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whistlegang

Kent 2018

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You only need one of the pair to be useful at home though and score 5/6 from 5 rides regularly to give yourself a fighting chance in an aggregate meeting. At home in a league meeting, the top 4 will win most meetings on their own and when going away to poorer sides you only need someone at the bottom end to kick on.

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To be fair "Sings" you d be suprised how many of these youngsters kent have spoken to before they signed up elsewhere. I ve actually spoken with a couple of riders myself on behalf of Chris, and the biggest stumbling block is getting time off school on a Monday evening. Having discussed 3 pointers with Chris in the past, you'd be suprised how clued up on the amateur and youth scenes the management is. And with an SDL side to give our reserves extra track time we should never have the problems of 2015 when the bottom 3 struggled and despite having the best top 4 we were torn apart by nearly everyone.

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Been out of action for a while and have just been getting up to date on the Forum. "Sings4Speedway" made comment about the Kent management and sounded as

if he had inside information. Then "Teaboy 279" replied and made it obvious that "Sings" was talking total balderdash and clearly has no knowledge at all.  As a

Lakeside fan and occasional visitor to both Kent and Eastie, it seems to me that the managements of both these clubs are pretty clued up. Both introduce new

young riders  ( last year Anders Rowe at Kent and Charlie Powell at Arlington for example) on a regular basis, so why "Sings4Speedway"  is so critical, I cannot imagine.

Both Eastbourne and Kent have been among the front runners of the League for at least 2 seasons....So "Sings"...sing a different song......

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Tbf Rowe wasn’t a ‘find’ in that everyone knew he would be good when he turned 15. Riders like BWD and Brooks have been a bit more random signings. 

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Sings is passionate about his speedway, I don't always agree with him but he does always make his points fairly and sensibly. And tbf to him, I would of had the same opinions as him 2 seasons ago. Since a family member joined the team in 2016 I have been more active around the pits and riders etc and have more of a feel for the work behind the scenes.

I think because Chris and Len are not as active on social media as say Connor Dugard, or not as active on forums as say Jane Moss it's easy to assume all things outside central park are unknowns to the kent management but they are as proactive as anyone else. And riders like Rowe,Thomas,and even Shansie don't just fall into your lap.

The problem is with youngsters is, that not only does the sport have to fit around thier schooling, but also around the parents employment. So riders will usually prefer thier local track or a track that races at weekends.

Anyway looking ahead with the side we have so far.

Luke Bowen - At this level as good a number 1 as is possible. And the last couple of seasons he really has grown into a proper skipper. If you stand back and watch him off track he knows which riders to put an arm round, and which riders who respond to a kick up the arse. Something pointed out to me at Stoke away at the end of the season was he was talking the the two riders as a pair before more or less every Heat. Always has Immaculate equipment. And interacts with the fans as if everyone is a lifelong friend.

Jack Thomas - Having progressed so far in two seasons, Jack should be looking at this season as his final National League Campaign before jumping in with the big boys. To do this he will be needing to challenge Luke for the number 1 jacket. Comes on a bargain average really too, when you consider the number of mechanical failures in points positions he suffered . level headed, polite lad. And he interacts with the kids through to the pensioners so naturally and professionally. But with a joker in him as well.

Nathan Stoneman - Mr excitement, you can never relax until all 4 laps are completed with Nath. 100 percent trier with bags of potential and the ability to go all the way. Needs an injury free season and could well make it a 3 way challenge for Lukes vest. Proper genuine likable joker, and him and Jack together are quite the double act. Came in last year with a bit of a rep for poor equipment but last year I don't recall any issues at all.

Anders Rowe -

Anders had a great first season and will hopefully continue his progression towards the business end of the speedway pyramid, it should not be forgotten that he will still only be 15 when the season starts at easter. Very quiet and shy lad and much like Jack comes with great, clued up, and level headed parents in the bits. Another with immaculate equipment, and hopefully will come back more physically developed.

Taylor Hampshire - on a 4 point average this can only be a great signing. Came to kent towards the back end of 2017 with brum in a challenge match and scored a big double figure score and rode for us at Stoke at number 5 and gave a good account of himself. Most knockers of him say he has bad equipment but I can't see uncle Len allowing his equipment to be sun standard. 

Jacob Clouting  - Somebody I ve heard has a good solid style but may lack a bit of speed initially but apparantly has good equipment. But to be honest I ve only seen pics and vids, so can't really judge fairly.

So a proper number 1 and skipper, and 5 riders with potential to up thier averages, I think we look in good shape.

Personally I d like to see James Laker given his shot at 7.

