STEVEHOLS54

Yes you are right. Unfortunately I follow the main Polish Speedway website where they run things so differently. They manage to organise 3 leagues where the transfer and signing window is open for just 2 weeks - opens 1st Nov closes latest 15th Nov. Only exceptions being if say a Polish EL club releases one of its squad players to a loan to a Nice 1st/2nd div side for a season which can be done after the official transfer cut off date. Amazing how these guys manage to do it with riders all over the World in the close season even if some go down to the wire at last minute. A bit like the transfer deadline excitement you get on SKY football transfer deadline but in speedway form. The UK a lot different of course. Much weaker league with ever diminishing amount of big stars - new league/points structure indeed agreed only 2 weeks ago - A new Premier League which even as we speak we have no idea if it will really be 9 teams or maybe less - There is an uneasy situation surrounding BV and Leicester. There have been announcements they PLAN to run in Prem but will they and in what format ?? BV no idea who will be running for sure and on what budget. Will top riders want to sign up after the farce of last seasons finances ?? Let alone the uneasy future. Leicester supposedly have 2 poss but both have to meet a long list of requirements and rumour is they may only have Saturdays at home again which would seem to rule out maybe some of the better riders doubling up in Poland. After this what quality will they have in the side ?? Would not surprise me if we end up with 8 or 7 teams in Prem after all the talk is finished. I hope not and just airing my fears and opinion. I also do hope that Matt Ford ties up a decent sponsor after the loss of Readypower. That is a fair chunk of change at a time Speedway is going through an already tough period. Not many have 6 figures to throw around these days on a minority sport even if us minorities love it as I have done since my first meeting at Hackney Wick back in 1970 as a teenager. I suppose it also keeps the BS Forum hot with different views/opinions while all of this trundles on. If we had the Polish system, while it may be exciting for 2 weeks what the hell would we have to talk about if it was all done and dusted by today with still 4 months before we go racing again lol. My excitement of trying to have Poole riders announced asap (even in dribs and drabs) is getting to me.

I do hope that the lack of news on riders from Matt Ford is anything to do that at present the may not have a team sponsor ?? We know he has just lost his main sponsor who was putting in a six figure sum over the last 2 years. Even in his interviews he said was lookin for a new sponsor. If has has riders signed then why not announce. Do we really want to see his comments as today in the Echo about his fear of relegation ?? We know Matt is good at playing the media and announcing when it suits him for max media exposure, which fair enough and good for him. But just a niggle makes me wonder if he is holding back as he needs the major sponsorship money he has enjoyed in previous years before he can commit to any major signings ?? Hopefully not the case. Just hope he starts giving us something shortly to wet the appetite as cannot see how riders such as HA and BK let snippets leak out about possible returns yet nothing coming from upon high. Come on Matt - Give us something besides young JH and the non return of CH.

Try this one instead. http://sportowefakty.wp.pl/zuzel/645371/zamiast-anglii-bedzie-dania-andreas-jonsson-podpisal-kolejny-kontrakt Sorry the link is in Polish but I have Google translate on the whole website as this is by far the best site for up to date Speedway news. Even Chris Harris's move to Rye House was on their before midnight last night.

Cyfer - Despite riding for the top Polish team and will be 22 in May 2017 I believe, only achieved being 43 out of 51 classified riders in the Extraliga. On top of that he has been there as a junior for some years and now he's been dropped by Stal G as he is now a senior and they can't accommodate. Has had to drop to Nice 1st Division to get a team. Admittedly looking at his scores he did only get 3 rides as a junior rider per meeting but seemed very hit and miss with a number of points against inferior ranked or unclassified riders. However new PL is maybe equiv of Nice League ( PL if not worse in some cases). So may be more at home against inferior opposition in many races, although has the smaller tracks to also overcome/adjust. Also Extraliga racing is a different planet to even our old EL let alone new watered down PL. Just a niggle in my head wonders if he has any scope to improve having been so long at Stal and now not good enough for any Extraliga side now he has come out of junior stage. Having said that if he does get signed maybe he will thrive against many of the PL lower orders which suppose is what his low av will reflect. Could be a clever lower order move despite me wanting to have Drabik sign in a dream scenario. Anyway all of this is still pure speculation despite what some of those who reckon they are in the know are saying. However would be good news if KK is in the running.

