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Binman

Rider replacement

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I have never liked rider-replacement - but it is infinitely preferable to guest riders, and both have become easy options in a variety of circumstances which would never be tolerated in any other well-run professional sport. The excuse of "not enough riders" just doesn't wash - the promoters themselves have created this situation by allowing so many riders to ride for more than one team - a thoughtlessly pointless rule which has delivered no benefits whatsoever and has only created a scenario of some riders being able to double their earnings at the expense of fellow riders whom they have denied the chance to earn anything at all. So many riders now seem to consider it a God-given right that they can ride for two teams so there is absolutely no chance of this daft and embarrassing rule ever being rescinded - the riders just wouldn't stand for it.

Apart from 30 or so riders being deprived of a team place because 30 of their colleagues MUST have two teams, the knock-on effect has been to force the better National League riders to stay in the National League instead of progressing upwards as should be the case. Understandably, many of them will take the view that why should they not pick up more cash from scoring a dozen or more points per meeting as a National League rider when the alternative is only scoring 2/3 and earning peanuts in a higher league and always being in danger of the chop at the same time?

Perhaps one day (the day that will convince me that the age of miracles has not passed) speedway will re-structure itself with properly defined teams in each division, and one man-one-team, with promoters forced to develop their own extra riders for use when a team man in injured, with no guests and no rider-replacement. Every other sport does this - and supporters accept that injuries and loss of form are all part and parcel of their particular sport - so why should promoters think that speedway must be so different?

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17 hours ago, brianbuck said:

I have never liked rider-replacement - but it is infinitely preferable to guest riders, and both have become easy options in a variety of circumstances which would never be tolerated in any other well-run professional sport. The excuse of "not enough riders" just doesn't wash - the promoters themselves have created this situation by allowing so many riders to ride for more than one team - a thoughtlessly pointless rule which has delivered no benefits whatsoever and has only created a scenario of some riders being able to double their earnings at the expense of fellow riders whom they have denied the chance to earn anything at all. So many riders now seem to consider it a God-given right that they can ride for two teams so there is absolutely no chance of this daft and embarrassing rule ever being rescinded - the riders just wouldn't stand for it.

Apart from 30 or so riders being deprived of a team place because 30 of their colleagues MUST have two teams, the knock-on effect has been to force the better National League riders to stay in the National League instead of progressing upwards as should be the case. Understandably, many of them will take the view that why should they not pick up more cash from scoring a dozen or more points per meeting as a National League rider when the alternative is only scoring 2/3 and earning peanuts in a higher league and always being in danger of the chop at the same time?

Perhaps one day (the day that will convince me that the age of miracles has not passed) speedway will re-structure itself with properly defined teams in each division, and one man-one-team, with promoters forced to develop their own extra riders for use when a team man in injured, with no guests and no rider-replacement. Every other sport does this - and supporters accept that injuries and loss of form are all part and parcel of their particular sport - so why should promoters think that speedway must be so different?

Totally agree with everything that is said above.
The 'sport' is continuing in its downward spiral !

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20 hours ago, GWC said:

Those of us who have long memories in this sport will have been supporting a lower league club in the full knowledge that any rider developed to a certain standard was going to move up.

It would have been interesting had Rye House Lakeside and Workington survived to run again this season where all the riders would have come from.

Workington had already announce their seven riders - before then announcing they weren't going to run, don't forget.

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20 hours ago, GWC said:

Those of us who have long memories in this sport will have been supporting a lower league club in the full knowledge that any rider developed to a certain standard was going to move up.

It would have been interesting had Rye House Lakeside and Workington survived to run again this season where all the riders would have come from.

Workington had a team signed up already. The other sides would have found riders. There’s plenty of them out there. 

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On 4/21/2019 at 11:45 AM, ouch said:

I can only speak about the Colts fixture that was referred to in the original post, that only had one R/R for the injured Paul Bowen. He was there with his kevlars on, so maybe he was hoping to give it a go despite false optimism. 

Anyway due to there being lads left without a team place this year we are bringing in Kean Dicken for our next match. 

RR today 

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On 4/19/2019 at 7:01 PM, Binman said:

Two national league meetings today both using RR sorry this is a development league clubs should use a unattached rider to fill the place. 

Despite the injection of the 2.00 kids, 10% of the NL is still made up by 30 somethings & tired old faces that have been knocking around this league for a decade & a half.

 

Ledwith 47, Wallinger 35, Priest 33, Wilson 33, Ayres 32, Halsey 30, Campos 29, Widman 29 etc.

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11 hours ago, JaFool said:

Despite the injection of the 2.00 kids, 10% of the NL is still made up by 30 somethings & tired old faces that have been knocking around this league for a decade & a half.

 

Ledwith 47, Wallinger 35, Priest 33, Wilson 33, Ayres 32, Halsey 30, Campos 29, Widman 29 etc.

In fairness Ayres hasn't been in that long and offers entertainment whilst Wilson offers a lot to lesser advanced riders. The others i 100% agree with but its promotions fault for signing the wasters time and time again. Ive never been bothered about age just progression and value to the league so add Extance, Rutherford and RTD to the list of going nowhere riders.

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10 hours ago, Sings4Speedway said:

In fairness Ayres hasn't been in that long and offers entertainment whilst Wilson offers a lot to lesser advanced riders. The others i 100% agree with but its promotions fault for signing the wasters time and time again. Ive never been bothered about age just progression and value to the league so add Extance, Rutherford and RTD to the list of going nowhere riders.

Absolutely agree with all that. Reduced points limit has ruled out decent youngsters still progressing while others mentioned continue to be regurgitated.

Edited by JaFool
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On 4/24/2019 at 9:07 PM, JaFool said:

Despite the injection of the 2.00 kids, 10% of the NL is still made up by 30 somethings & tired old faces that have been knocking around this league for a decade & a half.

 

Ledwith 47, Wallinger 35, Priest 33, Wilson 33, Ayres 32, Halsey 30, Campos 29, Widman 29 etc.

Bit harsh on Ledwith, he certainly has not been knocking about this league for any time, infact his last official fixture before Plymouth lat Friday was over a quarter of a century ago and before there was a third tier. 

Likewise Danny Ayres had never been on a speedway bike until pre season 2014...

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I think Ledwith deserves his chance like any other rider after such a long time away from the sport he could have been a total waste of time but he would appear still have it and be prepared to have a go .The league has lost Atkin and Armstrong over the last couple of years so the "Vet" balance IMO is about right , he may do a season another match or god  forbid is a broken bone from retirement again  .There are so many other issues with this sport that a few older riders in the NL is neither here nor there in the grand scheme of things.

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18 minutes ago, FAST GATER said:

I think Ledwith deserves his chance like any other rider after such a long time away from the sport he could have been a total waste of time but he would appear still have it and be prepared to have a go .The league has lost Atkin and Armstrong over the last couple of years so the "Vet" balance IMO is about right , he may do a season another match or god  forbid is a broken bone from retirement again  .There are so many other issues with this sport that a few older riders in the NL is neither here nor there in the grand scheme of things.

Have to say that i have never had an issue with age of any rider in my mind if they are good enough they deserve a place regardless of years old/young. My major objections is to riders who offer little and block up places whilst going nowhere like Wallinger last night. Ledwith looks a good/cheeky signing and will enjoy a swan song season before a raised average forces retirement. 

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