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Just recieved confirmation that Jan O Pedersen will be joining us tonight on the 'Speedway tavern'. Programme starts at 7:45. You can ask questions live via our shoutbox and listen to the answers at: - sports-radio.co.uk

I don't buy this "unfair on Coventry" crap that Nigel P and Kelvin T was spouting. The simple truth is when you set up a team you take a gamble. If you have two hard hitters and one of them gets injured you are going to find it difficult to cover for them, particularly if its your second in the averages. That's the gamble you take. Something that Wolves also are going to find difficult. On the other hand you can build a team such as Birmingham with strength all the way through, this way you may find it easier to cover injuries but run the risk of opposing teams big hitters running riot and taking the match of you. As in all things getting the balance right is key. That is speedway. As for squad systems. On the face of it, it sounds good. But would, in my opinion play into the hands of the richer clubs and leave clubs such as Birmingham unable to compete. The devil would be in the detail.

http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/motor-racing/speedway-world-hopeful-tai-woffinden-on-an-upward-slide-8640383.html http://www.express.co.uk/sport/othersport/404109/Speedway-Tai-Woffinden-gets-on-his-bike-to-try-to-ink-his-place-in-history?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+daily-express-other-sport-news+%28Daily+Express+%3A%3A+Other+Sport+Feed%29

I am so rarely able to find a speedway star it is difficult to give an opinion. However I do enjoy the online speedway extra every week and really wish that they would do an online version. I would gladly pay out for access to an online version and i would think that such a publication would increas circulation greatly.

The truth is that in the majority of cases the PL side will get precedent. That IS a farce IMO (But if we were still in the PL I must admit my opinion would probably change lol.) However the fact that Birmingham had this booked well before Somerset means that Brum get precedent. That's as it should be. Somerset CHOSE to use this date, they would have known the implications of choosing this date, so how is it a farce? The truth is that in the majority of cases the PL side will get precedent. That IS a farce IMO (But if we were still in the PL I must admit my opinion would probably change lol.) However the fact that Birmingham had this booked well before Somerset means that Brum get precedent. That's as it should be. Somerset CHOSE to use this date, they would have known the implications of choosing this date, so how is it a farce?

Quite simply because they have more money than we currently do. So they are able to operate squad systems. That of course is the only answer to the problem but cant and wont happen over here until if is financially viable. The truth is that without the guest system speedway would not survive in this country and that is why the evil is currently necessary. Its all well and good taking a stance of principal, and I understand the frustrations I really do, but principals don't pay the bills. For those that suggest teams just cover with a number 8. firstly where does the number 8 come from? Would have to come from PL presumably unless you mean we have a rider that is not riding anywhere else and therefore not earning money? And would you pay to see a number 8 riding in your team without your number 1 and therefore having no chance of winning? The real answer is that many would not. In fact a lot would not. That is the bottom line for any promoter. That is my last comment on what is a fairly pointless subject without any alternative VIABLE suggestion.

That's fine and dandy. But. Give me a viable alternative.

Instead of asking why, I am pretty sure we all know why, why don't you give us a viable alternative. And while we are on the subject of why. Why oh why do we insist (and I am as guilty as the next man) on comparing ourselves to a sport that seems to operate in its own financial heaven? You cant compare the two sports and thank god for that.

Just thought I would post on here a post i put on the Brummies forum a few weeks ago as an alternative view to the original post on this thread: - Just thought I would share something that happened to me today. We have all shared thoughts about how difficult it is to get people interested in speedway. I imagine we can all tell stories along the same lines. I know that whenever I have mentioned speedway I have usually got one of two replies. 1) Whats speedway? 2) I used to go its a shame it closed down!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Sometimes it feels as if your banging your head up against a breeze block double wall. Well Today I was at work talking to an assessor that was looking at one of our students. She noticed my coat and said "Birmingham speedway, my son goes to that, he loves it." I asked "how long has he been going?" (I was expecting something along the lines of he used to watch it in the seventies or some variation off) she replied "He started going about 2 years ago and now he cant get enough of it" She continued "He hasn't stopped talking about the new season starting and he has been trying to tell me about the riders" I asked "Have you ever been?" She said "Yes I love it, I love the noise and I love the smell" Well knock me over with a feather. I think that sometimes we forget that we have a fantastic and unique product in speedway. And if we can just get people to come a fair percentage will enjoy it. So come on everybody lets shout to everyone that will listen (and to those that won't) about the most successful team in Birmingham (I'm sure someone will come up with a Birmingham team of some flavour that is more successful at the moment but I'm not listening because it isn't the point of this post.) Some won't listen. Some that do won't come. some of those that come won't get it. But you know what? Some will.

