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I read all your comments with interest and I thank you all for them. One of the things that determined this years team for us was a hunger to come to the club. In seasons past, we have struggled to get people over to the island and this has narrowed our opportunity for rider selection. The very young 15 - 18, normally have school during the week, so reserves the opportunity to the next hot shot to their local or weekend club and they remain quite a challenge to find. Although, as a club we have never prevented starlets coming over and indeed encourage them as part of the GB Young Lions. I have also invested time and support to various young riders including Drew Kemp, Kyle Bickley, Chad Wirtzfeld and James Shanes to name but a few, because I believe in them as much as I believe in the riders we have selected this season, all of whom can progress this year. The second aspect we want are team players and all of the riders announced so far fit that bill perfectly. We want unity and a belief in the common goal.... which I know is always easier when you have a winning side for sure, but with strong, fun characters in the team along with very capable heat leaders and experience the combination is there for success. The other factor for us is pay....simple as. We cannot afford to pay the requirements that some riders have asked for, nor we will get into any price war. We have a scale and thats that, and the core objective remains the same... be the best we can be and hopefully that is trophy winner, while remaining viable, providing a fun filled family night out where our guests are valued and get value, while developing riders via the school and our NDL/SDL Teams. #comeonyouwarriors .

DID the BSPA design the new aircraft carrier

Yeah, but no fun watching films in black and white!

We need riders who understand that it is not enough to turn up ride a bike for 5 mins load up and bugger off to the next gig. Holder and Batch were poor signings in hindsight, did either really want to be there ? I think not. They showed total contempt for the Club and the supporters. Mug punters we are not and won't be treated as such.

50% of Poole's team is currently former Somerset riders - what's your point?

Surely the answer is to have rules and them stick to them for several years. Constant tinkering and change has cock up and self interest written all over it. Same old crap about a positive meeting to take speedway forward before the realisation of the detail sinks in and the arguments start for the next few months.

Jake is a racer, and always goes out to win. He did not thrown away points when a match result was at stake. Always push as hard as you can, riders make mistakes in front and you need to be in as position to capitalise. As you get older you get smarter and are able to do this as second nature without making mistakes. All part of Speedway. I watched Jake a lot this year and have to say that his passing ability was top draw. His 15 point max at home to Brum was stunning, and not all from the Gate, As a ex rider I applaud Jake, he has always just got on with it and done the best he can. As his Father I am proud of him, always worked and raced and can hold his head high. Very unfortunate not to get picked again for Eastbourne, but hey that's Speedway. Richard

Looks more like a Poole A team compared to who Poole have announced - with the difference that most fans would want to see them do well

Agree - just disappointing (if not surprising) that it wasnt all in order before team building was officially started for any team let alone completed by some.

shambles ain't the word looks like a long long season ahead ,said it the other year when they cocked up , sign a decent no1 and a decent reserve before anything else

So why didn't we have our team sorted

So we had the Hokey Cokey cup, now we have a Hokey Cokey team, shambles.

I havent posted in quite a long time as life is pretty hectic, but i have just read through a shed load of pages on this thread to catch up - Seems everyone is freinds as usual! ;-) Its a shame it looks like Hans wont be back - Nice guy and very experienced. As for CH seems thats looking doubtful - I was chatting with a customer of mine who has helped him out over the years and he said he doubts he will be back at Poole - disapointing as he is on a bargin average for the amount of talent he has - Shame to see his personal issues look like they have got in the way over the past few years. As for the first 4 signings they look pretty good - Poles tend to be a risk but like many i remember the year matt had Hans and Krystoff Cigeilski (SP) at reserve (from memory) and that panned out alright! Nice to see Josh back - very nice lad and has a good racing head on his shoulders - Hopefully Matt can pull a "Big" name out the hat to take the pressure off Brady. Andy

Exactly, we like to make them unhappy ourselves once they've arrived!!

