Wee Eck

Good move for Cook and here’s hoping it’s a good move for Workington. With the way they’ve gone about their business, they deserve success.

It’s seems I might be on my own on this one but I reckon signing Covatti has completely transformed this team. I think the Gladiators will put an end to the expectation that they’ll be easy meat on their home turf. As long as they remain injury free, the blend of youth and experience plus Garry May’s expertise should see Plymouth top half in 2024. IMO

No need to be rude. I was merely suggesting that lack of track knowledge wouldn’t protect Birmingham - the Brummies need world class riders if their fans aren’t going to be subjected to poor performances at home. In my opinion. My first post was actually the opposite of what you say but, hey ho, there we go.

And, by your calculation, 22 out of 42 visiting riders, also a majority, have also ridden there. I really hope Birmingham manage to put together a successful team for everyone’s sake, but I rather doubt home track knowledge alone will be enough to see off the likes of Janowski, Sayfutdinov, Musielak or any other of the top PL riders

But, as there has been a mass clear out at PB, the majority of home riders won’t have ridden there in the last two years either.

Although Birmingham are not yet complete, there aren’t many riders left to move them away from being favourites for the wooden spoon. Neither Leicester nor Belle Vue look particularly inspiring - where are the riders who are going to really up their averages? Ipswich and Sheffield are powerhouse teams so should be close to the top and Kings Lynn, probably thanks to having Rob Lyon involved, have three of the best ex-Peterborough riders plus Musielak. Had they moved faster on Harris, that could have made them play off finalists. They might still be. And that leaves Oxford. I seem to recall that many were unimpressed with their 2023 CL team yet that nearly topped the league. A lot depends on Janowski. He had a poor year in 2023 - though still good enough to bring home the World Cup for Poland - with an abysmal Cardiff GP, then a bad ankle break and the loss of his GP place. Has double fatherhood mellowed him or motivated him to return to being a world class rider? Magic on top form will take Oxford close to the top so my top four are Oxford, Kings Lynn, Ipswich and Sheffield with either Oxford and Kings Lynn or Sheffield and Kings Lynn contesting the final. Knowing my ability to predict the future, that means the final will probably be between Birmingham and Leicester

Rosco was certainly in the frame and would have done a decent job. Maybe it was a money or a control issue but I don’t see Sam as the answer. Zagar will do a decent job at number 5 but the Brummies need a strong number 1. Is that Polish lad Zmarzlik still on their books? He seemed like a decent prospect for the Brummies in his one (?) meeting for them several years back

Appalling attempt at a joke by FIM President when presenting Zmarzlik with his gold medal. Something along the lines of FIM deliberately banning him in Denmark so he could win the world title in front of his home crowd.

Neither. But expect the former….

Picko number one after a change of heart.

A Cook comeback would be good for him and good for the sport. Hisp toxicity saw him dumped by Glasgow then banned at the request of Edinburgh so he’s got work to do to get back to where he should be. Workington moving to CL is a great opportunity for him and I hope he grasps it. He’s let so many people down over the years, but still loads are rooting for him. Here’s hoping he uses that support to spur himself on rather than complaining of feeling pressurised.

Within 45 minutes of Swindon. That could take you to Bristol. Not exactly “Swindon” is it?

Rosco has to be in the frame for TM I’d have thought.

I’ve just caught up on this thread and it’s a joy to read in quiet times. And interesting that the BSF community has passed judgement - and, on balance, it’s not in Richie’s favour. As far as the comments on Danny Bird are concerned, davie10 has half the story. There were suspicions raised about Danny in 2006 when he was riding for Glasgow. At that time, there wasn’t the same drug testing routine that has been operating for the last 6 or 7 years. A drug testing team arrived at Glasgow which someone spotted and Danny feigned illness or injury and was given permission by the referee, perhaps ignorant of the drug testing about to take place, gave Danny permission to leave the stadium. Subsequently, the referee was heavily censured for his actions but, from that day, Danny was a marked man and tested positive for a distillate of cocaine when tested in 2007 at Reading.

Are Glasgow’s 1-7 being announced at tonight’s celebration evening? Plenty of rumours floating round that suggest the Tigers will be really competitive again. Looks like 4 oldies and 3 youngsters. To start……

I certainly hope so. It’s the least he deserves.

There are no hotels close to Wrocław, Warsaw, Gorzow, Toruń, Teterow, Prague to name a few.

And over 30s apparently - Richie Worrall is 32

Perhaps not how I’d have phrased it but you have to wonder why he didn’t employ a defence solicitor - which seemed to work for Barker.

http://www.scbgb.co.uk/news.php?extend.165.1 So Nick Morris gets banned for two years despite pleading guilty, Worrall gets less though he seems to have pled not guilty and Boxall only gets an extra year for a second offence. Are SCB getting soft or is there more to this?

I will reserve judgement until after the 2024 1-7s are announced. If Steve has moved to Glasgow, I’m sure there will be plenty of comments.

I’m not sure if this is tongue in cheek? Those in the know seem to be hinting that a deal to sign Worrall by Glasgow has already been done (as happened with Basso two years ago) which would explain his poor form (IMO) towards the end of the season. I make it 7.11 over the last four meetings and had guessed he’d been told by Poole that he was being released at the end of the season so wasn’t trying so hard. I’m probably completely wrong, usually am.

Thank goodness. Awful looking team that. One heatleader unlikely to repeat his success of this year, three second strings and three reserves. Even Poole could beat that lot

That sounds like Tom was ready to ride for Glasgow in 2024 and disappointed to be dropped. Maybe end up in Edinburgh if rumours of one of Edinburgh’s 2023 riders moving to Glasgow are true?

You losing your touch or your sources, Skidder?