Najjer

For want of a better term, I believe they have 'fallen out of favour'.

Riders probably don't give two hoots but fans do. Social media went crazy last year when we announced Doyle was coming back, and not because it was the World Champion but because it felt like 'one of our own'. The same would of happened this year if Jake, BWD and even more so Charles Wright was signed. The team might do well and looks reasonably strong (I use the term strong as being relevant, and use it loosely) in the league, but nothing about it excites me except seeing Covatti back. It doesn't scream Somerset, it doesn't scream exciting or entertaining, I've never liked Schlein, Harris is just topping up his retirement fund by now and if I have to pay £16 for the privilege I'm sure I'm not alone in considering whether I will bother or not. It is actually quite sad - I've never felt so downbeat about Speedway and Somerset Speedway in particular in 19 years of following them

As already stated, he is a Somerset asset.

Like with Jake Allen, it doesn't come as much of a surprise that Bradley isn't included in the team for next year. I would imagine he's off to Eastbourne.

Shocking value on a season ticket too. If you miss two matches you are out of pocket! Farcial that price reflected against the PL pricing too. Just when you think it can't get any worse, Jason Doyle has signed for Swindon today

But it won't because riders who had a Championship average previously, regardless of if they've rode in the Premiership, mantain their Championship averages. Riders like Harris, Nicholls, Cook, King, Schlein, Worrall, Morris, Lawson to name just a few are all available on their Championship average. The likelihood is they will increase that average this year but the points limit will be reset to 42.50 next season anyway to keep the standard we now have. If the points limit goes down again or is kept at 38.00 that is reducing the standard even further again. I will repeat it again but all the lower points limit has done has bought up more National League riders who will now replace second strings so people like Newman, Wilkinson, Morley etc will be the ones who don't get a team... not the double up riders! It beggars belief the BSPA couldn't see that happening! More to the point, if the top division is going to be riding on a Monday and Thursday when no other Championship fixtures are taking place, why do we need to phase out double uppers? Surely it was only because a clash of dates and riders missing why it needed scrapping in the first place?

How will it make it more competitive in the long term?

Who said they have to be cheap? If they are within Somerset's budget, what's the problem??

.... and yet people said I was wrong for saying if we was in the top division we would have more meetings of at least 14 league matches and 1 cup!

You're right in your first sentence. It is absolute madness. A plan to try and phase out double upping but is in effect just going to put most middle strings out of work and not stop double upping at all because riders like Harris, Nicholls, Cook etc are keeping their Championship averages from last year! Just when you thought they couldn't get it any more wrong than they usually do!

I couldn't agree more. I can't go every week like I used to for one reason or another, but the times I went last season was great mainly due to the riders we had in our team and wanting to all out race. I've never taken to Schlein in the past and he is just far too frustrating for my liking. Some of the names being rumoured for the last positions really doesn't get me excited in the slightest. Sad state of affairs really.

This is a point I made on another thread, which makes reducing the points limit to 38.00 even more baffling. It's going to result in stacks of second strings out of a job I expect and do nothing to solve doubling up.

One of, yes - Countless people whinge about how long it takes to complete a meeting. People get fed up up and won't come back. So if everybody starts to run meetings effeciency then that will stop alot of moans and groans.

Completely warranted given his behaviour that night. Sad really, as we would of won the league had he not been sacked mind.

I've said the same. All the low points limit is going to do is put second strings out of jobs! It's such an illogical plan drummed up at the AGM.

I think that's the point - Teams who are pleading poverty are now offering better terms than Somerset were prepared to. It seems Charles Wright has gone for the greater deal and is hoping the grass is greener on the other side.

Here's your answer for Charles Wright: http://www.somerset-speedway.com/news.php?extend.2394.1

I agreed with him/her - adding that if Somerset were added to the first division we would have 14 home matches as oppose to the 12 that the division's teams are currently getting. That is not difficult to understand.

If Somerset was in the top division it would of been the same amount of meetings as the 2nd division, which would of included more league matches which are the more important ones. People can't seem to grasp that though and keep saying at least we get more meetings by dropping down a league... no we don't!

You are missing something!

Wilson-Dean isn't the best away from home, he's like the modern day Simon Walker. I'd anticipate Covatti, Wright and Kemp as the first 3 signings.

No surprise to see Allen at Scunthorpe. Best of luck to him for 2019. Certainly one of the most entertaining riders about!

Thanks for the explaining that for me.... hope this helps IronScorpion

If Somerset were in the top division then it would be 14 meetings like I said and not 12 as you have said.

If Somerset was in the 1st division we would have 14 home league fixtures as we race each team twice. In the 2nd division we have a maximum of 11. There is less fixtures in the 2nd division than the 1st!