A Development thought for 2025!

[CoffeeandTV]

1 hour ago, MillenTheVillen said:

With the rumours of a Northern Club being mentioned that rules a few out and really only singles out Glasgow as being that Club people are on about.

Berwick - Stated in past they won't have Bullets back to allow them to concentrate on the Bandits

Workington - stated NDL wasn't really supported and fans wanted Championship Racing

Both Edinburgh and Redcar already run NDL 

Question is do they splash the pounds for a winning Team of established Riders like Leicester/Belle Vue do or produce a young team of their own through development for future Championship places in the Tigers?

 

That's a bit harsh. We had Joe Thompson, but all others were young riders looking to make their way in the sport, no?

[MillenTheVillen]

1 hour ago, CoffeeandTV said:

That's a bit harsh. We had Joe Thompson, but all others were young riders looking to make their way in the sport, no?

No, what's harsh is them paying more than the £10 and £15 per point and 20p a mile that was agreed for the Development League in order to get the riders they wanted so they could win.

Add to that Belle Vue smashing Teams whilst giving William Cairns 7 rides whilst Operating R/R and not using the number 8 they have with them despite them running away with meetings at the time.

Seems both Teams missed the memo of the NDL Idea whilst the others played it correctly.

I'll say it again 6 man Teams 5 rides each (unless injuries during meeting) and no R/R allowed. If a 3 pointer is used to cover missing riders the order is shuffled based on averages.

[Sings4Speedway]

1 hour ago, CoffeeandTV said:

That's a bit harsh. We had Joe Thompson, but all others were young riders looking to make their way in the sport, no?

That Crang was a real spring chicken.

Seriously though some clubs get a similar level of support win, lose or draw but others rely on a winning side to draw the numbers, its just how fickle fans can be. 

A smart side would be looking at tracking their number 7 plus a few riders who could progress to that position in a year or two and prepping the track similar to CL meetings not just the slick surfaces most NDL are treated to. 

[ouch]

2 hours ago, MillenTheVillen said:

With the rumours of a Northern Club being mentioned that rules a few out and really only singles out Glasgow as being that Club people are on about.

Berwick - Stated in past they won't have Bullets back to allow them to concentrate on the Bandits

Workington - stated NDL wasn't really supported and fans wanted Championship Racing

Both Edinburgh and Redcar already run NDL 

Question is do they splash the pounds for a winning Team of established Riders like Leicester/Belle Vue do or produce a young team of their own through development for future Championship places in the Tigers?

 

Believe you me, the Colts don’t splash the cash. We are always made up of locals, cast offs and those beating the door down to join. We’ve had many go elsewhere when their heads have been turned for cash and not always to their betterment. 

[Sings4Speedway]

13 minutes ago, ouch said:

Believe you me, the Colts don’t splash the cash. We are always made up of locals, cast offs and those beating the door down to join. We’ve had many go elsewhere when their heads have been turned for cash and not always to their betterment. 

Belle Vue do have the massive lure of a great rack to ride every week and some useful insider knowledge on setups which is crucial there. That alone has been enough to turn mediocre riders into match winners over the years, in fact its fairly safe to say if you can't increase your average at Belle Vue your not going to do it anywhere.

[CoffeeandTV]

37 minutes ago, Sings4Speedway said:

That Crang was a real spring chicken.

Seriously though some clubs get a similar level of support win, lose or draw but others rely on a winning side to draw the numbers, its just how fickle fans can be. 

A smart side would be looking at tracking their number 7 plus a few riders who could progress to that position in a year or two and prepping the track similar to CL meetings not just the slick surfaces most NDL are treated to. 

Ha, fair point about Crang.

[PotteringAround]

3 hours ago, MillenTheVillen said:

Question is do they splash the pounds for a winning Team of established Riders like Leicester/Belle Vue do*

39 minutes ago, MillenTheVillen said:

 

Add to that Belle Vue smashing Teams whilst giving William Cairns 7 rides

Ah yes.   Older established riders like Will Cairns.

That's why, since Stoke's closure, I go to Belle Vue, to see them win the NDL every year with old established riders and not bringing in 15 and 16 year olds like Dan Bewley, Kyle Bickley, Jack Smith, Leon Flint, Jordan Palin, Harry McGurk, Sam McGurk, Connor Bailey, Freddy Hodder, Will Cairns etc

[MillenTheVillen]

46 minutes ago, PotteringAround said:

Ah yes.   Older established riders like Will Cairns.

That's why, since Stoke's closure, I go to Belle Vue, to see them win the NDL every year with old established riders and not bringing in 15 and 16 year olds like Dan Bewley, Kyle Bickley, Jack Smith, Leon Flint, Jordan Palin, Harry McGurk, Sam McGurk, Connor Bailey, Freddy Hodder, Will Cairns etc

Don't be nieve, Clubs bring in 15/16 year olds with promises of becoming assets (when they reach 16) and dazzle them with the big bright lights of becoming a professional which in turn the Club gets the value off their Bond Each Season, they then can command Loan fees for their assets all through their career so its in their interests to try bring riders on.

