Parsloes 1928 nearly

Hmm, not sure that's right. The year Oxford won the CL title they had barely any home fixtures from May 'til late September - when they completed the season via a series of double headers, at least two of which the FIRST match in the set of two was halted after heat 12 because of fears of breaking the curfew later. It was the low point in the history of the third tier - that a club holding the CL in such utter contempt were allowed to do this and end up as champs..

My point is, NOT to call them Newcastle anything but give the third tier team a different main name. Sunderland sadly wouldn't work (sorry TWK!) but the Byker Racers would be a cracking name!! I wasn't saying that the Newport CL sides were 'good'; I was saying it was good that the very progressive management at Newport always (well virtually always..) entered a side in the third tier.

Will be great if a number of clubs take up this offer - remember back in 2002 that Peterborough, Wolverhampton, Sheffield, Oxford, Newcastle, Stoke, Swindon & Rye House all did this... Can't recall if Newport did or if they were stand-alone CL back then; but over the years KL, Newport & Rye have always been good at running or hosting a third tier side alongside their 'main' side. Personally if they do (EL & PL clubs entering a 'second side' that is..) I hope they consider using a different main team-name.. To me it's better all round to have that entirely separate identity - better to provoke interest locally and certainly better for those of us at other NL clubs (particularly the stand-alones) to 'spin' the League. They'll always be people who'll accuse the NL of being a 'reserve' division otherwise, when with some imagination it can have the look & feel of a fully-fledged third division. The example, I'm thinking needs to be followed is when Poole ran a successful NL club under te name & branding of Bournemouth Buccaneers.

I heard maybe a combined Plymouth/Somerset side in the '14 NL... But I tend to agree, more than 8 next season seems highly unlikely...

Simon won the Laurels in fact

And we are still seeing that same attitude today, as proven here, by some who think certain matches/even whole leagues aren't worthy of recording.. Thank the lord for Mr. Vasey (hmm, not something I thought I'd ever say with such enthusiasm!!) and his several volumes (filling a whole cupboard in the very room I'm currently sitting!)of facts and figures about the third tier. When will the 2012 & '13 volume(s) be coming out Mr. V.?

Hmm, yes but the point is that there is this website purporting to be a definitive record of Speedway riders' records in the British leagues but actually deliberately supresses info. on whole sections of riders' careers... And the reason? The completely ridiculous, bigotted views of one individual who , completely laughably, believes the third division to be 'junior racing'... Stll at least it's been admitted now...

So then the riding record of the World Champion, Tai Woffinden is not included in his first season then. 'Junior racing'...?! Pathetic...

But for many riders the info. is totally flawed as it misses out their third tier appearances. Malcolm Vasey has detailed all such records in painstaking detail so via his books a simple process to update. I still believe the omission must be deliberate rather than simply saying it's too difficult to get hold of..

I can't agree.. They are deliberately leaving out third tier appearances - literally no mention of them. Simple question, why do that?

Not quite on this subject but relating to the 'Best of British' series. Very good stuff and I especially like how a broader approach given to putting each of the British World Championship winners' years into a wider context of world history. But what the 'eck was THIS about in the first part, the one relating to Tommy Price? Talking of the 'debate' on which of the big events pre-1936 and then between '46 & '50 might be called true World Championships. it says this, "Boxing and darts, of course, have been plagued by different World Championships over the years, to the confusion of most. And speedway's still at it to this day. In the season just gone we've apparently seen Exeter and Wimbledon take to the track. Strangely, Exteter's County Ground has gone while Wimbledon's Plough Lane merely echoes to the sound of yapping greyhounds and the occasional rumble of stock cars." What on earth does this bit about 'Exeter and Wimbledon have to do with the World Championship..?! I did get a bit of a feeling that the writer was lapsing into a stream of consciousness style in other parts of this piece but this is just plain bizarre!!

Is there anymore more stupid a thing than this so-called 'history' site on proboards completely ignoring the third tier racing record of riders? Why on earth does it do that? Completely nullifies any legitimacy of that site as being a full record of a rider's career. Here's an example: http://wwosbackup.proboards.com/thread/444 Misses out all references to the meetings a double Conference/National League Riders Champ has ridden in the third tier! Don't know if anyone on the BSF also deals with this 'proboards' site but if they do can they possibly explain..?!

Not sure what you mean? Why would it necessarily be a bad thing for a rider as 'old' (shock! horror!) as 26 to be given a chance in the upper division(s)?

Paul Hurry did retire on doctors' orders I believe but I think he was saying last year that he MAY return.. Hurry riding for the Kings would be quite something!!!

[quote name="Arson fire" post="237That's even worse than last year. I agree, wouldn't touch anyone with that high an average.... Including cook.Harland Cook's average would never be assessed that high!!! LOL!

As a matter of info. as it HAS been said on here(!) where has the line come from that the league is going to renamed the British League..? Can't see THAT in the rather flimsy official statement..!

THIS was where the notion came from - and tbf Mr. Rising is far, far more in the know than virtually anyone else who inhabits this Forum!

Okay - but all the early stuff which was posted said they'd only be two rides. I'm unclear in truth why they didn't release the news about race format when they were ready instead of allowing such confusion! Why not use the yellow paint to mark out hatched areas in the car parks and ticket all drivers who stray into it..?! Would be a great money-earner!!

The BSPA statement says they (the two 'NL' reserves) will only have TWO programmed rides NOT four!!

Is no-one paying any attention! The 6 & 7 will have TWO programmed rides only; both against the opposing team's 6 & 7... How is that so many can't grasp this..?!

Hands off Benji!!

You really couldn't do that. How could a rider based (just as an example.) in Essex, with a job/college commitments manage if he was allocated to, say, Belle Vue - a Monday night track...? Yes of course budding Speedway riders need to be flexible and do have to take a lot of time off but they also need to be able to make their own career decisions: being 'allocated' whether by draw or pick smacks of bloomin' serfdom!!

Need to be geography taken into account. Young riders at NL level have jobs and/or college (as part of apprenticeships for example) and find taking time off problematical enough... Being 'drafted' into a midweek EL side 150 miles away from where they live would hardly help!!

Sweden looks the more likely model BUT (or am I mistaken..) doesn't the statement imply these reserves will only ride against each other AND only (therefore) have two programmed rides so wouldn't therefore be the same as Sweden's..

Hmm, so you're saying that because they'll be two heats (only) featuring NL riders (actually the other word for this, is up and coming young British talent..!) it won't be worth going anymore, even though the Lions will now be racing in the EL..? Have a word with yesrselves Lions' fans; I love Leicester Speedway and think today's news is great news. Surely you've heard of the concept of looking a glass half full rather than half empty. Though in this case even by your argument it's a glass one eighth empty, seven/eights full!!!