Confirmed Signings for 2021

[phillwhitewasmad 1,487]

I do like the positive feeling of the last few comments 

Edited March 8, 2021 by phillwhitewasmad

[szkocjasid 3,026]

1 hour ago, enotian said:

And remember that some of these kids have had 18 months more practice since they obtained their last average. Across all of the leagues you could see some big improvements from young riders. I have to say that none of the 3.00 riders in the Northern teams are not worthy/capable of an opportunity at this level based on what I've seen in the Northern Junior League matches.  Some really talented kids.

I would agree that perhaps some of the higher averaged riders have out grown this league and should have been excluded (i.e. anyone with a CL average over 4.00) but for those complaining about the lower points limit if it had been higher where are all the higher averaged riders coming from?  Genuine question, how many have missed out on a team place due to the lower limit?

There's plenty of riders without team spots so far, of course some of these could still get signed up!

Ben Woodhull, Paul Bowen, Josh Bailey, Nathan Stoneman, Jack P Blackburn, Tom Perry, Connor Coles, Luke Harris, Luke Chessell, Danno Verge, Adam Extance, Alex Spooner, Matt Marson, Scott Campos, Conor Dwyer, Tom Spencer, Callum Walker, Chad Wirtzfeld, David Wallinger, Adam Portwood, Paul Burnett, Chris Widman, Connor King, Shelby Rutherford & Adam Sheppard.

[Sings4Speedway 3,247]

9 hours ago, szkocjasid said:

There's plenty of riders without team spots so far, of course some of these could still get signed up!

Ben Woodhull, Paul Bowen, Josh Bailey, Nathan Stoneman, Jack P Blackburn, Tom Perry, Connor Coles, Luke Harris, Luke Chessell, Danno Verge, Adam Extance, Alex Spooner, Matt Marson, Scott Campos, Conor Dwyer, Tom Spencer, Callum Walker, Chad Wirtzfeld, David Wallinger, Adam Portwood, Paul Burnett, Chris Widman, Connor King, Shelby Rutherford & Adam Sheppard.

Its fair to say several (7ish) of those have retired but i do take the point that there are riders who's averages were attractive last season and now don't fit. I have said throughout that whilst i don't like the lower limit i like the way its been imposed and handled less. Current rules allow rookies and 8+ point riders in the same meeting/race. Should have been cut to less that 8 This season, decreasing by 0.5 over the next couple of season until no higher than 7. That would have left a league with plenty of spaces for new riders, riders starting out whos averages will rise and the current crop improving. Once they exceed the top limit they will either be good enough for a CL place or pushed out and not become a blocker for other riders looking for places.

[szkocjasid 3,026]

5 hours ago, Sings4Speedway said:

Current rules allow rookies and 8+ point riders in the same meeting/race. Should have been cut to less that 8 This season, decreasing by 0.5 over the next couple of season until no higher than 7. That would have left a league with plenty of spaces for new riders, riders starting out whos averages will rise and the current crop improving. Once they exceed the top limit they will either be good enough for a CL place or pushed out and not become a blocker for other riders looking for places.

Sorry but I think that's a terrible idea, once a rider gets a 7.00 ave he either moves up or his career is over, but keep your ave at 6.00 & you can ride in NL forever! Plus by removing top riders from NL each season the following seasons top riders may be nowhere near Championship level, cause even in league of weak riders someone has to be top of the averages!

[Sings4Speedway 3,247]

17 minutes ago, szkocjasid said:

Sorry but I think that's a terrible idea, once a rider gets a 7.00 ave he either moves up or his career is over, but keep your ave at 6.00 & you can ride in NL forever! Plus by removing top riders from NL each season the following seasons top riders may be nowhere near Championship level, cause even in league of weak riders someone has to be top of the averages!

The apparent new focus is to bring more new riders through the sport, "places for all" if you like with the hope that if you throw enough ahem at a wall some will stick. The NL has always been plagued by those riders that hang around achieving not much more than 3rd heat leader at best, these are the riders that will end up on high averages with the new points reduction. If they are not good enough to step up to Cl then step aside and let the new crop through. In the same way that in 1,2 or 3 seasons max a half decent embryo youth rider could easily achieve a 7 point average in the weakened leagues but if they are not good enough to step up then what's the point of giving them places year on year? Likewise promotors want average improvements and shouldn't be signing riders who manage to keep their average in the 5-6 point range year on year (although its worked for Scott Campos for the past decade).

[enotian 562]

all you have to do is assess riders minimum average for team building purposes based on their experience.  For example after a rider has done 100 matches their minimum average for the start of the next season is 8.00.  (numbers just for illustrative purposes) 6.00 after 50 matches and so on. It means you can create a larger pool of riders and provides an incentive for riders to reach their target average or risk not getting a team place.

although I do agree that riders (currently) averaging say over 4 or 5 in CL should be ineligible as they gain nothing (apart from points money) and stretch the range of ability too far so as not to offer any benefit to the younger riders.  which is the valid point you make.

[M.D 463]

Can I just point out that its the 'Eastbourne Seagulls' please

[East End Fan 426]

On 3/11/2021 at 9:17 PM, enotian said:

all you have to do is assess riders minimum average for team building purposes based on their experience.  For example after a rider has done 100 matches their minimum average for the start of the next season is 8.00.  (numbers just for illustrative purposes) 6.00 after 50 matches and so on. It means you can create a larger pool of riders and provides an incentive for riders to reach their target average or risk not getting a team place.

although I do agree that riders (currently) averaging say over 4 or 5 in CL should be ineligible as they gain nothing (apart from points money) and stretch the range of ability too far so as not to offer any benefit to the younger riders.  which is the valid point you make.

