boss 2

Hi Neil, if i'm correct and you're "The Painterman" then you were certainly last Cradley captain to be presented with one of the trophies i was thinking of. Happy days How are you, still sliding??

Me too Rhys, always had a lot of time for riders trying to make the breakthrough (the Boss nickname comes from team managing Cradley Juniors for a few matches in 1989.) Am just trying to find out where a certain trophy disappeared to then will pm Laurence with a suggestion. All the best for your upcoming rides tho, take care!!

Hope so Laurence. Next time pop them all some Cradley bodycolours on and advertise it the week before there'll be a stadium full for the second half that week (i wish!!) In fact can i send you a pm in a couple of days? I have an idea. Don't suppose anyone knows John Wilson's (Ex-cradley/stoke) whereabouts??

Typical, i wait all season for a second half then it doesn't start til 10 and my son has to be up for school. Watched first two heats then had to go, will they be back at 'the Green' Laurence?? Good to see you carrying on the work with junior/young riders you started at Cradley all thise years ago mate.

Are there any plans afoot for a tour by the USA Dream Team this season?

Was watching with my 11 year old son and we both sat with our jaws hitting the floor when the red lights failed to come on thought that when they didn't the ref would just exclude Nicholls and award Harris second, it was one of the most blatant examples of a rider knocking his opponent off that i have seen in over 40 years of watching. Nicholls was out of order and Harris has every right to be very angry- i certainly would not wish to continue 'working' with someone who had done that to me (but i'd have clocked him one for luck too!!)

Heres hoping play-offs are at Wolves then gives me a second chance to see the lads as they progress. Have asked on another thread but any news on Kye Norton and James Cartmell's injuries?(Is James related to ex Wolf-Cub Matt Cartmell?) Hope i didnt offend Chris's dad with my message on the u-15 Isle Of Wight link, if i did, sorry no offence meant just giving a Dads opinion.

Hi on the thread about Joe Haines the riders scorechart has been added, meeting cut to 5 heats due to injuries to James Cartmell and Kye Norton, anyone know how they are??

Just came on to see result of last heat at Wolves last night and found this what started as someone's concern for possible injured parties appears to have become a pathetic twit-for-tat slagging off between people who should know better. Goatman possibly was a little unwise with calling Chris' dad a piece of sh*t but also feel that such a public slagging off of a lad as was perpetrated by Chris' dad was surely asking for trouble?? My son plays football but would love to ride speedway (he is 10) however i could never afford the gear he needs to ride so the chances are he will never fulfil that ambition,(something which i am sure Chris is grateful to you for even if he doesn't say it), and i've seen a great mate die racing (Wayne Garratt) i've also stood in the pits as Cradley junior team manager when lads and dads have blown up at each other and it solves nothing just leaves resentment and, in one case, a lad going out to show his dad he was as good as dad said he wasn't and ending up in Russell's Hall for 2 months!! So Chris' dad while i accept that you don't want tears and tantrums anywhere but possibly in the pits least of all think on this-your lad is 12 (and won't appreciate your other kids being called "great" intimating that he isn't!!! ) and if, God forbid, he ended up like Luke Priest, Ales Dryml or worse Wayne Garratt you would-rightly-crucify yourself for the things you have said about him on here. I have never met you nor seen Chris ride as being limited to supporting the opposition each week at Wolves i only see the lads when they race there much as i wish i saw more, but from one father who loves his son and speedway to,hopefully, another think about it before you pour your frustration out in such a public manner-please!!

The Late Great Ivor Brown, maybe it was the white jumper but i used to love him as a kid and most other tracks hated him cos he was sooooo good. Got my Dad into a fight at Coventry when i was about 3 cos some bloke swore at The Great Man so i punched him in the kneecap and he swore at me!! Sorry Dad!! Always remember that teams had their team socks rolled over their boots back then and i always thought that was a great idea-wouldn't work now but is something i remember.

And i'm a Baggies fan so the same applies to me but my speedway team vanished without trace ten years ago so it doesn't count for me on that score-maybe thats why i finally supported GB But i must admit that when Messrs Pedersen and Andersen wind up the Wolves fans i do enjoy it just think it all went a bit (a lot) over the top on saturday!!