Some men might see that as a win win. A night away from the wife and being able to go to a proper race track.

saying she is an " employee" skids implies she is paid ,just wondering?? ps her work looking after sponsors partys on racenite is excellent she is really really great with everyone

You can’t compare the great CO with the current owner ,he is not fit to tie up Charlie’s shoes. One would be a successful blue chip company executive the other a rug salesman in Morocco. charlie would not be in North Africa

Yeah, because Jason Doyle can't ride big, fast tracks. He was hopeless in the Aussie GP this year, wasn't he!

It may be a risk but the fact that Danno (and Ben Morley) are showing the ambition to improve their all round riding skills, even though it may cost them in the short term, should be applauded. It is the sort of commitment that should make them popular with fans. I hope it works out for both of them. (Last year signings of Campos and Portwood raised a few eyebrows, but both were very popular - so it is clear that such left field signings can work for the Warriors).

Ah, love the archives! Got one from Poole last winning the league?

Charles Ochiltree was respected and, in turn, he respected his customers, the fans. As a youngster in the 1960s, I once went into the office to ask if a race card was available (one of those long ago occasions when the stadium was so full, they sold out of programmes!). I was quite concerned when I saw him in the office but still asked him. Ever the gentleman, he responded to a young lad with the same politeness as to any adult and told me to wait whilst they xeroxed some spares, handing me a copy before I left. Very powerful man in the sport at that time but never lost touch with reality either.

Unfortunately the inclement weather has delayed any progress these last 5 years.

In a couple of threads I suggested that an easy way to produce assessed averages would be to I could do it in a couple of hours using data already in existence I'd use dolgin's rankings, starting by doing linear regression on all those riders who have 2017 British averages. That would give a formula that would provide an average for every rider. ( I would reduce the average of Americans by 10% because I think dolgin's methodology over-rates them). And finally I would round to the nearest half point). And I would use a 1.25 multiplier to go from PL to CL. I have now done it (and it took less than two hours) I used Dolgin's rankings at 30 September (topped by Tai Woffinden on 4701 ranking points and end of season PL GSA averages for all riders (61) with a PL GSA achieved in 2017 over 3.00. The regression formula came out as: Formula: Assessed Average = (ranking points – 1118) --------------------------------- 347.3 Here's the scatter graph: And the list of assessed riders (note it includes anyone without a PL or CL GSA achieved in 2017 (so it includes riders like Stefan Nielsen, Tobias Busch and Davey Watt) And a list of assessments: 10.5 Woffinden 10 Zmarzlik 9.5 Zagar Dudek Hancock 9 Laguta Laguta Pawlicki Pawlicki Sayfutdinov Vaculik Pedersen 8.5 Janowski Kolodziej hampel Iversen Milik Wozniak Jonsson 8 Lindback Drabik Kildemand Sundstrom Lebedevs Holta 7.5 Jepsen Jensen Miedzinski Protasiewicz Michelsen Ljung Woryna Bech Zengota 7 Smektala Okoniewski Thomsen Crump Jamrog Smolinski Mat Szczepaniak Mroczka Korneliussen 6.5 Janniro Jedrzejak K Gomolski Fajfer Wolbert Bogdanovs Karpov Buczkowski Przedpelski 6.5 Ulamek Czaja D Davidsson Kosciuch P Aspgren Pieszczek F Jakobsen Bach 6 Walasek Kudryashov J Davidsson Pavlic Lampart B Pedersen Jablonski Krcmar Jeleniewski 6 Covatti Puodzuks KK Hansen Lyager P Karlsson 5.5 M Ruml Franc M Nowak Berntzon Berge Gizatulin Gala Kroner Gafurov 5.5 D Balinski Miskowiak Kubera Kulakov Miesiac Tarasenko 5 Watt K Jablonski Brzozowski Karczmarz Kus Koza C Vissing J Andersson Eklof 5 Polis Palovaara Cyfer R Jensen Bober Hjelmland Borodulin 4.5 Fisher J Jorgensen Mazur Hartel Busk Jakobsen M B Andersen K Andersen Kostigovs Jeppesen 4.5 J Kling Dolny Busch Chugunov Thornblom Stachyra Ajtner Gollob A Gomolski Nissen 4.5 Adamczewski Borowicz Drodz T Sorensen Jedrzewski Skornicki Monberg Kaczmarek 4.5 Risager Tabaka Stichauer Kuciapa K Lykke 4 Lindman Melnichuk Grobauer Mads Hansen Z Holub St Nielsen S Burza Michalovs L Sowka 4 Fox Becker Manzares B Bast Nicol Novratil Thaysen Alden M Tresarrieu 4 Chmiel Castagna Melgren Sogaard Gruchalski Chalov Fierlej R Kling P Hansen 4 Adamczak Logachev F Eriksson Fienhage Tornqvist V Bergstrom Mag Karlsson suchanek Puszakowski 4 Dilger

