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Or, you have a good season and ride yourself out of a job.

What’s wrong with the team above ? Another even team , it’s really difficult this season building to 38 points. Look at other teams so far ; Somerset have gone top heavy with two 2 pointers never rode at this level before , Glasgow will go exactly the same way with a long tail . Who ever our full 1-7 are going to be , we will have 7 riders who WANT to ride for Worky and who will get my full support. It showed this season never underestimate the team on paper. Can’t see Charles Wright ever donning a comets bib

Newman reached his level and of anything gone backwards and injuries haven’t helped There can’t be a speedway fan out there who would rather have Newman than Charles Wright

With the standard dropping, the admission price should also drop to reflect this. Otherwise, my fear is, a lot of fans will vote with their feet. The likes of Eastbourne had no choice, but to move up.

I'm very sad to see Buxton leave the league every professional sport needs to provide grass roots access for newcomers and Buxton have consistently maintained this ethos by encouraging youth and sharing the facility for newbie track days. Some of that will no doubt continue but a league profile helps although at what cost? If the top two leagues had merged and CL clubs had "dropped" to the NL there is no doubt other clubs would have had to exit. The win at all costs mentality and some of the absolutely outrageous pay rates in all leagues being discussed right now tell me that after the leanest season in decades the operators and participants of the sport have learned very little, if anything from a horrendous 2018. Keith Chapman saving the top league has probably prevented Speedway's Armageddon but for how long? Good luck to everyone at Buxton

Nonsense, their averages are also low for the same reason. There's no 5-6 pointer out there that will score 5 or 6 week in week out. Some weeks they'll get 3 the next 8. The only rider's that will show real consistency are your 9 point plus rider's. Between Charles Wright and Kyle Newman there's no contest on potential improvement. Wright can do a job as a 2nd string / 3rd heatleader, Newman only delivers as a reserve.

Sad to see Buxton not riding. Jayne and family have done a marvellous job keeping Buxton going in difficult circumstances. Thanks for all your efforts

Cos if the 7th doesn't go through depending on who else is available, you might have to change part of the team. Like last season Poole couldn't confirm Shanes til Linus was signed.

Wouldn't expect worky to benefit,nothing new,we stand alone

Welcome Bradley Wilson Dean!

Big rumours that both riders are fixed up, so I hope you're not too disappointed when they don't land Regards THJ

Isn't it strange, you have have a relatively poor season, drop your average and suddenly everyone wants you. Only in speedway!

Because we appear to be the only country that does not prioritise our own riders and we blooming well should.

I know for a fact that one top rider was offered terms, only for him to sign for someone else so top riders are being spoken to. I think toontrader is spot on with his post above. Let the money clubs outbid others with silly money, and the other riders will know they aren't going there, so they might think they need to get signing for someone.

Worrying news for other clubs knowing that Tungate might be signing for them. great value at the NSS tho.

Yep Auty over worrall at scunny every time

It's always difficult when there is a change of race night and it's not going to suit everyone. However, the fact remains that we need to try and attract a new and younger audience somehow. I'm 50 and I often feel like the youngest there. When you used to look at the first bend you could see blue and yellow scarves, now it's grey hair and beige anoraks. If the change of race night starts to attract some kids who can be home before bedtime then all the better. Well done on the team building by the way, it looks a very exciting team and I will be making every effort to be there next season after a bit of a period of apathy.

They just don't understand the meaning of 'customer' do they, even after all the years of decline they have overseen. That comment indicates to me that Ulrich and Lambo will be in the team.....Please no

Alun Rossiter made a similar comment about keyboard warriors. These are your customers guys !!!!!!

I would rather see Josh Auty at N S S BETTER AVERAGE THAN BOTH WRIGHT AND HOWARTH and flyes round Belle Vue a rider who will give you 100% every time he is on track .Championship average Auty 8.90 Wright 8.86 Garrity 8.31 Howarth 7.97 but all home grown riders .Not Aussies so might not stand a chance.But as far as i know all live about 20 min from track Stalybridge.H0WARTH BACK AT wOLVES

I agree I think Somerset have a much better top 5 than Scunny, I don’t know enough about the respective reserves.

