Top Rider Shortage

[Hunty 189]

Seeing as I'm a big believer in our British youngsters getting into our sport, I read all these posts and yes I do join in. Ive been insulted took it on the chin. Don't expect it any other way or I wouldn't make posts. Whatever is said or done in N/L the basic facts are;

Drumroll Please?

 

The end of Eastenders Music

 

Leaving us on a cliff hanger?

[June 203]

Cont'd ...Sorry my comptr went on the blink had to re-boot.

N/L is the bottom tier of the 3 leagues. Its the first step on to the ladder for the youngsters and also a first time of being part of a competative team. Its a huge step from having fun, beating better riders in practice and AM meetings. Therefore the sooner foundations are put in place for all teams to develope further to what Scunny and others are doing with these kids before they enter this league the better and faster we will see progression. My point being; I think the team Avereage should be lower, hence more rookies per team. Clubs that want more from the league should apply for PL. OK I expect to get shot down now lol.

[Hunty 189]

Cont'd ...Sorry my comptr went on the blink had to re-boot.

N/L is the bottom tier of the 3 leagues. Its the first step on to the ladder for the youngsters and also a first time of being part of a competative team. Its a huge step from having fun, beating better riders in practice and AM meetings. Therefore the sooner foundations are put in place for all teams to develope further to what Scunny and others are doing with these kids before they enter this league the better and faster we will see progression. My point being; I think the team Avereage should be lower, hence more rookies per team. Clubs that want more from the league should apply for PL. OK I expect to get shot down now lol.

 

Has the league got more to offer? The fact is the gap between PL is getting bigger in terms of some teams and smaller in the cases of others, so I 100% agree with what you have said. The league should be and is aimed at development, it needs to have more links to the grass roots of the sport such as the MDL. I've said it a few times that if the EL draft works then I would hope there would be a influx of PL teams and EL teams having development squads. We are already seeing a trend towards that happening with the KL young stars, the Stags and Scunny running a second team. It needs to be competitive, it needs to have clubs who can bring in supporters to make it have that edge to it that the meetings really do matter instead of just having 7 riders just trying to improve lap times and technique.

 

Lowering the average would suit one side of the coin in terms of having more rookies but them on the other where will there riders with the bigger averages ride is there a PL spot for them after there first year in the EL draft? Nobody knows until 2015 how it will pan out.

 

It terms of the Heathens, we're in a bit of a situation where as soon as we get our own track it would be PL here we go, but until then we are doing a great job of bringing on talent but are in the situation of big fish in a small pond.

 

Something's got to hive to balance it up. Fingers crossed that we get our own track and Mildenhall can make a push up too and that we get more second teams from the higher leagues.

[TMW 533]

It has always been the case between the stand alones and 2nd teams. The 2nd teams are running a competitive 1st team. I have seen the support at Scunny for NL I have also seen the support that leave before the 2nd meeting during double headers. The only way round it would be to stop stand alone clubs entering the NL.

[therefused 819]

im surprised the points limit wasnt lowered to something around 34-36 for the coming season at the agm due to the fact that so few riders are available for the nl this coming season. If i was in charge i would make it mandatory to have two 3 pointers at reserve, as well as changing the rules to any british rider under the age of 21 to be able to compete in the nl regardless of average. would allow ellis who has just missed out in only his second season of racing to be allowed for at least another year.

[Damo b 10]

Basically there isn't enough of any riders let alone, heat leaders. Just look at the moto cross track near west row, hundreds of lads turn up in £50k plus campers, if only that many where riding speedway, then every club would have a huge choice. The reason I mention the campers is that usually you get the old reason that speedway is expensive which i understand, but moto cross with all the gear and a camper can,t be that cheap.

I wonder if Mildenhall had the track open on the same weekend as the moto cross was on, and had a couple of bikes available, would any of the moto cross lads come across for a spin, as this would give them a chance to have a go at no outlay? Specially if someone got in touch with the moto cross club/ members before hand so they were aware of the invitation. Just an idea.

