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This team is set up points wise very much like the team I rode in for Berwick. I recall we lost the league by one sole point on the last day of the season against rye house . This was at there track and a reall climax to the season . . One hell of a year for Berwick that season and there fans as most of there fans wrote us off that year to . The bandits had no number 1 or a strong one and we constantly were swapping team positions through the year with the green sheets . But beleave me there is always someone that pops up and smashed a good score and the rest support . Might not be the same rider every week but A rider will always have a good night . Then all the rest have to just do there job . Shame no press day but a chalange at home to get some laps on the track and bikes settled . Might take a few meeting for us to settle but I think we could surrise a few people . So have faith guys and girls might just be the under dog team you could enjoy watching the most for a long time . Catch ya soon people

The Parable of Poole Speedway. During the winter, Matt Ford decided he would need some help with the club accounts and team building. He advertised the position in the Echo. Three people applied for the job. A Mathematician, an Engineer, and an Ex-SCB official. First up for interview was the mathematician, and Matt decided to test him with a question.... "What is 2+2?", asked Matt. The mathematician looked him in the eye and replied "Under universally agreed mathematical protocol, 2+2 must always equal 4" Next for interview was the engineer. Matt again tested him with the same question. "What is 2+2?", he asked. The engineer looked him in the eye and replied "Under engineering convention, 2+2 equals 4.000, plus or minus the standard tolerance of 0.05%" The final interview was the ex-SCB official. Matt again posed the same question. "What is 2+2?" he asked. The ex-SCB offical looked him in the eye and replied "What do you need it to be?"

Not hype a talented lad and he is a decent lad learning his trade what a Pathetic post but what's new.

Lot of supporters questioning the rights/wrongs of Poole signing Kildeman and earlier the 2 Poles. A great sign or ringers, each will have an opinion. However for next season to prevent this. BSPA at the end of October should have a list of every speedway rider worldwide. Each rider is given his current end of season UK average. Non UK riders an assessed average depending on leagues they ride in. This list is then published for promoters / supporters etc. Any rider who wishes to appeal his average then has 5 days to appeal to a BSPA panel. Panel makes final decision and this official BSPA average list is published at the latest 1st November. Promoters team building, use this list and no changes or acceptions can be made. Each year same procedure. Riders, promoters, supporters all will know where they are.

I am sure it would be helpful and appreciated if you could explain your caveat of "in most instances". It presumably means that there are exceptions where some riders with an existing CMA wouldn't return on that CMA. What are the criteria for those exceptions? SImilarly, you also say that there is no 9 point GP rider rule. Is there any GP rider point rule? I am sure that you can understand the confusion being created for the fans when we are told that Zagar, Woffinden and Pawlicki have been reassessed but apparently Kildemand and Iversen haven't and that Vaculik is assessed at 8 but other GP riders at 9. Credibility is a serious problem for speedway in the UK and one of the major reasons why fans have walked away and why the media refuses to take it seriously. It is the far too often lack of openness and clarity by the BSPA which leaves fans bewildered and disillusioned and inevitably leads to the sort of disparaging comments and conjecture seen on this and many other threads. If the BSPA wishes to gain respect and move the sport forward it must be open and transparent and ensure that rules are clear, concise, published and interpreted consistently and fairly.

Never really understood why rival fans seemed to dislike Poole so much? But after being a member on this forum for a number of years , its becoming a lot clearer. Pathetic comment,

The rule has never been published and Pairman recently said there is no rule despite promoters commenting on it at fan meetings. The wording of the rule would alter dependant on who’s asking anyway It was first mentioned the week after Zagar tweeted about returning (to Belle Vue). The promoters conference had taken place and a press release sent out detailing the changes but no mention of this until Zagar’s tweet. This kind of behaviour is driving the die hards away to the point we now have a dead sport. I just wish Ford had got into some other sport as he has killed speedway. It’s ok for him and a lot of the Poole fans on here, they can just move to another sport as their interest doesn’t go beyond “winning”. Real fans who haven’t already walked away due to Fords antics are left with next to nothing. Shame

Keep the faith Newcastle fans. We have a more balanced team this year too so lets see how our teams do. We had the best No.1 in the league last year , and got us nowhere. No pressure on our teams and like Newcastle , we were very much doubtful we would have speedway to watch. You never know we might just cause some upset along the way

Of course, well documented with plenty of evidence to back it up. Ford has always been great for Poole (to an extent) but cancerous for the sport. Unfortunately what many have failed to grasp is, infect something with cancer, it will spread. Poole are now beginning to suffer. However, equally as bad are those who had opportunity to treat the disease or even prevent it at the beginning and have continually ignored it's presence.

