Grachan

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.

I've never been warned. It's because I'm a squeaky clean do-gooder.

What a great meeting. Excellent racing.

Which is the best track you have been to? Belle Vue, Hyde Road. Current track would be Sheffield. Which is the worst track you have been to? Oxford in the 80s when meetings were getting called off in dry weather. Which has the best food you have tasted? Sheffield. Which has the worst food you have tasted? Swindon's home straight burgers. (The ones from the van are decent enough) In terms of facility's ie toilets, seating, access which is the best place you have visited and worst? Wimbledon. The only time I was ever actually impressed with a speedway stadium toilet. Worst was Cradley Heath. They were like the famous Swindon back straight ones, but without a roof.

It could have been Ivan Mauger. I'm sure I remember reading that about him. I believe he also kept notes on referees, such as how long they held the tapes after the green light, who they tended to exclude if a rider came off and laid on the track, stuff like that.

I remember Finn Thomsen scoring about 21 for Wolves at Swindon, and Wolves winning. I can't remember the exact score and exact result, but it could be another case of that.

Possibly the John Davis situation in 1975. He signed for Reading, so Oxford could use a guest for him. So they used John Davis as a guest for himself.

Don't forget, also, that Harris is in there partly because a few riders decided not to be. And he can't be blamed for that. Don't forget, also, that Harris is in there partly because a few riders decided not to be. And he can't be blamed for that.

It's true. There's always those who shouldn't be there. Last year it was Woffinden. Smolinski this year. It devalues the whole thing.

Wow. Amazing final. Amazing result. Speedway at its best.

I feel Troy's pain there. Ouch.

British speedway wouldn't help out Nick Morris either so they lost him to Australia. So we could have had two talents young riders in our side but we alienated them both. Maybe it's not just down to the riders.

Joe Owen was always the king of the NL. I remember it was a big deal to sign the top NL rider to join you in the British League. I can think of a couple of times we did it at Swindon. Signing Andrew Silver was a revelation. He may not have grown into the very top international rider that he could have, but in terms of entertainment, style and sheer coolness he was one of our best ever. Mike Ferriera was another, who was top of the NL averages, but never quite lived up to what was expected of him once we signed him.

Thanks for that. I've updated the clip to Youtube. hope you don't mind. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7CBV85829lY&feature=youtu.be That clip is actually not as conclusive as the original footage. From that it looks like there is no contact, but it is in slow motion and you can't see the bump when Penhall takes his handlebars. Good to find it at last though.

As I said before. The contact was there and can be seen on the same view as originally shown on itv. It was Penhal's back wheel and Carter's left handlebar. And it was that which made Carter fall. those who say there was no contact just haven't seen it yet.

So play that version then. That's the Heart fm thing that they like to do - play original versions of songs that have been recently covered.

Funny thing is i'd say the first song is more suitable.

Very true. Another issue that needs sorting out.

Why the talk of people in the 50+ bracket wanting old fashioned presentation? I'm over 50. If asked I'd probably say that my favourite band of all time is Rush. I remember at school I had a period when I was in to Emerson Lake and Palmer. So do I think they should play ELP and Rush at speedway meetings? Hell no! The music needs to be current. Dj mixes or even just current chart music. Not rock or heavy metal. It's too intrusive. When I attended in the 70s the music was current. Now, 40 years on, sometimes it feels like they play the same stuff, but it's now 40 years old. If that includes, say, black music that some folk don't like, that's too bad. Who knows. You might get some more black people in if the music suits them. Just keep it modern. It's so important. Even if it's only subconciously, it has an effect.

The music should be up tempo modern dance music. It keeps an atmosphere going, and even the older generation can be seen tapping their feet and swaying from side to side with their hands in their anorak pockets when it's on. And, as someone else said, for heaven's sake put the phone to the ref back by the start line and get rid of this rubbish that only a team manager can talk to the ref. If one of the opposition is excluded he should be running across the centre green, arguing with the ref in full view of the crowd, and getting booed by the opposition supporters. Goes without saying.