Well it seems Andreas Jonsson has just announced he will def not be riding Uk and has signed instead in Denmark for Holsted. Makes perfect sense if you are a Swede based in Sweden and geographics make more sense. http://sportowefakty.wp.pl/zuzel/645371/zamiast-anglii-bedzie-dania-andreas-jonsson-podpisal-kolejny-kontraktAlso for those maybe not aware. This is the link to the announcement. I find this site more up to date on speedway news/transfers etc than the Speedway GP site on both international and UK news. Site also says no room for Nick Morris in his Polish Extr side and will be loaned out to a Nice league 1 side (if anyone will have him that is as most sides have already sorted their teams). Maybe also highlights how far down the ranking order UK is becoming in World Speedway. Having said that I do appreciate that UK needs major surgery just to survive. Well the new PL does as the old PL (now Champ) seemed to be doing ok. Means another World Star has said no thanks to UK. One less option for the Pirates to worry about. Not that they may have been interested ??

Now that would be a team I would gladly go to pay and see. A great mix of youth and experience. To throw a spanner in the mix. Even if Drabik was given a little more than 6 I would be prepared to swap Hampel for a revitalised and fit C.Harris on 1.29 points less. Reading a speedway GPrix post today he seems up for doubling up in British Prem and Champ, next year without the worry of minor appearances abroad and not getting paid. If he does get fitter and has an appetite there could be worse riders. Additionally if its about strength in depth you know he will ride his guts out for 4 laps. Knows most of the British tracks, and will not disappear off to the Continent as he has said he will concentrate his efforts on PL & NL doubling up only by the looks of it. Also I see his imput as big on young riders coming through. Again its an opinion. Maybe not an out and out number 1 any more but can beat anyone on his day and its about consistency from a rider who will try his best every ride. I think the $64,000 question is whether Drabik is even in the equation and if yes on what average. This is what this forum should be about. Sensible creative opinion even if people disagree with my and PooleBolton views which are purely coincidental as I only joined the Forum a week or so ago after a few years of viewing but cringing at some of the not so pleasant stuff that seems to fill the Poole Forum with volumes of unpleasantries at times. Airing opinions is good and what makes this forum worth visiting. However we should not allow it to get too personal as this is what its about. Opinions and interest in the sport long term.

If I was Maks I would like to ride,ride and ride some more after losing so much of 2015. He will ride Poland,Sweden and cld fit UK in as well which would give him that oh so important experience of riding smaller tracks which will benefit him for when he does eventually make it into GP etc. He would rebuild his strength and would do his confidence plenty of good as I see him racking up plenty of points against inferior competition in many cases. Wish I had the cheque book to sign the guy as would try to make him a priority if he was willing to come over. Poole are good at welcoming young riders as they have done with Chris H - Darcy W - Jack H - Brady K etc. Let's hope Matt can make such a move happen as with Jack - Brady etc I cld see one hell of a side plus room for experience if he also signs my idea of the hottest UK potential in Jack P Blackburn on a 2 point average.

If Poole were to pull off Maksym Drabik be it at a 4 or 7 point average then IMO they have signed the best young rider in the World. To me this guy is better than Piotr Pawlicki and may even be as good as Bartosz Zmarslik. BZ is 22 in April and MD will be 19. Considering he lost most of last season due to breaking his leg in about 3 places in Sweden I see this guy with immense potential. You only have to see his scores in 2015 plus how he slaughtered the young Aussies in matches between young Poland and Young Australia incl when he rode against them in Aussie on their home turf is enough to tell me the heights this guy is going to scale. If they got him under the radar on a low average then that will be one hell of a signing.

How about this for a theory - Max Fricke Considering the situation at BV which hardly clarified other than rescue attempts to try and insure PL racing in 2017, what would be in your mind if you were Max. If someone like Matt Ford approached and said trying to build a super side for the future based on young Aussies such as J.Holder - B.Kurtz plus him. The chance to have possibly a guaranteed future with the top rated team in UK (I am talking re fan base and security here). The virtual guarantee of getting paid, good sponsorship, and riding with the best future Aussie talent. Ok also throw in Jack P Blackburn as my idea of the hottest young UK talent andf it appeals even more. We could go from the turbo twins to the turbo trio. The thought of these 3 tearing up Poole and other tracks is mouth watering. For sure also would bring in the punters IMO wit the exciting racing. The good thing about this forum is the option to post sensible opinion. Maybe not such a crazy idea when you think about it

Rosco isn't stupid. He's been in this game long enough. He gets the arguably the best rider in the World at no 1 even if it does mean less options further down. That in itself brings punter thru the door and insures plenty of points in that slot. At least 5 rides and maybe 6 if they go 10 points down under the new rules. I think he may add Morris and then go for young riders with potential. As I have said on other posts. The league is not won in the first few months. Hang on in there in the top 4 if possible and give the fans an entertaining team with a proven star. Hopefully some of the younger riders will improve and let's not forget that many teams will also have weaker lower orders so I see plenty of points up for grabs even for young less experienced riders. These are difficult times which we have to accept and the main thing is to get good speedway with clever rider management being key plus investment in our own UK and overseas younger riders.

