HGould

Good signing for sure.

Some interesting comments. I'd prefer 7 man teams and a 45 point limit with a stipulation of Under 21 British Reserves and help kids like Zach,Kemp; Brennan,Thomas,Bickley etc by adjusting their average down to a maximum of 4 until they are 20/21. If we have 7 in PL and 11 in CL surely we could keep 15/16 of the 18 in business and may be a couple move down to NL (Brummies most likely to do that anyway and I hear Berwick struggling for crowds too). I think most would love a 15-16 team league. I'd not want it split geographically though as that would defeat object; and would need to be able to race all 7 days to succeed as many CL are Sat/Sun tracks.

very illuminating admission on inside cover of Speedway Star. claims Poole lost a 5 figure sum in matches v Ipswich says Top Riders will never return to British Speedway suggests that One League is perhaps best way, I assume pay rates would be nearer to Championship, he quotes success of Eastbourne in that League. Question is, if 1 League delivered enough matches to sustain riders pay needs (40 matches??) 20 home and 20 away for instance, would pay rates mean Clubs were put out of business or would it put too many riders out of the sport, would there be enough riders? Is he (Ford) just marketing or is this a serious suggestion?

Agree re Kyle and ultimately disappointed he did not deliver for Brummies when with us. That though was him in a struggling side and being asked to do Heat Leader job. May be once he gets race fit he can do better for Eastie sat as a second string behind Lawson, Kennett and Kerr. He's a good lad and deserves to get on.

sorry to be a party pooper...Becker / Berge / Bach / Wilson-Dean are all good names but none of them would come cheap and crowds are abysmal. would Becker need a work permit and doesn't he ride on Continent a lot?, Berge seemed to have "lack of mechanic issues" on a Wednesday night at Somerset, Bech would incur flight fees and Denmark League races on a Wednesday night, Wilson-Dean would seem only logical shout of those therefore and would want same deal as Ellis probably? I doubt the Promotion can splash any more cash until they see Crowds markedly up, 2 home wins a good improvement but we need some sunny warm Wednesdays to see if there is any increase in sides now Ellis / Stoneman have perked the Team up.

I always felt Eastie were in 2nd gear but we gave it a good go but last few heats they made sure of no late dramas. Agree re Stoneman who looks keen to grasp his chance, Adam is top class and ability to be one of top 2-3 in this League so hopefully we have secured him for this season and beyond. Zac and Osty the worries. We have scope to make changes big question is can we afford it? The crowd was again very poor, I cannot see how birmingham speedway is sustainable on these numbers in the stadium we are in with high overheads. I don't want us to go back to NL but unless we get 300-400 more from somewhere hard to see us racing in this League next season unless Masons have very deep pockets. I think no more than 500 last night? and no increase on NL really, some weeks its lower.

Rain about but surely they have to get this Meeting over and sorted. Can see a Brummies win but not enough to overturn deficit from first Leg but a win would boost confidence. I predict 50-40 Brummies with Eagles doing enough, which is all they have to do with such a lead. Wonder if Kerr will ride if not who would Guest be?

We all know our sport is in a perilous state so why gloat in it??? It's not funny, it's serious and we need as a Sport to do something about it. Whilst my Team (Birmingham) cancel meeting with some ridiculous excuse about Power problems, at least Promotion at Eastbourne take time and effort to articulate actual reasons and give their Supporters respect all supporters deserve. No point any sensible Business opening if they know they are going to lose money so it seems that unlike most Promotions - Eastbourne actually have common sense; business sense and a glimmer of understanding about respecting their support. They have taken flak for this but if decision means they run in 2020 I applaud them as I fear we may lose a number of other clubs again this winter.

This transparency be the blueprint all Speedway Teams and the BSPA follow. The management set up there seems a bit complicated and weird with Cook and Jordan as Directors and Geer and Bellerby as Promoters of the Speedway and Cook and M Dugard running the Stadium for the Dugard family. old Bob Dugard (bless him) would have just called it off and bemoaned he couldn't drive his tractor for the day and Cook / Geer / Bellerby are very much old school Dugard so seems Jordan is the new to speedway person who appears to have more understanding of business and his customers? Can't disagree about impact on away supporters but with Sheffield having a home match the next day not sure how many would have travelled down? I think that reality is most Teams are on the knife edge, especially a new Promotion like Eastbourne and one that has reportedly been having good crowds.

