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Leicester Lions 2018

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6 hours ago, Grachan said:

Completely bizarre. Whatever happened to having a team of riders the fans could relate to? 

And to think that this is the club who once went an entire season using the same 7 riders in every match.

Blimey Grachan how far back are you going ~ 50 years? :D  I for one am really pleased with the changes as Kenneth Bjerre didn't seem interested unless he gated, the Pole started off really well but has gone downhill since then, Todd Kurtz was poor even riding at reserve and James Sarjeant ~ well what can you say about James except he could be expected to touch the tapes or break them at some point during a match.  

......SteveO..................Edit - so only Hans Andersen left.  That is shocking and not good for fans surely.

On the contrary I think it IS good for the fans because no-one wants to watch their team keep losing at home. 38 - 52 to bottom of the league Kings Lynn was the shocking thing so I am pleased there have been changes to the team. 

Edited by Gemini

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Four changes in one go, is that a record?

Hate to see the lack of rider continuity like most people, but credit to the management for their swift attempt to stop the slide (no pun intended). As poor as the recent form of the axed riders was, I do not think that the team is now any stronger with the Rye House refugees. The reserve pairing appears to have more clout, but it is unlikely that they would be utilised beyond their allocated programmed rides to run up double figure returns.

For some time now we have entered the last three heats of meetings with scores tight (often after squandering decent leads) and have lacked firepower, even at home, in heats 13 & 15. I still see us struggling at the business end of the meeting.

Hopefully Wells will now move away from the No.2 berth where rides are finished after heat 10 (home) or 11 (away) and he will be involved in heat 14.

Hats off for the management's efforts to address the situation and I hope I'm proved wrong in thinking its changes for changes sake.

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Nice to see five ex Bees riders, one current Bees rider and Charles Wright making up a Leicester team. ,you could say two Coventry teams now ride at Baumont Park. Wonder what the stay away Bees fans will make of that!

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Nice to see five ex Bees riders, one current Bees rider and Charles Wright making up a Leicester team.

I wondered why I liked this new team so much. :D The stay away Bees fans though will still stay away from the NL matches because it seems to be the promoter they object to and they aren't interested in 'lower league racing' 20 or so miles away anyway. Might be a few more making the trip for the PL matches though ~ work permitting. 

Edited by Gemini

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9 hours ago, The Observer said:

One remaining rider from the start of the season, only one word necessary and that's ruthless. I personally think it's tough on Kristian but I totally get it given his dramatic loss in form & confidence. Scott Nichols always gives 100% and in bringing in Josh and Connor (great to see him given a chance) you've got two riders bang in form and should prove a much stronger reserve pairing. I wish Stuart Robson well, but I'm not convinced he's a number 2 but let's hope I'm proven wrong.

Just one other point, Leicester from all accounts are slowly changing the track surface through adding more shale, is that going to best suit their new line-up or their opponents, because if they have riders who prefer it slick then surely they're handing the advantage to their opposition? 

Is Auty at reserve? i thought he was a replacement for Kristian? his converted Champ average is 6.03.

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Seems strange if Leicester is so gate & go to sign the likes of Nicholls, Robson & Auty who can't gate for toffee.

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9 hours ago, flagrag said:

With Bjere his performance has not been up to the expectations especially in the big heat 13 and 15 situations.

We had very much the same situation with KB the season before last ( at King's Lynn ) when if he did not gate he seemed to lose interest ( or confidence ) which resulted in a lot of disappointment on the terraces. As the season wore on he regularly failed to hold on to his scoring position even when he did gate. It looked as if the same kind of problem was developing at Leicester. The difference is that the KL promotion let him retain his team place throughout the season.  The fans lost all enthusiasm for him.  Mind you he moved on to Belle Vue and had a cracking season. Quite what is behind such slumps only he knows.

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15 hours ago, Steve0 said:

Is anyone left from the original 1-7?

Edit - so only Hans Andersen left.  That is shocking and not good for fans surely.  It shows ambition but at what cost? Time will tell.

This is a symptom of the play-off system that British Speedway currently runs, when there's 4 spots available in a league of 7/8 teams most if not all clubs seasons are still alive until the final 6 weeks or so of the season... when in the good/bad old days before play-offs, if you started the season off poorly, that was your season pretty much done. These days we're told that a club has had a successful season if they've reached the play-offs and have only been 4 matches off of a league title

Edited by iainb
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I get the feeling some Swindon fan's are a bit sour as they thought at least a couple of Leicester's new boys were on the way to them. Complaining about changes and wanted 2-3 changes in their own team.

Rules are rules and I certainly congratulate Leicester for employing 4 Brits with 3 foreigners out

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17 minutes ago, Daniel Smith said:

I get the feeling some Swindon fan's are a bit sour as they thought at least a couple of Leicester's new boys were on the way to them. Complaining about changes and wanted 2-3 changes in their own team.

Rules are rules and I certainly congratulate Leicester for employing 4 Brits with 3 foreigners out

 

Really? Check the Swindon thread. No one wanted Nicholls and Auty was suggested unenthusiastically only as a possible replacement for the injured Bellego. Mountain was mentioned to replace Smith but only on the strength of one match and before his average was checked!

Leicester are welcome to their journeymen signings. Hopefully Swindon will stand by their team.

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6 minutes ago, DC2 said:

 

Really? Check the Swindon thread. No one wanted Nicholls and Auty was suggested unenthusiastically only as a possible replacement for the injured Bellego. Mountain was mentioned to replace Smith but only on the strength of one match and before his average was checked!

Leicester are welcome to their journeymen signings. Hopefully Swindon will stand by their team.

I don't know why Nicholls wasn't by Swindon wanted he is in pretty good form at the moment.

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11 minutes ago, DC2 said:

 

Really? Check the Swindon thread. No one wanted Nicholls and Auty was suggested unenthusiastically only as a possible replacement for the injured Bellego. Mountain was mentioned to replace Smith but only on the strength of one match and before his average was checked!

Leicester are welcome to their journeymen signings. Hopefully Swindon will stand by their team.

We all hope Swindon stand by their team!! Hans was said to be a journeyman signing, he isn't too bad is he!

Edited by foreverblue
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13 minutes ago, foreverblue said:

We all hope Swindon stand by their team!! Hans was said to be a journeyman signing, he isn't too bad is he!

 

That’s the problem. You’re judging him on results rather than on whether he’s a Leicester rider through and through. It’s your Poole mentality of taking anyone any year, whether they be journeymen or one season wonders, as long as you win, rather than sticking by riders and building a Poole brand. Swindon picked Leigh Adams every year, you chopped and changed Chris Holder until he gave up on you. Now look what you’re left with, a right rag bag assortment.

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1 minute ago, DC2 said:

 

That’s the problem. You’re judging him on results rather than on whether he’s a Leicester rider through and through. It’s your Poole mentality of taking anyone any year, whether they be journeymen or one season wonders, as long as you win, rather than sticking by riders and building a Poole brand. Swindon picked Leigh Adams every year, you chopped and changed Chris Holder until he gave up on you. Now look what you’re left with, a right rag bag assortment.

How ironic, Jason Doyle springs to mind when loyalty is mentioned!

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