teaboy279

I am properly gutted about Danny and James, and frustrated. But both are kent assets so perhaps the thinking was that as Luke is not an asset and would be harder to re sign at a later date. I really don't know, but just throwing that in as a possibility. But going with who we have confirmed as signings already. Luke Bowen is very expensive but you ll get one of the class performers in the league, who barring mechanicals he was barely beaten by an opponent. Because some of the top boys Ellis Clegg Morris to name a few, apear to be moving up he could be the man to beat this season. And young Jack Thomas was a sensation last year and if it was not for the 2 jacks at Brum he would of got even more credit. Now people may say he could struggle in the middle order, but he was beating heat leaders last year pretty regularly so hopefully he will continue to improve and be heat leader pretty quickly. With no one else officially announced, we can only be happy about the riders we have so far. Hopefully others have been signed but nothing announced whilst numbers are juggled. There are quality riders out there on very cheap averages but there others who whilst quality riders have averages to high to risk signing. So a lot will depend who we get. Plenty of names being banded around, but some I ve heard who I d expect to increase thier averages significantly are the likes of Kelsey Dugard, Shane Hazleden, Ben Hopwood, so any of them would be promising. Had heard Dan Greenwood's name mentioned but Cradley struck gold there. Luke Clifton is the only king from 2016 who has not be confirmed as staying or going yet but on a 4.22 average there is some big potential growth there, and it can't be possible to get injured in other people's crashes so many times again. You think well over a decade out the sport and probably only 3 weeks actually fully fit and he still got an average of 4.22 Another one I ve heard is Stoneman but his average is a massive chunk and represents a big gamble, he could drop a point or he could add a couple. Who ever we get will get our 100 percent support and we wish all the former kings all the best. (Just be kind when you come back to visit)

Either Len is going to spring some massive suprises, or the points dropping has thrown our plans out the window. But with only 2 riders officially announced its hard to make a judgement on what our team will look like and how competitive we may be. I do agree Len is gonna take a hit on the gate, and a considerable one at that. Whilst us die hards will go even if we have five Adam Sheppards in the team, with both the showman gone, the casual fans and indeed the neutral fans are less likely to go racing in my opinion. The one thing I said to some kent fans yesterday is that Len put his hand in his pocket to give us speedway in the county again, so even if he turns out a poor side we still owe him a debt of gratitude for giving us speedway in the first place.

If riders went unpaid, and no rent has been paid at all. I would suggest that the Colts certainly run at a massive project.

Pretty sure when Brum folded all thier assets went to the bspa. When James Shanes signed for Kent both the bspa and Poole referred to kent as his parent club, so not sure what the assets situation is. I know there is no legal way that assets can be stripped without compensation being paid, so we have to assume the rule applied to new assets. Clubs dropping down have chosen to do so, so may have to sign over thier assets as a condition of joining the league. Although it's anyone's guess, as I have spoken to a promoters and managers and no one is 100 percent certain.

Pretty sure Ben struggled to get his wages when he guested for the Colts, so can't see him going there tbh. I did think he would be at Kent but I saw him post on FB when someone suggested he rode at Lakeside nxt year that that was too far away.

Can say categorically that Dan did not want to leave kent. I think Shanes will miss far more then Danny would have as riding for Poole and sky's love of them, I suspect he will miss many Monday nights when you consider Wolves and Aces are Monday clubs too. Then the fact he has qualified for the Longtrack GP series means many weekends on the continent too.

Can't say I ve seen much of Hunter but, I keep reading positive things about him. Bowtell depends which Alfie turns up, on his day he looks mega fast and others looks like he is struggling to stay on. He needs a season without injury breaks, to allow him to develop. Both are works in progress with considerable scope to dramatically increase thier averages. As been said a lot depends on what numbers they will be at. Number 2 is proper grave yard shift in the NL especially later in the year when rr comes out in heat 8.

Just to add I doubt any Saturday will happen as on the 3 weeks in a month with no RTS meeting, the track is in use all day for practice for the cars. I believe this is the case on the alternate Sundays too.

Don't think Drew Kemp is 15 until next season,

No it wasn't Have I missed something?

Don't often read them anymore if I am honest but feel naked without a programme. The only exception being FIM events because I ain't paying 5 or 10 quid for effectively a blank scorecard. I where possible try to use the businesses who sponsor heats at kent, or recommend them as it's these kinda sponsors that keep our clus afloat in my mind. Can't see why any negativety goes towards SS as scorecards are freely available online, just making it easier for fans with less computer knowledge or indeed access. People who buy programmes always will imo, I still have hundreds if not thousands of programmes dating back to before my birth and to when my dad was riding in the 70s

Really can't see us signing Mason, lovely bloke but far too expensive an average which will go down this year. My prediction is Bowen Clifton Hopwood Thomas Shanes Rowe Bowdery That will be as strong as anyone, and if either Anders or Kenny kick on it could be a very very strong side. Always felt after Luke and Jack were announced it was going to be a choice between Ayres and Shanes at 5 and Clifton and Verge at 2. With Mason always missing out. Any team with a 48 point average at the end of the season is doing great to get 4 riders back the following season.

Where does this old crap come from, you should go to a kent meeting. Whilst there are many seniors watching, and all the old Crusaders fans.But I would estimate that half our crowds are under 40. And wold say at least 75 under 10's are at every meeting. Really don't know where this concept has come from, suppose people will jump on any old bandwagon rather then open thier eyes.

And it's replies like that, that gives all the good supporters a bad name at different clubs. Don't recall anyone no matter how anal or biased that claimed anything other then the best team won the league in 2016. But if you want to believe the world hates Brum then name calling on a forum will probably help your dream come true. #makeapointwithoutinsults And for point of accuracy if I was not a teaboy i'd be a realaleboy as bitter is too watery for me And for point of accuracy if I was not a teaboy i'd be a realaleboy as bitter is too watery for me

Agree with gustix, when telling new folk about speedway I just refer to us as the National League or third tier ( although with so much doubling up it is hard to argue that there is 2 tiers above it anyway)

Can I ask what I am being bitter about, asked a question, got an answer. End of?

How have hiring ham come to the rescue may I ask? Your landlords did, not Brum.

Not sure on the tariff but clubs get fined for uncompleted fixtures.

Think Kent covers every meet at CP

Surely you ll have one or the other.

Think the only stipulation should be that the riders are british and/or qualify to ride for team gb, or national championships.

Stoke in perticular don't think I have seen more then 150 there in recent years. For a nt match maybe 2014 I reckon there were more riders and family from the 2 nl teams and 2 mdl teams then paying customers. If there was 50 I d be suprised and I know at least 14 kent fans who went. There are tracks that run bangers as well as speedway, and places like Lynn Ipswich arlington Mildenhall and arena the car crowds are probably double the bikes. (Maybe less so in the last few years for the latter 2)

James and Danny won't fit unless you wanna run 3 x 3 pointers. Think Clifton will return, and contrary to romours I hope either Danny or James stay, but I fear neither will return. Poor old Danno may well be a victim of his own success with a very tricky average to fit it, same with Magic his average is just far too expensive, I know he is continuing next season but I suspect the club's that will be after him will have younger teams in need of experience. Think Anders Rowe is a shoe in for one of the reserve berths, and with plenty of young unattached riders locally I hope we use one of those to complete the line up.

Campos looked solid every time I saw him last year,

Last time it went into the 30's the league suffered imo and also there were many riders without a club that year that have faded away from the sport. A 40-42 (40 being my choice for 2017) window allows higher average riders to stay in the league, whilst also pushing the top boys up and making room at the bottom for the next generation.