Funny you should quote UNT as the source, it's only a minor regional paper and all the big dragons are on this story Anyway, it's the same story in every paper at the moment so the source doesn't matter.
It will however be good to see Tony back at the tracks, even if it's just on the side. Will be interesting to see where Lindbäck goes from here on. As always with him, it feels like it can take any direction.
Finally, Daniel Nermark leaves Solkatterna for Piraterna.
And now that Nermark and Thelaus have left Solkatterna, the club won't be running in the Allsvenskan, and instead will only track a team in Division Ett. Team manager, Anders Berglund has also left the club with immediate effect. This means there could only be four teams in the Allsvenskan.
But that won't fly. Allsvenskan was a farce already this year. It won't start 2009 with just four teams, something else have to be thought up. Perhaps slap div 1 and Allsvenskan together.
Hammarby's manager, Fredrik Edberg, has said the club were prepared for Hans Nelén's financial departure, and that Hammarby will run next year one way or another.
Indianerna have confirmed Simon and Henka Gustafsson, Piotr Protasiewicz and Matej Ferjan for 2009, but have revealed that Monberg wants more money, and Zetterstrom is taking his time to mull over his opportunities.
Club president, Ola Andersson, hasn't ruled out signing a GP rider, but would like to secure more sponsorship before that can happen.
Elitserien teams who don't currently have an air fence will be required by SVEMO to install one before the start of the 2009 season, and Indianerna have said they will be using part of the municipality's investment funds to do so.
Vetlanda have confirmed Robin Aspegren, but still no word on their top riders. Rumours are that Jason Crump has given a verbal agreement to return, but Holta wants to finish the GP series before making any decisions.
Bosse Wirebrand has said that discussions are going on with other riders, and rumours suggest that could be Leigh Adams and Jonas Davidsson.
Pierre Gustafson has contradicted earlier reports about Solkatterna dropping down a division. He wants the club to stay in the Allsvenskan, and has been in contact with new riders after losing Daniel Nermark to Piraterna.
Greg Walasek is out of a place at Piraterna. Stefan Andersson withdrew his contract proposal after Walasek failed to respond. The Pirates team manager has said he wants to make a couple of changes to the squad, and that Max and Sullivan will have to accept a drop in wages if they are to remain next year.
Masarna appear to be in big trouble after receiving a bill from SVEMO for 115,000 kr for hosting the Swedish Championships. Three cancellations of that meeting due to weather meant the club lost more money, and on top of what they owe to riders there seems to be some doubt over whether they will be able to continue. The club are currently without a chairman after Åke Johansson left, and a suitable replacement is yet to be found.
As well as Gnistorna, Lejonen have reached a farming deal with Ornarna. This means they will have Emil Kramer, Christian Ago and Niklas Klingberg available to them, and will be able to give Ricky Kling and David Ruud time in the Allsvenskan.
Looks like plans to run Sweden's first nationwide speedway secondary school have come one step closer to fruition. SVEMO visited the Hultsfred gymnasium to meet with students and teachers, and inspect the premises, and were impressed with what they saw.
In response to the current economic crisis, Swedish clubs have proposed a closed Elite League to cut the budget for next year. That would mean an end to relegation, so teams would be able to field riders who cost less without fear of dropping down a league. It would also mean that some of the younger Swedish riders get their chance in the Elitserien. However, teams would still be able to opt out and enter the Allsvenskan if they didn't have the finances to run Elitserien.
Smederna are chasing Mikael Max. The Piraterna rider has an average of 5.15, and has been in talks with Bosse Jansson after saying he likes the look of the team the Blacksmiths are trying to put together.
It looks like Greg Walasek may be heading for Indianerna, possibly in place of Miedzinski, who has, according to Dalle Andersson, been unwilling to ride for the Indians. Walasek's been offered a contract, but is yet to sign it.
This is an extract from a piece written by Kaparna chairman Lars Åhede on the clubs website.
Ingen vettig människa begär en pank förening i konkurs. Gör man det så förlorar man sina egna pengar och - vad värre är - man omöjliggör alla andras möjligheter att få sina. Det är, för att använda milt språk, inte särskilt intelligent. Styrelsen och alla som slitit under lång tid med att räta upp ekonomin kan bara beklaga. Det här var inget vi önskade och det känns inte ett endaste dugg lätt att alla skulder nu försvinner. Det var inte pengar eller rädsla för slit som drev oss att jobba. Det var främst en fråga om moral. Och att inte ge upp tanken på bra villkor för speedway i Göteborg.
