Teromaafan

I wonder why there was no mention of the team line up on the Lion's website? Only Harry & Megan's wedding will see more guests this week. (Actually there is a rumour that Schlein may stand in for Megan's dad on Saturday)!

So Ricky Wells comes in for Danny King. Whilst R/R never seems to favour the Lions, I would have thought it might work in the absence of DK on his current form. Everyone except Bjerre can take an extra ride and I don't really think that would weaken us. No disrespect to RW, but stepping into a heat leader berth is a bit of an ask (then again we don't know how far down the choice list he was). Unless King will be out for some time (news is that his arm isn't broken as first feared though), in which case a short term replacement rather than guests should be sought, R/R would be worth a punt for this cup fixture (yeah, quarter final I know!) to provide other riders with a bit more track time. I do however have faith in the management this season and they appear to be on the ball with swift assessments of situations and required actions.

He hasn't completed a lap for us, so why is Toffy's average suddenly down to 2.00 ( from over 5.00) in the latest averages? Getting him back in at any cost is a no brainer if this is correct ( or am I missing something)? Quite pleased with the all round team performance against the Rockets last night. Sarjeant looked a bit better and may well think his place could be on the line, although what are the alternatives at that end of the averages? ....... Ah, yes, Bomber in a couple of months time if he has many more nights like Monday!

We will never know what Vaculik would have produced unfortunately. Although a GP rider, how committed to the UK would he have been in terms of bike priorities for this country? (I think that there will be a few people looking closely at the current World Champion's UK performances this season). My impression is that the management want to make a real go of it this season and today's changes are positive. Sorry to see that MPT has to make way (loved watching Toffy at BP), but we do need an established No.1. Past seasons have shown that so called great signings with no UK experience have not delivered and either jump, get injured or are pushed back to where they came from. If KB has a season like last year, I do not honestly think that MV would have performed better. With the current race format, it seems that, providing a team is no more than 6 points adrift by Heat 13, you are in with a shout regarding match points if you have some clout with your top two riders. The Lions have fallen away many times at this stage of a meeting in recent times (sorry DK but you seem to bottle it in Heat 15). Kenneth and Hans in 2 out of the last 3 races would seem to be a match for anyone in this league. I hope the situation regarding Josh Bates is correct, in that team re-shaping is not based around his average when he becomes fit/available and that family connections are put to one side. Nothing against Josh, but if he is in the seven, it has to be on merit.

A track does not go from being considered suitable to race on to a state of being unfit in less than one minute, but this is essentially what the Referee has admitted to. If the crash was down to rider error alone, then the meeting would have continued. The fact that the crash (involving injuries), seems to have been a wake up call is poor. Whilst the Swindon promotion should not be exempt from some criticism regarding track preparation, the Referee should be questioned here. They can hide behind the excuse that riders were willing to race but the riders did not abandon the meeting. If you have the authority to abandon the meeting, you are surely singularly responsible for giving it the go ahead (despite pressure from other parties).

I don't think I would be sticking my neck out if I said that with MPT we could be even stronger than before, at least at home anyway.

Looking at replacement options, with Sarjeant's average now being confirmed as 3.00, a few of people's preferred riders (Bjerre, Klindt, Riss & Barker) would takes us over the 42.5 limit. Palmt Toft would fit and would seem a popular choice. After that, there isn't much out there, maybe Lindgren on a converted average? As has been mentioned our R/R options make us weaker and the management have to be realistic regarding Josh's injury (and put aside family connections). With the efforts gone into team building in the winter, we need to hit the ground running with the strongest possible team for the first competitive fixture. Surely options are being sounded out?

Lasse would fit, but I certainly wouldn't have a problem with Toft, has always looked committed whenever I've seen him.

So, time for the first team change, a month before the season starts! Looking at averages and who isn't fixed up with a Premiership team, it seems that former Lions Lasse Bjerre, Erik Riss and Nicolai Klindt would all fit. Any of these as a replacement would not weaken the team (Klindt maybe improving it).

