Steve Shovlar

In the early 2000’s Poole we’re regularly getting bigger crowds than AFC Bournemouth. Yesterday, AFC Bournemouth spent over £80,000,000 (80 Million pounds) in the winter transfer window. How things have changed.

I have nothing against Jake Allen but he is a journeyman third heat leader in the Championship. Not in the same class as Richard Lawson. Yes, on his home track he could pop out and beat Lawson but overall Lawson is a much more accomplished rider. I recall Allen having a couple of decent meetings at Poole when he was at reserve. But last season he was nowhere and didn’t get close to double figures if my brain remembers correctly. Can’t really compare the two riders. When Allen rode for Somerset he looked like a talent about to break through but sadly it never materialised.

PAUL JOHNSON. No doubt.

They went on record stating that Somerset had permanently closed and that they were not going to discuss it. They surely forfeited any reason to keep a promoters licence.

I should imagine anyone, and I mean anyone, could put together a consortium or just themselves to start a new speedway club in Somerset. They certainly don’t have to ask permission from any other group or the Hancocks, who lost all rights the moment they shut down Somerset. They might have rights to the name but a new club could be called Somerset Saints. They would need a licence from the BSPA and pay bonds etc. But at the moment, no one has the god given right to say we can be the only group.

No! Very poor and extortionate imo. Once bitten, never again. Eat at McD’s around the corner beforehand.

Certainly wouldn’t eat at Poole. Double Cheeseburger £8. RIP off! Go McD’s before if you need food.

Easy to do that way but how many seasons has Brennan and Thomson had in the CL? Let’s see at the end of this season. Confident Cook will not be behind Thomson and could well have a higher average than Brennan. The improvement was there for all to see. Time will tell.

You are under rating Ben Cook. It’s perhaps understandable since he is relatively new to British speedway but as the two clips above show, he is progressing rapidly in the right direction. Here’s another clip of Ben passing MPT at Plymouth and the commentator completely missing it. Go to 52 mins heat 14. Ben struggling on the tiny Plymouth track but finally getting to grips with it.

Don’t remember a single Poole fan wanting Ben Cook replaced last season. Just got better and better as the season progressed.

If Poole fans were offered Kye or Ben Cook for the third heat leader berth, I doubt any would pick Kye over Ben. Cook progressed over the course of the season. Whilst I like Brennan and hope he will be a top British rider, having watched Ben since his arrival in the U.K., he has gone from strength to strength. But for the visa he was issued he would have had plenty of premier League rides last year. This year will see what he can do. I have no doubt he will do more than his job for Poole in 23.

I think Ben Cook is better than Brennan and Kye Thomson already. He is new to the leagues so non Poole fans have really yet to take serious notice of his abilities but Peterborough have been watching and Pirates fans know just how good this little racer is. Big things await Ben and if he continues to progress this coming season then Poland awaits. Very fast out front and able to make Impressive passes. I have no doubt he will do a great job in the third heat leader berth.

Nathan averaged under 2 didn’t he? Yes he scored a few points over the season but very little.

Poole are hopeful that Ben Cook continues his progression and becomes a solid third heat leader to back up Worrall and Lawson. He showed in the second half of last season that he is more than capable of doing this. He won’t be anywhere near as solid as Danny King though. Zach Cook started last season well but faded mid season, before coming back in strong in the last couple of months. If he continues his progress he will be a very important cog in the engine room of the team. We all know what we are going to get with Kyle and Adam. Kyle is going to be a very solid reserve and likely to push Jack Thomas out of the number two berth and down to number 6. He knows all the tracks, all the setups. He is likely to have very good meetings at home, with the occasional good meeting away. He can of course have howlers but that’s the nature of a reserve/second string. Always felt there was more in the can with Kyle and a 6-7 average was there for him with a bit of luck and avoiding injuries. Not likely now but compared to other reserves, he is likely one of the best in the league. He normally puts in a decent performance at Wimborne Road when in opposition and back riding the track every week will help him. Adam has never done great at Poole but he has never ridden it as his home track. He needs to be shown the quickest way around it and should gobble up the two point reserve opposition for breakfast. His experience is enough to score more than Nathan did. If he scored 3 a meeting, it’s 3 more than we got from the 7 berth last year. Jack Thomas is really the only “unknown” for most Poole fans. I remember he rode well against us for Oxford last season before a hand injury and was dialled in at Cowley. Surprised his name wasn’t one of the first on the list for the Oxford promotion. Expecting him to score solidly at home once he gets to know the track. Could well struggle away though. But that’s where Kyle’s knowledge could well come into play. Nothing is guaranteed and the team might not live up to expectations. However viewing the opposition, all have issues like weak reserves, even if the top 5 look impressive. Remember the old Adage. Reserves win meetings. And this coming season we might see that in action.

