Fourentee

Dreadful news; my commiserations to all Bees supporters. An awful day.

It may not be frivolous but it is, if you'll permit me, a little short-sighted from the point of view of Wolverhampton "doing the decent thing". Masters was a pivotal part of last season's title-winning team and clearly enjoyed a breakthrough season, form which (for what it's worth) he has subsequently underlined in the Australian championship. He would surely have been regarded by pretty well any speedway fan as a nailed-on Wolf for 2017, assuming him not to be in the plans of his parent club. Lawson, who I think is a fine rider and a top bloke (and I think the same of his dad), is not yet at that level. I seem to recall he had a Monmore season at No.8 back in the day and while that was perhaps 12 months too early for him, I'd be more than happy to see him return at some time to the black and gold. But there's no way that, for this season, I'd take him over Masters. As far as "give the Brit a job" goes, you will doubtless have noted that there are three in there already.

Like every other rider comparison, there's a simple answer: It depends. Kasprzak, on any independent measure, is surely the more accomplished rider. Does Cook represent better value on his average? Possibly (depends on the planned line-up of the relevant club team, naturally). Does he have the potential to continue improving? Possibly. Does he have inherent determination? Definitely (arguably too much at times, although surely any team manager would prefer his riders to need reined in occasionally rather than geed up). To extend Blupanther's comment, I'm sure Poole fans will be very happy with Kasprzak and Aces supporters likewise with Cook.

It takes a bit longer when the bone has to be carbon dated...(rushes to cupboard to find passport and airline ticket).

Plenty of questions and not too many answers despite the BSPA statement. But, in the circumstances, perhaps the least worst outcome although there are clearly plenty of anxious days ahead for Coventry and their supporters. Fingers crossed.

Top effort. Loving that.

And here was me thinking British fixtures were televised.

Come, come. That's a commercial decision which has reaped huge rewards as you are well aware. Supply and demand, the cornerstone of capitalism. People decide they want to watch it and pay accordingly.

Thus hindering their commercial viability and lessening their chances of offering him more work, no?

Right, thanks. I wasn't sure whether this assertion 'Indeed, only the bottom two lost more away meetings than the cup winners' was merely a small error on your part concerning regular season results (as Lakeside lost more) or whether you were including play-off results in your comparison. But your last paragraph clears that up. Thanks again.

Gee, thanks. While you're in explaining mode, why did you include the play-off matches lost by Wolves in your comparison with other sides who didn't reach that stage?

The one about the importance of winning points away from home.

Really? Your original post compared Wolves' tally of away losses to that of other teams in the league. It never occurred to me (or, I suspect, other posters) that you were including play-off fixtures because, clearly, the losing play-off semi-finalists would have an extra away trip and the two finalists would have two. It would skew the comparison.

If you've gone through the results section on the Wolves site and counted the away losses, you may inadvertently have included the play-off fixtures. The league table on the site (and in the BSPA archive) accords with stevebrum's count of 10 defeats. In any event Wolves' away points tally, perhaps a better indicator, was the third best of the season behind Belle Vue and Poole and, to throw in yet another stat, only those two clubs had fewer away matches which didn't yield at least a point.

I take the point, although for the record you omitted fourth-placed Lakeside who lost 12 away matches to Wolves' 10 (I assume by 'cup winners' you are referring to play-off champions Wolves). But it's a deceptive stat in any event; you could equally say that only the top two picked up more away points in the season than Wolves.

I wouldn't know either way on that one. But there was certainly a wreath with the Hackney Hawks emblem (and, indeed, a wreath of leeks!). To echo earlier comments, a 100-plus attendance of whom 20-plus were standing. A great pleasure, albeit on a sad occasion, for me to make the acquaintance of False dawn and also to meet up again and chew the cud with Jeff Scott and Lucifer Sam. The service itself featured tributes from daughter Carys and her husband and also from one of Bryn's longstanding friends. Entrance music: Groovin' with Mr Bloe -- Mr Bloe. Departure music: Magnificent Seven theme. Music during the service: Hymns and Arias -- Max Boyce (no surprises on that one) and Don't Worry, Be Happy which Bryn (unusually, given his generally encyclopaedic music knowledge) apparently credited wrongly to Bob Marley rather than Bobby McFerrin! The order of service also featured a number of Hammers action shots by Mike Patrick. In all, a very fine send-off for such a distinguished servant of the sport.

Steady on!

Well, I'm not sure quite how much attention was paid to that end by the leader of the proposed thousand-year Reich. Other strategic issues may well have been at the forefront of his mind. But truly excellent news for Belle Vue; fingers crossed for Coventry now.

Steve's support for the Coventry cause, and sympathy with the side's supporters, is clearly apparent from his posts throughout the thread. I suspect he's just tripped over his typing here and probably not realised yet.

Just drop me a PM on ticket availability... Will the scooter be dog-drawn?

And Chris Louis in 2007 0-(now that was a surprise)-3-0-3-0.

Indeed, chutes would be very much in the opposite direction. Potentially a Freudian slip for our sport, sadly.

I am. Drop me a PM.

Fascinating! It gets five stars from the Morning Star (!)...and also four from The Times. Don't know anything about the writer Neil Gore, but musical direction is from folk giant John Kirkpatrick.

Just in passing, and it may not be obvious to those travelling any distance (it wasn't to me until I checked!), both the crematorium and the Jolly Fenman are outside the London congestion charge zone so that's one thing fewer to worry about when making travel arrangements.