Ron Flegg

Really good performance by Cook last night but would disagree that he has the speedway world at his feet. At 25 (26 next week) he is still some way behind riders of a similar age on the continent and even our own Tai Woffinden who is 3 years younger. Not trying to take anything away from the progress he has made in a short space of time but I hadn’t realised he was as old as that if I am honest. Ron

It's good news, a side announced before Christmas is a rarity and fair play to the Ipswich management and promotion for pulling it all together so soon. Another interesting season beckons and I think expectations will be slightly more grounded this year, following most other fans teling us we would run away with the league last year, but there is nothing to stop that team being there or thereabouts come the seasons end. Roll on March! Ron

Agreed, although Matej Kus also really impressed me at Foxhall. The team looks strong throughout, if confirmed as thoughts suggest on here. Yes we may not have that out and out top end Heat 13 strength, certainly not on paper at the start of the season, but any one of 5 riders look capable of stepping up to an 8+ average given an injury and mechanical gremlin free season. I’d be extremely pleased with that team, perhaps Tres wouldn’t have been my first choice and I would have liked to have seen Bjerre back in 2012 but it is a highly competitive team, the spine of which have now competed together in the PL coupled with one of, if not the best visiting rider of 2011 and two highly regarded young Aussies at reserve. Ron

Recent seasons have shown that the key to success seems to be the ability to find a rider on a 4/5 point average who will begin the season at reserve and improve to the point where they are third (or even second) heatleader. If you can find that rider and surround them with solid point scorers then the title is a definite possibility. The Witches have been far too inconsistent this year, very few times have the team clicked as one and there always appears to be at least one rider having an off night who needs to be carried. I’d persevere with the main body of the team if available (Doolan, Poole, Bjerre and Risager) as they are now on averages they can all improve on IMO, but Tres may have too many commitments on the continent for my liking. At reserve Mills has been better than I had expected this year and Hart has done ok in patches while not necessarily fulfilling his potential but I don’t see either making a huge leap next year which is what we would need. Heeps looks like a possibility but we do need a North/Morris/Roynon type reserve who will score 10 points a meeting at the start of the season and move into the team proper over time. Ron

I thought I’d visit Foxhall for the first time in quite some while last night and unfortunately the meeting encompassed all the reasons for why I have stayed away so long. The racing is dire, and that is no way down to the track preparation as they do the very best with the tools they are given, it is the shape of the track. I used to see some fantastic speedway at Foxhall in the 80’s, 90’s and even early 00’s, albeit sporadic, but for whatever reason the shape of Foxhall does not create good racing anymore. It may be bike speeds, the air fence narrowing the corners, I don’t know, but something needs to be done. The large majority of races are over by the end of the back straight on lap 1 and even entertaining racing is down more to rider’s mistakes (Schramm leaving the very same huge hole for Gathercole two laps on the trot does not make great racing in my book). I can see why Ipswich have for so long relied on Polish gating specialists to spearhead the teams, gating is imperative. As for atmosphere, air-horns do not make atmosphere (in fact they do the opposite in the eyes of some) it is good racing and entertainment that creates the ‘buzz’ factor that Foxhall so lacks. People know the result of the race by the end of lap one and are therefore moving onto their next conversation when the race has finished rather than being on the edge of their seats (wooden railway sleepers) and applauding outstanding performances. Foxhall has so many plus points, the stadium has a real bowl shape gladiatorial feel to it with good access in and out, decent enough facilities and some of the best fans in the country, I just wish those fans were served the Speedway they deserve. Ron

If Danny King is not riding I hope there is a suitable replacement lined up and the usual ‘shove everybody up the order and add a reserve’ mentality is not favoured as it could make it very one-sided indeed. Ron

To be fair to him he is looking the most composed out of the lot of them, gating well and really going at it with riders who should really be showing him the way for four laps, if you believe what has been posted on here of late. I believe Richardson and/or Nicholls should be there but cannot complain with Bridger or King, both of whom were touted as the GB's weak links by many on here. Ron

*shudders*

Seriously, give it a rest you two or at least take your married couple squabbling off the forum to e-mail or whatever. It's like being at home