Poole 2025

[Bitza]

On 1/8/2025 at 1:12 PM, lewy said:

I've heard it's matt Marston.

Well the law of averages tells you somebody had to be right! After all just about every possible rider has been mentioned at some point. 

Well done lewy. 

Edited yesterday at 08:38 AM by Bitza

[spt82]

27 minutes ago, Bitza said:

Well the law of averages tells you somebody had to be right! After all just about every possible rider has been mentioned at some point. 

Well done lewy. 

Nah he was wrong, it's Matt Marson they've signed 😉

[STEVEHOLS54]

So they sign an Aussie who will be 25 in March who has been riding UK since 2018 (with a 2 year break in 20/21).

I know this is only a temp appointment, but did they even attempt to approach a young Brit based here like Springer/Vale etc who have more scope to improve.

My personal view from videos seen is he did not look a natural on a bike and his riding style looked awkward to me and certainly not impressive for someone who has ridden on NDL tracks for 7 years (less 2 off).

Compared to both Springer & Vale both have shown improvement and both based in the South.

Maybe I am wrong and they were approached and didn't want to take on Champ this early if also both still in education system.

Of course we will never know that, but I think we could have done better.

But of course the die hards will say its only a temp appointment.

My personal view remains that Springer (only 16 last Nov) showed a lot more scope to improve and could have showcased his talent to be considered for a 2026 slot.

I get the impression that Marsen was the first and possibly only rider they approached. Could have done a better job promoting a young up and coming Brit talent for the future, but just my opinion.

[SteveLyric2]

38 minutes ago, STEVEHOLS54 said:

So they sign an Aussie who will be 25 in March who has been riding UK since 2018 (with a 2 year break in 20/21).

I know this is only a temp appointment, but did they even attempt to approach a young Brit based here like Springer/Vale etc who have more scope to improve.

My personal view from videos seen is he did not look a natural on a bike and his riding style looked awkward to me and certainly not impressive for someone who has ridden on NDL tracks for 7 years (less 2 off).

Compared to both Springer & Vale both have shown improvement and both based in the South.

Maybe I am wrong and they were approached and didn't want to take on Champ this early if also both still in education system.

Of course we will never know that, but I think we could have done better.

But of course the die hards will say its only a temp appointment.

My personal view remains that Springer (only 16 last Nov) showed a lot more scope to improve and could have showcased his talent to be considered for a 2026 slot.

I get the impression that Marsen was the first and possibly only rider they approached. Could have done a better job promoting a young up and coming Brit talent for the future, but just my opinion.

Maybe a 25 year old can travel to 12 meetings under his own steam rather than a 16year old having to rely on family members who may not be geared up for midweek commitments? Just a thought.......

[poole keith]

I know some will but its difficult to disagree with your thinking steve hols,would think though its difficult nay near impossible for a lad still in full time education who can't drive to compete in the championship, but like you say it would have been good to give a British youngster a go or maybe a couple sharing the gig

[poole keith]

Overlapping posts there, need to type quicker!

[foreverblue]

1 hour ago, poole keith said:

I know some will but its difficult to disagree with your thinking steve hols,would think though its difficult nay near impossible for a lad still in full time education who can't drive to compete in the championship, but like you say it would have been good to give a British youngster a go or maybe a couple sharing the gig

It may have been a problem getting someone to only do a few meetings knowing you will be replaced and it really does not matter who it is. 

[M.D]

I may be wrong but didn't Poole say they had been waiting on a youngster who was talking to his parents to see if it was feasible to fit the meetings for Poole in?

Well that guy clearly wasn't Marson so I guess the British youngster they asked couldn't fit them in so they gone the Marson route instead.

[SteveLyric2]

46 minutes ago, M.D said:

I may be wrong but didn't Poole say they had been waiting on a youngster who was talking to his parents to see if it was feasible to fit the meetings for Poole in?

Well that guy clearly wasn't Marson so I guess the British youngster they asked couldn't fit them in so they gone the Marson route instead.

