I’m not sure Smith belongs in the main body of any team next season. He really struggled at reserve for us this year. I think his head got the better of him. You could see the frustration when things didn’t go his way he then came out and tried too hard and over rode the bike. I honestly think he has the ability but the pressure got to him and I don’t think he’d manage in the main body especially at Glasgow.

The difference is, you know what time it's going to start and finish, you know (unless there are freak circumstances) that it's going to be on when you get there and you know who the player are lining up for both teams.

Going along with rumors of Harrison signing Justin Sedgmen - 7.34 Eric Riss - 7.12 Paco Castagna - 7.05 Kye Thomson - 5.93 Jonatan Grahn - 5.30 Luke Harrison - 4.97 Jordy Loftus - 2.14 Total - 39.85   Or   Dan Thompson - 8.50 Justin Sedgmen - 7.34 Paco Castagna - 7.05 Kye Thomson - 5.93 Luke Harrison - 4.97 Pijper / Starke - 4.04 / 4.03 Jordy Loftus - 2.14 Total 39.97 / 39.96   This would be a preferred team, but doesn't feel realistic   Dan Thompson - 8.50 Eric Riss - 7.12 Paco Castagna - 7.05 Kye Thomson - 5.93 Jonatan Grahn - 5.30 Jody Scott - 3.82 Jordy Loftus - 2.14 Total - 39.86

It's a shame for Palovaara after a great season, but I wouldn't pick him on his current average. Obviously his scores were expected to go down when he moved up from reserve, but it was so drastic that he doesn't feel good value on a 7.35 average now.

People are more likely to go out and do something at the weekend. Friday evening and Saturday in particular. If we could find a way to get teams racing at the weekend (or on a race night that suits their audience) we’d be laughing. But.  There would be riders lost to Poland and the current domestic rider pool isn’t up to the standard a lot of fans deem acceptable apparently. Weekend racing isn’t a bad idea. It’s probably unrealistic given the place the sport has been navigated into over the last few decades however. We need solutions, not pointing out of obvious problems of course. The first couple of steps for me are safeguarding the current tracks (we really can’t afford to lose any more) and repopulating the domestic rider pool. That means doubling up must be curbed (over time, we can’t go cold turkey due to the lack of good enough riders now) and a strong focus on getting youngsters into the sport, developing their talents and then keeping them on their bikes.  Tackle one issue at a time, build a solid, sustainable foundation and then move forward from there. 

By saying it’s a dreadful idea, you’re actually saying what we currently have is ok (ish). It isn’t, it is not viable. Great to have the GP stars but we need enough people to come through the turnstiles and enough sponsors to pay for them. It clearly doesn’t happen for 95% of the clubs and the 5% bet everything on getting to the Grand Final and getting five times their normal attendance to pay for the season and a bit of the following season. It is a crap business model. Monday is a rubbish night to watch Speedway, the diehards will come but attracting a new audience to come on a Monday night is nigh on impossible, if it was working we wouldn’t be having this discussion. Those who say yeah well football is played on Tuesday or Wednesday nights, well yes that’s true but it’s not every Tuesday or Wednesday and the majority of a clubs midweek games coincide with school holidays.