Hunters

David Mason is still new to the promoters position. Cannot blame them for being cautious. I think I would stay in the NL for another year or two and try to develop the club to prepare them for an upward movement. Eastbourne have had stability for the last four years under Martin and Connor which has made a difference and they look ready to go up. Give the Masons a couple of years more and all the support you can muster and above all make it a happy club. It seemed to me that there was a lot of animosity between supporters and management prior to the Masons arrival .

Agreed and all British. Too much to hope for?

All the anticipation for the announcement on Sat/Sun and it is early and says nothing really meaningful. Delaying the names again so the guesswork goes on. What about the new management structure, etc, that was supposed to be revealed. At least it looks like they are tying up the likes of Edwards, Brooks and no doubt Ablitt for the longer term. Would have been better to have originally said when details have been finalised rather than committing to a date to reveal all of Dec1st/2nd.

Absolutely right, I gave up on the forum in our Elite League days. There was a group of people whose main pleasure seemed to be insulting Bob Dugard and everything Eastbourne. The change of forum participants is probably one of the reasons I have enjoyed the last four years so much. I shall continue following the NL and hope Kent and the IOW do well. I do believe Jason Edwards and Charlie Brookes will be loaned to one of them and Georgie and Tom may well double up, so there could be a common interest.

That's the team I am hoping for with Bradley Wilson Dean the last member. Would be difficult to beat at home and should be worth a point or two away. Would certainly be crowd pleasers with all but Lawson & Bowtell ex Eagles.

So it is definitely Championship and they have already signed some riders. Interesting Announcement on Eagles website today.

Beginning to warm to the idea of Championship, If the talk of Cook rejoining us is true then Lawson, Ellis, BWD, Kennett, Wood, Brennan and Edwards fits. That would be an entertaining side to watch and should hold their own with loads of improvement potential. As BWD would no doubt stay with the Dugard family again inward travel costs would be minimal (Ellis?) Is it just wishfull thinking ?

In case Eastbourne do go up next year can anyone enlighten me as to how conversion rates apply. For example do new boys like Tom Brennan come in at 2.0 and would Georgie Wood be 2.32 for his Sheffield rides last year? I would also like to know which average applies to someone like Connor Mountain whose average in both PL and CL was similar last year , PL x 1.5 is a fair bit higher than his CL average . This also applies to BWD who had 5.0 in the PL and 5.7 in the CL, on standard conversion this would make almost 2 points difference (7.5 to 5.7).

If indeed it is Championship for Eagles next year then I can see Tom Brennan at IOW next year possibly with Edwards and Brooks. What a shot in the arm for the Warriors who really deserve it. I don't think the usual dislike for doubling up at Arlington would apply now that they are in the Championship and they would have first claim. Thursday night at IOW fits well and with good organisation Tom would be available for all IOW home matches and away Saturday's could be arranged for weeks when Eagles are free.

Could it not be possible that Rye House will return to NL?

Tom Brennan has started his Australian tour in good fashion. On the podium at Mildura (Cam Woodwards home track?) He fished 3rd behind J Stewart and Justin Sedgeman with Zach Waj in 4th. A good start indeed on a strange track. I have mixed feelings about moving up to CL. Whilst not really in favour I have to say that the prospect of a probable return of Bradley Wilson Dean and who knows even perhaps Adam Ellis, Eddie Kennett and Scott Nicholls with Tom and Georgie as reserves does bear thinking about. If we stay NL we have to face the possibility of a low points limit and only being able to keep Tom, Charlie Brooks and Jason Edwards.

It sounds like they may be one of those moving into the Championship. Why else would they delay an announcement? Is it a contest between Birmingham Kent and Eastbourne for one of the two spots? If they were staying in the NL then why not simply say so. Personally I hope they stay in the NL which has provided much better entertainment than the old Elite days.

And when the NL has been destroyed where will all those young (British) riders start? Crowds are dropping because fans are sick and tired of seeing often questionable guests instead of their favourites and this automatic preference for the so called senior leagues having first call on their services. A question mark hangs over whether some will fold this year. Even some of the Development Leagues have to use second halves at NL tracks which could be lost to them. Teams like Stoke, Buxton, Plymouth exist because their promoters are enthusiasts prepared to suffer a loss but there has to be a limit to the depth of their pockets. There would be no 'glass ceiling' . Once a rider feels he wants to join the CL he can but having signed for a CL team it should be up to that team to develop his skills either at reserve or in second halves instead of just dumping him as Sheffield have Georgie Wood twice... The BSPA must stop thinking about the NL as their free training tracks but we all know they will not so the NL promoters should force the issue and declare UDI.

And destroy the National League in the process !! Their top riders constantly missing, taking part in a cobbled up reserve qualification set up. If this is the sort of thinking then the NL clubs must withdraw from the BSPA and register the league independently with the SCB. No doubling up and any rider signing for a NL club who then wants to move to a PL/CL club during the year is excluded from participating in the NL for two years and if coming back gets a high 'experience' assessed average. The NL are developing a really good all British set up despite the best efforts of the BSPA to use it for their own ends. The NL must go independent to get out of the BSPA clutches.

