EC Rides Again 143 Posted September 5, 2013 Well that's the 1st one signed or anounced for 2014...............A tick for me please! Bah, humbug !! Only joking. Glad to see Ryan back for a second season, mad to let him go now. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
stratton 1,491 Posted September 5, 2013 Well that's the 1st one signed or anounced for 2014...............A tick for me please! Would you rather the league stay as it is or are you open minded Scorpion? If the leagues changed would you be up for different sides visiting i personally would love to visit different tracks. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
EC Rides Again 143 Posted September 5, 2013 Would you rather the league stay as it is or are you open minded Scorpion? If the leagues changed would you be up for different sides visiting i personally would love to visit different tracks. I'd love a twenty strong league. Nineteen proper home league fixtures, yes please. The main issue is the level of riders that would ride in the league as existing PL clubs cannot afford the likes of Zagar/Lindgren/Holder/Ward/Iversen et al. However a cursory glance at the Speedway Stars Top 20 Averages for the Elite League this year (yes, I know they are not "official") and you find a few Double Uppers such as Doyle and Cook. Add in Bomber/Nicholls/Danny King as out and out Number Ones and I think that a competitive League structure is possible with 18 to 20 teams. Remember that King's Lynn, Birmingham, Swindon and Lakeside were all in the PL in recent memory. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
stratton 1,491 Posted September 6, 2013 I'd love a twenty strong league. Nineteen proper home league fixtures, yes please. The main issue is the level of riders that would ride in the league as existing PL clubs cannot afford the likes of Zagar/Lindgren/Holder/Ward/Iversen et al. However a cursory glance at the Speedway Stars Top 20 Averages for the Elite League this year (yes, I know they are not "official") and you find a few Double Uppers such as Doyle and Cook. Add in Bomber/Nicholls/Danny King as out and out Number Ones and I think that a competitive League structure is possible with 18 to 20 teams. Remember that King's Lynn, Birmingham, Swindon and Lakeside were all in the PL in recent memory. Good points EC without the odvious stars,is there a massive difference on a going day for most left in.Apart from a few improvers Kildemand it looks a very good product and league to me. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Lewis 76 Posted September 12, 2013 Interesting article from Scunthorpe promoter Rob Godfrey in the local paper.... http://www.scunthorpetelegraph.co.uk/Scunthorpe-Scorpions-team-plans-hold-Godfrey/story-19781730-detail/story.html Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Greg 123 Posted September 12, 2013 David Howe has said twice now he is not packing up racing. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
IronScorpion 1,407 Posted September 15, 2013 (edited) Sidney here is my reply but above all things need simplifying, it is getting diificult to encourage new supporters the way we are going. The league re-structuring, in my opinion, boils down to money or lack of it. Sky.s contract coming to an end will have massive implications for the EL that is why there is the talk of one league. But is that too many teams? Top riders have stated that they do not race in Britain as there are too many meetings & on different nights. The Polish EL ride on a sunday & Sweden EL ride on a tuesday. As far as i can gather, their lower leagues race similar to us-on differing nights. If the PL was restructured then a team max of 16 would give 30 league meetings, the KO cup would be easier with no byes, a pre-season of no more than 4 friendlies with about 3 spare/empty race nights to accomodate rain offs. Also, the tracks should be made raceable & not rideable-we need to entertain. Subtle changes need to be made over a period of 3 to 4 years to get more brits coming through minimising the amount of foreigners racing in our leagues. Give the brits the chance to ride, improve, move up as we are lagging behind the rest of the leagues. Before other people say that practice what you preach, we had to sign the Swedes & Danes to compete as our home grown talent that we tried to nurture at Scunny was taken away. Edited September 15, 2013 by IronScorpion 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
