nickcat0

My son and I went to watch Southport v Farsley Celtic last week. I'd forgotten what a joyless, depressing, and soul destroying experience it is, watching my local team.

Sadly, for most of my time there, I was without a car (apart from when my then fiance/now wife came to visit) ....... Usually on my day off work, if i didn't fancy wandering around Kings Lynn, then I'd catch the train to London, it was only about 90 mins away.

In 1995, I lived and worked in Kings Lynn for 6 or 7 months. It has got to be one of the dullest and most boring towns in the UK. Unless it's greatly upped its game in the last 25 years, then I can't imagine what criteria was used to decide the winners of each round.

A very talented rider no doubt, and with an individual World title and a couple of Team World Cups, he had a good career. However, the feeling persists that it could have been so much better. Personally, I think it's not correct to say he was the most talented Brit ever, and therefore the best. Part of a top sportsman's job is to take his talent, and combine it with a tough mental approach and strong work ethic, in order to produce the best possible results. That's why although acknowledging Lee's talent as a rider, I'd place him behind Tai and PC in my "best Brits I've seen" ranking.

Really? I'll have to introduce you to a couple of ladies that I know

I may be proved wrong by future events but ...................... I would suggest that there has been enough well attended sports event in the North West of England, to suggest that if the facilities are there, and the event is advertised, the average sports fan will show up ........................ Manchester is the host of Super League's Grand Final, it has hosted world cup games from both rugby codes, the 2002 Commonwealth Games were a success, Lancashire Cricket Club is based there, it's been home to niche sports such as basketball and ice hockey (and speedway ), not forgetting football...................... Manchester is a sports mad area, with a long history of turning up in numbers; and I'm very hopeful that the new stadium will lead to a boom in speedway.

For the first time in nearly 30 years, speedway in this country is going to have top level meetings, on a decent track north of the Midlands (and within an hours drive of my house) .......................................... I can't wait

If you take my car (on its way to Belle Vue) as representative of the average speedway fan ......................... Then 100% of fans are male ........ 50% of speedway fans are 52 years of age, whilst the other 50% are 17 years old ............... 100% of fans are stubborn .............. 50% are going (gone) bald, and are a bit overweight; whilst the other 50% have a full head of hair, and a trim figure. *not sure a sample size of two is considered adequate

But Belle Vue has a lot of competition. Football, cricket, rugby league and even rugby union are all chasing the same crowd.

From a fairness point of view ....................... The league leaders after 28 matches are worthy champions From an excitement and "bums on seats" view ........................... We need the play-offs

From a "fairness" point of view .................. The table toppers after 28 matches are the champions. From the perspective of excitement and "bums on seats" .......................

I like that idea ....................... It would allow fans to build up a rapport with the riders on their team; and to give a team an indentity over a number of years, rather than just being an assorted group of 7 different hired hands each season.

Amen to that .......................... Fans and riders having a bit of playful banter, and enjoying the great sport of speedway ..................... it's sport, it's entertainment, and not to be taken TOO seriously.

What a great couple of meetings, absolutely top notch entertainment. Congratulations to the Poole Pirates, top of the league at the end of the regular season, and play-off winners .................... They are worthy champions. I'm so proud of my Belle Vue Aces, and hopefully this can be the start of a new golden era. By the way, several people have mentioned it, but which one was Starman?