szkocjasid

Personally £23 sounds bit steep to me. I'd have thought they'd try & keep it lower (£20) to pack the place out, anywho thinks it's worth £23, could still donate the extra £3? Also are the riders racing for free / expenses only? I always thought they did, but I remember reading an interview with Simon Lambert last year, where he suggested it was like getting paid practice? So when I see comments like "it's for a good cause" to make people who who are questioning the price look bad, I think if it's for a good cause why are the riders getting paid? Plus the Ben Fund always used to get the fines issued from the BSPL (or was it the SCB) which apparently stopped a year or two back. Why would they take money away from such a good cause? That seems far worse than a fan suggesting £23 is too much!

I agree it looks a very small fixture list, plus I'm surprised that they have big gaps between fixtures. Although they'd only have 5 home matches if they raced in the NL, so 8 is an improvement on that. IoW tend to have all of their racing squeezed into a couple of months, obviously designed to get the most out of the holiday makers.

It's possible he improved racing in Sweden, but he struggled to average 4 when last over here with Scunthorpe, looks a weak signing with 6+ available imo

Probably the closest the league has looked in some time, any of 6 clubs can make the top 4, with possibly only Ipswich 99% certain to make it?

I think it was changed due to a situation a couple of years ago. From memory the top 2 teams in the league agreed to race each other (Peterborough & Wolves?) regardless of whoever finished top, maybe due to stadium availability? So for thier last league fixtures, it would have been harder to entice people in as they've admitted there's no difference between 1st & 2nd.

Can't say I'm a particular fan of it. If I was Chris Harris, I'd be upset they make it look like he's very chubby. Should have shown the size Ace Pijper would wear perhaps?

Of course everyone has differing opinions, but I think Berwick look a strong team at home this year.

If there's a rider shortage then having a low limit makes sense, means clubs have to use NL riders to compete. If the limit is higher, the richest clubs can pick more heat leaders & weaker clubs can't compete & we get another league of the haves & have nots like last year. This year's limit seems to have worked well, Plymouth had a team (till an injury occured) and there are plenty sub 6.5 riders for Workington to choose from.

I think many have far too high expectations of Kemp. Last year at Scunthorpe he averaged less than 5.5, while racing plenty of meetings from the easy number 7 position. So to expect him to get near that from a tougher position in a higher division (getting stronger) is a near impossible ask imo. I certainly hope he can do it, would be great news for GB.

If true can't see the logic in that. Now that clubs have far fewer fixtures should be easier to find dates, unless you're at Poole who make all the finals. If Newman held his testimonial at Plymouth no such worries about spare dates there. Also what if clubs don't have planning permission to race on Sundays?

Horrific pictures, get well soon Nico

Number 6 is far harder than number 7, so if Kemp can reach 4.00 he'll have done well imo

Can't disagree with anything you've said, good comments

Wolves were allowed a facility for Becker despite him starting the season injured so were Scunny when Zaine Kennedy didn't arrive, but Plymouth were not allowed a facility for Dan T when he got injured before making his debut for them. I assume Scunthorpe & Wolves got "special dispensation" because Becker & Kennedy had ridden for them in the previous season?

I'm sure it's the promoters who vite for the rules regarding missing riders, so they won't have too harsh a rule i.e having to use a 3.00 NL rider in case it ever happens to them!

There's no such rule as NL guest anymore, if you don't qualify for a facility then they'd be able to use a guest up to 75% of Kemp's average.

I'm sure Edinburgh had planned to use Sam Masters, was there a late visa issue? This led to the last minute signing of Vissing. Fans aren't so used to that happening now, hence the worry / panic by some

That makes a lot more sense, agree with that

Do you think Leicester will have a strong number 6? Kemp is on a par with Mountain in the Champ, but agree he's quite a bit stronger than Edwards.

It's funny when you mention Masters as a true "number one" i always think of that as a 9+ rider, but if he's been one of the top 6/7 riders in the league, then I guess he was a "true number one". I'm assuming for Lynn you meant they only have one real number one? Which is why you didn't put them in the top 4, I guess you could argue so do Oxford & Leicester who you've placed above them? For the Brummies even if Brennan does improve to be a heat leaders still think there too far behind the others to be anything other than 7th, hopefully could help them win a few home matches though. On the whole, can't disagree with any of your predictions.

Would love to see Matty Wethers get a chance to resume his British career.

Riders wanting a full time spot wouldn't agree to a temporary gig unless all the team spits were taken, but if riders like Rowe or Gilkes just wanted to do Prem & Poland, they may agree to a temporary place?

I don't understand any suggestions that Redcar could have avoided this or suggestions they've made a mistake by signing an injured rider. Every year teams start with riders who didn't complete the previous season. What would the alternative be? Don't sign riders till they have proved their fully fit (which may not be till March)? So we could potentially have a dozen riders with no teams because they weren't fit in December when teams were signed! Where will these replacements come from anyway, it's not like there's that many available riders without teams to replace Janowski, Klindt, Wright, Woffinden, Gilkes, Perry, Mulford & Jorgensen for example. Redcar are unfortunate, but all they can do is go off the medical advice at the time, that TJ would be fit in March.

Have to agree, even if they only signed a 4.9 rider & finished 2 points below the limit, don't expect them to drop someone else before the season starts.

Now they've signed Perry, the comment about Wood of "It's a big year for Dayle and if the team is going to be successful we will need him to perform at a heat leader level" seems more odd. Perry, Coles & McGurk must be the strongest heat leader trio in the league.