enotian

That's a sound assumption. To be honest it looks like the Diamonds team has been done on the cheap but in reality only the promoters and riders know if that's the case. Maybe Complin is on heat leader money? Whilst we might suspect everything has been done on the cheap that might not be the case. In reality there are probably other reasons it's been difficult to attract riders other than money. Sundays for a start, maybe the track, maybe the lack of stability around the club but certainly because there's not enough to go around. I agree that the new foreigner market is unlikely to solve the problems. You're effectively shopping at the not good enough to ride in Poland shop. So you'd do well to bring in anyone who'll be able to score much more than the assessed 5.00 or 4.00. Having said that they can't do any worse than the current reserves so if a couple of new riders average 4 or 5 and the guest for BWD is capable of scoring in heat 15 and 16 and the other 4 do their jobs that would be enough to win some matches. But not home to Leicester and Poole.

not sure but as I understand it the former promotion didn't have a sponsor license either. Just relied on being able to sign EU riders who at that time didn't need permits.

I don't know if it was bollocks or not and as someone has said it's how hard you try that matters. Offering low terms would never attract those riders but you'd still technically tried, however futile that attempt was. But to try and unpuzzle you, and I'm not an expert, but I think EU riders who have previously ridden in the UK were all able to continue to ride in the UK post Brexit. Either without a permit or are guaranteed a permit. Bjerre, Smolinski, Pedersen and Vissing all fall into that category. Not sure about non EU riders but the attempt to sign Batchelor was mid season when he already had a permit to ride in the PL. What Newcastle couldn't do is sign new foreign riders because the promoters didn't have a sponsors license. If you think about the 2020 line up that never happened it was possible to sign Skorja and Smetaka as EU riders at that point but not for 2021 without a sponsors license. Now even with a sponsors licence some riders Smetaka(?) might not be awarded a permit as they don't fit the criteria. Which is why he never got to be in the Poole team last season I think. In summary it was possible to sign those riders without a license last season, I think.

He tried to sign Batchelor before he decided to sign for Kent last season

you choose not to address the simple mathematical reality. that's fine but the consequence of not addressing the lack of available riders is the current situation and the potential loss of more tracks. you do however improve the product by having equally competitive teams. as I pointed out in my last post if you want equally matched teams at the same level then you simply work out from the available rider pool how many equally matched teams can be in the league. This pre-season that was about 9 teams not 11. So you refuse Oxford and expel one of Birmingham or Newcastle to improve the product. That's the option. pre-season Sedgmen wasn't an option for anyone and he hardly has a heat leader average and we'll see how long his current for lasts. And some riders averages are bound to increase because there are some understrength teams so averages will increase as the same points are available. I don't know if Newcastle could have done what Birmingham have done or not. You would presume so but which new foreign riders would sign for a Sunday track pre-season? You could include bonus points in the GSA's and retain the 42 point limit but you're reducing the standard of the teams which is what you don't want? It's a simple choice really. Do you want equally matched competitive teams? In which case you have to set the rules in some fashion to make that happen. Either restrict the number of teams in the league or reduce the points limit to reflect the pool of available riders. Or you're not bothered about equally matched competitive matches and you set an arbitrary points limit knowing some teams will be under strength. I really don't care but the consequence of the former means some teams don't come to the tapes and the later means some teams may go out of business due to tracking uncompetitive teams.

