SomersetBlue

Unfortunately just the sign of the times tbh. General speedway going downhill and crowds just not being that great at Somerset anyway. A lot of fans pick and choose now. Hasn't helped keeping to a Wednesday either as a lot of fans come from Poole, Plymouth, Swindon, Bristol etc can't really do that now midweek and work the next day. Plus as someone said the whole presentation is rubbish the last time I went I was bores in between races.

I don't know I live and work in Worcester so don't get to many meetings any more. I was watching the updates and pictures on Instagram. I'll be at the fixture in Brum though

Would you see Wright shepherd round Atkins for his first win and talking to youngsters in the pits. Doubt it tbh.

14 points? That's not a mauling? First meeting this season too for a few of our riders and two riders scored nearly half of your points.

Schlein and Harris or Wright. I know the choice I would make as much as I like Wrighty, Schlein/ Harris will help the youngsters way more whilst banging in just as many points.

Should be a Decent win for the Rebels but not massive as first competitive meeting as a team. Schlein, Harris and Nico shouldn't have too much trouble tbh and the reserves know the track way better than the Brummie pairing. Kurtz should have the beating of Thomsen. Wajtknecht however is one to look out for.

Cook admitted that himself in his statement. He wanted his own sponsors on the kevlars and Peterborough wanted their sponsors in colour and on the arms. At £6k for a set and then race jackets too for spares, it's a lot of money to make up. Don't get me wrong I would love to have race suits they do look professional but I don't see anything wrong with race jackets either.

If it's the same as last season didn't we have 6 sponsors on the jackets? That's more than some other teams get on a race suit as riders like the arms and legs for their own sponsors. Just look at Cook with Peterborough. Boro wanted to put sponsors on the arms and Cook wanted his own sponsor, now they have to find a new rider. You can still auction off these jackets and I imagine they will. Only 3 teams out of 11 will have team suits this season: Glasgow, Newcastle and Leicester.

1. Sheffield - power throughout the team and probably the most exciting youngster from the NL. 2. Leicester - experience, youth, talent, depth. They have it all. 3. Glasgow - best no. 1 in the league and a decent top 4. Lower end could be a gamble though. 4. Somerset - biased opinion obviously but still powerful top trio and young reserves who will improve and know the track better than the experienced guys. 5. Newcastle - A lot stronger now with Worrall, Bjerre and Jorgensen. Weathers adds experience and a strong reserve in Clegg. 6. Redcar - good top end with MPT, Wright and Barker and promise from the rest but won't be enough for this season. 7. Powerful heat leader trio, easily the best in the league but also the weakest lower end from Morley down. 8. Scunthorpe - weak tail end imo and Eastbourne have a better heat leader trio. 9. Edinburgh - Wells apart lacks top end strength. I wouldn't put it past them to surprise though. 10. Berwick - just doesn't impress me tbh, NBJ and Etheridge are key players to finish higher. 11. Birmingham - Shanes/ Wajtknecht are exciting talents but a real lack of top end power.

Does it really matter? Especially as we aren't in the top tier this season. Majority of teams probably won't have team suits. Would rather save money on that and use it elsewhere that needs it. Thought it was just the teams from this season but probably with a NL guest for Poole to even the sides up more. So Schlien, Todd, VG, Covatti, Harris, Atkins, Rowe - Holder, Josh, Worrall, Klindt, Brady, NBJ, guest. How did the lads and track look today? Any work on it after a bad year last season?

