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List along with Gilmore are the two after Lidsey that have been noted as the best two young riders coming through in Australia.You also have Kew, Browne, Bowes progessing nicely and i thought Mcguinness might of had a bit of interest shown in him also.Keleher is a different proposition alot older than List but in European terms no more experienced.I believe List has alot of ability and i would be giving him the whole season and see him as a longterm project.Scunny there top four i believe is very good and also the reserves should be able to mix it with the likes of Ruddick,Chessell,Phillips, Clegg ( ect) injuries allowing?? Scunny will do ok.

I don't see a lot of improvement in this season's (anticipated) side and don't see us challenging at all, which is very disappointing after last season. Robert would have to go great guns to put a big increase on his average again. Went from 7.38 to 9.13. Sure he'll be between 9.00 to 9.50 but he won't have a lot of support this year. Despite Niels having a poor season by his standards, they still chalked up several match winning 5-1's. Ty put 1.17 on his average last season (5.50 to 6.67) and I can't see him doing that again, in fact would be surprised if he even matched his average with having to be 2nd heat leader. Thomas only added 0.12 (5.93 to 6.05). MPT's average actually dropped by 0.21 (5.57 to 5.36) despite some headline performances. Lewis added 0.44 (5.06 to 5.50) and will do well at reserve, especially at home. Kasper was nowhere near his 4.00 average despite there obviously being some talent there as shown with some of his performances for Sheffield. Erik came in on 6.10 and finished on 6.08. Became very good at the AFA but his away performances tailed off after a promising start. I could maybe see increases for Robert, Thomas, Erik and maybe MPT but that would be about it and certainly not by a point or so, more like the odd 0.10/0.20. I see Lewis probably being in around the same but think he'll struggle in the main body of team away from home. Be surprised if Kasper reaches over 4.00 and think Ty's will fall if no one else steps up into the second heat leader role. To me, the side looks like the cheap, easy option. Would love to be proved wrong but expecting a battle to avoid the wooden spoon. I actually like all the riders, I just don't like the balance of the team and think we'll really be lacking in heats 13 & 15. Might get away with it at home but see some right hammerings on the road. At £18 a meeting. I'll be picking and choosing my matches from now on rather than being the die hard I once considered myself.

It's not a case of ignoring 2018 at all. Yes PUK had a poor year average wise he still regularly delivered when it mattered in heats 13 and 15. From the start to the end of the season Iversen and Lambert pretty much swapped averages. The gains came from Proctor adding over a point. Realistically, could he do that again? Of course but unlikely. Jorgensen's average stood still in 2018 People are saying MPT is a must but his average was also stagnant from when he signed, this including time at reserve. Riss average stayed the same in his short period with the team but I do expect his average to rise being with us from the start of the 2019 season. Andersen can't be any worse than his less than 3 average but I can't see an improvement on his assessed 4. Kerr won't improve much but is consistently good to excellent at home which is most important, especially in a meeting over 2 legs. I think Kerr in both finals was missed more than Toft. -------------------------- Apart from Riss, I just don't see where the improvement is going to come from? With the predicted line-up there certainly isn't any back-up for Lambert in heat 13 & 15 compared to other 1-7's. The back end of meetings are hugely vital in securing results. Yes we did finish top of the table, but there was no hope of that happening until Andersen, Kerr, Garrity were all replaced. With the predicted 1-7, like the first half of 2018, we will flop again. It isn't a solid team throughout, to many weak spots. Kerr's fitness is in question. Andersen is an uncertainty. MPT only any real quality at reserve. Proctor, Riss and Jorgensen are no 2nd heatleader. Any way you try to look at the predicted team it does come out looking extremely poor to other 1-7's. We have to hope other teams injuries are worse than ours to get anywhere I'm afraid to say.

Yep, could be a lot worse, could be in the situations of lakeside/Workington/rye house fans and have no speedway at all - instead we’ve got speedway, a team that will be competitive at home at least and top flight speedway which suits me, should be much more competitive racing!

