Wolverhampton 2020

[BWitcher]

18 minutes ago, Bagpuss said:

I’m not necessarily saying I agree with their team building if Masters and Thorssell sign but I can understand it to an extent.....there is no improvement in most of those riders named whereas Becker, Douglas and Nicol are all full of potential and you could make a case for Morris sorting himself out. I don’t think a ‘big’ name number one was ever likely either. 

I can see where you are coming from and agree with you to an extent.

However.. they are now going to need significant improvement just to get back to where they were.

The idea is generally to improve from a position of close to the pts limit.. Now they need that improvement just to reach parity.

As it happens, signing Nicholls for example, I'd have backed him to have improved his average quite a bit with riding Monmore every week which suits him far more than Peterborough.. as last season showed. That would have translated into more confidence for the rider, more money to spend on maintenance and a likely increase in his away output too.

Essentially it boils down to Nicholls or Nicol.. who do you think would have achieved a better average next season riding for Wolverhampton. Then you have to factor in that signing Nicol pushes Becker out of the reserve spot (I think) making things tougher for him and reducing the scope for increase he has.

[Bagpuss]

3 minutes ago, BWitcher said:

I can see where you are coming from and agree with you to an extent.

However.. they are now going to need significant improvement just to get back to where they were.

The idea is generally to improve from a position of close to the pts limit.. Now they need that improvement just to reach parity.

As it happens, signing Nicholls for example, I'd have backed him to have improved his average quite a bit with riding Monmore every week which suits him far more than Peterborough.. as last season showed. That would have translated into more confidence for the rider, more money to spend on maintenance and a likely increase in his away output too.

Essentially it boils down to Nicholls or Nicol.. who do you think would have achieved a better average next season riding for Wolverhampton. Then you have to factor in that signing Nicol pushes Becker out of the reserve spot (I think) making things tougher for him and reducing the scope for increase he has.

Yep fair points BW, you could certainly see Nicholls or Andersen doing a good job for a season. Perhaps Nicol (along with Becker and Douglas) is seen as a long term signing who could spend years with the club and probably would have gone elsewhere and settled there if Wolves hadn’t snapped him up. 

[Call me wolfie]

There is a talk in at The Cleveland Arms next Tuesday so things should become more clearer then

[BWitcher]

1 hour ago, Bagpuss said:

Yep fair points BW, you could certainly see Nicholls or Andersen doing a good job for a season. Perhaps Nicol (along with Becker and Douglas) is seen as a long term signing who could spend years with the club and probably would have gone elsewhere and settled there if Wolves hadn’t snapped him up. 

Yep, that will be precisely the argument used I would suspect.

A calculated gamble.

[stevebrum]

2 hours ago, DC2 said:

 

Andersen or Nicholls replacing Howarth would have strengthened Wolves and made them favourites.

But Nicol for Howarth weakens them by two points.

It’s bizarre. 

It would only be bizarre if JT and SM sign.

1 hour ago, Call me wolfie said:

There is a talk in at The Cleveland Arms next Tuesday so things should become more clearer then

Looking forward to getting a clearer idea. 

[Crabba59]

Well Steve J.T AND S.M.  WILL SIGN 

[Sidney the robin]

3 hours ago, DC2 said:

 

Or Howarth instead of Nicol. 7.15 and 5.16 riding for Sheffield in the CL.

Nicol is a longterm signing who I feel will dial in well at his home track.Howarth also might feel he needs a change of scenery to try to improve and kick on again in his career.Over the years Wolves have done brilliantly in breeding continuity with there riders and having a core of a side in place Becker,Douglas, Nicol are three improvers and they are all riders i would of took at Swindon the future looks bright at Wolves.

Edited December 3, 2019 by Sidney the robin

[stevebrum]

37 minutes ago, pitstop84 said:

Well Steve J.T AND S.M.  WILL SIGN 

You are at least 50% right.

[Crabba59]

Why only one ?

[Call me wolfie]

14 minutes ago, pitstop84 said:

Why only one ?

Why both?

[stevebrum]

1 hour ago, pitstop84 said:

Why only one ?

It’s all assumption at the moment.

Its assumed both will be signing which goes against the usual team planning by building 2 points below the limit.

So it’s fair to suggest one of them might sign with a stronger number one. 

Time will tell but at this stage nothing is certain, not to mere fans. 

[Beowulf]

3 hours ago, pitstop84 said:

Well Steve J.T AND S.M.  WILL SIGN 

Christ, I will be glad when the team's announced, whatever it is, getting rather bored of this !

[allthegearbutnaeidea]

Any chance of no Becker? Does seem very strange if JT and Sam are both signing

[Beowulf]

19 minutes ago, allthegearbutnaeidea said:

Any chance of no Becker? Does seem very strange if JT and Sam are both signing

I am 100% convinced Becker will be in the team.

[stevebrum]

10 hours ago, Beowulf said:

I am 100% convinced Becker will be in the team.

Me too. It’s already been indicated he is likely to sign. He is a vital part of the future.

[bruno]

Just a thought Steve I've been going up the Wolves since the late 90s not so much since we've been back except for the last couple of years when I've been a regular again but with us now finished Wolves will unbelievably be my team again. Btw I've no problem with that , in my eyes there's been no rivalry for 20 years. My thought is tho I wonder how much the Wolves fan base will increase next year with Heathens fans still after there speedway fix. There's a fair few who turn up anyway but maybe there will be more next year. It took me about 10 years before I starting wanting Wolves to win instead of the opposition .lol . It was when Billy had a couple of seasons with you and you told me to come over to the dark side lol

[stevebrum]

3 hours ago, bruno said:

Just a thought Steve I've been going up the Wolves since the late 90s not so much since we've been back except for the last couple of years when I've been a regular again but with us now finished Wolves will unbelievably be my team again. Btw I've no problem with that , in my eyes there's been no rivalry for 20 years. My thought is tho I wonder how much the Wolves fan base will increase next year with Heathens fans still after there speedway fix. There's a fair few who turn up anyway but maybe there will be more next year. It took me about 10 years before I starting wanting Wolves to win instead of the opposition .lol . It was when Billy had a couple of seasons with you and you told me to come over to the dark side lol

I’ll take all the credit then Bruno. But fair play to you although I’m pretty sure you are in a very small minority.

Where I stand there are regularly Heathens fans who shout for the opposition. They hate us!

I think Cradley fans would turn up to see Greg Although still wear their Heathens coats lol.

For long-standing fans of both clubs there will never be another rivalry like it. So it’s hard for any newer fans to fully understand just how bitter that rivalry was. I never shouted once for Billy in those 2 years he was with us. He would be referred to as ‘the rider in blue’ 

[Barrow Boy 2]

What average is Broc Nicol coming in on?

[Tommy Sweetman]

32 minutes ago, Barrow Boy 2 said:

What average is Broc Nicol coming in on?

3.23 or 4.00 depending on who you believe.

[Phil The Ace]

Will be 4