HGould

I think ArnieG may be right (lower down). I suspect Iwade Track, that runs NORA and a lot of Amateur Events may not want to be running too many Kent Fixtures, especially after the issues they had with BSPL in 2022. May be too they want to see how a collaboration of 2 previously rival Clubs (Kent and Eastbourne) works in reality. Better to make an assessment on 5 fixtures than 10 if it's not profitable or just breaks even, although on NDL pay rates and the supporter pool of both Clubs, they should have no trouble attracting at least 500 on a regualr basis you'd think. Good luck to them and hopefully this time they won't be impacted by petty BSPL attitude like Si Kellow was.

With respect I think you're all missing the point (SEE MY POST ON THE DEVLOPMENT LEAGUE PLANS below) The existing Teams in the NDL were happy with the exact format they had and didn't want any more meetings (can't imagine oxford could have handled any as an example) THIS IS WHY THERE IS A LEAGUE and a TROPHY Those in the LEAGUE did not stand in the way though of NEW entrants provided they had a separate competition...hence the TROPHY It benefits RIDERS as they can ride for a LEAGUE team and a TROPHY TEAM so get more rides. There is no option for any Team to ride in both! ---- original post Posted Monday at 09:34 AM The suggestion I have heard from an aspiring rider (now 15 years old riders parent) has a slightly different take on the rumours above. That is that the existing Clubs are happy with the size and structure and a few of them don't want nor can see viability in extra Fixtures above the current size. To facilitate the other existing clubs that want to join or rejoin (presunmably to fill some gaps in CL especially fixtures) and any new Clubs will have their own League run on the same agreed format with 6 man teams. That though will be a "win" for Riders as they can ride in the existing League and the new League, so potentially doubling opportunities to race. There will be no cross-over add on competitions though between the existing a new League. It will be interesting to see if this idea, or a more anticipated geographical structure sees the light of day.

One rumour. From a Club Sponsor. They were erring on what to do for 2025 so was told a definite signing.

That's the name i was told at the weekend. I'd not read this thread in full before posting earlier so it seems to back up your information. Source was a Club Sponsor.

It's NOT Masden nor a GP rider. A decent second string engine room operator

Hearing we may be signing a Dane who hasn't ridden in UK in recent years but comes with a decent pedigree in Poland and Sweden.

The suggestion I have heard from an aspiring rider (now 15 years old riders parent) has a slightly different take on the rumours above. That is that the existing Clubs are happy with the size and structure and a few of them don't want nor can see viability in extra Fixtures above the current size. To facilitate the other existing clubs that want to join or rejoin (presunmably to fill some gaps in CL especially fixtures) and any new Clubs will have their own League run on the same agreed format with 6 man teams. That though will be a "win" for Riders as they can ride in the existing League and the new League, so potentially doubling opportunities to race. There will be no cross-over add on competitions though between the existing a new League. It will be interesting to see if this idea, or a more anticipated geographical structure sees the light of day.

Wonder if they may shell out like they did with Crump and Bjaerne? Zagar is going to be in UK most Mondays for Brummies , can they still ride Plymouth Home matches on a Tuesday?, he's ridden for Trelawny so will know Phillips?. Not sure what his CL average would be but he could make 5 starts round Plymouth and be almost undeatable round there. Win your home matches that's key?

A proper No 1 with a good reputation. An excellent No 7 who will only improve. Promising start!

Riss; Wright , MPT wasn't that the excellent heat leader trio that won them the KOC in 2019? Riss , Wright , King would be even stronger especially if DK wasn't usual Heat 15 pick. Edwards is a steady improver perfectly capable of adding 1.5 points to that average as is Mulford... If either of those options are 1-5 Redcar could be title contenders for me.

Everyone fixated on Cairns forgets I think how crucial the final destination of Anders Rowe is in terms of the best 7 man team. He's shown real potential but just needs a full season without injury and could really kick on with a secure home base. I think he's as important to Poole as Brennan was last season. As for Kerr, he just doesn't seem the sort of high maintenance; injury prone rider; that seems a natural fit there?

Looking around the other declared or strongly rumoured line up's if Bowtell and Joe Thompson (who was presumably much sought after on that average) are 4th and 5th in line up in terms of average, with Barker at no higher than 3rd, then Plymouth would not be the weakest 3-4-5 by any means. As always for them it's all about getting a couple of bona fide heat leaders. A fit Covatti would be an excellent No 2.

You want West?... Neath Speedway (look it up) now thats west! St Austell (look it up) or Trelawny - west of west! If you really wanted to "go west west west" Ballymena - now that would be as far west as Speedway has been in the UK! On the topic of West - Michael West - (he's coming to a Championship Club sort of in the West !)

