tigerowl

Phew, David Hoggard says it was just an off night. Thank goodness for that. I hereby retract my previous post as everything is clearly OK.

In the Star this week Neil Machin tips Ricky Wells to become one of the Premier League's class acts and that the crowd will love him now that he doesn't wear his Wolves kevlars. Well, good luck with that. We have a superb number one in Steady, and a second string who would have been in every combination that I would have put together in Joe Haines, and Richard would have made little difference to the end result. Albin looked lost, Koppe is trying too hard and I fear he is not good enough and I have no complaints with Jake but it is a step too far for him this year. However, there has been no change with Wells from last year. He might get a few points away from home but I pay my £15 at Owlerton to watch him ride with all the passion of a wet fish after watching him beat Elite League heat leaders on Sky. It is clear that his heart lies with Wolves and, after the efforts of last season and the comments of Nigel Hinchliffe in the track review in the Star during the winter, he would have been on none of my team building combinations. I agree with a chat I had with Squall's dad where he says we should have gone for Claus Vissing when he was available and Simon Lambert who have been the perfect reserve. Too late now, the mistakes have been made and I hope that there can be some changes before the fans drift away again.

www.speedwayreasearcher.org.uk 1965-74 results on line plus loads of results from 1928 onwards and expanding all the time.

It's a difficult one for the Pirates. He is clearly a fantastic speedway rider, potentially a world champion, but to keep him doesn't reflect well on the family traditions the sport needs to uphold. I'm always wary of believing 'quotes' in newspapers but the Poole management need to come out and do some damage limitation at least.

Charlie Monk was good though.

I have dreaded waking up and looking at this thread this winter!

This is great news. Another season of a rider who turns up with a miserable look on his face in his Wolves kevlars, trailing round behind opposition reserves if he misses the gate, not bothering to acknowledge the fans with a lap of honour if he does manage to win a race. Can't wait for the season to start.

Despite the poor team last year and possibly this, Neil Machin has a talent for keeping Sheffield Speedway open - promoting for over 20 years - often against the odds, He has also brought the league championship to Sheffield for the only time in their history and has outlived many promotions at other tracks (including Peterborough). He is without doubt the best promoter Sheffield speedway as ever had even though I don't agree with the current team building.

I'm not a 'Wells hater'. It's just that I pay my hard earned cash at the turnstiles and the least I expect in return is 100% effort from the members of the team I support. I know they are not world beaters and I know they won't win every week, but if I go home knowing that the riders have put the effort in there will be no complaints from me. Ricky Wells proved at times that he is a talented rider but he didn't appear all that bothered about being a Sheffield rider. He scored more points and had a higher average than Chris Schramm but there seemed to be a world of difference in attitude and application. This is what bothers me. As a result, Ricky Wells would be the last name on my line up if I was building the team, especially as he is doubling up with his beloved Wolves again this year. I would rather see a rider who wants to ride for the club as a priority, not an afterthought. I have been watching the Tigers since 1974 and can count on one hand the riders who didn't look interested and I don't want to pay my money to watch them go through the motions. Rant over, Sorry

How Ricky Wells can demand increased money after some of the tripe he served up last year is beyond me. It is also beyond me how the management have offered him any more than a conker and a blackbird's egg to ride for us. Turning up in his Wolves kevlars and trailing round last on the wrong end of a 5-1 after scoring double figures for the Wolves made my blood boil at times last year. Get rid and get someone in that wants to ride for the Tigers rather than someone who's loyalties were often elsewhere.

I would prefer Thierry Hilaire to Wells. At least he put the effort in.

Good.

Perhaps if he had put more effort in after missing the gate he might have earned a bit more.

Scunthorpe won the league last year with a starting line up that included Howe, Aarnio and Armstrong. There is plenty of scope for change if needs be,

One of the problems last season was that we didn't have a number one. That problem has been solved. If the team turns out to be Stead, Wells, Hall, Albin, Koppe, Haines and Knight, so be it. But Stead is a massive improvement on Franc, Albin (if he comes) is exciting and could turn into a crowd favourite, Koppe is an unknown quantity and Knight can be replaced if he doesn't cut it in the first month. I would have preferred to see us go for Lambert and Stefan Nielsen at reserve but the number one is the main issue for me and that has been sorted.

I was a critic of the team building last year and may be again this season as well. You can spend your money where you want Friddy75 but, for me, the thought of going to watch another team because they are better just doesn't come into it. Would I have gone to watch Belle Vue because they had Collins and Morton rather than the Tigers - of course not. It would be like going to watch Sheffield United when they were in the Premier League - perish the thought. I would predict that Mr. Machin might well have lost money last year and he has pushed the boat out to give the fans what they want in a proper number one who will be in the top five riders in the league and fantastic to watch. I would prefer a new third heat leader but I suppose the budget has got to be set and balanced.

Changed my avatar for you Squall, just to make your task a little bit easier.

It's much less of a risk with a number seven and Jake is worth the risk. If it doesn't work out, it is a position that can be changed easier than all the others.

Bit uncalled for - Tigerpig indeed.

Scunny won the title last year despite taking a risk with Tom Armstrong that didn't work out. There are loads of options for tinkering with the bottom end of the side but a successful team needs a solid base. Steady is a fantastic start but please let's not spoil it by bringing Richard Hall back.

Let's give the lad a chance. At least it's a young Brit who wants to ride for us and he deserves to be given a few meetings to show what he can do. If it doesn't work out then there are other riders with a three point average who can be slotted in if needs be. Jake came from Norfolk most weeks last year to ride in a few second half races and I'm sure that he went home without a ride now and again if the main meeting dragged on. That sort of commitment deserves some reward.

I think we are looking at: Another season of mediocrity with Wells and Hall in the side.

I would like to see riders like Josh Grajzonek, Dakota North, Taylor Poole, Stefan Nielsen, Jordan Frampton...

I don't want to see Hall or Wells back at Sheffield. Hall is a liability away from home and Wells is the most uncharismatic rider I think I have ever seen. He makes Phil White look like Kelly Moran. The way he performed at Wolves compared to the effort he seemed to put in at Sheffield a couple of days later made me think he just wasn't all that bothered about riding for us. It was obvious where his priorities were.

Good signings by the Islanders. Must try and catch them when they are up north next season.