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Seriously though, we not even in the same league as you, so why are you even bothered? I can't wait to watch this team, it's full of racers if nothing else

Blimey - I’m half expecting to see Brent Werner signing as a mid season signing! Good to see Complin back, was quality on his day on the big tracks!

Lots of posters are quick to say no to Bates, Proctor, Sedgmen for example. But who else fits? Normally I wouldn't suggest a 6.00 man who will score 4 points a match, but of the next best option is a 2.00 junior - better off with one of the above 3 mentioned!

Very happy with that line up after last season - excited to see how Complin does after a few years out. He was a rider I enjoyed watching before he retired.

It is very pleasing that people are upset by this but on this occasion I think Blobby is wrong I think Tom will push an 8 point average , just need to get confirmation that Basso is in-fact not a Poole asset and Glasgow get him for free. Can you imagine the meltdown when that happens my jaw will be aching for days laughing.

He went back to the states and won a few North california titles. I think people often under estimate the difference in strength between a top flight of 17 teams and a top flight of 11 teams, which was the shift from 84 to 85. It meant weaker heat leaders became second string quality, and second strings became reserve standard. Arguably that's what happenned to Courtney, Campbell and Ingels in 85.

My understanding is 8 meeting’s to be an asset but 4h 4a to get a Cma. he has 8 meetings but 3h 5a hence why he is still assessed.

Tom bacon as retired

Probably waiting for cheques to clear !!

Grajczonek is European, he uses Polish ancestry to ride in Poland (who'd have guessed with a name like that!) The problem is that since brexit European riders need work permits too.

I feel bad even dignifying you with an answer... But things ain't that bad... If Lee can even get back to anywhere near the entertainer he used to be, he'll be a brilliant number 2 or number 4. Him and Max could ride either position then... Yeah, we not the strongest team in the league, but we have a team and for that I am grateful. We have so many entertaining riders, we may not win a lot, but we're never gonna give up 1. Bradley Wilson Dean 2. Lee Complin 3. Matthew Wethers 4. Max Clegg 5. Paul Starke 6. George Congreve 7. James Wright The 2022 Newcastle Diamonds

Great to hear the dulcet tones of Dalbers on the commentary again.

If that means me I would remind you I was alluding to what Rob DID say and that was confirmed by two other posters straightaway. Telling the truth on here is now becoming banned it would seem,.

Who'd have guessed that one!! Always loved watching Lee, brilliant entertainer, one of the best riders I've ever watched at this level of British speedway. Just hope it hasn't been too long for him and he can get plenty of practise in before the season starts. It's a very James Wright sounding signing. I can't wait to watch Lee again Only thing that worries me is that he was never a very good gater!! And Brough is a very specific track to be able to pass on, but he did used to have some big balls... What will his average be?

Lee was one of my all time favourites despite not racing for the Diamonds and his all action style will be great to watch next season. He’s been away for a long time but he certainly has the natural ability to make a success of his return to speedway. Best of Luck Lee.

I'll go with Lee. Just hope he is up for it and not so throttle happy. It's Brough not BV. Wishing him the best of luck.

Came to Newcastle with a nickname of 'Tommy Gun',,, by the end of the season he left as a 'Nerf Gun'.

Both. Weymouth were also the Scorchers, Royals and Eagles!

Lisa is stock piling it she has emptied the shelf's Plenty of toilet roll right enough.

Could complete the team with 2 riders who can certainly score plenty in the reserve berth! Oxford 2022? Troy Batchelor 9.11 Scott Nicholls 8.84 Cameron Heeps 5.19 Kyle Newman 5.03 Jack Thomas 4.79 Stefan Nielsen 4.52 James Sarjeant 4.30 Total 41.78

Jason Crump

...or maybe not til after Christmas!!!!?

Andy's problem, I feel, was his style. He was a grass-tracker - and rode speedway like a grass-tracker. His style suited a track like Exeter, but not most other tracks. Like Andy, we had Alan Farmer, at Wimbledon, and he had the same problem.

100% rent related. Seems greedy landlords again. Hopefully it gets sorted as losing Poole would be a massive blow.

Surely his average would be ridiculous in the Champ. Plus I assume he is still doing Poland and Sweden? A few people seemed to think he was dropped from his Swedish team, but did anyone find out if that was actually true or not?

Massive. In fact worth speculating that we would never have had the Morans. Sam would've been our spearhead through to the 90s. Same issue with Ingels as Campbell. Promising year at Newcastle in 1984...but again was in a small pond. Out of his depth at Belle Vue. Wonder what came of him?

Was just going to mention that - of all the Americans, we signed the one who couldn't ride Hyde Rd.... How different it could have been had we signed Sam for the latter half of the 85 season, or for the 86 season, on a bargain average.

Hi mate I am pretty sure Nico Covatti is no longer a Brummies asset im afraid , When the club folded mid way through the 2014 season our asset base was taken by the bspa I think .

I've read on the forum that Thomas Jorgensen doesn't want to ride in the Champ next year, but if Berwick could sign him, they'd be one of my title favourites!

Have to agree with the above... NO THANKS... Ty Proctor and Josh Bates. NO THANKS.

I read that as the last thing being the final rider?! Maybe its a paperwork thing, visa or something taking a bit of extra time. As we know from past experience if one final piece of the jigsaw doesn't fit or is missing then it can throw the rest of the team-building into a re-think on points available etc.

Agreed and films about the sport have been similar. However I watched a ‘look at life’ short film from 1961 (talking pictures) recently with speedway as the subject and the upbeat music gave it a whole different feeling.

Laurence Rogers (Team Manager) is a regular poster on here. I've never been called a 'Geek' before....I prefer 'anorak' if that's ok !

