Grachan

I remember averages remaining unchanged when Oxford pulled out of the league

I shall probably be going next year. I've got a Hotel booked, anyway. Booked into The Hilton, which was fairly expensive, but I often stay in London Hotels and it's no more expensive than they are. Plus, it seems they didn't put their prices up. I tried for a room in a couple of weeks time, just to see, and that was actually more expensive. One in about 6 months time was about the same. Planning to go mainly because my son has got more into speedway lately, plus t'wife enjoys it. Alo, having a genuine British title contender makes it more appealing too. I think the last time I went was 2007, so first time for a while should I actually make it!

If you had the top riders spread over 18 teams, with number ones having the choice of gates and riding the old 13 heat formula where they raced each other just once and included bonus points in their average you'd get plenty of 10 point plus riders. It's nothing to do with how good they were then and now. I don't see a Mauger or a Neilsen, though, who would consistently average over 11.

I think you need a new computer.

The Northern Irish aren't British.

The first time I saw Tai ride was at Sheffield. I think he was 16 and he just shot out from the start and flew round there, annihilating all the other reserves. I remember thinking he was brilliant and could be a future World Champion. Then I remember thinking a few years later how it's a shame how he never really lived up to that potential. So I'm not sure if I was right or wrong.

Seriously? I used to write for Speedway Mail and got nearly all my information from what was said over the tannoy at Reading on a Monday evening. Still, if you prefer that, then thanks for the compliment.

Wow. People talk about gaps between races in the uk but it seems a lot worse in Poland.

That would have been 1976. In 1977 he didn't ride at White City and they used r/r all year, winning the league title.

I do. I was at that meeting. It's funny how when tracks became slippery everyone would ride slower yet Lovaas would carry on as normal. I seem to recall he used to practice on frozen lakes in Norway.

Best rider in the world if it was raining.

I remember that picture. I had it glued into my folder. I can picture it clearly in my head even now.

Very true. I was 13 when Gary Petersen was killed and I kept all the clippings plus went back through old Speedway Stars and cut out all references and photos and kept them in a folder. It was weird. Thinking back, it was, perhaps, my first "death" experience (even though I wasn't there and I don't think I even saw him ride).

PC later admitted in one of his books that he was actually too scared to ride that night. It was the same with me regarding Gary Petersen and then Tommy Jansson. I saw Tommy ride a couple of times in 1976, and got his autograph at Swindon when he rode there in the Golden Helmet.

The "3 years" was a clever ploy. It takes any immediacy out of things. I don't know why Coventry fans have done nothing. Fan campaigns had a big effect at Swindon and still it carries on at Oxford with certain positive obstacles being passed all the time.

And due to have a road named after him in Blunsdon in the near future.

When have I said I want to bring a whole tribe of Filipinos to the UK? You've clearly made incorrect assumptions there. I'm not trying to bring anyone here. So, unlike Ryan Fisher, I'm not hard done by at all, and neither am I whining about it. No, really. I'm not. Honest. I have no desire at all to bring my immigrant wife's family here (Heaven forbid!! Why would I want to do that?). And even if I did want to I wouldn't be able to. You're just showing your ignorance there. So who are the real blind fools here? If I have an issue with the immigration rules it is that they stop other British people less fortunate with myself from being with their family. They are not stopping me because I'm lucky enough to earn enough money to be considered suitable. My initial post on this topic wasn't intended to be serious anyway. It was a follow on from posts others made in a similar vein. But I think you knew that really. Anyway, enough from me on here. I'm sure people don't want to see a personal spat between myself and the singer of Black Sabbath. That sort of thing should probably stay in General Discussions where it belongs. I just thought I'd respond because of your personal but inaccurate accusations.

I'm fine with your opinions. They always give me a giggle.

I guess the phrase 'no recourse to public funds' is a bit too complicated for you to understand, so I'll forgive you for saying that.

That wouldn't be the right thing to do at all. If people give money to help with something specific then that is how the money should be used.

I believe UKIP are setting up a trust fund on our behalf so send it via them :-)

So far i've paid 4 grand on visas to get my family in the uk. Still got 2 more to go in the next few years. All donations gratefully received. Thanks in advance.

Before I get jumped on for having lack of understanding or lack of sympathy - I have close family experience of depression and suicide, so I'm not shallow minded on this. For me, the word "depression" gets bandied about far too much. I was shocked to find out a few years ago that an awful lot of people I knew were taking pills for depression. It seems to me that a lot of people seem to have few problems, feel a bit down about them, so they go to the doctor, get diagnosed and start taking pills. I don't know the whole story in the case being discussed here, so it's a more general comment, but, to be honest, I feel that a lot of people in theses situations would actually to better were they to come to terms with their own problems themselves rather than just put themselves on medication. And if that puts me in the heartless category of telling people to "pull themselves together" then so be it. Also, from what I have witnessed about genuine depression, it involves a very deep, dark state of mind. And if someone is generally in that state of mind then I would tend to agree with what was put earlier that they shouldn't be riding a speedway bike. Unfortunately the whole world and its wife seems to be depressed nowadays. I would even go as far as to say referring to it as an "illness" is a bit of a cop out. In fact, it quite offends me. To me it's a state of mind, and one that needs to be sorted out if someone is out racing motorbikes because, from what I have seen, a genuinely depressed person would not be safe doing that. So there you go. One more attention seeker on here. Sorry about that.

Ha ha. So you are! I usually get in trouble on any topic involving immigrants. I try not to join in but I just can't help myself.

Maybe he was trying to cheer himself up.