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Case by case basis? Deary me, what a farce. Absolutely nothing against Edinburgh before people start getting defensive but how on earth can a rider who has been a world under 21 finalist and ridden in the Elitserien come in on anything lower than seven? The sport gets more and more shambolic by the day. No idea why there are two different font sizes!

I've known Mike ( Starman ) since the late 70's and I also know he has a heart of gold when he feels he can help someone out. Get well soon mate

Many thanks for the warning !! - I will make a note in my diary not to tune in to that programme on 18 December

Without fair and proper rules and therefore a level playing field the competition is pretty pointless. And unfortunately that is the situation speedway finds itself in today. Some people can ignore all the political garbage and unfair averages and just enjoy the racing, and I feel a little bit jealous of those people. Some of us just can't and the whole thing is tainted by the ineptitude of the governing body and how some teams seem to be able to find loopholes and ringers year after year. Unfortunately many people of that mindset end up walking away.

Unless rules have changed you aren't allowed to reintroduce a rider that rode for you the previous season that didn't start the following year.

The only debates some of the poole fans have gavan , is mass debates at home in their bedrooms whilst looking at pictures of chris holder.

Many years ago back at the old shay stadium a man and a woman approached us and told us they were new to speedway and wanted to know the rules. We told them not to worry about the rules as they change them every other week, just enjoy the racing. The couple looked at us and walked off disgruntled. A few weeks later they approached us again to apologise has they had found out that we were correct. From what I have experienced in speedway since I started watching the sport again in 2005 nothing has changed. In fact it is so much the norm now that I believe the whole membership of this hallowed forum would have a mass cardiac arrest if the rules applied were ever well thought out, correct in almost every instance and were adhered to from start to finish.

PETER Oakes in Speedway Star this week has tried to unravel the farcical situation that the BSPA have put themselves in by preventing Scott Nicholls and Edward Kennett riding for a Championship team in 2018 because they did not do so this year and therefore failed to acquire an average. Although, of course, Nicholls appeared in various end of season Championship finales as a guest. We also now have a situation where Nick Morris and Craig Cook, both of whom have averages over eight, and Sam Masters (almost eight) could ride for the same Championship side but not together for a Premiership team. Do the BSPA ever look beyond their noses when making up rules, seemingly on the hoof.

Speedway is so short term. In fact, the only thing you can be sure of... the fans stand in the same place every week... until they vanish.

Starman!! Before posting this, may I request only comments of a very respectful nature! I know many have expressed their opinions about Starman and his posts in the past but would ask at least on this occasion they remain polite. Starman's mum has today advised on one of the (many)Poole threads on Facebook that Starman is currently in Poole Hospital having been diagnosed with a (non-cancerous) brain tumour! She doesn't go into any further detail about the prognosis, but will pass on good wishes from any Speedway fans. Get well soon Starry.

Marriage

If that was my team I would prefer Charles Wright.

Up to this season neither could double down, the situation was lapsed for just this season. Chris (and others) took advantage and established themselves a Championship average, Scott didn't, even though it's rumoured that a club actually offered him a place. Personally I think British riders should be allowed to double up, whatever their average but I'd stop overseas riders being given that privilege.

There are certain Poole fans that see Gavan name and they go straight on the defensive instead of actually reading what he's posted. He's more positive about the Poole signings than some others!

Just to let you know Tai is appearing on the Clare Balding show on December 18th 8 o'clock

Very true Worky turned us over on a regular basis at Ashfield in the good old Stoney years. He was an absolute joy to watch in his prime around Glasgow , to be fair he was top drawer at most tracks was Stoney.

Well done!!!!! to you lot. I'm very proud of the Speedway fraternity. Some of you dish out some personal garbage, but when one of its own hits a bad time, everyone rallys around and for that, you've revived my faith in this Forum. Get well soon Starry and look forward to seeing you selling the STAR around Wimborne Road.

That’s fine. We’ll sneak him through on a 2.00.

That's not the answer lol. Maybe ipswich had thought about it ..but didn't because they thought he was a 7 as he would previously have been. Surely even the most dumbest speedway fan can see a case by case basis is open to mischief.

Best wishes to starman! We all like to get stuck in on this forum and sometimes into each other but at the end of the day we are all people with personalities, with families and unfortunately problems like these occasionally. Sometimes it takes something like this to remember that.

There appears to be a clue to whether we are running in 2018 in this weeks Speedway Star: Ashley Morris has set his sights on a return to Newcastle. He says he's had positive talks with Diamonds chiefs and he's happy to stay at the club. "I've enjoyed my time with Newcastle, the people are great and I'm happy to go back there. The management up there are nice people, the fans are loyal and I'm happy there, so why would I want to change it? I'm hoping everything will fall into place with Newcastle very soon."

Apparently every new foreign rider will be assessed on a case by case basis. So that's why Joel has the average given. Now if that's not open to corruption I don't know what is.. Anyway. Good luck to both Edinburgh and Joel.

