spin king

Heavy shower now. My confidence has gone.

I am at home in Wisewood no rain here. So we are around the same distance away from the track. I did say cautiously optimistic.

On to tonight's meeting. I think Ipswich will push us really hard, and I don't see us winning by more than 8 to 10 points. Ipswich are exceptional at home and we are generally poor around Foxhall so I think it safe to say that Ipswich will finish top of the league.

At 3:30pm I am in Sheffield 6, same area as the stadium. At present the sun is out and pavements and roads are dry, no signs of any puddles, which generally a good sign. I am cautiously optimistic that we have a meeting to go to.

I would say that the finishing places in the league will be same as they are at the present. (1st) Ipswich (2nd) Leicester (3rd) Sheffield (4th) Belle Vue

Totally correct Doyle has been a mainstay and totally loyal to speedway in the UK, that is fact. I also applaud Ipswich to agreeing to quick arrangement getting this fixture sorted before the Play Offs.

Interesting I look at each of the 4 play off teams accumulative team averages home and away, not rolling averages but meetings this season. These were the results before today's group of meetings. Belle Vue home 48.19 away 37:06 total 85.25 Ipswich (Based on Jason Edwards in the team) home 51.40 away 40.77 total 92.17 Leicester home 44.88 away 39.91 total 84.79 Sheffield home 48.62 away 40.36 total 88.98 Based on season form book we are looking at a Ipswich v Sheffield Final. With Ipswich running out eventual winners. Will be interesting to see if that come true to form.

For me the top 4 will finish as the following; (1) Ipswich (2) Leicester (3) Sheffield (4) Belle Vue As far as I understand it teams don't pick their opponents. Its 1st v4th and 2nd v 3rd. If this is the case then I believe the following happens. Ipswich will beat Belle Vue Leicester will beat Sheffield. A final of Ipswich v Leicester could go either way, I am sitting on the fence for that one.

Absolutely spot on with your assessment. Trouble is when you build a team do you build it thinking about riders getting injured? I don't think that you do. The Woffy injury really put us on the back foot before our season started, and mere fact that we look as though we will make the Play Offs is a bit of an achievement. As it stands I think we are looking at an Ipswich v Leicester Paly Off Final, which pains me to say for any neutrals would make a better final that had either us, Belle Vue or as a longshot Kings Lynn.

The Team Management obviously felt that change was needed and would improve the team. Sedgie going was something that had to happen, he was not scoring the points needed, and the fact that Leon Flint is having a cracking season has bought him more time. I checked Sedgie's figures this season, on most occasions he has ridden at reserve and on 43% of occasions he has finished last in a race. A rider of Sedgie's experience and capabilities should be doing better It was time to give someone else a chance. The Nick Morris one does worry me, nearly two years out of competitive racing, added to fact I don't rate him and I am definitely not a fan of his. Nick Morris riding in your team for me is Troy Batchelor mark 2, you always run the risk he will let you down. But changes or no changes I resigned myself sometime ago to the fact that at best we will make it to Play Off's only. I think that providing they avoid each other in Semi Finals Ipswich and Leicester will contest the final.

The reverting back to original line up might be possible, depending upon what the rules state. Seem to remember Ipswich some seasons, announce the dropping Sedgie and I believe Connor Mountain, only to find out that someone had got their sums wrong. They then had to bring back the two riders that they have dropped. I believe if Kerr and Sedgie were asked back and refused they would not receive a ban.

If I was Ben I would appeal the ban.

No way did I see that coming. Like many after two poor performance away to Leicester, to go to Ipswich and to take them so close and a Super Heat for bonus point, I don't think we can complain. Even with missing riders Ipswich for a team like Sheffield who don't particularly like or ride the track well I fully expected us getting a thrashing. Another fine performance from Leon Flint from reserve he has to be arguably on present form the top rising star rider this season.

Nobody is going to disagree with the fact that we have problems away from home. Last night with the possible exception of maybe Leon Flint came out with much credit. But look at the riders you are suggesting. Jake Allen; this season he has rode for Scunthorpe 40 rides 59 points. Zaine Kennedy; 34 rides 48 points Connor Mountain; 36 rides 63 points Jonas Knudsen: 19 rides 28 points. Out of all of your suggestions I don't anything that make an improvement to the team that we already have, and I see no point in making further changes unless it will improve the team significantly improve the team.

