TMW

Well at least you admit to talking complete drival. Do you really think that Scunfield are going to plan a NLPOSF with half the team missing Fair play to Worrall's, Birks and Wrathall. I do object to a team having a 4.34 rider at No.8 I wouldn't write the Colts off just yet they have had their backs against the wall before and come out smilling, particularly Mckinna adn Mason. Who ever performs next Thurs will be in the final. It's plain and simple and Justice will be served.

I'd be interested in your thoughts for the Scunfield line up tonight is this another 'one off'. You can't take anything away from the management but the question that needs to be asked is is it right? is the no. 8 slot there to be able to fieled a better rider at reserve or to give an inexperienced rider a chance at league racing. Ummmmm it is a poser

All the best to the Colts for tonight. C'mon boys you can do this !!!!!!

To be fair Mildenhall management have been issuing some quite inflamatory press releases all season. I can see how they would want to come in on their first season and win it all and say there you are that is how it is done but this gives the supporters the wrong role modelling in my opnion. After last years dissapointment the play off's and KO cup final couldnt come soon enough and all that pressure is obviously spilling over and pressure valves are releasing. Simon Lambert will always be an asset to the NL, however long he stays in it, and the NL are lucky he is still prepared to ride in it as some riders do see it as step backwards and just struggle in the PL. He is one of those riders that bring the supporters out and we all know the league needs that.

I still cant understand how they can say the Hawks experiment failed when they have only given it one season and as we know speedway fans are creatures of habit and habits take more than a season to break. Unless the 2 clubs couldnt agree on a way forward

It has been a little trial and error. Hopefully these little creases can be ironed out next year and it can go onto be a big success story

I supose it is because effectively the home meeting being at Sheffield it is the Sheffield Prowlers who are in the semi but they are conscious of upsetting the Scunny fans so they are calling the away meeting the The Saints.

I wonder if any of this was in the recommendation from Barker

If I recall correctly Dudley dropped Sarjeant for Mickey Dyer then Mickey Dyer dropped Dudley for the PO final. Sarjeant has gone on to be a big hitter in the strongest team in the 2011 league wonder if Dudley are thinking better of that decision now.

Well that statement should throw him head first into his winning ways all other riders will probably give him a wide berth now

You a fan !

I agree with you on the more than 'one rider' team. I only made the analogy of Heeps as that was mentioned in the thread. this was obviuosly already being done weeks ago and as you mention Lewis Blackbird he has made tremendous progress this year possibly one of the 'finds' of the season but take a minute to reflect that Lewis is 24 and a couple of years ago walked away from the sport due to lack of opportunity and support. On the Tony Atkin front I think it is like Armo at Dudley it can depend in what mood they are in. I don't think Stoke ever made any secret of the fact that they were 'in it to win it' and you do what you can to achieve that. I think if all teams were honest that is the main target and if they develop a rider along the way then that is a bonus. I'm interested in this term 'development' what it actually means is off the shelf unheard of riders. I supose what is in question is the morality of the move and how much this could put back Ben's confidence back and how much work will he have to do to get back on track. As I said before I wish Tim well and if he is a good as they say look forward to watching him. I think that the word dumped is a little harsh I don't think Malcom Vassey would 'dump anybody' but he has obviuosly had to make a difficult decsion just hope for all concerned he has made the right one for both Ben and Tim.

Cracking commenet that should make Ben feel a whole lot better. Tom Perry is also awesome on the grass, I believe, but he has 'struggled' this year after his all bells and all whistles arrival on the speedway scene last season. I do wish Tim well and I hope he has a long and fruitful career, as I wish all the lads well. Stoke are at the top of the league how much more stronger do they want to be. Simon Lambert, Tim Webster and Tony Atkin can more than take care of Heeps. What would have been wrong with getting Tim to enter some winter championships and then market him and promote him for the start of next season and let Ben see the season out. It's a crying shame that he couldn't up his average by a couple of decimals then it wouldn't have been possible.

