LunnasPerm

Correct me if I'm wrong, but wasn't Barker once on the end of an assault by Craig Cook which rendered your rider disqualified from the meeting in hand?

I thought Masters was a good guy.

I'm pleased to see that I've instigated some discussion. It's a shame that some people have almost taken offence to the topic, but in large, I think the general consensus is perhaps not in full agreement with me, but instead in unison that the sport is struggling. Again, this saddens me. This really doesn't deserve to be acknowledged, but Jesus Christ. Are you a real tree?

What's this, mate?

There are some excellent points, here. Like I said, these past two weeks, I've longed to get right back into the speedway. I'm a wee bit gutted, in all honesty. I paid £17 at Ashfield, £3 for a programme and last night, I got a bit of change back from £20. A ticket for today's Old Firm game is £1 more than I paid at Ashfield. That's incredible. I don't grudge it and no-one is forcing me to pay it, but the product isn't worth it, if you assess it from a value perspective. A fantastic input, I must say. Amidst a conversation-igniting topic, supporting valid points and genuine concern, you've managed to look like you've taken offence. Well done, don't you look good. I now feel the need to stress that I am not looking for an argument, I'm simply raising a topic that I feel is a valid subject.

If Glasgow win, I'll log-in to gloat. If Edinburgh win, you won't see me for dust. Bewley won't score and I'll be very surprised if Etheridge does, but Masters can potentially compensate for that. I'm thinking a Glasgow win by six or more.

£7 is an absolutely tremendous price for a DVD.

This will be interesting...

Why, of why, do Monarchs' fans keep emphasising the statements "don't care" and "not bothered"? You haven't simply lost two meetings because Glasgow are a good side, three and-a-half Berwick riders were familiar with Armadale or because the law of averages dictates that the defending champions don't defend well. You are rubbishe because your management carried-out what can only be described as an absolute shambles in team building. I've just seen that Bewley and Etheridge failed to register a single point, again. Did Etheridge cause any stoppages? Did Bewely manage to fully slide the bike?

Berwick won? There's a surprise. How did Etheridge and Bewley score?

Forgive me, but what mess and why does the sport need rebuilt? Simply because a few meetings have been postponed? I haven't been a regular at the speedway for five years, so may be missing something, but meetings have been getting postponed since time began.

Jesus, I wish I hadn't mentioned the cost. Do you have an inability to read? I already explained that I mentioned the price because, as a paying customer, I'm entitled to an opinion. I'm not glory hunting. I said I haven't been regularly over the past five years, but I have been sporadically and I don't intend on going to Ashfield every week. Even if I was glory hunting, how can that be used against me? I haven't mentioned Glagsow's win or even the league campaign once in this entire thread. I've simply raised concerns over Edinburgh's team building which, let's be honest, has been car crash material and that was reflected in Sunday's performance. I don't have an alternative and certainly not a preference. Again, I don't know how often I have to reiterate this, but my issue is with the Edinburgh management's close season performance. Bewley was a last minute, rushed, panic signing and it showed on Sunday. A more organised and structured team building exercise would have prevented that. I refuse to believe that five months isn't long enough to build a team; that is a luxury not afforded in many other sports. My understanding is that all their eggs were put in Mitchell Davey's basket. School boy error.

Are you joking, or has that statement gone right over your head? I wasn't complaining about the cost, I was stating that my financial outlay entitled me to an opinion. So, in that respect, I agree with you; Edinburgh Monarchs are not at fault for the cost of my admission. You can't argue with that, NEP, a good point well put. I wish Bewley all the best and I'm sure he'll develop into a fantastic rider. Premier League exposure will do him the world of good, long-term, but in the short-term, for Edinburgh as a club, it's a last minute, rushed appointment. After one lap on Sunday, I knew he required an exclusion or engine failure from another rider to pick up at least a point in that meeting. If he picks up a point tomorrow night, I'll be surprised.

He can't be any slower than Dan Bewley, that much I can guarantee.

