torpointfanatic22

Dropping out of the PL has all but finished Plymouth anyway. Whether it's two, three or a few more years - This is the beginning of the end. I pledged my hard earned cash last year like a number of the fanzine to keep the club afloat - That was a damn sight more than entrance money! I did that to keep my club running and then discover the total dishonesty of the previous promotion. What I love is Bowden going into the papers saying he's trying to save the club. Of course he is, how much did he pay to walk in every week last season? Not a penny. The guy is in it for himself and I won't support that. I'll pop along to the odd away meeting and I'll visit some meetings around the country to support the sport but I won't do that at the SBA.

I'll be honest, if it's Bowden or anyone from the current promotion I'll not part with any money at the SBA.

Plymouth has struggled to break even in the PL because quite simply they have tried to survive purely on gate receipts and a few people sponsoring heats. That isn't enough. Many teams in the league have struggled for crowds over the years and its commercial revenue (or a rich owner) that has enabled these clubs to survive. Plymouth's crowds were falling before we went PL, I've said it before and i'll say it again. The club could survive in the PL on it's current crowds but to do so it needs a promoter and a team of people to commercially bring in significant revenue. If this can be secured I think we can survive in the PL. With the greatest respect - I don't believe that can be achieved with any of our previous promoters.

We couldn't get 800 in the PL with number of engaged fans, what makes you think we'd get that in the NL (poorer product) with Bowden (who few people trust) at the helm? I'm not sure if you know Mr Bowden personally or if it's just that his offer is all you are aware of but I'm hopeful that we will get the right promotion in and also retain our PL status. I love speedway but I will not put any money in Mr Bowden's pocket.

Quite agree, it was. but they weren't the right people for the job either it seems. No inside information required - It was clear for everyone to see!

If Mike Bowden were our best chance of survival we might as well not bother. Yes he brought speedway back to the City and no-one can ever fault him for that. However Plymouth's crowds were diminishing before we went to the PL and that was because he never once seriously promoted the club or sought to generate any decent commercial revenue. To be fair he never needed to because the club had a bubble around it for the first two / three seasons which allowed him to collect with very little outlay. We are in a very different world now. What the club needs is not a one man band, it needs a team of open and honest people who can invest some case and have a bit of savvy about them to ensure the club is well managed and promoted. Basically we need people we can trust, Mike Bowden lost that trust a long time ago. I sincerely hope someone else is out there.

There is and will always be more than meets the eye to all stories. Plymouth has closed for the second time in a season and quite frankly it's down to poor management and poor promotion. Imagine where the club would have been if the fans hadn't raised circa £25,000!? Crowds haven't been great for a few seasons and perhaps that is down to a lack of success - That said on paper I thought we had one of the most exciting teams in the PL at the start of the year. Top to bottom we need fresh faces - People who know how to run a speedway club, people who manage effectively and transparently and ultimately make PL speedway viable, because it can be!

Brady is the obvious choice. His average just fits and Poole have no double up issues. I believe his problem is availability (in the short term at least). Perhaps we can guest or r/r for a few weeks and then give Brady a shout - I genuinely don't see any other options that would fit and do the job.

It may not be the right time to point fingers but the club made commercial suicide this Winter by not attracting a major sponsor. We had members of the commercial team on the forum asking for sponsorship leads which just shows the level of incompetence in that area. The supporters were putting up serious money this year to help with the sponsorship side but it appears the club's commercial team haven't shown the same level of commitment. I have to say this is a strange time to do this given it follows a challenge match - They should have waited for the league campaign in my opinion as I'm certain they'd have got circa 1000 through the gate. I'm gutted, let's hope someone comes out of the woodwork to save the club.

1. Glasgow 2. Newcastle 3. Sheffield 4. Edinburgh 5. Plymouth 6. Somerset 7. Ipswich 8. Workington 9. Peterborough 10. Berwick 11. Scunthorpe 12. Rye House 13. Redcar

Pretty much every season Somerset look strong on paper and generally deliver. This side looks pretty weak on paper compared to others and it may turn out to struggle but if I were a Rebels fan I'd be clambering to get to the Oak Tree as this team is going to produce some cracking racing win, lose or draw. With BWD, Zach and Allen they could yet be anything!

Charlie Gjedde becomes a Devil on an average of 8.48... http://plymouthdevils.co/return-of-the-gjedde.html

Jack Holder back at Plymouth on 7.10 - Confirmed on Facebook tonight

Get in there!

Gjedde's last PL average was 9.22 for Rye House in 2012 according to the BSPA website.

Be stunned if Starke isn't in there.

Indeed, including Ellis Perks we should be at 22.01 with 20.49 remaining.

Confirmed in the local rag, I for one, am very pleased that young Perks is our three pointer.

I think it totally depends on the rest of the side. We already have Simota plus we need a three pointer. Do we really want a tail of Simota, BWD and a three pointer? I'm not sure. If we went with BWD, Holder and a three pointer by my reckoning we'd have 8.39 for a number one. Get the three pointer and the number one right and we may be OK. That is of course a big IF as I'm convinced Holder is set to become a Rebel.

On another note, Sam Simota returns... http://www.plymouthherald.co.uk/Simota-told-improve-away-form-signing/story-28192725-detail/story.html Signs on and told to improve, bizarre press statement.

Nice lad but nowhere near the level required imo.

So what if Holder were to start as number one? Clearly not ready just yet but would allow a great deal of strength in depth throughout the rest of the side. Zach W or Ellis P would be my choices for the number seven role. Hopefully more news soon...

Yes this was something I noticed. All of those young Brits with PL averages in and around the four-point mark will probably be seen as 'unattractive' as teams will want a strong reserve partner for the three pointers. That said Edinburgh have re-signed Max Clegg so fingers crossed the rest all get clubs.

Nice and tidy start to team building with Newman and Kurtz on board, now hopefully young Mr Holder will return...

I wonder if we could poach one of the Rebels top two? Brady or Josh at number one...