Mr Ore

Well said both. The pity of this whole thread is that some, who for whatever irrational reasons, choose not to like Charlie will do anything to try to discredit her and it really sucks that such a serious matter is treated so flippantly with some trying to get brownie points at her expense. Dave Berry has been given some lip service here but Lindsey Graham, a highly successful Sheffield Businesswoman has also resigned her post, with even less reference on the forum. Why? Because she may have her millions but the general public have no idea who she is. Charlie and Jess as household names have been able to flag this serious issue up. As someone with a more than passing interest in the Blades I am proud of the stance taken by the 4 names. I am one of the 150,000 lesser names on the "petition" but nobody is going to take notice of me individually. To allege that there are a small number seeking to further themselves by speaking out is so inaccurate too. The number of people petitioning is probably far higher than the aggregate total of attendees al all speedway league fixtures in all 3 divisions in Britain over the past year compared with a few lone voices trying to discredit Charlie I found it incredible that one of the anti Charlie brigade questions why a woman is allowed in the pits in any case. Now we can see what the agenda is. She has been in the pits as a rider and arranged a training session for females to try out speedway. I feel that this alone gives her credit to be there as part of her job.. Another questions that the Lee Hughes case was worse. A bit like saying that Hitler was a far better man as he killed less people than Genghis Khan. I despise everything Lee Hughes but what should be questioned is why nothing was done in that case to the same degree rather than criticise the stance against Ched Evans. I have never been a victim of sexual assault but fortunately I was in the right place at the right time when an air stewardess from the USA was in the wrong place; as I heard her screams for help coming from a subway. Physically she was a mess as were her clothes and she had two mouths where the assailant had literally ripped her cheek open during the attack. It would have been no consolation to her that other attacks may have been worse but her "thank you" to me for coming to her help said far more about the potential impact on her than all these assumptions do . As a victim herself Charlie has far more first hand knowledge of the physical and mental scars such attacks leave than me seeing the poor girl I "rescued" in such a bad way. So; good on her for identifying herself to help others. And yes her former coach I believe was arrested for sexual offences. As for the comments about her flaunting herself; it is good to know that there are still those who keep the old tradition of taking a Kay's Catalogue and box of Kleenex with them into some locked room going . "Glamour" models appeal far more (other than in said catalogue ) to members of the same sex so hardly a lack of reason for them not to have opinions. They are used to sell and if someone looks good in a certain article of clothing others will be persuaded to buy. So yet another red herring here guys. I am not gay, although I know some posters are so may view matters differently, but if I think I need a new pair of underpants and I see a magazine with David Beckham wearing his designer boxers and on the next page Eric Pickles in a natty pair of big white baggies. I am a male looking at pics of men in their underwear with no sexual connotation at all but, although I look more like Brad Pitt, I know which of those I'd plump for when deciding to buy.

Shane Bowes seemed a far safer rider but Nagy was class on the international circuit. He almost singlehandedly was responsible for Glasgow beating Cradley in the Interleague Cup, although mostly from the gate. I am not a Glasgow fan though; although having a haggis supper with a wee dram every Burns night, so don't know if my neutral vote is valid. ,

Thanks for clarifying matters both. I hate to say that it is not my favourite venue, from a viewing stance, but the whole weekend is a real buzz in the town and stadium and it will be a tremendous loss. Memories of some great races there too. I am being wined and dined by my Championship football team on the Saturday but will try to get across for the Sunday event. I'd rather it was not to say "goodbye" though. I like to think I am a realist rather than a dreamer but, clutching at straws perhaps, if the arena could last until 2016, even if there is no World event scheduled, maybe a formal farewell event could be considered. Again I prefer official meetings but feel with a great deal of advance notice such an event would show the demand for Ice Speedway in the region and attract a big crowd.

Not looking at all good as the closing date is the weekend before the Assen round is scheduled. Unless the hotel owners are prepared to extend the deadline the last meeting at Assen may already have taken place. Logistics of a date change would mean other venues also being able to accommodate, as wel as availability of the Bonte Wever.

