Steve Shovlar

Maybe two surprises? Speedway fans often wonder why Poole have been so consistently successful over the last 20 years. The answer is that Matt has been quite ruthless when it comes to selecting his 1-7 and takes no prisoners. No easy ride for the season. If a rider isn’t cutting it, he gets cut himself. Keleher found that out pretty quickly and was extremely lucky to get picked up by Plymouth. Matt has proved time and again, that a rider who is popular with the fans may not be back the following season. Mark Loram was extremely populat at Wimborne Road but out he went. Replaced by TRick to the shock of the Poole faithful. This time around Ben Basso, who has so much potential to improve could find himself promoting Basso hats elsewhere. Will young Danyon Hume, who did brilliantly this gone season, have averaged himself out of a berth? That would be a huge shame if it happened. Matt Fords job is to put together a title winning side and emotions have to be put on the back burner. This worst part of owning and running a speedway team.

With Swedish league in disarray, and crowds through the floor, the chances are many riders will not be offered a berth in cost cutting measures. If less than a thousand turned up for the final, how can they pay for a team of top riders? Some like Doyle have realised this and got themselves sorted over here before the stampede. He won’t be the first to enquire about team berths. Lesser Polish riders will also start to talk about the opportunities of riding here. The Tungates, as well as riders such as Rew, Miskowiak etc might find a team berth here more viable than Sweden.

There has to be changes in the Pirates lineup because we were above 42 points. Rory has now retired. Ben Basso has clashes with the Danish league and my guess is their fixture list needs to be published to see if it’s viable or not for him to ride for us. No doubt Matt and Danny would like to include him as there’s some serious potential there. But no good if he misses a big chunk of home meetings. I think we will end up with three heat leaders, Steve Worrall, Danny King, plus one more (Douglas?, Becker?) and then perhaps Zack Cook, Stefan Neilsen and 2 others. Would like Danyon back but I guess it all depends on how the jigsaw fits together. But regardless of that, I am sure as always that we will be challenging at the pointy end of next season and trying to win trophies.

Yes I put up a few posts answering the nimbys/moaners.

Excellent video clip.

A real shame they got rid of rising stars. Gave young riders a chance. Now some are left with inflated averages and are going to struggle to get a team place.

Need a few to ho here and chase off/answer the nimbys. https://www.oxfordmail.co.uk/news/19708360.speedway-oxford-cheetahs-set-return-oxford-stadium/?action=success#comments-feedback-anchor

Won’t make a scrap of difference. But will bring a decent amount of Oxford fans to Poole when they are not racing at home that Wednesday.

Why would Plymouth sign Palm Toft? He is not a gater and if you miss the gate at Plymouth you are more or less stuffed.

I don’t think there’s a doubt that Poole will be in the Championship next season. Six team league is not good. I visited six tracks for the first time this season. Glasgow, Berwick, Newcastle, Kent, Scunthorpe and Plymouth. Was hoping to visit Edinburgh but rained off. Next year will hopefully tick off Edinburgh and Redcar.

Not sure replacing Zack Cook with Rory and keep the rest would work. The trouble is we have to be weaker, yet there isn’t one of the riders I would happy to see the back of. All of them deserve a place in the team. Danhon? Yes absolutely. Stefan? Yes! Ben B? Of course! I think Steve and Danny are nailed on. I would be surprised if the Cook brothers are overlooked. 1. Steve Worrall 2. Ben Cook. 3. Danny King 4. Zack Cook 5. Ben Basso (subject to availability) 6. Danyon Hume 7. Stefan Neilsen

Poole are not run at a loss. The club balance the books and made a profit this season.

It was clearly a 5-1. No way did anyone think Cook had got Worrall on the line. Video and photo prove it. Luckily didn’t affect result but what if it had and the Glasgow had won 91-89?

Cook is in white.

