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I thought Ben Taylor missed all of last year? Riders who have stayed where they were could be a rider who has already been announced? Maybe they were after Ben Reade again?

I can't see it being money, I just think it was a case of his average wasn't right. On a 3.61, you either have to build to have him at reserve, or build stronger at the top end as you are only going to be using 9.61 on your bottom 3. If we had signed him in place of Chessell (The only rider he could replace in our line up) people would potentially complain that we had wasted around a point in team building, putting us on the back foot. I hope he gets a club, as he is a rider with a lot of potential who will become a fan favourite wherever he goes.

The national league is full of "plastic" brits? I'll donate £10 to the SBF if you can name me 5 riders who are "plastic" Brits currently riding in the NL.

And Luke Chessell is the final signing! Interesting one. Can gate like a rocket!

I'll go along with that. Dudley are relying on Clegg and Greaves primarily. They should improve a lot, and you would think that one will stay at reserve all season. I can't see much more improvement from Morris, maybe half a point, and Blackbird should up his (And become a better rider on the tight Monmore track) We have no idea about Buxton yet. Will be interesting to see how their 3 pointer go, and they have the ideal captain to help them progress. Coventry will do well. Missing an out and out number 1, but I think Jacobs could continue and up his average to over 8. Greenwood will be up over 7, but a lot depends on their final signing. IoW are relying on 2 riders for their improvement, and how they go on will define their season. Ellis could well be pushing 8 by the end of the season, and Freemantle is capable of around 5. Perry will be a top guy on most tracks, but Bekker and Hopwood can be very hit and miss. Kent? No riders officially announced, but assuming they have Coles, Morley and Steve Boxall, they will be solid enough. KL have made a good start, and Hazelden is a rider I wanted to be at Stoke. Should be potential there, but again seem to be missing a top rider. Mildenhall have no-one yet, but you can usually rely on them to have a good team. If they can keep Nielsen, Halsey, Bates and Stoneman, they have a good basis for a team there. And finally, my team, Stoke. Lee Smart, if over his injuries, will be a top rider. Ben Reade has the potential to put a touch on his average, and Kyle Hughes, if his head and machinery are right, is a 9 point rider. That could be the makings of a very strong top 3. Luke, being back at a track he knows very well, could nudge his average up to about 6.5. Shaun Tedham didn't really impress me for the Spitfires, but if he achieves 3 then he has done his job. I've not seen Emerson Jones ride, but by all accounts he sounds like a good prospect. If we can get a solid rider in for the final place (Someone who can up from 4.5 to 5.5) then we have the basis for a team that could challenge. So, on that basis, I'm going with: 1) Dudley 2) IoW 3) Stoke 4) Mildenhall 5) KL 6) Coventry 7) Kent 8) Buxton

I reckon I could beat the currently declared Mildenhall team...mainly because they don't have anyone yet!

I'm sure I read a press release saying that the initial intention is Friday's when there is a GP.

Well that just sounds ominous!

And Emerson Jones makes it 6, comes in on a 3. Leaves 4.93 for one more rider. I'm sure Mr Vasey has his eye on someone!

No idea. I'm not a Sheffield fan anyway, I just liked laughing at their misfortune while I was at uni there

Surely, given the rolling averages, assessed averages are the way to go (And, you have 4 of them, not 3...) If, after 12 meetings, Albin, Koppe, Stead and Knight aren't hitting their averages, they will drop, but those who improve won't change much due to the rolling aspect of their averages. You could find yourselves with a few points to play with, and if used correctly, could help fire you up the league.

So,Kyle Hughes makes it 4 on a 6.12. Didn't see that one coming,but if his head and kit are right,he is a 9 point rider. Could be a fantastic signing

So, Stoke have announced their third signing as Luke Priest on a 5.67. Didn't see that one coming, but definitely has the ability to up that!

I would imagine our reserves, hopefully, will be Emerson Jones and Liam Carr. If Carr is to start in the main body, I wouldn't mind something like 1) Lee Smart 9.58 2) Liam Carr 3.61 3) Paul Starke/Jake Knight/Any rider up to 6.37 4) Adam McKinna 6.74 5) Ben Reade 7.70 6) 3 pointer 7) Emerson Jones 3 I think that team would be alright. McKinna is an 8 point rider in a 6.7 average, Carr is only going one way, and Emerson Jones looks a good prospect. Now if that other 3 pointer could be Robert Lambert I would be very happy!

Ben Reade is signing number 2 on a 7.70

So, one from left field. Our first signing has just been confirmed as Lee Smart on a 9.58. If he returns to previous form, will be one of the top riders in the league. No doubt about it. Welcome back!

