MD

Best news I've heard all week and rather than take a cynical dig at the BSPA Chair, I rather look on it as the governing body doing their job preventing a new promotion from fielding a very weak team and its potential effect on crowds. I don't believe any other team in the PL would be allowed three 3.00 riders, its a recipe for disaster we have been saved from. I'm trying very hard to support the owners, on team building we won't agree, all I would ask is that we save our efforts on an appeal and use the 10 points available to get in some experience. We already have a novice in Joe Jacobs and thats enough for one season.

And if they turn up equipped like Jayden O'Malley?

O'Malley had that opportunity last year and never improved. The senior guys like Screen, Grieves and Sean Courtney can offer valuable advice and direction, but they cannot turn Fiat's into Ferrari's, the riders must already have the desire and potential to be unleashed. Both assessed riders are a couple of years older than O'Malley and hopefully that extra maturity will help them adapt to living over here. However until we get to see them ride here, they cannot be considered anything other than 3.00 pointers, and along with Jacobs gives us a long tail to start, assuming work permits are granted. That puts the pressure on the top end of the team, and with James Wright widely being regarded as a confidence rider and needing time to settle, those are perhaps not conditions he will thrive in. I will be there to watch week in week out to support my team and the new owners, but I do worry about whether we will see the wavering supporters.

Having a team full of assets is easier said than done. It could take years of trying out newbies when in reality probabably less than 50% make the grade, however it is more cost effective in the long term. I got the Tigers weekly e-mail this morning where it says the break even crowd figure for 2013 will be 745 spectators. Last season apparently the average crowd was in the 500's, down from 2011, though this could be largely due to the awful weather of 2012. Its a good move from the new owners to keep the fans up to date now on a weekly basis and appreciate information such as this being shared with us. Will give us greater insight and help to understand any decisions being made as we move forward.

Not a lot happening, perhaps Chazzer Wright has signed for someone else. I notice Dilger hasn't re-signed for Redcar, could he be an option? Sedgmen would also fit and could be worth a punt as a reserve, even though he may come with attitude!

Tough choices, annoyingly Campton would have fit also on 4.87 and significantly added to that. Schramm is definitely better than Chazzer Wright though I think he may be based well below the too far north line of the country. Fricke I've heard a lot about though is again untried at PL level. I wouldn't be adverse to signing him should it have to happen as we started with two 5.00 assessed's last year just that I would expect changes very quickly after the first set of averages rather than dither on like we did with O'Malley this year.

Not much choice between 5.01 and 5.30 to get Horwood at reserve. Ironically Bellego would have fit perfectly on 5.27 ! Looking at who is still not officially signed: Chris Schramm 4.91 Chris Mills 4.87 Justin Sedgmen 4.99 The Raj K 4.87

Still thinking about this one. Hopefully the final rider will be above 5.00 meaning Horwood will start at reserve. It is a bit a of concern that Jacobs is untried at this level, Horwood is a complete unknown and James Wright is as stated a confidence rider who seems to be declining year on year. The top 4 including Wright will be under pressure from the start to bring in the points.

How many points are we left with for the final rider?

Perhaps its the floodlight money!

Might make us bankrupt as well, Flyin wouldn't come cheap. It would be classic Glasgow though, all top end and no ........................

Whoever it was they were right and should never have given in. The down side is that a precedent may have been set.

Interesting signing. How many points does that leave us for the last 2?

Quite incredible, I have anothing but praise for Shielfield stadium and its facilities, as a regular visitor. It is worth wondering what needs updating, the stadium IMO is far from outdated or run down, and very comfortable to watch the racing from a seat in the main stand. You should see the sh!t hole I watch at each Sunday and the lack of facilities they get away with providing. Unless the costs to much to upgrade reason is a manufacture to publicly justify a sale?

All gone quiet on here, and there ain't many riders left to sign!

He is also inconsistent, just ask Scunthorpe and no doubt very expensive to fly in every weekend when Glasgow don't have money to put about.

No chance, though I see Max Dilger hasn't been named in the Redcar team. Would be an excellent reserve on 4.12 if he was avalable. Think we are running out of options looking at the number of riders already signed up.

Campton finshed the season off at No2 but wasn't really in good form. At reserve for Glasgow he was lost without Screen telling him how to ride when they were both paired up at 1 & 2. Be interesting to see how he fares at Worky.

Next season will be a big year for Josh, being his sixth season in the UK and hopefully one where he break's through into the top rider he has shown glimpses of. He was absolutely woeful in the middle part of 2012, getting over his injury was probably a factor but so also choosing the wrong track to double up at, in Belle Vue. The fast track at Somerset will lend itself well to Josh's style, I hope he does what Craig Cook did at the start of this year and give himself time to gain confidence in the PL before looking for an EL slot in the early summer. Quite a team being constructed at Somerset now that Nick Morris has also signed on.

Interesting team manager, didn't see that coming. I'm sure Sean Courtney also did the same for Berwick for a short time in the mid 2000's. Does Michael Max figure in the new setup? All has gone quiet signing wise.

They are still shell-shocked after the Bellego farce!

Kozza Smith

6.20 on BSPA site

The more I think about it, he seems worthy of his chance. The costs of air fares, transport and accommodation for another untried Aussie could be put to better use. It would also make us stronger from the start with more points to play with, and no reserve in the 1-5. Any appetite for another assessed unknown from Australia have all but evapourated. Perhaps when we apply for a work permit, the authorities will be less accommodating than they were with O'Malley. With this being the re-launch season of Glasgow Speedway and a drive to re-engage lapsed supporters there is little so far signing wise, that will inspire them to come back. With Friday nights now out of the question, a signing just to excite the die hards that turn up week in week out wouldn't go amiss.

Ouch, surely we are smarter than this after what 2012 brought. I wouldn't have Tully, average far too high for us to benefit. For a reserve spot I would look at someone like Max Dilger who has gone well at Ashfield. The Raj K must also be due a return to the UK, at reserve he would be decent and higher up the pecking order than Chazzer Wright in my opinion. If we are starting with a reserve in the main body we need experience at reserve, not a weak 3 pointer.