Why not Saturday afternoon as an option; at least for the midseason? Eastbourne itself has 3 senior football teams (more if you include Hailsham just over the main road and Lewes a few miles away) who would have around a 10 week close season and about 2,000 combined fans who may be looking for something to fill their Saturday afternoon 3 p.m. slot for a couple of months. With one of the prizes in the Eagles draw being tickets for Eastbourne Borough matches there must be some link already so I'm sure they would assist with publicity and maybe accept speedway match tickets for their raffle too. Other "outside the circle" benefits include the possibility of doing it by public transport with Saturday afternoon train times afterwards from Polegate more frequent than either evening trains or Sunday ones. With a decent referee and commitment from pits staff the meeting could be concluded within 90 minutes so routines are not interfered with, plus with such times a double with Rye House could be possible, or Lakeside for their occasional Saturday meeting. Also no clash with televised GPs. No bedtime issues for kids (or looking at the Eastbourne profile) grandkids at that time either. But if this means there would be problems with the track preparation and drying out that would mean Sunday afternoons couldn't be considered either. The only "reason" I can see why it couldn't be considered is because nobody else does it; which is hardly valid as nobody has tried it other than the very very odd match. You didn't use to have evening cricket matches but Richmond is gridlocked for miles around when they have an evening 20/20 game and that was a far more conservative sport as far as change is concerned.

With the interest generated plus the acknowledged tightness of posters on this forum, I think it would be more accurate if the apostrophe was before the "S"and not after it.

Other than Steady's dive between the two Witches in heat 13 two things stuck in my memory. I had heard about the open seating on the back straight and assumed it would be very basic. Totally gobsmacked when I saw it with the size and appearance. Be great to get some sunny afternoon meetings in there (Saturday's when football season is finished?) when it could be more fully used and create an even better picture. Also as well as Dan Holt's appreciated use of the two minute warning wasn't it great to go through a meeting with no interval. Nobody complained but I heard many comment positively on the way out. Queues at the various franchises didn't get stacked out as a result of a mad rush once a declared interval starts plus extra time at the Dove afterwards (Fat Cat before though to appease the sponsors). How very European and didn't it help to keep the atmosphere going?

I'm not looking for sympathy but, accept it or not, every part of my post was true, other than the possibility of the stars of the RSC undertaking a crappy TV show. Of course we didn't book a cottage simply for speedway but that was the reason for our initial decision to have a weekend break in Warwickshire and fortunately we were then able to get tickets for the RSC too. Our choice was to then lay out a bit on a luxury break but had it not been for the speedway we wouldn't have gone there. There is some irony as the family group we were taking were married in Brandon a few years ago and, as the Bees were at home on the Friday, we booked an extra night in Brandon Hall as it was a special time. Even later in the day the speedway was postponed as the final Grand Prix of the season was delayed by a week. Something in the air maybe, apart from the usual halitosis stench on the terraces there. I would have no qualms with a genuine rain off having been blown out of 4 overseas meetings in 3 different continents as a result of the wrong weather, which cost rather more than a thatched cottage. The background to this is so very different though. It is not a rain off or a match switched for TV purposes so to compare with them insults your logic more than my choice to book a classier place to stay. I clearly am not the only one who finds it condescending to be told that the switch is to allow a handful of fans to see both fixtures but by changing days the speedway fans are being presented with an inferior, credibility questioning alternative by virtue of the the home team using three riders from others to fulfill the change of date when by keeping to the original they would field a 100% their team. Far more will be giving the rearranged fixture a wide berth than would go on the Friday. Unbelievable. I don't want sympathy but have it for those with an interest in this fixture who must either miss out or watch a p**s take of a meeting with riders missing who would have made the original date. Getting a refund for a motel booking is so very irrelevant, when we are talking about wasted leave etc. Clearly Messrs. Horton and. Watson have proved that they need to use both hands to find their arses to take such a decision. I will enjoy football and ale instead. Sadly others have had a wasted day.