Lis: Leeds United??????????

Sorry but i watched the meeting at my brothers and (possibly for the first time) was cheering Team GB (England) on but, as long as it was a good meeting, really wasn't fanatical about it however i seem to recall the Danes used to win fairly, Gundersen, Nielsen, Pedersen, Knudsen, Olsen etc. Indeed during this period i always supported the Danes or the USA very rarely England!! Their worst habit was rolling at the gate (and while i'm mentioning rolling starts, stand up and take a bow Mr Crump!!) However now it really seems to be win at all costs, i truly think the referee called the Harris/Andersen incident correctly, Sky did show wrong angle to Andersen in the pits as it proved nothing but judging by his screaming like a big girl as it was shown i thought someone had cut his leg off at the very least!! And the Danish teams verbal assault on Ole Olsen then was TOTALLY unacceptable He has done more for Danish speedway, and speedway in general, than they will ever do and to be honest Jan Steachmann-who i like-should have stepped in to stop those disgraceful actions. The Danes WERE the best team on display there is no question of that and booing and abusing their national anthem is also unacceptable but at the end of the day they should take a step back and judge their own appalling behaviour appropriately and the 2 worst perpetrators, Messrs Pedersen and Andersen should be heavily fined by the relevant authorities with possibly a suspended ban as they appear to be involved in controversy on an almost weekly basis- particularly Mr Pedersen with his recent comments reference Wolves fans, who i'm no fan of as a Spoon , springing quickly to mind. Ok i've had my say and expect to be shot down but had to say it as i see it as a, relative, neutral.

Que?? Slander has to be a lie, how many times have you seen him throwing the camera crew out when things go wrong?? (Not the only one but a fact!!) Rolling starts- watch the video proof is in the pudding and all that. And he is a very unpopular rider- i have no team and no axe to gring but facts are facts- if you can't face them then thats your problem. Shovlar in disguise?? Can't say i've read what he says about Crump but perhaps he doesn't like him either!!?? (can't sat i usually side with Mr Shovlar though, but on this occasion felt the ref didn't deserve to take charge of a mothers meeting let alone an SGP meeting!!)

Ok, obviously i'm alone here but thought referee was awful, replays quite obviously show Hampels rear wheel sweeping Greg's left leg from under him, not deliberate but how can you stay on the bike when your leg aint there??? Referee watched 4 replays 2 of which proved this and(surprise surprise) the Polish ref excluded the American and left his fellow countryman in the race. Believe Johnno's offer to "Give the ref a clip" was close to being carried out then judging by how angry he was in commentary. How was Richardson not excluded in heat 3?? And why after 2 third places, one of which was gifted when he should not even have been in the race, and a second, which was admittedly a good ride, were all the Sky presenters raving about "turning his season round", being "a changed rider" and "back to his brilliant best" has he really been that bad?? Think Nicholls was a little unlucky in the semi, think Pedersen caused his lay-down- but also think he saw a get-out-of-jail-free card in the offing as ref would have had to re-run the race. And Nicki Pedersen also laid down in his first race and was lucky to be in the re-run. Zagar's front wheel was parallel to the tapes in his third ride which put Adams off (cue Johnno's "clip the ref" being uttered for the first time.) And Crump?? This bloke is about as affable and likeable as Gengis Khan, or in the context of being in Wales, Robbie Savage!! He is bad tempered and ignorant in defeat but when he wins can't wait to get his face on telly- although just before the interview started his pit-crew were shoving the camera crew out of his pit area (again). But more to the point, watch the video if you don't believe me, 7 rides and (regardless of finishing position in each heat) 7 rolling starts, green light goes on Crump moves back 2-3 yards every single time, how did the muppet in the box fail to notice it even once?? It was like watching Sir/God Gundersen back in the days when you WERE allowed to move!! And now he has the World Title all but sewn up I'm sure speedway fans around the World can't wait to see him crowned-NOT!!!! Can't think of a single rider i'd like to win it less-and bearing in mind my previous comments about a certain English Wolves/Oxford rider thats going some!! Had my moan now so i'll go and do some work.