Riders To Watch In 2014

[greyhoundp 990]

Trouble is if they are EC citizens there is no way around it. Rules cannot be set to insist on British riders taking team places. Look at the attempt by Sweden to do something similar and they can't do it officially. Sad but true

Furthermore some years ago There was an agreement to have British riders at six and seven in the Pl for the entire season. That lasted only a short time and mainly due to Steve Boxalls success at Rye House the rule was ditched mid season, some help to young British riders.

 

 

Of course there is a way around it, or is what the EL is doing with NL riders at 6 & 7 illegal ?. No quite simply it only needs a pick of draft NL riders at 7 or 6 & 7 for it to be possible, where there is a will, theres always a way, especially in speedway.

[teddy2706 166]

 

I think you have to detach those who care only about the future of the sport from those who have to operate financial management of their clubs in perilous times and take decisions that are best at the time given their own circumstances. Without those risk takers there would be no sport at all to speak of. However, we need a carefully co-ordinated plan to move forward with greater emphasis on the use of Britiish riders who in the long run would be cheaper.

 

In my view the public are tired of the type of foreigners that Bagpuss describes anyway and the advent of a great World Champion in our midst has spurred on the clamour for more Brits and better Brits. We no longer have overseas riders of any description in the National League and that is good but we need the National League to be bigger with a lower points limit and thus development opportunities to build on and latch itself to the work now done so comprehensively by Phil Morris and Neil Vatcher.

 

We need National League teams in Wales and in Scotland as a must so that riders like James McBain do not have to travel 250 miles for a home match as he is doing next season. It needs planning and I hope that the Elite League initiative will help improve these matters and that they will see enough to participate more fully in the National League like Coventry, Kings Lynn etc.

 

Football invests millions on development as they capture the hearts and minds of the youth of Britain to participate in their sport which at the basic level you can play with two coats and a ball. Speedway is difficult to get started in and even more difficult to make a success of. Thus it follows that we heave to nurture those who are attracted to us as participants. We are lagging behind other sports it would seem and the time is nigh where we must turn these issues around.

 

I hope we can and that serious money can be directed at this opportunity whether that be from existing funds or from new sponsorship.

 

It has to happen.

 

 

Malcolm Vasey

Surely the assumption that tracks will utilise local riders is a flawed argument?

Tim Webster was travelling over 250 miles each way to ride for Stoke, Ryan Blacklock ran 170 miles each way to ride Buxton, neither got paid anything like the true cost of the travelling expenses.Liam Carr has a run of around 170 miles too. How far was Robert Lambert's commute to work last season and was he being paid the going rate? ( I think many of us know the answer to that).

Simon Lambert will have to travel around 150 miles each way to Kent too.

After Newport's ignominious exit, Welsh tracks may be a sad dream but nothing apart from money prevents Edinburgh, Glasgow and even Berwick, Workington and Newcastle running NL teams.

Where will the money come from?

Apart from sponsors obviously, it needs people to wake up to the fact that NL racing might well be the most exciting league to watch and get down there!

[StevePark 2,780]

Trouble is if they are EC citizens there is no way around it. Rules cannot be set to insist on British riders taking team places. Look at the attempt by Sweden to do something similar and they can't do it officially. Sad but true

Furthermore some years ago There was an agreement to have British riders at six and seven in the Pl for the entire season. That lasted only a short time and mainly due to Steve Boxalls success at Rye House the rule was ditched mid season, some help to young British riders.

 

Just don't pick them.

[Parsloes 1928 nearly 495]

Ryan Blacklock ran 170 miles each way to ride Buxton..

Blimey, he ran that distance? He must've been plumb tuckered out..!

[21st century heathen 220]

Riders to watch in 2014? Quite a few to be honest but I've restricted myself to one from each (most) team as one I think will 'one to watch'.

