NJC71

Top 5 looks very, very strong. Maybe doesn't have a top number 1 although Josh G wasn't far from that last year and is still improving. Similar looking team to Newcastle, maybe more powerful at 1 & 5. Will certainly be one of the contenders, injuries permitting.

Happy enough with the team. Initial thought is the lack of a number 1 or even a proven strong heat leader. We lost a number of matches from winning positions last season through our lack of strength in heats 13 and 15 and it could be argued that we haven't addressed that. However a big hitting number 1 takes up a big chunk of the points and as most of the riders readily available to us were in the 6 - 7.50 bracket, signing a big number 1 would have meant major surgery to the side. Given that we finished third last year it seems fair enough to build with as many of that side as possible. Of course Richie did emerge last year into a decent number 1 and we'll need someone to step up to that mark if we are to have another strong season. Ludvig gets the first chance and although many (with good reason) will feel he'll be out of his depth who knows, it may be the making of him. He is certainly capable if he can find a consistent set-up. He gives the impression of someone never quite in control on the mechanical side and he needs to put that right next season. It's a massive opportunity for him and in many ways could be a make or break year if he's to fulfil that obvious potential. Anton Rosen is another candidate for that number 1 birth. He has visited a decent number of tracks now and not struggled anywhere and took to Brough like a duck to water which is unusual. Really expect big things from him. Absolutely thrilled to have Lewis Kerr back. His rise has been even more dramatic than Richie's and he's the other who could be a genuine contender to be number 1. I certainly don't think his form will suffer from riding in the top 5. Hopefully Robbo and Henry will show no ill effects from their season ending injuries. Henry is one of the best middle order riders in the league and I still think Robbo is capable of putting a point on is average. Riding at 3 or 4 will probably suit him as his poor gating was exposed a little at number 1 or 5, particularly in that big heat 13. Lewis Rose is an interesting signing. Didn't pull up any major trees in the NL last year but has done well in guest appearances in the PL (noticeably against us) and I'm certainly prepared to back the promotion on this one given the success we've had with Dakota North, Kyle Newman, Richie Worrall and of course Lewis Kerr in recent seasons. Important we don't compare him too much to Lewis Kerr and give him time to adapt to Brough. Schrammy will be fine in the number 6 role as long as the new Lewis scores well.

I don't know why anyone thinks Craig Cook is a possible signing. I would assume he'll be back at Edinburgh although personally I can't see anything for him to gain riding PL other than easy money. He needs to be riding in Poland & Sweden if he is to progress there is nothing left for him to achieve at PL level. Good luck to Richie. He needs another year in the PL but if he can get a deal in the Polish first division then it's the right move. Plenty of options for the Diamonds, no need to panic. Lewis is the key signing - probably even more so than Richie to be honest.

Don't think a deal for Rene was on. He has struggled at Brough since that awful crash and seems happy at Workington. Not keen on Lawson either. Good if he gates at Brough but average if he doesn't. Personally I'm not as obsessed as some that we have an out and out number 1 (I wouldn't put Lawson or Bach in that bracket anyway). Would be happy with 7 riders who can all win races. That formula has served us pretty well over the last 2 seasons.

Can't see why anyone thinks Kenni would ride PL. He is ambitious and wants to get to the top. I would imagine he'll be riding in Poland. Personally not keen on Tully. Too many poor away tracks and I don't see any improvement in him. Ludo is similarly inconsistent but still has potential to improve so I would definitely go for Ludo out of those two. Lindgren Kerr Robson Henry Rosen S Worrall 4.86 reserve. That would do for me. Ok it lacks a number 1 but Lindgren and particularly Kerr and Rosen are on the way up and one of those could emerge and fill that gap. Plenty of scope for a good reserve alongside Steve who looked back on form at the end of last season. One doubt would be whether we could risk two Swedes in the same team over the full season in terms of availability and cost.

