Islander15

I maintain that what I said was neither derogatory nor a put down but a simple fact. If you or Rob took it that way then that is up to you and not me, and probably shows your true thoughts. I posted a fact, and didn't include any of my opinion on him at all, and that fact you cannot dispute. This is a forum for open debate for fans and anyone can post, within reason, what they want. I could not include the length of time he had been riding a bike because I did not know it and I was making no argument so it wasn't imperative that I looked up his riding position on the day. For example if I was to say Ricky Van Wolfswinkel cost Norwich £8.5million it's your opinion on him if you think I'm suggesting that's too much. I may well be of the opinion that he needs a year to settle and will do really well next year (which is the case btw). I think it shows that my post was purely fact based with myself making no judgement on the rider and nothing negative towards him when you consider that nobody else bothered to complain about it or my similar post regarding Adam Extance.

I fail to see how it is irrelevant when I was answering a response asking if anyone knew anything about Rob. And it is fact that he guested for Buxton and failed to score. Yes I agree that riding at number 2 is harder than at reserve but that was the only point that you can really take up with me on the comment (that I didn't mention it, but I said it from memory and couldn't remember he rode at number 2 anyway) rather than the attack you just made against the poster rather than the post. And the BSF is always going on about attack the post not the poster which is not what you did. The statement wasn't alluding to anything other than one NL outing because as I'm sure you know that is all he has ridden in the NL. I'm not aware of his NJL scores so how can I comment on those? As mentioned I was providing the information that I knew of. For example, I am not to know that he had 3 months experience at that time (only that it was a short period) so I can't add that information. In any case riders who are just starting out improve the fastest so it is obvious to anyone that he would have improved since that day. You will also see that on the Buxton thread I posted something similar about Adam Extance who guested for Buxton at Kent and failed to score. That didn't receive any negative remarks as it was meant with in malice whatsoever and everybody understood it for how it was meant: simply a fact that both Rob and Adam have ridden in one meeting in their careers and both of which failed to score in it. But again, my statement is a clear fact and not suggesting anything about the ability of Rob. Nor would I even want to. I will encourage all riders who want to ride speedway as a career and wish them the best of luck. Most non-NL fans moan that there's no British talent, well I disagree my grievance is at times these riders aren't being given league opportunities, and Stoke have consistently designated their reserve berths to this very reason and for that I applaud the club. I hope that Rob and James have successful careers, not just a successful season at Stoke, but a successful career but that this starts with a successful season at Stoke. As to the previous occasion if you look I 'liked' your post because it was a comprehensive and fair explanation to what I had given. As you say yourself, you explained my inaccuracies, and for that I thank you for that which I did. You raised points that I had not considered and ultimately I, and everyone who has read it, knows a little bit more about Stoke 2014 than they do about other clubs in the league. I was in the similar position to another reader who didn't know why Steve Worrall would be in Poland on Sundays but you answered him before I read your response. There was no need for me to reply by actually quoting and typing and for that reason I didn't. I respect that there are things a club cannot say in public so why would I ask the same questions again, when presumably the points you didn't answer are because they are private? Without checking this is probably only my third post on this thread so I fail to see how I am offering 'implied and actual criticism of Stoke'. One thing I do know is that there has been a lot of criticism of Stoke's track on this thread of which I have replied to none of for the simple reason that I have never been to Loomer Road so do not know the situation myself. Yet you have responded to none of that criticism. I have no reason whatsoever to have or show any dislike towards Stoke and I want as many teams in the league as possible and I am offended that you say I am disrespecting Stoke's name on the forum. As to your distasteful closing comments you are not aware of my life at all, and it certainly doesn't revolve around Stoke speedway, and you are not aware of anything I have done regarding the club I support. You claimed that my comment was irrelevant but surely answering a comment about Rob by telling me what I should be doing with my life is irrelevant!

I think the fact that Williamson & Phillips signed for Dudley is more to due with the fact they were Dudley riders before the Stags returned. But equally I expect rookie riders who will make their league debut like Ryan MacDonald to make up most of the team with maybe just a number 1 of note. Adam Allot has been at Scunthorpe's winter series this year so maybe him.

He guested for Buxton at Stoke last year and failed to score.

Belle Vue Colts as well.

Good to see Poole link up with Scunthorpe to help provide an NL team for the kids of the future. http://www.scunthorpescorpions.co/News.aspx?Team=Saints

NL team officially return as Scunthorpe Stags. http://www.scunthorpescorpions.co/News.aspx?Team=Saints

http://www.scunthorpescorpions.co/News.aspx?Team=Saints Brilliant news!

He had a thread... It did descend into an unnecessary and irrelevant argument, so just ignore that bit. http://www.speedway-forum.co.uk/forums/index.php?showtopic=75348

Garrity to add 3 points Carr, S. Worrall, Douglas, B. Kurtz, Kerr, Heeps & Blackbird to add 2 points.

That's not fair. Jayne is very bothered and does more than most.