They spent thousands to have Bickley there and that didn't turn out well for them did it as he's not worth anything to them now he s packed in.

As for Cairns, they didn't want him as he wasn't becoming an asset of theirs, he wanted to go there and his connections made it happen.

Edited Wednesday at 11:19 AM by MillenTheVillen

[Sings4Speedway]

1 hour ago, PotteringAround said:

Ah yes.   Older established riders like Will Cairns.

That's why, since Stoke's closure, I go to Belle Vue, to see them win the NDL every year with old established riders and not bringing in 15 and 16 year olds like Dan Bewley, Kyle Bickley, Jack Smith, Leon Flint, Jordan Palin, Harry McGurk, Sam McGurk, Connor Bailey, Freddy Hodder, Will Cairns etc

Whilst i respect your viewpoint the list of riders chosen is a little skewed. Bickley, Smith, Flint, Palin to a degree and certainly cairns were known entities before they signed for the Colts.

Yes Bewley, Bailey, the McGurks, the Woodhulls, Joe Lawlor, Pie Man Bowen were all chances taken that paid off but plenty were on the road to success before joining Belle Vue and several do very little away from the place.

Still jealous that you get to do your regular viewing there though. 

 

[arnieg]

Just a reminder that in case 2023 the Lion Cubs started the season with six riders aged 18 or younger.

The exception - the ridiculously ancient Tom Spencer.

[Sings4Speedway]

19 minutes ago, arnieg said:

Just a reminder that in case 2023 the Lion Cubs started the season with six riders aged 18 or younger.

The exception - the ridiculously ancient Tom Spencer.

Curse old man Spencer! To be fair that lasted an entire fixture until the Thompsons turned 19 but fun little stat to have.

[ouch]

7 hours ago, MillenTheVillen said:

No, what's harsh is them paying more than the £10 and £15 per point and 20p a mile that was agreed for the Development League in order to get the riders they wanted so they could win.

Add to that Belle Vue smashing Teams whilst giving William Cairns 7 rides whilst Operating R/R and not using the number 8 they have with them despite them running away with meetings at the time.

Seems both Teams missed the memo of the NDL Idea whilst the others played it correctly.

I'll say it again 6 man Teams 5 rides each (unless injuries during meeting) and no R/R allowed. If a 3 pointer is used to cover missing riders the order is shuffled based on averages.

Our number 8 Jack Shimelt rode in all meetings since we signed William apart from Edinburgh away (unavailable), when we blooded Billy Budd. We had a problem with Chads injury stretching out longer than we expected, despite several practice attempts. 

As for running away with meetings, it was a last heat decider v Oxford at home and Sheffield away was settled in heat 14. William wasn’t even involved in the Sheffield thrashing during our final meeting. That JUST leaves Edinburgh. 

We wrote the memo. 

[ouch]

6 hours ago, MillenTheVillen said:

Don't be nieve, Clubs bring in 15/16 year olds with promises of becoming assets (when they reach 16) and dazzle them with the big bright lights of becoming a professional which in turn the Club gets the value off their Bond Each Season, they then can command Loan fees for their assets all through their career so its in their interests to try bring riders on.

They spent thousands to have Bickley there and that didn't turn out well for them did it as he's not worth anything to them now he s packed in.

As for Cairns, they didn't want him as he wasn't becoming an asset of theirs, he wanted to go there and his connections made it happen.

Bickley, you win some, you lose some. It won’t soften our determination on rider development. 

We do spend money on bringing on lads, whether for the benefit of us or others and it’s been easier for us to attract riders over the past decade as we are the only ever present development league team. We do have a dam good set up as well and it’s definitely not about the money. (See Cairns)
No other top flight club comes close in terms of commitment to the youngsters development. 

[Fortythirtyeight]

16 hours ago, ouch said:

Bickley, you win some, you lose some. It won’t soften our determination on rider development. 

We do spend money on bringing on lads, whether for the benefit of us or others and it’s been easier for us to attract riders over the past decade as we are the only ever present development league team. We do have a dam good set up as well and it’s definitely not about the money. (See Cairns)
No other top flight club comes close in terms of commitment to the youngsters development. 

Except perhaps Leicester , who run Premier League , NDL, MDL, amateur meetings and practices .

[ouch]

8 hours ago, Fortythirtyeight said:

Except perhaps Leicester , who run Premier League , NDL, MDL, amateur meetings and practices .

Absolutely, you’ve been a welcome addition to the NDL for the last five seasons. If we can do it, then why can’t others?