torpointfanatic22

Plymouth are unfortunately in a position where despite the brilliant news that they are moving up, they have slim pickings with available riders given the amount of riders already signed up, so clearly the promotion are having to be creative and I just hope that whatever team we are able to put together, we can hopefully be competitive and sustainable. The Bjarne signing for me isn't a particularly good one if you look at his average and what he's likely to achieve (I reckon he'll average around 8), but he's always been good off the start that will help him massively at Plymouth and he should entice punters both at Plymouth and away to see a former world class rider and someone I've always thought of as a decent bloke. In addition Bjarne will, I'm sure, support any younger riders the team has. He's a 'name' and that's never a bad thing. I'd expect Plymouth to have a bottom end that includes 2 of the 3 heat leaders that would have lined up last season in the NL (Stoneman, Bowtell, Atkins), personally I'd go for the latter two. Yes that wouldn't be that strong on paper but they are improving and would be competitive at home for sure. If Crump turns up, well, I think every promoter in the CL should give the Plymouth promotion a massive thumbs up as it would surely swell crowd numbers whenever Plymouth are in town. Crump or no Crump, my worry is the middle of the team, there just doesn't seem much around in the 5-7 range so it might be a case of taking a punt or two and hoping someone can be unearthed.

Interestingly my view on the Plymouth forum was similar and I got shot down by pretty much everyone on there for suggesting the team was pretty disappointing. As a Devils fan it's great that speedway continues in the City and ensuring that going forward is paramount so building to a budget is simply a must. If you look at that side I can only see Bradley and Henry improving their averages. Adam will win races everywhere but outside that I think Plymouth look vulnerable. Away from home we'll get some tonkings. Looking at the teams being put together so far I can see it being two leagues in one; IOW, Plymouth, Buxton and Stoke look like being the bottom four with the rest looking much stronger (on paper). This is of course before Belle Vue and Coventry show their hands but I'd expect both to be competitive. As ever, time will tell.

Very impressive top 2 for Lakeside and fair play to them but the signing of Morris is exactly what's wrong with the sport in this country. A guy finishing 3rd in the Premiership can double down to the Championship is shocking to start with but to then potentially come in on a lower average than he would in the Premiership is a joke. The double up rule was supposed to be about helping young Brits to develop, it's now basically anything goes. You guys are only playing by the rules and fair play but it absolutely stinks that this can go on in the sport.

No they shouldn't have - Nor should they have signed Andrews, Smart or Compton but hey ho. Was offered a deal at Plymouth but KL is rather closer to home for him given he lives up that way now and I agree re the comparison! Given Compton lives Leeds way I wouldn't be surprised if he doesn't last that long - Leeds to Plymouth on a Friday = a long ruddy way! 8.95 - Christ alive I thought it was a poor signing and that was when he was going to come in on 5-6.

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.