lucifer sam

It doesn't make the sport look barmy - it just brings it into line with 80-90% of other sports, who also realise the value of play-offs. Football doesn't have them at the top level, because it already plays out to capacity crowds. But it does have them to decide the final promotion place for the other leagues, because at those levels, a bumper pay day is welcomed. Play-offs are part of the modern sporting landscape and here to stay, even though one-or-two old fossils may not like them. Here's one old fossil who does! All the best Rob That's the change I would make. The table-toppers would receive a trophy. I believe Rugby does this - the table toppers receive a 'minor' trophy, while the play-off winners are the champions. All the best Rob

Shads, the finishing positions in 2007 were: 1. King's Lynn 2. Birmingham (5th at cut-off) 3. Rye House 4. Sheffield 5. IOW http://www.speedwaygb.co/premierleaguetable07 So not quite as much good fortune for Rye as you suggest. As for KL, they had choice of semi-final opponents and chose Sheffield, so more fool them! All the teams knew the rules at the start of the season, and therefore RH were worthy league champions. All the best Rob

HENDERSON INSURANCE Scunthorpe Scorpions bring down the curtain on their 2016 home fixtures, when they host the Rye House Rockets at the Eddie Wright Raceway on Friday evening (7.30pm). Scorpions moved off the bottom of the table with their 54-39 victory over Redcar Bears on Sunday, overhauling both the Bears and Rockets in the league table, and will be looking for a further three points to stretch that gap. Scunthorpe promoter Rob Godfrey says: “We’ve put in three great performances on the trot, and we’d love to complete our home meetings with a final flourish against Rye House. “As well as another cracking night of racing, I’m also throwing in fireworks on Friday night, as a thank you to our loyal fans.” Although it’s the final home meeting of the season, Scorpions still have four away meetings remaining, at Sheffield (Sept 14), Plymouth (Sept 17), Rye House (Sept 19) and Newcastle (date to be confirmed).

Another brilliant night of racing. Looking forward to Friday's meeting... plus the fireworks. All the best Rob Yes he will. All the best Rob

As factually (in)correct as ever I see, my dear Cyclone All the best Rob

The Edinburgh version would be nice. All the best Rob

HENDERSON INSURANCE Scunthorpe Scorpions can climb off the bottom of the Premier League table with a victory over the Redcar Bears at the Eddie Wright Raceway tonight (Sunday, 6.30pm). A victory of any margin would lift Scunthorpe ahead of Rye House, while a win of seven points or more would also lift them above Redcar. Scunthorpe promoter Rob Godfrey said: “We’ve scored two terrific home victories over Workington and Newcastle in the last couple of weeks, but we certainly won’t under-estimate Redcar, who have a number of riders who can go well around the Eddie Wright Raceway. “But if we ride to our capabilities, there’s no reason why we can’t take another three league points from the meeting. I think it’s going to be another cracker. “The end of the season is rapidly approaching, and we only have further home meeting after this one – at home to Rye House this coming Friday. “My message to the supporters is a clear one; come along and enjoy some terrific racing before we take a six-month break for the winter.” Scunthorpe’s away meeting at Rye House last night was rained off at 6.15pm, less than an hour before start-time. Fortunately, the weather forecast is much improved for this evening, and it should be all systems ahead for the visit of Redcar. There are 24 heats of action in total this evening, with a nine-race second half consisting of a six-heat Northern Junior League match between Halifax and Redcar, and the vintage bikes of yesteryear in three ‘Blast From The Past’ races. Admission prices for this evening: Adult: £15.00 Student/OAP: £13.00 Child (10 – 17): £5.00 Child (0 – 9) Free (accompanied by paying adult) Family Ticket £35 (2 adults, 2 Children 10-17) Match Programme: £1.00 Expected teams for this evening: Henderson Insurance Scunthorpe Scorpions: 1. Josh Auty, 2. Michael Palm Toft, 3. Lewis Kerr, 4. Fritz Wallner, 5. Ryan Douglas, 6. Carl Wilkinson, 7. Jack Smith (guest). Redcar Bears: 1. David Bellego, 2. Tobias Busch, 3. Hugh Skidmore, 4. Jonas B. Andersen, 5. Lasse Bjerre, 6. Jye Etheridge, 7. Lee Payne. Northern Junior League teams: Halifax Dukes: 1. Kean Dicken, 2. Sheldon Davies, 3. Jordan Palin, 4. Harry McGurk. Redcar Cubs: 1. Carl Basford, 2. William O’Keefe, 3. Elliot Kelly, 4. Alex Goldsborough.