A think it will be a good-un, to try and get more at the Christmas doo

id say some promoters dont have the time to travel abroad for a meeting that is dictated by promoters who hold high positions in the sport this is british speedway the meeting should be held in britten and it should involve all who want to take part the following season

Surely the management must realise this is not good for business generally with the bottom end signings already made and maybe having to wait 5/6 weeks before they complete the team, not good for prospective new season ticket holders or indeed those renewing there's. I can't see it being a record breaking season ticket sales what ever spin they put on it . Just wish management would not just listen to fans but take notice as well. Every year we seem to build from the bottom and every year we have to make changes because they keep getting it wrong. In future why don't we try building from the top first .I just can't get any enthusiasm about the riders signed so far and I don't think I am alone , very disappointed in the lack of imagination shown by management.

We would support the bees in the NL if it was at Brandon the fans would support bee's in any league as long as we were at Brandon or very near .I would thank fans from other teams for what they have done I think the poster got his wording wrong

id say theres at least 2 in that line up that wont be right

You aren't alienating me. I'm not a Coventry fan and never will be, but what this group is doing really does deserve to succeed. If you can get rid of the incumbent 'promoter' and also get a new stadium, or even resurrect Brandon, it will all have been worth it. Keep up the good work. You will get there in the end.

looking into RL issues, did i read on here that he and NKI have a strong dislike for each other, hence the reason RL hasn't and NKI has potentially signed...?

pleased with the 6 signed, good to see some continuity with the Champions. hopefully Zach's improvement will go from strength to strength in 2018.

So you are assuming both will be Wednesday night tracks?? or knowledge?.

Simple answer- Speedway was once all the rage, very popular, well known and cool to be part of. Times changed, things evolved but the sport did not. I can still enjoy aspects of the sport but you are not going to get youngsters wanting to go to run down stadia that plays old music and stand with a bunch with a bunch of oap's, LOOK, most people know of the "Inbetweeners" imagine how an episode would play out if they went to Speedway! "Why have you even brought us here Neil? this is embarrassing, don't you dare mention it to anyone else at the school we came here, this is so totally not cool"

Those of us in the superior stand were quite concerned when we first realised he had been visiting the hoi polloi in the cheap stand but assurances that he changes his clothes and washes his hands on the way back have put our minds at rest.

Yes,the ones i spoke to said exactly that,they had a change to make a living racing speedway rather than pay pay pay out to ride

Good job we have 26 letters in the alphabet which gives us a bit more scope then.

A wonder if any signings will be announced at the Christmas doo on Friday night ?

2010 is everyone's, bar Poole supporters, favourite trophy lift at Poole.

I find it very funny how people say that holder and batchelor were not team men? All 7 of the squad stuck together last season and that's why the big fall out happened. Clubmen they are not but team men then I can't see why you wouldn't want them in your 1-7. All 7 of them were very close knit. Unfortunately it was to each other and not the club. If things had gone other way and meeting abandoned after 8 heats I bet we would have carried on and easily made the play offs.

