MD

Richie Worrall is poor in the slick. Tracks this time of year are prepared that way to cope with the rain. Put a bit of dirt down and you've got a different rider.

Track was slicker than ive seen it but perfectly raceable. Sheffields' falls were all self inflicted. I would speculate Bates and Grajczonek were because they were too hard on the gas turning in and Bjerre looked an EF when he inexplicably came off when comfortable in front. Tonight also showed why we cant sign Sarjeant next year. Two tapes offences when we really were desperate for any points we could get. He was unlucky in ht2 when Graversen locked up whilst trying to pin him down on the first turn and the Grand M excluded him. If we have any sense we'll stick a 2018 contract under Bowtells nose. Passed his entrance test tonight with flying colours in only his second visit. Got stuck in and wasnt scared to keep the throttle on with those big runs off gate 4 round the first and second bends. We have really suffered at reserve this season and shown we cant carry a weak No7 and underperforming No6.

Thats a comprehensive reply, and I thank you for taking the time to do it and for taking my comments on board. For the benefit of doubt I dont do Facebook, Twitter, Instagram etc but view your content via the Tigers Twitter page. If someone has copied and pasted my posting from here I have no control over this. I am a long standing supporter without agenda. Its not possible to always be objective but if you select my profile and view my posts you can judge if my credibility fits with yours. I do not post anywhere else other than a rare foray on Easy Tiger. I am however frustrated at the lack of reality in the quotes/postings (articles published on Tigers Twitter for clarification) I mentioned previously, and the rider I have quoted. If our captain cant see that we have floundered week after week and comes out with what we have read I question why it needed to be published. It makes him look delusional. 'We need to lay down a marker' No, you need to work on your own issues and score the points you did April to June.'We need to lay down title credentials'. No, you need to accept we peaked in June and mention we have to pull out all the stops, ride to our potential, make gating crucial, avoid last places, say how much a challenge it will be etc but overall recognise we are on the back foot and that things might not go our way. I travelled on the summer fixtures to Ipswich and Sheffield where we were pretty woeful, with the odd exception. I will scan the programme covers if you require 'evidence'. Our nearest title challengers turned us over without effort and arrived on our patch a month later and did the same, along with Peterborough yet still the same lack of recognition that it happened, that it was just the reserves, that we arent the team we were early season and are struggling big time but not to worry we are in the play offs anyway. Thats my gripe, not with you but the absolute lack of reality of our situation in these quotes.

Ouch! Cage rattled? By PR I specifically mean press releases not social media. Example - Up until four weeks ago we were still putting out about going for top spot when Stevie Wonder could see the wheels had come off the bus. Last week after our third home defeat in four meetings Summers is quoted as saying job done and our form isnt a problem. Oh really! The week before Summers again in a release about laying down a marker against Ipswich to signify our play off credentials. Really? Completely belied our form, and his at that point and utterly delusional to say it that way but again suggests and creates expectation that we win everything. Everyone I stand with had it predicted an away win and no doubt that press release pinned to the Ippo dressing room wall would have motivated them no end. Its only after a proper humping at Sheffield on Thursday that it seems the penny has dropped and a bit of decorum has broken out in the after meeting report. Its part of PR to accentuate the positive and deflect negative headlines but also to make press releases appropriate to the circumstances. Regarding the names you've quoted, what exactly were they praising? Number of followers, pictures, exposure for sponsors, links to other clubs, videos? Or did you just list some well knowns and hope that would kill it? As in all things in life and in sport people can and will have opinions, how they perceive things is their view to have.

Thats the thing though, most of the money has gone on the stadium, which isnt just used for speedway. We built a team to the same points limit as everyone else. Part of the issue is the rampant PR machine which greatly increases the expectations of home fans whilst getting the backs up of the visitors making them more determined to ram it down our throats. It is what it is though. Its still a pleasure to turn out at a superb venue every week. This time three years ago we were bust. Since then we've made the play offs each year though admittedly this year has been the poorest. Still it could be worse, we could have accepted the invite to join the big league for 2017.

Perhaps thats what it needs. Nothing stays the same forever.

Bewley does what BV tell him. When we were getting pumped at home on Sunday, Bewley was practising in Manchester. We never did see the best of him.

We are largely at team of reserves right now with the odd exception.

A desperate move from a desperate manager. In reality it wouldnt have mattered where r/r was. This was the result we all feared. Sarjeant has spared us a proper hiding, as if it wasnt bad enough, as Perry would have been lucky to get 2 or 3. I'll give Lawson pass marks thereafter what a let down. Well done Sheffield, you killed the tie by ht6. I was down there for the playoff last October, we had the same top 3, what a difference a year makes. This team has reached the end of the road. Lawson may survive the cull to join Lunna but thats it. They'll get a quiet send off on Tuesday night.

