East End Fan

The talk of track covers has been going on for years. Berwick seem to have got the hang of it, but I can see almighty problems with them. The pure size and weight of the sheets would need an army to handle. And where do you store them ? How do you move them ? I'm very curious as to how Berwick do it. Can someone tell me ? HOWEVER, the point that strikes me is...Are they worth doing anyway because when it is looking like rain, the public stay away anyway, so a massive bit of work laying sheets so that you can run to an empty stadium...doesn't sound like a great idea to me.

Wise words Rebel 1. However a teams' success these days in all leagues depend on the quality of the tail enders. Those clubs that start with tail enders whose averages are clearly below their ability certainly have an advantage and attendance figures ( which all of us want to see increase) will often depend on the team's performances, so the sixes and sevens CAN make a big difference. In the case of Kent they have one unknown quantity in Clouting and another unknown in an as yet un-named ( or even chosen) rider. For Kent's sake I hope that they have and will pick two winners, but at present, until we see them in action, we do not know. That is why I said in my last comments that it will be interesting to say the least.

Maybe Layne will practice his singing while he is working on his bike

What makes Sings4Speedway think that Cupitt can't be a music star AND a good Speedway rider. Sings really does annoy me with his rubbish statements on things he clearly knows nothing about. I say "Good Luck" to Layne in his online music career and I really hope that he lives up to the obvious potential he has as a rider.

Well, Argus, the team adds up to 38.66...What kind of team did you expect with a 39 limit ? As it happens, I believe that both Jon Armstrong and Dan Greenwood are under-rated at their averages. Both are very capable of double figure scores on a regular basisi

Well, it's a fact that Adam is one of the most exciting riders in the league, and one of the most successful. So Heathens have something to cheer about in spite of the restricted programme.

I was told that National League clubs can now sign assets but that there are strict restrictions on the price to be paid if one of the assets is sold to a senior team. Can anyone confirm that ?

If you want a Cradley team to take part in a smaller competition such as the Trophy events, then it is obvious that the riders signed by other clubs must be used. With just a few fixtures, it would simply be impossible for Cradley to have 7 riders who only ride for Cradley. The system may not be perfect, but at least Cradley stay as a club and hope that they can take part in the full league in the future. I wish them well.

I am not a Coventry fan....but I AM a Speedway fan and in that respect I want to see Speedway promoted at as many venues as possible. I do not actually care WHO the promoter is, just that Speedway takes place. For that reason I welcome the news that Mick Horton has been granted a licence to run a Coventry Bees team in the National League using Leicester as a base. 7 more riders in work is just one of the many good side effects.

I have made a mental note to visit Leicester to watch the Bees in action from time to time in the coming season. I already support the National League as much as I can because I believe in it and get a kick out of watching the improvement that some of the riders make. Eastbourne and Kent are my nearest tracks, but Leicester isn't an all day trip, and Sundays would make the drive up acceptable traffic-wise.

I am sure I read somewhere that Eastbourne and Kent were doing a home and away challenge on Good Friday. Is that not on ?

Why on this forum do I keep reading that Mick Horton owes money ? Can somebody specifically and with accuracy say who is owed what ? I do not believe that he would have obtained a licence to run Speedway at Leicester ( or anywhere else) if money was still owed to anyone. Admittedly he has not been the most successful Speedway promoter in the past at Peterborough and elsewhere, but that does not mean that he has defaulted in payments. Although I am not a bees fan, I think he is to be congratulated on trying to keep the Bees alive in this way, almost certain to lose money ( though I hope not). Why he gets such abuse on this forum I do not know.

Ever the optimnist...No News is Good News

Simply because there are riders out there who seem to be Flying Machines at 16 years of age does not mean that a 19 year old should be considered as "past it". History tells us that every young Whizz Kid does not go on to become a top international star. It also tells us that many riders have achieved the top level of the sport in spite of beginning at an advanced age. I still think that Cupitt, at 19 years old is as good a prospect as most.

With the complete team now published no one can doubt that Lakeside must be one of THE teams to watch. Plenty of improvement potential. I simply hope that the fans turn up in their thousands to show their approval.

As an occasional visitor to Arlington where I always enjoy the racing in spite of the track being a bit one sided, the Dugards always seem to make good choices. I shall miss the excitement of Jake Knight and I'm not sure that Baseby is a good enough No 1, but he IS a very capable performer. The Eagles strength this year, for me, is in their bottom 3. Kelsey a better rider than his average and Edwards one of the better newcomers and with Brooks on the verge of a breakthrough. Top 3 IMO

I saw Cupitt on a couple of occasions last year and he impressed me as a rather raw and untidy, but none the less gutsy rider who will at some stage soon surprise a lot of people with some big scores. A good inclusion by the new promoter IMO

Wow...a very comprehensive and considered opinion from Teaboy. May be a bit on the optimistic side, but that is as it should be for any fan of any team. My own view of the Kent team is that the number 7 slot could be their Achilles Heel. If they are unable to unearth a rider with the ability to score, then there will be pressure on the other "unknown", Clouting. Admittedly he has a good background with a father who was quite a talent, but he is unproven and the high pressure which would come from a weak No. 7 may prove his undoing. It will be interesting, at the very least, to follow his progress.

