Kent Whistle Gang

Re: Adam Kirby I don't think anyone questions the lad's ability. It seems to be widely acknowledged that Adam's main issue is his weight. If he could shed a couple of stone, he would be that much faster, would make quicker progress, and would attract more attention from managers/promoters, thus getting more rides and possibly a regular team berth somewhere. Currently though, he struggles for regular bookings. Great shame.

Latest line up for Coventry is as follows (in no particular order): Daniel Greenwood Martin Knuckey Ryan Terry-Daley (oh no it isn't!) Brendan Johnson (Guest) Sam Chapman (Guest) R/R for James Sarjeant Missing for them tonight: James Sarjeant (concussion riding EL) Luke Crang (shoulder injury riding PL) Oliver Greenwood (collarbone riding PL) Stefan Nielsen (riding for BV in EL) Anyone starting to feel that some of these NL boys are riding beyond their abilities in PL and EL? Also, anyone got Adam Kirby's number?

New GSAs out. Compton and Blake replaced by Baseby and Ayres. Hope Benji has been given assurances about returning to the team when fit again.

Interesting debate about the purpose of the National League. It's very noble to say we should be developing young British talent, a sentiment I absolutely agree with, but it can't be at the expense of entertaining the crowd. If spectators are not engaged they will vote with their feet. I see suggestions that we should reduce the team building limits, but if we do that where are the riders with higher averages supposed to go? Maybe it's time to look at something other than averages. What about length of experience, or grading riders by their immediate potential; a system that makes a prediction about what a rider might be capable of, rather than what they have achieved? We're all pretty good at pointing out what's wrong with the way things are, but what we really need is to come up with something that works. A not-so-quick word about Kent's performance (which I didn't see). Simon Lambert is better than this; even against Cradley he should be able to bang in 8 or 9 points. Benji Compton would have scored more than the 3 points we got from rider replacement. Ben Morley should be able to hold his own against this sort of opposition by now. Luke Chessell is starting to believe again, but he and the two reserves were out of their depth. David Mason..............look I love the guy to bits for being the catalyst for better things last year, and for nurturing the younger guys. However, although we still see flashes of brilliance, you have to say his best days on a bike are behind him now and he needs to think about a coaching/management future. We do have Brandon Freemantle on the side-lines still and, on his day, he's worth a few points. Best case scenario? I reckon Kent could have pushed 40 points with a full strength team firing on all cylinders. That would have satisfied me.

BBC weather shows cloudy only, right up to 20:00, then light rain for duration of meeting. Might not actually be rained off, but conditions may not be conducive to good racing. Best of luck if you decide to travel. What's your thoughts on the Baseby question?

Great to see Steve Boxall back in Kings' colours. Ben Morley continues his march to bigger things, but could he have raced on in (The Whistle Gang's) heat 13? Luke Chessell and Danny Ayres have to be riders of the night though. As for David Mason - another true captain's performance. I'm convinced he's the reason Chessell believes again, and that Ayres is looking like heat leader material before the end of the season (?). On current form it's looking like it might be Luke Harris who makes way for Brandon Freemantle's return (best wishes to him and Benji Compton BTW). Interesting speculation about Baseby. He finished last season on a 4.56 average for Mildenhall. Would he come with that average? Also, what happened to Robert Branford (Coventry last year 8.53, but isn't he Australian ?) and Jake Knight (King's Lynn last season - 7.62). Good luck at Cradley.

For those of you who don't Facebook, here's what Simon Lambert wrote yesterday, 'A weight has been lifted thank god it's done with! Onwards and upwards and get bk to what I and people who no me no what in capable of!! Feel like a new person already!! Bring on the good times startin Wednesday fingers crossed!'. He replied to a message I sent him, saying he's got 2 fresh engines. Really, really hope he can turn his season around now. When we found out Steve Boxall was moving to Rye House, Lambo and Luke Bowen were at the top of my wish list, so I'm going to keep my fingers crossed for him. Benji Compton has been riding mini bikes while kicking his heels waiting for the all clear to return to action. With Morley, Lambert, Compton and Mason firing on all cylinders, we should be a match for anyone. If Chessell and Freemantle can hit a sustainable vein of form we should be there or thereabouts come the end of the season. Danny Ayres is currently my favourite for the other reserve spot.

Felt the feel good factor tonight, for the first time this season really. Two things for Simon Lambert to bear in mind please: See our magnificent guests tonight? That's how heat leaders should perform. See David Mason tonight? That's how a captain should perform. On the subject of David Mason, he was the consummate professional tonight. Team riding out of the top drawer and so magnanimous with it. He didn't just encourage Luke Chessell and Danny Ayres to take to the salutes from the crowd; he forced them to take their laps of honour. Luke Harris was the only question mark over Kings' performance. Yes I know he's only 15, but riding at home he should have the measure of riders like Danno Verge, Daniel Stoneman (great leathers) and Richard Andrews by now. He suddenly seems to have stopped making forward progress. I would have subbed him with Danny Ayres in heat 15. The stand out rider for the visitors was definitely James Shanes who, with an average of only 3.46, has to be tipped to become the most improved rider this season. The good times should continue next Monday when Steve Boxall returns to lead the Kings into battle against the Wimbledon Dons. Tonight's programme says it all really, 'Bank Holiday is Boxall Day'. The use of Dons' name caused so much controversy last year, including on this forum. Now where did I put the handle to those floodgates? Massive, massive thanks to Steve Worrall (who has to be the busiest rider in the UK right now) and Oliver Greenwood for agreeing to appear for the Kings. Also, to whoever had the foresight to book them.

