Diamonds85

@TotallyHonestJohn So what's happening. I know you are involved in Workington now and I respect and am so impressed with everything you've done over there and I can't wait to go visit the new venue, as I done many laps of the old, tiny Northside track myself as a rider BUT Are you still going to be a regular at the Diamonds, or has that ship sailed? Would be really good to see you back at Brough, as I think it's going to be another year of struggle for us I may even come introduce myself and buy you a pint and a pie, just as appreciation for all your efforts over the decades. Many thanks

I would suggest considering his team is a rider down also, you're both in the same situation...

I do vaguely remember the Diamonds overturning a pretty big deficit against Sheffield, a few years back. But it wasn't 20+, I'd be very surprised if it was. And in Poland they send a couple riders out from each team for 5 minutes or so, to get a bit practice in and presumably relay back to the rest of the team what the track surface is like. Will never happen in uk though

Yep. They may look half decent, but there are four stronger teams imo. Sheffield Peterborough Ipswich Belle Vue King's Lynn Wolverhampton

Going to be another pasting for the Brummies

Completely agree, there's deadlines in other sports so why not speedway. Trying to do tv launches etc with teams incomplete just looks very bad for any new viewers.

Well I've waited and waited to do my Championship predictions, waiting for 11 full 1-7s and it's the end of March and it's still yet to happen. So I am just going to go ahead and do it now anyway, sick of waiting!! 1. Leicester - In my opinion the team that looks the strongest for a full season. Easily unbeatable at home with home specialists throughout the team and the second strongest heat leader trio in the league, particularly at home. Connor and the Thompson twins also know Beaumont Park like the back of their hands and Anders will only get better I'm sure, he's a good prospect down at reserve. I think over the course of the full season they will be the strongest team and will take some beating. 2. Glasgow - Have a solid team through 1 to 7, have decent enough reserves and a very good number 1. Ben Basso and Ulrich should provide endless amount of entertainment and Broc is a very decent number 2 alongside Cookie. Don't think they're quite as strong as Leicester, but they will probably go unbeaten at home and get many points on the road also. 3. Poole - THE strongest heat leader trio bar none in the league, the only thing that lets them down is their second strings might struggle on the road, they're not the strongest and don't have the most experience of other tracks. Nathan Ablitt is also a bit of a question mark for me, I think he should do alright at home on a track he's riding week in week out, but away on tracks like Shielfield and Brough, he may struggle, is it a year too early for him? Time will tell. Poole however are my favourites for the end of season tournament we all refer to as the playoffs (vs Leicester). 4. Redcar - Very solid heat leader trio and two decent second strings, I was gutted when Adam didn't resign with my beloved Diamonds. Kasper Andersen will surprise a few this season I think and the two lads at reserve, particularly Jordan, should fly at home this season. I predict a very good season for the Bears this year and I wish them all the luck in the world, being our nearest and dearest, should comfortably make the playoffs imo and all four of the top 4 I have named are a class above everyone else. 5. Oxford - Have named a solid enough team for their return season, Scotty and Troy should be able to beat anyone in this league and provide all the experience needed for the younger riders in the team. Kyle and Cameron is a decent 3/4 partnership and I am interested to see how Jack Thomas kicks on this year after coming on so well last year. Josh MacDonald and Dillon Ruml is also an impressive reserve partnership, I think Oxford should make the playoffs this year. 6. Plymouth - Quite hard to tell without them having a complete septet however, based on the six they have named so far if they can add even an average rider as their final rider they should be a pretty strong outfit. I think Dan Gilkes and Henry Atkins will be 2 of the most overlooked reserves in the league this season and I feel they will both be pushing for a position in the 1-5 (oh well, just means Alfie Bowtell at reserve instead!!) Ben Barker and MPT will provide years of experience and plenty entertainment and Hans should be a solid enough number 1. I expect Plymouth to be the underrated dark horses of the league this year. Would love to see young Ben Trigger getting a couple opportunities at reserve if the chance arises also, think he's one of Britain's biggest talents coming through and looked just as good, if not better, than Henry at the P&P already. 7. Berwick - Yes yes, Jye and Kyle is the best reserve partnership in the league as every Berwick fan likes to keep reminding me and I do agree. However, they do have a couple of ageing riders and a couple who have a lot to make up for after disappointing season last year. Ricky Wells is not a number 5 and whoever the hell Chris Allen is?? He's not a number 1 either In all seriousness, other than Leon and Chris (Harris ) all the 1-5 need a downgrade in the team really (Ricky 5 --> 3, Theo 3 --> 4, Ty 4 --> 2 etc...) Berwick look ok, and maybe they will push for the playoffs, but I don't see them quite making them. 8. Edinburgh - Another brilliant top 2 by the Monarchs, Sam Masters and Josh Pickering is brilliant for this league. Joshie Pickering is probably the most entertaining rider in the league. However beyond this, the Monarchs offer very little for me. There will be a lot of pressure on Kye and Paco to help along the team, taking pressure off the 2 new lads (Lasse and Jacob) and heaven forbid either of them two turn out to be terrible for this level, Edinburgh could find themselves even further down the table imo. Sam and Josh basically need to go unbeaten in even meeting just to take pressure of the incredibly long tail that Edinburgh have almost become famous for. I do generally like the Monarchs, so I hope I'm wrong. 9. Scunthorpe - Scunthorpe have gone for a very familiar team, they've got decent reserves and Ryan Douglas should be a brilliant number 1. Hopefully Jordan Palin can carry on how he finished last year, another pretty average team for the Scorpions who do admittedly have the potential to finish higher if all the riders click. 10. Birmingham - Pretty bad looking side by the Brummies, although who can blame them due to their circumstances, it could have been an awful lot worse for them. There's a lot of pressure on Ashley and James (Shanes) to perform as second strings most of the year, although I feel Stefan will probably want one of they spaces sooner rather than later. James Pearson looks like a good prospect, but there should hopefully not be too much pressure on him while he finds his feet over here. Adam Ellis and Claus Vissing is a very good top 2 considering what it could have been at one point. All of this being said however, I don't see them finishing any better off than the teams above them in this list. 11. Newcastle - I'll always be as positive as possible and as optimistic as I can be about my Newcastle Diamonds, however in this list I have tried to be as honest as I can be. We are so far under the limit once again and our team is pretty disappointing tbh. Yes, we have had some difficult situations over the winter and I am as delighted as anyone about actually having a team to support again when it wasn't looking likely at one point, however we haven't constructed a team as good as we could have done imo and for that reason, I see the same situation planning out next winter too. I'm sorry but BWD as number 1 doesn't impress me at all. Positive point about the team however is James, Matty and Max are always pretty decent value for money at home and Paul Starke is a solid rider also (yet not really a number 5) Will be interesting to see how Lee Complin returns, he should be fairly entertaining and hopefully George can ride well at reserve, although early signs at Redcar don't look as promising as I thought they could be. I predict another bottom of the table finish unfortunately I seriously hope I'm wrong... I have tried to be as open and honest as I could be with this list, please let me know what yous think, what yous agree/disagree with. Will be an interesting discussion Thanks for reading my post, the length of which @TotallyHonestJohn would be proud of.