You surely don't expect EVERY post on here to be 100% accurate. Opinions simply aren't like that.🤣🤣

[STEVEHOLS54]

4 hours ago, SteveLyric2 said:

Maybe a 25 year old can travel to 12 meetings under his own steam rather than a 16year old having to rely on family members who may not be geared up for midweek commitments? Just a thought.......

To take the positives. 

Poole signed Cairns really early last season. They saw the potential and struck to give him a near enough 2 year deal considering he could not ride anyway until 1st July.

If we assume that Springer was to show plenty of scope/improvement in him in the period up to say July, there is nothing really stopping them trying to sign him as a 2 pointer with lots of improvement in him for 2026 (assuming that Cairns will achieve over 2 per meeting GSA by end of 2025).

Would also leave additional points for top/middle end of the team for 2026.

Just have this feeling that from seeing Springer on various videos riding 2024 meetings that the then 15 year old looked like he is going places and his riding of Poole  in the NLR Series once he had got used to the track was impressive as was his riding in NDL meetings.

Could be wrong but his decent gating/exciting style and always trying was pretty impressive for a 15 year old in his first season at 500 cc level. Last time i had that feeling was when seeing plenty of videos of a young Tate Zischke in Aussie before his accident in Aussie 2023 when he could not ride a bike for 6/7 months.

[szkocjasid]

7 hours ago, STEVEHOLS54 said:

So they sign an Aussie who will be 25 in March who has been riding UK since 2018 (with a 2 year break in 20/21).

I know this is only a temp appointment, but did they even attempt to approach a young Brit based here like Springer/Vale etc who have more scope to improve.

My personal view from videos seen is he did not look a natural on a bike and his riding style looked awkward to me and certainly not impressive for someone who has ridden on NDL tracks for 7 years (less 2 off).

Compared to both Springer & Vale both have shown improvement and both based in the South.

Maybe I am wrong and they were approached and didn't want to take on Champ this early if also both still in education system.

Of course we will never know that, but I think we could have done better.

But of course the die hards will say its only a temp appointment.

My personal view remains that Springer (only 16 last Nov) showed a lot more scope to improve and could have showcased his talent to be considered for a 2026 slot.

I get the impression that Marsen was the first and possibly only rider they approached. Could have done a better job promoting a young up and coming Brit talent for the future, but just my opinion.

I don't think Poole have any interest in doing that, they will look to whoever gives them the best chance of winning trophies.

They only hosted a NDL individual because they were forced to & are promoting a new 2.00 rider in July - not to assist British Speedway, but to win the league.

As long as they run the club as a business not a hobby (can't blame them for that) don't see this philosophy changing.

[STEVEHOLS54]

17 minutes ago, szkocjasid said:

I don't think Poole have any interest in doing that, they will look to whoever gives them the best chance of winning trophies.

They only hosted a NDL individual because they were forced to & are promoting a new 2.00 rider in July - not to assist British Speedway, but to win the league.

As long as they run the club as a business not a hobby (can't blame them for that) don't see this philosophy changing.

But IF Springer really improved this year and stepped up a level you could possibly tie up one of the UK's top prospects on a 2 point GSA who could easily achieve 3/4 points per meeting in 2026. That surely is a positive team move.

I look at Springer and how he performed at 15 against Foord  (nearly 3 years older with more experience) in some races, then I saw a rider who could be better than Vinnie when he reaches 17/18. Remember he was only 16 last November.

Having said that I am sure many promoters will be monitoring young Sonny's performances this coming season and will be alert to signing him if he does progress. Just feel we could have got a head start if had had signed until July.

[szkocjasid]

4 hours ago, STEVEHOLS54 said:

But IF Springer really improved this year and stepped up a level you could possibly tie up one of the UK's top prospects on a 2 point GSA who could easily achieve 3/4 points per meeting in 2026. That surely is a positive team move.

I look at Springer and how he performed at 15 against Foord  (nearly 3 years older with more experience) in some races, then I saw a rider who could be better than Vinnie when he reaches 17/18. Remember he was only 16 last November.

Having said that I am sure many promoters will be monitoring young Sonny's performances this coming season and will be alert to signing him if he does progress. Just feel we could have got a head start if had had signed until July.

