arnieg

24 so far, and will probably end up as about 28 between nine teams. In comparison in 2013 there were just 15 spread across ten teams (including three that had no Brits at all).

Not mentioned on here, but currently receiving a lot of love (and deservedly so) on the Leicester 2017[!] thread:- Colin Cook

Only if you ignore the fact that five (possibly six) teams will have a number 7 with a lower starting average. So with only Sarjeant and Graversen above Ayres that makes him one of the BETTER number sevens. 2016 opening green sheet 5.22 2016 final GS 6.85

Robin Southwell seems to have some interesting business connections according to today's Private Eye (page 37), which would no doubt make him fit right in at the BSPA. Here's an earlier PE piece on Mr Southwell: http://www.ianfraser.org/eads-chief-executive-robin-southwell-drawn-into-a-hornets-nest/

Lebedevs topped the Polish League (second tier) averages last season. Kylmakorpi was second. That also put him ahead of Hougaard (Lions no 1 in 2016), Lindgren (his Daugavpils teammate), Hans Andersen, Sam Masters, Scott Nicholls and Chris Harris.

Averaged 5 from 7 MDL matches for Mildenhall last season. (for comparison Niall Strudwick averaged 8 from 8 MDL matches in 2016)

A lot of questions about that team with not much EL experience. However it does have potential. Ayres and Riss are both entertaining and improving riders I would be happy to see in a team I support. Gomoloski has improved since he last rode here and is good value on his average. For the team to fit Lebedevs must be coming in on 7 (or less), if so that is a steal as his continental form puts him on a par with riders in the 8.5-9.00 bracket. Against that I'd be worried about Gomolski and Lebedevs Polish league commitments, Nilsson's ability to be a number one away, Auty's injury prone style and getting the Glasgow version of Wolbert. On balance I think it is a better team than the initial reaction suggests, and an imaginative one given the circumstances. If the new signings settle in to the Beaumont Leys track then the Lions will be difficult to beat at home.

Think you could take some of the postings on the BSF as quite persuasive evidence that that has already come to pass

His last foreign league team was Hammarby in 2012, so I don't think he's interested in riding abroad anymore.

Good grief is this argument still going on. On the basis of the plentiful evidence presented in this thread the conclusion seems quite clear - that there is little between them. If one is better than the other any difference is marginal. Personally I'd be happy to see either of them in a team I supported, although at 22 vs 26 I think Howarth has more potential for improvement.

The original papers make it fairly clear what the funding process was. Step 1: council borrows money (from Public works Loan Board or on open market) Step 2: stadium built (give or take a third bend/back straight stand) Step 3: council pays interest on borrowings which it finances from rental income for stadium hence the rent being so high.

There are none at present

From the 29 Jan Press Release: THE British Speedway Promoters’ Association are pleased to finally confirm Coventry Bees will be racing in the 2017 SGB Premiership. We have accepted proposals for the team to race on a temporary basis at Leicester’s Beaumont Park for the opening weeks of the season with the ultimate aim of moving back to Coventry during the campaign. For the avoidance of doubt, both Coventry and Leicester will be racing as separate teams and this is in no way an amalgamation of the two clubs. The move has been made to keep Coventry on track in very trying circumstances with their former Brandon Stadium home currently unavailable. However, strenuous efforts will continue to be made to take the team back to the famous site. Bits in bold would suggest that nothing has actually been resolved, just some more time bought.

You're right, I've confused Sam Woods and Adam Kirby! Woods' most significant contribution was as a member of Rye House's fours winning team.

Chris Sully is still a regular at Beaumont Park.

I can only see eight riders with averages higher than Nilsson who are likely to be riding in the PL so I guess that makes him number one! Kylmo will probably be second heat leader, leaving Lions looking for a third heat leader and two reserves. At this stage choices are limited so the best that Leicester can hope for is a competitive team. Will they get one? The jury is out.

Yes Claes Jensen of Poole tops (or should that be bottoms?) the list by a lap or more. Next lowest are Jan Gravningen (Halifax) who had a couple of respectable seasons at Birmingham later on and Peter Prinsloo (Wembley) who was clearly talented but too inexperienced and went on to become quite a popular rider with his later clubs in the UK. Hnidak and Siggy Pedersen are also on the list. The others you mention include several that I recall but none of them stuck around long enough (Swindon's Leonard Raba was another example - 5 matches no points). Perhaps the epitome of this thread was Jerzy Kowalski at Wolves in 1978 who was sent packing before he could make his league debut.

Que?

I've had a little look thru this period and can find ten examples of foreign riders averaging 2.00 or less (from at least ten matches). Strangely most of them have yet to be mentioned on this thread, and one of them went on appeared in the world individual final!

Looking at the rules as presently constructed I think you are onto something!

Look at Birmingham's 2015 league winning performances. Almost all of their important away wins were on the back of big scores from Woods. Verge is slowly improving and Ruddick has the potential to up his average. Remember all three will at times be facing opponents who are inexperienced reserves.

But only in the Premiership. My other half has to pay £35 (for a really bad seat) if he wants to watch his team play away in the Championship at QPR. Yes - in football it costs more to follow your team in the second tier than the top tier. So it's not only speedway that has some questionable pricing. In my view each club should be entitled to set its own prices, but perhaps the BSPA should set some minimum requirements on concessionary rates.

Boley Proch mediocre! Wash your mouth out.

1993 Rule Book Rule B14 Rider Replacement Scheme... "An additional rider must be present: he shall be programmed as number 9" B14(ii) stated that the number 9 may replace an R/R rider excluded under 2 mins or any other starting offence or if the original RR rider is not fit for a rerun. There was no facility for no 9s to ride in the reserve heat. Humph is thinking of Rule B8A which only permitted the replacement of a reserve in ht 15 (the second reserves heat in the 1993 format) where both were injured, and then the only eligible replacement was the no 6 in the team's averages. (I believe this rule was rarely used - I saw it happen at Long Eaton [28 July v Peterboro [Alan Mogridge rode in ht 15 after Panthers reserves Gage and McCullogh crashed out in the first reserves race*] - can anyone recall other cases where it was used?) * Panthers were also operating R/R for Rod Colquhoun, but no 9 Carl Johnson did not get a ride

25 Oct mtg was a 4TT - rained off - involving Nottm, Leicester Wolves and Oxford PROGRAMME EXISTS Meeting staged on 1 Nov with insert as Wimbledon replaced Leicester. Mtg won by Wolves