Yay, KJ is back. All the best Rob

That does tend to happen a lot. Although this one hasn't... yet. All the best Rob

Davy, I've never seen so many inaccuracies within a single paragraph... that's quite impressive. Are you going into competition with Cyclone? Meanwhile, you might want to keep the thread on track, it's supposed to be about the double-header last night... and the questionable use of Kevin Whelan at No 6 by the Monarchs. All the best Rob

What's going on? No rain at all predicted for Peterborough tomorrow. All the best Rob

MEETING RAINED OFF

Decided to stick at home. It's not showers, it's a great big band of rain and it's due to reach Hoddesdon... well now!! Hope I'm wrong, and it goes ahead, with Scorps winning by two and R/R for Lewis scoring a max All the best Rob

Cheers. Unfortunately, I think the rain is on its way. Was expecting to see it off first thing this morning - then remembered it's not Uncle Len at Rye any more! All the best Rob

Shadders, any weather updates mate? Put my departure back from 3.30pm to 5pm. The heavy rain has already arrived in Oxford. PS BigCatDiary, website and twitter both updated this morning before posting the news on here. All the best Rob

I had ice pops from the Café instead. Fingers crossed the Ice Cream Van is back on Sunday. All the best Rob

If this meeting does beat the band of rain crossing the country today, then Scunny will be using R/R for Lewis Kerr, who is at his brother's wedding today. All the best Rob

Nice attempt at a wind up, Lewy old chap, but the only thing I found out is that the word "Cyclone" and the phrase "good knowledge of the rules" are mutually exclusive. Rules have been stretched all ways over the years for the second half of a double-header after injuries in the first half... I suspect this is the latest instance. All the best Rob

Hi Arnie, cheers - agreed that is crystal clear. All the best Rob

Yesterday, Rye House were blocked from making a reserve switch in Heat 4 at Sheffield, since the No 7 rider cannot be replaced in this race. Yet, tonight, Max Clegg replaced the injured Rob Shuttleworth in Heat 4 at Edinburgh. Surely that's a mistake by the referee? All the best Rob

Cheers Britmet, I'd forgotten the irregular lower league Riders' Championships. But, just to confirm, the Riders' Championship was never held for the top league until 1965? All the best Rob

The Rye House rider, I would imagine. All the best Rob

HENDERSON INSURANCE Scunthorpe Scorpions face arguably the most important weekend of their season – as they race the two sides directly above them at the foot of the Premier League table. Scorpions travel to Rye House on Saturday evening, before entertaining the Redcar Bears at the Eddie Wright Raceway on Sunday (6.30pm). Scunthorpe promoter Rob Godfrey says: “Of course, we’d prefer to be at the other end of the table in contention for silverware. “But our target is now simple – to avoid finishing the Premier League in last place. “We’ve taken two comfortable victories over Workington and Newcastle in our last two home meetings, and we’ll be looking to keep that run going at the Eddie Wright Raceway against Redcar on Sunday. I think that’s going to be another complete cracker of a meeting. “In the meantime, we go to Rye House on Saturday and we’re very much targeting that also as a match that we can come away from with something.”

No such competition mate. There was a Provincial League Riders' Championship, which ran from 1960 to 1964, and that was the forerunner to the BLRC. It even had a Belle Vue final in '63 and '64. Ask Uncle Len about it - he won the comp in '62 The OTHER Riders' Championship was the one between 1946 and 1948 (called the British Riders' Championship in '46; just the Riders' Championship in '47 and '48). However, that was the replacement World Championship in the immediate post-war years. Plus, of course, there were regional comps such as the hugely prestigious London Riders' Championship (a competition at its height pre-war and immediate post-war) and the Midland Riders' Championship. All the best Rob

It was. Talking about the Ben Fund, if you're there today Tsunami, a note would be preferred from your good self. It makes the bucket lighter All the best Rob