Quite honestly, that is one of the most ridiculous posts I have seen! Okay, I know iris can be abrasive, and I know you are not a fan of his, but you need to look in the mirror sometimes instead of making comments like "why do you act like this?" This is HIS thread, and he has - as is not uncommon - some fascinating information for us. Like me, he is genuinely interested in the "years gone by". It's not like he is just coming on here to antagonize others - seriously. You can see by comments from others, including myself, that we are perplexed by some of the self-promoting (and often poorly produced) posts by a certain forum member. Even as strongly as we feel about John's posts at times, nobody is "advising" him to stay away from the forum, and there is absolutely no reason for you to make such ridiculous statements about another forum member who provides us with some great stuff. Steve

Yes,as always no depth of research.The other links are far more interesting imo As has been said often,a rather poor website and your articles fit perfectly

He was a joy to watch around Shawfield and was a big part of our phenomenal team's of the 93 - 94 seasons.

So let’s get this right. You start a thread asking a question you already know the answer to, and which nobody has the slightest interest in, and when challenged you try to tell us your reason for starting it was to see if Iris 123 would trail you . Of course you didn’t expect him to catch you out by pointing out that it was just another of your attention seeking scams. Take notice of what Chunky says and stop making a complete fool of yourself.

Funny thing is that over the years, I have had several private conversations (on here and on Facebook) with John about this very topic. With his knowledge and experience, John is - and should be - a valuable member of these forums, but he just doesn't help his cause with some of the things he posts. No John - we don't have a problem with YOU; we welcome your interesting historical posts. We just wish you wouldnt make some of the ridiculous and unnecessary posts you do, and I have said to you before that simply asking for answers to questions to which most of us already know the answers is not advisable. Steve

Great stuff, Doug; thanks for sharing! Steve

but if those "excellent replacements" are in the team this year, then they're poor .. not getting your logic, sorry

Can’t be bothered.I would be making 20 or so contacts per day,just like the mod said you was doing.You make the mistake in assuming others are obsessed as yourself

I know you will probably take this the wrong way as you don't really like my opinion if it differs to yours but,you say we were fortunate with our injuries/replacements and facing teams with terrible injuries which made our results look good.Really only Belle Vue spring to mind and Wolves with Schlein missing,but then the other teams had to face these in the league with the same riders missing.It normally balances itself out in that respect.So as you say we were fortunate because of that.Doesn't that then make us unfortunate to lose the final because of the same that happened to us,but you say we blew it.

I'm pretty sure that Laura has more than enough integrity to ensure all monies paid by fans will be returned in full.

Translated as - Have no opinion about what decisions we make " in the best interests of the sport". We offer no information as to how those decisions were reached and anyway it is nothing to do with you. Purely a business decision. We are handling the managed decline of UK speedway as we see fit ( as it belongs entirely to us ). What remains of the sport in the UK after crowd numbers and sponsors fall to an unviable level is equally of no concern of yours. How many clubs are owned by or under the control of any BSPA member is a private matter for themselves only. Yes, please pay by direct debit, whether you intend to go to matches or not - Oh, and bring a friend ( as our dependable marketing scheme has long directed ). You know it makes sense and offers you a stress-free way to enjoy speedway racing.

Considering the tragedy that was Lokeren, West Ham has to hold that sadly unwanted title. Any other team's perceived misfortune pales in comparison.

