Teromaafan

Oh ffs I'll let you guys get on with it as I have a life to get on with. How many people/anoraks on here have arguing for the sake of it (hobbies and interests section?) on their CV?

I assume that most Coventry supporters are above the pathetic juvenile bickering on this thread. When I was a boy I longed for the day when my beloved Lions would be able to dominate the high flying Bees led by Olsen & co as I loathed the thumpings we seemed to be on the end of too often. After some 30 years we are competing in the same league again and I would be gutted if Coventry did not come to the tapes in March. Can't see how any 'grown up' would take any pleasure in the potential demise of another team in a sport which remains on its *rse.

I never thought I would be so disappointed as a Lions supporter to hear that the bees may not be at the tapes for next season. Despite the memories of us being regularly stung (pun intended) in the Olsen era, I was looking forward to the local derbies following our return to the top flight of the sport. Everyone accepts that the sport is on its a*se and if anything it's local derbies that are likely to generate the most revenue from gate receipts. Put simply, the sport needs Coventry Bees and I hope that those involved at the business end can resolve matters in time for next March.

Inevitable that Poole would pounce for him on that average with Lions pressumably not in a currently in a position to negotiate. Starting to get a bit twitchy in view of the lack of takeover announcement news and the knock on effect of not being able to recruit whilst other teams seem to be pushing on with signings. Ever been food shopping at 5.00pm on Christmas Eve?

Sounds promising, I assume No.1 relates to their average as opposed to the first signing, just asking.

The Coventry averages listed on the first page add up to 50.39?

Whilst trying not to appear negative, delays on a takeover announcement seem to be based on the AGM date, but interested parties will surely have been involved long before this. From the outside, the longer the wait for the announcement of the new management set up, the weaker the team will be due to rider availability/willingness to sign up for the forthcoming season. Sounds pessimistic but I have been a Lions fan (since 1974) through thin and thinner and still remain to be convinced that we will be competing in the (watered down) top flight of the sport next season.

Like the new attempt to supposedly simplify and level averages which the sport is obsessed with. The EL converter though puts Doyle on nearly 13.5 points per meeting. To my knowledge the CMA has always been based on points per ride (with or without bonus points) multiplied by 4. JD's position therefore seems a bit like a goalkeeper averaging less than nil goals conceded per game! So is this just purely for initial team building and a new average will be come into play after say 6 meetings ( with the team building average discarded), or are we still looking at rolling averages where these initial figures would come into effect?

The meeting will go ahead on 22nd October. Kings Lynn have actually agreed to a cycle speedway match at BP. The start time will be brought forward a few hours as it is anticipated that races will take in excess of five minutes. Although the meeting length will increase by several hours the management will only double admission prices to ensure that 'pounds per race minute' remains good value. Team line ups are yet to be confirmed as riders need to confirm their availability once TV schedules have been confirmed for that night. Taking the piss? Hemsley started it.

Where has the rumour regarding the club being sold come from?

Three heat leaders contribute a total of 5, guest reserve bags more than double anyone else's score. Poole home win already a distant memory, roll on winter (followed by Premier League racing next year hopefully).

I go back as far as the early 70's with the Lions. Apart from the dreadful 1976 team, I can't think of a weaker (top flight) seven than what we have now. Can anyone recall a worse team than these two (sad when it gets to this I know)?

Love this rant! England 'never seem to win anything', not like our beloved Lions then? Can only assume you are someone's Grandma, so it would seem cruel to make any further comments on your post!

I thought the Bees got Olsen from from Wolves so what's with the payment to Hull? I might be old(ish) but don't recall Hull having a team in 1976? Seem to recall them hitting the big time on securing Mauger's services about 1977 though, perhaps someone could confirm.