I think we have already shown in the recent past that having 2 big hitters in your team is no guarantee of winning anything (apologies to anyone who has already made this point). 2 years ago we were on the verge of winning something with Robert and Steve taking most rides in heats 13 and 15. This proved not to be enough as the likes of Richard Lawson, Craig Cook, Josh Grajonek, Ricky Wells and Kyle Howarth would more often than not take the heat wins. As Wilko says, there is something in having a balanced team and so long as we can avoid conceding two 5 1's in heats 13 and 15, home and away, you just never know we could surprise a few teams. Teams which do look stronger than us on paper may well experience the availability issues we suffered last season in particular. Hopefully our new "weakened" team should not have those problems which will be better for team spirit as well as removing a frequent frustration for fans when their favorite riders were not available.

Having and out and out number one is over rated in my opinion. It's nice to have one, but if the Diamonds can share the first heat, they should be 8-4 up after two heats against most of the teams in the league. It looks a solid side to me. Some of the teams are a bit top heavy but have inexperienced reserve pairings and it should make for some exciting contests at Brough Park. Just hope the fans get out and get behind them.

Ideally wud of loved a no.1 rider. However, we had 2 no.1 rider's last season and won sweet FA. So I'm going into this season with an open mind. Good luck gents

I think the vast majority of us are relieved that we aren't anything like him

Averages aren't killing the sport. The application of average assessment is. Haphazard at best, fraudulent at worst.

So you are making asserted comments that nothing has been done wrong when you don't even know what the rule is? There is the problem. NOBODY knows what the rule is. We have Gordon Pairman saying there is no rule.. we have riders saying and other promoters saying there is. Whether Poole have done anything wrong or not is irrelevant. The damage is done yet again. More fans pissed off and with some of them it will push them over the edge to abandon the sport at league level altogether, like many others before them. The sport never learns. It would be very simple to have completely open rules for situations like this, but they never do.. you have to ask yourself why.

Have you seen the rule?

Bloody freezing at the shabby Abbey last night. Still, a visit to the back straight bogs made it all worthwhile!

I agree with you to a point that most teams are fairly equal, but please don't include Poole in that statement as they are on a different level. Woryna is so talented only a blind man would fail to see his quality. Without doubt a top rider destined for heat leader status. Within months of the start, Poole could have Holder and Sundstrom as 2nd strings. Just imagine the strength of that side. Because of the BSPA's dereliction of proper averages , this Poole team strength is probably 6/7 points stronger than any of the rest. This could have been an increditable season, where all teams fancied their chances. But because of the numpties at the BSPA burying theirs heads, this can only be a one horse race......

Steve you live off of this myth on this forum that you try to guile a response off of somebody wind them up goad them into something.But for me you are pretty limited in your knowledge and i know at least 30 people who i respect would rip you to shread in any debate on Speedway your best bet is to stay low profile if you can will your ego allow it.???

If only everyone was as perfect as you

Definitely looks like I misjudged Davey. He really is up for this challenge in the top league - hope he maintains this form! He could turn out to be a very shrewd signing rather than the cannon fodder I expected him to be. Glad to be proved wrong!

There’s a very good reason why we are 2 points below. There are NO top riders available and that is obvious to everyone. We would all like a Rolls Royce, but ocassionally you have to make do with a Mini, till a Rolls you can afford comes along. As I have said earlier, we need to remember all that had to happen during the winter, and understand the reason why we were left at the back of the queue for the top riders. We are on catch up, and I am sure if another returnee from Poland, or a another good rider becomes available, the promotion will try to get them. Apart from a rocky period in the middle 00’s, the promotion has had decent success with some brilliant riders, and it is not in anybodies interest to be understrength, so let’s be a bit more patient before anybody stamps off in a huff.

Its 2 meetings in for both FFS.

It’s nowt to do with hating Poole or the “anti Poole brigade” as you call it. It’s about making the sport look professional. Wearing racesuits is a step in that direction as Poole riders are in a “team”. I’ll say the same to Somerset as well. If teams in the championship & NL can why can’t teams in two top flight? Imagine how it’s going to look on TV. I think that’s the main issues most fans have.

"The anti-Poole mob" translates as "Speedway lovers sick of seeing rules being stretched to the limit by one club in particular and the spirit of them being tramp[led upon". There is a difference between being insightful and being one step ahead and acting on or influencing information or decisions which others are unaware of using inside information. That is the concern of the "Anit-Poole mob". It is a concern and a suspicion, not a fact. Of course the simple-minded will try to dress it up as being "In the best interests of the sport", or "all fair in love or war". Others see it as pettiness and sheer over-loyal ignorance. As long as you win who cares how, eh? Now, I'm pretty careful not to belong to a 'mob' which is a pretty pathetic term to use but rather to be expected from you. There is a rotten smell of corruption which while certainly not proved hangs over Wimborne Road. A stronger sport with integrity would have clamped down years ago. I still remember the remarkable coincidence of Poole riders suffering endless engine failures at Swindon many years back, just when Poole needed to get their riders' averages down. Even Leigh Adams commented on how suspicious it was. That was the start and it's been going on far, far too long.

