Ben91

Obviously none of them in recent years then, the Rye House track has nearly always offered decent racing during my time as a fan, riders going fast doesn't mean that the racing is good. You'll be pleasantly surprised when the Panthers visit us I'm sure as your line up has a few riders in it that may actually attack a small track. The age/time you've been attending speedway meaning you are better placed to comment on it argument really agitates me and far too many people use it here. All of the above is totally relevant to Ipswich of course.

Luke Bowen has one at Rye House this year, 10 years continued service at Rye House, one year out due to injury granted but that was beyond his control. That's real cause for a testimonial. Second rate overseas journeymen don't deserve them.

So it's Scunthorpe or nowhere seemingly. Scunny have shown in signing Anders Mellgren when he was unsuspectingly dumped by Rye House that they are willing to pick up a rider and change their plans if it will make their 1-7 better. Whether it happens or not is another matter and one that I'm not that bothered by to be honest, personally if it has the knee jerk of putting a British prospect Ash Birks out of work then I'd find it a little unfair. That said Scunthorpe have to do what they can to build the best team possible. Morris is a good enough rider to hold his own in the EL without a PL slot anyway.

If you can get Andre Compton to start at reserve that will be an important move especially at home. It means one of Koppe and Albin would have to go but that experienced reserve can be invaluable. It looks likely that Albin will be back so the decision is whether Koppe can improve enough to merit a reserve spot and negate having Compton as a second string.

Carr impressed me when I saw him at Rye House in the PL, scored 3 from 3, not bad for a raw 3 point reserve. Get round pretty well at the NLRC too, should have scored more than he did IMO. He did well for Edinburgh in two big meetings also, shows he can negotiate a small track. Personally think he will be a very good rider in future, better if he signs for Berwick now as it is a big track. You'd be foolish to let him slip through your fingers.

If Kurtz rides for Somerset on a three point average now then I'd expect Cradley/Dudley to feel incredibly hard done by. If he rides as a Brit and his Danish appearances are ignored then he is also eligible to ride NL as a 3 point rider. A precedent has been set by the fact that he has been deemed intelligible for the NL, no he must be given a 5/7 point PL figure in the interests of consistency. Nothing against Somerset here, every other team would do the same if they could however it does appear that Kurtz should be on a figure higher than 3.

Apologies for my early morning sharpness then! Tully being granted R/R is a different can of worms completely. Still not 100% on that one, I guess we never will be!

He had one heat but didn't complete it before picking up an injury. Wouldn't call that a full season personally but it is a technicality that could see his average recalculated. Hence technically having competed in 2013. Hope that satisfies your pedantic query.

If it is the case then Katajisto, Fricke and Sneddon would fit as a final three. Pretty good for a team that has to have a long tail.

Seen it suggested on the Plymouth thread that Katajisto's average may be reassessed as he did technically ride in the UK last season and that figure would be around the 4.9 mark. Also it has been suggested that he's not actually signed on at Plymouth yet. Potential for him to rejoin the Monarchs on a bargain average?

The obvious choice would have been Aspgren and Mellgren instead of Kennett and Lambert. Morley and Lambert at reserve wouldn't cut the mustard I'm afraid. We may be lucky and get a march start yet if the Raiders return!

Came over to the IOW the year after Chris Holder and with lots of press that he was related to Leigh Adams too, was always going to be a big ask to go on to be as good a rider as those two. An entertaining rider but he has reached his peak. Regardless of age or nationality if I was a promotor looking to win league title then he'd be far down on my wanted list.

Agreed there, too many scores of 5/6 last year however he took the strain for the whole team a lot. He'll only improve, think this will be his year and we'll miss out on it.

Well mine was clearly a typo, Sedmen sounds like something used to sedate people.

Haha no worries

A gamble but could really work for the Monarchs. If Fricke and Sneddon are the next two then Edinburgh have 5.23 to use filling the last spot and ensuring Sedmen starts at reserve to boot. Doing a good job team building around Cook's average.

Could have been better, the Rebels wont retain the title IMO. No major improvement in the top 3. Allen is injury prone and if he picks up an injury then R/R won't cut it. Todd Kurtz has always flattered to deceive and never lived up to the hype around him when he first came onto the scene. Wright is a confidence rider and a reserve at best. He'll struggle in the 1-5 and will be a casualty of team changes. Starke is a strange signing, can improve to a 4 point rider perhaps. Lots of pressure on Brady, if he lives up to it then he's a trump card if he follows his brother then the Rebels have a mighty long tail.

Those riders would have taken a lot longer to get where they are without the early opportunities at NL level. If we've got 5 lads with potential to progress in the sport on low averages then I don't care if the side get humped home and away personally as then in 2015 they could go out and be play off contenders. X to you too Rockets

On form he is a very good NL rider I agree Derek, impressed me at CP when I saw him. Can't see him progressing much further than PL reserve however. Could be a good signing for the Kings, leave the Raiders to throw in five 3 pointers!

We own Hopwood so it's possible but he's not ever going to get much better. Hughes was fantastic in his season as a Rocket, got a head injury at the end of that year and never been the same rider. I like Hazelden, shame he's retired. I'd have him back if he did change his mind though. I hope we are confirmed in the league. Lambert makes sense, needs confidence and to get more comfortable round Rye. A NL number one too. After that, Mason is an experienced head would help bring youngsters on. Otherwise pack the side with 3 pointers. No point bringing the team back and using mediocre 20 something's who aren't gonna improve IMO.

This one isn't about the fans through the gate tbh it's about developing our future Rockets. Scunthorpe ran their saints sides a very similar way, blooding youngsters and they churned out the Worralls, Ash Birks, Kyle Howarth, Ash Morris, Stefan Nielsen, James Sarjeant and I'm sure I'm missing a few still. If we could so something similar I'd be more than happy to go through the gates to watch a team of novices develop into future Rockets.

Smart wont get a PL spot from the start of the season that's for sure and unless he signs for KL Young Stars (highly unlikely) he won't be racing on a Wednesday night in the NL on anything like a regular basis. He signed up to be on the list stating that he'd be available and happy to ride for any EL side so there should be no problem. Astounds me that Ford apparently didn't know much about him, if you're a speedway person you should keep your finger on the pulse of all three divisions. Smart may not have done much for a few years but he had potential to do quite well a while back.

Be great to see a Raider's return, I'm hoping we put out a young side of raw riders, it's in the best interests of ourselves and Kent to leave Morley and Coles at Central Park IMO. Morley is already a fans favourite and can learn more leading a title challenging Kent side IMO. As for Coles, he needs to start the season at reserve, something you'd hope he would get at Kent. If we put a side of rookies out he'll go into the main team and that's no help for him. I'd have Simon Lambert head the team, possibly David Mason as a wise head too and the rest 3 pointers.

Or three!

No way would Lawson come in on a 3 point average, last PL figure was around the 6 point mark.