If our heat leaders were strong enough we would have a more recognisable line up with r/r at 2 or 3. By moving r/r to 5 its an indication that Stuart thinks we will get pummelled with the former anyway and has had to do something radical. Its just I see it as being absolutely mental and will backfire spectacularly as a damage limitation exercise as it relies on Sarjeant. As it is Worrall is fairly poor at Sheffield and Summers isnt exactly riding on a high, so to pair them two together seems daft. However it is what it is and I'll take all the abuse going should it work out. Somehow!

Good point though i see Glasgow as being partially to blame. We had 5 blank fixtures in the April to June period and more during July & August where we should have been trying to pull fixtures forward. I dont believe that every team we could have approached would have said no. Now a meaningless meeting prevents us running a playoff on our usual race night and gaining all the revenue that comes with it.

Been burning since mid July if thats the issue. I wonder if he has been dining too long on the sponsorship package he got in 2015 and hasnt re-invested as he should have. He really is as slow as a week in the jail, you can see his bikes have nothing in them.

Second time in a week the best team has won, and again showing the home riders the fastest route isnt always full throttle round the outside. Ht7 was a painful one as a not particularly quick Starke and Oster team rode to the flag with Summers not even getting close enough to put them under pressure. Thereafter there were precious little opportunites for Glasgow to get a heat advantage with such weak reserves. PB rode well, BWD and Bacon aside. Guest choice for Glasgow going forward is going to be crucial though everyone seems to be playing that game unfortunately.

We dont need to agree if it doesnt suit us. If Sheffield pick us they can still have this Thursday at Owlerton. If they want the second leg to be down there, then it'll have to be the following week. Id be very disappointed if we agreed to host the first leg so soon and at such little notice.

Decent meeting, for once our guests were superb. With a bit of dirt on the track compared to Wednesday Greaves looked uncomfortable at the start and never close to repeating his Ipswich score. Food for thought. Tomorrow will be a harder meeting with our weakness at reserve. As for Sheffield, whoever they pick, wanting the play off first leg run this Wednesday or before so as they can get the second leg at Owlerton this Thursday, I dont think so.

Sarjeant last night shows what a difference it can make to the team to have a free scoring reserve, particularly when someone in the 1-5 isnt performing. Thats something we havent been used to this season having spent too many of our points on three 8.5 riders at the top end. Food for thought for 2018.

Doing a Sedgmen could really help us big time.

Not sure if you are bitter about Worky's demise and aiming jibes at Glasgow is your way of dealing with it. Either way, we are not responsible for the former and are undeserving of some of the comments that have come our way from the North West recently. The vast majority at GLA hope your situation changes for the better next season.

Decisions will already have been made regardless of how the play offs go. Lunna is secure for next year but thats it. Bewley will do what BV tell him and Smith is still a year too raw. Summers and Perry are gone, be in no doubt. Indeed, 10 points for Sedgmen on the road is more than generous. No way will Sedg reappear this season.

Best team by a country mile won it. Or is that best gaters. With the track ultra slick to cope with the forecasted rain, the riders were sweeping out to the fence from ht4. Schlien was untouchable in his first few rides, making it all the more bizarre to waste a Bewley r/r ride on Summers in ht6 when the programmed Worrall was destined to come second behind Schlien. Looking down the card, it was always going to be Schlien and Greaves in ht8 where Summers should have got the Bewley r/r. Only Lawson gets pass marks. Its frustrating to see Summers exposed by a 4 point reserve but that is where he is right now. Listening tonight it seems we have 3 guests and r/r for Saturday against Redcar which could be another defeat of the home variety.

For the third season in a row. There is also no mechanism to force clubs to agree to return after a rain off. Seems they can just say no to eternity. Next season i think we should have every weekend date filled from the start of the season and any rain offs should be accommodated on our alternative race day mid week.

We have run out of options regarding rain off dates. I think the cut off is the 19th. A double header this weekend would be asking a bit much with meetings both Sat & Sun already.

With the rain coming down just now and 24 hours of the same forecast, I doubt we'll see any racing tomorrow.

His starting average was false as all those zeros in the first half of 2016 helped keep him below 4 once he started rattling up double figures home & away. 5.94 is a true reflection of what he is now and what he was just before injury last season. There have been rare flashes of last years form and the odd good meeting on the road, such as Redcar but that is about it. Seems to have developed a routine of having a poor first ride and not wakening up until his third or fourth ride when we are under pressure. His BV form on the other hand is much more consistent.

Hip flexor according to the programme. He's no use to us half fit or not being able to complete all his races so we will have to see. R/r for Bewley means Summers is the rider above and the guest for Lunna also gets a ride which is preferable IMO. DB hasnt done too much for us this season despite his showings for BV.