My thoughts on 2018 have not changed from the previous years. The NL to break away from the BSPA and register themselves with the SCB independently . Then a straight 42 point limit every season. Still British passport holders only. No doubling up, if a rider wants to ride in a different league having signed for a NL team then he leaves the NL and cannot come back for 2 seasons and gets an enhanced average subsequently. Handicap system so 'weaker brethren' one season gets 43/44 limit the next season. Not too bothered about Guests and r/r within reason. There have been some terrific NL races this season and with a 42 point limit the best can be retained with no real 'wobblers' Sell a highlights package to a TV company showing all the races and cutting out all the between inter heats delay and rubbish spouted by presenters like Pearson. This could be screened the following evening. After a few years the NL would become Britains foremost league if they do it right and some of the other clubs will be anxious to join. Drastic maybe but that is just what we need. I have no doubt it wont happen but I can dream.

Why is their celebration 'gloating' ? Should we stop the FA Cup winners from lifting the cup high to their 50000 fans or riding around the city in an open top bus? I guess it is only gloating when it is Eastbourne.

Tonight's meeting is off. Mildenhall cannot raise a team. Unbelievable. This was the season finale at Arlington when the fans can mix with the riders and get 'selfies' joining in the celebrations in centre green. Now they have been let down and the club lose what is normally one of the best gates of the year. I can only imagine that some of the Tigers team are having a tantrum because they lost and don't want to be at Arlington when the celebration is on. I can think of no other explanation because we have all known about this fixture for some time. In any event there must be plenty of riders out there who would have welcomed a final guest appearance to wrap the season up. Surely some of the Kent boys as well as Stoneman would have been up for it and with Lakeside still not finished Morley and Bowtell should be available. Nobody would have complained if they had even put out an over average side which would have made it more challenging. I hope the SCB investigation is thorough and publicly announced because this cancellation quite honestly 'STINKS'

I understand where you are coming from, they have always tried to be loyal to their riders even in Elite days but it will not be possible to keep all three heat leaders for over 26 points leaving 13 to 16 for the last four riders, that would be suicide. There is no way they would release Wood or Brennan who have spent the whole of their NL careers wearing the eagle and are two of the most rapidly developing riders in the league, So Baseby must be the obvious choice. I would also imagine they will want to keep Edwards as the third heat leader and Charlie Brooks has got to be a certainty the way he is improving at his average. I would think the team will look like this: 1 Wood 9.30 2 Brooks 4.53 3 Edwards 6.70 4 ????? 5 Brennan 8.20 6 Ablitt 3.00 7 ????? 3.00 Total 34.73 Leaving between 4 and 7 points for a No 4 depending on the agreed limit. These averages will change marginally after the last three fixtures have been completed but not much. I just cannot see how Baseby or Powell can fit in. 'My' team would certainly be contenders for a 5th KO Cup.

Overall the last three clashes with the Tigers have seen a terrible performance at the gate for the Eagles over the first 4 heats so that may be what determines things on Thursday. As for Charlie Powell, he is unlikely to score at all, seems to be going backwards week by week. No real progress over the last 3 seasons and likely to have difficulty getting a ride in any team next year. Back in a reserve spot and still dropping his average

Almost relieved He will be a threat but not as much as Max Clegg would have been. Might have missed an opportunity here.

Looks like the excitement got to the texter, that fantastic double pass in heat 13 was not on lap 3 but bend 3 on lap one. Amazing times from Georgie Wood, I never imagined that anyone would get near Adam Ellis' NL Track Record ( He missed it by1/ 10th of a second) but this last few meetings have shown what great condition the track is in. Extra shale which gives an outside line as good as the inside has meant some superb passing for anyone prepared to ride the fence and made for some great racing. I remember too well the slick track of the Elite League and coming away recalling that there was only one pass in any position all evening . Former fans who will not watch NL don't know what they are missing. I still think Mildenhall will emerge victorious because I am convinced that they will get Max Clegg in for Danny Ayres. Clegg had a bad early season and dropped nearly 2 points from his average but is now back at his best . The Eastbourne 'tail' is poor at West Row and will probably be without Spiller as it is midweek so they will be totally dependent on the three heat leaders. I have no doubt they will try hard but they will have to overcome the tendency to start slowly. In the first four races last night the tigers were racing out of the gate with some ease except against Mark Baseby who gated well. If the same thing happens on Thursday the game will be up to all intent and purpose by Heat 10.

I think it is because Eastbourne had the 2nd leg of the cup at home so Mildenhall get the second leg of the Play off at home. The 2nd leg is always more interesting and likely to pull a better crowd. We had a similar situation a couple of years ago with Birmingham and that was how they worked it then. On that occasion Eastbourne had the 2nd leg in the Cup and won it so the presentation was in front of there own fans and Vica versa Birmingham had the presentation as champions in front of their fans. If that's an omen then Mildenhall will win the League title at West Row on Thursday.

With our form at West Row we are going to need at least a 20 point lead tonight. It all looks very tight and I think Charlie Brooks may hold the key. Josh Bailey cannot possibly be as bad tonight as last week. Mark Baseby found his gating skill last night at Leicester which could also make a difference if he repeats it.

Injustice !! Last year Eastbourne topped the league and lost the play off final, in 2015 they won the play off final but that year they decided to call it the Gold Cup not the League play off and if you go back further to early 2000's they topped the Elite League but had an injury and lost the play off final to Wolves. They are long overdue a change in fortunes where the League Pennant is at stake. However I don't think it will happen because if they make the right decisions then Mildenhall should still win.

Hard to imagine that at the start of the year Charlie Brooks was a complete rookie and struggled to even get a point. I wondered why they picked him as he only had a couple of youth championship meetings in 2017 and failed to score. Now look at him, must be the developer of the year from a zero base. Martin Dugard puts a lot of effort into helping the youngsters and it pays off.