You can add a further 6 who have already invested big time to attend this meeting, including taking 4 family members living in the CV postal area who have never seen speedway before. Now they won't. We have already paid £500 up front to rent a cottage for the weekend to do things in style and made arrangements to fit in around this fixture, which has been showing on the lists for months. I have no interest in either team but it seemed an ideal meeting to take newcomers to as they may actually have seen some decent racing between two sides who, in spite of the ludicrous current points limits seem competitive. A potential 4 new regulars lost. Of course they may have hated it but hey. I'm not self important enough either to feel that the potential £200 we would have paid for entry, souvenirs and wining and dining at Brandon means I would have been keeping them going. They can obviously afford to keep going without this so it's £200 gained for me. Nor will I be seeking recompense from the curiously unavailable for comment promoters. Although we set up this break around this match we will still be going to the RSC the following day to see both parts of Henry IV, unless they suddenly change it to Sunday on the basis that it clashes with a repeat of Dale's Supermarket Sweep on the Saturday. I suppose if they did that it would mean that the benighted thespian leads may be unable to attend as they are already set for a prearranged filming of "Celebrity Stick a Violin Up Your Rectum" so the role of Henry will be split between Ant and Dec. To even consider such a possibility would be stupid, although thinking about it isn't that what we are being fed by the supporters of this VERY short notice change. Clearly the promotion also don't realise either that British Speedway fans have a thrift which makes them tighter than an anchovy's ####. I think that the number who will attend both can be counted on the fingers of one hand and, with no respect at all to the visitors from Norfolk, I don't mean one of your hands but a four fingered one. As I see it those with feet in both camps will chose to attend one, probably the football and have that as their weekly expend; choosing not to go elsewhere on the Thursday. Although I could take another day off work and book a hotel before going to the cottage I won't. My choice as it is the choice of the promoters to change the date. So no money from my wallet into the Coventry coffers. Life goes on. With grateful thanks therefore to Messrs Horton and Watson a group of us will be going to football instead on the Friday and to show that some are able to organise a p##s up in a brewery will be respecting that. Not effing Coventry City though; I said football. We will now do the Bridgnorth Beer Festival on either side of AFC Bridgnorth v Haughmond in some Midlands League and I now have an extra £200 to spend at the beer festival too. As they say though don't get mad get even so, assuming I am able to borrow Sir Ian McKellen's violin, from his Sunday recording, I hope that the Bees' promotion have easy access to some KY gel. Believe me they will need it. Even if they change back to Friday we won't now be going as I have received polite messages from the good burghers and highly tuned athletes in Bridgnorth thanking us for choosing to take our business there so mutual respect means we will give them our money. As I say although totally peed off that we have been treated with contempt as has the sport, life is too short to let it get me down. I still have my youth, looks, health and am hung like a horse so things are good. I do sympathise with others to whom this match meant so much more and who may not like ale and non league football as an alternative option. I live over 200 miles from the team I follow. It is not all that long ago that I went to over 80% of their away matches each season and they ran two sides then. Cost was astronomical but my choice. This season I have been to 2. Not because I am fed up with the sport but with all the short notice change of fixtures it is not possible to swap leave with others who have pre-booked a date which I never thought I'd need. You can't afford to take the risk any more so I usually don't.. Sadly having spent £500 plus theatre tickets on taking on this non risk event. I have been burned by not following my own ideals.

Strong talk is of him standing in Uxbridge. Nearest track to there would obviously be Slough. Having seen him at Wembley for American Football I can vouch for the fact that he is a total a**e so would be great PR for speedway. Incredibly though he got a bigger cheer than John Terry did the year before.

Cheers Steve. I actually will be there (subject to it being on) and think it could be close. Won't comment on the Mark Lemon situation as I actually like the guy and know he could get injured if he were to ride, but seems a fairly unique reason for R/R.