I didn't realise how unfortunate Wolverhampton were at the time. I just wanted my team, Belle Vue, to win the match - and in doing so, the title. I'm talking about the 1993 season. Remember, that final showdown between Wolves and Belle Vue that decided the league winners, long before the hyped-up and often manipulated Play-offs. Although I was a keen Aces' fan at the time and got caught up in winning the title, I still felt sorry for the Wolves. But, just going through some mags from the season, I didn't quite realise the extent of Wolves' misfortune. They had been odds on favourites to win the title, all season, having a double-figure points lead much of the time. However, at the same time Belle Vue began registering their first league points on their travels - it was as late as August - Wolves had a terrible dousing of misfortunate sprinkled over them. Within two weeks of late August-early September, they suffered three injuries that would have finished most other teams. Middle-order rider Graham Jones was injured on August 21. That was six points a match gone. Then, 10 days later Charlie Ermolenko picked up arm injuries at Poole that also wrote off his season. Another six points were gone. But worse was to come. Twenty-four hours after the younger Ermolenko was crocked, Ronnie Correy, the number two, broke his back while riding in Sweden for Bysarna. His year was over - indeed, the injury meant he didn't race in 1994 either. That was almost another 10 points a match gone. Wolves should have been on the canvas and counted out. But they battled on. Obviously, the loss of over 20 points from three riders took its toll. Wolves lost five in a row and their title chase hit quicksand. Young Mikael Karlsson, for his first taste of British racing, and veteran Gordon Kennett, out in the cold after starting the year at Exeter, were introduced. Wolves battled on as the Aces clawed back the gap on the Midland side in an interesting end to the season that, in all reality, would have been all but over had the Monmore side remained untouched. Personally, I feel history would have been different and Wolves would have managed to hold on - but in their penultimate fixture, the final, cruellest blow came when Sam Ermolenko was injured and his year was through. It was the first race of Wolves home match with Bradford. Ermolenko, of course, was the best rider in the world and in domestic racing. It was his finest season. They had lost their kingpin, the World Champion, and did well just to hang on for a 56-52 win over the Dukes. Wolves went into the decider with Belle Vue four riders missing from the side that had brought them to within touching distance of their second title in three years. They borrowed Gustafsson from King's Lynn, and his paid 16 from six starts just wasn't enough to claim the draw (they lost by just a point, 53-54 ) which would have won the title for Wolves and denied Aces the dramatic last heat clincher. History would have been changed. Ermolenko, I'd have bet, would have roared to a maximum. He had scored the full 21 at Bradford before his injury. His presence in the team alone would have encouraged lesser men to cajole an extra point or two, maybe. But he was out with a broken thigh. Not only had Wolves lost three integral members of their side - numbers two, for and five, which otherwise they'd have coasted to the league, I believe they would have dragged out a win versus the Aces - and therefore been league kings - with Sam against the Aces. As it was, they won just thrice from their final 10 matches without their full side, and for the first time since 1979, the title had gone down to the wire. As a fan of Belle Vue, I recall the jubilation on the terraces that night. But, at the same time, I also felt like we'd won through an own goal. The annals of history should have been written differently. Luck swings two ways - good and bad. Indeed, it reminds me of the previous Belle Vue title win of '82, again fortuitous after Cradley lost Penhall. Wolves 1993 have to be the most unfortunate team... least in my memory.

Just cough up your cash and stop whingeing. Pay by direct debit and don't bother to turn up if all you can do is moan

Please stop getting so butthurt, John. As I said on another thread, I have had conversations with you and explained why some people have a problem with some of the stuff you post. It is not always WHAT you post, but the WAY you post it. You aren't stupid - yes, I believe that - but you often act like you are. Worse than that, you act like everybody else is. Talk about Byrd McKinney, that's fine, but don't make out that we will be clamouring to answer you when we already know what the answers are. Directing people to your own articles is fine - sometimes - but you really don't need to do it as an automatic response to a topic. Just some friendly advice... Steve

Surely that will depend on getting some fans back and the racing being good enough to keep them coming back.

I would expect there will be at least an initial upturn Very few of those that could be tempted back will read the mixed verdicts on here - they will get the mainstream news - and I think the top flight return will be viewed positively A good start at home and some entertaining meetings will be needed to capitalise and maintain that advantage Fingers crossed

He was a really good rider Shane, Kenny Mckinna, Robert Nagy, Les Collins, and Mr Glasgow Steve Lawson.It was great days for the NL and Glasgow not that i saw nearly as much as i would of liked.

Stephen Morris was the rider in question I believe... I think Wainwright had already been excluded in the first running of the heat. Although the memory may be playing tricks! It was a huge crowd and great atmosphere.. if only we could relive something similar.

5th September Sheffield 36 (T Forward 11, J Young 9, M Hepworth 8, D Boocock 8) Cradley Heath 23 (J Bostin 8, P Taylor 8, P Fry 5, N Leaver 2) Halifax 21 (D Clay 10, G Whittaker 8, I Sutcliffe 3, S Quick 0) Wolverhampton 16 (C Cobby 8, A Butt 4, F Killeen 3, A Phillips 1)

You don't help yourself with stuff like this John. If you're posting a genuine question, fair enough, but a simple googling of the blokes name taking us to an article written by you is frankly just weird. And i doubt the other member has a collection of your writings... as i said.. google gives answers in less than a second.

