Najjer

Without wanting to sound naive and opening a can of worms here, but I must have been sleeping under a rock and am unaware of the story behind Rathbone. What exactly did he do that was so bad for BSPL to want to block him out? Why did he leave Peterborough?

But that isn’t relevant to where we are now. The speedway world has changed dramatically during that time with Polish and Grand Prix finances so that most top riders don’t need UK, Swedish or Danish league racing to earn their living anymore. I’ve explained numerous times that there isn’t enough riders around to spread across all teams for one big league - hence the need to run at Premiership standard (essentially the majority of Championship riders with some of the top riders and Polish league riders too) with 6 man teams. Ride everybody twice so there is plenty of matches along with extra rides for riders per meeting with less travelling expenses involved. The one thing British Speedway should not be doing (or you could argue shouldn’t have done) is set itself up to earn riders a living. That is the complete wrong attitude!

There shouldn’t be a middle tier full stop. Most of these Championship teams can afford Premiership riders (hence this line up featuring 13 Premiership riders) so teams should be able to compete either at Premiership or National League standard. The Championship is the big problem for British Speedway with doubling up getting out of control. Premiership and National League with 6 rider teams is the way to go.

The same as happens every year - Harris has a nack to keeping his average at a manageable level so he is able to guest for just about everybody and a good signing for next year too. His average taking a dramatic hit for the next couple of months is good for him in the long term

Leicester have too

Yep instead of it being a straight shoot out between two, it should be a one horse race now!

Completely agree - This is what I had suggested on another thread and seems to be the way forward in my view with Premiership and National Development League.

It means he gets the inside gates in heat 2 and then can be utilised wherever required after that, getting the inside in heat 4 potentially again. It was a trick Somerset used to do often when Gary May was the manager.

Shame really as this series has already somewhat died a death by Kolodziej and Kubera missing the first round and Wozniak who is currently in 3rd not taking any further part - leaving it as a straight shoot out between Madsen and Michelson.

Some will say what they like about Len and his style of management and running of a speedway team - but for many years he not only ran a very successful 2nd tier team which won all sorts but also a Conference/National league side too. Many critics said about him not spending a penny more than his budget allowed and the infamous dropping of Jason Doyle for Steve Boxall . A couple of years later after he sold up the place closed down once it got left in the wrong hands. Same could be said for Newport and a whole host of other clubs.

Great news. Glad to hear he has recovered from such a troublesome injury.

Just out of curiosity, will Laguta be taking his place in the line up? Wasn’t sure if he had recovered from his wrist injury. Many thanks in advance

Will he ride at no.6 or does that move PHB to no.6?

Think I’m right in saying it’s RR for Iversen I saw somewhere?

Did he ‘eck!

GB -7 over Sweden tonight

That is a big problem - in speedway you are almost punished for being successful, spending out huge points money and costs before then having to rip that team apart to stay under a points limit. It really is a weird theory. Formula1, Football etc there is huge financial incentive the higher up the table you finish

From a business point of view, it probably has. From what others have said crowds have been good, especially early in the season - just because results haven’t been great that isn’t always a bad thing. Teams that run away and win the league racking up 60+ points at home every week is a quick fire way to run up debt.

Along with the caption of “use it or lose it, so therefore prices are now going to be £25 to get in” more than likely….

But this was the only possible date this fixture could be ran…. Apparently.

You’d imagine that the first part of any contract would be that the riders have to be available for all fixtures unless they are injured Wonder if Eurosport will be showing this fixture now the other match is off?

Thought of a new initiative this morning - ‘The Holiday KO Cup’ Riders who work so hard for our entertainment should be granted at least 3 riders to go on holiday for these matches for some time off and be replaced by guests during the season. I can really see this one catching on.

You can’t see the issue? Take your rose tinted specs off for once and then you might. what would of happened if let’s say Adam Ellis either couldn’t ride in the SWC or wasn’t picked and Worrall was next in line being a squad rider - would he still be on holiday? Same goes for Douglas. Joke situation. I’ll also add, when was this fixture put into the fixture list? You can often move holidays for no additional costs quite close to the actual date of departure.

I’d like to think the Poles will be home and dry quite easily

Very surprised by this but a welcome addition to the league. A very capable young man who isn’t afraid of tracks which aren’t like a snooker table. Looking forward to seeing how he goes but I think he will be pretty decent.