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Actually, if you look at our declaration, no Worrall so we bring in Birks. Sorry to rain on your parade there... Still, I can't stress this point enough IT'S A CHALLENGE. We all know that Stoke's 1-7 will not include Adam McKinna, but considering we haven't had an NL meeting yet, is it so bad that we allow him to ride for us to get some track time? Or would you rather see us severely weakened? No Richie means that Pickard, Atkin and the 3 pointers get an extra ride. Is that really worthwhile? Still, given the weather you have nothing to worry about.

I'm pretty sure this was the meeting the day after Cardiff? Where the original paramedic let us down, and the replacement was stuck on the M6 after a death on the roads. So it wasn't because "Someone had forgot to book the paramedic" at all. And has, as far as I am aware, been sorted by Stoke going back to mains power. If that happens again, it will be a power cut that is nothing to do with Stoke Speedway. Did Stoke set the start time? Or the date? Maybe the Sunday afternoon was kept as a final rain off date, just incase? Did Stoke cause numerous falls? No, but it seems to be a time to slate Stoke. From what I recall, it is 9:30, but if we have to go over we have to document it. By time the ambulance would have gotten there, then having to run a further 4 heats could have taken well past 10pm, and that just isn't on. Is Stoke the most professional of clubs? Not always. Does it deserve the amount of criticism coming from a couple of Dudley fans? Not a chance. But alas, I can't change that, so blame away. Just, don't let actual facts hold you back.

Apparently Kyle Howarth guests for IoW (According to Stoke website) Line up's (Again, according to website) Isle of Wight: Kyle Howarth, Marc Owen, Danny Warwick (Captain), Paul Starke, Ben Hopwood, Danny Stoneman, Gary Cottham Stoke: Ashley Birks, Jaimie Pickard, Tony Atkin (Captain), Rhys Naylor, Richie Worrall, Ross Walter, Ben Reade

Was only announced as a change today. No idea why, but that's that I suppose!

I guess Birks will ride then

I'm pretty sure Richie will be missing for Stoke, so I would assume McKinna will ride in his place! Still, 10 days before the meeting!

If Tim Webster can continue his good early season form he should be good for a team place.

Given our declaration on the BSPA website, I would imagine we will line up something like 1) Tony Atkin 2) Jaimie Pickard 3) Adam McKinna 4) Rhys Naylor 5) Richie Worrall 6) Dan Berwick 7) Ben Reade As for the meeting, I think a lot depends on the track, as it will be the second part of a double header. If it is a slick track, with gating at a premium, then who knows. I think the Stoke top 4 possibly shades the Rye top 4, but it will be a close one. I'll say Rye by 4

Any comments on the meeting? Seemed like 2 of stokes top 4 struggled and we still only lost by 4!

Press release on the Stoke site says they are going to have mains power restored.

No idea what happened. Went pop. I can only hope that this is finally the catalyst for going back to mains power.

I think, over the course of the season, I can see Birks and Worrall both pushing 9.5-10 point averages. If Atkin can maintain his around 8, and Pickard can push for around 8 (Which he is more than capable of), they could easily score 40 points a meeting between them. You then need the other 3 to chip in with a few points and we will be fine. Heat 14 could leave us weak occasionally, but that is the risk you take. If Ben can show the form that he showed at the back end of last season, there is no reason that he can't put a point on his average. 6-7 points of average improvement should see us near the top of the league again, but then the play-offs are anyone's guess.

Well, I'll be there! Teams are as follows according to Stoke press release: Stoke: Ashley Birks, Jaimie Pickard, Tony Atkin (Captain), Oliver Greenwood (Guest), Richie Worrall, Dan Berwick, Ben Reade Isle of Wight: Tim Webster (Guest), Marc Owen, Danny Warwick, Paul Starke, Ben Hopwood, Ricky Mullins, Gary Cottham Though I presume you can replace Rikki with Danny Stoneman. As for the meeting, I think Stoke's top 4 is a match for anyone in this league, so a lot will depend on the other 3 for Stoke. In this meeting (And, infact, the season) Ben Reade will probably be the one that we look to to score the points. I think it will be around Stoke 50-40.

I have no idea what has gone on, but to claim that "Mr T being a tight ass again" could be the case. Conversely, it may be that Danny was asked to ride at number 4, a position that he didn't want to take? Maybe Danny valued his services higher than Mr Tattum valued them? I'm sure that, to remain professional, the reasons will not come out, but who knows, maybe Danny will join Stoke at a later date!

Too many people with similar names, I meant Dan Stoneman (Getting him confused, sorry!) I'm pretty sure we aren't contractually obliged to offer the second and third placed riders contracts, was more a scouting session! Steeplejack: Dan Stoneman is who I meant in my post. He came out for his remaining rides.

No, wasn't in the 16 who were named either. There were a few no shows, Nick Laurence being one, as was Josh Bates and Adam Kirby if memory serves. Conor Dwyer crashed out in his first race and didn't return, hope he is ok!

We do need 2 as far as I know As for the rider's, Greenwood was the best rider on show by far, which is worrying, as he is already signed. After him, the rider's that caught my eye were Dan Greenwood, who looked a bit erratic at times, but picked himself up from a first race fall to look on the pace, Tom Woolley, who liked like he had a good style but was riding a bag of spanners, and Dan Berwick who tended to score solidly if he gated. But looking for 2? I'm not confident.

I'll be there! Will be nice to get a speedway fix, and see who has the potential to light it up for Stoke this season!

I guess we'll see. It certainly is a unique opportunity for 2 rider's to go out there and earn themselves a contract.

I have no idea. It could be that Richie isn't available for the first few meetings, and instead of messing around with R/R, we go with Adam for the first few then see where we go from there? For the record, the press release from stokepotters.co is here:

From what it reads like,squad system to cover for PL commitments,but we shall see!

With the greatest of respects to those you mention, are they really "great young British riders"? Yes, they have all done a job, but I wouldn't say any of them are at the very beginning of their careers, and all have had chances to progress (I find it hard to include Luke here as he was doing well until those horrific injuries) There is only ever a finite amount of team spaces, and given that a team has been lost, that is 7 spaces gone instantly. Sometimes people just miss out!

It's possibly because there are teams unfinished, and the fixtures have only just come out? My predictions: Roynon to win the NLRC Stoke for the 4's Mildenhall for the League, beating Dudley in the play-off final. Mildenhall to win the NL Trophy

Said in the Speedway Star that we were planning on holding an amateur meeting, and whoever shone would be the rider's we picked. Apparently invited around 20 riders to be a part of it.

Problem with that is, if you get a team with a fantastic reserve and a poorer one, they are going to give the lesser reserve both reserve races and one other, and the better reserve will end up with 6 rides per meeting...