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Top5 I reckon.

I think it's really been the best worst close season ever, even better than the Coventry/Peterborough fiasco, this close season started pretty early and has been the gift that has just kept on giving, it's kept me fully engaged with the forum throughout as I normally dip out during the close season, part of me will be sad to see it all finally resolved 😁

I honestly don’t have a problem with the team or any rider. My gripe is with the way rules in British speedway are just made up with very little effort or thought. I’m still waiting for an explanation for the points deduction to Workington last year. What is the criteria that needs to be met when the 8% reduction is applied for? How does that reduction work along side other reductions? I have quite a few other questions but it’s a waste of time listing them as the first two won’t be answered clearly. As much as I’m a bore, the point in any rule or law in sports is it will affect all the same. If the application of either is inconsistent it brings the whole show into disrepute.

But he does have the Polish ride. Seems a bit woe is me I must say. He's been one of many prime benefactors of the doubling up free for all of the last 15 odd years.

Which in the grand scheme of things is ridiculous really, for a guy who still rode NDL/NDT an was offered two team spots at the start of the season and was going to sign for scunny mid season till he got injured. Robs ball his rules.

Mid Feb, no concrete confirmation on how many clubs competing in the top tier and no idea (officially) who is behind the Ipswich take over. No signings either. Its mental . People wonder why the sport is not taken seriously. As I read elsewhere, this has been the worst close season I have ever known of. Absolute mess. The posts I have read on Scunny signing a team over the limit just about sums the state of the sport up.

I don’t hate him, I don’t like him but I respect what he has achieved and as much as I dislike him he would be the first name on the list if I was putting on a big individual meeting because he is a headline generator and gets people talking and is vastly underused by British speedway as a marketing tool, the less said about his music the better though

It’s kept a topic of conversation going right through the Winter months you’re right. Usually everything is done pre-Christmas and this forum dies a death until March.

Think it’s the principle with most on the forum.I couldn’t care who wins what in Speedway.

Really don't see what the problem is with this the reduction however it was worked out has allowed us to sign Simon lambert not Robert lambert with what was left. According to most forum members we are going to be so far adrift in the runnings it seems a debate for debates sake.

I’d put Nicholls in over Tungate. Scott is still awesome around Foxhall & would out score Tungate comfortably at home. May not be so good away but you’d get more out of Nicholls over a season than Tungate. Also no concern if he will turn up or not.

Not me, he's is a Great Britain Speedway living legend. He's done nothing to deserve the hate at all. I'd argue with anyone, that without him, we may never have seen the likes of Lambert & Bewley competing near the top on the World stage. He singlehandedly demanded & lifted the standards of our international setup. We were an international laughing stock before this guy came along. He's a little hyper, swears a bit, has a little arrogance, grew up in Australia. Who gives a feck. Wearing that Union Jack, he's given everything, almost killing himself a few times doing so. Like you, I do not get the hate at all.

Both your comments above suggest that Liam has been snubbed by Edinburgh for ensuring he got a team place - Which couldn’t be further from the truth! The reality is there can only be 2x 500cc riders per NJL team and they all have to try where every they can to get a team place and track time. The NDL Academy team has packed in over-seas riders for this season. Leaving no hope of progression for juniors stepping up. Don’t make out this the fault of any of our local lads being unwilling to ride when they are all bidding against each other for what little team spaces there are, and still be overlooked for Aussie incomers.

These guys forget it is a sport,go and get a job if it’s that bad. They are earning good money for 6 months work for 10 minutes on a bike on race night.No sympathy I’m afraid.

The problem is having a van and five bikes is feasible if your riding in Poland but in the UK these days in my eyes reality is the top 50% can warrant a van and two bikes next 50% should be one bike and ideally a track spare the costs have got out of control for what the UK can afford now days not helped by riders in the UK spending thousands per annum on tuning. At some point a total reset will have to happen but it seems to have been kicked again for at least another year unless Harry comes through with some new multi million pound backers to sort the sport out.

League winning team that I reckon

Wolverhampton Witches. I'm not against it at all, Looks a good Team.