Just a quick add on to Moxey's excellent post. Some may be thinking, so they lost a few riders, no big deal. The difference that season was guests were only allowed for your No 1 rider, which of course was Sam Ermolenko. Where the league was really lost was a 2pt home defeat against Ipswich when we had a side of Sam Ermolenko, Peter Karlsson, Neil Evitts (riding injured and woefully out of form and confidence) RR and four juniors. Sam rattled off a 21pt max, PK may have got a max too, or close to it, but it wasn't enough. Shane Parker decided to goad the Wolves crowd after the meeting celebrating wildly and became somewhat unpopular to say the least. That said my opinion of Parker changed a few years later when we held a fund raising event for PK, Parker came along and was brilliant. He's a bit handy at Laserquest! The Ermolenko crash in Heat 1 against Bradford had more ramifications as it meant we didn't get the bonus pt that match which would have won us the league that night if I remember correctly.

I’d gladly give back any perceived good luck that has gone The Aces way as long as we give back the misfortune that has hit us over the decades. We’d have have far more trophies in the cabinet that our, admittedly impressive number.

The logic is they were excellent (i.e. an improvement) on what we had before in 2018. Now these rider's will be alongside those they replaced in 2018 thus making the whole makeup of the side very very poor. Makes perfect sense.

Not so much a gating tart,just not interested most of the time,he has talent but attitude stinks IMO.His fellow Frenchman Bellego suffers the same traits.Seem to be earning a living out the sport though.

Son ,and also has a younger son also involved in the sport.

Of course it will be more competitive.Take a look at the Witches team from last year towards this years team 6 of them would be classed as Championship heat leaders all riding for the same team.The same with most other teams plus a good few higher classed riders as well so most races the witches fans will see this year would last year have been all heat leader clashes so it has to be a better class and more competitive season of speedway than last year.

His son Steve, i remember Shane he was a very good NL rider.

We looked the weakest last year sid, and that prediction included Puk averaging 9 or so and he fell way short of that. That means everyone else stood up to cover him and more besides, we were a team way stronger than the sum of its parts and but for injuries we almost certainly would have won the title. I appreciate that people give honest opinions on the strength of all seven teams but when people look at Lynn it’s almost as if they are ignoring what was achieved in 2018. We finished top with a bit of daylight with a misfiring second heat leader and a fairly limited number seven. Replacing those two with Kasper and Lewis certainly makes us weaker but the whole league is weaker and I just can’t see the nucleus of last years side dropping from top to bottom. More likely to be somewhere in the middle.

Not sure how it will be more competitive... 80% of the riders will be Championship riders so it will be as similarly competitive as it would be in the Championship surely? And a rider like Doyle, who is head and shoulders better than all but a few Championship riders, could make it even less competitive..

Nike is full throttle hang on type of guy so I would get a large amount of spare bags Dave. Be great to watch with anticipation every time he goes in to the corner never knowing if he’s coming out the other end .

IF, the team turns out to be the one we all fear, our chances of success will be totally dependant on Robert Lambert. Yes he may have the ability to beat everybody, BUT, if he were to have a bad meeting, a fall, an E/F or he was unavailable, we would be up the creek without a paddle. At home, it might be possible to lose retaining some distinction for effort , but if it was an away meeting it would be embarrassing. Nothing does more harm to this sport than watching easy meetings where the teams are so one sided... When looking at the make-up of the other teams, if we don't acquire a back-up for Robert we can forget it....

If any of it was true I might be a bit concerned, but as it is not I'll not bother with what you have said. The difficulty is that, unlike Worky and other smooth hard tracks that produce speed and nothing else, Brough is prepared with dirt on and with the tight corners it tests riders, especially if they are of the throttle happy flatout riders such as Richard Hall, Josh Auty, Kyle Howarth, etc. All these sort or riders are spinning on a flat smooth track with no excitement, who never learnt till later how to handle dirt like their more sensible style riders who ride Brough well, like the Worrals, etc. Berwick, Worky fans regularly complain about the quality of racing at their own tracks and it is a regular complaint and might well be a major complaint with the fans that now don't attend. Does or should make you wonder about it, rather that slating other peoples tracks, where there is a regular racing at flat out speeds as well. We can't all be Sheffields and Somersets with good tracks and usually good racing on roughened tracks, but we do are best. I certainly can confirm that any elements lout behaviour in our ranks gets reported, and is seen to pretty prompt, and hasn't been with us for years. Behaviour of away fans has also been tackled, which has tended to put off certain Redcar fans since that problem was tackled. We attend every away meeting with them in great numbers and have no problems or even a reputation for troubles. Unfortunately they feel they can't return that compliment to support us for their away meetings with us.