The BSPA really need to take more care with their press releases. They described the two reserves as being "National League" riders yesterday. From what is coming out now they clearly won't be 2014 NL riders, at least not all of them. I still have serious reservations that many are being fast-tracked in well before they are ready and this is really about cost cutting and am also annoyed supporter feedback is contiunually ignored and some of the immensely unpopular regulations remain year on year (e.g. tactical rides), but if they'd explained their intentions properly in the press release maybe it would have had a more favourable response on here or at least less negative.

To be honest my immediate reaction is I've had enough and won't be back next year. The 6 team play-offs in the PL doesn't work yet is retained again along with the Tactical rules which I detest. I don't need to be spend £20 every Sunday, I can easily do something else.

Yes but it seems they won't be riding against EL riders, just against each other. So it's just a mini NL match. That will not improve them although neither would riding against EL riders when the vast majority will not be ready for it. They need more opportunities in the PL not the EL.

In the old world riders would start in the NL and then move up to the PL and then finally to the EL - when they are good enough. This is about cutting costs it has absolutely nothing to do with developing British riders which the BSPA have never given a toss about.

I would say I'm staggered but I'm not really. The BSPA should not be allowed to get together every year without someone with one iota of common sense to supervise. Take Lewis Kerr as an example. Assuming he doesn't ride NL next season does this rule him out of the EL unless he rides top 5? It would appear so. How the hell does that develop young British riders? And if the NL riders only ride against each other then same question. How does that help them progress? It would make much more sense if the rule was two Brits at reserve in the EL and two NL riders at reserve in the PL but I'm afraid the BSPA don't do common sense. God knows how the EL averages will be calculated. As for the PL well 14 into 12 doesn't work so better prepare ourselves for some rediculous rule which sees teams ride against two teams twice. Jesus. Every year the BSPA get together and come up with a new load of rules which are not thought out and almost always massively unpopular with the supporters. Do they really wonder why crowds are decreasing year on year. Total vote of no confidence in the BSPA from me . An absolute joke.

Congrats to the Rebels. Deserve to be champions. The BSPA need to do something for next season though. Ridiculous having the final on 28 October in predictably awful weather. Scrap the two groups of three and go back to top 4 and make sure the final is held in late September/early October.

21 points is the magic number. Somerset would need to lose by 21 points for the Diamonds to qualify. Redcar of course can still qualify but need to win by the small matter of 36 points for that to happen. Somerset are through baring injuries.

Made no difference. Lemo scored what Dyer probably would have. Sad to see Lemo struggling so badly. Wasn't riding with any speed into the corners and a pale shadow of the Brilliant rider he was for us for 2 1/2 seasons.

Redcar have been woeful at Brough this season. That's the fourth match here and the heaviest defeat; and the other three weren't great either. They have too many riders who just can't ride the track and in all honesty don't seem to put much effort in to try either. Skidmore is shocking around Brough, He must have ridden here a dozen times now and has been miles off the pace pretty much every time. Likewise Dilger. Kus is an embarrassment, to see him shutting off going into turn one in heat 14 when he made his only decent gate was just not good enough. Absolutely zero commitment. Thank god for Ulrich who is always good value at Brough and Summers who had one of his good Brough matches. The racing was poor with the outside line working too well tonight meaning passing was virtually impossible. It suited Ludvig and let’s hope this sudden burst of form is taken into next weekend. We had to win tonight by a big margin and did but this group is still lined up for Somerset who have the strongest team, particularly the strength of their top 3. We have to hope that Redcar can stir themselves into a home victory over the Rebels as a Somerset win at the STMP would leave the Diamonds having to win at Somerset which is surely a bridge too far.

By 2 points at home. Can't see us getting anything at Somerset but I can see Somerest getting at least a point at Redcar and Brough. Somerset will win the group easily.

Going to be an interesting winter as the EL cannot continue in its current format which is bound to have implications for the PL. That and the insistence on air fences and I suspect the PL will look very different next year. For the record I would like Richie, Robbo, Henry, Rosen & Lewis to be the basis of the side next year but I hear Rosen might be Poland bound and possibly Richie too so who knows. I would be happy to have Chris back on a 3.5 average and JK would be interesting too if he's fully fit and 100% committed. Personally Tully & Lindgren would be a no as they both have too many no shows on the road.