Exactly, there isn't any. Sedgman didn't want to come across to ride one league but changed his mind and was hardly desirable. Kelleher was not worthy of a return and even if he'd signed instead of Congreve it would have still been way under the limit and terrible and he wouldn't have become an asset. Which for some reason appears to be important? Admittedly, the team signed is terrible and to a budget but the fact remains that the points limit set for 11 teams was higher than the total combined averages of the riders available by some considerable margin. Hence at least three teams starting under the limit by at least a point. And that's including riders who weren't ever going to do the season. You can't dispute the simple mathematics that the sum of the points limit multiplied by the number of teams was greater than the total average of riders available. And so the wealthier/better run clubs sign the riders they want and the poorer clubs have to make do with what's left. That's fine if there are enough riders available to make a competitive side but that wasn't the case this pre-season. Hence teams having to dig up riders to be able to come to the tapes with 7 riders they can arguably call their own, even if in some instances they were never doing the full season. It now appears that Rob Grant is to attain a sponsors licence which should allow him to access new foreign riders which he wasn't able to do before. I don't think he could have obtained this any earlier? Even so any riders signed now were unlikely to sign pre-season as they'd have signed to Polish clubs. Yes Sunday is a problem but it's the only day available to Newcastle. I'm not here to defend the promotion as I've voted with my feet after hardly missing a home match since 1986. The last couple of pre-pandemic seasons were the finish for me. Simply not worth the money. Terrible racing and matches that take forever against scratch teams. The fact remains that if the CL wanted to retain the 42 points limit standard then a simple calculation based on the list of available riders averages should have determined how many teams should have been allowed in the league. But they were never going to turn down Oxford returning or expel Birmingham or Newcastle. So what was the only other option, if you wanted all teams to be competitive? That's right, reduce the points limit or at least restrict the number of 8pt riders each team could sign. Truth is why would the wealthier teams want to do that? So you end up with teams of vastly different strengths and prey that the rubbish teams can make if through the season and still be about the following season. At some point those prayers won't be answered and the number of tracks will diminish even further than the bare minimum we have now.

okay don't answer that question but tell me which riders are available to sign.

who else should they have signed?

Teterow stats since 2015: Most race points - Jason Doyle 56 points (14 wins), Zmarzlik 46 pts (only 4 wins), Zagar 45 pts (9 wins) Gate race points - Red 31%, Blue 27%, Yellow 25% and White 17% Gate race wins - Red 35%, Blue 28%, Yellow 25% and White 12% Best line up position - #5 54 points then 12, 11 and 10. 46, 45 and 43 points respectively Worst line up position - #15 16 points the 2 and 3, 21 points each Semi appearances - Zmarzlik, Lindgren, Doyle, Iversen and Zagar 3 each. Zagar with 2 wins, Doyle and Iversen 1 each. Final appearances - Zmarzlik 3 no wins, Doyle 3 one win. Other winners, Zagar, Woffinden and Janowski.

Some Prague SGP stats since 2015 Top point Scorer - Jason Doyle 99 (17 wins) then Woffinden 97pts and Janowski 93 pts (23 wins!) Gate Points - Blue 29%, Red 28%, White 22% and Yellow 21% Gate Wins - Blue 32%, Red 30%, White 21% and Yellow 17% Best Line Up Position - #7 105 points (Janowski today) then #8 100 points (Woffinden) Worst Line Up Position - #6 52 points (Kvech) Most semi's - Jason Doyle 6, Lindgren and Woffinden 5 each Most Finals - Jason Doyle 4 (2 wins) Woffinden 4 (1 win) since 2015, Dudek 3 finals no wins, Zmarzlik 2 finals 2 wins Apologies for any inaccuracy.

Looks like I'll be watching the Champions League Final tomorrow night if this is the state of the track.

It's about product development though isn't it. The product being SGP, SON and SGP. I imagine Rickardsson in particular has identified a huge gap in Swedish talent. Maybe they think Hellstrom Bangs will make it anyway. Maybe with Lambert and Bewley being young they don't see the need to develop another Brit. Maybe not enough Brits have bought Discovery Sport + packages so why give a spot to a Brit. Or vice versa. Lots of factors feeding into the decisions beyond having the best available field. Regardless everyone had the chance to qualify so can have no complaints if they didn't secure their place on track.