Been out of action for a while and have just been getting up to date on the Forum. "Sings4Speedway" made comment about the Kent management and sounded as if he had inside information. Then "Teaboy 279" replied and made it obvious that "Sings" was talking total balderdash and clearly has no knowledge at all. As a Lakeside fan and occasional visitor to both Kent and Eastie, it seems to me that the managements of both these clubs are pretty clued up. Both introduce new young riders ( last year Anders Rowe at Kent and Charlie Powell at Arlington for example) on a regular basis, so why "Sings4Speedway" is so critical, I cannot imagine. Both Eastbourne and Kent have been among the front runners of the League for at least 2 seasons....So "Sings"...sing a different song......

My club, Lakeside have struggled to make speedway pay for quite a long time and we are indebted to Stuart Douglas for keeping it going by supplying the cash needed. Kent, on the other hand never seem to be in trouble for money and when I attend, as I did quite a lot last season to follow Ben Morley when he was riding there as a guest, the numbers sitting in the stand and elsewhere looked substantial in today's terms. So, if my guess is correct, that Kent earn a profit for Roger Cearns, why would he want to put that at risk by moving into the more expensive leagues ? There is also the 8.30 curfew to consider. Does not help, I'm sure

The lower the points average allowed, the more that riders will deliberately lower their average to make sure they get a ream place the following year. Is there a case for doing away with a total limit for team building ? Rich clubs would probably always win, but who is rich anyway these days ? Points manipulation would disappear.

I am amazed that Blueherb 777 has the audacity to Pontificate about our sport when he admits he doesn't even attend ! Such people do our sport a lot of harm. While it is far from "perfect", the racing still excites me after decades of watching. And at every level. Must admit to a preference for the National League as I enjoy watching new youngsters progress. My own club, Lakeside, are up into the 2nd Div this coming season. Hope it has the affect of increasing attendances to ensure the continuity of the club. I will almost certainly give Eastbourne and Kent a few visits to keep up to date on the 3rd l;eague

Have not posted for a while as my computer went on the blink. The points limit for every level should be the mean average of points available which is 42.5. If the level is set below this, any team wishing to improve during the season is unable to do so because, as soon as racing begins, the number of points available averages out at 42.5....so, if the limit is, say 39, a team re-declaring their team for improvement can only hit 39 while all the others are running at 42.5. The number of teams in the league does not affect this truth. In the past, the use of low limits has been used as a means of saving money, but it doesn't work. All that happens is that riders with lower ability get more points than they should and then demand higher pay. In the National League, it is most likely that nearly all riders are semi-professional and hold down outside jobs. Since they have to be committed to travelling all over the country and risking their lives to entertain us, I cannot believe that there are some who post on this forum who consider that they should go unpaid !

Yes, I see your point Sings4Speedway, Shanes would obviously have been a major force in the league, but the 3 pointer to go with him ( probably Spooner ?) would have counteracted his scores. But in the event, both Stoneman and Clifton got serious injuries which COULD have been anticipated as both of them had dodgy legs anyway. A more astute promoter may have taken that into consideration perhaps ? As it happens, Kent's 3rd place in the table wasn't exactly a failure, annoying me personally as my team then finished below them.

Lakeside suffered this year because of the lack of 3 pointers who could actually score 3 points. Nothing has changed, no new riders have suddenly appeared. There is no doubt that ANY kid with a bit of talent WILL find a team place in the National League no matter what team average is applied. These are the riders we all love to see progress, the Ben Morleys of this World are the target for them to aim at, so any team with a good mix of both kinds will be popular with their fans. Loved the comment by "Sings 4speedway". Clearly not a Len Silver fan. I had many years attending at both West Ham and Hackney The Hawks never won anything, but the entertainment was terrific, so Len was rarely criticised in those days. I went to Sittingbourne a few times this year, especially when either the full Hammers team was there, or as was often the case, Ben Morley was guesting for them. No signs of Len jumping about on the centre green as he did at Hackney, but in the main the racing was exciting and I was less than happy that the Kings finished above the Hammers In the final table. How much was attributable to Len, I don't know. Chris Hunt seems to be a decent team manager, so what is it that "Sings4speedway" is unhappy about ?