Wee Eck

2017 was different as the top league used middle leagues averages for initial declarations. But, Joe Screen was blocked from riding with Glasgow in 2010 (or thereabouts) as his converted average would have been 12.06. He started the season with Wolverhampton and, when his average dropped below 6, and they dropped him, joined Glasgow mid season

I assume that if he’s committed to Danish league, that rules him out of UK Wednesday night tracks, hence him not riding for Birmingham, and if he gets a regular team place in Poland, that rules him out of CL altogether. Hopefully the new Rzeszow promotion will pay its riders on time unlike the last one. Actually, that sounds very similar to some Championship teams

Adam Ellis needs to get out of the Championship altogether if he wants to progress. He’s been “up and coming” for far too long and needs to get team places abroad if he’s going to get anywhere. He’ll be 24 next year and has ridden in the middle or top leagues in Britain for about 7 seasons. When he’s on song, he’s a superb rider but needs (imo) to start challenging himself more if he’s going to progress.

I think years of ignoring British talent and failing to nurture juniors will come back to haunt Poole. There are no bargain averages in this league and every knows leagues are won with riders on their way up, honing their skills week by week. The inexperience of the management in this league and their lack of knowledge of CL riders will hurt Poole. I like Danny King and Steve Worrall but they’re not going to increase their averages by much, if any. And why would any young Brit want to go to Poole knowing their dislike of British youth - was Poole the only PL track who declined to hold a round of the British Youth Championship? I think, for Poole’s sake, there needs to be an acceptance that Matt Ford’s days are numbered. The most successful promoter of the last decade plus is out of his depth in this league. Whether Danny can replace him, and re-create his dad’s success may we’ll be dependent on him being strong enough to insist it’s his show, and to tell Matt to stay in France. Otherwise, if the Poole faithful want success, and they’re certainly used to it, maybe they should try to help find new owners, owners who understand the lower leagues and can command respect in them.

No one would argue about Masters vs Wells. But Sarjeant helping at home won’t get you a league win. Btw, no one want Heeps back? Or have I missed he’s gone elsewhere?

I think Glasgow would love that pairing........in the Monarchs 1-7. Two riders unlikely to improve much if any. After this year, I’d be astonished if Edinburgh went down such a week route. You just need to have a misfiring number one, as was the case with Wells this year, and you’ve no back up.

What makes you think that Glasgow and Poole will be “splashing cash”? Poole have never been big payers, but their riders were often subsidised by big paying sponsors. And their dropping a league to make money not splash it around. Glasgow pay well but you’ve got to look south, indeed very far south, to find the biggest payers in CL

Ok, I’m being thick now but, other than a couple of minor problems during the play offs, were there any other problems with doubling up in 2019? I thought the whole point of fixed race nights, whereby PL had Mondays and Thursdays, and CL had every other night, was to avoid these clashes. Also, why do people get upset about riders doubling up in UK when surely any rider who rides more than one league (whether that’s in one country or more) is effectively doubling up?

Is “Matt and Danny” Cockney rhyming slang?

What I was saying was we’re only getting half a story and, without names or other details to back it up, shouldn’t rush to judgement. The Doctor’s point though is telling: 3.2.8 is a severe charge and (one would hope) unlikely to be used if there was nothing but sweetness and light in the exchange.

I have no idea what this is about, or what it’s doing in “Glasgow 2019” For me, the 2019 Championship is very similar to 2018 in overall team strength. I can’t see many if indeed any riders having an artificially increased average. Also, it’s a bit sad not to say sick using Workington 2018 as the yardstick for anything. Workington were, after all, serial late, sometimes very late payers - were they not barred from attending the 2017 AGM because they were so far behind with their rider payments? I can’t remember how much Laura Morgan said she lost running the Comets but a figure in excess of half a million comes to mind. I feel sorry for the Workington supporters who must have believed that their winning run would guarantee financial stability, only then to have to face closure. Whatever any feels about Glasgow, it’s owners and it’s promotion, at least you know, win or lose, they pay their way. This is not a sport where anyone can buy success, but not should it be one where you have to sell everything you have to make ends meet.