 

Buxton - Carr

 

I'm expecting big things from him this season. A combination of few of last season's big hitters and (a recurring theme for many to follow) a natural improved this season on last will see Liam's average rise sharply I believe. I'd expect out-and-out heat leader quality at home and a menace on the road where he could lower a few colours. His away form may well define the season for Buxton. It won't be easy but he could inspire them to some surprise results that just keep the league total ticking over.

 

Coventry - Dan Greenwood

 

Dan was absolutely flying toward the end of the last season and if he can start the season in that form and stay fully fit the confidence will build relentlessly. He's had plenty of laps around Brandon so it's not like he will need time to settle on a new home track. He was very good value for the Heathens in the mickey mouse pairs that Coventry staged last season, outshining Starke on the night. He's not riding in a heat leader position to start the season but he could very easily be riding to a heat leader average and could make the Storm title favourites (and the fours and the cup!).

 

Cradley - Tough one this and one I have naturally thought more about than the other clubs. Starke needs to prove last season wasn't a flash in the pan. Can he maintain or even kick on from his near 10-point average? Can Worrall finally (a couple of years late perhaps) have a really big breakthrough year like his brother had? Can Perry regain his true form after a difficult 2013 that was affected by illness and injury? Can Clegg bolster the middle order with more consistent away form which will probably mean finding a way to be more consistent from the gate? Can Greaves handle the pressure in starting in the 1-5 and more importantly keep it rubber side down? I came very close to naming Greaves my one to watch for the Heathens for this very reason. He had something like 15 retirements and exclusions last season and I'm sure by far the majority were due to slipping off the bike while in good scoring positions, mostly 1st or 2nd placed at the time. Put this right and he'll raise his average significantly again. I then considered Phillips who is a rider I wanted us to sign this season but expected to go to Mildenhall, so imagine my surprise and delight. I quite sure he can replicate what many a 3-pointer with a bit of quality does and put at least a point on his average with a combination of cracking scores when it all comes together and perhaps the odd disappointment when arguably trying to hard and blip in confidence (see Greaves). But in the end I'm going for Williamson. This is mostly down to two reasons. He has last year under his belt and he starts from a lower average than Greaves giving more room for average improvement. His points at the lower end, along with Greaves and Phillips will be crucial and likely define our season. We may see him need some time to get used to Monmore and work out the lines and that you ride it with your brain as much your throttle but I expect Starke in particular to be on-hand to give as much help as the lad asks for.

 

Devon - An unknown at this point.

 

Kent - Freemantle. The top three will do their job and provide a solid base for the club to launch its assault on the silverware and Mason/Chessell will do what they does in the middle order. Freemantle has all the potential to move straight in to the top 5 and prove himself a very worthy addition to it. He's certainly going to be one of the ones to watch in the league not just his own club. I expect a big average improvement and one that could prove to be the difference between two teams when they go head-to-head.

 

King's Lynn - For me this one was quite straight forward. It's Rose; simple as that really. I expect him to soar head and shoulders above his team mates and provided he keeps his focus and channels drive and determination the right way I believe he'll become one of the top riders in the league this season. Competition amongst the top riders will still be stern despite so many having moved and this is he'll need to make sure he try too much and end up with falls or exclusions costing him points. There may be time when a 2nd or a 3rd has to be settled for but over the course of the season it'll see his stock rise.

 

Mildenhall - Kingston is the man for them in what looks another solid line-up. It's a team packed with potential but this lad probably impressed me most of all visitors to Monmore last season, and I'm not alone in thinking his display that night was truly noteworthy. In a similar position to Greaves in that he's going to start in the top 5 with a season under his belt so it could be how he approaches the extra responsibility and expectation that come with that which ultimately proves me right or wrong in naming him one to watch. I do expect a big but steady improvement from him as he doesn't strike me as a rider to make rash or foolish decisions.

 

Scunthorpe - Another unknown quantity and I suspect I may not be the best person to pick one out of their line-up when it's known as it may well feature riders I know little if anything about.

