mikebv

And lads that have progressed through the scheme, and would be ideal for a No6 position, will now struggle to get a job... The purpose of the scheme wasnt to find World Champs, it is to find more "OK" UK riders to take spots in teams, with several lads now who could do that... Still, as long as the UK make Poland happy.... (Again)...

Could Ashton Boughen be tempted back as a Number Six given the level he will be racing against...?

And if any are missing on international duty or get injured, they can only be replaced by a rider on the RS list but not attached to a team... Looking at the list above, most of whom will be attached to a team, their replacements will really struggle... And, as yet, it doesn't appear too many foreign U21 riders have been mentioned so we could end up with more UK U21 riders at number six... How much will it be to watch? £30 or so next season....??

Didn't Jason Crump get his average lowered so Plymouth had a decent No1 when they went into tier two in 2021?.. He got it converted to 8 points in the Premiership so it became a 12 in the second tier.. Made up nonsense .. The UK Speedway way...

It is barmy that you deliver success then cannot maximise it financially... Basically you win the play offs and then?... The sport stops... And you then lose riders that fans have had an affinity to, so go into your "Champions" season looking nothing like the team who actually won... You can actually spend half a season winning meetings comfortably, and your home crowd reduces due to the lack of jeopardy of victory or defeat. After June we seem to always know the PO teams, and you get nothing for topping the table .. They should stop "dumbing down" and start to "level up", and that way fans can build affinity with riders, and riders can build an affinity with fans, as they know it won't be a one or two season visit... You should only lose your place in a team for not performing, and definitely not for doing "too well"... Currently, what is actually the point of winning the league? Given financially, you are not getting the opportunity to earn from it, and cannot build a "dynasty" for further success... And after all the Mickey Mouse, contrived, pi**ing about to make things "even", the same four teams qualify anyway!!!😁

And they need to... As, sadly, the six months leading up to them seldom deliver either....

Plenty of Ipswich fans on here were very unhappy that Doyle signed for the Aces, given they were desperate for a "proper" No1 themselves... With the over riding narrative being they should let Brennan and A.N Other go, (whoever's average worked best), to bring in Doyle and "someone else"... With Mayfield's "loyalty" being held up as the reason it won't/didn't happen, which, as they let Brennan go anyway, was, in hindsight, an opportunity missed... However. The other way of looking at it though is that by keeping their team together last season it has meant plenty of opportunity to bring in two top level riders for this season coming... With Cairns too it looks a very decent team, and should bring in a few non regulars to away tracks in particular...

Pretty much a completely new track next season at Ipswich too... Might take a while to get dialled in..?.. Knocks two points off his average and the Aces have him back in 2028...

Looking at the overall picture, sad indictment that it is, but five teams appear to be the tipping point of whether the league will be competitive or not... Oxford and Birmingham were out of their depth in 2025, and Northampton last year, (with KL just about hanging in there).. The sixth (and heaven forbid seventh), team, just dilutes what the fifth team could be given so few riders of a "decent level" ride over here....

The Aces have only around 8 points left for two riders so no chance of any "big hitter" coming in.. The progress shown by those "lesser lights" retained for next season was certainly impressive... (I remember "someone" on here, before last season started, saying that the Aces could be ruled out as they would "struggle badly away from home")... Home advantage is the key that Mark Lemon will be basing his decision on.. That, and having two teams weaker...

Another ultra competitive season.... Exciting stuff!!!!!

To be fair, Poole do have a different fanbase to the Aces, and have shown "success" keeps them attending, and "no success" sees them drift away, hence those who run it know their business well, and try to ensure their fanbase is given every reason to keep attending .. The Aces do have a pretty decent "hardcore" who have attended down the years, regularly, each season regardless of the level of teams put out, (and a fair few have been dire). and not having to lay out for Bewley/Doyle will also help the coffers I would think, and, just as long they win most meetings at home they will maintain that 1200/1300 or so who attend each week.. It certainly is a track that provides significant home advantage when riders get dialled in, with visitors usually taking several races to find the set up, and some never actually finding it!!... Fourth is as good as first, so building a team that does that will be the priority this season I would imagine, with the end of the season being often very different than the start, rider wise from team to team due to injuries...