If that's the case maybe Thrillpool's industrial sized tin of mushy peas will ensure everyone has a decent portion on the night. I always look forward to having a nice pea on a Wednesday evening. Should be a good meeting. Looking forward to it. Come and say hello. Does anyone know what the teams will be? With apologies to the many other BSF clichés I have omitted.

Terribly sad news. A real entertainer RIP

Robert Lambert. Everyone's talking about him; it seems.

Coventry Storm Troopers, Scunthorpe Stalags, Swinvon Robbintrops. Armydale Devils. I hear he also set up the SS. Sunderland Stars maybe?

There was definitely a round of the World Championships, The Team Final, in 1989 held in Alma ata (Now called Almaty) which was the capital city at the time. I read about it in a soccer magazine which had photos of local football grounds under snow accompanying the article. At that time it was part of the USSR. I later saw a Kazak team (post Soviet Union) finish third in Frankfurt am Main in 1995 (Stanislav Kuznetsov 28(12+16), Vladimir Cheblakov 9(5+4), Nail Galiakberov 0(0+0)) 37) having seen each of these riders race under the Hammer and Sickle of USSR pre 90s. I believe they were third the following year too before finance saw their federation pull the plug on international competition.

Excellent galleries Conkers. Pleased you made it there and back safe and sound. (Taxi apart) Seemingly the locals love having it in Krasnogorsk and I'm sure you would agree a great cross section of age groups were in attendance. Long may it continue.

Agree with all comments and also assumed a local connection regarding Makarov, although similar level of noise for the Kosov brothers. Svensson and Aakko made a fist of it and early on Saturday Stellingwerf looked like he may give it a go but flattered to deceive. Not the greatest of meetings tbh but a good time, spent in the company of a group of amiable Russians on the back straight on Sunday, who plied us with copious amounts of rum, coffee and chocolate. As they said the Russian and. English elephants will always be friends, which when explained was great sentiment and is aparantly in Russian folklore. Made our own arrangements and by Metro and train it cost less than £1.80 return from our central Moscow hotel to the track. Answering my earlier question on here it is possible to make your own arrangements to do Krasnogorsk and visa costs apart, which you can't avoid, for not that much. Great range of beers in the Zhitgurli brewery last night, almost ruined by Denver's inept Superbowl attempt.

I remember that PC definitely had a fall on Superstars during the cycling event. I was very young at the time but remember loads of people who I worked with who used to follow Wembley in the early 70s so much speedway talk at that time. Discussion was around how PC kept hold of the handlebars when he slid off so was able to remount and not lose too much time as a result. He told the commentator that this was natural in speedway as (from memory) you were less likely to be hit by your bike in a fall if you were holding onto them. Makes sense. Also recall PC in a televised celebrity darts tournament playing with Leighton "The Man Who Played Before Players Had Nicknames" Rees. Like many posts on the BSF I may not be telling the truth here but I think he was the only celebrity to either hit a ton or hit a winning double. Also sure he was the only sporting celebrity in the contest, with others being from TV etc. Got a feeling Susan Hanson aka Miss Diane from Crossroads was one of the other celebs, so good opposition to beat. Surprised that Jason Crump's appearance on QOS hasn't been bigged up more here as he proved to be one of the most generically knowledgeable panellists ever; answering questions on cricket, soccer, rugby union etc as well as recognising Greg "The Grin" Hancock in a cryptic photo round. Jason is well known for his knowledge of speedway's history but he showed up most major celebs who are applauded for knowing the most basic stuff about their own sport with his brilliance on a whole range. Totally eloquent too. Mr "Iron" Ore.

Having had a warm off in St Johann last year it couldn't happen in Krasnogorsk; could it? I suppose it is a matter of definition but I see on the Speedway Star Travel club blurb they state the meeting will start early evening on Saturday. I had a mail from Russian Motor Federation however confirming heat 1 will be at 3 p.m. on Saturday and 1 p.m. on Sunday so more of an afternoon. Tickets available on the day from 200 - 500 roubles £4 - £10 approx.

