Parsloes 1928 nearly

An excellent point Steve.. The perfect example indeed and how, as you say, in fact ALL World Championships work...

No - well not any of the times I've been there this year... As that notable scribe Mr. Scott felt worthy of putting into print (but then he does have a rather scatter-gun approach to facts.. ) I actually used to turn up just for the junior races when it was Mark, Aaron, Jerran, Marc etc.!!

And even if they had, they SAID they were staging it in 2009..: and, er; didn't...!! :blink:

I dare say there was...!!!

But in their day the qualifying rounds didn't just see three riders through did they..?!! Er, and by your logic Richardson ALSO hasn't qualified, so where are you coming from with that.!! At the end of the day, I stand by what I said - you lot (ie you and Blazeaway and fellow travellers) just want the comfort blanket of the same dull old faces in your beloved GPs. None of you believed Emil would score a point: he's a shoo-in for a rostrum position; and none of you think Tai will avoid last place. Can I point this out again when you're eating humble pie when Tai becomes the next Brit also to finish in a WC top three. Something we shall NOT be seeing Messrs Harris, Nicholls and Richardson ever doing!!

Hmm, whereas in the alternative universe you live in, apparently Lee Richardson IS a world beater!!!!

Well you for one CERTAINLY didn't think he was gonna do as well.. And you've been disparaging about what Emil has achieved.. I don't know, you lot are so set in your ways... You seem to only want the same old faces in this daft series all the time... If you'd had your way in the past, Peter Collins and Mike Lee would never have even ridden in a World Final - their places would have been taken by Fundin and Knutsson!!!!

Alright, alright...: I meant, "Carry On, Follow That Camel"..!! I'm not as old as you two old geezers!!! And Mike, it'll do your blood pressure no good to be thinking of Beyonce removing her red knickers to flag down that runaway train. Sharon of course doesn't wear any!!!!

Now THAT is hilarious...!!!

Ah, there: message to Iris123..: are you still laughing or is the fact that someone else mentions Lewis as a future GP rider enuff to make you revise your typically jaundiced opinion..?? Still haven't heard YOUR view on which Brit or Brits should be included..!!

As you say, a very early finish of the season.. When they were going on about the Rye House match on the 16th. it was 'doubling'as their Presentation Evening which itself had been cancelled.. Wonder what's afoot at Arena..? And with actually THREE 'spare' Fridays in October why no thought about staging this London Riders Championship on one of these..??

TBH, though I'd always prefer a one-off World Final (it was such an exciting event - by far the most exciting sporting even I've ever attended... ), a multi-round GP would be okay provided there's a fairer system of qualifying... Only way to do this IMHO, is to start in early March (actually earlier with the Anzac rounds...) with qualifying in all of the countries, leading to meetings in April and May (along the lines of the old European Final, Intercontinental etc.). These bigger international eliminators would obviously take the place of the early GP Rounds. Then from June through to October (even later if there are indoor venues where the organisers can insure they're not 'rained off'... ) the multi-round GP series can run. To me it's imperative that we start each year with a 'clean slate', so if one is a newer rider at the top of your game you have the chance to progress THAT year. Examples from the past are John Louis..: turns to Speedway from motocriss and within a year is in a World Final or Michael Lee, teenager in the second division, within two seasons in a World Final. This CAN'T happen today and that's not good for the sport nor does it encourage the ambitious and talented to take up the sport... Venues who 'miss out' on GPs one year (though the qualifiers would be excellent meetings...) get a GP the next year and vice versa...

Actually for many years the British Rounds were also contested by the 'Commonwealth' riders and bearing in mind that in those days we had the likes of Ronnie Moore and Briggo, later joined by Ivan Mauger plus Aussies like Jim Airey..: by no means were British born riders given a clear route to the Final.. Surely the way to look at those 'rounds' both in those earlier days and later when - in any case - England had numerous world-class riders, was that these were part of an overall meritocratic way of determining who qualified for the World Final.. Only when Wembley hosted the Final (or later Odsal..) did the Brits get a fast-tracked means to the Final (though the British Final then became a hugely competitive event when that was the case..). To have ever considered replacing such a tried and trusted and exciting means of determining qualification for the final stages of the World Champiionmship, with a system where people sit around a room behind closed doors and merely DECIDE who should be in it was (and remains..) a act of utter madness...