Nu finns inte den 85 år gamla klubben mer. Den vältes av en som kört knatte i den sedan barnsben med allt vad det innebar av upp-ställning från banfolk, funktionärer, tränare och lagkamrater. Men 700 medlemmar som gillar speedway finns kvar! Och lagnamnet finns - som det alltid har gjort oavsett om det är GEMA, olika varianter av GMK eller klubben själv som hanterar det. Och de klassiska huggarna skall hållas skarpa.
Medlemmar får omkring den 15 oktober 2008 en skriftlig information om vad som händer framöver.
Kjell Åshede Ordförande
No sane person demands a broke club into bankruptcy. If you do you lose your money - and what's worse - all other peoples possibilities of ever getting their money. It is, to put it mildly, not very intelligent. The board and everyone involved with trying to straighten out the economy can only regret what has happened. This was nothing we wished for and it doesn't feel easy at all that all the debts are now gone. It wasn't money or fear of toil that drove us on. It was mainly a question of morals. And to never give up the idea of good conditions for speedway in Gothenburg.
Now the 85 year old club is no more. It was put to death by a junior who has ridden in the club since he was a toddler, with everything that means in terms of track staff, trainers, functioneers and team mates in terms of comittment. But 700 members who love speedway are still around! And the team name is still there, as it always has been, regardless of if its different versions of GEMA or GMK. And the classic sabres will be kept sharp.
Members will get written information around Oct 15 about what's going on.
Smederna have followed Rospiggarna's lead, and are selling the name of their club and stadium in a three year deal to raise the funds needed for their Elitserien license in 2010.
Amusing quote from Vargarna's Vice-President, Torsten Sahlin, today. He says the chase for riders is like the "wild west", as two of his youngsters, Tai Woffinden and Antonio Lindback have been hunted by other teams. Piraterna reportedly want Lindback, whilst Dackarna have spoken to Tai. It seems that even in times of economic crisis, there are teams willing to offer more money to get the riders they want.
Sahlin is hoping that Tai will put honour before money, and Rob Woffinden is apparently trying to renegotiate his contract with Vargarna to account for the rise through the leagues.
Sahlin goes on to imply that some teams are being sneaky when trying to get new riders on board, going behind each other's backs, and even pulling opposition riders to one side during meetings in an attempt to recruit them.
Vargarna are getting serious - the newly promoted team say they won't release Tai Woffinden or Antonio Lindback to rival teams. Lindback has a 1+1 year contract with the Wolves from 2008, and they say they are going to hold him to it. They've also threatened that Tai will run with them next year, or not at all.
This may not go down too well with Solkatterna, however, who are hoping to agree a farming deal with Piraterna on the basis of Lindback being in their team. But even if Lindback can't agree terms with the Pirates, it's good news for Solkatterna who will be able to make use of Daniel Nermark after all. The Swede left his former Allsvenskan club earlier this month, calling into question Solkatterna's participation in the Allsvenskan.
Besides Piraterna, Solkatterna are also in farming discussions with Smederna and Indianerna, although the Pirates are their preferred choice.
Not sure of the accuracy of this one, but one newspaper is reporting that Andreas Jonsson's threat to boycott the SWC and national championships was a bluff to get the authorities to take notice of the shortcomings in the league. We'll have to see how this pans out.
I reckon it was accurate, the piece from Aftonbladet. Today they are running a story about how Tobias Johansson, manager for team Sweden is payed 0:- in wages.
Bjarne Pedersen is confirmed as staying on at Västervik, but they may be losing Tomasz Chrzanowski as well as Mads Korneliussen. The majority of the rest of the team are believed to be on the verge of doing deals to remain with the club. Manager, Peter Helgesson, says that "Tomasz Gollob always drags it out until the last moment", and that issues with Chris Harris appear to be solved.
Griparna have agreed with Elitserien clubs on the issue of having two teams farming to each Allsvenskan club, saying it "would be the smart solution for everyone".
Robin Törnqvist has signed a new one year deal to stay with Valsarna. He is working on his fitness over the winter after what he describes as an "unsatisfactory season".