Hi all at Birmingham. I have sponsored Leon Flint for a while now, starting when he was on 125s (probably before that) then on to his 250s level. I have been seriously proud of his development British Champion 2015/16 &17, and did so well in world championships until engine problems in the finals. Then to be voted young rider of the year, what an honour for him, but very well deserved, to see him behind the scenes with other youngsters is fantastic to see. I will be sponsoring Leon Flint again while at Birmingham, sadly living all the way up here in Northumberland and business commitments it is doubtful that I will have the honour to come down and watch him. I have sponsored a few riders over the years, however for such a young person, I have not met many so appreciative for what he gets, no matter how large or small. If there is any of you wishing to sponsor this young talent, you will not regret it for one second. TAFFYS TIME MACHINE

Well the die is cast. Interesting that 5 of the 7 are the same as last years first declaration with only the two 3.0 pointers coming in.

Looks as if the My Way or the Highway scenario still rules at KLS then.

Including Swindon lifting the trophy in 2012 there

There's loads of league winning videos at Poole.

I will have to have my next order of jellied eels with a side order of Labskaus!!!!

Belle Vue was the same in the late 60s and early 70s when I was watching there. The Belle Vue management wanted people out of the speedway by 9.00pm and into the amusement arcades etc. There was a story that the clerk of the course had his own unofficial 2 minute buzzer if he felt the ref was tardy. My recollection was that as riders came in off one heat the riders for the next heat were being pushed off. I go to relatively few meetings these days but slow presentation is a regular annoyance when I do go.

Have to agree there Gemini, when I think back to the 70's and early 80's when my local track Canterbury had 3000 - 5000 people per week over that time. There was a curfew, the meeting had to finish by 9.00pm. It started at 7.00pm with a centre green rider introduction and one lap parade on their bikes, swiftly followed by the first heat. 13 race league match, 3 second half junior races, 4 second half heats and the second half final, 21 races in less than 2 hours with even time for a couple of laps after the final if a rider wanted to try something out. And yes the sun was a problem, for about 20 minutes, going into the third turn but that is what the effective peaks were for on your helmet! After the meeting the fans had full access to their favourites too.

I guess we may be the difference to the norm, but we only managed 5 wins last season in all competitions yet our crowd went up on the previous season. We saw an influx of families, a lot of travelling fans who wanted to experience an evening with us and our season ticket sales increased from 2016. As I wrote earlier, not one person said to me, sort the team out, we have had enough..... they really enjoyed their evening, because they were properly entertained, received value for money, felt valued and I guess felt/knew that Martin, our team and I were putting everything we had (I don’t mean financial) to make their evening fun. As someone wrote before...as the crowds grew, so did the atmosphere, which in turn probably helped the crowd grow again. I truly don’t believe that fans of speedway want to see the best in the world week in week out. If they see close racing, with excitement and a bit of controversy, plus they feel valued, safe, their kids make friends, they interact with riders, in my view it’s a winning combination. If their team happens to involve the world's best and they have the close racing still than that's even better. We market as much as we can, but it is actually expensive to do all mediums, radio, paper, magazine, billboards and so on, so if I had one wish that would be an unlimited marketing budget to prove that marketed correctly the turnstiles will click again Thanks again, it’s interesting to read your views, as I try to see how they stack up in our stadium and what we do, and if using your views we can tweak what we do or implement something new. As always, if you come to the island come grab me for a chat, I'm always in yellow and blue

I was going to respond myself. But it would be superfluous after reading SCBs post. I do not think I have seen a better critique. Brilliant.

By only allowing one over eight point rider you have prevented more top riders coming back to British league and in doing so watered down the standard of the riders in the league. Other thing to change is the dropping the double point rule,good move the tac sub rule is a better option.I wrote to the B S P A last year asking for this to be done, But i also wanted to make it more interesting so team managers would have more to think about by adding a twist to tac sub rule. If a rider is nominated to take a tac sub ride he could then not be allowed to ride in heat fifteen it would make team managers have to use there skills when making decisions on who to use and who to save fof heat fifteen. thus making team managers job much more interesting i lost interest in being a manager because of a lack of any decision making only a stupid black and white hat.Of course there is more to team managing like knowing how to deal with riders ,how to motivate riders some you have to shout at and others you have to treat differently to get a reaction ,anyway hope someone agrees with my ideas