Connor Mountain was replaced by Tate Zischke. I believe that at that time he did not qualify for the Rising Star programme due to age.

Everybody saw that coming unless you have no speedway knowledge. I didn't see it coming, okay I was not expecting the big win that Ipswich have been doing so far this season, but the strength in depth with the Witches I thought that they would come through with a narrow win. I would put that down to the clever team building the Promotion with one of the best bit of team building. And to upset you further a team building exercise that can be likened to past Poole teams. I think Sheffield would have lost at King’s Lynn if it was r/r for Holder and Hume for Kerr. I would say you are probably correct, would not disagree with that. And to gloat over riders being injured just shows a lack of class. I don't see where anyone gloats at the Ipswich team having a couple injuries. There not the first team to suffering injuries and they won't be the last. Rather playing the victim, why not when someone describes your team as the "Mighty" take it as a compliment, because the team built from Ipswich is very difficult to beat at Foxhall or any other track. To win the league you need a decent team, and there also needs to be an element of luck. The injuries to Doyle and Thompson don't appear to season ending, Ipswich team without those two should still be have enough quality to qualify for the Play Offs, and come Play Offs I would imagine that Doyle and Thompson will return they will be the team to beat.

Another bad injury for Doyley. Sometimes life seems unfair. Hopefully he makes a full recovery.

When I heard Sheffield was going to sign Anders Rowe I was over the moon, I felt that he had gone under radar and the starting average we got him would be an absolute steal. Along with Dan Thompson I would put them at the moment the best two young riders from the UK, and at this present moment I would put Anders slightly in front of Dan.

Looks like I was wrong on this one mate, to be honest I forgot about Zach Cook situation last season. What went wrong at Birmingham, for me the Phillips regime played a part, I don't think that Birmingham have ever recovered. Tony Mole did a lot of good at Birmingham, but one thing he got wrong was selling the club to Phillips. Like yourself I miss the times that we used to meet up and the laughs that we shared. The Polish trip was the best Me, You, Junior and Glasgow legendary fan Paulco, I could write a book about the trip. Getting stuck with Bongo Brian (Whatever happened to him). Dancing with the Polish fans at the GP at Leszno. Going for drink afterwards with the Polish fan, who spoke very little English, and spent a good couple of hours showing me the same photo's of his wife and tractor. Watching the riot police chasing the Bydgoszcz fans in Gniezno. Hard to believe that this happened 14 years ago. Fun times mate. I wonder whatever happened to the Fartettes?

Looking at things as they stand at the moment. Ipswich are the standout team, that seem to be most likely to finish top of the league. The other 3 Play Off places will come from 4 teams. Sheffield Belle Vue Leicester Kings Lynn At the bottom 2 places for me will be. Oxford Birmingham

Can someone please correct me if I am wrong. I get the Hume for Voulas move. It is my understanding that if you drop a rider you cannot resign the rider later. The Castagna for Zagar explanation on the Birmingham website puzzles me. If this is a temporary signing then surely Castagna is sign on a short term contract (28 days), this is not stated on the press release. If Castagna has not been signed on a short term contract then I would think that Birmingham cannot bring back Zagar back if or when he sorts out his visa to ride in the UK. And I do wonder if or when Zagar sorts out his visa could be sign for another team Belle Vue or Sheffield spring to mind.

This shows that for now there are no big names ready to come over and ride in the UK. Maybe later someone may decide to come over and take up a place. But the Holder boys and Picko so far this season have started the season strong, and the team changes now sees Anders Rowe drop to reserve. Both Sedgy and Kerr have rode for the club before. Does it make us weaker as team quite possibly, but I think whatever the changes it was probably going to make us weaker.

Tru 7 group Guy Nicholls companies not only sponsors Ipswich, but Sheffield as well, which make his contribution to British speedway even more impressive. I would imagine that Ipswich are the main benefactors as the company is based in Ipswich. Both clubs over the last 3 or 4 seasons have built good teams so he must be ploughing in decent money to both clubs.

Like others have said salary cap would not work in speedway. It is simple reason, speedway riders are paid on performance, to go to a salary cap riders would need to paid a wage per meeting.