Sings4Speedway

Personal opinion before Mike01234 gets upset.....Kemp no, needs away from CP to regain his confidence. What has Ablitt done since quitting mid season? Because Mulford was discovered it got covered up but if Kent finished the season running James Laker i doubt runners up would have been on the cards. A team with 4 likely double uppers is always a recipe for disaster, the injury curse struck Kent this year and would lurk again with that side.....but still looks better than the built Plymouth team

In my personal opinion and it is all it is based upon. Bowtell & Stoneman are on inflated averages and both will drop over the year, i see no improvement in Butcher, Bursill or Davies so the side very much depends upon Atkins regaining his confidence as his average is 5 for a reason and Andrews who will hammer huge scores in the cup comps when his average is protected and hold his number in league fixtures. There are obviously a few surprises to come but fear when the other teams are built/released Plymouth won't look any better on paper or track as they were this season.

Would need to along with Spooner as 3 double uppers in a team means guests galore. Which will be further limited by less teams and therefore less riders to choose from.

Underwhelming Plymouth side so far that will do little to appease the disappointed promotion/fans. Could be tactical to ensure that the move up is seen as the correct one but losses and lower attendances this season could cost the clubs longer term vision.

That group with Jenkins & Gilkes would leave Kent around 6 points under the limit. Its interesting that Ablitt & Wood did similar things last season but because of averages Wood is on the naughty list an Ablitt is not.

Quite possibly but if Kent want an out an out number 1 like previous seasons the options are going to be a bit limited.

The handicap idea is decent in theory and if used in the best spirit it could create a few additional areas of interest mid meeting which will always be good. It does suit tracks like IOW far better than it will Mildenhall & Plymouth tough as you need size and passing opportunities for it to become a winner. What happens if the top averaged rider in the chosen races doesn't fancy it and gets themselves timed out? Does the reserve assume the average and have to take the 15 metres or will the other rider have to drop back if they are higher averaged than the reserve?

A team without Widders ? I suspect not. Plus Wally was dreadful on the Island so switch those two, drop Edwards out and bring Lawlor in. Fruit loops maybe but he can certainly ride the island. For me that side would be right up there next season and if it was Marson for Verge then even stronger.

With the minimum bumped back up to 3.00 (why stick with a plan for more than a season) i would think Clouting & Mulford are certainties for the reserve positions, if it was me i would look for 4 strong riders around the 6 point mark like Marson, Jenkins, Harris & Spooner and then lump the rest on a big number 1 like Wood. Just checked averages and that actually fits so im off for a cuppa.

Don't see it with Bursill personally i find him awkward to watch on a bike and the Colliseum doesn't suit him. Sheppard certainly made the most of the home advantage but i fear its his swan song also. As for the rest Andrews managed to end on a attractive average again and Atkins looks a bargain on that figure but Stoneman & Bowtell must be considered expensive on those figures? Fingers crossed Davies has got better equipment finally or i fear another season of mediocre for Plymouth.

Even if there are a couple of strong contenders from the dev leagues / amateur leagues they are still only going to occupy the reserve berths. I fully expect the usual northern suspects may feature like Ryan Mac, Ruddick etc but it still needs to be a team up to standard and whoever signs is in for a whole load of travelling for every away match.

Interesting but hard work for them. Looking forward to the away matches lads at IOW, Kent & Plymouth?

Not quite sure why the desire for Mark Riss? He didn't exactly set the leagues alight when he last rode here since then he has retired, restarted, retired, thought about a crack at Longtrack etc not really the type of rider i would want in any side.

Personally i don't see it. Harris average will only drop, Garrity & Shanes have reached their level. If THJ has better bikes than the MDL kit than was using last year he will be a major trump card and Morris will probably put a point on but teams need bigger improvements than that to even make top half.

Agreed. Sadly the early teams were built with limited rider knowledge so only established UK names were included and often on inflated averages and wage demands to match. The drive to be a top flight side was fine and fitted with BMR's brand image but as soon as fixed race nights came into play they should have returned to the middle tier and used the Saturday nights to build a solid business. I still believe that can be done and returning to the 3rd tier would be a good start. The track has always been a bit of a dump, its part of its charm but providing the track is sound, some fairly level hard standing with some bogs & a food wagon its already on par with half of the UK's tracks anyway. Fingers crossed someone with the vision to build a product and not a venue steps in and brings the old lady back to life.

Makes the destruction of the original mini track seem all the more daft now its been re-instated.

Certainly a team built 'on trend' with a powerhouse top 5 and then best reserves available with points left over. Not sure Covatti was first pick but with Ledwith's terrible value average i guess it was a good plan B? I think there will be value and entertainment at Central Park with this side in equal measure to frustration and disappointment. The Kent fans are very used to being successful a home and i can see this side having its home colours lowered once or twice but equally picking up pieces on the road. If top 6 is the aim i see that being achievable but don't see a lot more with the current lineup.

Im guessing you weren't going regularly when Kings Lynn ran a NL side (in fairness not many people went regularly and that was the problem) however the comments from those who did attend and the visits i had was that the entertainment was far higher at NL level than the top flight gate and go. Shame it didn't prove to be sustainable in the end.

Always difficult, the 2 point rule promotes opportunities for riders to prove themselves at CL level which is always a plus however because it exists the majority of the top fives are a higher standard so the gap is greater than ever before. An obvious option would be to reduce the points limit for team building but that just leads to natural inflation of averages rather than improvement from improved results. Riders stepping up need to do so because they are at the required level and not just because their averages fit.

Nailed it. The sport needs to decide what it wants as a long term. If it is to have a higher standard at top domestic and world level then it needs to be a higher standard throughout, expecting a reduced level NL to be a viable stepping stone to s strong CL & PL is just madness. There already riders in the NL that should be dev leagues only and likewise dev league riders that should be amateur scene only. If the demand is for an inclusive sport that is open to all abilities then fine but i don't here many fans calling for that.

It is only based upon comments made by CVS. That said because the public have been left in the dark again it is largely speculation. Thrown in that many of the higher league snobs look down badly on the NL and development leagues, see one poor rider and tar every other rider with the same brush.

The problem with the program format is that a number 6 rarely races against another 2 point reserve and still its just creating 2 meetings in one. Potentially there could be 12 x championship clubs looking for 2 pointers from the NL. Based upon last years 8 teams that would be 3 heat leaders from each side however with some NL riders already having averages above 2.00 the list drops further and without bashing names is the future and progression of British speedway going to work when 5 point NL riders can get a place in the higher leagues? Its very difficult because it is important to stop the loss of talents like Mountain, Greaves etc but at the same time the best riders make it without a safety net and the others don't thats just the way sport as a whole works.

Spot on, however the incentives for British riders to move up must still be for those that are a suitable calibre. The introduction of 2 pointers does promote the progression but also offers chances for clubs to use just 4 points on reserves and build a strong top 5 increasing the gulf in class. Reductions for all Brit riders or a higher minimum average for overseas riders may be a better solution?

CVS isn't wrong although the difference i standard is splattered across the sport, the CL has 10 & 2 pointers in the same meetings, likewise the NL which is why there is a disparity in standard. Unfortunately the development leagues below have seen a rise in sub standard riders who are happy to use the meetings as practice laps. There are no gradings in these meetings so unfortunately there will be riders close to NL standard racing alongside riders who are barely sliding a bike. Its run and maintained by very helpful and friendly volunteers (who are probably too nice in several instances). I suspect a NDL will be in place but with limited meetings and possibly a strong cap on either team or rider averages.

Now if it was rockin' Rob Hollingsworth.......