[roguetrader 51]

Has the league got more to offer? The fact is the gap between PL is getting bigger in terms of some teams and smaller in the cases of others, so I 100% agree with what you have said. The league should be and is aimed at development, it needs to have more links to the grass roots of the sport such as the MDL. I've said it a few times that if the EL draft works then I would hope there would be a influx of PL teams and EL teams having development squads. We are already seeing a trend towards that happening with the KL young stars, the Stags and Scunny running a second team. It needs to be competitive, it needs to have clubs who can bring in supporters to make it have that edge to it that the meetings really do matter instead of just having 7 riders just trying to improve lap times and technique.

 

Lowering the average would suit one side of the coin in terms of having more rookies but them on the other where will there riders with the bigger averages ride is there a PL spot for them after there first year in the EL draft? Nobody knows until 2015 how it will pan out.

 

It terms of the Heathens, we're in a bit of a situation where as soon as we get our own track it would be PL here we go, but until then we are doing a great job of bringing on talent but are in the situation of big fish in a small pond.

 

Something's got to hive to balance it up. Fingers crossed that we get our own track and Mildenhall can make a push up too and that we get more second teams from the higher leagues.

 

 

No your not. You cherry pick the best riders available enticed by illegal points money. You have four riders from the Elite League draft riders and two rider riding in all three leagues. You also attempted to sign an Australian ringer as a reserve which was quite frankly disgraceful and bit you on the arse. You are doing no favours whatsoever to the National League.

Edited January 23, 2014 by roguetrader

[Hunty 189]

S

 

No your not. You cherry pick the best riders available enticed by illegal points money. You have four riders from the Elite League draft riders and two rider riding in all three leagues. You also attempted to sign an Australian ringer as a reserve which was quite frankly disgraceful and bit you on the arse. You are doing no favours whatsoever to the National League.

 

So giving riders platform to sucseed isnt going to help bring them on. We have a fan base that supports the riders through the HSSC by the 50/50 that makes 170+ each week that goes back to the riders. We have start of season nights that are in aid of the riders with all money going to them and this years is nearly sold out.

 

We all know how difficult it is to start off in speedway and as a club of management and supporters and sponsers we really give them the best opertuinty to push themselves to the next level

 

We have bumper crowd which surely attracts more sponsers because they will be sponsering a young lad who is going to be riding infront of more people at meeting.

 

Its not so much us 'Cherry Picking' riders is as much as most of the National League Riders would like to ride for the heathens because they are going to be managed well, supported well, given an opertiunity to ride a whole season cause its not often we have made rider changes.

 

We really do devlop riders and I struggle to name any that have not left us on a higher average or moved onto bigger and better things.

 

You quote that we have four riders from the elite league draft but out off the 23 that were in the elitle league draft 10 of them were Heathens or had riden for the Heathens over there short careers.

 

We support our team away, we take our well earned money to other clubs and spend it at there tracks, some National League Teams look for our fixture because they are in for a bumber crowd. Over 300 we took to Kings Lynn for the final how many Kings Lynn fans came to the first leg, you could count them on your fingers and toes. We took a coach and more to IOW we piled into Buxton and Stoke on the double header day we dare I say it our fans the majority at proberbly both tracks.

 

How we have done no favors to the NL is beyond me, I understand that we may have made the gap between PL and NL closer for ourselves whilst making it bigger for some other clubs but it happens in in all sports the better players go to the better clubs.

 

Simple as that, you will say its where the money is, but thats only because we have a fan base and management that can support it.

 

We are a big fish in a small pond, we are desperate for our own track to make the step up and then we might become the small fish in the big pond.

 

Untill this happens the Heathens will do everything they can to sucseed but the development of the riders comes first. Not all fans will agree but I belive that and ive said it loads of times on here but the best moment of last season wasnt winning everything it was watch a young lad Max Clegg take his first steps on to very big things.

Edited January 24, 2014 by Ommer UM Speedway Blog

[Bagpuss 10,784]

What has stopped the Heathens stepping up out of intetest? Is it a case of every spare penny going towards a new stadium fund? Its such a shame as both the club and Monmore Green would be an asset to the PL.

 

As it is the NL is a very lopsided league which is realistically a two horse race. Primarily its about youth development for me and its great to see plenty of youngsters getting their chance.