This guy is so refreshingly to the point and honest and not for the first time; and gets a point over in a non confrontational way. Well done Eastbourne Speedway even if you don't agree with the decision, so much better to have the logic and explanation behind it.

https://www.eastbourne-speedway.com/sheffield-match-off/

Awful to read, best wishes Tom

People seem to be forgetting Kyle Newman. He won't replace Brennan scoring power at Arlington but will better it probably away. He is a genuine experienced second string better than Morley or Bowtell. I agree few better reserves available than Wood and Bowtell and be interesting to see (a) if morley is moved on and (b) who may be available to come in. Very few 4-5 point riders around unless you bring someone up from NL (not worked for them other than Brennan) or abroad (not part of their all British thinking). I'd be very surprised if much changes soon?

Great result and thankfully a good outcome for Josh Pickering. Looked horrible and I think we should all be relieved with news this morning.

your crowds being down may be due to dropping down? our (Birmingham) crowds are down but we've gone up? Other tracks I've visited this season-: Leicester crowds are up, very big crowd when I went there; and like you they have dropped down! Eastbourne big crowd on first visit, massive crowd on second visit and like us they went up! Can't figure any of that out, who'd be a speedway promoter?

It is an interesting question Do you race every week to maintain interest but ask people to find £64.00 (at Kent) to enter every 4 weeks per person? Do you have an average of a meeting every 2 weeks (which is what football do realistically home one wee away next) and ask people to find £32 every 4 weeks per person? What is higher risk, pricing them out or having them lose interest? Every week seem old fashioned but brave Every fortnight seems more business savvy and personally I've never lost interest with a 2 week gap? Thoughts would be interesting

it's not that which is the issue, the issue he can't ride in 3 Leagues so would have to ditch NL at Kent and in terms of rides and income; let alone confidence of winning; that's probably a wiser move right now.

You can no longer ride in 3 Leagues and can't jump a League. You can ride PL + CL or CL + NL You can't ride PL +NL So if Drew wanted to ride on contract for a PL side and double up he would have to give up his deal with Kent. Can't see him doing that as he is struggling as often as shining in CL for Sheffield and needs to crack CL first.

I think what every Team found in the winter and what every team is finding now is that there is a lack of ready and available riders with an average in the 5.00 to 6.50 range. That's the range Brennan has ridden himself in to. You can take a chance abroad or a guy who may not have ridden for a while, as a No 4 I think he is better than Morley, not as good as Brennan at home but may be better at this stage away. He's a genuine trier and good to see him get fixed up and you make a good point that John Cook and Will Pottinger will know him well from Lakeside.

What I reading is Brian tacitly agreeing that an excuse was made and that they should have come clean. What I am saying is that if they admitted it that would draw a line over it and could restore trust and move on. I want to move on, we all want to move on but I think an apology ends it = finito. I'll be there as I am every week, will you??

wish Kyle well a nice lad. he started desperately slowly for us and looked race rusty. had a couple of decent meetings v Somerset at home (paid 9) including a stunning overtake of Schlein and not many doing that in CL and then did OK conveniently enough at Arlington with 8 points in our KOC drubbing on Good Friday. I thought he had turned a corner but then 2 poor meetings 2 thrashings at Sheffield and home to Eastbourne. He was expected to do Heat Leader job for us but with 3 proper Heat Leaders at Eagles may take pressure off him a bit.

Dave Mason says it's a relaunch and I'll take him at his word. I think a public apology for the stupid abandonment of the last meeting would be a magnanimous and wise gesture, especially now that Brian Buck has had his say and well done brian Draw a line under it, got a proper no 1 and move on.

Sad to say having seen him at close quarters this season that Kyles' confidence is shot. Danyon Hulme may be a better alternative

not that positive as its just sensible I think, focus on what you can still win and make changes when you can to target those matches, what any sensible football manager would do, whether eastbourne management have the brains to do that I'm a lot less sure as they seem too loyal to lakeside and eastbourne and british riders, respect that but they need to be more clinical.

yes I mean top 4 i think will be Glasgow, Leicester , Berwick and Redcar in that order, I think Eastbourne will be 7th or 8th to be honest. point I was trying to make is if they get things sorted still have things to try to win which already some clubs who are out of shield and cup don't have luxury of.