Campton's average is well over a point higher than Berge's so wouldn't fit. Lambert simply isn't good enough.

Precisely. Whether people think this is the best method or not they must be able to appreciate at least what is trying to be achieved. Anybody who buys a season ticket nowadays for speedway with meetings being more and more weather dependant and the fixture list ending up being so different to how it is first published needs their head testing IMO.

Very sad - I am fortunate enough to have seen Speedway at Walkerville but when I went in 2017 it was clear that it was struggling to survive and that Flat Track and Quads were much more viable options. Unfortunately, it is a sign of the times with Speedway pretty much worldwide as the same could be said of Canada and even some European countries much closer to home. I'm glad I went when I did as I don't anticipate be able to watch Speedway in South Africa again.

I don't think Buster is worried about season tickets tbh. Over the season he would make more from people paying a pound each to sit down. The only benefit season tickets might have is that the promotor has a few grand up front. Ok if you need it, but I doubt Buster does if he can take on 2 more clubs. He has 3 clubs. Panthers declared their team quickly, and it looks very good, and not cheap. Ipswich, not as fast or as good, but done. Then he drip feeds Lynn. Who looks like their team will be a poor one. That's what will miff me off. NKI or a like for like is a must .NKI's away ave last season holds up pretty well. At 7.62 it was up there. Only Doyle 8.95, Lambo 8.27 and Batch 8.00 where much ahead. Fricke 7.64 and Cook 7.63 almost identical to Niel's. To big a miss if not used or a like for like.. TJ averaged 7.53 at home, but only 4.63 away. Ty 7.27 home and 5.80 away. Kasper averaged 2.55 and keeps his assessed 4.00. Lewis (if signed) averaged 7.68 at home, but 3.87 away. And returning from another bad one. Lynn had the best away record in 2018. We will be lucky to pick up a point or 2 with no back up for Robert. I wonder how long it will be before Lambo gets fed up with going it alone.

Season tickets at KL for many years have not been worth buying miss one meeting then your on a loser - offer fans a good deal then they would sell more .

Well that's totally killed this thread well and truly ! Seems like there's nothing 'positive to say' here as there hasn't been a post since last Wednesday............................................................................

its heartbreaking reading that from the local paper . everything that could have been done to save the club , has been done , you can now see just why every young gun thats decent on a bike wants to ride speedway . free vans and stuff are making this glorious sport extinct . the sport cant and will not survive much longer and thats not just in workington .. so who is to blame ? the fans that dont come anymore , the entrance fee too high , or has boredom really set into our great sport . the new ish thumb brigade get their excitement from moving buttons about now and sucking fizzy drink that gives you wings ! i , like many others will lose our Saturday speedway fix and if the costs keep going up and up . we will never see speedway at workington again . but if its not to be , then so be it . but we said goodbye in the best way . . anyone that has promoted or had dealings with running a speedway circus deserves more than . a pat on the back . it shows how the sport is being run by the goonies when they lose the shield trophy and cant/wont even pay for a few medals for the riders competing in the finals . remember , just support your team till the bitter end, because one day it might be . (i have not spell checked or read this , so there will be mistakes )

So good to see Darcy Ward getting wed to the lovely Lizzie on Friday. Congratulations to them both. So many speedway friends in attendance in Oz, including Middlo, the Holders and the Kurtzs, Leigh Adams plus Aussie Team Manager Mark Lemon and many more..

Totally agree with you !

The under 19 meeting was a great meeting. More BSPA meetings should be at Foxhall. Plenty enough room for the visiting fans and even half full wpuld generate a good atmosphere

Maybe people should refrain from positive posts about the team, at least give the lads a chance to prove how poor they are Seriously though, nothing worse than people telling others what they should be doing.

Very sad indeed !! If there is any chance that Comets can come to the tapes in 2020 we need to do everything we can to help Laura bring it back....

You try reading Mason Campton article and tell me again that it's harder on the fans than the riders. I have full sympathy for the workington loyals. But I'm sorry, nothing compares to losing a job or in Campton case, a career.