GWC

I always thought dropping Ben Morley was a mistake!

I would say that at Kent the majority of riders there have come through from junior racing so they know what it’s going to take to progress. Jake Mulford has, I believe come from grass track but you can see he is well organised and already riding lines a lot of more experienced riders at this level won’t. I’m also wary of comments made that it needs a certain amount of intelligence to become a top class rider.

At NL level there are so many parents involved that it cannot be good for a rider but without them they wouldn’t be there!

Injuries and way too much pressure put on young riders these days not to mention the expense and travelling involved.

Surely it’s more about signing riders suited to your home track. TJ an example paid maximum for King’s Lynn against stronger riders and poor return yesterday... This PL/CL thing has run its course and needs a bold alternative.

Kent really only have themselves to blame when you sign so many young riders. As talented as they are mistakes will be made and the opposition are not quite as good as you are!

I would say at least 3 riders in the Swindon side would score well in Poland’s top league so not really surprising that they should be walloping Ipswich and a few others!!

Consigned to history it would be a waste of money. Speedway needs to focus on their existing stadia and seek to improve where possible.

Rolling averages skew riders who are performing better in the short term. The SS has his 2019 average as 4.27 which is realistic - the same for Rasmus his current ave is 8.5!! Teams need riders they can identify with so that meetings have more relevance not just watching ‘a’ team of riders achieving 46 points or more so your team wins. A combined league would be weaker but it would take away this doubling nonsense

If you saw the Wroclaw GP you won’t get a better advert for speedway! The skill and speed on show was breathtaking on a track suited to fast racing. Yes it was the cream of speedway but not all GP’s produce that sort of racing. Alas many of our tracks cannot cope with the modern power and speed bikes produce so the racing suffers.

I’m sure the current budget at Swindon for Doyle and Batchelor is probably 50% of the total. If you just retained Batchelor when added to 6 of the above then that would establish a true number one just as you had in the days of Briggo!

Maybe in the first year each club runs with r/r so one less rider needed. More money for riders then!

The thing that attracted me to the sport was the programme and the programme board. All manner of shapes and colours - home made with bull dog clips!

Sweeping changes needed - In a league of 16 teams, assuming that is the level set, you could build a team of 5 riders to a total average of 28 from the current PL and CL. The reserves would not be signed to a team and be available as and when. The majority would have to come from the NL. An increased NL allowing part time & amateur riders with emphasis on rider development.

I think the problem is leagues are too small and play offs skew decisions.

Changes at the bottom end of teams is one thing and can be expected to some extent as these tend to be younger inexperienced riders and they can come back again. But the recent Somerset change is pretty drastic and was no doubt helped by the Germans ‘retirement’.

So long as a rider gets fixed up with another team then it remains an evil that we the supporters have to put up with. But it’s time to bring an end to the merry go round me thinks!

I wonder who will be the next team to join the arms race and change their team - Proctor now available!

My first year in 1969 many teams in Division 2 had riders on loan from Div 1. As those riders improved they began to feature more in their senior team whilst continuing to compete at lower level. However it wasn’t long term like it is now. I remember Geoff Maloney at Rayleigh started one season on fire and was doubling up with Hackney, he moved up full time mid season much to my annoyance! What did stop riders dropping down a league was when Romford signed Des Lukehurst from Hackney as he couldn’t get a ride with another Div 1 team. In those days overnight it turned Romford into title challengers and I don’t think they lost another match all season. I remember huge crowds too.

But there has always been a double up or down in speedway mainly due to the unique nature of the sport where injuries exist or rider experience shortages. It works for inexperienced riders to ride in a higher league but what we have now is the bspa allowing ALL riders in the lower league to earn money and keep their promoters happy by not losing better riders and thus dilute their product.

I’m sure everyone who attended the meeting were also overjoyed that Kent only had 6 riders. Unless you know and understand the strict rules surrounding this sport then it would have been baffling to someone who didn’t!!

Alfie reminds me of when Karl Fiala first ride at Rye House all those years ago. He was a sand track racer and couldn’t turn very well on Rye tight turns. It took many seasons and Colin Pratt’s coaching to turn him into a top rider who retired far too early. Alfie won’t get that sort of loyalty these days but he’s still only 22 and the potential is definitely there.

But May supported Schlein and rightly so there isn’t a limitless number of riders of his quality you could sign and calling out dangerous and poorly prepared tracks needs to be highlighted. German riders have an issue with attitude and commitment as Egon Muller stated for their lack of international progress in speedway.

Lad was never ready for CL level of racing and again shows up teams using riders from the NL to fit in higher averaged riders at the top. Teams will change come what may so I hope Henry continues in the sport.

Rides on a GB licence