torpointfanatic22

Full time EL maybe? It's just sad that because of Mr Bowden's actions of previous seasons us fans automatically rule out signing top riders when realistically we can afford to have a very competitive team at PL level. I appreciate Ricky is based in Manchester but if the right deal was on the table and Mr Bowden showed some ambition to recruit proven quality performers (Barker aside) he could well be up for it.

Ashworth would be superb and that would give us a tremendous top 2 although I simply can't see it happening in a million years. Hef would be a good option in my opinion despite all the injuries he's had he's on a low average which should improve, although Bowden will probably go for Smart instead. Holder, no thanks I'd rather take a punt on a 3 point NL rider to be honest and I'd take Cockle over him also every day of the week.

Absolutely agree and in my post I said he's a nice guy and a trier but went on to say he hasn't done it at Plymouth and didn't want him back with Werner already signed! This is how crap writers make stories out of nothing by twisting words, Naj is good at that I have to admit!

Your posts really don't help your cause! I take it all back, mon the Brent!

Really nice guy and tries hard but never really got going in Devils colours. Personally I would have had him back but we signed Werner instead! Having both would be um bad!

North, lol, I highly doubt that!! I'm also led to believe Jesper isn't racing in England next year. Werner I hope, I'm still hoping he gets lost on the way to P&P and retires as a result

It's been confirmed in today's local paper that Plymouth have signed Steve Boxall for 2012 and are hoping to finalise a return for Ricky Wells in the coming days. Welcome to Plymouth Steve, he goes well at our place and hopefully he can improve on his starting figure. Fingers crossed the Ricky deal can be sorted and announced shortly also which will give us 11.91 for the final two.

What annoys me is that Leicester finished bottom of the pile (mainly due to their early season form) and have done something about it by signing quality riders in Nemo, Bjerre and Karlsson to ensure that doesn't happen again. Yet we are talking about Cockle, Kristiansen and Werner. Yes we have Ben which is superb but we proved last season that Ben can't win the league on his own. Mr Bowden believes Brent Werner is the answer to our frankly weak middle order of last season, I think that says all you need to know about our likely chances for next season!

Hopefully before March

Oh no, Werner is confirmed on BSPA site now

Good point! Personally I'd rather he just didn't ride for us!

And in my original post I said that the team was muted to be the 7 riders I named, I didn't say that was the team he was signing but the fact that those 7 were mentioned with no-one else does suggest that is the sort of team we will be seeing.

It's called the Evening Herald newspaper, maybe it's them then that have no idea or possibly even the promoter himself after all it's his words. Here's the link for you to read whilst you eat your humble pie... http://www.thisisply...tail/story.html

Fingers crossed your right mate!

But the difference is when Boxall turns up he'll score points, Brent may as well not bother turning up!

Glanz is a 3 I believe and Werner is 5.83 from the figure he last attained with Newport in 2009. He rode 4 meetings in 2010 with Somerset achieving an average of less than 2! The way Gary Spiller has been treated as some have already mentioned was disgraceful (the letter still hasn't arrived I'm told). I don't want to say too much but Gary was told by Mr Bowden he was sacked only for Mr Bowden to tell Seemond (new team manager) that Gary was taking time out! If you want to know the full story then head over to the Devils forum where you can read most of the tripe that has gone on recently. As for the team, well sadly we could've had a top team for this season but Werner is the first of what I believe will be another poor team. I genuinely feel Seemond Stephens would do better. Brent sold all his machinery after being dropped from Somerset so I ask who at 36 is going to invest heavily enough in good equipment to give yourself a chance of being competitive. His average is terribly high and he will get nowhere near it. In yesterday's local paper Mr Bowden is muting the team to be this... Barker Cockle Kristiansen Werner Wells Franchetti Glanz Now I and everyone else know full well that team will be an embarrassment to this great league and would come in over 4 points short of the 42.5 limit. There are riders out there on decent averages that have shown they can ride the SBA well that could help us to be competitive, Boxall, Sweetman, McGowan are examples of riders yet to be signed that could turn us into a decent side. But yet again it seems we will have a side on the cheap that will get smashed away and struggle at home. As a Plymouth fan I'm ashamed!

Ben Barker and Brent Werner for Plymouth... http://www.thisisplymouth.co.uk/Devils-retain-number-rider-Barker-real-coup/story-13961630-detail/story.html

Well Mr Bowden remains at the helm for 2012 and has confirmed that Ben Barker has agreed to return to the club for 2012. Sadly for some unknown reason he's also signed Brent Werner

I think there are more than whispers of that!

Thats fine Ben can ride for Swindon

I wouldn't say they'd be that bad mate no, infact I'd welcome the addition of Sanchez who as you rightly say goes well at our place as well as on many away tracks, the problem is if it means losing Wells to bring him in, no thank you. Ideally I'd like both he and Wells as our 3&4 for next year where I think they'd give our middle order the quality it's been lacking this season. As for the reserves I'd prefer James over Gino myself. Both similar in ability but James' gating ability, especially at the SBA makes him the stronger candidate for me. I see your point about Jesper and many Devils fans share your view. My issue isn't about what he's done so much this season but more what he can do next. Jesper was great at home but in the main he never made many passes and cannot ride the inside of the track as he is so tall. Plus the thing that puts me off him the most is his average of 5.93. Signing him as a reserve on 4.80 last season was worth the gamble, but on 5.93 I think he will struggle to maintain or increase that figure next season. Compare Jesper to someone like Kenny Ingalls who would be on a similar average but with far more potential to score more than Jesper both home and away. Don't get me wrong, Jesper wouldn't be the worst signing in the world but he wouldn't be my first or second choice. I like ambitious it's just a shame our promoter doesn't! I'd love to see a rider like Klindt at the SBA next season and at 5 with Ben at 1 we'd have some top 2, so bring that on Barker, Ingalls, Wells, Sanchez, Ostergaard (or someone of around 8.5), Cockle, Glanz

Klindt converts to 10.50 as he has no PL average so not sure that could work! On the road that team is likely to be a 3 man team, Franchetti and Kristiansen in particular were woeful on the road this season and their home form can be replicated with riders on similar averages that can also do better away. I'd take Bunyan back in a heartbeat on his average, but I can't see him returning. More likely he will be based nearer his home, Leicester or Sheffield I would suggest. I think Cockle has got a very good case for being in the side next year though. Many people including me felt he would never cut the mustard at PL level but he has done well at the back end of the season, achieving a CMA of 5.24 since his return. My problem is that we will end up lining up with other peoples cast off's. I can see a team of Barker, Hawkins, Sanchez (swapping with Wells), Kristiansen, ?? Cook perhaps, Franchetti, Glanz. That in my opinion isn't good enough.

He's a rider I liked when he came down to Plymouth for the Bears, but I have heard quite a lot of negative stuff about him. That said I'd take him at reserve with Glanz as long as we have a quality top 5. The key for us next year is to maintain decent home form but we have to fill the team with riders that can compete away from home too. In the Speedway Star Bowden is saying that along with Glanz who has already signed, he's looking at Franchetti, Cockle, Barker, Wells and Kristiansen returning! What a joke that is, we would probably be weaker than we were this season.

Thats what I meant

Yes he would as I believe the cut off to drop sown is an EL average of 7.5 which converts to a PL 12.00. Like you say though I'd highly doubt he'd want to drop down though.