Steve Shovlar

I had many late night chats with Brian online with a few glasses of wine. He said he worked better fired up. Nice chap and sad news. R I P Brian.

Vissing still holding out for about £100 a point and Workington not prepared to pay it. Who blinks first?

They might up their average in a weaker league, however riders from other clubs will also think they can up theirs as well. Riders like Batch and of his age/career tend to play the percentage game. Score 8 with no risk, don’t chase down the rider in front and therefore don’t get injured = regular pay packet. Push for those extra points =risk = injury and pain, no earnings and weeks out. Younger riders don’t think that way, take the risk and progress (or face time out injured!). Tate should be the rider everyone should be watching in that team, like Ben Basso was at Poole a couple of seasons ago. Might come up when Poole visit, though hoping BSN are there!

I was writing about your top three. If Cook has sorted out his personal issues, and Batchelor is in the mood, the team has a decent chance of winning some home meetings, but not against the top sides in the league. The Workington track is big and wide, so no fear for away riders even on their first visit. The reserves are desperately weak in my opinion. But there are weaker sides. Berwick, Edinburgh, Plymouth.

Yep. Hans is the perfect signing. Just need everyone to climb aboard the De Lorean in back to the future, turn the clock to 2010, then you have a championship winning team. Seriously, Cook, Batchelor and Vissing, if he is the missing link, have no improvement in them. You have Antti Vuolas 5.0 and Tate Zischke 5.00 who look good prospects, and a team needs riders who can improve. I wish Workington a successful season with good crowds, good racing and goodwill. But the touted team won’t get near the playoffs. The inclusion of Celina Leibman is great for publicity but seriously? Would Englands best female player get a team place at Swindon Town or Wigan?

I would have gone with that! Rowe break through season, Newman reliable and knows every track. Reserves decent. Brennan is capable of improving but what we gain there we could lose with the Dane. As for Thomsen, he is a 4 pointer and won’t make or break our season. Our top 4 are the best 4 in the league, no doubt about it. Our reserves match most clubs. Time will tell for next season but if he fails to at least score his average he won’t last long.

PROMOTER Danny Ford described Tobias Thomsen as a “wildcard signing”, after the Dane was confirmed as the final member of Poole Pirates’ 2024 septet. The 29-year-old has been snapped up on a four-point average, with his only previous stint in the UK a brief spell with Birmingham Brummies in 2019. Thomsen joins the main body of the team alongside Zach Cook, with Richard Lawson, Ben Cook and Tom Brennan set to be the heat-leader trio. Young British duo Sam Hagon and Max Perry will operate as reserves. Discussing the decision to sign Thomsen, Ford told the Daily Echo: “Tobias has had experience riding over here, with Birmingham in 2019 in the Championship. “He didn’t necessarily impress, to be honest and got let go as part of a reshuffle. “But when it became clear we would have 4.20 to play with, we sat back and assessed our options. There wasn’t any clear initial options who really stood out for us. “You start looking deeper and Tobias’s name popped up. He rode here in 2019, came in on a five-point average, but his average dropped. “That makes him available on a four, whereas a new Dane would come in on a five. “So we started doing our research, looking how he rode last season. He rode in Denmark’s second division and was one of the top scorers over there.” Ford admitted: “It is a bit of a wildcard signing. It is one that people wouldn’t necessarily be expecting. “To be honest, I wasn’t expecting it until we spoke to him. “I fully believe that in a slightly weaker Championship, like it will be this season, and based on Tobias’s growth as a rider and how much he has improved over the past few seasons, he should certainly be a rider who can not only improve on the four-point average, but dramatically improve on it. “We should hopefully see a much improved Tobias from what we saw in 2019. “I’ve been watching his meetings from last year as much as I can, on YouTube and stuff, and he’s certainly got the gating gloves, which I feel will help him massively. “We’ve got some great experience in the team around him in Richard, but then some younger guys who are also looking to improve. They can help each other out and push each other on. https://www.bournemouthecho.co.uk/sport/24000659.danny-ford-poole-pirates-signing-dane-tobias-thomsen/ “It’s hopefully an exciting signing and definitely one I’m sure the supporters weren’t expecting. “It’s nice when you stump a lot of people. “People can often predict a team, but not many people would have seen that one coming! It’s good to have him as a Pirate.” Discussing the lengths Poole have gone to to fully maximise the points limit this year, Ford added: “We certainly had many options on four-point averages. But none of them stood out to us. “We want to win the title, we don’t want to settle for second best. “We feel that Tobias, given his recent form, can come in and be a rider who can improve his average. “That’s what makes a winning team. If you can get seven riders who can all improve their average, you are certainly going the right way about winning silverware. “It will be interesting to see how he settles in and hopefully it works out.”

