Grachan

It probably is at the moment, although I'm not sure how that is connected to the point I made about retaining the same side not being compulsory.

I believe there was a longer one once that read: "Why do some people always feel the need to go onto threads on this forum and, for some reason, post stuff that is totally irrelevant in order to side-track what would otherwise be a perfectly reasonable discussion in the scheme of things", although I think it got deleted by the mods.

It should be pointed out that, even if the average was set to the highest average in the league, it wouldn't be compulsory for that team to retain the same riders. Just an option.

Do teams have to be built level, though? That wasn't always the case. I have a programme somewhere from the start of the 1975 or 1976 season, which listed, purely out of interest, the total averages from the teams in the league. I think it was Exeter who had the highest, at over 50, and Birmingham at the bottom, built to around 39 (with bonus points!). I don't think that the league could, at present, sustain such a high points limit due to the way it continually struggles to get enough sides to join the top flight to make it viable. Also, as you say, who are the riders who would actually want to ride here? It could be an option in the future, though, if the league decides to strengthen again.

Speedway Star have tweeted this: "BEEN banging this drum since Adam and Eve ... at least it seems that long. All teams should be allowed to start a new season with the same seven riders as they finished the previous season with. The points limit should be the number that the team with the highest figure achieved." Also, Swindon Chairman Terry Russell is saying he wants to be able to keep his team for next year, and other sides to be able to build up to that. What do people think of this? On one hand, I do, sometimes, feel that the points limit is too low and there is this absolute obsession with equality at the start of the year which can lead to average manipulation and constant team changes throughout the year as people try to play the averages. At the same time, would we get teams like Sheffield moving up if they weren't guaranteed riders having to become available from other sides? And when the team that finishes at the top of the league table can't maintain top flight racing, do we need to cut the cloth accordingly? Or would Poole have had bigger crowds with a stronger side? This year, for example, the points limit would be set at 46.34 for next season. Peterborough finished on 37.83. The top side will always average over the current 42.50 limit, meaning the league would have to strengthen every year if sides wanted to match the champions.

No it shouldn't have been. It should be Swindon v Belle Vue or Ipswich who were the two runners up.

My sister in law's kids live in Germany and always speak German. When we visited recently, the younger one began talking to us in English. We were surprised and asked if she knew it from school. Her reply was: "No. YouTube."

Could be worse!

Great to see Sheffield in the top league and I hope they are successful. Sheffield was my local track for a few years in the days of Sean Wilson and young Simon Stead and it was a brilliant place to be back then. I read that the track isn't so good these days, but it certainly can be a brilliant track, as it was back then.

I've no idea, but if he wasn't then he needs to make regular outings in Poland to improve on that, yes? Isn't that the point?

I think Adam Ellis should be ready to leave the lower league behind him and start looking towards Sweden and Poland. I hope he does. The comments of Olly Allen, when interviewed, saying that riders need to be looking towards the continent might also encourage this. Adam has shown this year that he has it in him to be a top line rider, and I don't think he'll achieve that if he stays in the Second Division.

I had to look this one up! Tuesday 30 July 1974. Weymouth v Crewe. Dave Morton won, from Kelvin Mullarky. Russell Foot third and Ian Cartwright fourth. A 3-3, in a time of 73.3. Weymouth won 41-37.

I think you are over estimating the effort that Eurosport will put into a highlights show. I'm sure it will just be a re-run of the live match with chunks cut out.

I used to be with Talk Talk, but I left them when they got hacked. I still get calls to this day from people claiming to be Talk Talk and asking me to download software so that they can access my computer to improve my signal.

It also would have attracted those supporters who "pick and choose" meetings, making them one of the matches that became attractive. Swindon always had good crowds for tv matches with reduced admission, but low crowds when normal admission price.

I remember that too. Very funny.

I often do that, which gives me a Eurosport issue on BT. It seems Eurosport is £4 a month. Or £10 a month if you want to be able to record it!

I think the main problem with doubling up was missing riders. Fixed race nights in the top league has sorted that, really. Now it's barely noticeable that Rasmus Jensen rides for Glasgow and Adam Ellis rides for, er, whoever he rides for. Riders doubling up has always been there, even if not to the degree it is now. It wasn't always young riders and connected teams. I remember Gordon Kennet doing it at Swindon towards the end of the year. In 1987, we had Andrew Silver at "number 8" who was better than half the Swindon team so rider absences often made us stronger. This isn't a new issue.

Klindt has already ruled himself out on Twitter, calling it a backward step.

Ok. I see the result now. 33% of those who voted will not support Poole in division 2. So a crowd that has dropped 40% will drop another 33%. And this is being sold as Poole fans voting to join the Second Division. Good luck to those who want this. I don't believe that many people who have supported Poole as the most succesful club in recent times truly want Championship level racing. Who was Poole's most popular rider last year? Klindt, probably. And he has already ruled himself out.

In other words, the promoter failed to promote, told everyone the club was for sale, and has now thrown it under a bus. A sad day for both Poole speedway and for British speedway. I'm sure there are people who will happily support Poole in the lower league but there are an awful lot who won't. Out of interest, what was the actual result of the Echo vote? I couldn't see it when I looked.

I don't think Matt is particularly bothered any more. If he did he wouldn't be doing this. For a lot of Pole fans, I'm sure competing to be the 8th best side in the country isn't their idea of honours. I apreciate they had a problem with the sponsor this year, but if he still had enthusiasm for the club he would be out and about trying to get a new sponsor rather than doing this. I think it's a terrible thing to do considering the success Poole fans are used to.

To be fair, the camera work on BT lately has been frustrating. Sometimes I instinctively find myself leaning forward to try and look down the side of the screen to see what is happening in the close racing they have just cut away from in order to follow the leader. And riders zooming past followed by one second of empty track? What's that all about? Would rather have BT than Eurosport, though, who I suspect will be a shambles, as they generally are. I can't believe some people are championing it as a good move. You are right about Sky. We had proper coverage then.

I did wonder about 1957 - hence the "my lifetime" comment. I weren't born then. But 1967 we won it at King's Lynn, 2012 at Poole and 2017 at Wolverhampton. Good to win it at home and actually be there!

A fantastic night last night. Was this the first time Swindon have won the league title at Blunsdon? It certainly is in my lifetime. A great crowd too. I was held up a bit on the way. I think there was some sort of hold up on the M4 resulting in my normal route via Lambourn Woodlands getting clogged up with traffic. Then got held up in a further traffic jam on the A419 - only to discover it was caused by the speedway! First time in years that's happened. This Swindon team was always, on paper, head and shoulders above the others this year. They certainly were under-performing at one point, though, and it's hard to believe we never topped the league, even with the changes having been made mid-season. Peaked at exactly the right time though. Such a shame the team will be broken up, and the likes of Poole look unlikely to be in the same league as us next year. Speedway is thriving in Swindon at the moment, however. It shows what a bit of positive promotion can do to crowd levels and team spirit. Hats off to Rosco and Lee. Long may these two stay at the helm, and let's hope the club can continue despite the stadium issues.