mikebv

As many have been riding for the last two years in the EL against each other under a 'defined race structure' then surely that is the best 'barometer' of their true level?? You cannot get a more level playing field than protected races so maybe just use the reserve race performances as their average to determine the pecking order for the draft? Won't deliver for any new riders so maybe the PL average with some worked out conversion is needed for them, but for the vast majority of reserves there is at least one years data and often two to make a truly 'informed' decision..

No doubt over the past 48 hours several 'loopholes' will have been unearthed so some teams can eagerly jump into them...😃 It also says that the current reserves 'have the ability' to move into the top five after four matches if their average is higher not that 'they will'... Nice to see, once again, a bit of ambiguity when bringing out a rule... Heaven forbid, we ever see clear unambiguous legislation....😉

Doesnt the 6.5 point average for new non british riders mean that this is unlikely??

So NONE of those Guest places used could have been covered with a more 'fit for purpose' suitable rider replacement rule??? Course not....

Correct, It simply is a matter of logistics for the 'big names'.... Tai, Emil, Pedersen, Hancock, Hampel all earn more than enough riding in max two leagues, two nights a week on big contracts... Then have five nights off each week.... Riders at the 'top level' simply dont need British Speedway and putting up team averages to 50 wont tempt them to come (not that any team could afford it)... Interesting that Magic is someone who is mentioned as likely to give British Speedway a miss now his stock has risen in the GP which in turn has no doubt done no harm to his negotiating position in both Poland and Sweden.... British Speedway has the '2nd tier' of top riders (at best), who put up with riding three or four nights a week over here until their reputation has been enhanced enough to get more money from the World's top two leagues... British Speedway now needs to plough its own furrow with a clear identity communicated to the fans to protect its own business... The current 'halfway house' of trying to be all things to all men simply doesnt work...

And that situation would/should need to be managed as 'a one off'... Who knows, a common sense approach may even be chosen... The issue is that the vast majority of 'guests' could be avoided in most instances with some thought... If they are to be used then they should be 'the necessary evil' and only used by clear exception, rather than what they have become today, which is part of a team's tactical plan to win a match and a convenient 'get out' clause for lazy planning and administration.... .

No guests for riders four and five.. A start anyway... However why not tweak the rr rules and use rr for any missing one to five? If No1 is out then any of the team can take his rides (to a max of two extra each)... If No2 is out. No1 takes one ride and then any of the rest of the team can takes his others (again a max of two extra rides for any rider) If No3 is out. Then No2 can take one ride and the rest of the team (4-7) can take the others (again to a max of two extra rides each) If No4 is out the No3 takes one ride and '5-7' takes his others (up to two extra each) If No5 is out then No4, No6 and No7 can divide his rides between them to a max of two extra rides each Riders have ridden seven times in a match before so nothing new there... More income for the riders who may get seven rides, more flexibility for using tactics from the team manager and surely more credibility for the sport rather than 'guests'?? Gaps between races may take longer (but would we notice much difference from what already happens?)😃

I remember Simon Wigg saying that every week should see a junior meeting BEFORE the main match... His reasoning was when you go out to eat you have your main course after your starter, not the other way round and that the cinema puts the trailers on first so you build up to the main event.. He also felt that it would help them riding in front of bigger crowds and riding on a surface with dirt still on it.. He also advocated team race suits when very few others did... He seemed to have some good ideas...

Can they decide on what biscuits to serve up pre November or does that have to be ratified later too..?😃

Only Newman? I would suggest that they would also manage to get Davey Watt as captain!!!😁

Think they would be better dispensing with the 'free' programme and knocking the 20 x £3 off the season ticket and letting you buy one if you want one.. My lad can have a season ticket for £162 with a programme he will never read never mind fill in or pay on the gate 20 times for £22 less!!! It makes speedway look expensive for such a tiny minor sport....

Attendances do seem in the main to be one step down from fifth tier league football which is frankly embarrassing considering the speedway team in the town or city has no sporting rival from the same sport to contend with and is usually the only speedway team within a 25 mile radius... In fact, as crowds are now so poor around many tracks I have wondered why clubs don't try and get marketing people in on a commission only basis to see if they could drum up bigger crowds.. Lets face it. At most tracks a (sadly) pitiful 300 - 400 extra would be a large double digit percentage increase, therefore surely offering someone say 50% commission on any increase of say £5k or over from an 'average turnover' would deliver some people with real promotional and marketing ideas??