 

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Wow...a very comprehensive and considered opinion from Teaboy.  May be a bit on the optimistic side, but that is as it should be for any fan

of any team.  My own view of the Kent team is that the number 7 slot could be their Achilles Heel. If they are unable to unearth a rider with the

ability to score, then there will be pressure on the other "unknown", Clouting.  Admittedly he has a good background with a father who was quite

a talent, but he is unproven and the high pressure which would come from a weak No. 7 may prove his undoing.  It will be interesting, at the very least,

to follow his progress. 

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On 1/8/2018 at 9:59 PM, East End Fan said:

Wow...a very comprehensive and considered opinion from Teaboy.  May be a bit on the optimistic side, but that is as it should be for any fan

of any team.  My own view of the Kent team is that the number 7 slot could be their Achilles Heel. If they are unable to unearth a rider with the

ability to score, then there will be pressure on the other "unknown", Clouting.  Admittedly he has a good background with a father who was quite

a talent, but he is unproven and the high pressure which would come from a weak No. 7 may prove his undoing.  It will be interesting, at the very least,

to follow his progress. 

To be honest to the six / seven spot riders over the seasons, Kent have been fair to them, more so than some other sides in this league. Remember it is still a training league so getting het-up over these lower order riders is rather re-miss. Not all lads can start with a lot of quality machinery, nor should they, part of the apprenticeship is  learning how to make  things work both off and on track.

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Wise words Rebel 1.  However a teams' success these days in all leagues depend on the quality of the tail enders. Those clubs that start with

tail enders whose averages are clearly below their ability certainly have an advantage and attendance figures ( which all of us want to see increase)

will often depend on the team's performances, so the sixes and sevens CAN make a big difference. In the case of Kent they have one unknown

quantity in Clouting and another unknown in an as yet un-named ( or even chosen) rider.  For Kent's sake I hope that they have and will pick two

winners, but at present, until we see them in action, we do not know. That is why I said in my last comments that it will be interesting to say the least.

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Had a phone call this morning from a Kings fan who tells me that the 7th rider for Kent is Alex Spooner.  Not a big surprise as

he was signed and used by Kent last season.  Do not know what happened then, but he spent the season riding for almost every

team in the league with very mixed fortunes.  I saw him in action two or three times and it always looked as if he should have scored

more than he actually did. Hard to judge what he will do as a permanent team member, but probably better than his scores last season.

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He was our number 8 last term, and Len tried to sign him after the Clifton injury. I think when he turned down the job it caused a bit of friction but that appears to be water under the bridge.

I saw him twice in the closing weeks of the season once at Stoke once at Arlington and he had vastly improved his speed and style. Can't help feeling sorry for James Laker though tbf.

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Yes teaboy279 James has dipped out. My issue is whether he will push on. He is a likeable lad and held his own in the SDL last season, but looking a cut above? Hope he continues and holds our number eight spot. Alex did not feel that he wanted to be held to one club when approached last season and surely with the number of rides as an unattached rider served him well. He had a chance to ride a greater variety of tracks. Having made his decision I wish him well and look forward to seeing him in our pits this season.

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Thanks for the background, Teaboy and Rebel.  Seems like you are very familiar with things Kent.  I am an occasional visitor

as I am at Eastie and enjoy my evenings at both tracks.  Did not really understand the Spooner situation at the beginning of the season

when he was part of the team then lost his place to Anders Rowe who was himself an untried newcomer, just like Spooner.

Was it just that Silver had a bit of history with Rowe from his Rye House days ?  No racing record to go on though, which is why I was

puzzled at the time. TBF Rowe did turn out to be a worthwhile signing....but Spooner MAY have been just as good.

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Yeah from info picked up before Silver knows the Rowe family well from Rye House days. Rowe was always going to come in aswell once he turned 15 so Spooner was only ever likely too be a temporary member of the starting Kent team last year.

 

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Yep as stated above Rowe couldn't feature until he was 15 so Spooner got the starting matches with the full knowledge that he would be replaced. In fairness Rowe has been a known prospect for some years although often practicing rather than racing but proved many wrong. Spooner had limited pedigree to be fair and previous results were iffy at best. Plus the intention from the Spooner camp was to always stay unattached for the season which is why there was some confusion when lakeside, Eastbourne and others all attempted to claim his signature during the early part of the year. 

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Thanks for the explanation re Spooner/Rowe.  I seem to remember that Kent actually signed Spooner at the start of the season

so don't quite understand the comments by Sings about Lakeside, Eastbourne and others trying to claim his signature. Unless,

of course, Kent released him to enable him to ride as an independent for nearly every team in the league.  I am wondering how

much benefit it will have for him this coming season. He had very mixed fortunes  and the psychology may work against him.

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