Steve Irving

You should delete this and add a link instead Bagpuss. Revenue can be generated through clicks and clubs need all the help financially they can get.

No, it was just crap pure and simple.

Kin ell what is wrong with some of you people? So now your criticism has shifted from the manager to the rider? Firstly, I’d say his effort last night was very commendable no? Unless for some warped reason you’re saying he hasn’t got a perforated eardrum and someone is lying?

I just don’t like seeing riders lock up so much on bend two that they’ve almost come to a complete stop before they get their wheels back in line and get going again up the back straight. Will never look particularly appealing to me. You also had riders taking the wide line on bend 2 who for a split second looked like they were about to pass, who then lost so much ground to the rider nailing the white line that by the time the rider on the inside got to the 3rd bend the bloke behind him was nearly half a straight behind! That can’t be right can it?

When you look at that still it’s incredible how much the track has changed and how much wider it is. This clip from the early 90’s for comparison, night and day!

I’ll answer it. Once again you’re talking absolute bollo(ks and plucking completely wrong statements out of your ar$e to suit your agenda. There was no 25% rule in previous seasons, evidenced by Lynn booting Craig Cook this time last year after 2 meetings.

Exactly, he scored 3, that was his score, nobody is guessing are they? If you’re talking about a different meeting then sure, his score will certainly be different on a different day. So this “if” doesn’t apply to both teams does it? Because only one team were missing their riders and it wasn’t Lynn who were at full strength. Nobody knows for certain that Starke and Rowe would have scored more than the two points from eight rides that their replacements managed, but an educated guess tells you it’s more than likely!

Steady on, that wasn’t Ipswich’ proper team was it? You were at full strength. Ipswich proper 1-7 last night they’d have won, and you’d have lost so not sure your last point rings true.

No problem, you deserved it to be honest with your ridiculous post.

No, an injury replacement is permitted, as per the published rule. Quite obvious really because it would be pretty daft for a team not to be allowed to replace a rider that couldn’t ride through no fault of their own, wouldn’t it? A team that had nearly six months to put together a septet like everyone else, is a different kettle of fish entirely.

Hawkins’ insistence on shoehorning his badly out of form best mate in the side at all costs is I expect the main reason why the numbers didn’t add up.

Heeps having another stinker for Oxford. A single gifted point when Newman fell from his opening 3 rides. Ok he’s never been a world beater, but quite incredible how he’s seemingly hit a brick wall since the start of last year. Something seriously wrong with him.

Louis needs to correct a mistake quickly before the league programme starts. Forget all the new “rules” with regards changes, they can be easily manipulated just like every other damn rule in British Speedway. If a rider conveniently quits of decides to take “time out”, can they not replace him? Of course they will. They can also make an immediate improvement by using Hume instead of Rowe. Such a waste having him at 8 and not being used.

Oh boy good luck Cam sunshine you’re gonna need it! Gonna be a long old season for you I’m afraid as the knives are out already before a wheel has even been turned.

That makes absolutely zero sense to me, none whatsoever.

Of course I’m not, but I’ve been watching Speedway for more years than I care to remember. I know when I’m watching a rider struggling for form and confidence, and I know when I’m watching a rider not putting a shift in. Allen was the latter, and nobody is going to change my opinion on that.

That seems contradictory to me! You’ve described Allen perfectly in that first sentence. Am I right in thinking that you work behind the scenes at Ipswich and mix with the riders? Apologies if I have you mixed up with someone else. So your opinions are not exactly neutral are they? You clearly like some riders over others because of their personalities, and nothing whatsoever to do with their riding abilities. Allen infuriated me this season/last year and it was no surprise he wasn’t retained. I don’t mind seeing riders struggling for form, most go through it at some stage. But what I won’t tolerate is paying good money to watch riders taking the pi$$, and Allen did that this season. If you don’t want to ride, then don’t! Quit, go elsewhere. At times he blatantly wasn’t putting in the effort. Clearly hasn’t gone unnoticed elsewhere either because despite now being on a “cheap” average, nobody else has picked him up either. Belle Vue might, as they’re getting a bit desperate.

Based on what exactly? You’re of course entitled to your opinion, but we can only go on what we’ve seen so far. The fact is Brennan spent the entire year at reserve, and averaged under 4. Rowe, who is also a year younger by the way, averaged 4 and a half whilst riding half of the meetings in the main body of the side whilst injured. He actually went in to the season carrying an injury, and seriously aggravated it crashing 6 weeks in to the season. Up until that point the lad was riding like an established heat leader! Yes, I know that. But I was under the impression they were talking about the coming season, not the one just gone.

Think Anders Rowe would have something to say about that. 4.46 this season, was averaging well over 6 before injury struck, and rode a good chunk of the season in the main body of the side than at reserve unlike Brennan. Now Rowe is selected as the rising star that he was eligible for this year. No slight on young Brennan whatsoever, he looks a talented boy, but best RS in the league and by “a country mile”? Not a chance.

Thank you

What was his average for the meetings he did at Poole out of interest?

What’s with the love in with Basso? You watched him more than I, that I will Concede, but from afar it seemed he was as likely to stuff his bike in the fence as win a race? Again without watching him and just looking at his scores, he had a few really good meetings, and quite a few absolutely sh!te ones. Am I wrong?

Don’t be daft. Those going would not have been expecting to hear the full team, the press release quite clearly stated A signing would be announced, and it was, Drew Kemp. What the hell is wrong with some of you? Why are you all stamping your feet and demanding to know who signed riders are? The season starts in March for Christ sake. I bet you’re the sort that can’t wait for December 25th and make a crafty rip in your presents to see what you’ve got

Impossible to know that. What we do know, is that Rowe is currently the better rider and the better choice.

You categorically stated what the Ipswich team was, and then labelled Louis as pathetic for not satisfying you by naming said team and instead “drip feeding” it. He’s literally done a deal for a rider in the last 48 hours so that proves you were talking absolute b0llocks. The team clearly wasn’t sorted when you claimed it was.