Why not name names? Who was the rider? Who was the team manager? Who was the referee? Where was this meeting? If the team manager does feel he has a case, he should pay the returnable appeal fee of £150 rather than the fine of £100 and ask for a hearing. He doesn’t need to attend but could make his case in writing. He could also contact any one of the four SCB members and ask if it’s worth his while putting in an appeal. You say even a criminal is given his five minutes in court. Well, there’s nothing stopping him having that. Or is there more to this?

I’m not sure if this season will ever end! Wolves looking bad for today and, in the little league, Leicester looking bad for Saturday. All the Aussies still involved in the play offs will be itching to get back home for some sun. Will some slope off early?

Both leagues? (Maybe even all three?) So all teams bar those in the play offs finish their seasons by the end of August? And half of those involved in the play offs are finished by mid-September? Where’s the sense in that? How many supporters would sign up for a shorter season?

I would agree on not giving Holder - or indeed anyone - a reduction just because they’ve not ridden in UK. There can be good reasons to give reductions but just being unwilling or unable to race here isn’t one of them. Setting a minimum of 8 for returning riders is a bit harsh though. That would make it impossible for riders like Gomolski, Jakobsen, Aspgren or Woryna to ride here. It’s my view that riders new to UK improve the sport. There were only two new riders in the top league in 2019, Becker and Lidsey, and both have created interest whenever they’ve ridden. As long as there is a shortage of riders, new riders should be encouraged, but with fair averages - neither too high to block them nor too low so giving an unfair advantage

My view is that there definitely should be reassessments for these three (and many others) but that’s not the same as reductions. Without knowing the precise numbers, my guess is that Tai and Piotr would increase but Freddie may we’ll stay the same

The system you suggest for riders with established averages in Europe is or certainly was already in place. I think it was Peter Oakes who produced the list that BSPA agreed to. As far as historic GSA’s are concerned, anyone with an average from more than two seasons back should be reassessed using the same method as for those coming to UK for the first time. For 2020, that would mean a UK average from 2019 or 2018. Chris Holder or Tai Woffinden, for example, would be caught by this as would the likes of Mikkel Michelsen or Leon Madsen.

Not significantly. Aussie GPs were held 2015-2017 and the overall dates were: 2013 - 7/10 and 15/10 2014 - 17/10 and 20/10 2015 - 28/9 and 30/9 2016 - 3/10 and 5/10 2017 - 2/10 and 4/10 2018 - 8/10 and 10/10 2019 - ??? 2014 was very late, 2015 early, but the rest of the dates are pretty close

I think that’s very much on point. The racing there is seldom good but the atmosphere inside and out of the stadium is always fantastic. It’s now a full day event as witnessed by the crowds that flocked to the Revolution bar to see Tai, Greg, and all the others. The hotels have always been horrendously expensive but at least the GP finishes early so you don’t need to stay. The only down side for me is the increasing number of vagrants and druggies in the pedestrian areas. But then Cardiff isn’t alone in this

It’s my view that, at the moment, only one name needs to be found as Doyle, Hancock and Woffinden will get one. But, if Doyle out scores Zagar in Toruń, then that leaves two to find as Zagar is guaranteed a place through the GP qualifiers. I doubt it’ll be another Dane, but could well be another Pole, probably taken from Kubera, Smektala or Drabik. It would be good if it was to be another Brit but that could only really be Lambert and I think it’s too early. There seems no one of World class (other than Freddie) from Sweden these days This year’s series has been pretty weak and the 2019 champion, whether that’s Zmarzlik, Sayfutdinov or Madsen, should count himself lucky. I don’t think any of them would live with the likes of Woffinden, Hancock, Pedersen, Crump or Rickardson when they were at their peak. We can only hope one or more real stars emerge from the pack, but I can’t see from where.

Which is his “parent club”? Is it not Poole after they bought the Peterborough riders from Julie Mahoney and Rick Frost?

As is being picked by Leicester in the semi!!

Why?

But maybe helped by the money paid by Toruń to use Jack Holder?

Is it Dan Ford or Matt Ford that picks the team? They’re not looking like title winners now.