More importantly achieved that average riding in the 3rd heatleader position all year, none of that was achieved with a spell at reserve unlike many

i think they were one of the title favourites in 2018 . ended up with a lump of wood !

Congratulations - you've got a good bloke there. A great team man and getting better year after year.

The team will be whatever it will be and will get my support whoever puts on a comets bib.theres all kinds of speculation of what last season's riders will be doing and if any will be back but the person I'd like to see back more than any other is the one that's been absent from supporting the comets the last few years and put the club in a healthier position to continue.

now its starting to get interesting . very interesting . my cash is on sarj returning .

Some might see that as a waist of good nails

On bspa website ty blaming the distance he had to travel from home in sheffield to workington as a reason for leaving ohdear i can do more miles in a day and again the day after and so on , pretty lame reason me thinks !

Thing is Ray you need stable second strings not everyone can improve.That is what i hate about the average points limit continuity has now gone out the window you sometimes change riders and you are no better off.At Swindon over the years Hitch, Keen, Munday (RIP) Bouchard ect were no super stars but were loved by the fans and did there job.

Nick lives in Swindon.

Wright is a solid rider a rider i like i was a fan of his at Swindon he can also still improve. What i like about Wright is he has showed he can cope in the top 5 there are not to many of those riders around at the moment.

Think it may begin with ‘P’

I am praying we are not going to be in this garbage league it will be glorified mdl 5 pound entrance at the very most and that is possibly too much loads of wobblers and strung out heats woeful league ..

Riders probably don't give two hoots but fans do. Social media went crazy last year when we announced Doyle was coming back, and not because it was the World Champion but because it felt like 'one of our own'. The same would of happened this year if Jake, BWD and even more so Charles Wright was signed. The team might do well and looks reasonably strong (I use the term strong as being relevant, and use it loosely) in the league, but nothing about it excites me except seeing Covatti back. It doesn't scream Somerset, it doesn't scream exciting or entertaining, I've never liked Schlein, Harris is just topping up his retirement fund by now and if I have to pay £16 for the privilege I'm sure I'm not alone in considering whether I will bother or not. It is actually quite sad - I've never felt so downbeat about Speedway and Somerset Speedway in particular in 19 years of following them

Very sad to see Buxton go. It’s effectively a 38 point limit, with the newbies now coming in on a 2.00. I can see a few top end riders like Kemp & Bacon doing the upper leagues only.

Better than Wrighty and can increase his average? Not even in the same league IMHO

I still don't think the penny has dropped with most promotions (including Somerset) the fans & sponsors you do have support the team & riders you had, they bond with the riders & that bond/ support grows. When you have wholesale changes from one season to the next that bond has been lost! If you favorite, second, third & forth favorite riders has gone from the previous season then you may seriously consider continuing your support for YOUR team.

I think you are spot on. Normally we know our team by now so people can purchase season tickets based on the team. I know if I owned King’s Lynn and Peterborough and Ipswich I’d have my best team for Ipswich and have great pleasure in giving Lynn a poor team. Normally I can’t wait til the new season. Not this year. It seems we have sold our soul to the devil

Away from the nonsense for a minute or two . Other clubs are announcing signings , but nothing other than silence from the hallowed halls of Ashfield . I must confess that the ridiculous points limit doesnt fill me with enthusiasm for the new season and i worry about what will be served up in front of us because of that . The " i know something you dont know " mob will no doubt smugly post some cryptic bollocks about who we've got , happens every winter , but team building to 38 points must be a nightmare . If we have Cook it takes over 10 out of the 38 points . 6 riders for less than 28 points - seriously . We had that in the 80's with Steve Lawson and 6 of his mates keeping him company in the pits , it didnt work then and Cook cant win meetings on his own . Rumours on here from Workington alleging underhand tactics to get one of their riders with Rasmus Jensen seemingly fitting the bill ........really ? Ok he done well during Worky's glory charge in October , but he's never impressed me round Ashfield in the past - Kid Jensen would have been more competative . I'd have the engine room of last season , namely Vissing , Starke and Kerr back again , and play the numbers game from there , such as it is .

My type of racer, Great signing, Welcome Bradley, Well done the promotion, Chuffed !!!

