thrillpool

Weather permitting, I'm planning on attending this attractive fixture tomorrow evening. It'll be the first time I've been to Rye House since Len handed over the reigns. I do hope the new promotion haven't done anything to spoil the ambiance like modernising the place and dragging it into the 21st century... If you see me, come over and say hello. I'll be the one wearing my 'Tai Woffinden - Pride of Australia' t-shirt.

Unless these big music acts were Florrie Forde, Vera Lynn or Glenn Miller I doubt it would have affected the attendance at the speedway.

Well I think this is a bonzer of an idea. Fair dinkum to Tai for offering this to the next generation of British riders, they'll be stoked.

A beautiful afternoon here at the Showground. All the old people have come out in force and the fact that I was short changed at the entrance isn't dampening my spirits in the slightest. 13-11 to the home side after 4 heats.

Come on Shadders, how can an afternoon listening to Nik Kershaw and Adam Ant be anything other than awesome?

It's interval time here at the Len Arena, 30-18 to the Bandits and the 80's tunes are thumping out over the tannoy. I'm a bit worried that the old guy at the starting gate isn't here...has he finally spontaneously combusted?

As a fibre glass dinosaur looks down on proceedings, you can't help but chuckle at the irony. Anyway, the Bandits are 'stealing' a march here...12-6 up after 3 heats.

That's from a few years ago and unfortunately I've put on a bit of weight since then. It's probably all the fish, chips and mushy peas from the always excellent and reasonably priced Rye House Fish Bar.

1234 come and see the Rockets score! Looking forward to visiting Rye House for the first time this year, I do hope they don't run out of mushy peas before I get there. I'm also hoping the old chap that stands near the starting gate is in good voice and that the referee makes plenty of controversial calls to whip the locals up into a lather! If you see me, please come and say hello. Today I'll be wearing my Castrol GTX jacket with sewn on patches.

I'm really looking forward to tonight you know. I'm sure the crowd will be behind Team GB you know. You know it's going to be a tough meeting for the boys you know. But I'm confident that, you know, we'll have enough to see us through. The last thing we need is to have to go through to the race off you know. I've got everything crossed for Rosco and the boys...you know.

Tonight was a disgrace and heads should roll for this. How do people expect ice cream men to make a living when they don't get a full 15 heats to sell their Mini Milks, Feasts and Choc Ices.

Tonight's attendance: Eileen, Ted, Kevin, Norman, Barry H, Barry P, Maureen, Dorothy and Malcolm.

Well here I am at the Racetrack of Dreams for the final time this year. The fish looks awful, there's no curry sauce and 'Those Magnificent Men...' Is booming away over the tannoy. On the plus side, they've still got some mushy peas remaining from the industrial sized drum I donated a few weeks ago. The winner of the raffle, a pink ticket apparently, has claimed their prize which includes the stadium, the promotional licence and John Sampford. 12-6 to the home side after 3 heats and the atmosphere is electric!

Brilliant, so what am I going to do with this industrial sized tin of mushy peas I was going to bring and flog to the punters?

Not sure I would appreciate a load of teenagers loitering on the terraces with their side partings and espadrilles. Speedway is ideal for the mature sports fan and we should embrace the anoraks, badges, plastic bags and flasks. I was at Rye House on Saturday night and the old lady next to me smelt of Murray Mints which is far more preferable than Obsession for Men or whatever it is the kids wear these days.

I reckon Modd is Hazel. If this is the case, next meeting I'd like to meet you and discuss the issue of mushy peas with you personally.

There really is no sugar coating this. Tonight was an embarrassment for the home promotion and there is no wonder the loyal Rockets fans are becoming restless. How you can run a fish bar with no mushy peas is beyond me. Come on Len, give the crowd what they want.

Oh dear...not looking good for the loyal Rockets fans here tonight. There's no mushy peas at the fish bar!! Oh and the home side are getting a good old fashioned pasting, 18-42 after 10.

Get battering the fish I'm planning my first visit to the Launchpad of Dreams. Looking forward to a warm can of beer, tiddler and chips and a long and drawn out three hour meeting. Can't wait...I really don't understand why the crowds are dropping over in Hoddesdon?

Not sure about the pit area but if you get to Rye House an hour before tapes up they sometimes let you behind the counter of the fish bar.

I didn't realise Jimmy Savile posted on here...

Wow, it's just one non-stop Mardi Gras with you Rebels.

Comment of the day came from announcer Craig Saul..."the birthday boy is enjoying his special day". This was in response to another Jason Doyle heat win. What Craig didn't know is that the birthday boy was extremely disappointed as he was very much looking forward to some fish, chips and mushy peas. To further compound his misery, he didn't think his lucky dip bag was worth a fiver. All this on his birthday too, poor Jason.

Tapes aren't even up yet and there's all sorts kicking off in the fish bar...there's no fish and there's no mushy peas. When will the promoters realise that situations like this drives away the fans. Oh wait a minute, hang on...the track shop are selling lucky dip bags for a fiver. Apparently they're great value. Phew, that should appease the angry mob currently trashing the fish bar. I'll go and tell them that they can go and get a bag full of tut that they couldn't sell throughout the season for a bargain of five pounds. Anyway, if you see me come and say hello. I'm wearing my 1977 Ivan Mauger world champion t-shirt in honour of that young Australian boy who won the world title last night.

Yes...finally. For a time there I thought I would have to inform Mother that she shouldn't expect me back tonight. Anyway, whoever the person is that decided it would be a great idea to play a ridiculous trumpet sound over the tannoy system before every race, I hate you. 30 races plus numerous re-runs and each time this bleedin' trumpet sound was played. I tutted, I threw my hands up in derision but still it continued. If you thought the old crackly 'Magnificent Men' tune they all march out to is God-awful, then you'll literally want to stab yourself in the eye with this nonsense. I mean really, who was it that heard this sound and thought, I know let's play this as the riders line up at the tapes, it'll really get the crowd whipped up into a frenzy of excitement?! Having said that, there was an old chap by the starting gate who was constantly getting himself into a lather. He looked like something out of the old TV show 'All Creatures Great and Small' except he didn't have his hands up a cow's backside. Well, he was giving the referee a right going over. Cursing, shouting...at one point I thought I was he was going to march up to 'Race Control' and give Mick Postlethwaite a ruddy good telling off! Well I'm back home now and as I sit here typing this with a hot beverage warming my cockles after a cold evening, I only have one regret from the night...and that is not having the courage to speak to Shadders. I really wanted to ask him about his interesting earring. Oh well, maybe next time...