Ben91

In honesty riders such as Harris, Nicholls and Cook are too good to ride in the second tier. The trouble with doubling up is that it became a free for all where riders picked up two or three clubs out of necessity to make their racing pay. Who suffered when riders were unavailable? The fans simply. Speedway isn't a big enough sport in Britain anymore for anyone but the top riders (those who also race abroad) to do it as a full time job. Riders should have one team and if they can't make their racing pay solely find another way to earn too. Nobody is owed a living from the sport. Moves have been made to start improving the product with set race nights. Eradicating doubling up has to be part of the mid-long term plan too, the only people it truly benefits are the riders, as fans we get shafted by it. There will always be people willing to race, there won't always be people willing to watch.

A press release should have been put out following the AGM. We were told there would be one when he got back from Tenerife (the internet works in Spain the last time I was there). The first we've heard from our promotion is on an obscure podcast almost three weeks after the event. I'd say he "gets it" in some ways but in others there's room for improvement. Agreed. There are also plenty who profess to being regulars at Rye but won't be now we're racing midweek, we had more midweek meetings than on Saturday nights this season. Personally I'll be attending more because we're racing midweek as long as the team is worth going to watch. Two sides to every coin.

Morley's been in need of a move to a big track for a few years truth be told. This should really be his last season in the third tier if he's going to kick on at a higher level. Riding a bigger track regularly and winning races will undoubtedly help his confidence when riding for Lakeside (and Rye House if he's part of the 2018 side). A good move for both parties I'd say. A statement of intent from the IOW.

He didn't do enough meetings to get a proper second tier average so no he hasn't.

Newman has found his level. People seem to think he's on a bargain average every year, maybe it's the Poole connection but he's a second string at this level, no more. Looks like a long season for Peterborough. Can't see two riders coming in that'll change that.

Cox, Doyle, Woffinden, Watt all rode for Rye House before being full time GP riders (loosely full time in Watt's case).

Glasgow have a strong spearhead. A solid engine room and improvement from reserve. It's a good team. It's hard to make comparisons until other line-ups are completed but they'll be in contention. If anything I'd say Scunthorpe are putting together a side more capable of challenging than Ipswich. They too have a strong top two, their engine room of Auty, Allen and Manzares could potentially be better than Glasgow's, while they'll always have a strong reserve. Elsewhere Peterborough's four named so far look pretty meh. Lakeside have started building like they mean business but could suffer from a long tail. It's too early to judge the sides who only have one or two riders each.

I'm not sure tbh mate. I'm sure someone will know though. A quick play with some numbers and I came up with this. The tail looks like it may be a little long though. 1. Iversen 9.04 2. Robson 5.72 3. Sundstrom 7.22 4. KK 6.86 5. Nicholls 7.48 6. 2 pointer 7. Busk-Jakobsen 4.15 Total: 42.47

If the precedent was set with Lindback signing for Poole in 2016 on a seven point average then there's nothing to say Vaculik would be any different. Although I agree he should be an eight minimum.

Which would see Vaculik and Pieszczek both on seven point averages. If so that's a very good start for the Lions' team building if they both are fully committed to the cause.

I didn't say the one eight point rider was for the good of the sport. The set race night is.

Interesting to hear. Not sure why we'd vote in favour of it to be honest. As a team that had two riders finish over eight I'd expect Belle Vue would have voted against too if they had a vote. The fixed race nights have to happen for the good of the sport. It's not unusual to see Danish riders at Wednesday tracks here (Kings Lynn and Poole) so I don't see that clash being an issue. Swindon have also been given leeway to use some Thursday nights. The good of the sport as a whole is more important than one club ultimately.

As it goes I think the rule is stupid, setting race nights to allow top riders to come back then limiting them but nothing in Speedway surprises me any more. No rider is owed a job though. Points limits have seen riders out of work since they were introduced. Just because you at Swindon may have to lose Morris or Doyle it doesn't mean another club should have to take the one you don't fancy. I'm not sure whether AGM decisions have to be unanimous or a majority but if it's the former then Swindon have also voted for it too, if it's the latter then who's to say that Rye House voted for it by the same token.

It's a maximum of one eight point rider per team, you don't have to have one at all.

