Paulco

With Flint away doing god knows what , god knows where , we've strengthened up by bringing in 2023 Tiger Claus Vissing as a guest . We also welcome back the impressive Sam Hagon for the suspended Complin . Berwick have Justin Sedgmen for Lewis Kerr , which is pretty much like for like round Ashfield . So as long as there is no bloody rain and no motorway hold ups , the bonus point situation could well decide the group . So our task is to score at least 49 points .

Aye just shows how ridiculous speedway can be . Surely guests in this competition should be from teams of a different group

Agreed

If we are actually out of the monsoon season before Friday we might get our home campaign up and running . Our nearest and dearest are first up and they arrive with much the same mediocre side as last year . Pickering is always good value right enough , but the rest ?????. Thomson has the odd decent meeting around Ashfield , the Italian porn star has the odd competitive race in him , can't see the rest doing too much . I'm assuming Lee will still be kicking his heels waiting on the second test result to clear him , so we will possibly need a guest reserve . So if we can put the canoes away I think a 20 point home win should be achievable

With both clubs being Friday night clubs , and with both BSN group matches needing to be restaged. I was wondering if both meetings could be ran on the same day , I.e . a Sunday , like we used to do with Newcastle

Well after the disappointment of being denied an opening win at Armadale because of the rainy stuff that hates speedway , its off down to the borders tomorrow for the usual pre-meeting pub crawl . Berwick , under the stewardship of the " special one " , look a much tougher proposition this season . But we have enough track specialists in our ranks to make this a close and entertaining occasion. So if the rain would kindly sod off and let's get our 2024 campaign underway. See you tomorrow Banditos.

Until the heels stop getting dragged to clear Lee , we are kinda limited in our options . Mulford would be the ideal guest but unfortunately Redcar also are a Friday night track . So Hagen , Hodder and McGurk are the only real choices . And all are complete novices at this level . Though Hodder seems to have started the season pretty well

We'll see . It could be some medication he takes . Couple of years ago Kyle Howarth was guesting for the Monarchs against us and he failed a test and wasn't allowed to ride . Turned out it was Night Nurse and he was back riding the following week for his clubs . So too early to hang Lee out to dry yet

Loadsa money numbnuts

Glad to have them back from isolation

Depends how thick someone's skin is I suppose . You dish it out , you take it back , it's all good fun . It's why Scottish derbies are so special . We can poke fun at each other and have a drink together in the bar afterwards .

It's banter , it's what adds a bit of fun to the Scottish derbies

And at Berwick , Peter Waite never signed a rider until February some seasons

I'm sure the 7th signing whoever that may be will complete a competitive championship side to grace that wonderful track . I went three times last season and really enjoyed it there . Can't wait to see Bomber and Cook going head to head this coming season

Oh dear lol

Yes congratulations. But is pages after pages of the smug " I know something you don't know " really that interesting ?

Both capable riders in this grade who will command an average between 7 and 8

What might help crowd levels is that I dont see too many away wins with clubs carrying a long tail .

To be honest looking at all the sides , the season doesn't fill me with excitement due to the reduction in the points limit . Maybe we've been spoiled this past few years , but the aftermath of dropping to 38 points is there for all to see . Anyway as for who does what , I think the play off places will come down to Redcar , Poole and two from four between Glasgow , Scunthorpe , Oxford and Berwick . Redcar look strongest . Bailey, Edwards and Mulford can all kick on and up their averages . Poole's top 4 will ensure no home defeats and could pick up something on the road against the weaker sides . Glasgow have probably the strongest heat leader trio and their season depends on Pearson translating his Aussie form back here to back them up . Oxford have swapped Kerr for a two pointer , but Jenkins could easily make the necessary progress to back up Masters and Nichols . Berwick look pretty solid throughout without having a real big hitter , but that could be the way to go . As for the other three . Can Cook and Batchelor remain focused enough to spearhead the Comets ? Edinburgh have the entertaining and talented Pickering , but rely on most of the same faces that flopped last year . And Plymouth .....well. Covatti isn't a number 1 not even in a watered down league and can Barker stay out of trouble ?

He was probably the best available on that sort of average out of what was left . You can look at it positively, you have two ex-GP regulars spearheading the side in a watered down league .

Ah but you have Stewart Dickson, now in charge ,who loves swapping them around

Looking at the sides assembled so far , I dont think there will be too many away wins

Good draw for us . Our number 1 will have both legs on his home track . Yes I know only in speedway haha

Good that Bomber has been officially confirmed. With the powers that be deciding to water down our league , and some of the entertainers moving on out of it , Bomber will just have to start missing the gate a bit more now .

It kinda was . Harris was in the pits with him at Cardiff when he rode in that SGP2 event on the Sunday after the main GP . I think having Harris in the pits with him again will prove beneficial