I don't care if it's called Rap Crap, Hippy Hoppy, Jungle, House, Garage, Garden Shed, Grime or Slime, it's all a load of bollards. Rock lives on....

We may have our opinions about some of Starman's contributions to this forum but it is good to see that people rally round and offer support when one of us is in trouble. I can only echo what others have said and hope that Starman makes a full recovery and that he is back fit and well supporting his beloved Pirates next year.

I give them credit for creating interest in the team, which a lot of clubs don’t bother doing anymore.

always tried hard? good rider? nah he's the biggest gating tart to have graced british speedway imo

With the greatest of respect as nobody has heard of him from either NL or development leagues id fancy it won't be this mystery Searsby or any of the wind up names Odsal is chucking about in a cruel way. Suggesting names just so others can immediately dismiss them is not productive in any way. As for the possibility of a moto cross convert getting a team place straight into the Championship is both laughable and dangerous. Whatever natural ability / balls they may have they will have nowhere near the skill set to compete safely at that level.

2 point riders have to be eligible for the NL, they don't have to have ridden in it.

I don’t get this supporter obsession with the rule book, it’s too complicated and not worth the time and effort going over, that’s the promoter or team managers job, only they have the power to challenge or enforce a rule.

Scott would be a great asset to any club. I can see though the other side where a significant proportion of Championship sides cannot really afford such riders. It could be argued that the desirable position would actually be to deny more riders at that level rides in the 2nd tier in order to keep costs to a more sustainble level.

The problem is too many higher quality riders have been allowed to double down for too long. It wouldn't be a big deal not having Kennet and Nichols in the top league if cook Harris Morris masters, Schlien, lambert, king, Lawson, grazionek, among others were also prevented from doing so. thats why it's a problem.

If Coventry fans believe this, then all the more reason to prevent it happening by supporting the venture, proving there is support to warrant a new stadium.

Yes, but that's because the current format allows for the possibility of the race-off to happen without the host nation. It would be very easy to solve that issue. I think most people would consider a best pairs competition to be a diminished SWC, but let's see...

Your not the only team though are you.

I guess, from that, that you never read the actual article. If you had, you would have seen exactly why it is relevant to speedway. Because it saysvthat at one time darts was in danger of going the same way as other second division sportsbof the 80's like speedway and greyhound racing.

For years the shock was Glasgow winning at home Now they have a team to be proud of, though they were probably proud of every team they had even in the dark old years.

Typical and predictable blinkered speedway fan response. I have no 'seethe' towards Edinburgh, best of luck to them and you. But these types of ringers are damaging speedway.

Although Starman speaks plenty of nonsense on this forum he has actually been an absolute gem to me on the forum messenger. Offering real support for my own personal head s#!t that's going on. Starman, I sincerely wish you all the best mate

I'm wondering where does the 5.20 figure mentioned on Edinburgh's website come from? Do Buster and Co at the head quarters just put some numbers in a hat and draw one at random nowadays?

Does anyone know what the rational was behind the one 8pt rider rule ? One would assume the board members think it will improve the product but I'm struggling to see how

Had pretty good track craft and team rode well around Foxhall in a few good scoring guest appearances towards the end of this season, while riding at 3 and 4. Happily would’ve seen him in our team next year off the back of that.

Grime, if my own kids are anything to go by.

Cos your promoter didn't scratch the right backs.

The team doesn't look to be a great one but don't forget in Speedway, given the nature of the play offs... "it's not the team you start the season with but the one you finish it with" that really counts.. Who knows? Maybe the rules re 8pt riders change during the season and you could see Lindgren back replacing one of the middle order should the team average drop sufficiently to accomodate him? I think we as fans put too much focus and almost forensic dissection on the pre season team building when often it appears as nothing more than a tactical 'means to an end'..

You may have the right numbers but not necessarily in the right order!

wait until nicolai has ridden for you for a while before you start pulling him apart.he had a decent spell with the tigers and will give of his best.

Sorry Jacob. If we were going to go down the 'No Freddie' path then a strong team all round, including a super strong reserve at #6, would IMO, have been the way to go. Hope I'm wrong and I'll be happy to have this post quoted ad nauseam come october!

Now I like workington..my second team...but that is an awful signing on that average..Sorry to say it cos I want worky to do well. Jenga...if you didn't like Sarjeant you will be suicidal after watching klindt.

Just being selfish. I'd much rather have a league with 8 closely matched teams than one or two teams running away from the rest at the top of the league. Closely matched teams are also more likely to produce good racing and that's what it should be about.

If we don't run next year I would have to consider returning to watch the Wolves but I'm not paying 17 or 18 pound , it would have to drop to at least 15 but realistically should be lower than that. Difficult for the promotors to drop it to that though. I think it could be a nomad season of travelling around and enjoying the day out but after travelling about the last few years and getting shafted by various excuses not sure I'd risk travelling too far especially without guaranteed weather