What a sad, sad view of things. Edinburgh should be congratulated? I spent £17.50 to watch Glasgow compete with what I assumed were the Premier League defending champions, but instead I saw a side pieced together half-heartedly. Bewley is not ready for the Premier League, Etheridge caused two stoppages en route to scoring nothing, Clegg only beat Bewley and I'm almost certain Ryan Fisher's mind was on what to watch on Netflix when he got home, therefore I reserve the right to an honest opinion in which I won't dance around reality like a fairy and attempt to fluff it up. Aye, well done, Edinburgh. While I'm at it, I'd like to pass my congratulations on to Aston Villa, too. Here's a shout out to Dundee United, as well.

I don't particularly agree with the ruling, forcing clubs to use a certain calibre of rider or nationality at number 7. It reminds me of the old rule (I assume it's no longer in the rule book) that the nine Elite League clubs could only employ one Grand Prix rider in their starting seven, at a time when the GP series featured around 20 riders. It was, of course, to encourage the use of homegrown, British talent, but it was an utterly flawed concept that simply reduced the standard of speedway on these shores and denied fans the opportunity to see some of the world's best riders. It was around then, 2001/02, in my honest opinion, that British speedway truly fell behind Poland, Sweden, etc. Dan Bewley, or any other young British rider for that matter, should earn their place in a starting line-up, not gain enhanced opportunities via a technicality implimented by the BSPA. Regardless, I think Edinburgh have got it completely wrong with Bewley. At this stage in his career, anyway.

Is that first sentence a question? I don't quite understand your point or angle. That young boy is not ready for the Premier League. I reiterate that he wasn't just off the pace, he looked like it was only his fourth or fifth competitive meeting and that isn't his fault, that's the Edinburgh management's. In what way is my judgement clouded? Are you disputing my comments?

I'm not doubting that he has potential, but he blatantly isn't ready for the Premier League. That's the Edinburgh management's fault, not his. Is that the standard the Premier League champions are setting? It emphasises the fact that the Monarchs' team building during the close season was poor, unorganised and amatuer.

It's frightening that, at that level of speedway, someone in a position of authority would exclude Kildemand in that instance.

I couldn't tell you. As I mentioned, Sunday's meeting was the first I've attended at Ashfield for a while. Barring sporadic meetings here and there, I haven't been a regular at Ashfield for a few years. My point was that, in my honest and arguably brutal opinion, Bewley isn't ready for Premier League speedway. It amazed me that Edinburgh's press and practice turned into a casting/audition session for their remaining race jacket as opposed to a team bonding session, but I'm even more amazed that Bewley impressed the Monarch's management most. I appreciate that you have to start somewhere, but from my memory, the likes of Grant MacDonald, David McAllan and even Scott Courtney weren't that far off the pace in their debut meetings and subsequent seasons. I'll be amazed if Bewley scores a single point against Berwick on Friday.

Bewley didn't look big enough for the bike. I've never ridden a speedway bike, but I don't think I could have finished any further behind than he did. I know I would have finished more heats than Etheridge.

A Hibs fan, too? That must be painful. Seriously.

The art of debate has little opportunity to shine here, especially as Monarch's fans have adopted a "don't care... don't care" attitude towards the embarassment that was their side's performance on Sunday.

I'm genuinely surprised by certain Edinburgh fans' reaction on here. That Monarchs side stank of poor, unorganised, last minute team building which short changed everyone, Tigers fans included, on Sunday. The Armadale press and practice turned into a casting/auditions section for their remaining race jacket. What is supposed to be an event for team building became a competition for places. Barring Masters, who lets not forget was well beaten by Lunna in heat one until his struggling team-mate hit the air fence, unchallenged and with no-one around him, Edinburgh offered little else, other than a half-arsed punt from Wolbert. Barker's broken chain masks a poor afternoon from Riss and Clegg was atrocious. Etheridge caused two races to be stopped and scored nothing. Yes, every cloud has a silver lining, but that performance made Jitendra Duffil's short career seem Hans Nielsen-like. Bewley, as a young man making his way in the sport, I don't want to criticise too much, but suggesting that he was off the pace would be a significant understatement.

Excellent news for all involved at Plymouth.