Good luck to Dan... Great to see one of the world's best, (and most exciting), riders, choose to keep riding in the UK...

Another big meeting at Ipswich... #witcheslegend

Three riders are stepping up, as Zichke is becoming a second string.. Good to see some continuity, and loyalty, in a sport that does its best to destroy it, but, as you say, a gamble that all three will need to deliver even their current figures, although, all are on an upward trajectory in their careers so possibly they will adapt well to their new positions in the team... Brady's average should go up given he won't have a top level partner in Heats 13 and 15, (and any TAC SUB rides), to take points off him... A team set up to win at home seems to be the key behind it, (without the big margins of last season), in a hope they can keep it close (ish) away from home, and all three riders had some"decent" away meetings last season with each delivering, at least one, "match winning performance".. There are only two teams to beat to reach the play offs, so you just need to be better than them.. And, having three riders who, in all honesty, more than likely will drop points from their average could facilitate some team changes later in the season when some of the better riders may decide to pick up a few extra quid... Jason Doyle dropped Sweden for the UK last year so it can be done.. Fair play to Mark Lemon in sticking with those lads who made significant strides last season rather than replacing them for doing "too well"... A strategy unique to UK Speedway and one that does it few favours...

It wouldn't be a shock would it??. Obviously nothing has been confirmed yet, however, it does look like a current GP rider is being assessed as just 50% better than a RS... A quite ludicrous situation, however, as with so many things they do, they paint themselves into a corner by over complicating things, and end up adding more and more additions for what is, after all, just a team sport... If only they spent as much time promoting and marketing the sport as they do writing, and rewriting, rules and regs...

Five Promoters (on speaker) - "Hi Richard, I believe you've signed Kim Nilsson and want him on a 4.5 average?" Richard - "Yes that's right" Five Promoters - "And why do you think that this should be allowed?".. Richard - "Because its in the regs, the regs most of you wrote".. (30 seconds pause).. One of the Five Promoters - 'Quick! Someone get me an effing pen"!!!

"In the interests of Speedway"...

The Tallest Dwarf is the The Premiership...

And who would actually ride for them?.. They'd have seven U21's..... Well, six and Simon Lambert ..

Just looking at the criteria gives you plenty of loopholes I would think... And as has been mentioned, Riss on a converted average will provide plenty of room for guests if his head injury comes back, after he has ridden enough Premiership matches.. A "proper sport" would of course say anyone who has achieved "elite status" by reaching the GP's, should be 7.00 (at least), especially as so few HL positions exist over here due to only six teams, suggesting any GP rider should be in the "top 12" of UK Speedway, given so few top level riders ride over here.. And anyone who has to pull out of a meeting due to a known recurring injury should mean his team only get RR, at best, as a facility.. I am sure Richard Coleman will enjoy himself pitting his wits against the other promoters..

No, you must track two U21 riders with at least one having to be a home nation rider... The second can be UK or foreign...

It's nonsense isn't it?... We have averages for the riders, but we won't always use them.. When you don't use what is already there you then get subjectivity, which then, understandably, leads to questions of integrity... Riders have an average, gained by what they did, and could have gained that average in a league with a higher standard then today, or maybe weaker, we won't be able to tell, hence subjective reappraisal is done... Regardless of any time lapsed the average you last delivered should be the one you ride again on, as basically the UK end up rewarding riders for giving it a miss... The sport needs to be far, far more transparent..

Zmarzlik said the same, then signed in Sweden again for next season... Lambert is going to be a dad soon so, very understandably, won't be wanting to be doing too much travelling, over and above the already "loads" that riders do.. Edit. I still personally think that the Thursday meetings, which make up the majority of UK tier one meetings, won't be a great "pull" for the top riders who don't live over here...

The Danish league last season raised its game considerably... Looks like it is intent on doing the same next season...