Last year it seemed that crowds at Kirky Lane were up, unsurprising given it was a much better season than many previously .... I attended probably 10 matches in total, 8 of which were pre Play Offs... I would say that during these 8 matches crowds were (to my untrained eye) between around 800 - 1000 with as you would expect, the larger crowds being at the start of the season and towards the end when it became a distinct possibility that the Aces could progress into the Play Offs The Play Off Semi drew I would suggest a crowd of around 1200 - 1500, (it was significantly noticeable the difference in crowd level from a 'normal' league match).. Not seen any info re the crowd for the KL leg of the final but I seem to remember a crowd of 3500 was mentioned when we rode against Cov. the last time we got there, and the crowd v Poole looked well, well up on that night... The argument seems to be that the Play Offs are only useful for those who qualify and that the rest of the League get no benefit. Well, as has been mentioned Wolves definitely got a benefit by the Aces being there when we had a qualifying chance, (if it had of been a 'dead rubber' then hardly any Aces would have been in attendance)... There can be no doubt that if they hadn't got anywhere near the Play Offs then (just like many other seasons) the Aces season would have spluttered to an end being played out in front of an ever dwindling number of 'die hards' like so many before.. This year, five teams (out of a total of eight) had, up until the final week of the season, a chance of becoming Champions... I would suggest that with only Poole and Cov in contention to win the League if the 'table topper' was crowned then there would simply have been apathy from the fans of clubs third to fifth, meaning no end of season increase in crowds, (in reality I am sure we would have seen a drop with 'nothing to play for').. They might not be every ones 'cup of tea' but there is no doubt that the Play Offs generate interest that otherwise would not be there and when the sport is fighting for every penny it gets, that isn't a bad thing... In fact, I would suspect that the crowds at KL for the two PO matches have gone a long way in making the season if not completely viable, then at least 'somewhat' viable.....

And "gogglegate" rumbles on....!😃 But not it has to be said by many aces fans... Maybe it did change the result, but then again so did Scott's tape exclusion, Cookie's fall and exclusion and the reserves getting pummelled by their counterparts. Add in Matej not dominating like a World Top Rider may have been expected to do and it has to be said, we did more damage to the loss that any ref's balls up did (and lets not forget Steve W didn't cover himself in glory staying down either) Imagine what we would be discussing now if we had got a 3-3 in the rerun😵!? Not meant to be in anyway critical of any of the riders mentioned either by the way it is simply the way sport pans out with its many 'what if?' moments.. Really proud of what the Aces achieved to a man, roll on next year. A great future lies ahead for us I am sure... Well done to Poole. The best team over the season won the title.. Nothing wrong with that...

Are the fireworks on tonight then?...

Well done to Poole.... A great final...... Proud as punch for the way the Aces have represented us this year...... Take a bow Cookie, (not heard from certain posters on here over the past week or so re: his performances)... Next year we have a new stadium so let's keep that momentum going!!! Anymore racing like we have seen over the past two meetings and who knows... Maybe tracks could start to be full again!! Speedway, when done well, can be superb....

Hope "Gogglegate" doesnt decide it...

Booing at a sports event and some people are seriously bothered... Next they'll be shouting, "He's behind you"!!!!

3 massive leads for the pirates over the two legs..... will it start to eat away at them??

The Aces will need to have a great start to put pressure on the Pirates...... Reminding the Pirates that they lost a 13 point lead (and a ten point one with just three races left) may put some doubts into their heads so I hope Mark Lemon mentions it at every opportunity... It would be huge achievement if the Aces could do it.... I presume the neutrals on here are 'undecided' as to who to support....

[quote name="Red Panda" post="2690849" timestamp=" Oh but then again it is Poole and everyone will conveniently forget about Worrall staying down in heat two when he could have cleared the track............ RP You should thank him. He got you the draw as we didn't even get a point in the rerun..😃

If the rules say they must be worn then 'yes' is the answer.. Not actually seen riders remove goggles since the advent of the 'tear offs' many, many moons ago and the 'roller system' they use now is even more advanced...

It would be interesting to see how many riders ride for our entertainment if they got paid zero for doing so... It is the stock cobblers answer from quite a few....

As an Aces fan I must admit I can only see one outcome on Wednesday... However... As we left the stadium tonight and dissected the result we came to the conclusion that if the roles had been reversed and we were Poole fans, maybe we would be just a tad apprehensive given the fact that Poole had the Final virtually won... Nicholls' tapes exclusion, the superb Cook's exclusion for his fall and even Worrall's desperate attempt to sportingly clear the track paid dividends as a 5-1 became a 5-0 and when your reserves hammer in 18 (paid 20) and your counterparts can only muster a paltry 3, you surely may start to think 'have we blown this?' 13 points up after six clearly should have been 'all over'... Poole have let definitely BV back into it and who know's knowing you should have had it sown up may just nag away at their riders and put some real pressure on them on Wednesday... As I say, cannot see Poole losing on their own patch, but a bit of bad luck over the first few races for them and maybe knowing they threw away a 13 point lead may start to have a negative effect... Hope springs eternal.. A great crowd, a great atmosphere and some great racing.. Whisper it.... If speedway had crowds like this and intense racing like this every night then maybe, just maybe, it could be a 20 quid sport..

Maybe that is part of the stipulation when applying for a league? Maybe the bspa should set the citeria re what leagues run on what night. Then the teams get moved into the league that there landlord situation allows.. Most EL teams are 'PL level plus two heat leaders' anyway so teams which 'move up' could I am sure be made competitive... Maybe six mans teams losing the expensive No1 rider is the answer to facilitate competitive teams across the EL with the FTR system being PL only? Maybe one short term step backwards but several steps forwards in the long term? Eg Belle Vue Nicholls Fricke Cook Grajczonek S Worral Nielsen