Cliffeboy

A lot will depend on how the reserves pan out, we have traditionally had good reserves , it will be a big ask to these young guys to step up. In saying that as long as they can achieve their 2 point average , that’s it anything else is a bonus. The top guys have got to get the youngsters dialled in quick to the OTA. I hope Rory is not coming just to see the season out , we need him banging in good scores every week, and tbf in this watered down league he should be able. Harris and Covatti will always give 100% as will Todd. Finally Berge , he “could “ be Gary’s ace, if he can put a couple of points on his average he could make himself next seasons surprise package. First couple of months will be interesting, I am a bit sad that not one of Wrighty, BWD or Jake are back, with only Todd having a full season as a Rebel under him, but there you go I suppose. I hope the OTA faithful down in Highbridge and Burnham continue to support the club, I would love to still be able to go most weeks. As stated previously my nearest track is now 160 mile round trip, not gonna happen.

Good luck to the 2019 Rebels, top three will definitely have to hit the ground running. I will make an assessment of our chances when the other teams reveal their line ups, at this early stage Scunny look decent.

If he fits I hope it’s Starkey.

Bit concerned he may end up at Eastbourne. We need him at 4 imo.

Good luck for the season young man. Stay safe.

Not the right thread for this, but with the demise of Rye and Lakeside the nearest track to me now is Swindon a 120 mile round trip. Happy days for me back in the day when I watched the sport at Somerset ( we had a place there ) seven or eight times a season . Followed by occasional visits to Rye and Reading. Same sort of thing happened when I started watching Speedway in the 70’s with Wembley. Then it was Wimbledon, Hackney, West Ham and Reading, all subsequently disappeared. Very sad.

I get the feeling the sudden non arrival of Wrighty as thrown a spanner in the works. I’d def take Starkey, good OTA second string, with experience on away tracks, if we can’t fit in BWD.

What would Jeppesen come in on ?

Management are letting us know next Tuesday, tbf Gary hinted at it in the Star the other week , so maybe not such a surprise.

Maybe, but this is a stellar change and maybe a brief acknowledgement would have been a good idea to clarify. I thought it was a mistake !

Yeah saw that Dave, just nothing from our people explaining why we have changed.

Nothing on our website as yet.

Am I goin mad or had the Speedway Gb site got us down as Championship league next season!!!!

My point exactly.

I agree, my affiliation to Somerset prevented me from saying the same lol.

I think in Rugby League they have League winners and play offs. It seems to work for them. In your above response you say the playoffs are to decide who WINS the league. By definition that must mean the best team over the season surely, not a team that may be 10 points off the top and win say 4 matches at the end. Our sport is dying on its feet, when I try to explain our set up re the playoffs to sporty friends of mine their response is what is the point of knocking yourself out ( with our guys literally sometimes) and finishing top to get potentially rockall. In a funny way I think this whole business with Nick Morris will hopefully encourage a change in thinking at the top level.

From their point of view there has been some pretty dreadful fixtures on tv this season.

How would you feel if BT pull the plug on League racing and only show the GP’s.

Even now you still don’t get it .

Don’t want to be a wet blanket but KL started hitting the front after the tie was lost, maybe the Rebs were just going through the motions, bit pointless racing hard and getting injured with nothing at stake, just saying , not mean to offend.

I think if enough people push for the League Winners to be suitably rewarded, maybe the powers that be will see the light. I’d be happy to go along with the Rip offs if this could happen.

Bit harsh I think Tigerowl. The nature and danger of the sport make guests a viable solution to the problem. Provided the selection and choosing of guests is fair and within the rules laid down at the beginning of the season I think it’s the only way. The BPSA have made some strange decisions over the years ( double points tactical ! ), but in the 20 or so years I have been following Speedway again since the formation of Somerset Rebels , I think the most damaging has been the Poole/ Nick Morris business in the Play off Final. Sorry Poole fans every other team will see this as bang out of order, if the boot had been on the other foot your Poole thread would have gone into meltdown. Whoever was responsible at high level for that decision should be shown the door, it was very wrong. Can the Poole fans not see that their win will always be remembered as the one where Morris was riding ?. As fir Somerset being a mish mash of riders , with four guys injured what could we do, pray tell. Jack and Aaron were both victims of other people taking them out, BWD a pre booked hospital procedure, and Jake an injury picked up the day before. All our guests came in within the points limit. Somerset only made one enforced change all season and that revolved around the disciplinary thing with Wrighty. Jeppersen was struggling and Summers and Covatti came in . Compare this to Leicester who changed their entire team apart from Hans, and Poole who only kept Josh and Brady. We were everyone’s favourite to finish bottom, I think we were around or in the play off positions all season. I also have no problems with riders riding for two leagues, it’s a job you have to go where the money is. The season was messed up with the football World Cup, some riders were doin nothing for two to three weeks.

Well done Somerset great result against the seasons table toppers. Still think it’s madness that KL are not rewarded for finishing top, for them a whole season of effort for nothing. BPSA keep your silly rip offs if you have to at the end of the season, but please properly reward the team that finishes top, come on they are the true champs whatever way you try and box it. Many congratulations to my team and all the management and supporters down at Somerset. We have come a long way baby.

Ouch, they are a tough breed these guys.

Brilliant mate.