Aces51

Swindon can put up a decent show at Kirky Lane and Aces asset Steve Worrall could get double figures. However, the Aces are strong at home and should get all 3 points.

Not too sure about that Phil. I think we have some of the most loyal fans in the country. Not many teams with our poor record over the last 20 years would still be drawing decent crowds (by current standards).

Is it correct that Tai has no further matches in Sweden or Poland before the SWC? If so, the argument that he rode one last meeting for each of his clubs is not persuasive. A very entertaining match last night. Pawlick apart, a very poor Wolves side but they made the gate often enough to give the Aces the opportunity to chase and often pass them. Pawlicki deserved more points than he got and really is going to be a top rider. For the Aces, excellent performances all round with particular mentions for Zagar for some brilliant passes and for Lee Payne for his first EL win.

What doesn't add up is that if he wanted to try to carry on racing the obvious decision was to give Sweden a miss, have a day off and do the far less grueling meeting tonight. Going to Sweden in the state he tweeted shows where his priorities lie. Harris makes Wolves stronger tonight with Woffinden's current EL form but should be an Aces win.

Now that sadly the Birmingham results have had to be removed and taking account of points lost at home against points won away the current league table is; Kings Lynn +16 Coventry. + 6 Poole. + 4 Belle Vue. + 1 Eastbourne - 1 Lakeside - 1 Swindon. - 2 Wolverhampton - 7 Leicester. -12

Time you made a visit to Kirky Lane. The last two seasons the racing has been good. As someone brought up on racing at Hyde Road I certainly know what good racing is and Leicester has been dire on the three visits I have made.

Latest news. http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/sport/other-sport/birmingham-brummies-face-d-day-over-7406378 Let's hope it's good news today.

Reg. 17.7.5 prevents Poole using Wright as he guested for Belle Vue last Monday so can't guest at the same track within 8 days. Beat me to it John.😁

No, he was signed.

Charles Weight for Nielsen and Jason Garrity replaces Auty.

You have to feel for all those loyal Brummie supporters and especially Brian Buck, after all the work he did to get speedway back in Birmingham. I sincerely hope that someone does come forward to save the club.

Thank you. Good to know the memory hasn't completely gone. 😀

Think it was Peter Craven. Excellent programme. Tai came across well and it gave a good insight into the life of a top rider.

Speedway referees are no different than referees in any other sport. By the nature of what the referee is there to do fans will always disagree with their decisions. Being human referees in all sports will make mistakes but football referees send players off and I see no reason why speedway referees should not do the same and exclude a rider from the remainder of a match for a blatantly dangerous move. Being excluded from a match twice in a season could result in a longer ban. Fortunately, such blatantly dangerous moves are rare. I witness very very few during a typical season. Those who defend Pedersen and cite incidents involving other riders forget the most important point. Pedersen has a long and continuing history of involvement in such incidents. No other modern day rider gets even close to matching him.

A quick rough and ready calculation shows Bridger is averaging about 5.3 in Polish League 1. I suspect that Cook is hoping to be as professional as he can in his preparation and equipment in order to give himself the best chance to do well.

As has been said a number of times, Cook wanted to ride in Sweden but couldn't get a team place because his average here was too high to make him an attractive option. He has also explained that although he might get a team in Poland there are no guaranteed rides there and he could not afford the £30,000 outlay for equipment to leave there, that might rarely be used. He was hoping to make enough money this year doubling up to be able to afford to take the risk next year.

The only fair way and the best way to give the riders the most experience is to do again next year what happened this year. That is for assets to be assigned to the clubs that own them and then for the bottom club to have first pick and then the next to the bottom and so on. It would be wrong for Coventry or any other club to be able to retain riders and thereby continue to have an advantage, simply because they finished bottom in 2013. The whole system of selection for the FTR needs to be reviewed, hopefully with a more even selection of riders being available. As I have said before, most I speak to think the system is a success. I find it difficult to know how anyone who has not attended any meetings can express a valid opinion on the entertainment that had been provided.

If there is to be a restriction it makes more sense for it to be based on racing experience rather than age. Why should someone with very little experience like Lee Payne be excluded simply because he took up the sport later in life than others.

What about riders who are performing well but get dropped because a club wants to replace them with someone they think will do better or clubs who do not meet their contractual obligations to the rider. As I said, it can be a two way street. Sometimes riders take the mickey and leave a club in the lurch but many clubs don't worry about their obligations to the rider if they think they can bring in a better rider. What about riders not being paid but facing action if they withdraw their services? How can that be right? I don't agree with riders or clubs not meeting their obligations but you can't just blame riders.

I have lots of sympathy but it's a two way street. If you're going to punish riders for breaking their contact what happens when clubs drop riders part way through the season? Do clubs then get penalised?

Belle Vue allow access. I think up to 30 minutes before the start.

It was good to see PK riding so well. Just wish he had chosen a different match to show he can still do it. 😁 Also, impressed by Lee Payne in his first home match. Considering his lack of experience, he was in the mix, never gave up and scored a few points. Looks to have the potential to progress and will benefit from the fast track system.

Excellent performance by the Aces considering most expected them to lose without Cook. Congratulations to Lakeside on the draw but with two guests, who probably did better than the riders they replaced and r/r for Cook netting only 5 paid 6, they should have won. Despite some of the comments on here I thoroughly enjoyed it. There we some good races and the tightness of the scores added to the entertainment.

The absence of Cook is a major blow. He has been on great form in his last two home matches, paid 15 and paid 13. The best we can hope for is r/r wins for Scotty and Simon, which is doubtful. Lakeside have two guests who are at least adequate replacements. A Lakeside win unless all of the Aces are on top form.

I agree the fans can only blame themselves for the demise of the Colts. If the losses had been less then the promotion would probably have carried on. As to having had good reserves if the Colts had continued, not so sure. Garrett was an asset but had issues and went to Rye House, Howarth was already a Poole asset from their Bournemouth days and there wasn't really anyone else who has progressed unless I've forgotten someone. May have discovered someone if we had continued though, who knows.