Well first of all, commiserations to all the Glasgow fans who made the very long trip down to Poole today. 460 miles is a long long trip, as I discovered 48 hours ago! You bunch on the first bend supported your team all the way. Proper speedway fans. I hope the miles wiz by on your return tomorrow. Now I was confident we would pull back the ten points after the first leg, and so it proved. Pirates on it from heat one and half way through the meeting it was all tied up. Couldn’t see where Glasgow would get the heat advantages from and even the ref, Dave Watters, helping Glasgow in heat 13 by awarding Cook and outrageous 2nd wouldn’t be enough. Poole double winners 2021. Fully deserved. Celebrations and fireworks, and long goodbyes in the clubhouse afterwards. All riders telling how they absolutely want to be back, except of course Rory who read out his King Henry the 5th rallying post he made in the Poole rider group yesterday. Seems so strange he is ending his career when he still has plenty in the tank. But the decision has been made to call time and everyone respects that. We hope in a couple of years time when he is sitting at home in Aus, he doesn’t get the yearning to return. Tough decisions coming for the Poole promotion. Who to keep, who to say goodbye to. Who would want that job? After being brought up on top flight speedway, I was dubious about dropping a league. Reality is that it’s better. Virtually the same riders and more teams. What’s not to like? Roll in 2022 and let’s do it all again! Here’s the end of heat 13. Who thinks Craig Cook got up to second?

Glasgow win toss and elect heat 15. Poole 2-4 in heat one.

You are meant to be having your commiseration drink AFTER the meeting.

Get the train from Pokesdown to Poole.

Lovely sunny day here in Poole. But will be a bit chilly tonight so wrap up warm. Are the gates opening at 6pm or the usual 6.30?

Why would Poole crumble? How many times have we crumbled at home this year? Zilch. We have been rock solid at home all season, and tomorrow we will be rock solid as well. Ten points makes it very interesting but Glasgow can’t throw in Cook for an extra ride, like Poole couldn’t use a t/r last night to close it up. The Poole crowd will be number 8 and raise the roof for the team. Expect fireworks on and off the track. Fingers crossed by heat 14, Sweet Caroline will be ringing out from the grandstand.

Just got home from a very hectic 32 hours. But overall it went very well. Both flights were on time and but for COP26 would have been a very nice trip to Glasgow. City is nice but was ruined by a helicopter hovering a thousand feet above the city, for the whole time we were there, so very noisy. The huge police presence was also out but if some nutters had started something we would have been glad they were there. And how many police security services were there in plain clothes we didn’t notice? I Thought the stadium tidy. Decent crowd though TBH I expected the crowd to be bigger. Racing wise not bad. A few incidents to mention. Cook in heat one moved big time but no warning from the ref. Worrall moving cannot be blamed on Cook as he was looking the other way. Nowak exc in heat 2 came as a surprise. I was actually looking at him when the tapes went up and didn’t think he touched the tapes. But it was messy and the ref called it as he saw it. I spoke to both Ben Basso and Danny Hume after the meeting and bith said the back wheel lifted at a crucial moment sending them off. Jensen also fell there. Cost Poole 2 5-1s which would have put the title beyond doubt. In heat 14 Brennan’s tried a big swoop but Basso was already there. Brennan ran out of room. Clear easy call for the ref but the crowd were baying. Ref watched replay but result always Brennan exc. crowd very unhappy but if the ref had buckled he would not be a ref any longer. Thanks to Andy for giving three of us a lift to airport. Got there but everything shut, no benches and a long, long night with little to no sleep. Breakfast at 4.30 am but amazed that nearly everyone in the airport was drinking beer or wine! At 5 am with breakfast. A Scottish thing? Was a pleasant flight back to Gatwick and less than 2 hours later back in Poole before 11 am.

Back now at Gatwick. Very easy and good way to go. Just a shame COP26 was on to mess up hotels. Happy with the ten point gap. Think we will do it.

Well trying to get any sleep at the airport is proving virtually impossible. They make it so the seats are so uncomfortable that you can forget it. Kip when I get home around lunchtime meaning about 32 hours awake!

THERE IS NO LIVE STREAM ON THURSDAY. Be there or miss out. Huge crowd expected. Lots coming down from Glasgow. Well a meeting that was very hard for both sets of riders. No quarter given all night. Every heat battled hard. I think we were unlucky when gating on two 5-1s only for one of our guys to fall on the third/forth bend. I spoke to both Danny and Ben Basso after the meeting and they both hit a small bump which was enough to lose balance. As for the brennan incident in heat 14, Tom gave it his all with an attempted massive blast around the outside. But he ran out of room and found Ben Basso was already there and down he went. A no brainer of a decision but the ref watched the replay and gave the only call he could make, much to the crowds displeasure. If he had excluded Basso he would be out of a job. Would I have taken ten point defeat before the meeting? Yes. At one stage it was looking much worse so we Poole fans have come away happy. Will we be able to claw it back? Yes! In fact it will take a monumental effort from glasgow to keep Poole from scoring 51. Possible? Yes. Likely? No. All nicely balanced. But advantage Pirates..