Or Birmingham. Wednesday's match V Coventry altho an easy enough win (in the end) was close for a while but even when Birmingham pulled away the racing was good. The thing about this is too many of us try to sell speedway on the racing front. This is I believe a mistake. Speedway is unique in the fact it is both a motor sport and a team sport. In fact the only true team sport in the whole of motor racing. You will never be hooked to speedway if you don't first become attached to the team. The other great thing (IMO) about speedway is you can get three bites of the cherry. What do I mean by that? Well imagine you are at a football match and watching a boring match (and its worth pointing out to any newbies that this does happen.) Generally its 2 hours of boredom. (Unless your team manages to score and that brings us back to my point of getting a connection to the sport.) With speedway if you get a boring race its only five minutes before another race comes along with the potential for a thriller. That's one bite of the cherry (actually 15 bites but you know what I mean.) If you have a boring match in as much as the result is a forgone conclusion you can still get good racing and rivalries such as preventing a rider getting a maximum and so on. That's another bite of the cherry. Sometimes even a very boring processional race can be exciting in the context of the match. For instance if you need a 5 - 1 in the last heat to win the match and both your riders gate and go. As I say its counter productive to sell speedway to newbies on the racing. Sell it on the team. Whenever I talk about speedway I always talk about it in terms of Birmingham are racing against (for instance) Coventry and I really want to put one over them and talk about the rivalry between the two clubs. If anyone asks me to explain it I am always vary vague and again talk about the team rather than the racing. That way you don't give expectations that cant be lived up to. To be honest the way my dad got me into the sport is probably the best way of doing it. He just came up to me and said "put your coat on I'm taking you out" He wouldn't tell me where. We got to the track and still he wouldn't say anything. I worked out we were watching motorbikes by the noise coming from the pits and the parade. But still no info came from my dad. Then the first race started and my jaw hit the ground! Then as the riders left the pits he just whispered in my ear "They've got no brakes you know." My jaw buried itself even further. Well I was hooked and still am.

Sports-radio.co.uk will be bringing in live updates for this one

You have a PM.

Hoping to make the trip but have some things to sort out first. So watch this space.

I have to say that an online version would for me be fantastic. In order for me to buy the speedway star I have to make a special trip out of the city into solihull. this doubles the price of the SS for me so I only do it when I am in solihull for other stuff or when there is something that particularly interests me. If it was online I would get it every week.

Happy with this. Will do the sport no harm to have another runner in forthcoming negotiations over EL

Check out sports-radio.co.uk on Friday nights then. We have been running for over a year and do a programme predominately about Birmingham Brummies called the 'Speedway Tavern'. We also do a weekly cricket, Birmingham City and Midlands Rugby programme. Good to see other speedway teams joining in the fun and we have already invited the lads from Piratecast to join us live on air in the weeks prior to any Brum Poole matches. Should be lively lol. Good luck with your venture piratecast.

For Pure drama you just cannott beat the old one of finals. (Would have been even more drama full if they had used the GP formula of a final race tho) Dont really like SGP. And like others have said I believe it is sucking the life out of British speedway in particular. Whats one of the most talked about subjects in Speedway? Penhall V Carter in Los Angeles. Would not have had the same impact if they then had gone onto another eleven rounds.

The track record at Birmingham is shared with Kevin Doolan equaling Jason Lyon's time on the 2nd of July 2008

Three tier structure remains in place, Elite, Premier and National Leagues. ELITE LEAGUE Now includes Birmingham who have exchanged league membership with Ipswich, league numbers are not finalised consequently fixture planning has been deferred. PREMIER LEAGUE Still consists of 14 members including new additions Ipswich and Leicester, who have replaced Stoke. The Potters will apply to join the National league at that league’s AGM in December. The league continues with the third year of it’s 3 year plan for teambuilding with a 42.50 team building limit. The Premier Trophy and Young Shield competitions do not continue in 2011. The Premier League Championship involves each club racing 19 home and 19 away fixtures. PREMIER LEAGUE KO CUP DRAW Scunthorpe v Ipswich, Sheffield v Edinburgh, Redcar v Workington, Somerset v Kings Lynn, Rye House v Newcastle, Leicester v Glasgow. 1st Round byes - Berwick and Newport. NATIONAL LEAGUE This league will hold it’s own AGM in December. GENERAL Official Posts ratified so far: The 2010 Management Committee to remain en-bloc with Rob Godfrey to replace Graham Drury as the Premier League reserve member SRBF Secretary – Paul Ackroyd SCB Representatives, Chris Van Straaten and Alex Harkess Super 7even Co-ordinator – David Hoggart Commenting on this year’s AGM, BSPA Chairman Alex Harkess said: "This has been a tough year for British Speedway which has called for harmony and some compromise from our members, we have seen a tremendous amount of goodwill extended between clubs and leagues so that we can look forward to 2011 with optimism. "The potential to expand or consolidate the Elite League still remains and will be finalised before the end of the year." Bye Bye PL. It was good being here and gonna miss you.

I would say that the first half of that statement is true and the second half less so, Particularly if Ippo has really left for the PL. I just hope that if this is true (and I hope its not to be honest) that we have negotiated some favourable entry conditions. Given that we have to re-apply for Planning Permision in two years if the new silencers dont come in I would have thought some guarentee's on that issue would be the minimum, along with financial help for a new air-fence and solutions for the viewing that this causes.

Proof? Ill wait untill its officially announced before I believe it.

In a word. No.

On the way from the forum last night I decided to listen to Radio WM on the off chance. There was a piece advertising the airing of the forum and the commentator said that TM had just confirmed to him that there would be an announcement about the team manager within a week. Make of that what you will.

Nothing underhand here. As it was explained to me, Kyle is a lifelong Poole supporter and when it became apparent that Patch would not be promoting at Birmingham next year this would have meant that Kyle would have become an assett of Swindon. Kyle did not want that, being a Poole fan, and so now remains a Newport assett. This has little bearing on whether or not Kyle rides for Brum next year as the club he has just ridden for has first choice for the next season (or so I have been told) and, in any case, it is up to the rider to make that choice, not his parent club.

I think you will find that Johno is an assett of Birmingham until midnight 31st of October. At which time Gary Patchett will no longer be in Charge at Brummieland. I presume that Johno's contract then reverts to swindon.