Parsloes 1928 nearly

Personally if there's going to be a format change I'd favour the 'traditional' 13 heats format. But really that HAS to be on the basis there's also a (minimum) six heat second half. Six heats allows for a AJL/MDL/NJL style match or when not, one of those races for non-team members, juniors or indeed a mini second half competition. I've missed the story about Cov too... Pray tell..!

And well done to the FTs on adding the National Trophy to the, er, League, KOC, Fours & Pairs... I think they call that a nap hand!

I could be wrong (it's hardly unusual!! ) but I think this year is the first year the actual second tier CHAMPIONSHIP has been decided by a Play Off (used for a number of years now in the other two divisions..). Previously the play-off scenario in the Premier was to secure that much-derided slot for the promotion-relegation tie: something now struck off as frankly it was rather pointless... Well done to Richard and his Scunny lads! And Rob's right, Rugby League for one does do that and the Young Shield for the 'League Leaders' would be a good idea.

Is it..? I thought it was at the NA..? PhilK will need to clarify!!

39 years ago this one, well in a few days time anyhow. Here's a question for you... The programme lists FOUR trophies up for grabs on the night. The Frank Varey Pioneer Trophy I know was won by Malcolm Corrandine who rode on the night for Birmingham: winning the top scorers (top two scorers from each team in semis and then a final) competition. But the other trophies were: Gordon Cox Jeweller's Trophy Arthur Fitt Trophy Watney's Trophy. Now the main event was a Four Team Tournament which panned out like this: Canterbury 19 (Les Rumsey 1; Barney Kennett 9; Graham Banks 4; Derek Cook 4; Pip Austen 1) Ipswich Juniors 31 (Mike Lanham 9; Ted Howgego 7; Trevor Jones 9; Dave Gooderham 5) Birmingham 29 (Paul Gilbert 1; Arthur Browning 8; Malcolm Corradine 9; Roger Johns 12 [M]) Rayleigh (Brian Foote 5; Bob Young 7; Tiger Beech 1; Trevor Barnwell 4) So assume one of the trophies went to the winning team of this. But which trophy? And what were the others awarded for? One could've been maybe for the two lap track record? This went to Barry Briggs in 37.2 seconds.

Must be unlikely they'll be a restaging... Unless it's put on as part of a double header NT finale at the Norfolk Arena on Wednesday...!!!!

I agree 100%. And the question also is, why on earth would Barretts WANT to advertise on this, of all, Forums..? Is this within the control of the people who run/own the site or wot..?

To be fair, the evening and night in north-east London (so one assumes in Hertfordshire too) was bloody awful : constant rain, so the decision to call off was completely correct. Not really in touch with this strange competition but how is that the Rockets now qualify for the final..? And with a whole host of these sorts of decisions being made in the past few days one hopes some lessons for the future will get learnt.. Without 'play offs' we'd have had a nice sensible end to the 2012 season; with them seems the season is ending close to farce...

Not really the case.. He DID, of course, ALWAYS win the big indiv., the Kentish Times Trophy but usually home riders managed to take some points off Tom in actual league matches...

Ah, but I won't look a gift horse in the, er, Louth..!!

Which (also after events in the top league too..) kinda makes a lie about the supposed merits of these divisional championship play offs...!

Mate, the GP has been strange from the very start! And is to these days too! Thanx for that!

I think you'll find the chips were of a West Row variety!

Wise words, oh pro one! Though the rider concerned once told me he'd travelled around that Cheshire town searching for a statue of his good self, in the knowledge he was apparently revered as a favourite son!!

Thanx. Better get that prog outta the loft and check! Perhaps I got it all wrong!!!!

And who can blame you for that... when Malcolm's talking to me I want to turn to drink tbh, but a portion of chips would do too!!!

Mildenhall today (vs Stoke in NT) was rained off; due to be restaged Friday instead of the indiv.

Second half rider at Boston in 1976... Have it down as Alan Mouth in my programme... Would that be correct..? And at Crayford in a 1976 NNL meeting the Paisley number 7 was a P. Cornwall. But that name's NOT listed in The History of the BL as riding for Paisley that year.. Can anyone shed light on that one?

Thanks for that, Deano. Sad news though.

With this weekend seeing Stoke vs. IoW and now Mildenhall vs. Stoke, both in the NT, rained off (must be off the scale now on the record total number of rain offs to a British Speedway season ) I wonder if there remains any chance or perhaps (sadly) any point in trying to get this competition completed..? I hear Mildenhall vs. Stoke to be next Friday; don't know when Stoke are going to try and stage their remaining two fixtures and I assume the IoW may have one left in this too..? Been two problems: one, the shocking weather especially in October and the other that three of the four teams in the NT have also been in the League Play Offs which have themselves been badly hit by rain offs. Hindsight's a great thing but perhaps the NT should've been staged as an early season event rather than as a late season one..? Though the rain has affected, early, mid and late season!! I notice there's been no thread started even for both NT matches ultimately washed out this weekend which might possibly suggest a lack of that much interest in the competition...

Maybe they'll need to not be a play off and just have the table toppers as the league winners. This was the decision we took re the AJL when it became clear fitting in a play off would be difficult.

Can't it be staged along with the re-arranged RHh vs. sheffield fixture next Satuday (20th.) - after all, was meant to be the second half of this fixture yeatday and you can be sure Rye shall use the same progs with therefore the MDL Final race card printed in it..?

Second half at Wolves in '02 after a match vs. Wimbledon - these three juniors turned out: A, Jackson N. Hedley L. Howard First names appreciated!

Can anyone let me know who the two(?) meeting reserves were at that first ever SGP at the London Stadium in Sept. '95? Ta muchly

Brilliant - many thanks Ray & Mike. I shall take up Steve's suggestion and post a bunch of these names next time too!!