Arch Stanton

Not just his height but his bulk too. Always looked a big lad on the bike but I didn’t realise just how big he is. Looks like a man mountain!

Couple of things here, Allen now a fully fledged member of the Witches “golfing club” so another reason he’s almost certainly staying if one was needed. And secondly, he looks way to big to be a speedway rider! The bloke looks massive compared to the others

I’d personally bring KP back on a 5 point average. I know he was inconsistent but he definitely had his moments. I like him. Thought he was unfortunate to be the one to lose his place to bring in Iversen but I guess he was just a victim of the numbers game. Difficult to persuade a rider to return who you’ve just “sacked” though I’d imagine so it’s probably a non starter.

Not so sure, certainly not as cut and dried as you say. We’d actually beaten Peterborough the week before the changes with the two replaced contributing 15 paid 18 between them. It was a thumping after that at Swindon that prompted the changes. Iversen only then rode in 3 league meetings before the play offs, we lost two of them and beat Swindon at Foxhall to “absolutely seal our play off place” so you’re judging that on just ONE meeting. Granted it was a good victory against Swindon but still. Im not saying I disagreed with the changes, that battering at Swindon probably spooked them in to biting the bullet with only a couple of league meetings left and teams rapidly closing in. Overall, the combined scores of Iversen and Sarjeant in the 7 meetings they rode are 15, 14, 9, 7, 14, 9 and 6. Obviously we’ll never know what the combined scores of Piezcszek and Kennett would have been, but generally I’m not totally convinced that the team ended up stronger and I stand by that. In the longer term, I’m not particularly keen either to have a reserve who more often that not will be scoring next to nothing. Like I said before, we were topping the table for a large part of the season by having an awful “number 1”, but 2 very good reserves.

Thing with Swindon is that for most of the season they were inconsistent even with the best rider in the league at number 1 and a strong back up in Batchelor. They spent most of the season below us in the table. Wasn’t until they signed Jensen from the championship who suddenly decided to ride like a prime Hans Nielsen, that gave everyone a lift and propelled them upwards

Out of that lot Bellego would be a superb signing for Sheffield. Has an average that’s appealing due to him hating Foxhall and scoring very little, but would no doubt find Sheffield much more to his liking. He flew around the old Swindon circuit and Sheffield is similar in size.

Well certainly not another 3 top end riders no. It’s a certainty that King will return it’s pointless thinking otherwise, so you’re looking at King, Heeps, Allen and probably Klindt as four of the 7. That’s where I guess it gets tricky. If NKI is open to doing a full season then although he didn’t pull up any trees in his brief cameo, he’s a quality rider and you’d have to be interested. You’d think Lynn would be favourites there though. I’m undecided on which way I’d prefer the team to be built, top end strength or strength in depth. People quickly forget that we were top of the league, picking up points in pretty much every meeting home and away, with Chris Harris at 1. That was mainly due to having such strong reserves in Allen and Heeps so it proves that a well balanced side with potent reserves is just as good if not better, than going for top end strength. I’m not convinced the changes bringing in Iversen and (for all his efforts) a poor reserve who was always going to score next to nothing, made the team stronger overall.

Well the jungle drums have Josh G and the Holder brothers riding for Sheffield. Surely if Poole weren’t moving down then that wouldn’t be the case? I believe Klindt has also already done a deal elsewhere. Of course nothing is confirmed, but if it’s a “bluff” from Matt Ford and Poole then it’s one of the biggest bluffs I’ve ever seen. On another note, if Chris Holder does come back and ride for Sheffield with his brother, that would annoy me even more if I were a Poole fan. One or the other on their own not so much, but together they’ll get the best out of each other I’m sure.

Klindt is one of the best gaters in the business. He’ll end up with a hefty home average at Foxhall he’s not even a slight risk.

Lynn would be my guess.

Thankfully won’t be the same Swindon though Baldy. They’ll need to trim that side down to fit within the probable points limit. They’ll still be strong though no doubt as they are more often than not. They’ll probably pull a rabbit or two out of the hat.

Scunthorpe have already confirmed Allen as a rider for next year so I’d bet the deal is done with us also. And yes Gavan I’d be very surprised if Klindt isn’t a Witch next year for a couple of reasons. I think our team will be confirmed pretty quickly after the conference this year and I don’t expect the same problems as last winter in completing the side. King, Heeps, Allen and Klindt will more than likely be 4 of the 7 already.

You also predicted that Ipswich would definitely finish bottom and by some distance and we’re comfortably the “worst top flight side we’ve ever seen”

That’s gotta be a strong hint he’s staying put. Fingers crossed.

Strong possibility also.

Seems a strange one, although perhaps they couldn’t afford him?

Klindt has already ruled out riding in the Championship anyway so it’s all irrelevant.

I’m 99% sure we’ll see Klindt at Foxhall next season as a home rider.

Well take away Heeps and the entertainment would have been even less! Hes a Foxhall specialist, knows how to race the track and provides entertainment. Sorry but I’d never understand anyone who attends the meetings not wanting him to return. Any side wanting to make the top 4 also need to make sure they lose very little if any, at home. That’s another reason to include him.

Harris is irrelevant. He’s been a massive disappointment entertainment wise. My point is about Heeps. I maybe repeating myself, but every time I’ve got off my backside at Foxhall this season to applaud, it’s been because of Cameron Heeps. I genuinely couldn’t care less if his average decreases slightly, he’s still make my team because I love watching him. I want the team to be successful too of course I do, so look for some improvers elsewhere. I don’t think Heeps is done improving yet either, there’s more to come from him IMO.

Not really bothered about Heeps improving his average or not, he’s brilliant to watch around Foxhall and he’d be in my side no matter what. Try and find a couple of other average improvers.

I’ll chip in with Apple maps. “Fastest routes” have Somerset stadium to Poole stadium, 75 miles, or 1 hour 43 minutes. Somerset stadium to Swindon stadium, 78 miles, but a much quicker travelling time of 1 hour 13 minutes. So that clears that one up

Indeed Badge, I mentioned this also on the Poole thread. Now the current Poole riders know their intentions for next season, they will almost certainly be making contingency plans for next year and sounding out interested parties. Promoters contacting other promoters to ask permission to speak to “their” riders, is probably the LAST act of any potential move rather than the first.

Depends on two things really, how desperate Matt Ford is to sell, and how desperate Keith Chapman is to keep Poole in the top flight and keep it viable. I genuinely wouldn’t be at all surprised if Chapman buys the club. Chris Louis insisted on buy back clauses last winter and I always felt he never truly wanted to sell the club hence the clause to buy it back. We now know that as of yet, the club still hasn’t been brought by Chapman. I’m assuming Chapman doesn’t have a bottomless pit of money, but maybe if Louis hangs on to the club, the money earmarked for the purchase could go on Poole instead? All speculation and with still more than 4 weeks until the AGM, I’m sure there’s plenty more still to come

The conference in November is still a little while away, so much can happen until then so I wouldn’t resign yourself to anything just yet. Ford has confirmed the club is still on the market and is still looking for a buyer, would anyone be surprised if Keith Chapman purchased another club and kept Poole in the top division? I wouldn’t. Maybe this is what Matt Ford is hoping for? He saw Chapman buy clubs last winter to keep the top flight viable, so if he makes noises in public about taking the club down, he’ll finally get the buyer he’s been looking for? Stranger things have happened.