Aces51

Fricke mainly missed our re-arranged Wednesday meetings because his Danish fixtures on their original date had preference. That is a rule which applies for fixture clashes in leagues in different countries caused when a meeting is re-arranged and indeed for clashes here between Premiership and Championship clubs. The top Polish league is not only forcing riders to restrict how many teams they can sign for but also insisting that they ride for their Polish club whenever there is a clash.

I agree he's got talent and is likely to improve but I think Bjerre as a second string is the best option. One of the few riders in the 8 plus band who can maintain or improve his average but of course he isn't signed yet. As a matter of principle I wouldn't sign any Pole until their authorities change their attitude to other leagues. Not just the stipulation about the number leagues riders can ride in but the way they have previously called riders back at short notice even for practice. We can manage without their riders and should do so until they start to cooperate with the rest of the speedway world.

I agree and of course injuries can play a big part but at the moment we can only look at teams as they are or, in the case of Belle Vue, what might be. I think our season could be determined by the progress made by our reserves. They are both outstanding prospects but we shall have to see how that is translated into points. I think they will need time to settle, particularly away but will both do their job and improve as the season goes on.

Cook, Worrall, Bewley, Smith, has he taken out British citizenship. 🤔 Sedgman is potentially an excellent signing on his current average and certainly could be one of the best second strings in the league. If we now get Fricke and Bjerre we are certainly a play off side with lots of potential for improvement as the season progresses.

Skidder 1, you provided the link above but omitted that it also includes any rider who has achieved a Championship average of 4. I am assuming that references to the Premiership and Championship include averages achieved in the Elite and Premier leagues. Otherwise, nobody would qualify this year so the rule would be unnecessary. Of course a professionally drafted rule book would make clear that the references to the the Premiership and Championship included MA's achieved in the Elite and Premier.

I thought that was deliberate for the benefit of Poole. 🤔 At least Buster is on the case. I know he promised a new simplified rule book for this year but he has had a busy winter. Maybe next year then.

It seems fairly clear to me. He averaged 4 in the Premier League last year and rode in the NL so qualified for the 2.5% reduction.

You either believe me or you don't. You obviously have a higher regard for your opinion than I do if you think I would feel any need to justify to you what I have said. Maybe you have tried to negotiate a deal with Sky and been unable to match what I achieved. In that case I can understand why you might feel inadequate.

They didn't really take much persuading. I do have the full sky package but I wasn't threatening to cancel anything else.

I phoned Sky today to cancel Sky Sports and they have given it to me for £2.50 per month and that's legal.

You won't be joining my "Make speedway great again" campaign then. Whatever you want to believe about what I have said or however you want to look at it the quality of racing at the dog track was significantly poorer than at Hyde Road, I doubt you will find many who disagree with that and the crowd numbers dropped noticeably even during the first season. Last year at the NSS I spoke to people I had not seen at speedway since the Hyde Road days and it was the quality of the racing that had brought them back. There are also people on the Belle Vue Army site and the Aces Facebook pages saying exactly the same.

There were other factors but I think it's fairly clear that the drop in crowds after the Aces move to the dog track was due mainly to the poorer quality of the racing. Many fans have given that as the reason they stopped going and some who came back last year have said it was because of the quality of the racing produced at the NSS. I never stopped attending but the enjoyment levels last year were on a par with Hyde Road and must increase the likelihood that any first timers will return. Time will tell.

The BBC website states; Manchester City Council knew a week in advance about issues with the National Speedway Stadium track which forced the postponement of the grand opening, according to a document seen by BBC Radio Manchester. To me, knowing the issues that forced the postponement, means that they knew the real reasons. If they thought, as Belle Vue did, that the problems were with the top surface, then you would not say that they knew the issues which forced the postponement.

It is alleged that the council knew of the reasons which caused the postponement. Leading up to the meeting Belle Vue thought the problems were related to the top surface and that they had been resolved.

Won't the same restrictions apply to KK, so that can't have been a consideration in releasing Holder.

I wondered why I didn't get a reply.

The NSS has free wifi or at least did last year. The idea of an app to watch repays is an excellent idea.

Tara ra boom de aye? Or maybe just goodbye.

No rush. I'm sure that Mark Lemon has everything in hand. Plenty of time yet before the programme has to go to the printers. They could always issue free pens if necessary. 😂

The opening meeting, the Peter Craven Memorial meeting, has now been changed to Saturday, 1st April. Much better than running it on a Sunday afternoon particularly as it was on Mothers day. Saturday seems appropriate as that was our race night when Peter rode fir the Aces. Should encourage a bigger crowd as well.

Delighted to see the new improved slimmed down, simplified and unambiguous rule book we were promised. 🤔 At least that's three promises kept then. The rule book, openness and transparency and a league sponsor. 😆

It might be worth you having a word with them. I get all of the BT Sport channels. I had the same deal last year, although I think it was free for the first few months and only renewed about 3 weeks ago and it certainly still includes all of the channels. The £3.75 is a half price offer.

I have BT broadband and get BT sport on the Sky platform for £3.75 a month. I also get the BT app so I can watch BT sport on my phone or tablet. Be nice to get this news confirmed so I can cancel Sky Sports.

I've not seen anything to suggest he has. Personally, I wouldn't sign a Pole because no matter how committed they may be they are at the beck and call of their Polish club and I wouldn't as a matter of principle after their ruling to restrict how many other leagues riders who sign for their top league can ride in.

You're right that his away form could have been better but he is not yet 21 and improving all of the time. He showed his quality by the way he adapted and performed last year in Poland and Sweden and I am confident he will be a better rider here this coming season. King can also be inconsistent and is unlikely to improve. Much as he relies on his gating and is not popular with Aces fans after his previous spell in Aces colours I think he is better value than King on his current average.