Big Al

Worrall -Thompson, a tasty combo for Leicester, including tonight up against a pair of Cooks and Lawson at Poole. Looking forward to a heat which finishes Worrall Thompson Lawson Cook

If he pays for his own travel costs, that could be different? It's sounding like Anders Rowe's departure is down to him making the decision rather than Leicester. So the tactic of waiting until his average goes above 4 before replacing looks like a genius move.

Think you've answered your question pretty well there

This brings to mind the Peter Ljung situation at Leicester a few years ago (2014?) when the promotion at the time had taken the club into the top tier and struggled to sign riders. All kinds of smoke and mirrors went on to distract supporters from what transpired was only a short term deal. I think the same probably applied with Mikkel Mikkelsen. If you still trusted David Hemsley by then, only complete fools continued to, afterwards

If there is a maximum points limit for the top three riders in any team, there should be a minimum points level too. But there would also need to be some kind of payment assurance in place for these riders, to help counter reluctance to sign with certain clubs.

Hope not - don't want to go incurring a big wage bill too early in the season

It was the outrageously bogus claims the former promoter (and track designer) used to make, which probably did most to annoy and drove many away although the strung out processions of course did so too. But even then an away rider with brains could figure out how to pass, including using an outside line (Joe Screen). Same now

Musical chairs!

I forsee Iversen, Bjerre and Kildemand riding for both Belle Vue and Kings Lynn at various times, on one-month contracts.

Reminds me a bit of Leicester in 2014 (?) when they had struggled to put together a team on going up into the Elite league and began the season with two riders who were, it transpired, only on short term deals, in other words a patched-up side. They got through the season somehow but as I recall, the team turned into something of a revolving door and bottom place became inevitable. I really hope this doesn't become the fate of the Brummies, because finding replacements if riders who start the season then decide after a few weeks to jack it in, is going to be nigh on impossible especially with the Wednesday race night ruling out Denmark as a source. But looking at the riders 3-7, there is the added problem of three of them being injury-prone(some more so than others) and a complete rookie. Along with other sane speedway supporters I hope it will all turn out ok, but the emphasis has to be on the word hope (and pray for those who believe in that).

He had a spell with Leicester in 201? and has such a neat, easy style it's no surprise he's still going well now

Maybe that's been the case for a very long time - I still have memories of supporting Leicester through the dog years of the mid 1970's and during the first half of 2011!

Yep, there's a growing pool of formerly young promising Poles who haven't gone on to fulfil those hopes, and the evergreens like Greg Walaszek if they're still active. Not good enough for Swedish league but Birmingham being a Wednesday night track might suit a couple of them?

What's the situation regarding Polish riders being allowed to ride in the Championship? Of course I'm thinking of second and third tier Poles. Glasgow had Marcin Nowak in their team last season, so does that mean it would be possible for Birmingham, too?

Take note of how other sports are introducing variations to the main format. Try something like two mini-matches of 6 heats (same teams/riders), followed by a 3-heat match with riders in the final race being the top scorers, and a straightforward way of awarding League points at the end.

Birmingham now is suffering from having had such a chequered history over the past 10 years, that must be off-putting for riders signing for them. You add-in a new promotion with no record when it comes to paying riders and it's bound to all add up to difficulties with recruitment. In an ideal world there would be collective support amongst the other clubs to help a new promotion to establish itself, but that's for the birds, unfortunately.

Is it too late for Birmingham to change race night and avoid clashing with Denmark?

Must be Birmingham

No such thing as 100% sure but Lawson in particular is going to be choosy over who he does business with.

Even if there were some kind of restrictions introduced to limit top-end strength, would the "spare" riders want to sign up with a club which has had such a chequered recent past, especially with a new ownership which is yet to establish any past record and reputation including capability when it comes to paying riders?

Yep, hope that proves to be right. Last year Bates was a liability from the beginning and Proctor was vulnerable, so if this 7 can gel and still be a team come end of June with no debates about changes going on, happy days!

Looks like the majority of teams have been built to be strong at home as a priority, so taking and preventing bonus points could be crucial. Contributions in all teams by riders at 6 and 7 will be important but fully expect Poole to be the powerhouse.

Last season's included Ty Proctor and Josh Bates. Many were talking up that team as if it had already won the league, with supposedly five heat leader calibre riders. Well, we all know what happened to that

At Somerset he was soon up at no 2 (circumstances) but from what I can remember he didn't struggle and won quite a few races. I'm sure he was featured in one of those rider profiles in SS last winter or sometime, when he said that Leicester was his favourite track. The knee injury in 2021 season had a big effect on his scores after. He probably came back too soon and that always comes with a price. From what I've heard, he can be a bit of a fiesty rider not averse to "mixing it" - must be the red hair!!

Signing or not signing a rider based mainly on his past performances at a track strikes me as being rather a poor basis, sure it is something to take into account, but especially in the case of younger riders they are learning anyway and are bound to have inconsistent records. It perhaps applies more in the case of older riders but judgement has to be more about a wider range of factors - and one of them is the maths!