Ben91

The fact that Carl Wilkinson is an Elite League second string says it all.

Not really, not many sports teams play in stadiums with the same name as the team. Aston Villa don't play in the villa that gave them their name.

When Stevenage played at Reading in the FA Cup a few years back we parked in what was Smallmead. Real shame that the place went to waste.

Say somebody complains ten times, on two occasions they complained there had been no speedway, that means 20% of their complaints were lies. Therefore that would cast doubts over the honesty of their complaints on the other eight occasions. So while 80% of the time there was speedway happening it doesn't mean they actually heard it, just that their complaints coincided with a meeting going on. It's really not that difficult to understand?

Because the reason Speedway is on its backside is because people are trying to re-open defunct tracks, yeah it's definitely that...

I assume that for example a complainant knows that speedway is run every Monday starting at 6.30 so every Tuesday they have been complaining about noise to the council, even when there hasn't been a meeting for whatever reason before. So that casts doubt on the credibility of their other, valid, complaints because they've been complaining about noise when there hasn't been any. Sounds an awful lot like something someone would do to complain for the sake of complaining to me.

The track could be a leveller, given the previous issues and the fact that it is the first meeting at the NSS. Atkins and Wilson have bucket loads of experience and that could see them well, especially if track conditions are tricky. Williamson and Bewley will score most of the Belle Vue points I'd imagine, hard to call though.

If we could get JPB in Karger's kevlars somehow without anyone knowing that'd be great.

Letting Perks go will prove to be a big mistake. He'll average more than Compton this year, Dugard could have replaced Johnson and then there would have been points freed up for further changes if needed imo.

Yeah let's ensure clubs don't do things within the rules again.

Is this the guy that sponsors the league? Very poor show if so, yet another narrow minded person who seems to think an eligible rider who is doing well is too good for the league and shouldn't be allowed in. Pathetic. All British riders should just be rubbish from now on and not bother with the higher leagues, at least then the cynics would be happy.

Don't think that's completely true, I was against you using BWD last year as he isn't a Brit so shouldn't have been in the NL in my opinion, not to open that can of worms again though! However Ellis is eligible and so is Spiller so I'd have no issue with either of those.

Bewley's points will be the difference I reckon, he'll score more than Purchase would have that's for sure.

No, cup matches haven't counted towards averages for as long as I can remember. Can't see that having been changed this season.

So let me get this straight... You've decided against going to a meeting because of something a poster on an internet forum has said. Then you've called them an odious character because your nose was put out of joint by some pretty placid comments. Who's lost out today, you have because you'd probably be seeing your side pick up a pretty convincing away win.

You're the one saying that he is too good for the division. And your pedantic point that if he didn't have another NL race his average this year would be 12 is wrong because a) cup matches don't count and even if they did he hasn't raced enough meetings to attain an average this year. While he fits the eligibility criteria he isn't too good.

Why is Ellis too good for the NL out of interest? He didn't get a 12 point average last year and he won't this year either. So he started the season well in the EL, that doesn't mean he shouldn't be allowed to sign for a team in a division he is eligible to ride in as well. How much he is getting paid is between Ellis and Eastbourne and considering his dad has said a few times here that he's not in it for the money I'm pretty sure that he's not doing it for the money. He's a 20 year-old Brit and flying at present, people are going to want to watch him when he comes to town in the NL and if he ends up at the top of the riding order for Poole too then good for him and good for British speedway.

He's only 19 and don't forget that he's a three pointer too, he won't be banging in big scores every week in the Premier League. I don't rate him that highly in all honesty but fair play to him for going out and riding regularly, we should be encouraging young Brits to do exactly that, it's the only way they'll improve.

This has always been the case where guests are concerned though, Bowen's not the first and won't be the last rider to have a converted average lower than his ability. It works both ways though, a few years ago Kent took Boxall on an 11 odd figure that he was never going to reach.

There are far, far bigger issues in the speedway world than guests. This is a development league and these riders are missing because they are riding for their other clubs in higher divisions, no problem from me on that one, the higher standard of competition should always take preference. Brum's missing riders are in PL number seven slots, progressing. The rest of their side are youngsters, progressing. It's part and parcel of the division.

Game over.

That was only a challenge though I believe? A competitive meeting is a completely different matter.

And here lies the problem, the lunatics shouldn't be running the asylum. An independent governing body should be saying, "here are the rules, you all need to play by them." The EL race format isn't very good and having a different race format for EL and PL/NL is also tinpot, like having a football match in the Championship played over 80 minutes rather than 90 at Premier League level.

Bowen is not eligible to guest as an NL only replacement in the PL, nothing stopping him guesting in the NL. Expect the Brummies will bring in another guest too as the rules allow it. Bowen could guest for Perry and they could have a guest on a higher average for Wajtknecht, Ash Morris or Ben Wilson for example. Good to see Hunter back in the 1-7, this year is going to be a case of what could have been for the Raiders if Bowtell and Hume hadn't moved on.

Hilarious how people hate to see other people doing well.