His name is Tobias Thomsen. Tobias Thomsen Born:23.08.1994, Brovst, DenmarkBritish Clubs:Birmingham (2019)Year..Clubs..Meetings..Rides..Points..Bonus..Average..Maxima2019..Birmingham..12..45..31..5..3.20

Can’t say I was over excited when I heard the name myself, and expected the reaction his announcement has brought about. Have to wait and see but not expecting him to last the season. Time will tell.

Young Dane.

Vitality Stadium will be sitting empty in 2/3 years time. Could make a hell of a great speedway stadium! Anyway who is this last rider? Hmmm!

Difference is that the council own the stadium, not Osborne. He is a leaseholder, nothing more. If the stadium lease came up, Matt Ford has said already he would form a consortium to get the lease.

Agree.

Where’s the name Spires been plucked from? Sounds like a load of churches rather than a rip-roaring motorcycle sport.

Dont think there will be two meetings a week. Oneweek championship, the following PL. The worry though might be fans only choosing to watch one league, meaning crowds might drop. Hopefully not though.

They are. And in a disgraceful shape. Need investment and 6 new players! I have been watching AFCB this season as well as town. The two clubs won’t meet for many years so no conflict of interest. Town always first. Just like the Cherries as a team and believe they will do better as the season goes on. I know at the mo Plymouth haven’t got anyone other than Barker signed. A few riders have said no due to travelling distances from their bases on the continent. Just not worth it financially for them. But you an be sure Gary May is on the case!

Bournemouth won’t be relegated and have a decent side. They had a very tough start to the season playing top 6 sides. Form is decent and they will finish above Fulham, Wolves, Forest, Luton, Burnley and probably Everton. Bit of a mainstay in the top flight over the last decade. New training facility well on the way to completion and when that’s done, the new stadium will be built where the current training pitches are now. As for the 11500 capacity inc away fans, it’s obligatory to give away fans 10% of the attendance. Bournemouth could fill a 20,000 stadium no problem whatsoever. Sorry Plymouth fans to divert from your thread but I know there’s no news whatsoever for your team at the moment.

More likely now to be down to TV scheduling. If AFCB play on a Saturday 5.30 or Sunday then it would be a Wednesday night match. Barker the only signing for Plymouth so far. Hearing Continental riders of middle order not interested in the U.K. due to Brexit, distance and little value.

Might only get 11,500 crowds but virtually impossible to get a ticket. Demand outstrips ticket availability 3 to one. A 25,000 seater stadium would see a 25,000 crowd every home match.AFCB going the same way as Brentford and Brighton in the next three years.

Sounds like one big league would be the ideal scenario. Yes, riders would only have one club but the sport would be better for it.

Hate the musical chairs this time of year. Fans favourites moved on, simply because of a points limit which next season is overly harsh. Good luck to Kyle and hopefully he will be back in Pirates colours in the future.

Reading the reports from Max parents, broken ankle and broken wrist with bruising to the lung. Hospital operating on both broken bones today and keeping him in for a few days. Whilst worrying times for his parents, the injuries are nowhere near as serious to miss next season. A broken wrist is 6 weeks, broken ankle a bit longer and further time to strengthen. A young lad will heal faster than someone older. Expect Max to be fit and ready to go come March.

Sounds nasty. Best of luck to the lad on a speedy recovery.

Kyle’s been a great servant for Poole and still got what it takes. He can pop out and take some big scalps when not expected. A shame he doesn’t fit the jigsaw puzzle. Other clubs will be queuing up to sign him no doubt.