How about 1) Lindgren 8.13 2) Nicholls 5.39 3) Musielak 6.63 4) Thorsell 4.50 5) Brennan 7.05 6) Jenkins 4.50 7) Edwards R/S Total: 36.20

Belle Vue had a woeful league campaign last season with a paltry 4 away wins. They need to aspire to powerhouse away teams like Sheffield & Ipswich who won an impressive 5 each.

My prediction… Bomber to ride for every team at least once during the season. The sport’s credibility will be upheld however due to careful fixture planning to make sure that he does not roll up to the tapes for a race and look across to see himself representing the opposition. I have total faith in the BSPA for the forthcoming season and trust that clubs have plans in place to cope with inevitable crowd level surges based on the exciting future of the sport pitched by the BSPA at the end of last season. Just hope I’m quick enough to get my season ticket (when they are released) before they sell out. Sarcastic?…..Moi?……

But that is the point.... he didn't miss a year, he rode in the NDL. As I've stated before this "non-professional" League is a load of nonsense - if he got paid he was a professional in a professional league.

One from the memory bank MD, Shawn was one hell of a rider also but think Kelly shaved it over his brother for natural talent.

So let me just check this so i can pretend to follow along..... 2024 Ablitt finished season on 5.04 less 2.5% reduction..... 2025 Ablitt didn't ride "professional league" still gets 2.5% reduction 2026 Ablitt can "apply" for an additional 8% reduction In my tiny mind he shouldn't get the 2.5% at the end of 2025 simply because he didn't participate and then be able to claim an additional 8% for......not participating...... There has to be a point where the actions of a few are considered to be bringing the sport into disrepute

Thorssell on a 4.50 is absolutely ridiculous.

Good luck with that.... I think someone with a better grasp of the rules may explain why it SHOULDN'T happen!!!... The official answer of course is that... "This is UK Speedway"...

Wasn't grumbling when he picked up around £8k for 2 filler GP appearances last year. 🤔

He would be the steal of the season if they can pull it off, if they could get Fred back over in place of Emil also I reckon crowds would hold pretty well.

Completely ignoring the fact that out of the 8 they lost their opponents scored 50+ points on 6 occasions. Compare that with 2 for Sheffield, 3 for Ipswich, and 4 for Leicester. Hence the reason I mentioned the need for huge home wins to pick up many aggregate bonus points. Belle Vue had the best home record in the league last season but finished 4th in the table, 5/6 points behind the other 3. Away form was their downfall and with 3 of those 4 riders returning this year it could be the same again this season.

He is a team player as well. None of this riding off into the sunset and letting his partner fend for themselves. The effort he puts in to support every rider in the team both on and off track is second to none. He will increase the average of any rider in his team that is happy to listen to his advice.

The obvious solution to rider averages for this season would have been to combine NDL and NDT averages from 2025. Not rocket science to do.

Nobody outside of the few thousand who watch Speedway each week know who he is... And that is the biggest issue the sport has... Most of Manchester won't even know what the NSS is, nor even who the Belle Vue Aces are... And even what Speedway is.. So, sadly, It matters not one jot to crowd levels how well Dan rides the NSS...

