Parsloes 1928 nearly

As Danny is NOT in anyone's 1-7 and is a 3-point rider he isn't a 'Guest'... He's 'unattached'..

Yes I understand the KOC Final (if, of course, the FTs get there..) will be Saturday night.. Heaven knows what the plan is IF the semi's rained off today or it's another draw!! Surely there should've been a run off instead of a full-blown replay..?!

Well am sorry can't be there (my daughter's 20th. birthday) - but though circs have determined it, one can't accuse Stoke Speedway of ending the season on a whimper - should be an amazingly good afternoon's entertainment!!

Rearanged for next Sunday - one assumes as part of a double header (Mildenhall match already scheduled for then..)..?

Yes Jack's average higher than Connor's now.

Danny never in the FTs declared 1-7 so available...

I recall a memorable November meeting, gulp, 40 years ago: the Golden Jubilee of Speedway meeting put on to commemorate the 50th. anniversary of the sport by the man 'who started it all', John S. Hoskins at his then track Canterbury on 3 November 1973! If my memory serves me right that date clashed also with the BLRC at Belle Vue..?

I understand that the SCB will sanction just one meeting per month (including indoor) in the 'close season' - if an important enough meeting was left hanging and needed to happen in November i guess an application to stage it COULD be possible...

This is such sad news - an all-time great and someone I met in 1976 and found to be a true gentleman. RIP legend

Extraordinary comment! Do you really think that little of British Speedway?

No-one has slated Robert at all. I would like you to clarify your comment about the "British Authorities have not helped him in any shape or form" - how do you mean? If by that all you mean is, they wouldn't let Robert compete on a 500cc until 15 years of age, then I'm sorry that's just the rules here. I know a lot of people don't like it, but there does have to an age starting point and 15 it is. This is NOT a prohibition put in place just to annoy the Lambert family. As I said, I can understand why Robert rides on the Continent, but I just happen to think he would've gained more by riding in events like the GB U-19s championship here and in the Play Off semi away leg. We ALL want to see him develop into a top world class rider and am confident he has every chance of doing so.

Feelings are pretty raw even 8 years on - but, as you yourself say, they didn't make any attempt to stick up for us in the dispute with the GRA; and I believe it was they more than the stadium authorities who had the shale lifted and thrown out into the car park the day after our last meeting - so they could hurriedly re-tarmac the track... All in all I'd call that revelling, though I accept it might have been more about allowig the GRA to divide and conquer because they feared for their own position if they'd taken a stand.

Hmm, I wonder about this 'contracts' stuff too... Bearing in mind the chopping and changing we see constantly for British fixtures, especially 'open' meetings, is it really possible that the Veenoor Golden Helmet meeting was something Robert was contracted to ride in from before the time he hooked up with King's Lynn and couldn't get out of..?! Of course the lad can do what he likes - but let's not get buried in all this, it's better for him to ride in these meetings in Germany/Netherlands/Belgium business (hardly Speedway hot-beds!); or that he had signed binding contracts etc. (he's 15 years of age so not sure there's such thing as a binding contract at that age!!). No, he and his advisers have chosen for Robert to have a very truncated NL season because they want the Continental meetings. Personally I think that's a bit of a shame, though King's Lynn might still win the League so let's wait and see!!

Er, now if any of the Stock car racing fraternity dare to criticise us for not mentioning them in future plans/campaigns. let's remember how THEY acted when the Speedway club was thrown out in 2005.. That was the time for fraternity and we gone none of that - only revelling in our misfortune. Personally I'd be happy for a new stadium to include Spedeworth's events too, along with Speedway because I accept that organisation's long association with Plough Lane but trust me they didn't give a fig about us in 2005...

This is the great myth though isn't it. Check out the quality of the field young Robert rode in (and unsurprisingly.., won) in the Netherlands (Golden Helmet at Veenoor) at the weekend and you'll see that no way was it such a high class/experienced field... I believe for the longer term (when league racing is so important to a young rider's career and development) he'd have gained a lot more from riding in an important meeting like the away leg of a Play Off semi.

Debatable that Lambert was riding at a higher level... I assume he was in Germany where he's been most weekends..

Problem at Crayford though is that the floodlights for the track are located on the centre green. So couldn't simply dig out a track inside the greyhound circuit would involve considerable reordering of stadium lighting with very little scope for an alternative location..

This is a very ignorant article - the loss of the Dog Track is dismissed in a line yet, this is a community facility that's been in this location for 85 years... The football club at their adjacent ground never got within even close of the crowds who've attended Dog Racing, Speedway & Stock Car Racing at the Stadium. Even when Wimbledon FC were one of the best clubs in the country (because forget the mythology of them being the biggest underdogs ever to win the FA Cup; that's errant nonsense, they finished 7th. in the top division that year; 6th. the season before) they still attacted woeful crowds. Within south London they are a tiny footnote unable to compete with the likes of Crystal Palace, Millwall & Charlton and a move to a bigger ground is smoke & mirrors for them. To call the Stadium a "hodgepodge of tumbledown stands" is a very inaccurate description: though run down the stadium retains the co-ordinated and complete look it's always had... Disappointing that such poor journalism finds its way into the best paper in the country for sports coverage..

And tragically of course Bishop lost his life in a different sort of crash - not on the track but on the road in the Lockern minibus disaster

Connor Coles needs to be added to the list of Rye House Raiders of 2012.

Luke Bowen has had some massive crashes too...

It was indeed a great night - a lesson to other clubs that you should always have a final meeting that's about appreciating the riders and giving them a chance to say their thanks and goodbyes. Len was superb in presenting the riders cups in the bar - THAT'S how to promote! Steve winning was a great end to a great season for him and the club. He's right up there now for me as one of my all-time favourite riders. And the icing on the cake for me was seeing the return of Marc Owen - how well Marc rode, winning one heat and leading even Steve for two laps before cruelly fallng in sight of the semis on the last bend. We'd love to see a lot more of you next year Marc..: hint! hint!

Absolutely Kasper Lykke was very lively last week. Luke Bowen will be out to show he can come back in earnest next season. Chris Schramm was unlucky with bike troubles at the Laurels and will be a contender. Paul Starke..? Hmm, well under a bit of a cloud at the moment so who knows. Tyson Nelson? Not sure - have only seen him ride once, at Somerset for RH and he had a shocker - so gotta be better than that. Nice to see an rider from New South Wales riding at our track in our nearest meeting to the (barely mentioned as yet) 90th. anniversary of the first meeting put on by the father of our sport and honourary Man of Kent, John S. Hoskins in that Aussie State.

Money for one on its way though highly unlikely I'll be able to make it as it's clashing with a friend's 50th. birthday party (yep, I know so did last night at the NLRC but THIS one I really can't get out of!). But the event needs financial support so happy to hand over £30 in the cause!!

Any word on the DVD, Tony?