The away name depended on where they were riding the home meeting. For instance at Belle Vue they were the Sheffield Prowlers because they were going to run the home meeting at Sheffiled but that went a bit skewiff as the home meeting was rained off and they ended up racing against the Saints a Scunthorpe in the re-run......Not having a go just stating the facts. I think the rest worked ok. If it helps the NL prosper then good on them. June I appreciate your position but you are very lucky to have a track in you locality, and long may it continue, these days some people have to make that kind of trek for all home meetings and if Sheffield are sharing the costs but wnat a share of the spoils then good luck on them

Although Stoke are doing well. Dudley showed an incredible amount of fight last week particularly Armstrong. I imgine the loss of the reserves probably played a huge part in the morale of the whole team, which in turn affected their performance. I wouldnt be too down on them. It probably is difficult to pick yourselves up when this happens mid meeting. Stoke were quite right to push ahead with what they had in front of them but I would have thought that there could have been a facility for Daryl to drop down to number 7 to at least take 7 rides and maybe R/R for number 2 giving Stoke some oppostion and Dudley a shot.

Could somebody advise when this rush will take place so I can avoid the Pit Stop at what seems like a busy time

I'm affraid I cant offer a 'Bells and Whistles' build up for this one but someone else may. I thought I would start a thread anyway

this hightlights the fact that the lads can struggle in the PL and a drop down to NL occasionally can do them the world of good. Las year he didn't start in the NL as I believe his avearge was too high but then his average started to drop(struggle) and became eligable and went to the YS and this as you quite rightly say did it's job by giving his confidence a boost(he said this himself in various publications) and look how well he is doing this year. Then instead of saying i'm off now I'm too good for the NL he is giving the NL something back if you want to knock that committment to the league then go ahead

To be fair most NL teams have had a turn at that one, way back from when J Hart was at Bournemouth so it is unfair to single Mildenahall out and i'm sure any team who got the chance of such a rider would grab it with both hands. Good luck to the chap. At the end of the day he met the criteria at the beggining of the season. Really please for Simon how his season is turning out for him

One of the biggest problems is curfews....Unless as has been suggested the riders are already there in the main meeting...Riders travel from afar at their own expense to get to the track and find there has been a bad accident during the meeting and the 2nd half is scrapped

Wow this is an all out offensive for 2nd half racing. Richardson, Johnson, Blackbird, Hill, Chessell, Hopewood to name a few have all ridden 2nd halves in the ML this year. Aswell as your very own Portwood. The lads put themselves under a lot of pressure in the NL, rightly so, I think the key is the lads can enjoy the riding and not feel under pressure and prove to themselves more than anybody else what they can do. Some may say it's expensive for the riders but if it leads to addtional performance and more points money then it is an investment in my opinion. The support that lads are getting from the crowds is great aswell. The ones I have attended have had many supporters stay behind to support them and I am sure the lads are greatful for that. Really pleased for Danny Stoneman Just a word about Adam . He was picked up by Mildenhall and dropped then picked up by Dudley and dropped is this a good idea will his confidence be taking a knocking Ummmmm I wonder.

It's my opinion it's not up to the teams to run suporters clubs, as I said before they have a big enough job maintaining ageing stadiums and tracks on a shoe string, it is up to the supporters themselves to get together and promote their sport in their local towns and cities. There is always an implication, on here particularly, that the promoters have some kind of magic wand that will bring the crowds flocking back yes the teams need to have a good communication channel between team and supporters but if the supporters don't want their sport to die out then get out there and promote it. Which is, I imagine how Dudley and Leicester have kept the dream alive for so long. To be honest because the sport is flagging the home grown riders are to not many young boys going to speedway meetings saying that is what I want to do when I grow up.

London is a very diffierent kettle of fish but.............. You could argue your points for any industrial town really. I think the reason Dudley works is because it is actively promoted they have good links with local media and press (maybe the Nigel Pearson factor)they have a thriving supporters club and the promotion appear to have good communication lines with the supporters. All this takes time and a lot of good will. I am certainly not saying the other promotions are not doing what they can to promote their team, often they have all on to get the stadium up to standard for meetings and I have already stated that promoters cant do right for doing wrong but that is what I see Dudley's success as. Add to this the fact that the Dudley supporters dont support the NL they support Dudley speedway but that is all they can hope for right now as a homeless team and I'm sure they all live in hope that Dudley one day will go EL and i'm pretty sure the press releases when Dudley first returned made it clear Dudley Would eventually become Cradley when all those boxes were ticked.

On that note would it have been better for all the 'home' meetings to have been run at Lakeside?. However I do agree with the rest of the posters on here good on them for giving it a go it's just a shame they couldnt have given it a little longer

See the newley crowned under 19's champion in action at Loomer Road tomorrow. Hopefully the Colts will rise to the challenge I think the lower orders are going to be the difference in this meeting lets hope they can all pull it together at the same time.