gazzac

Great signing and hopefully can build a team with Jason and Kelsey starting at reserve. All depends on the points limit they set on the 14th, but whatever it is couldn't be a better base to build from.

Well those last three posts have saved me a lot of typing , all good points and hope they listen to the fans, as unlikely as that seems. ....

Totally agree,I've said previously make it 42.5 to mirror the other leagues and for a minimum of 2 seasons,with the option to roll it on after the first if it looks right. Sure that's the type of figure that would allow a broad spread of ages and abilities and to allow the youngsters to move up in the averages and retain them for a further season or 2 even once they get into the 8's and 9's.Make it too low and you'll lose them too soon.

I think the announcement will more than likely be Tom, or maybe Jason Edwards, either will be on the sheet no matter the points limit.Sure Georgie will be with us again, but may just hold fire to see what plans he has in the championship.

I echo that, the way the IOW go about things they deserve to have a decent competitive season, hope they have more luck than the last one.

Another promoter wanting to have the AGM as soon as possible. It's still beyond me how by the the end of November there's no date, let alone the actual event

If he has case closed, he's allowed to ride in the NL

Surely since the NL has become a 'proper' league over the last few years we've had more young British riders looking like they can make the jump to a higher level and perhaps to the highest. I think British speedway is in a more promising position than the last 20 years. This is not just the Birmingham riders mentioned but Brennen, Jenkins, Bewley,Kemp just to name a few. Think this league is just right at the moments for bringing on the youngsters. I know this view won't please everyone, but it is still a development one really.

If cost is not a factor as you say it's a no brainer. Sign a good quality No 1 on a reasonable average like JPB and a 3.00 pointer like you have and then wait for the averages to come out to build the rest of the team. One assumes worst case scenario is 39, hopefully will go up at least to 42. Even with Hume would leave 20 points for 4 riders if it's 39

Fairly sure they haven't got together to arrange a date to discuss it yet, let alone a date for the actual agm!

Exactly right, although if Knight or Bailey don't come back to Eastie, yes please!

All 3 leagues 42.5, then leave it alone. Every one will be able to build from the last greensheets from November. Only thing may need tweaking is the conversion between the various leagues.

What do I know! Glad I was wrong though and if he starts at reserve with Edwards, would be a good pairing.

Think I'll have a proper go when we know the points limit. I do see there's very little between Josh, Jake and Mark in the averages, and I can only think one of the 3 will be back, would say Jake or Josh are more of an out an out No1, but Mark is 0.2 ish lower so if it's really close to the limit, that may come into play. Think we will build around Brennen and Wood again though. Has the National League agm date been announced yet ?

Think you're right on 4 of 5, just have a feeling that Kelsey won't figure in the picture after last season from club and rider point of view . After those 4 all depends on the points limit as you say. Will Charlie Saunders do a season? Although I think not, would be a good start to have him and Edwards at reserve.

It's the current rules and ok and I've seen Drew ride for us (Eastie) and against us, best prospect of all the newbies including Brennen and Jenkins, just a shame he's not riding for us next year, envy Mildenhall!

It was tried in the elite league for one season about 14 years ago. Although it seemed/seems a good idea it caused more problems than averages as there were arguments at the cut off point between say an A and a B grade rider, and within those grades there were some that missed out because they seemed poor value within the grades. Whatever system you use in speedway it's always far from perfect and open to abusing the rules but think averages are still slightly better than grading, agree need a team building average of at least 40, preferably 42. The killer for the nl is doubling up, one rule I would bring in is you can only do it in 2 leagues,if you're good enough to ride in championship and premiership, nl shouldn't be for you.

No challenge matches at the start of the season,straight into Ko cup or NT,and make more use of June/July,never seems enough fixtures then,get the finals of the KO cup and NT done by the end of August,leaving September and early October for the last league matches and playoffs. Doubling up/down will probably scupper it though.

Certainly not.

It's on our site saying the Mildenhall leg 4.00 pm and the challenge match at 6.00 pm, so does seem the challenge match will be knocked on the head. Again the inability to get enough fixtures done earlier in the year affects fixtures at the end of the season. Sunday at 6.00 unfortunately is no good for me, so having gone all year will miss out on hopefully winning the ko cup again. Just think back to the nice Saturday evenings in the spring and summer with no fixtures, and if we get a few wet days next weekend it won't get completed. (Rant over! )

I did see the FIXTURES, but there was no mention of what the challenge match was about on the website, only on Facebook and Twitter, having put the fixture up, I would have assumed they'd have given a bit of info about it at the same time as loading the fixture on.

Some of us older folk tend not to venture too much on social media, but you'd still think they'd put something on the club website as well, although I expect that'll disappear at some point and it'll only be Facebook or Twitter.Still think it unwise to have the 31st as a reserve date, if wet that's it, could be no conclusion to the ko cup if we don't run this Saturday.

I see there's a fixture at Arlington on Sunday 29th at 6.00pm, Forman IT Eagles vs Eastbourne,does anyone know what that is? The forecast for this Saturday is horrible,so would have thought that date should have been put by for the Ko cup final( preferably 3.30) if it does get rained off this Saturday as the 28th is taken by stockcars.

That's a really good summary of the meeting and we felt exactly the same. I stand just before the start line and was having exactly that discussion with a fellow fan, how is it we could see it happening and no one running the meeting couldn't? On the issue of information given out ref the abandonment, Steve our commentator has improved this year, but we still need more info really on items like this, and could do with a bit more build up and info before racing to help the atmosphere, both against Kent and BV the stadium was quiet until the parade lap with no buzz, also don't think there was any music playing either before 7.30 which always used to help with the build up, interspersed with info.

By that time I think the fog had started to affect races from heat 12, and having missed the gate Bates was going to struggle to pass. I think it's possible we could have had a bigger lead, or even with Bewley getting going potentially a smaller one. It's just the point that we will never know because of the slow running of the meeting especially the interval when it was obvious that the fog was filling in quickly . But you're right, think even if we had got a 16/20 point lead wouldn't have been enough, but at least we'd have come away having witnessed a good win instead of rushing to the car park to beat the queue getting out.