Main Man 222 Posted January 13, 2016 City Gearboxes MDL 2016 The CITY GEARBOXES sponsored Midland Development League held a highly successful AGM at the BSPA offices in Rugby on Wednesday. The 2016 season looks to be an exciting one as the league takes on a completely new format incorporating two separate league set-ups culminating in a Grand Final at the end of the season. Eight clubs will come to the line in 2016 with three clubs not entering sides in Wolverhampton, Stoke and Peterborough –although Milton Keynes will race their fixtures at the Showground. They raced at Mildenhall last year but the Fen Tigers will be having their own side at West Row in 2016. The league split sees the clubs meet each other in their section twice home and away with the table topping side in each mini-league at the cut -off point fighting it out to be crowned the 2016 MDL champions . The leagues have in section 1: Belle Vue, Buxton, Scunthorpe and Long Eaton; section 2 : Mildenhall, Kings Lynn, Milton Keynes and Coventry. The MDLRC will again be staged at Scunthorpe after last year’s successful event with Bank Holiday Monday August 29th pencilled in for the prestigious league event. Joint co-ordinator Dale Allitt saw the meeting as being a success, “There was a lot of constructive talk from all parties and the spirit of co-operation in ensuring the MDL continues to grow was very evident. We voted in several important changes that need ratifying but it was all very positive from one and all.” Fellow joint co-ordinator Laurence Rogers agreed wholeheartedly with this, “ it was one of the most constructive meetings I have ever been at. The split into two sections was unanimously agreed and will be good for one and all. We have some ideas as to what each section of the league might be called but need to run these past the BSPA and SCB. It all looks very exciting .” 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BuxtonTiger 122 Posted January 14, 2016 Looks good. With only six home fixtures, will they be run in April, May & June. Rain offs etc in July, play offs in August, NLRC on Bank Holiday. Feet up and xmas cards done by mid september!! - What could go wrong??????????????? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Sings4Speedway 3,247 Posted January 14, 2016 Looks good to me. I was hoping / expecting a couple more teams to be included but you cant have everything. The North / South split is certainly a good idea and will reduce travelling costs for riders who receive nothing financially in return. Looking forward to the clarity on the rules for this year (would be nice to see some kind of squad requirement) and for the season to begin. Ive always enjoyed the MDL and find it one of the most honest levels of Speedway so long may it continue & prosper. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mimmo 1,070 Posted January 14, 2016 With you all the way on that Sings4Kings. I'm just hoping the King's Lynn fixtures will follow the National League meetings (I think they are still being held on a Wednesday), as it doesn't look at the moment that I can get along to the Elite League meetings now the race night has been changed to Thursday. Like you, I enjoy the MDL meetings, as I do all grass roots level of speedway, and just hope we don't get the same rider turning out for umpteen clubs this year. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
*JJ 512 Posted January 15, 2016 The teams declared squads at the AGM, I think, but given the amateur staus of the riders, this will almost certainly change as the season goes on. Actually, riders need to be in different teams in order to get as much experience as possible. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Sings4Speedway 3,247 Posted January 15, 2016 Agreed however riders also need to learn commitment and team spirit that the squads provide. Teams to field a minimum of 2 squad members in each meeting? That allows guests to be used and offer the extra experience some require but still maintains the squad ethic? 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Main Man 222 Posted January 17, 2016 most, if not all , clubs hope to use as near to a squad as possible but this is not always possible for a variety of reasons. The regionalisation is to help reduce outgoings for the lads and dads (and mums etc!) as these riders receive no travel or points money at all. Riders will still appear for more than one team but not as much and I have had several new names to add to the MDL database plus some teams already have some new names for 2016 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
PhilK 150 Posted January 17, 2016 Mildenhall will be announcing their 'Fen Tiger Cubs' squad at the clubs 'Meet the Riders' evening at the stadium on Saturday 13th February The team will also have a team sponsor in Brian Pacey of Stonefield Farm Shop of Inworth near Colchester I will post the squad on here after it has been formally announced 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
PhilK 150 Posted February 14, 2016 The Mildenhall 'Stonefield Farm' Fen Tiger Cubs were introduced to a crowd of around 250 at the clubs Meet The Riders eveningThe six riders named in the Cubs squad are - Robert ParkerSam BebeeConnor KingWilliam O'KeefeTaylor Hampshire Jordan Jenkins 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
