Najjer

He was on twitter, I can't remember exactly what time, but about mid season asking for somewhere to live. Put 2 and 2 together on that.... You are also exactly right about the track for the first half of the season, it was almost as bad as the last time Ez left.

GPs as a collective doesn't interest me compared to team sport. However, the standard of racing on offer and the quality is far superior compared to National League. Absolutely - That'll only be worse this year with Cook, Schlein, Harris, Nicholls, King hanging around and a shed load of 2 pointers coming in at reserve.

I personally couldn't disagree any more with you. The SGP provides much better racing than National League. The higher quality riders on a good track provide better entertainment. The product and quality is constantly weakened by the teams constantly being watered down on a yearly basis.

“I’m very excited, I had a strong end to my 2018 season and it’s something I’m looking forward to building on for the 2019 season,” said Allen. “It will be good for me to get away from Somerset also, a few things went on behind the scenes last year that I was quite disappointed with and how they were handled, so it will be great to have a breath of fresh air here at Ipswich.” I had mentioned earlier in the thread when he signed for Scunthorpe, it was no surprise that he wasn't staying with us.

I'm sure the majority of us would of preferred Charles as no.1 over Schlein and Harris

It was their intention to run in the top division but have said some things didn't go their way at the AGM and that's why they dropped down when they didn't want to. One of the decisions that didn't go their way was the change of race day again to a Thursday. If they were intending to run in the top tier though you would anticipate they felt they could make it pay with a couple of changes.

My problem is the constant watering down of the product year on year. 1 x British 2 pointer should of been compulsory. Best of both worlds.

All this nonsense about wanting to promote young British talent as being their reason for a 38.00 points limit. Redcar wanted a 38.00 points limit because they thought it would be their best chance of success in the league by restricting Glasgow, Somerset, Sheffield etc.. nothing to do with young Brits or what is best for British Speedway.

Because it's a smoke screen for alterior motives, to get what they wanted.

Im led to believe that Jack wanted to stay and had we wanted him he would of been riding for us. He was a revelation for us and would of been madness to not want him back. It's also fairly common knowledge we offered terms to Wright and Redcar, presumably, after pleading poverty at the AGM offered more than we was prepared to offer. Another poster today though seemed to suggest the money offered to Wright by Somerset wasn't great. I can't comment on that, but it's borderline suicide after building bridges, getting him in for the cup final, getting fans hopes up and then not resigning him. Somerset's team is strong in comparison to most - but that's what you would now expect. We are a big fish in a small pond. We dominated the 2nd division for years and will be there or there shouts to do the same again I'm sure. However.... you say we have to get behind them, why do we? Fans are allowed to have their say and they don't have to back anybody.

With a little baby Najjer on the way in February, there's a good chance I will be spending any spare £16s on nappys and not speedway!

Seeing Jack Holder and Charles Wright sign up for other people today in the Premiership makes it even more depressing.

Think I replied at the time, but you are so right. This team has a very un-Somerset feel to it.

Isn't that the point - There is a lack of fixtures so with decent planning and communications between us and Sweden, then nobody should miss meetings in either country.

So narrow minded. Surely any help for British riders is better than promoting more foreigners, wherher they are 15 or 45?

And you think preventing them from riding in the league above or below will help with that? Not when they are racing in Poland, Sweden, Denmark or wherever for the rest of the week anyway. The biggest problem with doubling up in previous seasons has been riser availability which is a massive issue. The BSPA have actually made a positive move in addressing that by bringing in fixed race nights. Therefore, doubling up can only be beneficial to all clubs. It allows for a greater pool of riders being available and should in turn allow for riders to lower their pay demands too. I'll use Scott Nichols as an example. He is able to earn more from riding in 2 leagues and therefore shouldn't be demanding top wonga if he was only riding in 1 league and trying to earn the same money. This should if implemented correctly should be a way of reducing costs to teams. Riders earn more, teams have more choice of riders and fans get to see their favourites at their track. What's the problem?? (Other than the ridiculous 38 points limit)

If riders won't be missing fixtures due to clashes of matches now, because no Championship team rides on a Monday or Thursday... Then what is the problem with doubling up? Surely the problem has now been avoided by the fixed race nights?

DC2 is not a Somerset fan. I believe they're a Swindon fan.

What is the need for doubling up to be removed now with Monday and Thursdays being used in the PL and no teams racing in the Championship on a Thursday? Surely the only problem before was riders missing matches. Now that won't be a problem, surely more meetings for riders meaning they could afford to take less of a wage per match can only be good for teams and more riders being available can only be good for teams. It's such an ill thought out idea YET AGAIN from the BSPA!

See Willowman's reply Cliff who has worded it in a much better way than I could. You ask what the alternative is, the alternative is that people will go and spend their £16 (by the time you park the car, buy a programme and paid for fuel it's going to be more like £20-£25) on something different instead of Speedway. If the product being offered isn't what the fan in question wants, they don't have to like it or lump it - they will just go and do something else. I believe Somerset said they were planning on running in the PL up until the AGM so they must of thought they could make it pay until a few things didn't go their way at the AGM. Again, that says something about the state of how the sport is run in this country when a club that owns its own track and all of its own facilities felt it was going to be a financial risk too far.

Cliff it's more a reality of where Speedway is at in this country. I personally think it's absolute suicide to expect people to go from watch Premiership with Doyle, Holder, Iversen and Lambert at £17 and then expect people to rock up and watch Rowe, Atkins and co for £16. That is just madness in my eyes. People can't just keep bringing out the line of "it's better than nothing" because it isn't, I and I am sure many others will go and spend their £16 on something else. The Somerset promotion I've said many times are one of the best in the whole country and have created a great set up, but they've scored a massive own goal by dropping down a league, and then losing Wright, BWD and Allen on top of that. That's a massive own goal in my eyes.

I can only echo that.

There is more than enough dates available for teams to race on their chosen race night with the away team visiting when they have no home fixtures. Gone are the days of teams racing at home every week.

.... and in doing so encouraging certain riders to have 2 teams whilst others will be left with none.

You'd hope they will up their starting averages otherwise Somerset are in for a very long season. Seen as the points limit is 38.00, if every rider and every team rode to the same level and didnt get better or worse, this teams total average at the end of the season would be 42.00 - 42.50. That shows how much the standard has dropped.