Fourentee

Well, not knowing the specific circumstances, I can imagine how that would colour your view. It's presumably no consolation to you, but for the record during the time I was covering Wolves I never once saw him refuse an autograph or photograph and he would invariably chat to youngsters in particular while signing/posing for picture. Most speedway riders I've come across do the same, but given the sheer volume of requests in Tai's case it always surprised me a touch just how gracious he was about it.

My point exactly.

Hmm, how could we possibly raise its profile?

You're not going to mention his podium finishes at Swindon and Poole, then? Surprise, surprise.

Fair point. There is some mechanism, is there not, to draft a rider into the British final? I seem to recall it being introduced after Tai went out in a rain-shortened semi? Very disappointing decision on the face of it for Britain's top rider to opt out of his national competition.

To quote your earlier post, "We know this rumour was started by a fan on Twitter on Monday, far more believable that Wolves and Edinburgh were taken in by it and didn't bother to check." Fair play, you now seem to be moving away from that stance, which I think is only appropriate. I wouldn't elevate my own avowed hypothetical assessment to the level of theory; interesting that you should introduce the term charade, however. I just about see where you're trying to go with the final point, but you could then (and I'm not trying to) invert the argument and say that all the huff and puff about track inspections, practice etcetera is the club management trying to display visibly their willingness to put right what has been left wrong by others. In passing, CVS spoke very warmly in support of the project at a fans' function on Wednesday. Anyway, at least we can debate the matter in a civilised fashion. Pretty much everyone appears to be behind the project, you know. I'd be saddened if Aces fans feel they have to develop a circle the wagons mentality over the whole stadium set-up.

Yes, I can see CVS talking on the record to the Express & Star, basing his comments on a post by an unnamed fan on Twitter... To address your point, and speaking hypothetically, an organisation that cancels an event with the stadium full surely risks opprobrium rather than plaudits by then acting early in knocking the second show on the head -- by inference it is conceding that the problems are far greater than it has yet acknowledged. We can talk round and round the issue ad infinitum. The outcome, however, remains the same: Wolves and Edinburgh said the match was off. It's off. Belle Vue, for good or ill a club which right now shouldn't be trying to find itself connected with ill feeling, has somehow managed it.

The unfortunate circumstances surrounding launch night immediately and understandably put a question mark over the next fixture. Clarity was required for Wolves fans intending to make the trip; Edinburgh and CVS supplied it (I remove Cradley from the equation as no official announcement appears to have come from the Heathens). Do you seriously think those two clubs would have acted -- and acted publicly at that -- as they did purely on the off-chance of the fixture not going ahead? The view expressed elsewhere that some fortuitous combination of weather and other elements (I summarise) then somehow saw the fixture postponed is, frankly, risible. The new national stadium can be a flagship for our sport. There is a huge wellspring of goodwill among fans towards the project but, my goodness, there are times when the Aces don't do themselves any favours.

I really don't want to wade in on the Belle Vue promotion over the whole episode; I feel it would serve no useful purpose. But any blushes needing to be saved do not, IMHO, currently reside in Scotland or the West Midlands.

I recall interviewing Doc Bridgett at length some years ago about track preparation and one remark that really stuck in my memory was that he puts different amounts of water on the assorted sections of the track at varying times. The reason is that the shadow cast by the big grandstand affects the drying times as the sun moves over. A small point, but one perhaps indicative of his attention to detail. Also interviewed Chris Harris about a particularly stunning pass at Monmore and he said there were three elements: You had to have belief in your own ability, trust in the riders around you not to do anything stupid and faith in the track. Quite a compliment to Doc.

Well, there is that, of course!

Quite. There's also another factor, mentioned by an earlier poster (apologies for not going through the thread to name him or her) -- credibility. The more frequently sides can actually put out their declared line-up (injuries, naturally, notwithstanding) the better for the sport's standing with the non-afficionado (such as it is). Edit: Having checked, it was BWitcher himself who mentioned credibility earlier, so here I am pointing him in the direction of his own post

They'll have had more time on it than Wolves, though, assuming the opener beats the weather. Surprised Wolves haven't arranged a challenge or two somewhere to get the rust out and hone the partnerships, with such a changed line-up.

Correct. Two for use in Britain, two for Sweden/Poland. He's very enthusiastic about the motor, both in its current state of performance and its potential. Time will tell, of course, but the rider himself is certainly in a good frame of mind about the Gerhard and has tested it at least twice in France as well as winning the Olympique on one, as Tommy Sweetman mentioned above.

Indeed, quite correct.

And there was me thinking it was the 420-mile round trip..

I dare say; surely he'd be daft not to? But he's done intensive testing on the Gerhards twice in France, won the Olympique on one last year and will have at least four to campaign on this season. How committed do you want him to be?

Freddie Lindgren will have two for Britain, two for Sweden/Poland.

Apologies for being off-topic, but to address that specific point two things made the Pink untenable (it was the last surviving West Midlands publication of its type anyway when it closed after the 2008-09 season): the internet and Sky. More and more people were migrating online to get their news and Sky moved kick-off times away from the traditional Saturday 3pm. In the Pink's final season, West Bromwich Albion (then as now in the Premier League) played 14 matches in September, October and December and fewer than half started at 3pm on a Saturday. Great days working on the Pink, mind, absolutely manic but a lot of fun. And a 90-year run for a publication is not bad going, surely?

And that's the simplified version. You should have seen the draft! Rather think that's why it's online, where there's a bit of space, rather than in the newspaper!

Honest, though!

E&S also had a piece on Wolves team building in which Adams felt the play-offs were "a distinct possibility". Asked about whether the side represented a Plan A, Plan B, Plan C or whatever (presumably like most promotions, Wolves in the winter have what they consider to be an optimum line-up if they land all their targets, then the next best thing and so forth) he said it was a Plan B from which he hoped to get Plan A results. Plus online, CVS view on the heat leader list: http://www.expressandstar.com/sport/other-sport/speedway/2016/01/13/wolves-owner-defends-heat-leader-list/

CVS view on the heat leader list: http://www.expressandstar.com/sport/other-sport/speedway/2016/01/13/wolves-owner-defends-heat-leader-list/

Depends on the remit (I appreciate you're talking specifically about next year's final). In general terms, and this is not a kick against Rosco because I don't know how the parameters of the job were put to him, I would like to think the job enabled -- nay, required -- the manager to have strong and coherent views across the board concerning the organisation and structure of British speedway, how to develop British riders and somehow return the national team to the top of the tree. That's a far-reaching brief and the GB manager, for me, who seemed to have the surest hand on the tiller was Rob Lyon.

Hostage to fortune there, Steve!