Najjer

Admittedly my nearest track is about an hour and a half away from me now, but I havn’t been to a single speedway match since Somerset closed down. I travelled all over the country and beyond to away matches for a number of years. I’ll watch it on the TV, especially Polish leagues, but half of the appeal of going every week and paying admission was to watch my team.

They’re starting early to ensure that all of those blank weeks in the middle of the summer when it’s lovely weather outside and prime conditions for speedway, everybody can sit round and do nothing to allow for 3 matches in a week and double headers in September and October. All part of the plan!

In this scenario, I don’t think that is actually the case. He is now due to be missing sparring meetings in Poland and other parts of their fitness preparations for the new season. That’s going some just to avoid Perry Barr at all costs in March!

Im just waiting for someone to give the argument about team suits being a bad idea because they can’t identify them or because it means they can’t show off their individual character…. Get with the times!

Again, something we are already miles behind on in comparison to Poland. All clubs over there already have to do this and use a set template with league sponsors all positioned the same on each club’s shirt, along with their role and which rider they are representing. It looks very professional although probably not an essential, given some of the costs already facing teams in this country. All this about limiting riders to only 1 mechanic and health and safety is a load of nonsense too.

Unless he managed the same feat at Newport too, he 100% cleared the fence at Somerset. I can’t recall who that was against though. On that note, I remember Jordan Frampton crashing and going up and over the fence at Somerset aswell along with his bike. Got up, walked back to the pits and then scored a maximum against us. Some effort!

One of my favourite debuts for Somerset was Matt Read. Must of been back in 2003 if memory serves me correctly, as we had been pretty rubbish and he came in as a new signing against Exeter. He romped to a paid maximum from his programmed rides before finishing on 12+2 from 5 rides and featuring one of my favourite speedway photos of years gone by as seen below. He became abit of a cult hero at Somerset… even more so when he had an almighty crash and ended up clearing the safety fence. Unfortunately his career was cut short but a long track crash I think it was but a definite triumph!

What state is the current site in - is it recognisable from the previous speedway stadium? Is there any recent photos?

Out of interest, do we know how much Brandon Estates paid for the land purchase many years ago?

If you look at last season and even the seasons before that, Milik is not established at the top levels. He is hit and miss in Sweden, is now back riding in the 2nd division after 1 season back in the top flight in Poland and is nowhere near SGP standard - matter of fact, he shown himself to barely be SEC standard. I actually like Milik as a rider as he’s another who isn’t afraid generally to put it about and give it a good go, so he’s worth watching in my book - but for clarity, he is not a top rider.

Just for the record as you quoted me, I am not a Birmingham fan. Far from it.

Pawlicki is and I would expect him to average around that. Milik on the other hand certainly isn’t.

You assume because Lampart rides in the Esktraliga and Wojdylo is only in the 2nd tier

I agree with that. FWIW Milik isn’t the disastrous signing of this side - that is Lampart. Milik has now been labelled as a heat leader because of everyone that came before him. If they are forking out for flights etc already for Lampart then they would have been better off using that for someone a damn sight lot better as they had the points spare to do so. Zengota, Smektala, Woryna, Lyager, Huckenbeck etc are all examples of someone who would have been far better than Lampart.

Struggling to see what people are seeing in the Belle Vue side that puts them near the top of the league? I think it’s one of the poorer Belle Vue sides assembled for a number of years and based on how they line up currently, I would have them 6th in the league. Poor reserves too. Same goes for Sheffield which could be their downfall especially on nights when Chris Holder or Woffinden don’t fancy it. Oxford has the makings of being a team that could batter any team in the league on their day, but then put up 35 points at home the following night. They are very hard to predict. King’s Lynn are my dark horses, especially if Wojydo hits the ground running. I don’t think they will win the league but they should upset a few. Ipswich are favourites for me by a considerable margin.

….and this shows the depths we have stooped to, when a team signs some riders they are expecting to be missing that they are already checking to see if Chris Harris’ average fits and if he can guest. I’m a big fan of shared roles in teams. Teams should have been able to have one shared position in a team, if they wished. That would have likely opened the flood gates abit more for the likes of Laguta and not make Milik etc seem a poor signing. I often think that Sweden is a much better gauge for how they are likely to perform in the UK. Piotr could be a cracking signing although he’s liable to a crash or two. Milik had big promise about 10 years ago but has failed to live up to that and I’ll be amazed if he averages above 7.

Just for clarity on this one, Milik is not a top rider at all. Pawlicki is a decent signing and is never afraid to put it about. He scores highly in Sweden and will score well for Birmingham - assuming he is there every week.

This is what I said before and I completely agree with. Fair play to Tolley if he has has coughed huge amounts of money - but it actually only shows even more how incompetent he has been in spending it.

The Zmarzlik comment was made a few weeks ago now

It was in the speedway star - perhaps you might want to backtrack about ‘wild accusations’.

Thats also not true

Why make posts like that? “Ohhh I know more than you do…..” either name them or don’t say anything.

There is no way Iversen has reached the level of Andersen. Iversen is still a very capable rider in Poland (and the UK) so anybody who thinks he’ll be declining that rapidly needs a head wobble. He isn’t a Grand Prix standard rider anymore but he’s alright. For what it’s worth, I would be putting Iversen at no.2 - there is every chance even away from home but especially at home, he would be popping out and winning heat 1 and gives a solid heat 8 too.

The fact the top two haven’t been signed makes it even more baffling that they have signed Lampart. I get this feeling they think that Lampart is going to be some sort of world beater and he is the next big thing out of Poland - which isn’t the case unfortunately. The top 2 should be signed and then they could decide whether to continue with Lampart or go with a stronger 6/7 pointer.

If they announce Schlein then I think there will be riots… or the equivalent to that of what small fan base there might be! Birmingham would be a laughing stock after reeling off names like Laguta, Zmarzlik, Lindgren, Lindback and then ending up with Schlein….