Kent Kings 2017

[cityrebel]

No Ayres, Shanes, magic or verge. Uncle Len must have some rabbits under his hat for next season!

[teaboy279]

Either Len is going to spring some massive suprises, or the points dropping has thrown our plans out the window.

But with only 2 riders officially announced its hard to make a judgement on what our team will look like and how competitive we may be.

I do agree Len is gonna take a hit on the gate, and a considerable one at that. Whilst us die hards will go even if we have five Adam Sheppards in the team, with both the showman gone, the casual fans and indeed the neutral fans are less likely to go racing in my opinion.

The one thing I said to some kent fans yesterday is that Len put his hand in his pocket to give us speedway in the county again, so even if he turns out a poor side we still owe him a debt of gratitude for giving us speedway in the first place.

[Nikko]

For the last time...It never was Lens money...It was Roger Cearns money. ..and Roger who brought speedway to Central Park.

 

He spent years working with people to get speedway to Central Park before Len was even involved.

[blueherb777]

Either Len is going to spring some massive suprises, or the points dropping has thrown our plans out the window.

But with only 2 riders officially announced its hard to make a judgement on what our team will look like and how competitive we may be.

I do agree Len is gonna take a hit on the gate, and a considerable one at that. Whilst us die hards will go even if we have five Adam Sheppards in the team, with both the showman gone, the casual fans and indeed the neutral fans are less likely to go racing in my opinion.

The one thing I said to some kent fans yesterday is that Len put his hand in his pocket to give us speedway in the county again, so even if he turns out a poor side we still owe him a debt of gratitude for giving us speedway in the first place.

 

This is exactly why I maintain Kent Kings would be much better off with NO Mr Silver.

I expected Mr Silver to be around for 2 or 3 seasons.

Kent enter their 5th season and he is still influencing everything at the Club.

As Waco said,he wanted Bowen and because of that there is NO Shanes or Ayres.

I can see a struggle ahead for Kings.Hope I am wrong.

[teaboy279]

I am properly gutted about Danny and James, and frustrated.

But both are kent assets so perhaps the thinking was that as Luke is not an asset and would be harder to re sign at a later date. I really don't know, but just throwing that in as a possibility.

 

But going with who we have confirmed as signings already.

Luke Bowen is very expensive but you ll get one of the class performers in the league, who barring mechanicals he was barely beaten by an opponent. Because some of the top boys Ellis Clegg Morris to name a few, apear to be moving up he could be the man to beat this season.

And young Jack Thomas was a sensation last year and if it was not for the 2 jacks at Brum he would of got even more credit.

Now people may say he could struggle in the middle order, but he was beating heat leaders last year pretty regularly so hopefully he will continue to improve and be heat leader pretty quickly.

 

With no one else officially announced, we can only be happy about the riders we have so far. Hopefully others have been signed but nothing announced whilst numbers are juggled.

 

There are quality riders out there on very cheap averages but there others who whilst quality riders have averages to high to risk signing. So a lot will depend who we get.

Plenty of names being banded around, but some I ve heard who I d expect to increase thier averages significantly are the likes of

 

Kelsey Dugard,

Shane Hazleden,

Ben Hopwood, so any of them would be promising.

Had heard Dan Greenwood's name mentioned but Cradley struck gold there. Luke Clifton is the only king from 2016 who has not be confirmed as staying or going yet but on a 4.22 average there is some big potential growth there, and it can't be possible to get injured in other people's crashes so many times again. You think well over a decade out the sport and probably only 3 weeks actually fully fit and he still got an average of 4.22

 

Another one I ve heard is Stoneman but his average is a massive chunk and represents a big gamble, he could drop a point or he could add a couple.

 

Who ever we get will get our 100 percent support and we wish all the former kings all the best. (Just be kind when you come back to visit)

[old bob at herne bay]

No Danny or James is a big loss to the crowd pulling power and "traxcitement" as Len used to call it. Don't think I could stomach the new el dropouts from Lakeside beating us at Central Park. Especially as they another of the former Kent Kings in Ben named at number one.

 

Looking like we are going to have a mediocre season in 2017 .. I just don't see who will deliver the backup to Luke?

[cityrebel]

Len has always been a bit like that. Build it up, then watch it fall down.

[Halifaxtiger]

No Danny or James is a big loss to the crowd pulling power and "traxcitement" as Len used to call it. Don't think I could stomach the new el dropouts from Lakeside beating us at Central Park. Especially as they another of the former Kent Kings in Ben named at number one.

 

Looking like we are going to have a mediocre season in 2017 .. I just don't see who will deliver the backup to Luke?

 

I think you need to wait and see here. I don't deny its quite incredible that both Shanes and Ayres have been dumped but I'll be surprised if the team isn't a decent one.

 

Stoneman is a major gamble on 7.00. Tore Coventry to bits but couldn't cope at all with Birmingham. The fact that the Warriors have left him out must say something.

[Wiseguy]

Very disappointed Danny and James won't be riding for the kings this season and I am one of the neutrals that attend central park usually twice a month, will obviously wait and see what the full 1-7 will be but not looking good so far

 

Think Kent missed a trick really, what with the promise of elite league speedway last season, and what's happened at lakeside and rye house since then, I believe they should have tried for championship speedway this year at least

 

I know there are plenty of die hards that will go week in week out,fair play to them, but for me the Kent team gets worse every season and unless there are some surprise signings I think I will be spending more time watching Rye this season

[blueherb777]

Very disappointed Danny and James won't be riding for the kings this season and I am one of the neutrals that attend central park usually twice a month, will obviously wait and see what the full 1-7 will be but not looking good so far

 

Think Kent missed a trick really, what with the promise of elite league speedway last season, and what's happened at lakeside and rye house since then, I believe they should have tried for championship speedway this year at least

 

I know there are plenty of die hards that will go week in week out,fair play to them, but for me the Kent team gets worse every season and unless there are some surprise signings I think I will be spending more time watching Rye this season

 

You are very much like me.