Notice a lot of posters are putting E.Perks at number 7 on 3 point av. In my opinion I would rather have potentially the hottest young property in British Speedway i.e Jack P.Blackburn on a 2 point average. This lad is only just turned 16 I think in September and look at his scores in the second half of the season in NL (his first real full season) compared to E/Perks. Also when riding against Perks who was on his 3rd season ?? You would gain 1 point to help top half and Matt Ford would be investing in arguably our best future UK talent. It would be a sound investment to try and purchase him as an asset, use him as number 7 with a more experienced reserve to help bring him on. Have him learn shed loads in the pits with more experienced and also young talented riders such as H.Anderson,J.Holder and B.Kurtz, plus also have him double up with a club in the new PL or even another season in NL. Invest in the youth in this Country I say. The same with Jack Smith who I rate similar but out of choice I would go with JPS.

I like the Jack P Blackburn addition. As Hans has let it slip in how he has replied to a tweet from a fan that he will be at Poole next year you can replace CH with HA and have additional points to play with. For sure a combination of youth and experience is the way to go. Let's also not forget the league is not won in the first months of the season. We want to see good racing with young riders gaining experience and getting better - plus qualify for the top 4. Finishing top does not guarantee you win the league as BV will confirm.

My view would be to sign both J Smith and Jack Parkinson-Blackburn at 6 & 7 both on 2 point averages. They are 2 youngsters going places IMO. That would leave you with 46 points to fill your boots. Yes there will be reverses in some reserve races but if we are talking about s so called bright new dawn for British Speedway then let's promote the youth (especially those with talent). I am sure that a stronger top order would outweigh the 2 inexperienced reserves and just think how the likes of JPB and JS would benefit long term riding with stronger established riders. It's not all doom and gloom if you view it from a different angle. 46 points would still allow you to employ CH his brother and other strong riders.

Someone with my line of thinking. Option 1 Even allowing for CH being half a point higher than you show, we know Woffinden won't be back but still with over 9 points to play with, there are options. Let's not dismiss J Smith and JPB who are 2 of the brightest long term talents we have. Yes there will be some reverses in reserve races but weigh that up with the massive experience these 2 guys would have riding with seniors plus the points that would be gained having 3/4 big hitters in many of the races plus the latter part of the meetings when there are 5 ride options in the last heat. Such a line up would also pull crowds in although would need a club with deep pockets such as Poole. I think too many people online are not considering these young 2 point guys. If this is all about the future of British Speedway then the clever and wise promoters should be looking to snap them up 1) For the long term benefit of the sport and 2) To give them the additional purchasing power for the top half of their teams. Think about it. 2 x top young GB riders x 2 points = 4 points leaving 45 points for the remaining 5 riders. Not such a daft idea in my opinion.

I agree and would also give us a chance to see how B.Kurtz and J.Holder perform against more established riders rather than last seasons Aussie champs when it just what was against old PL riders (M.Frick excluded that is). Problem is that most sides will be sorted by then probably.

I made a comment yesterday regarding why not look at Jack Parkinson-Blackburn. As it was my first ever BSF post it had to be approved before entry on the site. Means it was posted a 2/3 pages back so many may have missed it. There were no comments to is so I assume that's the reason. Anyone with thoughts on JPB as he may arguably be the best young rider we have having only turned 16 in Sept, has been turning in mega scores incl 19 at Eastbourne in last meeting of the season. Would probably get him on a 2 point av and I would argue maybe better long terms option that E.Perks as he seems to have outscored him later part of the season. Seems a hell of a talent.

Hi I am new to the BSF so this is my first contribution. Knowing Matt Ford to be a believer in investing in young talent here is a thought. What about trying to sign Jack Parkinson-Blackburn the young rider turned 16 this year who has been burning up the tracks in the NL in his first real season in Speedway. You only have to look at his final performance at Eastbourne where he scored 19 from 7 rides. He could maybe be secured on a 2 point average as no old PL or EL average and would go well with a more experienced reserve to help bring him along. This would give Matt Ford a lot more wiggle room in the top/middle order on points plus shows promoting arguably the hottest young talent currently around (just my opinion). Excluding Rob Lambert who let's not forget did racing in Germany etc as he was under aged so had experience before he made his debut for KL. Not sure if Jack is already commited or owned elsewhere but for sure I would push the boat out to signhim and also have him double up in NL or Championship to gain more experience. Food for thought.