BertHoven

Can't comment on the 'immediate' pre-war years, Speedy, as I was only a nipper then and had never heard of speedway. As to the 'immediate' post war period - now that I do know. I was there, watching the rebuilding of what was to become a great national family spectator sport. Oh, what days they were for a lad of fourteen. The thrill of it all, that time when every man [and a few women too] involved in the rebuilding was doing it for the sake of the sport. They had to for there wasn't much money to be made from speedway then. They were great days. They were wonderful days. More even than that; They were unique days!!! The the thrill, the excitement, the joy of those days cannot be told through any form of media. It lies and lives in the heart - at least it does in mine even though I'm now approaching my seventy-third birthday! Enjoy your speedway as much as I've enjoyed and still enjoy mine. Best steer clear of the politics though. Ron.

Well done to all the riders who participated. Now Please May We Have Our Poles Back?

I feel that meetings are run far too quickly now. At one time you could mark your programme, have a brief chat about the heat just run and wind up any nearby opposing fans. Now, at least at Belle Vue, there is barely time to mark your programme before the riders are put on two minutes and they're lining up for the next race. Coupled with that the team manager has publicly declared that he doesn't like intervals, therefore, guess what, the poor fan has either to endure extreme discomfort or miss what could be the best race of the night whilst he dashes to the toilet. Oh for the days when meetings were run with the supporters foremost in the official mind.

I'm not by any means anti-Nikkii Pederson. I'm just wondering where all the Pedersen knockers have gone. Possibly back into the woodwork. As I didn't see the GP I can't comment on the incident which has excited so much pro-Pedersen comment.

Thank you for that, Iris. Good to see that Kenneth won it - not for the first time. A case of Bjerre we go again! [ouch11 - but I won't delete it!] Hope he does as well in the World U21 Championship.

Well, my Mozartian friend, I compliment you on a fair and reasoned comment. You have my wholehearted support. Though I often make humorous comments on this forum about referees, in all seriousness and sincerity I respect them and I realise they have an extremely difficult task I'm reminded of a post-race incident at Belle Vue some weeks ago. Andy Smith had a particularly bad night. In one of his later rides as the riders circled the track on the way to the pits one man was vociferously making known his opinion of Mr Smith's performance. Andy parked his bike opposite the ignoramous and removed his helmet. He then strolled over to the man handed him the helmet, pointed to the machine and said words to the effect of 'If you can do better, mate, be my guest'! I think that incident summarises both situations.

Utter nonsense! If you persist in flaring up like that, Flaired [Flawed?] Ric you'll ignite that rocket on your avatar. Extinguish your ire, brother, extinguish your ire!!

I read an article about Mr Ebdon some months ago. Apparently he was unpopular with some people, but not because he was, to use your term, a cheat. On the contrary - his unpopularity with certain people, on both sides of the fence, was because he adhered strictly to the rules as written in the official rulebook. He did not operate according to the rulebook of convenience.

Hey Bunny, You'll not see it at Belle Vue! Tony Mole bought Colin Meredith two new tractors and other equipment as an arriving present.

Not merely rare, Noble Knight, gadzooks 'tis nought but unique!

Sube, That should, according to the old adage, read 'a silk purse from a sow's ear'. At GP meetings the 'pigs ears' are traditionally made by................you know who!

.......as Colin Meredith , track curator at Belle Vue [and official track inspector for the SCB] has proved on several occasions at Kirkly Lane this season. Mr Meredith takes a few days off annually to lay the track for the British Grand Prix at Cardiff. He's Simply the Best!

Well, old bear, I reckon Mr Crump, having tasted success at world level in 2004, will now revert to his customary comfortable seat slightly to the rear of the reigning champion for a rest. Be assured he will be back in the top spot - he will be back!!

Mr Whatacheek is not a cheat as that is not possible. In support of that statement I put the following points: If you were expected to peer through a window through which you couldn't see clearly non-stop for several hours and you found it rather incomprehensible, would you: 1. Read the evening paper? 2. Read the Speedway Star? 3. Read the speedway rulebook? 4. Play poker with the other occupants of the box? The correct answer is: None of these see 5. below: 5. You would immediately realise that you had forgotten to collect you glasses from Specsavers that morning. You would would then delay the meeting whilst you went for them!

When referees/umpires in any sport have the routine medical as part of their basic training a surgeon inserts a graduated scalpel at right angles into the candidates skin. This is to ascertain whether the skin is of the required minimum thickness. Some applicants give a higher than average reading. It is generally thought by the various governing bodies in the sporting world that the latter class of applicants make the better officials. Sports enthusiasts have been known to disagree with this assessment. The more extreme members of the fraternity can often be heard expressing their technical opinion of genealogical status of the officials antecedents in a somewhat robust fashion. This can add to the entertainment value of an otherwise lacklustre contest!

My dictionary [Merriman-Webster Online] defines the meanings of our three groupings of clubs/teams as: ELITE. The choice part. PREMIER. First in position, rank or importance. CONFERENCE. An association of athletic teams. Based solely on those definitions it would seem that the Premier League equates with First Division, the Elite League with Second Division and the Conference, and here I would stress that I am using the above dictionary definitions and not expressing my opinion, has nothing whatsoever to do with the sport of speedway racing. This all goes to show that these titles are nothing more than a confusing and worthless marketing ploy. It would be better to adopt the simple nomenclature of Divsion 1, Division 2 and Division 3. This would, of course, suggest levels of quality. As I speedway supporter I would support the local team whichever grouping they occupied.

Hey Joe, I thought you were a red-blooded young man. Don't expect me to believe you only go to watch the racing - and mark your programme!! Bert.

I fear she's there for her looks rather than her intellect, Shortoi. She looks reasonably attractive on camera, but having said that what else is there to say? I see girls on the terraces at Kirky Lane each week no less attractive, and much better presented. As for learning a language, I suggest she should start with English Practical. I don't dislike Miss Blake - she is too bland to stir me to that much emotion.

'Years of experimentation' would suit me, provided that no active speedway track was used for that purpose. Hopefully by the time it became the norm for tracks, if ever it did, I would have checked into the Horizontal Hilton and be watching the sport in that great speedway stadium in the sky [aka Hyde Road] - arguably the best purpose built speedway track in British history. I say 'arguably' because someone always does - it's called discussion!

Why? we're talking statistics not feelings. Statistics take no account of emotion!

This space has intentionally been left bereft!

The significant thing about this crazy idea is that it never got of the ground at all. Quite right too! I can vividly imagine the mass migration by speedway fans nationwide. What you have outlined is not speedway racing and bears not resemblance to it. I speak from 59 years experience as a speedway supporter when I say in the unlikely event of that ever happening it will anihilate speedway racing!!

Unless they import someone from the colonies [i.e. Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland] they'll always be the English team, whatever official name they are given.

OK Subei, message received and understood. I always like to be fair.

I hope those who maligned Mr Richardson for little or no worthwhile reason are now going to acknowledge with the same verve and enthusiasm the fact that he was, by far, he best English rider in the tournament! I hope so - but I doubt it!