But being passed off by the BSPL, whether you like it or not, is part of team building for the season. Mildenhall and Plymouth both successfully did that and Belle Vue did not (up until Jake's signature). Now Mildenhall and Plymouth have been left with having to complete their team yet again and as Garry May admitted on the Plymouth P&P stream, they have no deals in place at the minute, so hopefully something can be done before the season starts, or else it isn't looking good. It's not as difficult for Mildenhall as Elliot wasn't their number 1 and there's more 4.00ish for the NL riders out there than 9.00ish CL number 1s!! Armadale, despite having supposedly signed their last rider, have just never announced them? I'm guessing it's Willie Lawson, but why they have yet to announce him is anyone's guess?

I'm sorry but even if Adam was there, Leicester would have still been far too strong for Birmingham to stand a chance in the second leg, Adam missing made little difference. Being 20 or so points down after the first leg is basically a death sentence, has a deficit like that ever been overcome? Leicester are one of, if not THE strongest team in the league and I don't see Birmingham making the playoffs, so the gulf in quality effected the result, not the fact Adam was missing, who admittedly is probably Birmingham's best rider.

Mildenhall and Plymouth both did have completed teams up until very recently when they both had a rider pull out. Belle Vue had yet to complete their team all winter...

As good as Adam is, I don't think him being there last night would have changed the result much... It would have just been a 20 point deficit instead...

Might have to be this year lol ADAM ELLIS IS NOT THE NUMBER 1

Thank you Very strong top 2 pairing. So that sounds like Jye will go to 3 or 4 when he moves up.

Ah I didn't realise that, I never visited Redcar last year, but I am really hoping to get to Robbo's testimonial next week. I've always thought the back straight would be amazing viewing, didn't know it was finally open.

Is anyone able to confirm the riding order? Or do we find out on opening night...

1. Niels Kristian Iversen 2. Thomas Jorgensen 3. Josh Pickering 4. Lewis Kerr 5. Richard Lawson 6. Richie Worrall 7. Jack Thomas 8. Jake Mulford Seemed to be the riding order based on the pictures I saw, can anyone confirm this? Not a terrible looking side once you have it out on paper, but still finish in the bottom 2 imo.

Question for the Redcar lot. Is the back straight viewing a new thing?? Or was it just for last night, also did it get very busy up there?

I am very sorry to hear. I am sorry to say I am not sure who Jim was, but I have heard his name being banded around a lot, so must have loved Newcastle Diamonds. RIP Jim

Brad has certainly made himself rather unpopular on certain social medias, even with some of the Diamonds fans. Wonder what sort of a reception he'll get next Sunday, disaster waiting to happen? Especially if he doesn't perform

I'd have personally gone 1. Sam Masters 2. Steve Worrall 3. Ryan Douglas 4. Luke Becker 5. Nick Morris 6. Drew Kemp 7. Leon Flint 8. Joe Thompson

https://oxfordspeedway.club/2022/03/gutsy-jack-thomas-declares-himself-fit-for-season-opener-after-crash-scare/ Jack Thomas heatleader????? What the hell is the riding order

Gonna be another long old season I feel...

1. Sam Masters 2. Luke Becker 3. Nick Morris 4. Ryan Douglas 5. Steve Worrall 6. Drew Kemp 7. Leon Flint 8. Joe Thompson Seems a strange riding order to me, but good luck for 2022

Ahhh... Perspective... A wonderful thing They're all southern for me