heathen79

I reckon he's young and Australian!

Perry injured in U21 meeting on Friday and doctor ruled him out for 48 hours. Was due to be missing the Mildenhall match anyway as he was scheduled for the European Grasstrack Championship. His injury meant missing that meeting, but he hopes to be back for Tuesday.

The Leicester article in Speedway Star appears to back up the Heathens argument. They state that agreement was made with Mildenhall (and also Workington) to move the start times on the 19th August - Mildenhall to start at 3pm and Leicester at 7.30pm - to enable the three riders in question to do both meetings.

Seems there was a run off for ninth. I thought the top seven went through from each round. Phil Morris says on Twitter that Tom got the last qualifying spot. Anyone confirm how many through?

End of the month is the planI believe.

Heathens have a full 1-7 agreed, with only the last rider still to be publicly announced.

I think Ash at #5. But all sorts of permutations available here. Just a question, not a suggestion, but what about Tom at #2 with Adam? James at #3 and Byron at #4. Too radical?

Seems like Micky is going to be at Edinburgh in 2012 then. Great news. Good luck Flyer!

Fair comment, but he came in part-way through the season and it was his first time away from Aussie on his own. If he was coming in at the start of the season next year and not giving everyone a couple of months head-start, it would be a significant difference. Plus, he's had the experience of being over here now, and would be stronger for it next time around. His natural style and ability should be the biggest factors to put faith in him.

Bekker should really be a steal on that average. He's still relatively young and has been a consistent heatleader in the NL for a few years, should is certainly capable of 8.00+ Last year was decimated by injury and the Belle Vue track probably didnt help! With the Cradley boys in his pits corner already, he'll be well backed. He's been a reliable guest for us for the last couple of seasons, coming in to replace our Number One. Now he comes in on a 6.5 average. Potentially strong team coming together nicely! Edit: James White-Williams also now confirmed on 4.53 average.

I thought Micky was great. Superb style, very natural on a bike and exciting to watch. I'd agree he should be capable of 5.00+ in the PL Was really disappointed to hear that he'd packed in speedway 12 months ago, but delighted that he's on the comeback trail now - he has plenty to offer.

Adam Roynon confirmed as Heathens Number 1 and captain on 9.08 average. Good luck to him for a safe and successful season!

Just wondered if anyone had any interesting information about Rotherham Speedway. Purely because I knew it was relatively close to where I currently live and, after doing a bit of searching, I found on the defunct speedway track site that it is actually only about 400m away as the crow flies! Having had a wander down there, it seems that the rough shape of the track might even still be able to traced. There is some development on one corner however. I've seen reported crowd figures ranging anywhere from 3,000 to 20,000 people from the era they ran in 1929/30 and I know that only individual meetings were run, never a league team. I think the track was sometimes referred to as Hellaby and sometimes Bramley. http://www.defunctspeedway.co.uk/Rotherham.htm

Yes I do vaguely remember that. I'm not for a minute suggesting that it is a location for a new venture. Just interested in the history, for example how big the crowds were, how many meetings, who rode, any other stories. Although if it were to reopen, I'd be there!

Are Belle Vue likely to fit in all their remaining fixtures now?

Points taken mate and no offense taken or intended either. The reason for referring to last season and the first part of this season was to put the last few matches into context. I think a few people have over-reacted and seem to feel that if we're not winning every match then something must be wrong. There are loads of posts, particularly on facebook about the need for more money and sponsorship etc. Whilst I don't disagree that all NL riders would welcome a bit of extra funds, I don't think it's necessarily the answer here. For me, the long and short of it is that we're a predominantly young, inexperienced side and a few of our lads of gone through a rough patch of form. Unfortunately this lull has come at the wrong time of the season, we peaked much earlier, and has co-incided for a few of them at the same time. The riders just need to learn how to cope with the downs as well as the ups and pull themselves through. Too many people - and I'm summarising from here, facebook, Heathens Forum - seem to me to be searching for impossible solutions. I do feel that todays press release was spot on from the management. Let's get the riders together before tomorrow's match. Have a chat, reassure them and pull everyone together. The Heathens team have more pressure than most due to big passionate crowds and past history. I do still feel that if you take our record over the two seasons most would swap. We finished top of the league last year, won the National Shield and the Fours this year, and could still make the playoffs. But we've had a tough couple of matches against the best teams in the league. I'm not even using the argument that most are about it's great we have a team at all. Even aside from that, we've done pretty well and I don't feel the need for any panic button just yet!