I have never seen the point in restrictions in the National League.  I remember when the 3rd Division was formed after the war. It was filled with riders

of modest ability who could not hack it in the higher leagues, new riders trying to climb the ladder and a few old pre-war riders on their way to retirement.

No special rules. Survival of the fittest. It started to produce riders for the  upper leagues and continued to do so for many years. That is what the National League

should still be doing, new riders having to show they are better than the more experienced to earn places in the Championship/Premiership. Riders with talent do

not need complicated rules to help them succeed.

[old bob at herne bay 828]

Agree with "East End Fan" 100%.  

Most of the GB stars I have had the pleasure to watch didnt need complicated rules to achieve stardom.  They were good from day one. Didnt need an NDL to get them a 3 pointer slot or a Rising Star scheme. Turned up at a traingin track , then invited for a second half ride, beat the team reserve and away they went.

Most of the 3 pointers being thrust into the "National" league should be learning their trade on  a training track  or after meeting practice before  the public are asked to pay to watch them. The ones that are good enough to race competively for 4 laps without falling off every corner  should then be put into a team to entertain the paying public.  

oops sorry I forgot BSPL are not here to entertain the public ........ not in their mission statement ......having been culpable in closing down two tracks in the past few seasons. Rye House killed off by having to race midweek (Ironically that didnt stop the SGP sooperstars leaving GB speedway )and now IoW have been killed off. So even fewer speeday fans left to support all their great initiatives. 

Cue ... promoters whingeing about lack of support for their NDL teams  and blaming the public for not supporting young riders.

[Sings4Speedway 3,247]

The mantra used to be that if you were in because you were good enough, if you didn't get a team place then you had to go out and beat all the riders in the pecking order ahead of you to secure that place. Thats how the standard of riders was maintained sadly now the ethos has shifted onto if you are young enough we will give you a go, some of you will likely make it (partially because you will be beating riders who are not ready) and then the mafia can pat themselves on the back because we have 'unearthed' a rider with a little promise and brand heap them with pressure about becoming the next world champion....... 

[*JJ 512]

16 hours ago, old bob at herne bay said:

Most of the GB stars I have had the pleasure to watch didnt need complicated rules to achieve stardom.  They were good from day one. Didnt need an NDL to get them a 3 pointer slot or a Rising Star scheme. Turned up at a traingin track , then invited for a second half ride, beat the team reserve and away they went.

 

You've been watching 'Once A Jolly Swagman' again! This hasn't happened for very many years.  Nowadays, the standard is so high that except for a minute number of hyper-talented riders, nearly all have to go through the ladder of training sessions/amateur racing/MDL/NL to reach Championship standard.

[old bob at herne bay 828]

*JJ  said "Nowadays, the standard is so high that except for a minute number of hyper-talented riders"  

If that were true , they won't reach Championship standard by the BSPL weakening the standard of the NDL .... shouldnt they be improving the standard of the NDL whilst still offering opportunites to novices in reserve slots at NDL level? Every season you keep on capping points limits at less than 42 points per side reduces the standard.   35 points is purely and simply just a cost saving measure. 

The system being used in 2021 is to  throw in all the novices we can muster in on a " 3 point average" , at the expense of previous middle order riders who are much better but haven't become or don't want to be sooperstars.

To cope with the restrictive points limit we employ  "comeback " riders from a few seasons ago (or even longer)  on assessed averages, and call them number ones.

 

 

[*JJ 512]

11 hours ago, old bob at herne bay said:

*JJ  said "Nowadays, the standard is so high that except for a minute number of hyper-talented riders"  

If that were true , they won't reach Championship standard by the BSPL weakening the standard of the NDL .... shouldnt they be improving the standard of the NDL whilst still offering opportunites to novices in reserve slots at NDL level? Every season you keep on capping points limits at less than 42 points per side reduces the standard.   35 points is purely and simply just a cost saving measure. 

The system being used in 2021 is to  throw in all the novices we can muster in on a " 3 point average" , at the expense of previous middle order riders who are much better but haven't become or don't want to be sooperstars.

To cope with the restrictive points limit we employ  "comeback " riders from a few seasons ago (or even longer)  on assessed averages, and call them number ones.

Non sequitur ... I am not sure what you are argueing? It doesn't answer my point.

[old bob at herne bay 828]

So your point I think was that the standard of the CL is now so high ( since the days of the jolly swagman in 1949) that all but a very few riders have to go through the development leagues to make it. I could name many since those distant days! , but let’s look at the here and now. 

Still don’t agree with your opinion, looking at the 2021 line ups in the CL . Is it of a higher standard now than 10 years ago? Does weakening the NL help ? Other than cutting promoters costs ? 

Think anyone worth their salt in the speedway world can see the most likely candidates for top UK speedway riders. They would have been snapped up regardless of any new BSPL imposed points limits. Points limits will not make any difference, aside from closing one club, and likely a few more NL sides will disappear at the end of 2021. 

 

[Sings4Speedway 3,247]

Its cost cutting pure and simple driven because CL clubs "cannot afford" the wage demands of riders wanting to move up but they are very happy to chuck silly money at PL double downers and end of career former world level riders. 

Imposing a sensible and workable wage cap on the NL is fair enough but the same should be put in place for the top of the CL too. The promotions only want cannon fodder on the cheap at the bottom end to free up more cash for the high rollers. Thus the introduction of the cheap rising star scheme.