stevec

Must admit I am feeling all a bit dejected at the moment. I use to be accused of being Mr Positive on this and other forums but well, I am down! First, I feel our form is a bit down at the moment. We don't look unbeatable over two legs anymore and some of the riders are a bit hit and miss. The reserve pairing could be great, depending on what Mattie does and what rider/guest we have (do we even have an 'official' number 6?) or they could score next to nothing! Will we even go to the playoff meetings with out top three, or will other teams get the first call on them in clashes (that really winds me up!) Then the beating by Kent at home was a real blow for me. Being beaten at home by the team we are likely to meet in the semis (now confirmed) so close to the play offs was a real kick.in the teeth. Then there is the crazy situation of the cut off date and us having one natch remaining, that we could win...and put us top. I totally get being penalised if you fail to run all your home matches but not the away ones! Even worse, we could win the match before the play offs, be top of the league but not get the choice of semi final team. Madness. So, personally, I think we are going to be beaten in the semis by Kent and thats the end of the season, so near but so far for the third year running. Sorry for the negativity but at least feeling like this, it can only get better than I think.

Strange, Scunthorpe website lists him in their team for Friday and Saturday

I have the warm coat but unless the hop flask has coffee in it, I have the drive home to consider.

I wonder if its to do with crowds. I never miss a home match if I can help it but certainly remember some cold March matches with not much of a turn out, wishing I was at home!!

Wasn't the best of meetings but that's sport. If you judge attendance based on the last meeting you see, there is always a chance you will never go again, what ever the sport!

Its Dave, so I am reliably informed!!

Ha ha, looking back at some of the old footage, they could barely slide them!!1 Seriously though, is this not all due to the new silencers that have ruined the sound and maybe even the spectacle of speedway? I remember lots of riders complaining about them but they came in anyway. Plus, the fact is, riders get injured. I am not convinced its any worse now than it was 10, 20, 30, 40, 50 years ago. Blimey, have a really been going that long? Ouch!

Brilliant come back. Just a shame our top two could not bring the points home in 15. Good result even though it's a disappointment

Just read the report. Its actually quite good and informative and I dont blame them for the comments about the called off meetings. Every single one of those calls offs may be 100% legit but it does seem to have affected Kent quite badly!! Surely they know that Danny Ayres is the pantomime villain thing. Its also a small number of fans that give him any real stick.

Just spent a great weekend away watching the Eagles (with a car meet in Northampton thrown in as well). First of all JAKE KNIGHT!!! The man is just on it! His two wins over Clegg were brilliant and both at Stoke and Buxton he set the fastest times of the season. I could mention all the team as they all stepped up at the right times. Both matches, we looked a bit shaky after the firsts few heats but just took hold of the meeting in the second halves. I think its fair to say we expected to win both matches but the strength of Georgie and Jake's wins just made it look like we would have given anyone a fight. We have a team now where you go to tapes at every race with someone who can win a heat. Mark and Charlie were brilliant and lets remember, Tom is riding at number one so he is going to drop off a bit, he is still picking up points and giving us heat advantages. As for Matie, err maybe he is just having a bit of an off patch. We can afford that at meetings like this but we need him and the second reserve scoring a few to back up the others if we are going to go unbeaten for the seaon. As for Buxton! What a cracking place to watch speedway. So close you can almost touch the riders on the track and if its cold, you sit in the car and watch. And it is so flippin beautiful around the stadium, even the drive in is breathtaking. The stadium itself? Err, have you ever been to Lydd? Its similar

Looked pretty convincing to me. Apart from heat 15 we didn't run a last and provided most the heat winners. Won by ten points with a reserve scoring zero and operating rider replacement where only the reserves and one other could take his rides.

Now at Buxton Roads are dry. Looking promising. Its so beautiful round here.

Up in Stoke at the moment Constant light rain. Fingers crossed!!

I think Bates at reserve would be a real bonus. Charlie will still pick up some points as a second string but Bates will just clean up. I am sure the team are working on getting him and his equipment consistent and once done, he will fly!

Yeh, with Jake back in the team we have a really strong top 5. My only doubts are the second reserve spot as Jake picking up points alone may not be enough. We need Jake and the reserve to pick up more pints than Connor and Kelsey would have. We really need to pick up the points next weekend. If we do, then we will be right in there.

Who was this 'guy' at Lakeside? A BSPA insider? I assume he also was privy to the conversations had with Eastbourne and Birmingham, did he hear the reasons given or was this just hearsay from some 'guy' that he met somewhere?

Ouch! That was a nasty tumble Georgie had in heat 2. You can see why they thought it was serious. Pretty good coverage all round and nicely laid out so you can watch individual heats. Good on them! Thanks for posting the link Speedway Portal

Or the money they lose in the case of many of them!

Exactly, they would look much better if they were saying 'We offered to loan our ones but Eastbourne refused' but instead they wait to send out a press release saying 'if they asked we would have said yes' So the whole speedway world, well Eastbourne and Kent fans, are wondering why Kent blowers were not used and it appears they were not asked and did not offer. Martin is clearly a bit upset that people are saying they is something going on and his explanation does make sense, why would Eastbourne want it called off but it would be nice if BOTH team explained why a simple loan of blowers could not have happened. Maybe they are not compatible? And I gotta say It really does not make sense to suggest that Eastbourne would go to the lengths of staging a break in and theft to call off a meeting that they are 8 point up on aggregate and have just signed Jake Knight for. Even if we had no rider at number 6 we would be favourites to go through!

Cant they name 8?

Great news to have Jake back. Real pleased. Obviously not sure about Spooner but we always knew we would have to do something like that to get Jake in. Shame for Kelsey, I assume its him making way with Connor?

Not sure I agree with the 'Win at all costs' analogy. I get what you mean and it may seem that way sometimes but speedway is a business and has to make money and the fact is, if the team aint winning the attendance figures drop off and you lose money. People like you and me may always go whatever but there are fewer and fewr like that. Many fans are noiit interested if the team is not doing well. So its almost the other way. Its not a case of spent the money as we must win. Its if we dont win we will lose money! so, you have to spend the money and win. Does that make any sense at all??

I agree unfortunately. Mind you, I say that more because I would love to see Jake 'in' the team. Not because I particularly want to see anyone 'out'

I said the same last year and didn't travel as much. as the year before. I will be travelling a bit more this year but will make last minute decisions based on weather being a dead cert and two decent looking line ups being announced. Must admit, I do like trips to KL as the tracks are so different.

Correct, it was announced Saturday. I an sure I saw it on website as well? Just maybe they will be setting the world alight in the Speedway World Cup in a few years! (with JPB)