Pinny

Kurtz will be a fantastic signing once permitted to ride.

Have Newport ever had big crowds? Well up until about 2003, yes! During the Wasps first five years or so they probably had the best following in the PL, ask the likes of Reading, Exeter and Swindon fans what the travelling support was like when the Wasps were in town!

And as i have said, just because he lives local and doesnt require much travel pay it doesnt mean he is cheap!! Comparing him with cook is ridiculous. Cook is the top rider in the league. Comparing him with riders between 6.5 and 7.00 is a better idea. You can be sure other clubs were sniffing around Lanham on a figure of 6.92. As i have stated numerous times, having been aware of what he was being paid during his time at Newport, unless hes taken a big pay cut then Lanham is far from a cheap rider. Id wager that hes on a better deal than some 8 pointers. Your constant claims that Lanham is a cheap option are pathetic and wrong but most can see that.

I base my "imagine" on the fact it is very rare a speedway rider takes a substancial pay cut. So what if Lanham is pally with the Louis family? Calling a rider a "cheap option" because they live local shows a complete lack of knowledge. Maybe Ward was a cheap option for Lynn in 2009 as he lived in the stadium grounds in a caravan? I used to defend you when most others slated you and thought your views were correct even if a bit extreme at times but these last few posts of yours really do leave me wondering if you have much knowledge of the speedway world.

Except Aspegren's figure is a rolling one and he actually averaged almost a point higher than that for Berwick alone in 2012. Barretts sub 4 figure is purely on his 2012 form and Edbergs is also a pretty accurate figure. Barrett with a full season may well improve well on his figure but I am afraid after well over a season, Edbergs average is a true reflection, even given his injuries. I seen him at Newport when he gated ahead of Ithink Gjedde and was all over the shop for four laps, many said then that he looked an accident waiting to happen and as much as we hate injuries in our sport, that has been proved right.

Not my business to say really but am going to anyway... The Malletts had a few good points as well as bad points at Newport and one good point was that they paid their riders good money, hence why after years of seeing the likes of Rajkowski, Collins, Vedel, Nick Simmons to name a few lining up as NUMBER 1 for Newport during the Tim Stone era we suddenly seen the likes of Doyle, Gjedde and Lanham lining up as number 1, riders who would never dream of riding at Newport before the Malletts were on the scene. Although this ultimately could of been the downfall of the club amongst other things! Unless Lanham has taken a big pay cut then I would imagine he is on a pretty good deal at Ipswich.

Grow up you clown If it wasnt for fans paying to watch then these riders wouldnt have a job. Paying in excess of 15 quid for 15 races the fans have every right to complain

A poor mans richard hall

And? This means he rides for peanuts per point does it?

Not sure we will ever know the real reasons behind the fall out. Heard so many things its unreal. Dont see how anyone can make a mockery of being paid per point though... if he is on, say, £80 a point. He turns up and bangs in a 15 point max, thats £1200. And a fully deserved £1200. If he turns up and scores 2, thats only £160. The one thing about being paid per point is you get paid what you deserve. You find more riders extracting the urine out of clubs when their on fixed guarantees no matter what they score, yet regulary post returns between 2 and 4 points for a so called number 1. I refuse to believe Charlie signed for Berwick with the sole intention of dropping his average. He was on an attractive average anyway, cant remember what but certainly sub 9 and he was highly linked with a move to Newport prior to signing for Berwick, he was at a few meetings in 2010 at the end of the season and its no secret Steve Mallett almost done a deal with him. Mallett decided to go elsewhere with his team building. For Gjedde to purposely lower his average to join Newport would of meant Mallett building a side with the intention of bombing a rider out at the first opportunity which wasnt the case. To sign Gjedde, along with Doyle and Sedgmen, he had to sack almost half of his side. No, something went wrong with Gjedde and Berwick after he had ridden his first meeting for them. Thats one thing that is certain.

