CardinalSin

Who do we go for as Captain next season? Hawkins was captain last year and seemed to do a pretty good job, so there is definitely a case for not taking it off him. On the other hand, with all due respect to him, he looks the weak link in the 1-5 as his 5 point average was achieved riding at reserve practically all year so he's got a big season ahead to at least maintain that level if we're going to be successful. Is there a case for giving the captaincy to someone else, and let Hawkins concentrate 100% on his own riding? Danny King is our top man, number 1, and has plenty of experience now as a captain himself so for me I'd give Danny the captaincy and let Hawkins put all his efforts in to his own riding. As for riding order, it's pretty common to go with your weakest rider at 2 so Hawkins at 2 partnering King? Could be a decent partnership as both are good mates also.

The Americans were the best at team riding back in the 80's IMO. I can remember Sigalos virtually stopping on a corner waiting for his team mate at Foxhall

Just today??

Thats my understanding too. Who cares really none of us are getting the loan fee. The only thing Peterbrough are concerned with is Blackbird missing meetings so it doesn't affect them in that way either.

How can you gain an asset by exchanging a rider from another club? Blackbird and Oliver Rayson swapped clubs, but Rayson wasn't Mildenhall's rider to swap, he was an Ipswich rider. Obviously Chris Louis was behind that deal as he was involved with both clubs. It's a strange one.

The "official" line is that Blackbird is a Mildenhall asset. However, Blackbird was exchanged for Olly Rayson who was an Ipswich asset and not Mildenhall's to exchange. Chris Louis was at the time the promoter at both clubs but has since quit his role at Mildenhall so he's now either a Mildenhall asset, an Ipswich asset or simply a Chris Louis asset!

That bit made the hair stand up on the back of my neck. Just shows what this lad is made of, inspirational stuff. Agree with you hope the day is a massive success.

Which was the point of your post. Don't worry bruv I got it

Looking forward to the Good Friday double header already (assuming that's the plan) 2 decent looking teams should be a good days racing! Hopefully the track at Foxhall will be in far better shape this time though after this years borefest on an appalling track...

You have to factor in that the younger members of the team should be improving. Manzares for example now has a season's racing under his belt and raced all the tracks so in theory should do even better next season. Doesn't always happen like that obviously but there looks to be improvement in a fair few members of the team. Heeps could well be our biggest improver if as it looks, he's over his hand injury.

Who cares!!?

That would be the team to beat for me regardless of who the last reserve would be. Might not have the strongest reserve pairing, but they wouldn't need to contribute an awful lot with that top 5, to be winning meetings.

Well Jacobs has now tweeted that he hasn't quit the sport at all, just taking a year out.

Have to agree Stefan would have been my pick too. This would also explain why the last two riders took a little longer than expected to reveal as the full 1-7 was expected to be announced a couple of weeks back. On the face of it, we've come out of it pretty well. Certainly no worse, and possibly slightly better IMO.

Nothing is set in stone though he's young and could easily have a change of heart in the near future. I'd bet we haven't seen the last of him on a speedway bike.

Wasn't expecting that and it's a shame. He's actually been around a few years now and never really progressed so probably found it difficult to make ends meet I'd imagine.

Now you've done it!

Not sure about the team to beat as most of the teams so far that are complete or nearly complete, look fairly similar in strength with one or two question marks in all of them. It's competitive again no doubt and should be in the play off mix depending on injuries.

He does tend to bite the dust an awful lot, but he can be quick when he stays upright. No offence to Joe Jacobs who seemed like our other option, but I definitely think we made the right decision in going for Nielsen. Edit: Come to think of it, both Covatti and Manzares seem to like the taste of shale too so we could be in for some long drawn out evenings on the Heath next year!!

King Hawkins Manzares Heeps Tungate Covatti Stefan Nielsen

My money is still on Lanham being one of them. Wouldn't rule out Chris Mills either. Neither would be very inspiring but we'll see only a few hours to wait! I'll pick up a copy of the Star around 7.30 in the morning on the way to work so I'll post the names on here around then. Unless Super Blue beats me to it which he normally does!

Depends where he comes from and what Citizenship he has no?? Sissis for example, is a 5.00..

Sure there is..

My first choice would be to gamble on a promising new 5 pointer a la Manzares last year, but Covatti I wouldn't be unhappy with he's got improvement in that average especially starting the season at reserve. I think it's important that one of the reserves has the potential to hold his own in the 1-5, because Hawkins for me will be a weak link in the main body and will soon find himself back to reserve if one of the reserves have something about them.

Well here we go... And then there were 7!! @ipswichspeedway full team announcement in Tuesday's @ipswichstar24 & @EADT24 papers Courtesy of Mike Bacon.