first goal counts double (in the event of a draw at full or extra time). Rangers would have won or Frankfurt would have needed to score another to win. Penalties only for nil nil games. Sorted. [also England would have won Euro 2020 on this basis] as for speedway it's all become a bit like WWF hasn't it. they might as well just ensure every match ends 46-44 because that's what everyone wants. I exaggerate. too many instances of riders missing fixtures because they're here or there or just don't fancy riding a certain track as they don't think they'll score enough to make it worthwhile, to have any workable alternative. Plus the standard of #8's compared to the standard of CL heat leaders wouldn't make much of a spectacle. To the extent there are now guests for reserves!!! I've wondered in the past if a match points handicap system would be a better alternative to guests. For example if you have a 6 point rider missing, replace them with a 2 point #8 but add 4 points to the teams match score. R/R in the first instance of course Depends on what you want to see. A genuine team sport or matches with the best possible 14 riders available? Regardless the current lack of riders and the numerous reasons for riders missing matches mean that guests are inevitable.

I'm almost certain that back in the old National league days, when I was a lad, there weren't any guests. R/R for heatleaders only and if both teams were operating R/R the #8's were promoted into the 1 to 7 at reserve with the top reserve promoted to the 1 to 5. Imagine the sales of pens at the track shop!! I'm sure a doctors note had to be provided as well. And all this before air fences and all the advancements in safety equipment. Of course the riders were probably riding on average twice a week so the probability of getting injured was less. Trouble is that guest riders are good news for promoters and riders alike so I guess they're here to stay despite the manipulation and lack of credibility they bring.

you're not wrong but how much more money would a replacement ask for compared to Congreve? It's not just a rubbish team because of a lack of riders. It's 3 points under the limit for a reason.

Looked gash in one of the televised Polish 3rd? division matches recently and wouldn't become an asset. Get well soon Rene. So unlucky with injuries.

but do two swallows make a summer?

Honestly, my mate got his picture taken with him recently at some event in Newcastle and I thought it was William Shatner!!! His suit looked like it was from C&A. So despite the Iron's sad demise and Keegan's apparent need for readies, I don't think he could do a job up front anymore.

Yes, I think Janowski credits riding in the UK as aiding his development. Smektala, Predpelski. the Pawlicki's and even Zmarzlik had brief toe dips as the brightest of prospects at the time. Not sure the likes of Miskowiak would consider it beneficial now. But you might think those lesser riders, not good enough for the Polish leagues, might seek to re-build a career elsewhere rather then 'retire'. A bit like Keegan signing for Scunthorpe. The UK wouldn't be an option anymore but they don't appear to try their luck anywhere else.

interesting. I've often wondered what happened to the 'turnover' of Polish riders. The U21 top division reserves don't always progress beyond that and presumably drop down the leagues but there's bound to be some displacement i.e. a surplus of riders. imagine that!!! often thought it could be a good business opportunity for someone to act as an agent for Polish riders without team places to come and ride in the UK, on British Licenses of course. But if the Poles are paying riders not to ride then I guess it's not feasible. Academic now as they're unlikely to get work permits anyway, I'd have thought.

like tramps picking up fag butts to pull a team together. whose to blame? the tramps or society for turning their back on them? don't worry if you don't get the analogy.

Aye an even better point. Should do him the world of good. They're even struggling for riders at that level.

when did Harris ever win a world pairs title? when did Lambert ever win a SGP (home) round? If he does win one I think he'll have surpassed Harris' achievements on a world stage. He has time on his side.

Brilliant idea. The draw could even be done as part of the GP aftershow. Like a trailer for the next round. Interview each rider about their performance on the night and then ask them to pick their 1 to 16 position.

all rather academic. it would have just meant the Diamonds would've been 5 points under the limit rather than 3. Then in reality given Congreve's scores that's 7 points under the limit. Potentially 9 points if Wilson Dean had not been cruelly injured riding round at the back. but a valid point to make as it raises an interesting question? Can the Diamonds sign work permit riders or not? Presumably Wilson Dean was granted one having ridden in the UK previously but new foreign riders are probably the only hope the Diamonds have of strengthening their side. most of the best one's will be riding in Poland but I'm sure by now some won't be getting much track time and might just fancy a spell in Britain on a newly laid track for as much sausages as you can eat!!