Islander15

With the upmost of respect to Richard who improved more last year than about the previous 5 put together, he didn't have a lot of competition for that title with Shanes who had a spell out injured apart, they had 1 rider end the season injured, 1 miss a lot of away meetings, 2 retire and then never replaced 1 of them and a couple of mid season signings. Richard will probably improve a little but it's not a league winning signing as some seem to think.

It was a tongue in cheek comment really, hence the tone. I just meant, as you've kind of pointed out, if they were going to drop a rider to improve the team (ie sign Bradley rather than a 3.00 man) I thought there are other riders in the team less likely to improve the team than Brendan.

When SCB asked if Brendan was actually one of the most liked speedway riders, I think you only need to look at his tow witter or Facebook today to see that he is.

That's been asked in several other places and no-one seems to have given a definitive answer yet that I have seen, it's just assumed that his parents or grandparents are British hence making him eligible to ride. Though what has been said is he is a 5.00 as he has ridden in state championships (NZ U21s) but not the NZ national championship, whereas essentially if he hadn't have ridden in that meeting(s) he would have been a 3.00. That's my understanding anyway.

I take back my previous comment and as Penny's link explains, Brendan's been dropped as NZ rider Bradley Wilson-Dean comes in on a 5.00 and not a 3.00 as he has experience of riding in state championships.

Eastbourne realised they have a poor team but Brendan wouldn't have been top of my list to let go!

What a ridiculous statement to make! Are you seriously saying that if Cradley had have moved up this year, like they wanted to, that Buxton would have gone bust? How many years were Buxton running before Dudley even appeared?? They just work with stricter constraints, sometimes that means poorer septets but, like this year by the looks of things, sometimes the continuity provides good looking teams! And another thing that you'll soon come to realise is that the NL is effectively regarded as completely separate to the EL and PL, so where you go blaming the BSPA for late fixtures it's essentially nothing to do with them and all down to Mr Morrish to co-ordinate. Nothing that I'm aware of on Jan 13th and the AGM was held in Decemberin 2013 as well as last year! They have at least 1 riding PL.

It's already been said by either a NL promoter or a NL team manager (you can probably guess the two I'm thinking of, but I can remember which one it was!) that that rule has NOT changed for this year. That was after it was asked if Bowen could DU of which he can't and he's not Rye's number 1.

It has nothing to do with whether he has a PL average or not. The rule about age is just that: a rule about age, regardless of whether averages fit or not.

I assume you haven't seen it mate. All 10 are in the Cup and Stoke are in the preliminary round against Rye and then face a quarter-final against Cradley. If they overcome both of those it's a semi-final against Mildenhall, King's Lynn or Buxton.

But it's the men in charge at individual clubs that have made mistakes with paperwork, along with unlawful guest, loan and doubling-up rules, which is the BSPA, as I understood it.

Todd does so I assume Brady does also. Heeps does as well don't forget.

Any chance of Adam riding PL? As an EU rider of course

He certainly isn't 16! Last season I think he was about 24 so 26 for next season will probably be correct. Yes this is a problem as you cannot double-up at over 25, hence why Simon Lambert can't this year and why Rye were going to have Bowen lead the NL team this year but have realised they can't

I agree, but why the delay? What do Rye gain from it? Your own supported are now questioning if you're even running, which I'm sure you are btw.

Just because there won't be a lot of enthusiasm doesn't mean there won't be none and there should be no effort put it to entice the crowd. Atm it looks a possibility that Rye could end up with a team of newbies with most of the leading lights at other clubs or rumoured to not be in the league for one reason or another. Fans realise that it may take a few training sessions to find the right bottom end but not the top, and they need those top men to make the team competitive.

Agreed, but then at the opposite end of the scale, you must admit that approaching late January and no rider announced at all (the only one mooted looks ineligible) isn't going to create optimism within the supporters.

It wasn't just the once that he didn't turn up for an away meeting, I remember him doing it a couple of times for the Isle of Wight. One occasion springs to mine at Mildenhall where Niall Strudwick took his spot for the day.

Haha I was waiting until we know all the riders. Like I think Buxton's 5 can beat Rye's 0 but if builderbob is right and Eastbourne finish above Cradley I'll have to do some kind of forfeit

I thought Tabaka but it suggests he's ex-Plymouth to me. Morris and Holder would fit though.

http://www.plymouthherald.co.uk/Plymouth-Devils-hope-wrap-new-signing-days/story-25798103-detail/story.html Who's the injured rider he's referring to?

Do you know how old Watts is?

Tom got announced as the fourth name and Liam won't be fit in time.

Teams like Storm have 2 ideas: to find riders for the Bees and to be competitive enough to attract fans. If the first was the sole reason then I'd suggest that Farnaby and Ritchings wouldn't have signed as they aren't Coventry assets.

Nielsen is ineligible, Bates is apparently not doing NL this year and Carr is injured.