szkocjasid

It's not the same, just pointing out if you are flexible for one rule, clubs may then want flexibility for other rules. Where do you draw the line?

Totally understand the points you are making, but the time to plan for these situations are at the AGM. Did anyone point out a lack of heat leaders to cover for injuries? If they didnt think ahead then they suffer the consequences. As soon as one club is allowed flexibity, they'll all want it.

I'm pretty sure @arnieg forgot Newman was a Plymouth rider whe he posted that, either that or it was a joke.

Have to agree with @phillipsr if you allow a team leeway to break the rules because of injuries where do you draw the line? If Woffinden is injured and Sheffield don't think Danny King is a strong enough replacement, are they allowed to use Doyle, no - becaus that's against the rules. You might consider it tough on Plymouth, but the promoters themselves made up the ruling that they have to agree to.

My actual team Luke Killeen (O) 7.73 Sam McGurk (E) 6.08 Ace Pijper (S) 5.81 Alex Spooner (O) 5.07 Aaran Butcher (L) 4.69 Luke Crang (L) 3.61 Harry McGurk (B) 3.00 Total (35.99)

is this breaking the rules, as technically ive only signed one rider from Belle Vue lo! Matt Marson (5.86) Matt Marson (5.86) Ace Pijper (5.81) Jody Scott (5.31) Alex Spooner (5.07) Aaran Butcher (4.69) Luke Crang (3.61) Total (36.21)

A few thoughts, if you're worried a rider getting dropped for a stronger rider will knock their confidence, is Speedway a suitable vocation for them? Riders can't go around expecting not to get replaced (not saying Leon thinks that) so team managers need to be ruthless for the good of the team. Now you point out the clever move made in heat 13, which worked a treat, but could that not have knocked Milik's confidence, if that's on Sam's mind? Now when you're 30 points in front, by all means give a weaker more rides to boost their confidence, not in a close match though. As for the heat 8 win, that's a perfectly acceptable reason to leave him in. If Sam though Leon had got the right set-up etc & left him in for that reason, can totally support that decision.

That was dated March 2022!

I guess I'm talking about a tracks permanent race day. The question still remains, would they have be able to plan their fixtures around the TV nights & stay in the Champ if the alternative was closing down?

Rowe is a better option, agreed. I more meant Morley is the strongest rider who is likely to sign. If Rowe wanted a Champ spot, surely he'd have signed for Workington months ago? But there's always a possibility he'd take a short term spot?

I've been talking more about Oxford than Poole, so some of my points aren't relevant. They'll always be a debate on a forum re prices. Simply because not everyone will agree.

I think Ben Morley is the best option. Just be honest & say he might not have a team spot for long, but as you say it's an opportunity to put himself in the shop window for another team, till Covatti is fit / another rider is found. Even then he might keep his team place if he's out performing Hook or Joe T?

When a team has "no facility" that means a 75% guest. That's what happened last year when Dan T was signed & got injured before his Plymouth debut. Maybe it's different pre-season? But Wolves & Scunthorpe were allowed guests for Becker & Kennedy.

Sam may surprise me. I expected the weaker Dan T to struggle at 6 (Joe T at 7) on his first season, but he exceeded everyone's expectations. Same situation with Edwards at 6 (stronger Jenkins at 7) Edwards really improved. I really would prefer the Champ (& NL) to have the same number 7 rule as the Prem, better for British riders development.

While it's officially "irrelevant" as riders can get swapped round. It doesn't happen that often when the weaker rider is "sacrificed" at number 6. Even if McGurk beats Hodder in heat 2, a couple of last places against Berwick's strong top 5 pairings,.could make it hard for him to get his 4th ride.

To reply to @allthegearbutnaeidea & @Toady I totally get your point, but while you make a fair point about fans expecting promoters to absorb their increased costs. I could turn it around & say why do promoters expect fans to absorb the increased costs? As @Bagpuss suggests there will always be a price that some find acceptable and others don't. It could be going from £19 to £20 maybe not. If all the fans turn up, then it's a good decision. If they get fans picking & choosing matches more due to price increases, could go against them.

Irrelevant now but should Birmingham have been allowed to carry on in the Championship on a Monday? Only Belle Vue are a Monday track, the rest race on Thursdays. Of course Prem clubs have priority, but Birmingham could've picked a team minus any Belle Vue riders. Then sorted the fixtures (not many these days) so their opponents weren't missing riders based on who is racing at Belle Vue. May have to allow the occasional guest, but who would even notice, with the amount of guests used these days anyway?

Unless they swap the reserves round, can only see Sam struggling after heat 2 against the 1/2 & 3/4 pairings, especially against Berwick. I'd rather see the two 2.00 reserves racing at 7 & meeting each other 3 times, better for their development. If I was Berwick, I'd now counter this by putting Borke at 7.

Can't say it's very weak at 3 & 4 till you see them ride. Normally I'd agree & put Vissing at 3, but as someone said - let's them see the track before their first outing. If it doesn't work, can change the riding order for the official matches.

If I was Birmingham I'd have sacrificed heat 13 & aimed for points in heats 8 & 14. Plus tell Ermolenko he can put Cook in heats 12 & 14 if he's riding better than Flint. 1. Vaclav Milik 2. Steve Worrall 3. Wiktor Lampart 4. Scott Nicholls 5. Tom Brennan 6. Zach Cook 7. Leon Flint

Because someone asked a question & people keep replying. I'll add mine, Birmingham have strength in depth but lack heat leader strength. Riss isn't really the rider needed to improve the team.

Technically promoters have a right to suggest that, as riders should score more points than last season (without improving), due to a weaker league. If every promoter did it, it could work, but we know that'll never happen.

Don't understand how teams can lower the points limit but still put up prices?

Would Garrity even be better than Morley anyway? Not ridden for a few years. Won't have up to date equipment etc. I wouldn't pick him anyway, no matter how good he might be. Not after the crime he committed.

Before Kemp locked up Leicester were on a 3-3. Once Joe T fell, if Kemp was excluded & Joe awarded 2nd, they would have lost the heat 2-4. That's not an advantage. Kemp's mistake (rightly) cost them points.