Is the standard line every time. Soon there will truly be 'nothing to see here'. THAT is the problem.

According to blob man it is only a pre-season friendly , as far as we are concerned there are no friendlies in a local derby get out there and pump them, glad i got that off my chest feel better now. On a side note i notice Blobby has made reference to follow the leader on the track can i ask if this is based on every home meeting last season Blobby or what are you basing it on 3 meetings against Edinburgh ? if so i would be asking about the away teams attitude on not competing with the home team.

Well with the Rose signing, and the circumstances behind his change in plans, I am happier than I was. I had already said that I hoped someone in Poland would drop out, but I thought that would be sometime into the season. This way we have Rosie where he will be appreciated, and hope for him to have an injury free season. We don’t appear to have a weak link and everyone is capable of winning a race, which we could not say when we had 2 top heat leaders. They are all triers and are capable of getting results though their efforts. Ludde, Robbo, Rose, will be fine, Tero Ash Wilko and Wethers if they ride to there competences especially Tero, they will bring us victories especially if we get behind them. It is no good now having Glasgow expectations, given the circumstances that the club found itself when Alan walked out. Have faith in George and Martin, a consolidation year, glad we have speedway, can’t expect too much, seems to be far from the reactions to our team now. This promotion has gone through the team building process after everyone else had about a 2 month start. It may be necessary to restrenghthen at some time in the future, and if there are riders available the club will do what it has to do. It wants success just the same as everyone else, so give the team a chance. Interesting that some of the doom merchants don’t even go to speedway, so I prefer those who have genuine concerns and love their Speedway especially Newcastle. Once a rider puts on the Diamond jacket he is our rider, so let’s look forward to an interesting and entertaining season.

Has anyone got the samaritans number I think someone needs it ffs!!!!

Whenever there is controversy, you will invariably find Poole at the heart of it - whether they have done anything wrong or not. The standard response is that it is within the rules - which, of course, is true so they haven't technically done anything wrong. The issue is that they are perceived to continually "bend the rules" or use poorly worded rules to their advantage - there are lots of examples and PK being the latest. Technically, he didn't start as a GP rider last season but he rode in 9 GP meeting (out of 12) - so he was actually a GP rider. Whether its right or wrong I don't really care any more because having got at least 3 riders on incorrect starting averages (all within the rules) you just know they will always look at ways to manipulate situations to their advantage - that isn't a criticism its an observation! What irks me is the usual Poole fans on here trying to justify that behaviour as normal - it's not! So it isn't envy other fans have for Poole it is total disdain that they are "whiter than white" when everyone knows they are not. Are people that manipulate the rules to their advantages cheats? Well look at other sports and see what they think - F1 burning oil to gain an advantage, Bradley Wiggins taking "legal" drugs to enhance performance etc. The issue for me is that Poole continually court controversy and its not a team I would ever dream of supporting for the above reasons!

Do you expect us to believe in somebody who changes their mind at the drop of a hat. Surely, if you were of sound mind, you would understand the sport is fed up to its teeth with the manipulation of the rules, constantly changed to suit the person who is asking the questions . If you said the Sea was wet, I would have to dip my hand in first, before I would believe any thing you said....

this team is shocking - no disrespect to the 7 lads because they are all triers and will give it all but the team is 2 points under the limit - worse than with luddo and robbo at 1 and 5 - heats 13 and 15 are going to difficult at home and nigh on 10-2 certainties away from home the team is under-strength and the 1-5 will be found out .... where are we going to win heats .... as I say I don't blame the 7 riders ........ ok we are strong at reserve ... but so are some other teams ............. u just cant give away 2 points ..... the top riders of opposing teams are going to have a field day ok we had 2 heat leaders last year and won nowt, but that was because we gambled at reserve level and it went badly wrong - but at least we were in all the competitions and there was plenty of entertainment with steve and robert in the last 10 years - the successful teams have had a top number 1 rider and a strong reserve at 6 apart from lewis .... none of our riders are gaters ....... and we will win NO matches away from home and I will be surprised if we manage 40 anywhere at home - if think we will win maybe 6 of our 10 league matches but take a couple of bad beatings off the likes of Sheffield or Glasgow we have wooden spoonists written all over us ............... but I will be there ..... but this could be our last season as I think we will struggle crowd size with that team assembled

What we do know tho is if any other team had signed Kildemand on a low 7 Shov would be shouting cheating as loud as you like.