Sad to report Allan Kidd died last night.....he had not been well for a while. Allan Kidd was born in London on June 25th 1929, He rode professionally in the UK for the Poole Pirates during his speedway career and was a one team man! He is one of the few riders to have ridden in all three divisions of the National League, and also the Provincial League . He also helped Poole to win the Third, Second, and Provincial League titles. and to this day they are the only club side to achieved this, and Allan, Ken Middleditch, and Tony Lewis are the only three riders to have won championship medals in all four leagues. A superb feat! He first rode at the High Beech and Rye House training schools in 1949. Allan rode in the second halves at Poole, before signing for the club and making his debut on 31 May 1950. He helped Poole finish runners-up in the Third Division 1951 Third Division Champions and the Festival of Britain Shield winners. 1952 Second Division Champions 1953 Second Division runners up. 1954 Second Division runners up 1955 Second Division Champions 1955 Allan was the first winner of the Johnny Thomson Memorial Trophy He retired from British speedway at the end of 1956, and moved to Canada at the beginning of 1957. In 1959 Allan was ranked Number One in Canadian speedway! Returned to England in 1960 to ride for Poole in the Provincial League. He was appointed club captain and helped the club to finish league runners - up. Allan starred in a television commercial that was shown nationwide in 1960 - 1961 for Players Weights cigarettes. It was in many of the national and local newspapers, and it also included a lady named Valerie, who was a fashion model for one of the big stores in Bournemouth. Allan and Valerie were married in 1955 and at the beginning of 1957 they emigrated to Canada He was also part of the team crowned 1961 Provincial League Champions. He was due to lead the Pirates again in 1962, but seriously injured his back while working for a local steel erecting company during the winter month and never rode again. Allan was a member of the Poole team that made a seven match tour of Sweden in 1953. and again in 1995 he was a member of the Poole team that made an eight match tour of Denmark and Sweden. During this time in the UK at Poole, he completed a respectable point compilation of 1416.5, 25th in all-time points standings!

Third rider to be announced at 5pm.

Maybe they will want the loan fee to help pay for Doyle

I'd like to bet they will be called the Cubs as that makes sense really being as the 1st team are the Lions. Mind you this is Speedway so who knows.

It's time to move on. Unfortunately the trend has changed since the halcyon days and riders never stay long now. I wish Jake and Brads all the best !

Think things will work out ok in the NL this season and its certainly great to see Cradley back and Mildenhall stay on although i echo everyones best wishes to Buxton. There is still a place for a few of the big hitters as i can see teams tracking 3 x 2.00 1 x 9/10 still leave 20 points for 4 riders split 6/4 give or take. Will mean that riders have to take the chances and move up rather than sit tight / see out careers in the NL. Considering the feared numbers im glad the NL looks as strong and providing the right development league riders move up the racing will be continue to be good as like all leagues there is gulfs in class in that too.

When is the MDL AGM, maybe we are applying to race in that?

Tomorrow Martin and I head off for the AGM in Rugby where I hope we will have a constructive and positive meeting about the NL and how we take it forward. I have been reading on Social Media and I do understand the concerns being voiced about what our league will look like - how many teams, points limit, number of riders per team, competitions and so on... but we will strive to do the best we can for the league and present our ideas for the benefit of all. We will update you as soon as we are permitted. All the best

Atkins and Rowe Bailey and Kinsley Great to see Brits been given a chance this is what reserves should be all about

Things were very different then......... and yes they were each rider had ONE bike in the pits. If that failed he would pay to use the "track spare" . riders would have their bike loaded onto a bike rack on the rear of their car, others had a bike trailer. riders would use the same bike season after season , not sell off all their gear every season and buy new. riders owned one crash helmet and put a different colour cover RED BLUE WHITE or YELLOW/BLACK riders owned one set of leathers and kept them for years. You can see why the riders costs have increased...... IMO things began to change when the late great Ivan Mauger came onto the scene with bikes located in every speedway country. "professionalism " came into speedway. Now it seems every rider from a National League reserve appears on a brand new bike with glitter guards and all the trimmings. They all expect speedway to provide them with full time employment.