THE BERWICK STAR

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I’m feeling a bit more buoyant these days………..

The pubs are serving, the weather’s getting better and brighter – and best of all, speedway’s on the way back!

Up until recently, I’d been a bit down about our sport – we haven’t bothered to subscribe to the channels showing Polish racing this year – but just as I was getting grumpier about things, the light at the tunnel-end has got more and more vivid again!

Since my last blog we’ve had the bikes back on track – I couldn’t see them, but we could hear them, which was very frustrating – and as a result our promotion clearly stole a march on all the other clubs by staging a full Press & Practice session for the young Bullets, plus the NJL kiddies who will represent the Academy squad.

By putting this behind-closed-doors show on for the scribes, in addition to a blanketing of social media with photos from Taz, Keith Hamblin and Taylor Lanning the next edition of Speedway Star turned out to be awash with pictures and interviews with Leon Flint (on the cover, and a two-page spread inside), a full page on Mason Watson, plus interviews with new Bullet Ben Rathbone and also Jye Etheridge, who had crept in for a sneaky skid.

Plus (yes, there was more!) the same edition had a two-page feature on Dennis McCleary and a piece quoting the Courtney brothers being very positive about things, revealing the continuation of FTS as main sponsors and explaining how STARS funding, aided by their 5-1 Draw – a nod to the Supporters Club for their help in administering the Draw – had helped underwrite the refurbishment of the noise barrier around the perimeter wall at Shielfield.

In short, that was virtually a Berwick edition of the Star. SIX full pages devoted to the club, plus three more articles.

Clearly our promotion are the front-runners among the clubs, thinking ahead in so many ways. I truly believe we could enjoy success in this first NDL campaign too, right out of the box.

However, as things look up for the black and gold, our near-neighbours down the A1 seem to be having obstacles placed in their way at every turn.

The Grants appear to have been handed a venomously poisoned chalice by the outgoing owners and are finding new impediments under every rock they turn over. The latest comes from a financial need to release their planned No 1 rider, Claus Vissing, to ensure the Diamonds can live on to fight another day.

Their local council are reported to be enforcing a very low number as a possible crowd level at early matches, and this will in turn enforce a later start to their year than the rest of the Championship.

Let me be clear. There is nothing I enjoy more at speedway than watching our Bandits beat – thrash, even – those Diamonds at every turn.

But I also want a strong Newcastle in operation down at Brough, making our beating them all the sweeter.

Redcar is another club I enjoy humbling, but they too are finding things a bit tricky, having effectively lost Erik Riss to Birmingham without yet recruiting a replacement, and now we hear Kasper Andersen won’t be coming over either.

The Bears might not be the only club who find themselves in trouble by reliance on Danish talent – I looked at Peterborough in the other league and was amazed by what they’ve set up. FOUR riders over forty years of age (plus Bomber at 38) and FOUR commuting Danes in their proposed 1-7. Just as our club is reducing the average age of our squad year-on-year, the Panthers are going the other way. Dad’s Army, indeed!

But at least things are moving again, and the clubs are all making plans for the coming season.

As I said, its just that Berwick seem to be making better plans right now……

Go, Bandits! Go Bullets!
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Disagree with Sarah? If you’re brave enough, get in touch on berwicks_b1tch@hotmail.co.uk — but don’t say we didn’t warn you!