I don't think it makes a massive difference, if Springer gets a few Champ meetings throughout the season & impresses, wether that's as a guest or for another team, there's nothing to stop Poole offering him a team spot in 2026.

[foreverblue]

14 hours ago, STEVEHOLS54 said:

But IF Springer really improved this year and stepped up a level you could possibly tie up one of the UK's top prospects on a 2 point GSA who could easily achieve 3/4 points per meeting in 2026. That surely is a positive team move.

I look at Springer and how he performed at 15 against Foord  (nearly 3 years older with more experience) in some races, then I saw a rider who could be better than Vinnie when he reaches 17/18. Remember he was only 16 last November.

Having said that I am sure many promoters will be monitoring young Sonny's performances this coming season and will be alert to signing him if he does progress. Just feel we could have got a head start if had had signed until July.

I am sure there were many teams after Cairns and he chose us, Springer may well have a deal already for 2026, who knows, maybe he did not want to sign for just a few meetings, either way it does not stop anyone signing him for 2026 next season whoever he is currently riding for.

Edited 8 hours ago by foreverblue

[SteveLyric2]

Matt Marson finished with a 6.20 NDL average with Belle Vue last season, equivalent to the likes of Foord and Vale and more than 0.5 higher than Springer.

Danny Ford 'more than happy' with the Poole line up! (BBC Radio Solent 22.01.25)😀

[STEVEHOLS54]

7 minutes ago, SteveLyric2 said:

Matt Marson finished with a 6.20 NDL average with Belle Vue last season, equivalent to the likes of Foord and Vale and more than 0.5 higher than Springer.

Danny Ford 'more than happy' with the Poole line up! (BBC Radio Solent 22.01.25)😀

You really expect anything else from Danny Ford ??

Can't see how you can compare a what will be 25 year old with at least 6 years experience in NDL to a raw young what was 15 year old in his first season at NDL level.

Anyway the deal is done - Danny is happy and its only temporary until Cairns.

The bigger question on the likes of Springer future will no doubt unfold over 2025.

[foreverblue]

28 minutes ago, SteveLyric2 said:

Matt Marson finished with a 6.20 NDL average with Belle Vue last season, equivalent to the likes of Foord and Vale and more than 0.5 higher than Springer.

Danny Ford 'more than happy' with the Poole line up! (BBC Radio Solent 22.01.25)😀

I think the problem will not be our reserves it will be Kerr, the way the team has been built we could have had a higher averaged rider or a new rider with an assessed 8.50.

[HGould]

There is one aspect of Matt Marson's riding that is definitely CL quality, indeed possibly higher and it'll be interesting to see transponder data of taht.

He is traditionally a very fast and consistently fast gater. 

Whilst his speed tails off after the first bend he is going to be far more competitive off the starts I would suggest than your average 16 year old.

I'd  be tempted if I was his Team Manager to engineer best option of inside gates in the earlier races for him as he can definitely beat some of the weaker league reserves on his gating ability alone and if nothing else could be a very tactically useful "mobile chicane" on occasions.

[STEVEHOLS54]

3 hours ago, HGould said:

There is one aspect of Matt Marson's riding that is definitely CL quality, indeed possibly higher and it'll be interesting to see transponder data of taht.

He is traditionally a very fast and consistently fast gater. 

Whilst his speed tails off after the first bend he is going to be far more competitive off the starts I would suggest than your average 16 year old.

I'd  be tempted if I was his Team Manager to engineer best option of inside gates in the earlier races for him as he can definitely beat some of the weaker league reserves on his gating ability alone and if nothing else could be a very tactically useful "mobile chicane" on occasions.

Maybe I've not seen enough of him other then a few video clips. We can all get it wrong when we look at videos of only a few rides.

I remember a 23 year old Ben Cook arriving in 2021 and based on some of his Aussie form, I was very sceptical and thought he would be out by the first GSA's before he had even ridden for Poole. How wrong I thankfully was 🙂.

The guy deserves his chance so good luck and hopefully he can score a few points