Mostly agreed, though not sure he bought the right riders - for example Tatum went to Coventry in 85 for roughly the same price as Campbell went to the Aces. Similarly Neil Evitts and Neil Collins could potentially have been picked up instead of Courtney for a similar fee, and on lower averages. Thorp was definitely a good signing, and as you say the pick of the bunch. Courtney was very good round Hyde Rd, very disappointing away, but still averaged close to 8 in his one season. The issue iirc was attitude, certainly not ability, and he dropped a coupole more points off his average after leaving the Aces. Blackbird also seemed a good signing, had a superb 1986, and was surprising that he didn't kick on. Was it a lack of investment in equipment? Campbell I have to admit I'm biased against (as he replaces my all time favourite Ace), but it just never seemed a good signing. The Aces could have kept one of Ross/Courtney/P Carr, all of whom had vastly superior records round Hyde Rd, and at least the latter two seemed to have much more potential. It just never worked out - recall Bammy saying something like he thought he was signing a heat leader (pretty sure Campbell rode at number 1 in his first meetings, so he was obviously envisages as Larry's successor in that role) but instead he got a good reserve.

Pavlova anyone?

Another “Apparently “.Popular today.

You’re not allowed to speak ill of “a certain regular commentator” or else you’ll get three pages of abuse. Apparently

Interesting considering he's been deemed to be a Poole asset, don't they have to ask Matt permission to speak to him?

A certain regular commentator mentioned it a number of times on the Newcastle thread last year. I’m not involved with the promotion and personally want to see all the clubs in the league do well - hence my mention that it was ‘apparently’ the case.

Apparently Ben was approached by Glasgow at the Edinburgh Cup Final meeting.

In that case you are advocating a form of ‘ rider control’ that will even out the riders over all teams? That used to take place back in the day when promoters had the welfare of the sport in mind and supporters turned up whoever was riding. Maybe is these desperate times a similar system needs to be reintroduced for the benefit of all teams - however money takes precedent now.

Not trolling at all. R & R just licks Polski's ass by talking crap so I put him in his place with facts showing a number of his beloved Pole's who've tested themselves in Britain only to fail miserably and end up getting the sack. The only reason why Fricke is riding in the 2nd tier is because ZG offered him a ton of money that he couldn't turn down, He's still a GP rider competing at Elite level. (Bewley easily replaced) It is Polish rules because riders like Doyle & Bewley to name a coupe would ride in Poland, Sweden & UK if they could.

I am sure over the years plenty of riders have "loved" to be riding for certain teams.. Right up until the moment they get replaced by someone else in a decision taken by the owners to remove them from the team.. Riders are self employed so quite rightly go where the money is best.. Let's be honest, the way the sport is ran that "emotional attachment" is hard for fans to get, so you cannot expect riders to feel too "attached" to any given club.. Especially when they usually ride for a couple around Europe, two over here, and can guest for anyone who needs them if their average allows.. Loyalty goes both ways and clubs have the system they deserve due to the way they choose to run the sport. And what a coincidence it was when the Sky money ran out, and the Polish money rocketed, how many riders suddenly realised that they had too much of a racing schedule to remain riding over here as well... Riders (quite rightly), look after No1... If you are doing the same job then go who pays the most, especially in a career that could be ended in a split second..

Aside from what may or may not have been said publicly (and my recollection is that Ben did say he would love to return if the fixtures could be sorted out?!), the only people that actually know for sure are Ben and Matt/Danny Ford - plus possibly a couple of his Poole sponsors. So we've read Danny's comments and now we await the Ben interview in a forthcoming Speedway Star. Then it'll be 'make your mind up' time! PS. As much as I dislike giving £2.50 every meeting to Stadia UK, I do however still use the stadium car park as the old legs aren't what they used to be!!!

I bet that Charlie Monk wishes he had held on to his bike after he retired. I see that a dealer has his 1952 Mattingly Jap up for sale on E Bay for a cool £6,950. Complete with Charlie's nameplate and signature red Tigers dirt guards. Looks a real beauty and brings back memories for those old enough to recall the loud Charlie..Charlie...chants and the thunderous foot stamping in the stand at the old White City. Btw it can be posted for £100 it would appear. A very quiet man was Charlie but some rider in his day and had some great battles with the other top men of that time such as Mauger, Hunter, Briggs, Boothroyd, Squibb, Ivor Brown to name a few. Comments are a bit off topic perhaps, but at least the word "bike" and "retired" are a good excuse to slip in an interesting commercial !

Hey I like Rob as what you see is what you get he's a genuine bloke... He is sometimes portrayed as the pantomime villain but does that not come with the job... There is a great deal more to get upset about in Speedway than Rob Godfrey thats for sure... Regards THJ

Correct... it was apparently a "little misunderstanding" however that nice fella Rob Godfrey got things sorted so @Neila can get down off his high horse and credit to the Chairman of the BSPL for resolving the minor blip... It will save @Neila a couple of quid as he will still be able to use his old Hat; Scarf; Clip Board; Jacket; Flag; Beanie; Pyjamas; Underpants; Sweat Shirt; Polo Shirt; H18tory Hoodie and Advertising Strip in the back window of his car. "Win Win" (Win Win Win Win Win Win Win Win Win and Win) there then Neil eh... Hugs and Kisses to big Bad Rob G as all's well that ends well eh Neil... Come on Workington Barbarians... Oops... Regards THJ

The Masons have now said that all riders have been paid.

I've always placed Martin Ashby in a similar vein to Terry Betts...consistantly high averages but tended to get overlooked as the rise of the old second division produced an abundance of talent. Stalwarts such as Ray Wilson and Eric Boocock were also victims to a degree however Ray did enjoy some glory moments none more so than when he scored a maximum during the 1971 World Cup representing a Great Britain side as the lone Englishman if I'm correct?

I think you might be waiting a good while before they provide that link