Halifaxtiger

Don't think you are being biased, MM. If the GP system had been in force from the late 1960's its difficult to see anyone beating Mauger for about 10 years.

British League averages for Nielsen: 1979 10.29. 1980 10.68 1981 9.79 1982 9.89 1983 10.81 1984 10.76 1985 11.34 1986 11.57 1987 11.37 1988 11.03 To suggest that Nielsen was overrated is without doubt one of the most ridiculous comments I have ever read on here. For me, he's one of the greatest speedway riders ever. At the end of 1981, Penhall was absolutely everything that world speedway needed in its champion. A fantastic rider, bucket loads of charisma and film star looks. By the end of 1982, that had been severely dented. It started in the England/USA test series, when he held the BSPA to ransom by demanding appearance money. Then there was White City. Riders cheat in such circumstances, but what they don't do is ram it down paying customers throats. Then he walked out on the sport, signifying that he only rode in 1982 to compete in the World Championship. On the day, he was. The question is whether he would have won it anywhere other than Norden, where it appeared it was totally set up for him to win. Great champions don't need that sort of help and any victory is at least partly hollow for others when they do.

That's a play off team.

I have no doubt that it was helped by the fact that the final was in the USA..... If memory serves me correctly, Tony McDonald commented in Tragedy that it wasn't easy to find any rider who was prepared to say a good word about Kenny Carter - again if memory serves me correctly, Joe Owen and Dave Jessup were the only ones. On the other hand, only one was vitriolic in his remarks - and that was Bruce Penhall. Peter Collins, who loathed Carter and who he blamed for finishing his career, simply said they didn't get on. There's no reason why Penhall couldn't have said the same thing, yet he chose to be particularly aggressive. If you read Tragedy, it is clear that Carter's actions in murdering his wife and then committing suicide were in no way planned or premeditated - he simply acted in the heat of the moment given the circumstances at the time. That in no way excuses what he did and it remains as awful now as it was then. The only thing is to commit an act of extreme violence in temper is something that each and everyone of us is capable of.

Not the same criteria that I (and I suspect a lot of fans) use. Of the top 5 matches I saw last season, 3 were at Scunthorpe which says it all really. For sheer quality of racing, nothing beats EWR. Having said that, Workington does deserve recognition. The racing was better last season than in previous years and generally well above average, the speedway is the cheapest in the PL (and indeed is comparable with some NL tracks) and there's the bonus of the Hogster on the mic. As an overall package, its right up there. I think you are dead right................and preparation, as we know only too well, is often in the eye of the beholder. Leicester was better last season, too.

I think you are right..... but I think Gjedde will be No 2 with Newman a strong number 3. Based upon that side, I think Plymouth will be a play off team.

Given that the UKVI have agreed to a 5.00 starting average this season (rather than the 7.00 last year) it seems as though they are accepting dumbing down already.

I think you are dead right. The trick is to try and combine the two - be competitive but have 3 or 4 in the team who are just starting out or have a season or two under their belts. Mildenhall have got that pretty much spot on.

So am I after all the noise and hassle the summer before last.

One consolation : I am absolutely lousy at predictions.

I'm not as impressed as some either. Stead's coming back from dreadful injury, so he'll do well to hold a 10.5 average. Bates spent most of last season at reserve, Howarth has been on the same average (or so) for 3 seasons and Greaves is one of the weaker 3.00 pointers based upon NL scores. Question mark over Berge improving. Hall should go up and Garrity might well do so, but 2 out of 7 isn't enough.

Really ?

Still one rider to go and depending on Gjedde, but that looks a good team.

I certainly didn't intend to be critical or insulting. The thing is though that as far as I am concerned speedway needs to get the basics right first and then move on from there, and most fans refer to the quality of the racing, the presentation and lack of delay as three things the sport simply must ensure are as good as they can be. No- other track across the sport comes as close to that as Scunthorpe.

He's had them. That's where he gets his reputation for unreliability and unprofessionalism from. Its all very well having better scores, but they are worth nothing if the rider isn't there. As I said, read the comments on the Rye House thread - after all, that's the last club Boxall rode for.

Brilliant news for my pals down at SBA that Holder has re-signed - losing him would have been a disaster. There's every chance that he could be one of the PL's top riders next season.

Read one or two comments on the Rye House thread. While Boxall has certainly got a better record in terms of points scoring than Nielsen, at least Belle Vue will know that Nielsen will turn up to every meeting and still be riding for the club at the end of May. That makes Nielsen a better signing.

I couldn't really care about any of this. What I would like to see at EWR in 2016 is pretty much what I saw in 2015 - cracking racing, good presentation and as little delay as possible.

I can't agree on that. I see no more question marks over Kennett, Morley, Lykke & Heeps than there are over Lawson, Summers, Barker & Ayres. What I do accept is that the ifs over some riders are greater than those over others.

Much improved last season (at least based upon the occasions I saw him, anyway). There are better choices out there but there are worse ones as well.

Isn't that the case with most teams ? Hull 2004 springs to mind.

That's opinion, and whether a rider is eligible to ride in the NL is not determined by opinion but by SCB regulations. NL rules allow those with patriality to ride in that league. It mentions nothing about future intentions, past records or anything else. Wilson-Dean has patriality, so he was eligible to take his place in the Eastbourne side. By reference to further regulations he should go into the PL on a 3.00 average so, as has been accurately stated, he's been screwed by the BSPA.

We agree again I certainly think its a better team than some are making out. Kennett is one of the top riders in the league, Lykke has come on a bundle, Morley will be one of the top 3.00 riders and Heeps has a good record at Rye House and a move away from Ipswich should do him good. Robson is better than 6.5 - I thought that Redcar's track last season just didn't suit him. The reserve pairing will score points everywhere. The two doubts are Lanham and Klindt. Lanham was rubbish at Sheffield in 2014 and although he improved at Somerset by the time they showed him the door he was back to that sort of form. He's the sort of signing that doesn't inspire or excite - quite the opposite in fact. I didn't see much of Klindt in 2015 but I'd agree with all those who say if he doesn't gate he's not interested. At Scunny at 2014 the only reason he was gating was because he rolled almost every time. Still, its not that long ago that he was a very good second string at EL standard so there is hope for improvement. While I'd admit I am lousy at prediction, I think that team is better than Ipswich and Berwick.

I think you are right about Worrall. There's a chance he'll improve but its by no means guaranteed. Barker will go up. At Sheffield in play offs he never looked like being beaten so 7.5 is a bargain average. Lunna is a shrewd signing, and I agree with Albert's comments above. Ayres will be one of the better 3.00 picks and if Garcia is on better machinery he'll improve considerably. Its a good team.

I agree. Not only that, it'll be a very good one to watch.