Bagpuss

Quite right, three quarters of speedway's troubles are a result of dreadful fixture planning. I agree about Cook and Josh G, these are two riders who we are told are ambitious and want to improve so they really shouldn't miss EL matches to ride in the PL regardless of who's asset they may be. No admission of being wrong about Fricke & Nielsen though, you'd make a great politician

This is something all tracks should do when Sky is in town.

They have all declined it would seem. As a self employed seasonal worker myself it's disappointing to see riders turning down extra work.

Same old EL v PL arguments but as usual people ignore the facts that the PL generally has the better racetracks, the price difference is so little nowadays and that many riders double down rather than up. The main issue the EL has is the one of missing riders, it seems to get worse every year and needs to be addressed (squads) so that we aren't subjected to random guests and R/R every week. Letting Lord Ford go by his own personal rulebook doesn't help matters either.

Plus Lambert & Kerr carrying knocks. Think it would be fair to say that Lord Ford and his cronies are visiting us at a good time.

Four points to Poole then.

That's exactly my point. If you gate well at Lynn you are laughing. Source?

That's wrong for a start as he beat Lambert in the Play Off meeting, and also in the British Semi. He also beat Nicholls in the semi who top scored for Belle Vue in April! So by no means awful at Lynn at all.

Two years ago, great. He has scored 12 for Belle Vue and paid 8 for you lot in the Play Offs last season as well as 11 in the British Semi last week. There have been some lower scores in amongst that but he is by no means awful at Lynn.

Cook isn't crap or poor, inconsistent perhaps but not that bad. His gating could be invaluable and I think he's the best option available.

Cook all day long if he fancies it.

This is going to be very tough for Lynn and would have been anyway without the injury worries as Poole ride the AFA so well. Holder, Magic, North & Newman are all likely to make hay so even if the other three all struggle a home win looks a tall order. We have a chance if a good guest is chosen but a poor one or R/R and it's going to be very, very difficult indeed.

Lambert had to be in considering his Lynn form this year but I'd personally have gone with Cook rather than King, he's better out of the gate and that is vital at the AFA these days.

I think Glasgow may have something to say about that.

You can't really compare Lambert to those others. He is only seventeen and didn't ride in the qualifiers this year. I get your general point though, we are miles behind the others in international terms.

Perhaps unlike you some people have the interests of the whole of British speedway at heart.

If only speedway (or sport for that matter) was that simple and predictable. Nobody knows what would have happened with two full teams, Bjerre & Kerr could have gated their way to five wins each for all you or I know.

Christ almighty, gonna be a cricket score. Don't think Bjerre's performances really depend on the track, it's more about his confidence at the time and how well he is gating.

Apart from his 20 points in 2011? Thoughts obviously with Roo but hopefully the boys can put in a good performance for him.

Kozza will click into gear when he drops to reserve. Don't forget he averaged over seven the last time he rode over here. Has an awful lot to offer.

Why on earth did Coles only have four rides?

I'm off to Wembley!

I'm sure there are non Poole fans who support him in the GP'S, and what about the fans of his Swedish and Polish clubs? The apology to his fellow riders is the most important however and you've now ignored it twice.

What about fans who support him who don't follow Poole? Or the other riders he could have put in danger had he not been tested and caught?

Difficult to now but I stand by the fact that they could have been, think I posted as much on the 'Oh well there's always next season!' thread. I thought Ellis would kick on and Birks might rediscover his pre - injury form of 2013 but it hasn't turned out that way. Really liked the look of the pairing on paper though.