Islander15

Well done to Pavlic. Tomaz why isn't Conda in the world cup team? Well done to Pavlic. Tomaz why isn't Conda in the world cup team? I remember watching Slovenia at Peterborough, it must be 3 years ago now & apart from Zagar the other 4 were abysmal but then Conda got a 2nd in his last heat, I think he passed the other 3 on the backstraight. I remember the guy next to me asking did I hear the announcement that Zagar replaced him lol. He doesn't seem to have shown that potential since, any idea why?

Interesting topic! After noticing this earlier I had to go read the article in the speedway star in my newsagents. I assume Tim spoke to more clubs than just Buxton this winter & can only assume that the Hitmen were the only club to offer him a deal. I wonder if after his decent performances for us Islanders he thought he might get the chance to replace Nick? I know we declared Hughes on the 16th but we haven't exactly publicised it. As to some of the names of riders mentioned, Allott is just doing short track this year, I think Evans has retired, Herne has stayed in Australia & Hargreaves has taken a year out. Maybe Benji Compton, Lee Smethills or James Brundle, or even Darren Mallett if he's fit yet?? I think it's a bit drastic to suggest the Hitmen might use another 3 pointer, even riders like Aaron Baseby may not be a heat leader but can certainly improve his average.

This Sunday at Herxheim, Germany, the hosts face Latvia, Finland & apparently France. Does anybody have any teams for this meeting? A link for live updates?

Should be a good meeting! USA must be favourites but Ivacic has started the season well and Zagar should push Hancock hard & Ukraine have a full team this year.

Are those times GMT? 13 past the hour seems strange. I think Indianerna will win the league, but hopefully Piraterna & Chris Holder can have a good year.

Firstly thanks for the very good & informative opening post, and keeping us updated ghostwalker. If a new foreign rider starts over here then they get an assessed average, I was wondering if that was the same in Sweden?

Glad you enjoyed NL racing Jef. I obviously wasn't there myself but hopefully we can challenge for honours this year. As to your 2 questions I don't know the second but I think heat 15 is for the top 3 average riders & top 3 scorers on the night. So for us the top 3 averages were Webster, Warwick & Hopwood, top 3 scorers Warwick, Webster & Starke. I can only assume that Owen was allowed in simply because it was a challenge fixture

Thanks for the reply Malcolm. That's fair enough, I was working on the basis that if Stoke weren't riding on uhe Saturday then the stadium wasn't being used. I just looked on the BSPA site which obviously doesn't mention stock cars. Have we got a new date then?

I understand why the under-21s should take precedence over a challenge, but why should a challenge take precedence over a league meeting? So if the u21s have been put back a week, then why not put Dudley & IOW back a week too? I see Stoke have no meeting on the 28th, it would make sense, or is that just it, far too simple!

As Sue says, we still need a texter people...

The National League's knock-out cup starts this Friday with the Islanders off to Hoddesden. So the teams are: Raiders 1. David Mason 2. Shane Hazelden 3. Ben Morley 4. Luke Chessell 5. James Sarjeant 6. Tom Braddock 7. Nick Lee Islanders 1. Tim Webster (G) 2. Marc Owen 3. Danny Warwick 4. Paul Starke 5. Ben Hopwood 6. Danny Stoneman 7. Gary Cottham Hopefully the Islanders can keep up last weeks form that saw them only lose by 2 points away to Stoke. If anybody is able to text results to the updates site could you please PM me here or on the updates site. Thankyou.

Texter sorted, updates will be available tonight

Another kick in the teeth for Danny must be that Rhys Naylor isn't even fit. Anyway here's to an injury free meeting on saturday

Max Clegg for me, and he's not completely new but near enough: Oliver Greenwood

Nice post devil, some good valid points. I'll take your main one that I totally agree with: whoever comes in has pretty much got to accept that Nick will return & if his average is that of a #1 then he knows he's going to lose his place, not much of an incentive to score.

Even considering Stoneman crashed in his opener i'm surprised he didn't win his next 3 from the line-up that was in the speedway star. Btw Ross Walter has NL experience with plymouth from 2 years ago, sharing a spot with Bob Charles (i think!). He rarely scored. Whilst Dan Berwick rode for Sittingbourne averaging 3.69 then moved to the island 3 year ago but suffered a serious injury which he basically never recovered from, for us.

I agree slimonce, there aren't a lot of options. Lee though is a good call, I assume his 2010 NL average would be used. Todd though is just too high, a shame because imo only him & Cameroon Heeps consistently matched Nick at smallbrook last year. Anyone go to the press & practice today? Any thoughts?

For me King's Lynn & Dudley look the 2 stand out teams in the league, both solid throughout

Without us turning a wheel yet this season we've suffered a second injury Nick is out for apparently 6 weeks with a broken wrist, get better soon mate! Whether anyone from the club reads this page or not, most on here seem to agree that Baseby or Bates would outscore Cottham, but if Gary can stay in front then he could be a trump card for us (the jury is certainly still out). However I think one thing is for certain, for a team that averages say has 3 third heat leaders I don't think we could cope without a guy at #1, that truly is a #1. If the club has the money people like Kyle Newman, Joe Haines, Kyle Hughes & Jay Herne are available otherwise I'd say 6 weeks with guests is the upper-most time limit (bearing in mind that includes challenges). Edit: slimonce- Simon Walker is an interesting one. As to not being able to use a guest for a rider whose yet to ride, I honestly don't know. I was just going by the press release.

*ahem* Starkey is ex-Rye too. While we're at it good luck to Chessell at Hoddesden, could have been at no. 6 for us...

As expected then. Gary Cottham completes the final 7. Press & practice starts at 1:30 at Smallbrook stadium on Saturday week with our first meeting away to Stoke exactly a week later

Unlucky on Rob, he did improve as the season went on last year which you would expect with him having a year out. However if you're right about Resch not being fit yet (I didnt go to the forum) it leaves us with 5.12 to play with so please, please let that rider be Aaron Baseby. As regards to Rob I hope it's not too serious & welcome back Ben Slimonce, who'd you like to see at #7? And anyone else??

Unfortunately not, his average is 4.63, 0.03 too high

Someone to talk to Are you an Islanders fan slimonce? My guess would be John Resch, i guess the delay is to make sure he's fit. But there's not many riders with an average below 4.60 if he isn't. Hope he is though, we need a positive season

Ben is 5.89, which is slightly too high for you. It may have taken King's Lynn a bit longer than scunny but it looks like they've nurtured a team capable of taking on anyone in this league. I can't fail to mention Brendan, good luck mate, KL must want you to get used to the track for when you reach the EL