Sheffield - look good on paper but so they did last season. Andersen, Nicol and Kennedy have to live up to the hype. Leicester - very solid top four who should score home and away. Add on Mountain starting at reserve is a bonus but even if Perks drops they have a strong reserve. Somerset - granted i'm biased but I fully believe that is the best top 5 in the league. Reserves are the question, though Atkins does know the track. Redcar - very strong top 3 and massive potential at reserve. Can't see many teams beating them at home. Edinurgh - Wells is a good no. 1, Lawson a strong reserve and Pickering, Heeps and Andersson are solid enough. What Sedgmen will do is the big question? Eastbourne - As much as they will be strong at home with the lack of experience in the lower end, they may struggle away. Glasgow - people may be surprised but I really don't rate this team. Poor lower end may be helped slightly by Vissing, Jensen and Starke at home but I fear away may be a one man team, Cook. Workington - Very strong at home tbh and probably an exciting team at Derwent Park. However MacDonald being a British novice and Lambert being in the main body, I can't see an attsck on the play- offs. Scunthorpe - no omph in the team tbh. It's an ok looking team but doesn't make me feel any confidence in it. List starting in the main body is intriguing decision as Bailey isn't good enough to make the top 5. Berwick - same as Scunny really. Has no x- factor to the team. Newcastle - poor team imo but at the same time it probably has the biggest potential given that every single rider can improve their averages, I just don't expect them to do it. Brummies - sadly the speedway club that I am closest to, even though i'm a Rebel, looks a poor side as clearly they are trying to re make an asset list. Wajtknecht and Shanes are very good signings though.

Surely my profile pic was enough of a pointer. Anyway I only said it to back my point, there are plenty of things at both clubs I don't like but they are the teams you choose and you should follow them no matter what. I chose both clubs because of my Uncle Steve and he was the same as me. He wouldn't have liked the fact that we haven't got the fan favourites but he still would have been there through thick and thin.

Not really we obviously aren't in the best place financially because of our adventure to the top league. That will obviously of had an effect on team building, it's probably why we have two young reserves tbf. However much we don't like what the club do though it's the club that we chose to support and should back them. Heck i'm a Birmingham City fan so I know all about having to look past the things I don't like to support my club.

Don't get me wrong I would have loved Wright, Bradders and Jake to be in the team but guess what it's speedway and it doesn't always go your way. We have a team and have to get behind them. I like the team tbh I personally think we have the best top 5 in the league and I can't see Brummies, Eastbourne, Redcar or Newcastle having very much better top 5's. Reserves are obviously the weakness but still good to see young riders getting the chance which pretty much every team has.

Does Wajtknecht get a 2.5% reduction on his average

I'm probably way out tbh but 1. Charles Wright 7.88 2. Dimitri Berge 5.03 3. Nico Covatti 6.56 4. Bradley Wilson- Dean 6.00 5. Jake Allen 7.56 6. Drew Kemp 2.00 7. Henry Atkins 2.00 Bit weak at reserve so I really doubt May would go for this side. Would be hard to beat at the Oak Tree though.

Could we see Charles Wright back next season? With Doyle, Holder, Allen, NBJ, BWD and Covatti. If that fits.

As opposed to Wimborne Rd? Tbh the only tracks that come out this season with any credit is the NSS and Momore Green which is rarely a bad track.

I never said that he was our asset.

I know we have a KOC to win yet but just putting the thread up anyway. Presuming that atm we are in the top tier and the team average is the same who would everyone like to see kept. Obviously I know things can change. I think the first names on the team sheet have to be Jack Holder and Bradders. Jack has been the signing of the season and Bradley can get vital points. Maybe riders would be Doyle, although travel and his high average are question marks. Allen who for me it's his time to move on and progress as a rider. Finally Covatti who is a cracking reserve to have although his top end form was little to be admired. Riders I would personally let go would be Summers who just isn't strong enough for his average and sadly Lawson who for me is too inconsistent for a third heat leader.

Because us losing Holder hurt a lot more than Poole losing Kurtz. With a poor guest performance and having to cover for two r/rs and Doyle not being able to take one of them meaning 4 riders to take the hit.

No he didn't. Are you thinking of Nicolaj Busk Jakobsen or Tero Aarnio who we used as guests for Allen and BWD.

I mean at Wimbourne rd

Simple matter of it is we didn't gate all night, we are more than capable of beating Poole who weren't that great in all honesty. They just gated and we didn't. Lawson and Covatti need to up their game though.

Kyle Howarth guesting for Nico Covatti who lucky for Garry May gets his new average today of 5.30 meaning Howarth fits in the 5%.