will have a hope in hells chance of attracting a more youthful audience. I cringe when i hear this 'family' tag linked to speedway - it conforms to every boring, warm and fluffy, anoraky stereotype that exists. Speedway in it's raw form is as extreme as any motorsport - that's the angle to go with not old boys with badges flasks and a rug! Now beating a quick retreat from an army of old boys armed with flasks

Yeah they do Shazzy...Good Friday or Easter Monday usually Poole starts at around 1pm-ish and then the return's at Arlington in the evening.

Damn...now that's a line-up you wouldn't see today! Long live R&R!

The art of pointing works every time Kev!

Nothing better than a Starbucks caramel macchiato and a cinnamon pastry to ease the hangover. Does anyone actually go to Cardiff for the speedway anymore? I go for the social prelude...the meeting is simply a nice way to finish the afternoon....once we've staggered to the stadium that is.

Thanks Anders..makes interesting reading. And here we are sat back here in the UK not even knowing what the team building averages are likely to be let alone who's going to be in the teams. No wonder riders look at the British Leagues as an inconvenience. If Sweden can do it why can't we?

Norway...nice place..lovely people...damn expensive drinks! Almost had to go tee-total!

But isn't that the point? It's the British Grand Prix - not the Welsh one. If Forland and Sola are considered by the Norwegians to be the best of their bunch, then presumably Louis and Norris were given the same consideration by the British authorities. If it was a Welsh GP then yep I'd agree with you, Wizzer should be in there!

Saw Rune Sola riding for a Norwegian team that ride in one of the Swedish Leagues a couple of years ago. He looked quite decent then but maybe not quite up at the standard of the GP boys. Perhaps he's progressed quite a bit by now. In his home country he's as entitled to a wildcard as anyone else. I mean they put Lars in last year and the last I heard he was only riding semi-professionally now.

In the absence of any Brits, come on Toninio....and Kasper...and Daniel! Poole 1-2-3 would be nice!

Hope Shortoi doesn't notice!

Good to see Trick back on form. Sets us up for a great end to the series. Are the nerves going to start to get to Crumpy? Good performance by Poole's number one (and I don't mean Sullivan) finally losing out on the gate 3 lottery. You can see why riders get so p'd off with the drawing of gates when one is so bad - you could kiss your win goodbye getting that gate tonight! Just hope that the Brits can keep in there for the next round - we're definitely losing out to the other nations at the moment.