2017 will be Kings 5th season and disappointed Club is still in the NL.

I went to a few meetings last season but for various reasons did not go to as many as I had done previous.

No secret I am no fan of Mr Silver,the way he goes about things,to much influence on team building etc etc.

The Stadium in ideal for Speedway and the Club have loyal support.

I know the curfew is still a problem,but the way things are going I cannot see myself going much again next year.

Shame the Club has stood still since the exciting opening in 2013.

[blueherb777]

Shocker if that is true. If Hopwood is on the list then a genuine number 5 is a must and the amount of feasible / available signings are dropping rapidly. Stoneman or Bacon could do a good job but im not sure there are many others available.

Worse still is i could see other teams making changes to accommodate an available Shanes

 

No Bacon for breakfast

Edited December 18, 2016 by AJ is King

[TurnTwo]

I don't understand why keep Bowen? Kent surely could have built

Ayres

Clifton

Hopwood

Thomas

Shanes

3

3

I think that fits? And a good team too

[teaboy279]

http://www.kentkings.co/news.php?extend.826.1

Kent re sign Clifton

[Sings4Speedway]

http://www.kentkings.co/news.php?extend.826.1

Kent re sign Clifton

 

Not exactly a surprise signing or one that is going to appease the Kings supporters after the loss of both Danny & James. It was pretty obvious that Luke was going to be at Kent or nowhere this season and whilst he will be a very solid rider if he can avoid getting beaten up with injuries again i still don't see him achieving much more than his average. I suspect most Kings would have preferred a lower averaged rider @ 2 if it meant Danny or James was included in the side.

[blueherb777]

 

Not exactly a surprise signing or one that is going to appease the Kings supporters after the loss of both Danny & James. It was pretty obvious that Luke was going to be at Kent or nowhere this season and whilst he will be a very solid rider if he can avoid getting beaten up with injuries again i still don't see him achieving much more than his average. I suspect most Kings would have preferred a lower averaged rider @ 2 if it meant Danny or James was included in the side.

 

I agree.

With Bowen signed and the 39 points limit,I get the impression the team will be thrown together,rather than built.

Who will be the two 3 pointers? And are there any out there that could make an impact like young Thomas?

Also Bowen will need support at top of team.

Is Hopwood still an option?

Who else is in the running.

[Sings4Speedway]

 

I agree.

With Bowen signed and the 39 points limit,I get the impression the team will be thrown together,rather than built.

Who will be the two 3 pointers? And are there any out there that could make an impact like young Thomas?

Also Bowen will need support at top of team.

Is Hopwood still an option?

Who else is in the running.

 

Strikes me that there were issues early. Danny turned down before the close of the season as he wanted more time to consider his options for higher leagues, Len doesn't like being turned down so withdrew the offer which isn't the first time he has done that.

The first 2/3 signings were made before the agm and then finger off the pulse is surprised at the rule change.

Ayres or Shanes could have fitted with Bowen, Thomas & Hopwood plus 3 x 3 pointers but not if Clifton had been included already so Clifton in Shanes out!

Im pretty certain Hopwood is nailed on so it leaves 13.7 for the final 3. That means either 2 x 3 pointers & 7.7 for a heatleader.

Problem is Len can't pick a 3 pointer unless he falls in front of him and all the heat leaders around that average are gone so i suspect it could be tricky to even build near the points limit and remain competitive.

[Islander15]

 

Strikes me that there were issues early. Danny turned down before the close of the season as he wanted more time to consider his options for higher leagues, Len doesn't like being turned down so withdrew the offer which isn't the first time he has done that.

The first 2/3 signings were made before the agm and then finger off the pulse is surprised at the rule change.

Ayres or Shanes could have fitted with Bowen, Thomas & Hopwood plus 3 x 3 pointers but not if Clifton had been included already so Clifton in Shanes out!

Im pretty certain Hopwood is nailed on so it leaves 13.7 for the final 3. That means either 2 x 3 pointers & 7.7 for a heatleader.

Problem is Len can't pick a 3 pointer unless he falls in front of him and all the heat leaders around that average are gone so i suspect it could be tricky to even build near the points limit and remain competitive.

What he should've done is waited until after the AGM, because it's clear the Bowen wouldn't have signed elsewhere anyway.

[Sings4Speedway]

What he should've done is waited until after the AGM, because it's clear the Bowen wouldn't have signed elsewhere anyway.

Agreed or make provisional signings. Its been said if the limit was 40 Shanes in, 39 Shanes out. Surely that deal would have applied better to Clifton and include Shanes regardless?

[Islander15]

Agreed or make provisional signings. Its been said if the limit was 40 Shanes in, 39 Shanes out. Surely that deal would have applied better to Clifton and include Shanes regardless?

 

Completely agree. Shanes gets fans through the door whereas Clifton doesn't, and they both have probably the same amount of average improvement potential.

[blueherb777]

Agreed or make provisional signings. Its been said if the limit was 40 Shanes in, 39 Shanes out. Surely that deal would have applied better to Clifton and include Shanes regardless?

 

Don`t be silly,that would be too sensible.

It is Mr Silvers way and no other !!!!