[June 203]

Ommer, I'm sorry but I cannot agree with your statements of Heathens developing riders. NO no no!! This is done in places like Scunny, Kings Lynn etc where these kids start riding their very small bikes at very young ages 5 or 6 years old. At Scunny its under the guidence Wayne Carter & Richard Hollingsworth and his gang of helpers. These kids develope on to the next size bike and so on. They go from the training track to the big track and delopement goes on. By the time these kids get to teenages they have developed style and speed and compete on either 250 or 500cc bikes in AM meetings. By the time they reach 14/15 they are ready for NL. This is the age when there should be an opening into the first league for all those lads that has stuck with speedway.They have earned their right to at least be given a chance. At this level teams offering big money to youngsters already in the N/L is at the expense of many lads missing out on team places. Money can always buy the best team! In any sport.

[bigred 187]

Ommer, I'm sorry but I cannot agree with your statements of Heathens developing riders. NO no no!! This is done in places like Scunny, Kings Lynn etc where these kids start riding their very small bikes at very young ages 5 or 6 years old. At Scunny its under the guidence Wayne Carter & Richard Hollingsworth and his gang of helpers. These kids develope on to the next size bike and so on. They go from the training track to the big track and delopement goes on. By the time these kids get to teenages they have developed style and speed and compete on either 250 or 500cc bikes in AM meetings. By the time they reach 14/15 they are ready for NL. This is the age when there should be an opening into the first league for all those lads that has stuck with speedway.They have earned their right to at least be given a chance. At this level teams offering big money to youngsters already in the N/L is at the expense of many lads missing out on team places. Money can always buy the best team! In any sport.

So why did Scunthorpe pull the plug on the saints last year of a supposed 3 year plan to feed the premier league,leaving all there 2012 team without a team spot(lucky for dudley/cradley they did really).And why were none of them given a premier team spot for 2103.??

[June 203]

I think Rob Godfrey pulled out of N/L with a very heavy heart.Running one team was possibly all he could afford. Must be very difficult finding money to run 2 teams. I'm not involved with Scunny speedway at that level. I'm a fan from the 70s and our 3 generations of the family love the sport. Oh don't forget Rob Godfrey started off with a field and has had to build up the stadium as he goes along. Its been purpose built and hes worked long hard hours down at the track in all weathers. One can only do so much!

[Bagpuss 10,784]

I'm sure it was mentioned at the time by Rob that some of his riders had been tapped up and he was a little disillusioned by it all as well as struggling to track a side because of the aforementioned tapping.

[Hunty 189]

Ommer, I'm sorry but I cannot agree with your statements of Heathens developing riders. NO no no!! This is done in places like Scunny, Kings Lynn etc where these kids start riding their very small bikes at very young ages 5 or 6 years old. At Scunny its under the guidence Wayne Carter & Richard Hollingsworth and his gang of helpers. These kids develope on to the next size bike and so on. They go from the training track to the big track and delopement goes on. By the time these kids get to teenages they have developed style and speed and compete on either 250 or 500cc bikes in AM meetings. By the time they reach 14/15 they are ready for NL. This is the age when there should be an opening into the first league for all those lads that has stuck with speedway.They have earned their right to at least be given a chance. At this level teams offering big money to youngsters already in the N/L is at the expense of many lads missing out on team places. Money can always buy the best team! In any sport.

But at NL leave level which Is the only possible contact for the heathens to have with riders we do help them develop by riding for a NL team who can support them in and off the track! In terms off the NL we do develop riders we don't have anything to help in place with the younger levels than the NL cause we don't have the facilities to! Don't understand you point that we don't when we have made a difference to this league in the last 4 years and many riders development over those last 4 years! Ash Morris is the prime example!

[June 203]

But at NL leave level which Is the only possible contact for the heathens to have with riders we do help them develop by riding for a NL team who can support them in and off the track! In terms off the NL we do develop riders we don't have anything to help in place with the younger levels than the NL cause we don't have the facilities to! Don't understand you point that we don't when we have made a difference to this league in the last 4 years and many riders development over those last 4 years! Ash Morris is the prime example!

Yea I remember Ashley Morris very well, where did he come from ? thats it Scunny.So as per usual this subject keeps going round in circles. Is there any wonder riders don't move up to our P/L side, they'll go where their offfered the most money.