Najjer

Debbie Hancock wasn't the promotor/owner when the club was formed back in 2000, and the Rebels nickname and logo was first chosen. Although the club has always been run on their land, the Hancock family didn't become owners until 2009 but even then didn't take full control of the club and team until another few more years later. The changing of 'nicknames' in the past has gone down like a lead balloon in times gone past with other teams, Reading probably being the prime example and the infamous switch to the 'Bulldogs' from the 'Racers'. I assume nobody was brave enough until Debbie and the rest of the management decided to ditch the confederate flag and make the press release that I have quoted above.

The logo was to put it in simple terms, copied from a previous speedway team of the same nickname as has been mentioned on this thread already. Andy Hewlett was the then promoter at Somerset and that logo was adapted down the years by various different promotions with the red background removed, before being dropped and changed completely for the current logo that is in use by the current promotion. As has been said, the nickname itself has historic meaning in Somerset, which is why to this day 20 years on is still being used by the speedway team. Since the club's formation in 2000, the team logo has been the Confederate flag under which the Southern States fought in the American Civil War, but club promoter Debbie Hancock feels that the club logo needs to reflect its home county of Somerset as she explains;“Even though we are now some 16 years on since the club was first formed, people still ask what the Confederate flag has to do with Somerset, especially as the nickname Rebels was adopted to commemorate the Rebel uprising at the Battle of Sedgemoor.”“In addition, we felt that given certain tragic events which took place in America last year, it would be insensitive of us to continue using the Confederate Flag as the club logo and, as such, we wanted something which would be more reflective of the County of Somerset and felt that nothing does that more than the mythical Wyvern, which is the Somerset County emblem.” Hope that clears things up for you.

They really don't like Batchelor, do they?

You’re making yourself look silly. Grachan has rightly given the back story on where the name for the ‘Rebels’ came from. After some of the killings in the US a few years back where somebody was wearing the confederate flag, this was dropped by the Somerset promotion to fall in line with the crest of Somerset, which is also used by the Cricket club and many other things throughout Somerset.

I hope you took all 3 of those bets - you’d of been quids in!

That’s a good theory to go with. I too have only being doing the odd bet for abit of fun and added interest. I have taken my money I first deposited with bet365 back out so I am now only gambling with my winnings, which I’m currently about £50 up. It’s never going to pay my mortgage but a bit of added fun along the way. Ive found Rybnik are a good team to bet on because they’re usually having minimal rides for the lower riders and maximum rides for Lambert and co.

Jack has been getting better and better the last few years. Such a great rider to watch and well chuffed to see him taking the Polish leagues by storm now.

What a bizarre choice. Would of thought Lambert would of been a show in to give Rybnik a representive.

Could easily come in but also go completely wrong. Thomsen very up and down and Doyle isn’t going to be as bad as he was on Friday.

Not seeing much value in tonight’s match on bet365

Perspex? Perspex has to be one of the most dangerous materials out there when crashed into at high speed and velocity, because of how it cracks into large pieces with sharp edges exposed. That would be absolutely horrific injuries caused by that. The solution that I’ve suggested in the past is digging a trench around the outside of the track around 300mm down and anchoring the fence down to the ground. It would be impossible for the fence to lift and anybody to slide underneath because it is lower than the track itself.

I just wish he had settled for 3rd behind Holder earlier on!

Good news for us. Laguta should now be in heats 14 and 15

Own goal not to replace Hampel with Lampart then. Hampel been well off it.

I’m on that one too.... not hopeful after that one

Laguta has to be one of the best riders in the world at the moment. Kasprzak quite the opposite....

Correct decision. I thought at the time NKI binned it and the replays not really convincing me otherwise. Zagar really has stepped it up after he was useless on the first couple of weeks.

I’ve gone Kolodziej under 10 and Laguta over 9

Woryna over 8 seems a good bet when he could have 5/6 rides. Likewise Lambert over 12 could be a shout from 6/7 rides. I fancy Miedzinski under 7 too.

Had a mare again. I had Musielak over Gapinski but changed just before the start.

Not looking great at the moment, but was hoping for a few bonus points and the odd defeat.

Good value in Kulakov under 12 for Toruń I think then.

On Bet365 rider total points, do they include bonus points in this?

I took Chugonov on over 7, thought that would of been a decent shout - how wrong was I!

As far as I’m aware there is between Leszno and Rawicz and that’s been running for a little while and Rawicz is seen as a feeder club. I’m not sure about Łódź though, other than Skornicki is a useless team manager!