The team should be built around KK, starting as a second string. He is, for me, the only rider I would say has to be retained. As for the rest of the side that finished the season: Harris (7.63) - as entertaining as he can be, is on the slide and isn't worth his average. Nicholls (7.48) - consistent, good around Rye. Would accommodate him if he fits. Wells (6.75) - has reached his ceiling I'd say. Could take him or leave him but there are better options out there. Barker (6.00) - has never been completely comfortable at Rye. Would be a gamble on his average which I don't think would pay off. Robson (5.72) - average looks a little expensive for me but he was the top bonus point scorer in the league. As with Nicholls, would accommodate if he fits a slot. Morley (3.29) - did what was asked of him but there are two pointers who can do the same job and save us 1.29 for higher up the order. From there it depends on which riders want to come and race in the UK and who we can (or choose to) afford. Some names to consider for me would be: Sundstrom (7-7.22) - mentioned him here before. Scope for improvement in his average. Rides with KK in Poland. Knows his way round Rye too. NBJ (4.15) - an asset, knows the track and has potential. His season was cut short by injury but could be a decent reserve. Kennett (6.39) - averaged north of 10 at Rye from number one before being dropped. Away form improved at Poole. As a second string would increase his starting figure.

Set race nights should see less guests and R/R. That improves the product and that can only be a good thing. For me personally, moving to midweek would be better because I live within walking distance of the track and like to go out at the weekend. The only issue I can see is there won't be as many away fans attending meetings anywhere with midweek race nights. But then what clubs have a huge away following these days anyway? One thing that has to be improved upon however is the time it takes to complete a meeting. Tapes up should be say 7.30 for a midweek meeting and finish no later than 9.00pm barring injuries. Not having to endure meetings with R/R and back to back rides should help with this too. At least this way people who have an hour or so to travel could get to and from the track in a reasonable amount of time. We have to progress as a sport, we can't stick to our set race night (not that we have anyway this year) because that's the way it's always been. We won't attract new fans and more existing fans would be alienated ultimately. The set race night needs to happen, it's needed to happen for as long as I've followed the sport tbh.

Averages more than a year old should be reassessed IMO. But if old figures are being used, as has been the case in the recent past, then we may as well take advantage as other teams have and will (I'm sure Poole would baulk at Kacper Woryna being reassessed to a seven rather than his last EL average of 4.65). When we signed Andrew Silver for the Premier League team in 2009 his average was assessed at 4.00 despite him not having ridden competitively for over 15 years so nothing would surprise me.

There's one rider from the team that finished the season that will realistically raise his average next year and that is KK. Standing still because the team finished strongly (but not strongly enough) is not wise. If we start with the same team we finished this year with we won't be near the play-offs. No, all riders who had EL averages only had their figures amended because the old EL race format gave them unrealistic averages. Anything can happen at the AGM of course but the point of the average amending last year was to give riders weighted figures with regard to their actual ability. It doesn't need to happen again. No they didn't, Lahti last rode in the EL in 2014, Musielak in 2015. Sundstrom last rode here in 2013. Przedpelski came to Leicester on an assessed seven point average this year so if Linus was reassessed I'd say it should be to no more than that. Therefore his actual figure is probably a fair one for him to be signed on.

It's his last EL average Ian. They were used for Musielak and Lahti signing for Swindon and Poole this year so can't see the case being different for Linus. Nobody has said he is a number one (okay one person did). But he has improvement in him unlike Harris (and Nicholls) who many are clamouring for to return. KK has one and a half to two points improvement in his average. He is a number one in this league. He might not get much change out of the likes of Doyle but then who does?

He'd be on a 7.22, not a number one's average but he'd improve it. Much better rider than Kennett.

A human life is worth more than any Speedway team.

No need for it to be in Tenerife. Should be held within a fortnight of the season finishing.

You'd be heading into the season with four reserves and struggle to win a meeting home or away. Two of Wajknecht, Morley and Bowtell at reserve wouldn't be a bad start though. All three potentially could be accommodated but you'd have to have a very good top four because some meetings (particularly away) they'd need carrying. It depends how the conversion rate between divisions is being handled, could see something along the lines of Lawson, Kennett, Bridger, Ellis, Morley, Wajknecht and Bowtell if it fits.

That he went to Birmingham to watch some speedway.

Birmingham's last meeting where Nicol managed four points against 2nd/3rd tier riders.