Guilty as charged speedibee. Got a bit carried away there myself for a minute.

AJ that particular post you're referring to wasn't about you specifically. That was a general post designed to get people to cherish the speedway they have, rather than threaten to throw it away. Well done for sponsoring riders last year - genuinely. However, Eastbourne! Really? I was at Arlington for the Eagles vs Arena Essex meeting (in 2004?) that finally persuaded Kelvin Tatum to retire from speedway. If I remember rightly, that meeting ran for over 4 hours due to poor organisation and lack of paramedic cover. The ambulance must have been on the track 4 or 5 times that day - more than some of the riders. Just 'cos it's Elite, don't make it perfect. All these things are relative and we need to keep them in perspective. We also need to be a bit more measured and respectful in this forum. We're all here because we love speedway right, not to troll our fellow contributors? With very few exceptions, I fully accept what you say here Halifaxtiger. I didn't feel your response to my post abused me in any way. Quite like your style actually!

Am I missing something here? What's the point of coming onto this forum just to rip other people to shreds? I just don't see how that moves us forward. Surely what's important here is speedway. I can only assume that people who talk about withdrawing their support from their local team (if indeed this is their local team) have either never had their local track close, or have forgotten what it felt like. I forgot. I lost contact with the sport after Crusaders folded in 1987 and I actually forgot what it was to shout for my team, and to cheer my riders. To stand on the bend and duck as the bikes roared past. To get covered in dust and get hit by the flying shale. I even forgot about that wonderful smell! Until last year that is. I came, I saw, and I was immediately hooked all over again. I know I can't be the only one. Forget about the in-fighting and the back-biting and start getting positive for chrissakes. If you truly love the sport and have constructive ideas, tell your club. Don't just come on here all bitter and twisted, actually do something about it. Get involved.

Shouting and Crazy Text Please do not post in ALL CAPITAL LETTERS; this is the Internet version of shouting, and is irritating to many posters. Bad form AJ. Be passionate about your sport by all means, but let's have a little less aggression please.

If people want to leave early that's their prerogative. Don't understand it myself, but it's their money. And if they would rather watch Elite racing, they know where to go. Me, I'm staying right here, supporting my local team, comprised of British racers: not some overpaid foreign mercenaries.

You're right. Compton's out for 5 weeks with his hand in plaster, and Freemantle suffered concussion at Stoke. Hope the management have been booking decent guests! Is there a limit to the number of guests you can have?

Think the announcer got it wrong. I'm now hearing that Brandon withdrew with concussion. Also, Benji Compton's out for 5 weeks; what was at first diagnosed as muscle and ligament damage (crashed on April 25) turns out to be broken bone(s). There's a picture on Facebook of his hand in plaster. His points would have made all the difference to the final score. Never mind. Get well soon.

Oh dear. Thought we would find it tough without Morley. Kept the gap to just one point right up to heat 10, by which time we'd lost Benji Compton and Brandon Fremantle too. Stoke pulled away after that, but must be concerned they struggled to win by only 9. Maybe Compton's injury puts his Coventry performance into perspective. Brandon Fremantle ended up on the deck yet again. Plus points were Simon Lambert getting stuck in, and Luke Chessell showing flashes of class. Oh and Luke Harris who grows in stature with every meeting. David Mason though is looking like his heart's not really in it at the moment. Riders of the night Lambert and McBain - he looks a real find. Wilson scorched the Bronze Helmet match race.

Scoreline flatters Kings. Coventry looked so much stronger and were unlucky not to get to 60 points. Simon Lambert & Benji Compton well below par. David Mason very pedestrian. Luke Chessell still down on confidence. Brandon Freemantle took more dust baths. Only Ben Morley and Luke Harris looked up for it. Riders of the night Luke Crang and James Sarjeant in that order. RTD looking more the real deal these days. Mixed feelings about the Bronze Helmet; why couldn't Lambert have ridden like that during the match?