stratton 1,491 Posted September 15, 2013 Sidney here is my reply but above all things need simplifying, it is getting diificult to encourage new supporters the way we are going. The league re-structuring, in my opinion, boils down to money or lack of it. Sky.s contract coming to an end will have massive implications for the EL that is why there is the talk of one league. But is that too many teams? Top riders have stated that they do not race in Britain as there are too many meetings & on different nights. The Polish EL ride on a sunday & Sweden EL ride on a tuesday. As far as i can gather, their lower leagues race similar to us-on differing nights. If the PL was restructured then a team max of 16 would give 30 league meetings, the KO cup would be easier with no byes, a pre-season of no more than 4 friendlies with about 3 spare/empty race nights to accomodate rain offs. Also, the tracks should be made raceable & not rideable-we need to entertain. Subtle changes need to be made over a period of 3 to 4 years to get more brits coming through minimising the amount of foreigners racing in our leagues. Give the brits the chance to ride, improve, move up as we are lagging behind the rest of the leagues. Before other people say that practice what you preach, we had to sign the Swedes & Danes to compete as our home grown talent that we tried to nurture at Scunny was taken away. Good post most of us i believe want more Brits to get a chance your team has been good in that respect generally.Also they give Bates a chance didnt work out but he will be decent longterm.If it is one big league maybe it might be regional who knows it is all up in the air at the mo. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
EC Rides Again 143 Posted September 15, 2013 (edited) Far too early for this thread. Will there be a Premier League as we know it now ? Interesting article from Scunthorpe promoter Rob Godfrey in the local paper.... http://www.scunthorp...tail/story.html Looks like I might have been right to be cautious about team building until we know the league structure the Scorpions will find themselves in next year. Interesting times ahead. Edited September 15, 2013 by EC Rides Again Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DIAMONDS 159 Posted September 18, 2013 Don't know much but here we go 1. Josh Auty 7.57 2. Ryan Douglas 4.67 3. Nicolai Klindt 6.93 4. David Howe 6.34 5. Ashley Birks 7.16 6. Charles Wright 4.05 7. Lewis Blackbird 4.63 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
phillwhitewasmad 1,487 Posted September 18, 2013 We won't build a team that has Douglas in the main body from the start Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Lewis 76 Posted October 6, 2013 Will have another go now the season has finished, assuming 42.5 points limit for the PL. Hope Ashley Birks gets well soon but would be suprised to see him fit for the start of the season, so my apologies Ash, if your fit then I would choose different New Rider 7.78 PL or 4.66 EL (Thorssell / Mellgren / Summers / Fredrik Engman 7.0 ass/ Sam Masters) Josh Auty 7.24 - Josh is much better rider than this average & I was suprised to see it so low, can easily push that upto 8.0 David Howe 6.34 - An injury ranaged 2013, very low average, Mr.Scunthorpe Thomas Jorgenson 6.15 - Suffered early doors in 2013 but is better than this, would expect him to push on now. Ryan Douglas 5.03 - After a mid season tune up became our ace in the pack. Lewis Blackird 4.93 - Just gets better all the time, although 26 years old, its only his 2nd full speedway season. Stefan Nielsen 4.70 - Showed at Somerset what he can do, a Scunthorpe asset. total 42.5 If we could get these riders in (Jensen/Summers/Wright), it would be great but I am sure they will be back with their orignal teams again next season Michel Bech Jensen 8.52 Aaron Summers 7.14 David Howe 6.34 Thomas Jorgenson 6.15 Ryan Douglas 5.03 Lewis Blackird 4.93 Charles Wright 4.30 total 42.41 Still big question marks over Ash birks being fit for part of 2014 & will Josh Auty still be doubling up? Do we need a big hitting number 1 (8.5-9.5 pts) like Edinburgh / Somerset / Ipswich / Newcastle, seems to be the way for a successful league position, would Josh Auty make that in 2014? I dont think Klindt is the answer though, he is so unpredictable, if he doesnt gate he often finishes last. Your thoughts? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Devilspoet 41 Posted October 6, 2013 Unrealistic to have Bech riding at 1 for you as he's a Plymouth asset and IF he rides PL next year which I doubt then he''' be at Plymouth Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Lewis 76 Posted October 6, 2013 Unrealistic to have Bech riding at 1 for you as he's a Plymouth asset and IF he rides PL next year which I doubt then he''' be at Plymouth "but I am sure they will be back with their orignal teams again next season" Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
EC Rides Again 143 Posted November 17, 2013 Interested to know if the AGM fall out was discussed at Tai's do in Scunthorpe tonight? All systems go for a straightforward team build now. No Ash Birks it would seem for starters. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