As we walked back to the car park after heat 15 this evening we we followed by Mr & Mrs Hemsley making their way towards the bar. Heads turned when we heard Mrs H shouting quite loudly into her phone demanding that whoever was at the other end was to tell all the home riders and the team manager to meet in the bar after they were showered and changed. They were to be told that none of them could leave the stadium, even to depart for the airport, until they had finished the meeting. That seemed to be confirmation of who wears the trousers! Whilst the resulting was a little disappointing, I cannot recall seeing a home meeting with more passing than tonight. Whilst we all know we have a weak team, it would seem unfair to lay into anyone except Ulamek, as the others could not be accused of lacking in effort.

Chuffed to be off the mark with league points tonight. Doyle aside, I really don't think that Swindon are any better than Leicester and would not expect them to be play off contenders. Highlight of the night was Wozniak beating Doyle. All well and good if Doyle had overlooked on a bend lost significant ground, but he didn't and was always close to Wozniak and to keep a top GP rider at bay for 4 laps was mighty impressive.

Although the season has only just started, as a measure of the strength of our top five compared with teams in years gone by, has any team previously (in any league) on any occasion, ever nominated their reserve pair for Heat 15? I think that Norrie was making a massive (but obvious) statement in the recent Lakeside meeting. Whilst everyone is expecting heads to roll shortly, as has been highlighted in previous posts, who is available/willing/better to bring in?

I actually toyed with the idea of venturing to Lakeside tonight! Great decision to sit on my *rse instead it would seem. Two away meetings running and the reserves embarrass the others, one of which is a guest who comes out for Heat 15! Our heat leaders have managed two heat wins between them in these two meetings, in which we have fallen apart in the latter halves. It's early doors I know but we've been here many times before and I would like to hear any comments that club representatives may wish to make. Another tricky away track with four bends and two straights it would seem.

Weather watcher - 10 first bend crashes per meeting? That's a bit of an exaggeration isn't it? That's a bit like saying there are 10 rider passes per season! Looking forward to seeing the outcome of the track changes which is what everyone wants to see. Now that the track length will effectively be shorter, will DH be looking to pay riders less as they will now not have travel so far? Just a thought!

Even on good days we've rarely had meetings in the bag by heat 13 at home. The likely lack of clout in heats 13 & 15 is a concern. Away meetings? Let's not go there. A lot has been said about our apparent strength at reserve. This is okay when there are middle order wobbles but will not compensate for top end fire power shortfalls. As averages develop we could see heat leader and second string berths changing regularly without recognised heat leaders. As with the sport these days however, it is unlikely that the starting 7 will all still be in place by May so at least we will have different riders to moan about by then! Keeps it fresh!

Popped in to Sainsburys today only to find that there was sod all left in the vegetable aisles. Bumped into DH who said that the heat leader aisle was pretty much the same!

Oi! You may jest but DH could do worse than wheel him out of retirement in view of the diminishing options left with! Actually when I last spoke to Ray Wilson he said that he still had his leathers? (Leathers = kevlars, when life was in black and white).

Whilst Beckettlions 1 to 7 doesn't instill a great deal of confidence, it is nevertheless a very realistic team within the circumstances. Lions rarely win matches comfortably and the lack of big guns to compete in Heats 13 & 15 would be a real concern.

Here here, an average of 9.44 excluding bonus points (unlike the good old days!) is highly commendable. Doyle has been a rock and the ultimate professional for two years in a struggling EL team.

The Lions promotion are saying the right things with regard to hanging on to Doyle. Just how far they are prepared to go remains to be seen. If that means a change of race night, it is a big call for Hemsley who clearly sees a shift from Saturday as risk on crowd numbers. If he were to take the plunge (which most people doubt), I just hope he does not lose sight of the bigger picture regarding the team. For two seasons JD has surpassed all our expectations and is probably the best Lions rider I have seen (I go back as far as the early 70s), yet our Elite league performances have been dismal. Keeping Doyle would be a start but not job done. I would therefore prefer to see more effort put into general team building rather than revolve everything around one rider, as brilliant as he is. As we know, it's no fun having a GP superstar when you're an Elite basement team.