From the point of view of Heathens fans (plus those other teams wanting to get into the top four at the expense of Hackney) - here's hoping for a Newport win in this one, by more than six too!

Well, with the benefit of a couple more results to predict, I think the top four will be like this: 1 Stoke 2 Mildenhall 3 Scunthorpe/Sheffield I think 4th place will then be between Belle Vue and the Heathens. I know Dudley have been thumped on the road twice this weekend, but I wasn't banking on any league points from those matches, so the only change is the abject manner of defeat, which we will need to put out of our heads. I hope we can still pick up 10+ league points from our remaining four home matches, which would take us to 30 points. Much will then depend on whether we can pick anything up at the Isle of Wight. I know Hackney are up there at the moment, but I think they will drop out, down to 6th.

I think some Heathens fans may have been spoilt by success! There are ten teams in the NL this year and I bet almost every other one would love to have the Heathens combined record over this season and last. We can't win em all, but we've won a damn good percentage, with some fantastic entertainment along the way. I understand some people will be disappointed, but some seem to take it a bit more personally and drastically than it needs to be. It doesn't mean there are 'problems' within the club, or that there needs to be sweeping changes, or anything anywhere near as dramatic! It just means we need to stick by the young lads who we have done a tremendous job of nurturing already, and help them get themselves right again for the next match. Away at Scunny and Stoke were always going to be very tough to get anything from. We have four home Tuesdays in a row now, so let's see if we can build up some momentum from them, and see if we can get anything at the Isle of Wight in the remaining away trip. If so, we'll be there or thereabouts near the top four.

It's all about hitting form at the right time with the playoffs of course. Heathens best form was at the start of the season. Mildenhall were not on the pace then, but with Heeps in they're a totally different proposition. Scunny have improved gradually and the progress of Birks and the Worralls has been tremendous. Stoke seem to have been consistent throughout, while Belle Vue have gone through some injury problems and will be hoping that everyone is fit and coming together for the run-in. Still time for the Heathens to turn it round. In truth, I wasn't expecting much from either last night or tonight in terms of league points. I do think we should win all our remaining home matches, and if we can reap the full 12 points from them, then it might come down to whether we can pick up something at the Isle of Wight.

Combined into one post from above... Stoke still have: Home: Dudley, Newport, Hackney, Buxton Away: Mildenhall, King's Lynn, Dudley, Buxton, Belle Vue I think the Saints have, HOME: Dudley,Belle Vue,Mildenhall and IOW AWAY:Ackney,Mildenhall,Buxton,Newport and IOW Heathens have: HOME: Belle Vue, Stoke, Buxton, Kings Lynn AWAY: Scunthorpe, Stoke, Isle of Wight BV Colts have: Home Hackney, Kings Lynn Away: Dudley, Sheffield and Kings Lynn Still to be arranged: Newport Home/Away and Stoke Home(Previously rained off) Mildenhall have Home: Stoke / Scunfield / Newport Away: Isle of Wight / Hackney / Scunfield Belle Vue - three matches still to arrange! That could prove costly! And a link to the MiniMax league table, at a time where it comes into most use: http://speedway.manchesterpaul.net/leagues.html As the standings are, it makes it very very close with the projected points: Stoke 43, Scunny 36, Mildy 35, BV 34, Heathens 33, Hackney 32. Could be all change by the end of the evening, let alone the weekend, with some big NL action!

Heathens have: HOME: Belle Vue, Stoke, Buxton, Kings Lynn AWAY: Scunthorpe, Stoke, Isle of Wight Last match scheduled for 6th September.

Given by announcer as 302. Rather disappointing from local estimates I believe.

I'd very much support the idea of some second half racing too. I'd be interested to hear the opposing point of view from anyone on why it can't be done. Seems the best way to get extra rides for our reserves and number 8s.

What an odd thing to suggest your post shouldn't be quote by someone else in the public thread of an open discussion! And as for requesting to see the club's asset list, and suggesting that an official press release 'means nothing', I think I'll take that as floundering for any kind of sensible reply and rest my case.