That felt pretty good. Still a work in progress, but some great potential I think. Here's my two penneth (youngsters will need to look that up) for what it's worth: Simon Lambert. Not as smooth as I was expecting. Impossibly long legs (Crane Fly on a bike). What was all the head shaking about at the end of heat 10? Point well made in heat 15, but as the captain I would have preferred to see him stay with Ben Morley. Luke Chessell. Slick gater but all at sea in the first turn. Looked very wobbly. Freemantle and Harris will be chasing his team place if he's not careful. A bit of a worry. David Mason. Magic is one of those riders whose contribution is worth so much more than what you see on the score sheet. That said, he still weighed in with 8 paid 10, including a heat win. Benji Compton. Two heat wins, but still not quite the rider I was expecting to see, given his winter preparations and new bike. Still looks down on power. Come on Benji, you were my pre-season tip for glory. Ben Morley. Everyone's looking to him to be this season's Steve Boxall. That's unfair to both riders. Ben has upped his game for sure and it looks like there's still something left in the tank. If he brings his A game this season he's destined for big things. Luke Harris. Granted he'll probably have tougher opposition in the months ahead, but what a great home debut. I see immense potential here. Let's hope he gets the right mentoring and that we can keep hold of him. Brandon Freemantle. He has got to be the bargain of the season. Came in on an assessed 3.00 average and even when he progresses into the main body of the team (as he will) he'll still be good for 6-7 points at least. Impressive. Other than the dodgy sound system, my main concern was the state of the inside line on turn one. Several riders got caught out there, and a couple came to grief because of it. We need to get that sorted PDQ. Play off contenders? Discuss.

Average views per day for NL teams' 2014 topics: 299 Kent 215 Rye House 190 Stoke 154 Plymouth 116 Isle of Wight 091 Dudley 067 Scunthorpe & King's Lynn 048 Coventry 033 Buxton I'm sure that proves some point about Kings' popularity, but I'm not sure what. It definitely proves I should have something better to do at work on a Sunday night!

I was going to throw Jerran Hart into the mix but the pillock has got himself thrown into jail for 3 years. He would have been an excellent replacement for Stevie B. Maybe Ben Morley's experiences in Australia will prepare him for stepping up to the plate. I'm convinced that Benji Compton on new machinery will easily put a couple of points on his average. Just hope Kings can keep hold of him. Jack Kingston is another rider with the potential to increase his average - we'd be looking to him to double his 2013 figure. David Mason is still a must for me - he was the catalyst for the turn around in our fortunes this year. He still has so much to offer the team IMO. That leaves us short of a heat leader, a second string, and 2 reserves. Adam Kirby has the head for speedway but, sadly, not the bodyshape currently. He needs to find some way to shed at least a stone in weight if he's going to be competitive.

Let's not get too hung up on the word 'hobbyist'. In this context I used it to describe someone who rides for fun, for the love of the sport. They take the sport no less seriously than anybody else, but the reward for them is the joy of riding, not necessarily the money it brings in. More often than not, because of the expense involved in breaking into the sport, it will apply to riders who are winding down their speedway careers. They would not find it insulting. In fact, they are more likely to nod in agreement with it. That said, I think that debate has little to do with this Kent Kings thread and I would like to suggest we either put it to bed now, or move it to a new thread. What do you say?

I loved iris 123's post about, let's call them 'hobbyists'. Just fascinating. I realise now that I've held that view for a long time too, without knowing it. Anyone up for a bit of list-making? Maybe that would be more appropriate in a new thread. Or do you think some riders/fans would be too upset to see content like that?

Sounds like the ideal time for Formula2 Speedway to be coming along. Also, if speedway is to have a long term future in this country, we need to develop British riders to the highest possible standard. No disrespect to Tai Woffinden, but not only did he (we) have to rely on a pick from the GP selectors again, but his formative years were spent in Australia. And before anyone comes gunning for me for being unpatriotic, let me state for the record that I was in Torun shouting my lungs out when he took the world title this year. However, we have to find some way of maintaining the restriction on overseas riders competing at our grass roots level. Otherwise we become like our Elite and, to a lesser extent, Premier League cousins and end up supporting teams of foreign mercenaries. I realise that this sounds jingoistic and could be interpreted as nationalistic, but it comes out of a love for speedway and a desire to see Team GB sweeping all before them. Interesting reading posts that reminisce about the good old 2nd halves. For me they were what came after the Lord Mayor's Show. What's key here is that spectators have to be entertained. My recollection is that there was always a mass exodus of punters at the end of the 13th heat; it was only the die-hards who stayed to the bitter end. The 15 heat formula works better because it engages all the fans, all the time. How about the statutory inclusion of 2 or 3 junior races in the meeting which count toward the overall score? This might even mean that matches could be extended to 18 or perhaps 20 heats.

PL rider stepping down to NL, divide PL average by 0.6. Isn't an allowance made for riders who've been out of action for a while, e.g. a reduction to their average?

On the basis that everyone seems to think Steve 'Maximus' Boxall will be on the move, here's the line-up I would like to see at Kings next season (in no particular order): Simon Lambert Jack Kingston David Mason (Capt) Benji Compton Ben Morley Adam Kirby Chris Schramm I make that a combined total of about 37.83. Incidentally, wherever Benji Compton rides (in the NL) in 2014, the rest of 'em will be eating his dust. . Anyone else wanna stick their neck out?