bellevueace

Bewley has been a big disappointment, i just feel he regrets coming back to the UK, should be top 3 in averages in this league,

I expected far more from him in this league should certainy be in top 3 or 4 in the averages in this company, also think Cook would have shown up better than Norick, Ipswich far better and more up fir it, pathetic BV performance, Witches head and shoulders above us.

Can see the second leg being pointless, Harris covering for Doyle so far

I think Brennan and Blodorn could be key for us keeping it close, both have been a bit more hit and miss this season as can happen with young riders. I would expect Dan to be a lot better than his 4 points on our last visit, Doyle a big miss be interesting to see if the play off version of Harris turns up, will have to have some meeting to match Jason. I think Ipswich take the win, by how many could depend on Tom and Norick, King seems to be riding well at the moment, Riss and Rew could be key for Ipswich.

We need to cover r/r and Brennan and Blodorn have been inconsistent at times this season, on more than one occasion we have stared off slowly at home only to get the job done in the final five heats, that will be difficult with Doyley and Emil, King, Riss, and Rew can give the backing to the top two to make this close. Cant see us winning at Ipswich again, Dan only scored four, Ipswich were a different team then.

Congratulations Witches, coming into form at the right time, after just scrapping into the play offs in the last heat i can see them going on to win it. Its about peaking at the right time. Monday will be difficult for us i think, we need the polish version of Dan and to be able to cover well for Charles, also Brennan and Blodorn cant afford any inconsistencies. Doyley and Emil are certainly going to give Ipswich a solid base to build on, King seems to have hit a vein of form too. Can see Ipswich keeping it close enough Monday, Thursday is going to be a tough one for us.

The most bent sport for me is Boxing, the amount of times you see robberies on the cards is ridiculous and predictible, speedway just makes up the rules as it goes along due to incompetents running the sport.

So a team signs a rider at the end of August said rider gets injured but is still allowed guest to cover? Im lost mate, how can such a simple sport have such a comlicated rule book? I give up with it just hope the actual ontrack action is good, imagine a newby trying to understand it

Thanks for the explanation, what seemed odd was we apparantly shouldnt have been able to replace Fricke who had rode for us all season yet its deemed fine to replace a replacement number 1, speedway rules eh, think we need to be getting at least 7 from Charles rides.

Not bitter at all mate, i think teams should be able to replace their number 1, considering all the comments about Lambert last season, and BV being called everythin from cheats to scum over at Owlerton just comes over as a bit hypocritical.

Cheers so Sheffield can bring in a guest for Tai then, does seem somewhat ironic considering according to many we should not have been able to replace our number1 last season. No doubt Mr Steads opinion has changed. Dont think we will do it with r/r, we need Blodorn and Brennan really on it and the extraliga version of Dan. I have a slight incling towards Ipswich, can never disregard them with their spearhead

Yes Leicester capitulated in the end but Ipswich still had to go out and win meetings to acrue the points to be in a position to take advantage. We know what we are going to get from Doyley and Emil, if Ipswich can give them that middle order backing over the play offs they could actually go all the way.

I know that what i meant was we always seem to pick up injuries as we go into the play offs, Bjerre, Kurtz, Etheridge, Wright during the first leg last season and now again a week before the semi. Whats the rule now as regarding season ending injuries, for example if Tai is now out can Sheffield bring in a replacement at number 1? I thought that so called loophole had been closed after all the moaning about last season, if so seems Simon Stead is happy to go down the same path we did last season. Just asking as to be honest i gave up trying to keep up with the rules. I wouldnt be surprised if Ipswich after just sneaking in go on to win it.

Best wishes to Charles, injuries during the play offs seem to be a given with BV.

Hes booked up by Sheffield

Easy home win.

Totally agree with you Speedy, i know the arguements for a GP style series but it has nowhere near the atmosphere of the one off final.

Years ago every track had their own big individual meetings, Pride of the East, Golden Gauntlets, Internationale, Golden Hammer etc, top line ups and big crowds, even challenge matches were well attended. These type of meetings nowadays are unviable to run hence their disappearance. Hard to think now a speedway season would have 36 league matches, KO cup, challenge matches, individuals, World Championship qualifiers. With the exception of Poland the sport seems to be struggling everywhere, the influence of the Poles and the GP,s has had a negative effect in my opinion, and with rumour of increasing GP rounds will speedway end up like F1 with the GP taking over?

If they wanted to progress in the world championship they had to.

No at Coventry when the final was full of top class riders, compare those days of the British final to recent years. No wonder the crowds came out in force mid week in those days.

The wednesday night British finals were always packed out every time i went, always thought it strange being mid week even though the quality on display was top class.

For me even the GP,s are becoming played out, there were great individual meetings in the past the BLRC which usually had a field that was better than the world final, the British Final at Coventry packed with world class talent, and every track had their own big individual meetings again packed with the top talent available. I remember travelling to Kings Lynn for the Pride of the East for example. I suppose those meetings back then were popular due the riders participating, compare to this years British Final for example.

The league format isnt the problem, that is down to the powers that be that implement the rules, for me the rot set in when the old school promoters who actually knew how to promote disappeared.

After 55 years following speedway if we had no league speedway i would walk away from it.

Agree no real speedway fan wants to see any club disappear, at this rate those few clubs that are secure will have no one to race againt if this current trend continues.