100% spot on Iversen rides in 7 rounds and comes in on plus 9 Pedersen rides in 2 rounds and comes in on 9 Kildemand rides in 9 rounds but can convert to 7. Please how on earth is that fair..................oh yes its Poole

Absolutely disagree. Any rider that rode 9 of the 12 rounds is by any definition a 2017 GP rider. He may well have started the season as first reserve however became a full time rider due to injuries of others. It's a disgraceful technicality to say that because he started as a reserve is a legit argument. Don't buy that at all.

Wooosh

So that the most rain dependent outdoor sport going can take a nice break in the Summer!!!

As we proved last year, having two big hitters guarantees nothing which is exactly what we won. Good on yer Wilko and lets see how it goes. Yes, it would have been better to be at 42 but if Lewis had finished the season we would be a lot closer. Banging up the starting averages is what makes the difference and there is room for improvement in a few spots. If anyone struggles, Wilko will be getting 7 rides a match again The other plus point will be a stable team. Not multiple guests when they are in Poland, the U21’s, the GB squad or a drummed up match in the outer Hebrides! I still remember Hull being tipped for bottom and winning the lot. Here’s hoping?

Haha, I like that! So which nickname is going to stick for the 2018 bookies favourites and biggest Club in the land Poole 'Pikey' Pirates Poole 'Poundland' Pirates Poole 'Lost Property' Pirates

And even with all the gaps, I bet there will still be a mad rush for some teams to fulfil their fixtures at the end of the season.

As Glasgows match next Friday is a challenge they have given Jack permission to ride for Kent in your opening fixture

How am I licking matt ford asshole? Stating it how it is. Your club could of chose Kildemand instead of Morris but didnt. Yet another post showing you up for what you are, a dunce whos mid fifties and still stacks shelves for a living. Australia is going great thanks, Working away on the 36th level of a skyscraper in 28 degrees sunshine. Off for a few beers in 90 minutes. Hows the night shift in Lidls going on 8 quid an hour?

Looking forward to tomorrow night and seeing speedways best ever rider, Tony Rickardsson take to the track again. Can’t wait!

But that was 20 years ago, my question is about the present? We should be going forward, not backwards IMO

And conflicting. One of the best decisions I ever made was to let others worry about the rules, especially those regarding averages and team building, just know what to look for and try to just enjoy the matches. There was a time when I pored over every rule. One day I sat there trying to see how two rules, either side of a page could possibly co-exist. Any fool could see that they were in direct conflict. I realised it was pointless to try to understand something that was literally 'designed by committee' and was just a series of hole-plugging, knee-jerk reactions. It's a good job team managers have so little to do tactically when just understanding the rule book is more than enough to occupy them. Rather than give the job to ex-riders I'd be hiring a lawyer.... Giving up really helped me enjoy the sport so much more, and there's a few in here who could with learning the same lesson.

Imagine you are a substitute in the FA Cup final. After 20 minutes a player is injured and you are brought off the bench to replace him. Your team wins the cup. At the end of the match do you get an FA Cup winners medal? Are you in the winning team photos? Are you an FA Cup winner? Now apply this to Kildemand. If the 9.00 rule exists, for anyone riding in the GP series who didn't ride in Britain in 2017, how can this not apply to Kildemand? How can he be allowed to use a false 2015 average? If the 9.00 rule doesn't exist, why was Zagar given a 9.00 average to stop him signing for Belle Vue? Why can't he use a lower 2016 average if others can use an even more out of date 2015 average?

Kildemand continued to replace Pedersen as a reserve and even Hancock In the latter rounds, not as a replacement in the series itself for Pedersen. All fans want is a level of consistency across the board. As I've said previously, Iversen hasn't been reassessed and has signed for Kings Lynn on 9.06. Why have people like Zagar, Woffinden and Pawlicki so called been changed to 9.00 riders? Any rider who hadn't ridden here last year should of had a weighted average to allow for the decline in standard. None of this picking and choosing whose averages changed and who doesn't.... everybody knows where they stand then.

Think someone in darkest Dorset is out for a spot of night fishing SteveO. Ain't worth biting.

it doesnt matter who signs who, someone will be bottom. Even without the final rider named they will win the majority of home meetings imo but then I'm probably some kind of tool too

I agree. I also think Drozdz is going to take time to adapt to uk tracks. He was looking better towards the end of the meeting on Monday and I think will improve as the season goes on but it's too soon to expect him to score well tomorrow.