Hmm, here goes.. I, Parsloes (sic) being of sound mind (well that's wrong for starters!! ) do hereby concede that in the Peak District hides away an area known to postcard manufacurers as the 'Derbyshire Dales'. Most softie southerners like me have only heard of three types of Dales before: the more famous Yorkshire variety; Mrs Dale of Diary fame; and Jim, star of Carry On Up The Khyber.. Many thanks are due to ageing geography teacher M. Moseley esq. for imparting this life-changing new piece of information. The number of puns relating to Dales which will as a result be appearing in NL progs from now 'til eternity can, of course, be blamed on said Mr. Mimmo!!!

Impressive from memory, Mimmo! Don't about you, but the likes of Paul Lydes-Uings I think I'd rather forget!!!!!

True - but I found him a very nervy car passenger..!!

Okay I appreciate what you're saying and there's good sense behind it. We'll never know I guess if the 'sink or swim' tactic would work because I don't doubt for a second that Tai (and certainly not Lewis..) will be given that chance this coming series.. From a personal point of view (and utterly irrelevant, I know... ) I would certainly go to Cardiff to see the GP if Tai was riding but if it's Richardson, Harris, Nicholls I wouldn't cross the road to see it!! Personally I'd say if we do accept the line (well made...) that it's too soon for the likes of Tai, then I'd agree with your other point and say let's have NO Brits in it at all... Can't for the life of me see what Lee Richardson would offer the series in ANY way whatsoever... And Bomber...: well like everyone I guess, I will him to do well but it ain't working is it..

Thanx Bazza!!! Any time for that beer!!! I wouldn't take too much notice of Rob, though - he slagged off the track EVERY WHERE that Oxford lost.. I remember well him constantly harping on about the "bumpy track" at that place in Kent where uniquely his lot were the ONLY Conference side never to record a win... What I miss most about Plough Lane '02 - '05 were all the good friends we had there, the friendly banter among the large crowd and the general sense of good feeling around the place. These are clearly things Rob wouldn't be missing from his also sadly sadly defunct track!!

Come on...: you just tempting me aren't you... Paul Gilbert rode over 50 matches for - you know what's coming next...! - Crayford in 1978-'80...!!!

Hmm, as usual you come up with literally NOTHING constructive... Not everyone agrees with your assessment. Before I posted there was this fairly accurate contribution: So, you see there are others who have Bridger down as a candidate. World Under 21 Finalist and World Cup team member...: why the ridicule..? Or more to the point who would you suggest..? Go on, tell us Nicholls and Richardson...: now that REALLY would be laughable!!!

And not just THIS year.... We MUST dump Nicholls, without any question. Personally I'd go with Tai and either Bridger or Eddie.. I've been a big fan of Ed's for a long time so I am biased in his favour...; but perhaps if we are looking for a young pairing who can take us forward, the attitude-ridden duo of Tai & Lewis may well be what we need.. Sometimes you have to speculate to accumulate..!!

Martin wanted to just do grass track I think - he remains a top rider on the grass. He did have a lot of potential as a Speedway rider, I agree. Roger on the other hand was someone coming back after a long time away...: am guessing at his age the costs just got too much.

Hmm, why...: does it answer the question, why did they make such a big deal about having this meeting and then, er, without further word simply not bother to stage it..? Why on earth should we now believe that they'll be staging it next year.. I know what you'll say, they can do what they like...: but it wasn't either speedyguy or me who suggested that Lakeside stage a LRC meeting..; it was them. I'd have thought they might have explained why they, in the end, decided they actually couldn't be bothered.. I also note that they now say this Friday is their last home meeting.. That's weird, when I was there the other Monday I could've sworn they announced numerous times that they'd be a challenge match vs. a Rye House 'Select' on Friday 16th..?? That bitten the dust without a by your leave as well..?!

Yes, it was Ron Jones and there are a few others missing from the '03 listing. Following the 'model' of '02 (and including all those who made even what was sort of a 'guest' appearance borrowed from an away track..) you need to add not just Jones and the other one I mentioned, Barry Burchatt but also: John Branney David Haigh (actually used twice..) Martin McDermott I'm wondering if mimmo is just using CL records rather than CT too, because also omitted are the two riders used only in Trophy matches. Shrammy (who I mentioned before) and most signiicantly, Joel Parsons who made six appearances. for the Dons in that competition..

Hmm, as you say this 'event' has been blanked out of the pages of this year...: hmm, just like Lakeside had NEVER made a massive thing about saying they were putting it on...!! For the life of me I can't understand why they said they were staging this, made a big deal about it and then, er, DIDN'T...