gazzac

Pants away in the old Elite league, hopefully we can carry on with the away form we've had this year in the NL, unlikely though with tougher opposition.

42 and leave it at that for 2 seasons for a bit of continuity, sensible limit that should keep a decent level of riders, but allowing the youngsters to develop. Won't happen though, made the same post over the last few seasons, so no dought it'll dilute again to 36 points.

Think it'll be down to costs/level of both leagues. If the NL was diluted to say 36 points don't think Eastie would want to drop to that level nor most of the fans, if it was at least 42 maybe still the best place to be . If costs and level of the championship were reduced from last year would probably be a good move taking Wood, Brennan and probably Edwards with them as a base to start the team with Brooks to follow at some point in the future after another year with someone in the NL. Think the prospect of seeing the likes of Somerset and Leicester would boost crowd levels as well, whether enough for the Dugards to make the leap not sure, but we'll see!

What Mildenhall have done is totally unacceptable, although this particular meeting should and could have been run in June. It just enhances my opinion that apart from maybe a challenge match first off, ditch the NT, get on with league fixtures which would help get over the problem of average manipulation keeping a high scoring reserve in that position for half the season by delaying league fixtures, run fixtures properly through the summer, not a 6 week break, finishing them by the end of August or 1st week of September, call this a cut off date but can't believe fixtures wouldn't be completed if there was no NT, solving the problem we're presented with ref this fixture. Should be able to fit Ko cup matches in that time frame as well with no NT.

It's still all comes down to the playoff debate who deserves to be called champions , but can't see the 'authorities' changing it whether we like it or not. Personally don't like it, but it has been said before Eastbourne have a gain/loss ratio of 0 gained, 3 'losses' since 2002. If they do win the playoff, from day 1 of the season Connor Dugard said he was building a team not necessarily to top the league but be the best come the playoff final, suppose thinking of the improvement through the season of the likes of Edwards, Brooks, Brennen, with probably the unexpected phonominal form of Wood especially at home. So if they do grab the league from Mildenhall it will be planned and deserved within the current rules, doing the double proving it was no fluke, if Mildenhall pull it back, well done and well deserved , although think with the confidence the team are riding with at the moment, Eastbourne will keep the loss to 12, and if they keep an early Mildenhall onslaught under control could even be less .

I hope you're right with the team, but fear "mates" will win over in the end.

Baseby and Powell will be back at Eastie next year I expect disregarding form or the prospect of an average rise. Been the case over the last 2/3 seasons.

Kelsey is quite capable of scoring 0 without family orders! But if there were any unlikely to listnen as he's been sacked more than once by his brother.

I think Eastie will get the 20 point + lead looking at the line ups, and they'll be really confident of keeping it under that in the away leg given their current form. Baseby and Powell will probably score more than the last home fixtures as well.

The chopping and changing of fixtures this season have been really annoying, would have gone to the Mildenhall fixture in June and could have watched the playoff semi and final if they'd been run on the usual Saturdays, cannot unfortunately do midweek and had something preplanned this Sunday from last year. So 4 of us have missed out and Eastie have missed 4 people coming to 3 meetings. Sorry to repeat myself but run through the summer, drop the NT and get on with the league and ko cup. Fixtures completed by first week of September, no pointless league fixtures after then. Playoffs and KO cup final to start the following week, should be completed at worst by early/mid October, not 30th weather permitting. I know this should be in the 2019 season really, but who knows where that's going with stucture etc.

Would at last rectify the injustice of the first playoff in 2002 against Wolves. Neither right but as you say rules are rules whether we like them or not. ( Sorry missed Hunters post which made the same points)

Glad I saw the ko cup final Saturday, as the playoffs are out for me now not running any of it on a Saturday. Hopefully the weather stays good and we do the double. Might be the last year I go if the fixtures and points limit are similar to this season; run through the summer and have finals in September would help.

In the end with bad luck and some poor riding Mildenhall become almost a one man team, but congratulations on Easties win, if you think about it we were second best over the first 10 heats, but in control over the last 20 . Have to say Wood and Brennen did what they've been doing all season at Arlington, but praise goes to Ethan Spiller and especially Charlie Brooks who has been said gated well and was nowhere near the air fence on bend 4, was my man of the match really.

Hope he's fit then!

If there is a dought with Powell, need to have a number 8 named tonight I would think just in case.

Hopefully Powell won't have any after affects from his crash yesterday as you say the reserves need to be banging in the point's, in order to get the deficit back to give the heat leaders a chance at the back end of the meeting.

Can the Eagles raise their game as they usually seem to do in the KO Cup? Need to keep the away leg within 10 points really to have any chance of retaining it rather than our usual big loss at Mildenhall!

True, with no real indication of structure and point's limit could be a disaster if you guess wrong.

Has it been confirmed exactly whether they're trying to do the Coventry match or the KO Cup match Weds? For me hope its the Coventry one as I can go Saturday, not Weds, and would prefer to see a final.

Imagine if the fixtures are as hap hazzard as this season expect you'll still be able to see all 3 for the majority of next season.

Don't know, but running the same night as Eastbourne could have an effect on both ? Probably not huge but must be some fans who occasionally visit both.

It is unbelievable, surely any track that is dry all day with a start time of 4.00 can't be made raceable by that time? If Eastie had been at home today I'd be going expecting the track to be pretty much perfect even with last night's heavy rain. As you say the fixture planning/calling off meetings is a huge factor with the poor crowds, think it just wears everyone down and we get fed up trying to double guess if it's on or not, especially when there were so few meetings run in the summer.

We risk the weather every year and have got away with it just, but can't see any way we'll finish the league fixtures against Mildenhall at home and Buxton and Stoke away. At this point looks very likely Saturday will be a rainoff, then hopefully the Ko cup will be sorted on the 12th/13th. We will chance the weather I'm sure, and run the Coventry semi on the 20th, we then have the last Friday and Sunday reserved for the final assuming we don't slip up against Coventry (stock cars are running on Saturday 27th). Who knows what will happen if we have more rainoffs though . Can also see when you start getting the wetter October weather many of us won't risk the weather, as said by me and so many others before,why on earth can't the league be the priority, run through the summer and have the cut off date by 31st August or at worst the first Saturday in September, at least the finals should be done by the end of September at worst early October.

Didn't have the problem before the playoffs, champions top of the league,bring back the Gold Cup!

Similar things have happened many times before! Can't see any point in running them after the cut off date. Sorry to bring up the old argument but just again shows the stupidity of not getting on with the league and running properly through the summer. I suppose it can't be done, oh forgot IOW found it could, and BV even with the dodgy Manchester weather, and Kent even with their curfew.