If you have Charles and Tony, it won't leave much for a third heat leader. Atkin + Wright = 16.28, so 23.72 for 5 riders. Atkin + Branford = 15.29, so 24.71 for 5 riders. Atkin, Wright and Branford = 23.82, leaving 16.12 for 4 riders. Realistically, I could see a Buxton team of something like 1) Tony Atkin 7.75 2) Luke Priest 5.67 3) Adam McKinna 6.74 4) Gareth Isherwood 5.03 5) Rob Branford 7.54 6) Ryan Blacklock 3.51 7) Chris Widman 3.49 Total: 39.73

I presume the comment from Rob that you are pointing to is how Coventry approached him at the AGM after Oli had said to him that he didn't want to be at Scunthorpe this year? Which goes hand in hand with what Oli's dad said about them approaching Coventry. Reading the two posts, it seems that Oliver's dad contacted Coventry asking for a team place, they discussed a contract, and then Coventry spoke to Rob at the AGM? The only other bit mentioned is about Max Clegg, but that is a different tangent. Either way, if Scunthorpe have said they don't want to run due to losing these 2 riders, it seems a bit ridiculous as they were going to have to lose 6 points anyway (Although I assume most of that would have been by replacing Jerran Hart with a 3 pointer)

Seems like you have signed Tony Atkin for next year?

One could argue that it is, currently, the same strength product, as you have lost one developmental minded team from last season and replaced them with another. Granted, the top riders will leave the league, but that is the nature of the NL.

Definitely the most unique venue in speedway! Will be good to collect 7 points from them next season

Maybe it was, but I'm fed up of Scunthorpe fans who seem to preach like they are the saviours of British Speedway. The NL is it's own league. If it was just to develop riders, we wouldn't keep score. Having seen riders grow up on one track, often it is better for the rider to go to another track early in their career to learn a different style, or they end up becoming fantastic on one track (A problem that Sheffield always had) Surely Scunthorpe's overall aim is to have riders move into their PL team. If they have a rider who has only cut his teeth at Scunthorpe, they often won't be as well rounded a rider, and will need to learn away tracks pretty quickly, whereas a season at, for example, Dudley (Using Monmore's tight confines) can actually make them a better rider, which would benefit Scunthorpe in the long run. The simple fact is that there are more teams in the NL who want to win it than there are teams who want to develop riders for their senior team (I include Buxton as a team who want to win it, as I'm sure they would love to again!) Riders don't develop when they ride against people at the same level, they develop when they learn from people at a higher level. If every team were only out to develop new riders, it would probably have a negative effect, as these riders coming through would never be able to test themselves against the top riders in the division.

I can't help thinking that the NL (And CL before it) has always catered for both types of team. First CL meeting I watched was a double header at Stoke, to decide the CL title. If memory serves, Mildenhall were always regarded as the team who would sign anyone to win (And I remember them having Ben Howe on about an 11 point average, and Jon Armstrong on about a 10!) yet clubs still managed to produce riders (That day, I saw riders such as Rory Schlein, Ricky Ashworth, James Birkinshaw etc) What Scunthorpe fans need to remember is that there was an NL/CL producing riders before they came along, and there will be an NL/CL producing riders after they leave. That goes for any club at this level. Talent and determination will always shine through. The question is, do they want to be a part of that process?

Richie's average will be too high to double up with us, not sure about Steve. The only other name I considered was Simon Lambert. His PL average has dipped below 5, so he could double up, but on a 9.6 is a big chunk of average.

So, assuming Stoke are NL in 2013, which I have no reason to doubt, who would we want? It's a safe assumption that Birks won't be back, and I personally wouldn't take Tony Atkin back. While he is a great guy to have in the pits, he seems to have gone backwards this season. A shame, but I don't think he is worth a 7.75 next season. Other than that, I would quite happily see the following team: 1) Gary Irving 8.17 2) James Cockle 6.24 3) Ben Reade 7.70 4) Ollie Greenwood 6.57 5) Shane Hazelden 4.57 6) Liam Rumsey 3 7) Liam Carr 3.61 Total = 39.86 I appreciate that is unlikely to happen, but I think it would be a good mix. I appreciate Scunthorpe will probably want Irving and Greenwood, but I think a change of track would do Hazelden some good. Rumsey has shown enough to warrent a 3 point place next season, and I would love Liam Carr back. Reade has been fantastic this season, and Cockle has improved his average since joining Stoke. While I don't expect him to be a 9 point rider, he is a solid 7.5 rider. I guess we will see though!