Pirate Baz

When ?

I'm predicting a King Lynn victory .............................. but largely because my predictions have been rubbish all season. End of the day it's sport, and anything can happen. We'll (hopefully) ride it tonight and get a result, and you could put the same riders out on another night and it would be completely different. OK sitting on the fence here, but for all my c*#p predictions I think both legs will be close. If say we hold the Stars to 4-6 points tonight it's not over. They have already proved they can ride Poole and are capable of keeping it tight down here.

Wow Authorised .......... can you not sleep at night? You aren't cricket's Duckworth/Lewis in disguise are you? A lot of hard work and it confirms what is revealed in the EL averages (from this weeks SS). Top 5 fast track riders. 8.95 Lewis Blackbird 8.25 Jason Garrity } 8.23 Lewis Kerr } Play off 8.13 Kyle Newman } Qualifiers 7.63 Steve Worrell. } Lewis Blackbird's injury is covered in your detail and poses the question "Would the Eagles have squeezed into the play off's had it not been for his injury?" I think that quite simply the teams with the best fast track rider(s) are always going to be the main challengers under the current system. Poor reserves and two 1-5's in heats 2 and 9 and you're give the opposition an 8 point start each match. The whole thing really needs looking at this winter. The afore mentioned riders are not going to be fast track next year, so will their (on any other) clubs give them a 1 to 5 slot? If not they will be returned to the PL and to my mind that will have made the fast track idea a pointless exercise.

With today's news I'm wondering if Tai is back in the equation as a possible number one?

Thanks for that Star Lady. Useful information on this forum. What on earth will happen next?

The Wolves match won't count Kingbee as it's after the cut off date.

Remind me of the cut off date again please. It's probably on here but I haven't time to go through 14 pages. Loaded question as I note that Lynn finish up at Belle Vue on 22nd, which was the date in the back of my mind, but the Bees ride their final match on 26th which I'm guessing is too late. All irrelevant anyway as the Stars are odds on to finish top and take first pick.

Don't be so sensitive ( ) Steve. I was simply pointing out a fact relating to the earlier post. Seems like you're jumping on the Poole fans and turning it around the other way. Not like you.

Which way round are they for the second legs ?

Peterborough have a guest for Bjerre according to their website as he's riding for Wolves.

Heard that North is guesting for Pawlicki (unconfirmed) but no news on guest at No. 1.

Yes tell me about it. I was in Koblenz about to travel up to Gelsenkirchen. Poole website says date to be announced in due course, and Poole webmaster has posted on forum "definitely not tomorrow". Think he's out there as well.

Where did you get that from ? Had a text from someone that travelled out there and they have been told that the re staging is likely to be after the Torun GP.

I've been told from someone who is out there that it's rumoured to be re-staged after the Torun GP.

Wish you'd make your minds up.

Whoopee. Little coastal town on the south of England .......... and we've made 300 pages on this topic. At least we've kept all the keyboard (I'm never going to speedway again ) fans (?) happy indoors on their PC's. Must be the most popular team in speedway to keep you all sooooo interested. Come on you Pirates !!!

..... but is he ranked below 24.

Honestly can't see anything other than 3 points for the Stars, that's if the weather doesn't win. Not overjoyed with using Harris, but I don't know how he usually goes around Lynn. Old boy's Darcy and Magic should go OK so we need big performances from Josh and Vaclav, who I'm not sure if he's ever been there before, and our guest rider. We should get out gunned at reserve, although Kyle is riding well at present the home boys are pretty dominant round there. Just seen the forecast it's it's the 'showers that can hit anywhere' scenario. Also supposed to be slow moving so if they hit (Saddelebow?) they won't be clearing quickly. Will make a decision on travelling later this morning.

I've tried to stay out of the Compton fiasco, but guys and gals it's really getting o.t.t. now. It's mentioned on just about every topic and has been really bled to death. You've all made your points by now I think. I do have to agree that the events seem very suspicious, especially the grading drop to number 25, coincidentally one below the cut off rule position of number 24. Decidedly dodgy...... but whatever you all like to think, Matt Ford didn't make that decision. He is guilty of being quick to be aware of it, and keeping tabs having previously tried to sign Benji. What is really bad, as already said many times, is the silence from the BSPA, Phil Morris, or whoever has allowed this to happen, that is what has created such a furore. All this boycotting meetings and booing the Poole riders is pathetic. The riders for a start are only doing their jobs. Who really thinks that Shamek or Vaclac had anything to do with the introduction of Benji Compton? Are the people boycotting meeting just because it's Poole really speedway fans? They are certainly not helping their sport and not putting it in a good light in the sporting world. I haven't heard of football fans not going to matches that Luiz Suarez is playing in as he's not a nice man. Also with due respect to Benji is he really going to make a difference, either to this weeks meeting or to the play offs. Can anyone in all honesty see him beating Lewis Kerr or Lewis Rose when the chips are down? One of the problems to many on this forum is that 'winning' seems to be a dirty word. Matt Ford is a winner. Some of you may say at all costs, but remember he is not on the management committee and so is in the same position as all the other promoters with regard to understanding rule and regulations. The man is running a business, and one has to admit a successful business, especially in the hard money draining sport of speedway. I am in the hardcore that has been going all his life (from the pram according to my late mum) and will watch speedway however my team is doing, but there are floating fans who like to see successful teams. This can be the difference between profit and loss and solvency and insolvency. For those of you who don't know him, other than someone to slag off behind the safety of your keyboards, Matt works very hard in promoting Poole and making it the success that it is today. If he didn't Poole may well be another nail in the speedway coffin. (And please don't lets have any 5 year old mentality replies to that by saying it would be a good thing. No Poole would be bad for speedway. Possibly the end of this forum. What would a lot of you posters do all day? Obviously not go to speedway. Maybe pick on Kings Lynn as they are too successful). Anyway point(s) made. Will be at the meeting on Thursday, with a proviso on the weather, and will be happy to have constructive chat with some Stars fans. That's the thing I find with speedway. The fans at all the tracks are very nice and there's always plenty of friendly discussion and banter. Totally different to some of the vitriol on the forums.

Sound good. We'll be on our way later then. Up the Pirates.

Can't believe that no ones started this thread. Bit of obsession with the Benji Compton events I think. Best leave that alone here. Could be a tight one but I think I'd be happy with a point tonight. Main concern is the weather. Terrible forecast predicted all week, and now seemingly improved over the last twelve hours. Any local news guys and gals? Don't want to spend Friday afternoon on the M25 only to have to turn round and come back home again.

Yes. Some great entertainment and plenty of passing from Magic, Darcy, and the Pirates not forgetting Killer (why do the call him that ? ) anjd Dakota. Objective report from a true neutral.

I stand corrected. I'm not getting into a grammatical debate with an eminent ex-journo. I just read the word remaining.

What are the play off dates ? Still got a trip to Leicester to arrange.