CardinalSin

I never once implied Speedway is, or should be above the law so stop being pedantic.

If he's refused a visa, we'll have 6.12 to find a replacement, any ideas? I'll be gutted if the lad doesn't get a visa to be honest. He was easily the most entertaining Witch I watched at Foxhall last year and he exceeded my expectations for his first season. Just seems wrong that a talent like that can't ride here but someone like Max Dilger can. But, if he doesn't meet the criteria for a visa he doesn't meet it so we'll have to move on. If Worky have already had confirmation that their riders don't qualify, then you'd have thought we'd had confirmation on our riders too if not close to it so hopefully we'll hear something in the coming days.

Looks like Gino Manzares will also have problems too unfortunately.

Having read this on the Workington thread http://www.workingtoncomets.co/news/article.asp?id=100438 then it looks like we'll also be needing a replacement for Manzares? Extremely harsh if that's the case as he done brilliantly last season for his debut season, but it looks like he doesn't meet the qualifying criteria.

That was the meeting Heeps won. Tungate won the Mark Lemon farewell, in much tougher company http://www.milduraindependent.com/news/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=935:tungate-beats-sedgmen-in-final-of-mark-lemon-s-trubute-meeting&catid=28&Itemid=593

Just have to all wait and see who does, and who doesn't get a Visa of those affected. A real shame if some of those mentioned don't get one though as a few of them definitely bring something positive to the PL. A poster mentioned a page or two back that he's glad these lads aren't getting a Visa and "backtheBrits". Berwick have already decided to give up on Jake Allen, has his place gone to a Brit? Has it hell as like, it's gone to a 5 point Slovenian with dubious pedigree to say the least! I agree that more effort should be made to give more British riders a chance, but they need to be good enough and there in the first place. The non Brit riders mentioned earlier in Dilger, Palovara and Konopka are riders that have offered next to nothing and their places should be the ones that should be given to young Brits as they look easily replaceable. The likes of Manzares/Douglas are not so easily replaced. I don't see many decent 6/7 point PL Brits without a ride waiting for a call. I understand that rules are rules and if some of these lads don't qualify for a Visa then "tough" as some have said, but it wouldn't make it any less of a shame that they would be lost to the PL. I may be biased, but Gino Manzares was box office at Ipswich last season. He's 20 years old, it was his first season in professional team speedway and he managed a 6+ average in his first year whilst being IMO the most entertaining rider in the Ipswich team. It grates a little that he could well miss out, whilst Dilger and Konopka continue to potter around at the back looking generally useless.

Come on get on with it give us the details

Good stuff from the boys and good confidence boosters! Any links to runners and riders point scorers etc?

What did Cam win Baldy? I know Tunners (sorry) won the Lemon farewell meeting but not seen anything on Heeps.

Still 7 weeks until the Billy Sanders memorial, had enough of the waiting now it's starting to drag a bit like. Can't wait to get back down there.

Think I read it was this coming Friday Baldy.

Was going to post the exact same thing. When he first came over he was shall we say, a little unsteady! But he's far from that rider nowadays.

Disagree with that to be honest. The lad gets stuck in and is good to watch.

Then you have been told wrong, simple as that.

Having spoke to somebody from the club directly a few weeks ago about this topic when it was raised on here, and it's a delicate issue that really needs dropping, I'm sorry but it's YOU proud Panther that needs to be paying £20 in to the Ricky fund. I'm afraid you're wrong on this one.

As I expected, Heeps NOT affected, Tungate and Manzares are the two with visa issues confirmed by Mike Bacon.

Might have to start again from scratch! This could get messy, right down to the supporters demanding refunds on their season tickets for not getting the product that was advertised!

I'm sure I saw it mentioned that he did, when the "can he can't he ride in the NL" stuff came up a few seasons ago when he signed for Mildenhall. Could be wrong mind..

Exactly. It would be a complete shambles and more than likely, unworkable if all non EU riders are refused visas. By the way Heeps has dual nationality doesn't he? British grandparents.

I agree actually they have an excellent PL number 1, one of the better looking reserve pairings which is important, and points in the middle order particularly from Garrity. What they do need though is more luck with injuries as they've suffered more than most in recent seasons.

So we start with the Billy Sanders memorial on the 19th. Good that the riders get a meeting under their belts before facing Rye away on the 21st, who may go in to that LC fixture cold?

You have to factor in costs as well. All well and good having both meetings different times of the day, but most can't afford to go to both so will still choose one or the other.

Cameron Heeps. Showed huge potential in 2013 which stalled in 2014 due to a wrist injury and surgery that didn't quite go to plan. Showed encouraging signs towards the end of last season though that he's slowly getting his fitness and confidence back. Could well be a good year for Cam.

You have to also remember that the lad has been racing road bikes for a few years so at this point he's going to be miles behind everyone else in terms of preparation as he's basically starting from scratch. Another couple of months preparation in terms of machinery and practice will see him in better shape for the start of the season, then we'll see what he's made of.

Exactly why we shouldn't read too much in to his scoring or lack of. He's still a risk and nobody really knows how the lad is going to do because we've got absolutely nothing to go on other than an impressive junior record. He could be superb, just ok or he could stink the place out! We won't know until the season starts but it'll be interesting to see how the lad gets on.