Speedball

Not seen tbh. My one hope is that they can somehow persuade Thorssell to ride over here.

Probably still score more away than Jorgensen

So Adam Ellis to Sheffield so can scrub that one off the list. Could we seriously end up going into a season with Cook, Lawson and Jorgensen as the heat leaders?

Kerr, Jorgensen and Proctor are surely nailed on. If it Lawson then that looks a really weak side. Would be totally reliant on home form as couldn’t see that team picking up a point away. Is Adam Ellis a non-starter due to foreign commitments? I know he was replaced by Schlein at Poole. Guess the aim of a top 6 finish isn’t all that bad

So season looks like it could start on 17th May with a home derby match against Ipswich.

Or get a relative on the Management Committee

I’m the opposite to Bagpuss on this one. I watched the vast majority of the Young Stars meetings and loved them. Yes some of the riders could be a bit rough around the edges but that was part of the enjoyment for me. I’d say when the Young Stars stopped that was the beginning of me falling out of love with speedway. I loved watching the riders progress. Not everyone was a Robert Lambert (few are) but it felt like we were investing in the sport and growing our own talent. Just a shame more didn’t support it. Also the big trouble is the NL has a mixed identity. You have big standalone clubs where it is just about winning and others where it was all about development.

Absolutely. I’ve gone from a die hard every week to now picking and choosing my meetings. Speedway for me no longer represents good value for money. The racing is getting worse and the team strengths are the weakest in history. Yes COVID undoubtedly makes a difference but the decline has been coming for years. It’s just a race to the bottom now rather than trying to improve. I’ll give it a go early on but if the racing is still 13 out of 15 FTG and the team isn’t competitive, my money’s staying in my pocket.

Makes sense to use our asset in Kinsley. I’m not actually sure which promotion Connor is as asset of now which is just typical of speedway’s behind closed door deals. Retained asset lists should be freely available on the BSPA website. Also, let’s be honest, using Mountain rather than Kinsley is hardly likely to turn us into title contenders, unless there is a massive rabbit to be pulled out of a very small hat. Until we find a second heat leader and Jorgensen and Proctor massively improve their away form, we’re going to get hammered away most weeks regardless of who is at reserve.

It was. Connor was riding for King’s Lynn Lightning in the MDL. They wanted him to step up to the Young Stars and become a club asset. He decided to go to Mildenhall instead. Obviously that’s his prerogative but don’t think it went down all that well.

Guess I shouldn’t be surprised but just smacks of the easy option. Enormous gulf between the likes of Bates and Kinsley. Ryan could be a spoiler at home but fear for him away. Just hope the promotion to the main team doesn’t have the same effect on Ryan as it did Josh Bailey. Travelling for hours to run 0, 0, 0 and be off the pace will do nothing for his confidence or development. He’ll just end up losing any enjoyment and walking away from the sport. The exact opposite of what the scheme is designed to do.

Me too and it’s not like we have loads of options. Lambert is impossible to replace but Thorssell would more than make up for Riss.

Don’t know how likely it would be, but would take Thorssell in a heartbeat now he’s been released by Wolves. Decent at Lynn and would give some much needed top end strength away. A rider who I’ve always liked watching.

Looks like the Star have made a mistake according to Stars Facebook. That’s a relief.

If that’s true then we’re screwed. That’s the top 3 all gone and no quality replacements available.

I’d rather we brought back Henka

That is a massive blow

Missed that. I went to averages one above that and missed the greensheet averages link below that. Cheers mate

Not sure about gradings or however the youngster thing works, but would welcome Anders Rowe in that spot. Was very impressive in the UK v Denmark test match at the end of 2019. Scored 9+3 from 5 rides.

Cheers Tellboy - I did see those but apparently they aren't the final official greensheet averages so didn't want to use them. They used to have all the greensheets on their site but can't see them now.

So announced that it's 6 rides to a total of 35.5 plus a British youngster graded at four and below. Can't see the averages on the BSPA site but would assume Cook, Jorgensen, Riss, Kerr, Proctor and Bridger come to under that.

Lewis Rose?

Remember Hans Nielsen having some sort of ridiculous season with Oxford where I think he only got beaten a handful of times. Around about 1986/87 I think.

Was about to say the very same. Obviously Buster and himself have cleared the air. Last I’d heard, they hadn’t spoken since the night of the Holder/Batchelor farce.

Must be Rune Holta (the 46 year old Norwegian turned Pole)