Know what you mean as we had Frampton at Newport averaging about 6.5 and averaging about 5.5 for Coventry in the EL at the same time. Did Gjedde visit Berwicks stadium prior to signing? He hadnt rode PL for years before his return in 2011, it maybe that he forgot about the brick wall or assumed it wouldnt be there anymore... who knows. Could be a number of reasons. I had heard his departure was due to certains things that were agreed not being honoured but that was terrace talk and probably nonsense. He certainly had no problem at Berwick in 2012 scoring double figures there. But I know the Newport promotion were extremely worried and narked off at the same time with the personal threats issued to Charlie and the way the Berwick management done absolutely nothing to prevent their fans from stopping the threats was appauling... certainly in other sports clubs have been fined for similar behavior by the fans. Lanham cheap?! I'd have a rethink mate.

His 30 meetings for Newport last season made him the best ever rider to wear a Wasps jacket... we've had Watson, Iversen, Smart, Henriksson but Gjedde was a class above them and was by far the most dominant rider I have seen at Newport. Some of the passes he made on visiting heatleaders were out of this world. Some promotions just couldn't get the best out of him he was the same when he returned to the sport in around 2000 for Reading in the PL their fans couldnt stand him half the time as he appeared to not be trying, moved to Swindon the year after and was one of the top riders in the league. Can understand why Berwick fans are a bit peeved off with him but the personal abuse and threats he received were bang out of order he still posted some very good scores for the Bandits. A superb rider and a big loss to the PL if indeed he has retired.

Heard Gjedde has packed in. Huge shame.

Risager challenging for the number 1 spot?! Haha has Louis been smoking drugs?

Aspegren is a cracking signing on 6.40. Berwick look good...I would question the reserves though. Many have called them essential signings, I am not sure. They both have averages they have acheived over plenty of meetings, so being classed as bargain averaged riders isnt quite true. Still, should be well off the bottom injuries permitting.

A lot more than what Swindon done for Miedzinski and then demanding a huge sum off Poole for him.

People suggesting the injury prone Kozza Smith as a better option than Robin Aspegren are barking mad. Aspegren is an all out racer, exciting to watch, scores plenty of points and is good on pretty much any track. For a rider who is so exciting and misses the gate more often than not, he doesn't fall off very often. Granted his air fares make him a bit more expensive but he is a class act. Very likely he will end up at Somerset however I havent heard more on the subject for a few weeks now. Aspegren or Smith is a no brainer for me... Robin every time.

Similar to the likes of Smith and Alden then, except he does it in a more entertaining way.

Mole probably had other clubs he was involved in which he then transferred his assets to.

What a lovely way for Alden to reward Berwick after they purchased his contract!! Forget loan fees for the next 5 seasons or so, Berwick may not be around then ! Just proves how foolish it is to be a rider outright in this day and age.

Be fine at home cant see him being as dominant as he was before away from Owlerton though. Should average around 8.5 .

IMO side doesnt look too bad but would be even better if points were used properly. Allen may be a bit boring but is nailed on for 8.5 at least should he survive the season unscathed, Mellgren should be pushing 8 come October and Nelson, should he arrive, should be good for 6.5-7. Garrity and Nielsen will improve which leaves Bunyan and Lambert. These are the weak links IMO. I am sure Josh Grajczonek fits for Lambert if not he definately does for Bunyan which would give you a team of: 1. Allen 2. Garrity 3. Mellgren 4. Nelson 5. Grajczonek 6. Lykke Nielsen 7. Lambert That looks a lethal team but Silver being Silver has again elected to go well under the limit and whilst the team wont be near the bottom it wont be near the top unless he makes a change or two.

Bach was never going to be a top dog this season after his horrific 2011 injury. But he improved as the season went on which to me suggests that come 2013 he will be a snip on an average under 8. Can the same be said for Robbo? I dont think so.

If Rene Bach wants to return to Newcastle only a fool would choose Robson instead of him. As much as I like Robbo after a full season, Bach should really be one of the leagues top riders next season. Cant see Robson doing the same,

Theres been quite a few teams over the last decade or so that have started with three riders with averages higher than 8.18 . Newport in 2003 started with Iversen as third heatleader on 9.00 with Smart and Watson both starting with averages over 9.00 . Workington have done it a few times, and I am sure one year Arena Essex lined up with Lanham, Kylmakorpi and Tatum all on averages over 8.00 Granted it rarely happens and 8.18 isnt the norm for a third heatleader, it has still happened.