Bagpuss

I've never really understood the clamber for snippets of information during the close season, its pretty obvious that riders will be announced (usually all in one go) once they are signed up. We are something like four months from the start of the season so there is no big rush. I agree that the PR during the season could be much better but press releases in the winter containing very little as there is nothing really to say seems rather pointless to me.

Certainly not the end of the world but the shortage of top riders coupled with the ludicrously high points limit means there simply aren't enough to go round. I've little doubt the team will be reasonably competitive but having had a sniff of being a top side a couple of seasons ago you can't blame people for being pessimistic at the prospects for 2016. There aren't enough decent riders willing to race in the UK.

I find the best way to watch any speedway on telly is recorded or delayed so that anything other than the actual racing can be 'whizzed'.

Over the last five or six months I've found myself drifting away from domestic speedway after thirty plus years of almost fanatical support, I haven't been on here for a long while and I think I attended seven meetings last season after years and years of 30+ season in, season out. Suffice to say even before Puk decided to sit out the UK (don't blame him or any GP rider) the coming EL season looked unappealing with more big names opting out and a too high a points limit controlling the riders who are left. No doubt an extra pound will be lumped on admission for what is an annually weaker product and overall I can't see me even making the seven meetings I did last season in 2016. The enthusiasm just isn't there any more which a few years ago would have been heartbreaking but just doesn't seem to matter. Hopefully Buster can use his five years to sort things out but without support I'm not sure he can do an awful lot.

Great to see Kozza back amongst the points. Will definitely try to get to Peterborough to watch these two sides.

Did he do the same to his SGP colleagues?

As I said on another thread let's get the FBI in to sort out British Speedway once they are done with FIFA.

Big home win.

Fifteen real points from the three guests is poor, might have had a chance of a point with all our riders. Time for Kenny to go I'm afraid, has let the team down once too often. Three new signings required to get things back on track.

And in the interests of balance a big fat zero at Lynn last Thursday.

Precisely. Just like people only being concerned about getting the four points on Monday night rather than the damage that was done to speedway's already flimsy image.

The only thing 'usual' is your ultra defensive claptrap. This thread is actually quite a good discussion with, on the whole, some very balanced views.

I bet I won't. Apart from the final couple of heats last night and a few races from Swindon last week I've not bothered with the EL coverage this year. There is usually something better to do.

I'm afraid to say that for probably the first time ever I really don't care what happens tomorrow night, with every guest named my enthusiasm erodes a little extra. The EL becomes more and more farcical each year and last night's events have made me fall out with the sport a bit more and I just don't see an end to it. I've been to Lynn three times this year and not really missed it on the Wednesdays I've not gone.

IF Cook has declined the opportunity to ride in Poland it's a great shame. I've long said that I don't believe he has reached his full potential but he won't reach that until he rides abroad a lot more. If he is content riding and earning well in the two leagues over here then good luck to him but I hope he doesn't regret it when he retires. As a Team GB supporter it frustrating but I wish him well.

I've been to loads of NL at Lynn mate and it just doesn't do it for me at all.

About time we dispensed with Sky I'm afraid, the opportunity was there in the noughties to push our sport on to the next level but the people in charge as usual made a dog's breakfast out of it. I know clubs will lose income but I believe we need to get back to basics even if that means the few remaining big names being lost. This whole heat 10 business and the need for Sky to to show meetings whatever the weather in front of abysmal crowds needs to end. Time for regular fixtures with far fewer guests.

Or perhaps the PA system could be improved?

Whoever is to blame it does the sport absolutely no good whatsoever for that to be shown live on national telly. Absolutely embarrassing and it really does make you wonder why we all bother. As somebody has already said the Heat 10 rule was a dreadful idea and has resulted in the paying public having the p1ss ripped out of them even more.

#obsessed

Better fixture planning would eliminate the need for many guests for a start. Poor fixture planning is speedway's biggest problem at the moment I'd say. Guests are a necessary evil but I think it would be realistic to restrict them to covering for number ones and perhaps a guest pool for reserves. No reason why the other team positions can't be covered by a squad system, there are plenty of riders in the PL who would be capable and no doubt several who don't ride over here who would be happy to do so for a limited number of meetings. I don't see us ever being able to operate without guests but I'm sure the number used can be dramatically reduced, people are fed up of seeing teams turn up with three or four riders who aren't their own.

Threads develop into different discussions, it happens. I think CJ was the one who brought the Glasgow meeting up in the first place! Seems like Glasgow can't be mentioned by Edinburgh fans on here without money being referred to

#greeneyedmonster

Showers from 2pm and proper rain from 6pm according to the BBC.

I actually thought the riders in the reserve draft made it far more balanced this year, Auty, Wright and Birks were added to give everybody (in theory) a strong senior reserve and a much more even set of number sevens. Lakeside IMO have been very unfortunate that Birks didn't recapture his 2013 form for Swindon and Ellis just hasn't kicked on at all. As I said on a different thread I thought the Hammers' pair would be one of the stronger ones but it may didn't turn out that way. Out if interest if Lakeside hadn't protected Ellis would they have got an earlier pick than Birks?