Well he does have a split personality...he could have a happy club, a middling club and an angry club...he could even ride for one and Guest for the other two at Plymouth

Brennan did well for us last season, he carried the Team on many occasions until Lindgren arrived. The way I look at it is this. Brennan is the only realistic prospect of a British rider breaking in to SGP full time in next 3-4 years realistically on the horizon. Whether he is good enough is open to question but he has to optimise his chances of doing so. Will he do that carrying a team at Birmingham knowing its 95% sure to close as the Stadium closes in a years time or being a third heat leader behind 2 experienced GP stars at Ipswich, where he could legitimatley stay for a number of years and step up the pecking order in time and learn from those around him, rather than carry them. He will have a solid UK base, is building his profile in Poland and also gaining valuable experience in Sweden. I'd actually argue that had he NOT gone to Ipswich, he'd have been better off riding CL at Poole than PL at Perry Barr in terms of his development in 2025. Thanks for all your efforts Tom, onwards and upwards young man!.

The worst example was in 2018 when Lakeside regularly had matches cancelled by the Management Committee as they were bottom of the pecking order and if they had raced scheduled Fixtures a certain Promoter could not get a Guest who had broken his leg very early in the season.

An interesting if inherently sad feature on ITN 6.30pm National News on Thursday night and repeated as part of the nationally screened Tonight programme on at 8.30pm across ITV Regions the same night. It included filming in The Pits Area and Seated Stand and some panoramic views of the excellent work done there. A very sad topic though about "drink spiking" and a feature about a local lad who it appears was involved in the Speedway whose parents are involved in a National Campaign to emphasise how dangerous and lethal it can be.... Sangita Lal the presenter mentioned the Speedway and there were some racing clips a few times.

Somewhere in Spain this week. Matt Ford asked if he could show the benefits of "cloud seeding" (to artificially order rain clouds at set pre designated times) procedure he proposes to keep the dust down at Poole but it went a bit ** up!

Plymouth may be playing an absolute blinder "Devil take the hindmost" (excuse the pun) Just got to wait for the 20 riders linked with Glasgow who don't make the Tigers chosen 7 and cherry pick the best 5 remaining for themselves

I guess they'd best give David Mason a bell to find out how they ran NDL on a weekday that probably just about broke even on the kind of rental they had to pay ARC. The question is would those 400-500 who turned up then turn up now or would they turn their nose up at it??.

He appears to have arrived in to adult Speedway with something of a reputation from the Youth ranks of being a bit of an "indian rubber man" e.g he falls off a lot but bounces very well. He's certainly got no fear from what I've seen and is frigteningly quick. He probably has the raw speed and talent to go a very very long way BUT to do that he'll need to stay fit and he'll need to learn race-craft and race-craft is not having the throttle on the end stop for 4 laps! I've read he has guidance from David Norris, a great rider and a fantastic charachter but again, I'm not always convinced great riders are the best mentors. How do you Coach someone who is a natural and a bit of a maverick is always a challenge in any Sport as you can't coach out what comes naturally without affecting that natural ability. A bit of a conundrum really. The one thing he can control though, and which should be taught him very quickly; is his behaviour respect and decorum OFF the track, as that will get him in to more bother potentially if he can't rein it in.

I'm going 55-35 here to Poole I think Lawson will be on his A game, Brennan will have actually put Poole first unlike the 1st Leg and actually arrive awake and up for it and the Cook brothers will be supercharged by one of those GP type engines they seem to be able to borrow from fellow Aussies when the chips are down!...I can see those 4 amassing north of 45 points. I think the remaining 3 can chip in 10 between them. Masters and Scotty will fight valiantly but I can't see them getting heat advantages in 13 and 15 this time under the relentless Poole top 4 pressure.

Sad but sadly inevitable. Hemmed in by the Stadium Owners to a Monday by BSPL to only being able to ride in PL on a Monday by Stadium future that no one can guarantee beyond next September it seems by 3 Football Clubs all attracting near full houses in PL / CL and astonishingly League 1 by a vibrant Test and County Cricket ground by an increasigly diverse populous the vast majority of which have no affinity with Speedway by a Sport with an aging support base whose aging to slow death is only beaten by the Conservative Party Cannot and won't fault the commitment and enthusiasm of the current Promotion or the one that preceded it, nor those who fought so hard to bring the Sport back to the City early this milenium.... Sadly I think this is the end, and Tolley and Co join the growing list who can at least say "better to have tried and failed, than not to have tried at all" at least we've had 3 seasons we may not have otherwise have had!

The NDL is really a couple of Clubs light. It cannot be allowed to die! The glaring geographical gap in general is in London and the South East. Is there no chance someone could use Iwade again, like Kent did in 2023?. Could be a "generic" South East labelled Club to attract supporters from those clubs who have closed in the past 10 years or so?? Surely they could make NDL work financially? I understand that Buxton is still operating as a Track, really Buxton was "everything that is positive about NDL at its peak" - with Stoke sadly gone as a venuw and Sheffield / Scunthorpe really too much of a composite to be viable long term, could someone not get Buxton up and running again. Mildenhall too is too good a venue to sit unused, could one of their former promoters not consider an NDL season in 2025??...

Try putting both arms in a jumper standing on one leg!