A real shame as it might have been a very exciting finish had Lanham & Barker not crashed out. Great to win but it felt a very hollow victory and above all we were denied a potentially dramatic climax. Not sure why this final, which is an early season competition, is being held at the end of the season. It needs to be held straight after the semi-finals so the two teams that actually qualified can ride against each other and not what's left of those sides at the season end. Despite optimistic noices from the riders I can't see us getting anything other than thumped at Somerset but nice to have a deserved trophy in the cabinet. Also agree about the interval. After the two crashes there was surely no need.

If Tungate is out that certainly gives the Diamonds a better chance but one thing is for certain we need Tully and Lindgren on form. If either basically fails to turn up as they didn't at Redcar we have no chance. They both owe us big performances.

Agree and you beat me to it. It's a stupid ill thought out format (what a shock in speedway). As you say the two home matches are pretty much dead rubbers with defeat at Somerset inevitable. Will be very difficult to promote and two poor crowds on probably cold nights will cost the club money. Good performance from Redcar and good luck to them although I think Somerset will win this group easily. In all honesty unless there were mitigating circumstances; and I mean injury and not bike problems; that was a shocking performance from the Diamonds after Lewis gave us such a good start. Two riders in particular have let us down badly and possibly even kissed goodbye to team places for 2014. Really disappointing night for the club. Was always going to be tough with r/r but talking nothing away from Redcar that was awful.

Personally I would rather have Ludvig back than Tully. Tully is a great team man and more consistent than Ludvig but personally I think he's reached his level as a 7 point man. Ludvig may have done as well, time will time, but he's younger and still has the potential to put a couple of points on his average. That said I'm not sure we can afford to go with two Swedes in the side both from the cost perspective and the possibility of both being unavailable at times. I would also like Henry back in the side if he's 100% fit. Not convinced that Richie will be back either, wonder if he'll be looking at riding abroad on a Sunday next year which is fair enough. Having Lewis back would be a massive boost but I worry again that we'll lose out to a Southern side as we did with Kyle and North. Plenty of options for the promotion and no reason why we won't have a strong side again next year.

Summers was lucky to get the points he did. Had races not been re-run he would have only scored 3 points. With Lewis it looked like they straightened his first bike out so he didn't need to change to his second.

What is about visits from Edinburgh that always seems to bring misfortune for the Diamonds? This should have been an easy win against a poor Edinburgh side (Cook and too a lesser extent Deek aside). But as with the cup match the Diamonds were throwing away points left, right and centre leaving this in the balance right to the end. Aarron Summers had 8 points (2,3,3) from his first three rides yet that should only have been 0,1,2 with all three races re-run after Tabaka wiped out Tully, Kerr fell and Tabaka came off again all with the Diamonds in front. Also shame that Carr came off in first run of heat 13 with Richie having a good lead over Cook. That said Cook again looked mega quick but just didn't have any back-up. Will be interesting to see who both sides get in the play-offs. If we meet again Edinburgh will be stronger with Pjiper and Vissing back although hopefully we won't have so many problems the next time.

Be a great shame if they can't find anybody as I can't see us winning anything with r/r. Inevitably we'll come up against Ipswich, Edinburgh or Somerset and they'll be too strong over 2 legs.

Wouldn't say it was predictable. Richie had a poor night by his standards on a track where he scored 13/15 guesting for Ipswich a couple of weeks ago. Had he matched that return we might have picked up a point. The others all rode as you might expect, maybe Lewis has had better matches but that's only because we expect so much from him. Average but normal returns from Ludvig and Tully who are both generally poor on the bigger away tracks; I personally wouldn't have both back next year because of that. Terrific start from Rosen. With Robbo out we need to find another if we are to make the play-offs and have a realistic chance of winning them.