Fortythirtyeight

It hasn’t been ‘ announced ‘ but the rider was approached for a championship team place and he said he wasn't really interested anymore , so I take that to mean he’s packed in, retired……for now.

Yes.

So, as it stands with current rules, they have Bickley with possibly Lyden and that isn’t confirmed as the others either have signed elsewhere or aren’t currently eligible or have ‘retired’ in Rotherys case.

Yes, that’s no secret and as some of those are already signed elsewhere hence the demand for a change in the rules to the detriment of British youngsters.

Well riding in the NJL isn’t going to improve them as they will only go to Berwick and Redcar and ride against novices. Let’s hope Glasgow and Workington can find riders to enlarge the league and bring on some new riders as the sport certainly needs them.

Another case of the minority ruling over the majority ? Very sad if that is the case as the sport seems to bend over backwards to please certain clubs demands but this leaves them with just Millar (s ? ) Embleton and Lyden as the rest have signed elsewhere. Not against having a few ozzies in there but needs to be controlled , perhaps by giving them a very high assessed average to start with ?

With only six teams confirmed it’s going to be a very , very short season unless Armadale and Mildenhall are allowed to sign seven ozzies to fill their teams up. Do hope they both come to the start line as the league needs them but it’s not looking likely with the lack of suitable riders.

I’ll tell you when I see you next but you were interested in joining them when it was first put forward.

Might be because out of 40 you have listed only one doesn’t ride in a team and that’s because he’s packed it in. As for some of them listed, NO they shouldn’t be in a development league as they are beyond that level and , by their own admission, get nothing out of it….read Jason Edwards piece in the S/S . Anders Rowe rides in Poland , the Premiership and the championship and you want him to ride in the NDL ! You said there was enough riders to fill 14 teams, there isn’t !

But all of those are in teams now ! Where are these others you seem to think are waiting in the wings for the ‘14 ‘ teams your producing out of thin air ?

What ‘additional costs’ ? If the club has a permit in existence then there aren’t any. They get the same points money / basic wage guarantee, most are put up as guests by club hosts at no cost to the club so no different to equivalent brits. If anything they are willing to put up with more hardships to try and make it than a lot of Brit youngsters who some times demand way more than they are currently worth but I do agree, the rules with averages dont help the middle order riders, perhaps grading is the fairer way ?

Then you need to open your eyes. The British youth rounds are the lowest in numbers there have been for years as very few are taking up the sport. Yes, there’s few good ones coming through , mostly now moving into 250’s , but not many, and where are there replacements? You need to look at the ages of those that are around , not many of team racing age. One club who enquired about running in NDL was informed they probably wouldn’t be considered as there wasn’t enough riders of the right quality to fill another team. Yes, the rules are an issue but more so the lack of proper schools where kids can get on a bike and try the sport.

Nothing against Clegg, he can still do a job for any championship side, but he’s had 12 years in a ‘development’ league. As for non brits in the NDL….this is a reflection on how many brits are taking up speedway , we can’t fill the teams we have and we have so few to start with.

All depends what insurance cover is provided as different types of session ( only one rider on track at a time, club ‘closed doors’ practice , ‘open’ practice, etc ) require different insurance levels and therefore different levels of medical cover.

Nailed it.

League?….not a lot of teams to beat if the other two don’t confirm.

Kerr as well ? ……according to the speedway star.

With Armadale being a doubt I can see a couple of their riders heading to Berwick as a few have been lost to Workington. Danny Phillips is a Berwick asset isn’t he ?

So where does Jack Thomas fit in ? Main Body ? Or reserve ?

You can’t see anything out of those glasses and why ? He isn’t going to have any home track advantage !. Although he really should be adding to it this season, plenty of talent but too many ‘F’ and ‘EF’s’, hope he makes it to that ‘next step’ this year.

You’ve obviously never raced !

It’s the team manager edition you will need to watch.

If Comets are looking for local lads Ben Rathbone now lives in Workington.

Have a listen to Bears Live TV, that will give you a couple of starters, but the clue is already there.

As King has gone to Redcar, he certainly hasn’t gone for the money. More than one rider has recently agreed to sign for a club but then made excuses and signed for someone who has waved the ‘ cheque book ‘ , and it isn’t Glasgow !