Welcome to Poole Adam Roynon. Pirates have the best reserve pair in the league and they really should do very well against the majority of other teams 6 and 7. I have had a few good chats with Adam and he really is an approachable guy. The fans will like him a lot. Never fulfilled his early career expectations due to some horrendous injuries but if he rides to his ability we can expect 3-4 points a meeting from him. Doubt he will leave the reserve berth all season but will score. Might end up with sharing the reserve berth with Jack Thomas at the first set off GS. Can’t see past Poole making it a hat trick of titles. We look the best team through 1-7. While other clubs might have a better top three, they fall down in the second string or reserve berths. Both Worrall and Lawson will maintain their averages. The Cook brothers will definitely improve. Thomas might take a bit of time to dial in but looking at his scores last year for Oxford, he was very good until his injury. Might end up swapping with Kyle but that’s not bad news. Kyle knows the track and has a lot of experience. Should really clean up against other reserves and has the knowledge of all tracks. Can be injury prone though. And Adam might only get three rides to Kyle’s five, but will score more than Nathan last season. Of course injuries at any time could wreck a teams chances but if we stay fit, we really can make it three in a row.

Cegeilski was excellent on small tracks. I remember he scored 16 on his first visit to Kirky Lane. A very good rider whose career was bitterly cut short.

All teams need to be supported. I feel for the club as no one wants to put out a weakened team and be whipping boys. I hope the Brum fans stick with their club during these tougher times and the club goes from strength to strength. Not turning up to support their team leads to only one outcome.

Poole are disliked through envy. The big green eyed monster. Anyone but Poole. Heard it virtually every season for the last 20 years.

If there’s no clash with riders, and Glasgow have no issue with riding on a Thursday, then it would make sense to move the fixture to the day before the Edinburgh fixture. Think of the environment and All that carbon saved from being pumped into the atmosphere.

I should imagine that northern teams will be riding at Plymouth the night before they come to Poole. So when Glasgow are due on 5th July, swap the fixture with Birmingham coming instead, and put Glasgow back to the 19th July. That way they can make two long journeys down to the south coast in a couple of weeks. Sounds fair as that’s what Glasgow want Poole to do, right?

Yes aware but with a bit of co-operation the Glasgow (or Edinburgh) could have been moved to the Sunday afternoon? Gives Poole fans a reason to have a mini northern break, saves riders two journeys to Scotland in two weeks, costing lots in time and fuel. A shames as it’s a missed opportunity.

Pirates 2023 fixtures are out. Start with Steve Worrall Testimonial on 29th March. Our first 4 fixtures, home and away to Oxford and Plymouth, are live on BSN. However, it’s a shame we couldn’t fit in Glasgow, Edinburgh and Berwick over one weekend for a northern tour. We are at Glasgow the week before Edinburgh and Berwick. Such a shame all three couldn’t be tied in together to save on expenses. Date Fixture Comp 29th March Steve Worrall Testimonial IND 5th April Oxford v Poole BSN 7th April Poole v Oxford BSN 11th April Plymouth v Poole BSN 19th April Poole v Plymouth BSN 25th April Plymouth v Poole KOC 3rd May Poole v Plymouth KOC 24th May Poole v Scunthorpe SGBC 6th June Plymouth v Poole SGBC 7th June Poole v Plymouth SGBC 16th June Redcar v Poole SGBC 21st June Oxford v Poole SGBC 5th July Poole v Glasgow SGBC 12th July Poole v Berwick SGBC 19th July Birmingham v Poole SGBC 26th July Poole v Birmingham SGBC 28th July Glasgow v Poole SGBC 2nd August Poole v Edinburgh SGBC 4th August Edinburgh v Poole SGBC 5th August Berwick v Poole SGBC 9th August Poole v Oxford SGBC 11th August Scunthorpe v Poole SGBC 16th August Poole v Redcar SGBC TBA Poole v Leicester JUB TBA Leicester v Poole JUB

Lol. That’s right. Ben Cook will be a fans favourite within a month of the start of the season. A better rider than Batch next season and certainly better than Hans. Averages might not yet show it but potential is big. Fast gater, never gives up and is fast. But remember, he is a pirate first and foremost.

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Nathan certainly does have potential. Last year was a massive learning curve for him and a huge step up. No easy rides and because of having a stronger number t he was only getting three heats a meeting. Trouble was he rarely gated and gave the opposition a head start. After the second bend he was on the same pace but he does need to vastly improve his starts. I am sure he will be picked up by a championship club sooner rather than later as he has the beating of several reserves who are signed up. He’s a young lad with plenty of time on his side. Poland have seen something there. Enough to be picked up.