My memory seems good enough, I've looked it up and it was 4.14 in 2010. So I assume he's been reassessed as a 3.00 due to missing 3, nearly 4, seasons?? Having said that, Shane Waldron was assessed as a 5.00 last season and he had even longer out the sport than Blake. Kent fans, his Islanders scores at the start of that season were 5+1 from 4 at home to the USA Dream Team, 4 from 4 at home to Weymouth in a challenge, 7+1 from 4 away to Weymouth and riding in the main body this time in a challenge, before his season ended in his first official fixture which was a league meeting away to Newport when he scored 2+1 and broke his leg in his fifth outing.

Williamson says in the Speedway Star that he's signed a contract with a NL team.

When he signed for Isle of Wight his average was about 4.14 and he only rode about twice before injury... So how can he fit in??

Philips alongside Williamson or Stoneman would made a quality pairing imo. I expect Greaves to be announced tomorrow but hopefully it's one of the bottom 2 to give us a clue as to the pairing.

How about: 1. Rob Branford 8.53 2. Ryan Blacklock 4.43 3. Liam Carr 6.87 4. Luke Priest 4.75 5. Adam Allott 8.15 6. Adam Extance 3.00 7. Tom Woolley 3.64 That's assuming Williamson doesn't return and Branford comes back next year. I can genuinely see Carr as one of the top riders in the league and pushing a high 8 average if not into 9!

Scunthorpe, Workington, Ipswich, Peterborough, Newcastle & Berwick.

Extance guested for you once last season and Carr is doing NL this year. Edit: His guest appearance was away to Kent.

I think a lot depends on the individual team rather than using a general rule. Kent are named after the county yet are getting substantial crowds. Poole fans didn't seem to relate to Bournemouth yet Scunthorpe fans seemed very proud of a second named Scunthorpe team, which I'm not sure of but a Scunthorpe team named Saints didn't exist before their CL team. Similarly Coventry Storm apparently didn't make a loss yet Belle Vue Colts presumably did. Whether that was down to the name is debatable, but my point is a lot of fans need something to relate to and I dont think that can be generalised to say this works and this doesn't as every club is different. Hopefully people come out and support the Devon Demons! Edit: Regarding the projected team I would have liked to have seen some new names. Shanes is but I would have prefered someone like Tyler Govier to get a chance alongside him rather than Richard Andrews again. The same applies to Smart & Bates, I have nothing against them but they're not realistically going to break into Plymouth's PL team and isn't that what it's about? It's good to hopefully see Webster return though and I'm surprised Tom Brown isn't in instead of one of the aforementioned two. However best of luck to the promotion and everyone involved and I hope we see you for more than just 1 year!

Speedway Star suggested it's Tim Webster, yes.

Neil: Where has Extance's signing been announced? Vog: Wright is ineligible for NL this year as he's signed for Somerset.

An honest an open post these Malcolm. I'll make one particular point and I understand that a lot of times when clubs talk to riders that its not in the interests of the club or the rider to make that public, but seeing as you have commented on it so shall I. From an outsiders point of view it looks surprising that Priest has missed out. So imo to give a viable alternative, to accommodate Priest, you'd have to have not signed one of your heat leaders. Wilson takes up a lot of points but several big hitters from last year are missing so I expect him to average around that figure, or drop by no more than 0.5 anyway. The other alternative could've been Lambert at 1 on 9.46 and Priest but maybe Len Silver specifically wanted him at Kent. I'm sure if you asked any Islanders fans who their most consistent rider has been since we've gone NL & they'd all say Ben Hopwood! He won't necessarily add a lot to his average but you can guarantee it won't drop by much either, and wherever he rides he will be in the points. Maybe a slightly biased view but I think he's a good signing. Then we're left with Jon Armstrong. I understand that he's the older head to ride alongside a relative newbie at reserve but both Bens have experience, Wilson has ridden PL & EL and Hopwood was IOW captain last year so I would expect those pair to be able to pass on their expertise anyway. As with the other 2 I can't see a dramatic drop (but I do expect a drop) in Jon's average. And to be successful you need improvement in averages, and with all 3 likely to end on similar figures there's suddenly a lot of pressure on Payne and the bottom 3 to improve. So I would've gone for a lower averaged rider than Jon with more potential, and by signing Priest it leaves 7.23. The obvious candidate to me is Liam Carr who I'm amazed hasn't signed for the 'big 2' of Dudley & Mildenhall as I'm sure he'll average over 8 next year, pushing 9. But similarly I'm surprised he wasn't signed last year, and travelling expenses were reported so I assume the same applies. Or Benji Compton, he seems to ride Stoke well and he didn't seem to dominate at Kent to I'm surprised he's back.

Blackbird is 4.81 because he has a GB reduction.

Very strong number 1. Only 10.11 left for their bottom 3 which means no Luke Priest, yet I would've thought on 4.75 that he'd be one of the first names!

But he hasn't signed for a PL team! He can ride PL & NL as long as he doesn't have a PL team at the start of the season.