 

Stoke - There's one man I think will define how far up the league Stoke can push next season so he's without any doubt or hesitation my one to watch from their septet. I think it could be a really big season for Hopwood. I view him similarly to Dan Greenwood as a 2013 second string that will benefit hugely in 2014 from both natural progress and the number of heat leaders that have moved on. There are still riders that will average a fair big more than Hopwood (and Greenwood) but he will shine in this league, of that I have not about.

 

Great to have Devon and Scunny in the league this season and I look forward to seeing how they line up. As good as this is I join with everybody in being truly gutted that we've lost IOW. I really hope a solution is found down there but it doesn't look good at the moment.

[Parsloes 1928 nearly 495]

Good stuff 21CH.

My pick from the Storm though would be the other Greenwood: Oliver.

He is a rider of great potential and I reckon 2014 will be the year he breaks through in a big way...

[HBKPCNBob 5]

Thanks for that guys, I am hoping to sponsor a talented rider next season. Its just nice to know who is doing it right out there atm.

[steve povey 14]

Nathan Greaves is my pick.Saw enough last year to think he improve significantly.

[bigred 187]

Nathan Greaves is my pick.Saw enough last year to think he improve significantly.

as his sponsor you cant really say any other really.....

[Ommer Mon 381]

I think 21 CH nailed it with Dan Greenwood.

 

I think Cradley could have dropped a clanger letting him go (and I know he was in their first choice septet). Dan was brilliant at the end of last season but he does need to keep his self belief up. If he does that he could be an 8 pointer by the end of the year.

 

Good luck to him.

[Heathen1984 139]

But what could they have done Ommer Um? Who else could they have got rid off?

[21st century heathen 220]

Good stuff 21CH.

My pick from the Storm though would be the other Greenwood: Oliver.

He is a rider of great potential and I reckon 2014 will be the year he breaks through in a big way...

 

Cheers. Yeah, I considered Ollie as well. I went for Dan based on him starting in a second string position which should give him some slightly easier heats. It is certainly true to say that it could be a really big year for Ollie too. Cracking looking line-up Coventry have. They're the pre-season favourites for me.

 

I think 21 CH nailed it with Dan Greenwood.

 

I think Cradley could have dropped a clanger letting him go (and I know he was in their first choice septet). Dan was brilliant at the end of last season but he does need to keep his self belief up. If he does that he could be an 8 pointer by the end of the year.

 

Good luck to him.

 

He's just a victim of circumstance. It happens to clubs/riders every year. C'est la vie.

[Ommer Mon 381]

Good question Heathen 1984.

 

Personally I would have been keen to have Nathan Greaves at reserve so I would have liked to have seen Liam Carr in the side with Dan Greenwood. This would also have meant no room for Starkie (and I wouldn't have been very happy with that either!!!).

 

To get back on thread, I think Liam Carr could go well this year for the Hitmen.

 

Suffice to say I am happy with the team we've got and a strong top two is always a good point to start from Penhall/ Gundersen, Hamill/Hancock etc etc.

[Aceslider 218]

Reading BSPA news item this morning announcing the signing by Scunthorpe of Steve Jones. If this is the same Steve Jones who made a brief number of outings at reserve back in the very late 90's for Newcastle, he might just be one to watch.

 

I seem to recall he had great promise with a classy leg trailing style, but had a really nasty accident when his throttle jammed open entering the first bend at Newcastle.

 

He must be getting on a bit now if it is him (relatively speaking), but if it is him, I would love to see him hitting some big scores for the Stags

[StevePark 2,780]

Reading BSPA news item this morning announcing the signing by Scunthorpe of Steve Jones. If this is the same Steve Jones who made a brief number of outings at reserve back in the very late 90's for Newcastle, he might just be one to watch.

 

I seem to recall he had great promise with a classy leg trailing style, but had a really nasty accident when his throttle jammed open entering the first bend at Newcastle.

 

He must be getting on a bit now if it is him (relatively speaking), but if it is him, I would love to see him hitting some big scores for the Stags

 

It is, indeed, he!

 

Date of Birth is 27/09/79

Edited February 28, 2014 by The Abbott