marko

I think Cobblers is a good nickname, after all isn’t there a Swedish club called the Blacksmiths?

Really enjoyed this gathering even though the weather tried to spoil it, a few riders in attendance. it was the first time in eight years since I had been to any speedway event and the smell of the bikes was just as awesome as I remember, really must make more effort to try and get to a meeting in 2026. Had a good chat with “the Dean machine” we share a lot of common ideas on how the sport should be governed.

I remember Beck riding for Arena, stylish rider and I had high hopes for him but it didn’t work out.

It’s the celebration of speedway this Sunday, maybe some news then? Nah of course I am joking.

A fixture list is only a guide really, the weather and the nature of the sport means even more than ever a meeting is in the balance unless it’s been dry for days and zero rain is forecasted.

I did not sub to BSN in 2025 and not because of their service but they can only work with what they are given and the product of British Speedway is in the main crap. I don't have a team to support anymore so as a neutral i want to see good racing and most tracks now are so slick because the bikes cant handle anything else. There is no variety with so few clubs and riders riding for multiple, for me its not worth it. Nor do i have cable tv sky etc I stick with watching highlights on social media and looking through more vintage stuff (ie pre laydowns)

Good interview and fair play to Rob for agreeing to do it, you could tell he was not very comfortable and that's no doubt because he thinks the speedway fan base is against him. Make no mistake about it he has made decisions before that adversely affected my club when they were around BUT i still want what is best for the sport and i want it to succeed so i want Rob and all involved in the running of it to succeed too. Even if fans don't all agree with the way forward, we all we want the sport to grow.

Yes just like when they conned Ronnie Russell into taking Arena Essex into the top flight in 2004 with promises that help would be provided, they left us as whipping boys for the others to beat.

Peter Oakes mentions about food this week and the Rye House fish and chips, it was not just a gimmick that Len used, they really were that good.

I love this podcast and Dean and Crabby are my favourite pundits because they know the sport inside out and have good common sense ideas.

It’s negative talk because anything else would be deluded, we are where we are and it always feels like those in charge say the right things, but then go and continue to do what they always do. If you always do what you always did, you will always get what you always got!

Back in the 90s I could name every rider just by looking at a race pic in the speedway star, now I would struggle, as they all look the same.

All this talk of teams being able to return if things go right off track but what happens if the likes of Boro, Bees, Robins and Heathens were able to return, where would the riders come from, its exactly the same issue without those teams and running one league. The sport somehow needs to be scaled right back so it effectively goes from weekly/semi weekly to monthly so each event is more important, quality over quantity, at least until more riders are brought through and again its the same issue of the sport being too expensive to get into. As talked about recently, all these costs and yet the bikes are going no quicker than what they were 30 years ago, its bloomin madness.

Leigh Adams Mark Loram

There used to be good individual meetings but then the promoters started to water them down to 12 riders and 15 heats with very mediocre cards, public stayed away.