Two Wheels Unite: OBM Motorcycles Power Plymouth Gladiators’ 2026 Campaign Plymouth Gladiators Speedway are delighted to confirm that OBM Motorcycles have been secured as the club’s main sponsor for the 2026 season, marking an exciting new chapter for the club. Earlier this year, OBM Motorcycles were impacted by a highly publicised incident in which valuable vintage speedway motorcycles were stolen while in transit to a prestigious classic motorcycle auction in Las Vegas. The incident attracted widespread attention across the global speedway and classic motorcycle community. In the aftermath, the British speedway fraternity rallied together in remarkable fashion, highlighting the strength and unity of the sport. Despite the setback, OBM Motorcycles reaffirmed their commitment to speedway by stepping forward to become principal sponsors of the Plymouth Gladiators, underlining both their resilience and their long-term belief in the sport’s future. An OBM Motorcycles spokesperson said: “OBM Motorcycles is delighted to confirm its partnership with the Gladiators as principal sponsor for the 2026 season. This agreement represents a strategic collaboration with a club that has demonstrated resilience, ambition, and a clear long-term vision. The Gladiators’ commitment to providing a family-orientated, welcoming, and child-friendly environment strongly aligns with OBM’s values and community focus. Their ‘Fuel the Future’ initiative also reflects our shared commitment to innovation and the long-term development of British speedway. We look forward to working closely with the club as it enters an exciting new era and to supporting its continued growth both on and off the track.” OBM’s backing aligns perfectly with the club’s forward-thinking vision and the Fuel the Future mission, which has become a defining theme in the ongoing evolution of the Plymouth Gladiators. The partnership brings together an internationally active motorcycle brand and a club with renewed momentum both on and off the track. With new additions to the team and a competitive side assembled for the 2026 campaign, the Gladiators are firmly focused on building a bright and successful future. Promoter and Director Mark Philips welcomed the announcement: “Securing OBM Motorcycles as our main sponsor for 2026 is a huge step forward for the club. OBM operate on an international stage, and their decision to partner with Plymouth speaks volumes about the belief they have in our direction, our people, and our ‘Fuel the Future’ mission. It immediately raises the profile of the club and gives us tremendous confidence going into the new season.” As part of the new partnership, the club will officially compete under a new name for the 2026 season: Plymouth OBM Gladiators Speedway Further announcements regarding the 2026 campaign will be made in due course. Old Boys Motorcycles UK

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Thorssell on a 4.50 would compensate for not having a No.1. Jacob's basically a No.3 in this standard of competition imo.

Is adding the percentage reductions together before application within the rules? It certainly doesn’t seem fair. I know it’s not a huge difference but it is different. Maybe someone with a better grasp of the rules could explain.

Freddie 8.13 Thorsell 4.50 Rew 6.19 Musielak 6.63 Brennan 7.05 Jeppesen 4.34 Edwards r/s 36.84 do well that 🤪😂

Free parking, eh?

Good signing on a 5.25 imo, If Brennan is the No.1 then silverware is a very long stretch imo so the next best option is to build a Team to win at Home.

If Thorssell is a 4.50 then Jenkins has to be released imo....Even though I like the lad. That's a ridiculous reduction for Jacob when his last GSA was 7.33.

Could be an absolute steal on that average was developing into a possible future gp rider last time he rode in the UK but a really bad crash set him back and then from memory he didn't return to the UK, if Northampton do run assuming they can't get a number one he is exactly the kind of rider they will need on a false average to make sure they win most of their home meetings. Maybe Nigel has a brother who will be underwriting the anticipated losses for the coming season.

4.5 is what i heard.

The most abused rule in the Handbook 👍

I just don’t know where they expect the fans to come from, a few from Peterborough and maybe a few from Coventry and there will be some novelty fans at the first meeting so unless they are bankrolling it somehow this has Skegness written all over it and the sport was a lot healthier then

Whilst everyone seems to get very frustrated etc I'm actually impressed that they have managed to achieve this in about 3 months - given it was only decided in early / Mid Nov that Louis was selling up and they were working to a tight deadline - its credit to all parties its been achieved! I know many have joked about what are you buying etc etc etc but you don't just walk into a shop and select Ipswich Speedway off the shelf and walk out with it! I agree that perhaps comms could have been a bit sharper but thats speedway all over - also whilst time drags for us waiting it flies for those involved in selling / buying!! It's also not up to Louis to annouce the team - that's new owners job!

I for one would be very happy to see Tai lining up for us, absolutely flew around Foxhall on his first visit in years for Sheffield a couple of seasons ago and remarked he’d forgotten how much fun he found the smaller tracks people hate on him and yet complain we don’t have any characters anymore 🤷‍♂️

Get them hands in yer pocket mate, I'm coming for a pint wid you 😀🍺

Glad I waited for the fixtures to come out before renewing my season ticket as Ill not be doing it now, massive gaps in home fuxtures in the prime summer months and only one home fixture in July !

the guy is a complete idiot, wouldnt worry about it.

If they were really interested in showing the way they’d put a NDL team together instead of using this to cherry pick riders out of it for themselves.