Big Al

Last year at Sheffield they made changes which worked out, so possibly thought that they had the "Midas touch" when in fact it was more luck. Maybe this year has brought them back to earth a bit. Can't overlook the fact that in Leicester's case theres been a substantial degree of enforcedness behind the changes, but I don't think that giving Josh Bates so much rope helped both teams, in fact it's caused significant damage.

If this information is genuine and correct, seems like it is with the purpose of trying to get a win at Hyde Road on Monday and move off the bottom of the league. Those two could outscore what Robbo and Mountain would get, and along with Auty if fit again, might make up for the probable deficiencies of Nicholls and Wells. Bit of a long shot though, and a real farce.

Unbelievable

I think it will be 3 in/3 out, unless there is a voluntary withdrawal in which case BSI will be tempted to invite Lambert. Along with Pawlicki and Cook, I think that Holder is likely to make up the three departures.

I agree. He has yet to develop a ruthless streak and you cannot hack it in the GP without that.

On one or two occasions this season, Leicester could have brought in Lasse Bjerre, a rider with an association with the club having been with the Lions during the PL years and having spells in the EL/PL since then. But the opportunities went by, which made me think that for whatever reason he isn't exactly top of the Bateses Christmas cards list. I heard that when he was with the Lions in the PL days he could be a bit frustrating to manage but had thought he'd grown out of it. Maybe not?

Are you referring to the 30th May there? Think you will find that Danny King was Leicester captain at that time.

I guess they phoned him and asked if he was available

The problems with attendances must be more acute during March to May because of weather and football, live or on TV. And if the race night is also wrong, the problem just gets compounded. So would a heavily discounted mini season-ticket covering those months be an answer, then have a more premium-price season ticket to cover June to September but include family concessions for the holders? Obviously the product needs to be got right to match, i.e. run the matches quick in the early season, and keep down the dust during the premium months.

Yes and Somerset have been around for some while now, got themselves a sound record of success earned over the years and in doing so built up some good relationships with riders. You reap what you sow. One of Leicester's problems is the new owners are still to an extent reaping the results of the previous owner's problems most f which were of his own making. The Vaculik signing was a big attempt to break free from those shackles and I'm sure the work they've put in over the past two seasons has done a lot to repair the reputation of Leicester amongst riders.

Moving up a league far too soon and doing changes to the track much too late. The decision to move into what was the Elite league came before the club had grown any proper roots and was a personal vanity project which has never been recovered from. The EL said "yes please, we need some new whipping boys," and it's pretty much stayed that way.

More like those left in the (now) PL downshifting a few notches, and some CL teams upshifting by one notch!

So if (as the leaks and rumours are indicating) there is to be amalgamation between the current three leagues into two leagues with the "top" one having around 14 teams, a playoff (for want of a better word) involving the top 8 finishers would be likely. I'm sure there are many other examples around, but Super League and Australian Rules (AFL) come to mind as both of these have an 8 team playoff although the formats differ quite a bit. The problem is what happens to the 8 teams not making the playoffs, their seasons come to a complete halt if there isn't a competition for them, as happens I think with AFL but not Super League. So would we be looking at, in effect, a Second Division being formed by those 8 teams (and maybe decided by playoff system which assures at least 2 further home matches). So you begin the season with two leagues/titles and you end it with three? Or maybe even four, if the original second league also does a similar split? Doubling up would of course still be necessary, and probably a lot of Danish and German riders! ( who should be allowed into the second tier providing of course that the UK hasn't closed it's borders to foreigners by then).

Good to see that Robert Lambert has a good sense of irony and humour. Shame it seems to have been wasted among those who don't possess these.

Ironic that the apology issued by the Lions management was made after a meeting which had some of the best racing seen at Beaumont Park, helped by a well prepared track.

It was, and did they wait for too long until accepting that Josh Bates would not come back? When it was announced that Kenneth Bjerre had been signed, I knew there was no way he would maintain his Belle Vue average, and it put restrictions on the opportunities for other changes until his average had gone down to his "real" level. Overall, too many cases of riders not fulfilling their average, Andersen notably excepted, and that terrible night in Swindon, a match which should not have been going ahead.

Unfortunately, Auty moving to reserve has probably happened 3 matches too late. If Robbo, Wright and Wells can perform more in line with their CL averages, and possibly James Shanes at 7, it might bring a brighter end to the season.

Could have started a new thread "Leicester team changes" but I suppose this will do. So how do the changes rate? These are not direct like for like changes, but I think they're approx: Nicholls for Bjerre :. Nicholls all day long, he's a racer Wells for King : At the start I thought no doubts Wells, and is probably still just shading it for me Wright for Newman:. Even though CW isn't having a great impact, he is still far better if you're looking at the 1-5 Auty for Peiszczek. :. Needed Auty to contribute immediately but hasn't. KP could win races sometimes, Auty can't. Robson for Kurtz. : No brainer, for me, Robbo better Mountain for Sarjeant : Sarj had to be sacrificed due to numbers and Mountain is no improvement. I'd have had Ayres. So I make that 4-2 in favour of the changes. So why no improvement in results?

When you get to the big roundabout over the A46, instead of turning right towards Beaumont Leys, go left to Anstey which is about a mile away. There's a car park tucked away behind a row of shops, and at least one decent "village chippy" plus Indian restaurants. Unfortunately, Beaumont Leys cuisine tends to cater for the preferences of the shopping centre users.

The Bateses are being prudent with their outlay I am sure, not wanting to throw silly money at it. I hope that assumptions being made that Leicester is in financial difficulty and at risk of "doing a Rye House" are well wide of the mark, personally I think and hope the priority is to keep being able to pay the riders what they are owed, and other suppliers. The team re-building certainly has a very strong cost-management feel to it, if only similar restraint had been exercised elsewhere in recent times, the league may not have got into such a mess. However, I do also wonder if Leicester we're badly hit, financially, by Martin Vaculik's unfortunate early departure in terms of up-front money paid and not recoverable?

So just don't respond to him/them. Ignore. Easy!

The Poole team published by Leicester yesterday (?) has JG listed so presume this is per Poole's side as given to BSPA. So if the PZM/Lodz continue to prevent him from fulfilling his contractual and international obligations by refusing to issue the necessary permits including insurance, Poole seem to have a choice between r/r + 28 day ban, or drafting in someone like James Sarjeant for the match. (ref Skidder1). PS. I cases such as this, it ought to be a complete worldwide 28-day suspension rather than just the UK, otherwise the real criminals (the Poles) would be getting away with it. Also the FIM should be able to intervene and over-ride by providing the necessary permits and insurance themselves when there is clearly transgression of their rules.

If a rider simply just doesn't show up for a match he's been booked to ride in, what do the current regs say his team can do in terms of replacing his rides?

Doesn't the International Leagues agreement now take precedence over everything? Including which license a rider has? The Wednesdays/Thursdays fudge doesn't leave the UK with a leg to stand on with the DMU re Wednesdays but it seems that the DMU is being reasonable. With Mondays it is clear-cut re which league has priority, and in this case the rider has a contract with a UK club to ride on Mondays but is being prevented from doing so by his parent authority.

R/R would be most fair to get around the immediate problem, but the matter shouldn't be allowed to rest and be brushed under the carpet, it ought to be taken to the FIM because Poland has acted illegally.