Only received my invite today so seems more seats may have been released, otherwise a waste of £840

Wouldn't it be great to have an audience full of speedway fans to actually show what the demand is for our sport? At only £840 a head inc VAT, especially bearing in mind what you are getting for this is excellent value so get into your groups of 10 and take advantage of our big chance to push the sport forward. Hope to see loads of you there. SPORTS PERSONALITY OF THE YEAR We are delighted to offer hospitality for this memorable occasion on Sunday 15 December 2013 at The First Direct Arena, Leeds. Hospitality includes; A private table for 10 in Leeds Town Hall, Drinks reception on arrival, Three course dinner with selected wines, beers and soft drinks, Premium seating for the live show, Access to the VIP post show event with complimentary refreshments, Souvenir BBC Sports Personality of the Year brochure for each guest, Full event documentation, Event management throughout & VIP parking (1 per 2 guests). Cost; £699 pp + vat. Accommodation With some superb hotel deals in Leeds on a very busy evening, why not let us organise your accommodation for the evening as well? For a list of hotel prices, please email; sales@galahospitality.co.uk To reserve your places today, please contact us on 0844 811 6800 or email; sales@galahospitality.co.uk

Hope the following link may be of assistance, although it shows details of just one specific train which covers the route needed and only for this week. If you go to the home page fron there you can get all manner of info regarding train services in Russia. It seems there are loads of trains which we can take, assuming they can deal with the wrong type of snow in a better manner than Network South East!!! http://mapofmoscow.net/railway/suburban-train/rijsky--nakhabino--6209g/ Pavshino is the nearest station to the stadium and I would assume it to be much closer than both Assen and Upsalla stations are to their stadia, and almost due north from the station (slightly west towards the end). Rijsky is the Moscow terminal for this route and other routes also pass through Pavshino from this terminal. Leningradskaya mainline station is on the route and only 17 minutes (5 stops) away. It is a much larger station than Rijsky though and has a metro within, so I assume it may be a better bet to travel from/to with better ticketing services. The site also shows station names in Cyrillic which is a huge help. Sadly it seems there are no ice hockey or bandy fixtures in the Moscow area that weekend; maybe owing to the Winter Olympics and it is much too early for fooball. Bolshoi is very expensive but as a one off visit may be a good option for one of the evenings. Several micro breweries already sorted for fine dining.

Thanks for the update. Myakinino station is at the end of the Metro and is in Krasnogorsk. Looking at Google earth though there is a massive stretch of the river Moskva to cross from the station with no direct bridge from this terminus in the direction of the stadium. Your info seems pretty sound therefore. Have used Metro and busses in Moscow with no probs and, heaven forbid, taxis and lived to tell the tale. Pavishino (I think it is spelled) station seems nearer the stadium and is on mainline from Moscow. I would also assume stadium tickets can be bought on the day but it would be good to know that bit in advance and to be able to purchase, if possible before the events. Good luck with your arrangements. More thanks. Hotels can usually supply invitations so hopefully visas will be OK. I needed my passport the week before my last Moscow visit (to attend a rain off in Eskilstuna) so could not send off for my visa with the group application my friends were on. I paid extra for a swift guaranteed visa but with the documents supplied by the hotel, i was in the embassy for no more than 10 minutes to drop off and collect my passport 48 hours later. Impressed with your venturing outside without trousers. I only went out without a scarf and got a stiff neck!!!

Thinking of doing Krasnogorsk next year. Has anybody made their own way there in the past? Wondered if there is any advice about obtaining tickets, getting there from Moscow or other guidance. I see there is a station not too far from the stadium and the Metro is not that far away. We have been to Moscow for football but got tickets through our team. Any guidance will be much appreciated.