A few people have said what a nice man Lynch was and made reference to what he's done in the past etc, but sport (and speedway!) is about the here and now. Jim is not he reason we did not make the play offs but he contributed to our wooden spoon position. I remember early last season in a post match interview in front of home supporters, he emphasised the importance of winning at home, but said that away from BP he wanted riders to 'just enjoy it'! Sorry Jim but that is unprofessional and when you look at some of the early away meetings where we surrendered leads (often late on), it makes you wonder what (if anything) was said in the pits. On the evidence of last season he appeared to be tactically naïve. Jim would now seem to have time on his hands. So, wishing him good health, 'just enjoy it'!

Agree with TNT and TDM posts above but we are where we are as they say. Whilst I don't know Simon personally he came across as being a very honest person when taking part in post meeting interviews when he rode for us a couple of years ago. I just hope he has that ruthless (but preferably more subtle than Norrie) management streak when it is required to fire up riders. The familiarity of riders with management/owners should be to the clubs advantage, although this is Leicester and we are talking about speedway.

Now Sarj is on board the management are probably thinking that stronger start gate elastic is needed! Not a good idea. In these times where health and safety over rides everything, there is a potential injury risk to spectators on the 4th bend if Sarj catapults himself backwards due to an over enthusiastic start and the start tape remaining intact. Joking aside, if he can learn to trap at BP ( without being penalised) he should outscore all visiting reserves and maybe some second strings.

The amount of Heat 15s (one every meeting from my research) tell us what?

I see on the Lions website that Specsavers are now sponsoring us. Have they not been involved before, providing rose tinted pairs for the previous management?

Looking at our team for next season, I'm as optimistic as you can be for a Lions follower. If we are to be serious title contenders, then we cannot carry anyone. The key could be trigger happy Sarj. The margin between a warning and making a perfect start is so slight and if Sarj can get some help from senior team members on this front he could pick up some valuable points, particularly at home, against opposing reserves and second strings. If he does start trapping better it would also be a saving on elastic!

Like the sound of this, where exactly (web site/link) has this been confirmed? Would seem to leave room (finances permitting) for another top end heat leader to give us much needed clout in heats 13 & 15.

So Sarjeant's average for Premiership (superior league) team building is 3.81 yet his Championship (inferior league) final average from last season was 3.33, how can this be right?

So the management are giving Josh 'as much time and space as he needs'. I assume/hope that this means they will continue team building without him but keep him in mind when (inevitably sometime in April) they are looking to shake things up due to riders under performing. We wish Josh well and hope he sorts things out but the Lions (and Sheffield) have to look at the bigger picture despite the family connections.

The thought of Robert Lambert in Lions colours excites me. Although he seemed to stagnate a bit last season, I still think he is likely to be the next big thing in British speedway. Always seems to do okay around BP and is a real racer who's efforts would go down a storm with the Lions fans. If we could get him I would almost be prepared to take his namesake (poor Simon) if that meant staying within the 42.50 total!

Fairly pleased with the team signings to date and it's nice to have named 5 by this time of year for a change. It's difficult to guess who the remaining 2 might be in view of the lack of (official) information regarding assessed averages and what the management have to play with (and can afford). Last season our reserve pairings were as good as anyone's and I think it is important to try and maintain strength in that department again. This makes Newman an important signing. I recall quite a few meetings last year (home and away) where we kept things tight only to be undone in heats 13 and 15. This has hopefully not been lost on the management and trust that the next signings include someone of at least Nilsson's calibre (whom I would be happy with again although there are rumours that he will be giving the UK a miss next year) to accompany Vaculik. I' m okay with King as a third heat leader but he did cost us vital points when he came up short in these heats last season. There is every reason to be positive at this stage and hope that the completed line up (which will of course see its first change by the end of April!) will be attractive enough to maintain the interest of fans disgruntled with the move from Saturday nights.

For me the biggest problem with speedway in this country, which is embarrassing to try and justify to non followers of the sport, is the number of riders doubling up. It came to a head in the recent relegation/promotion play off when a couple of Leicester riders were unavailable because they were riding for.......the opposition! I'm hoping that fixed race nights will go some way to reducing (is eliminating too optimistic?) clashes and restore some credibility to the sport. Something else I have thought about is riders moving on the start line. There is a very thin line between cheating and making a perfect start. I came up with what I thought was a very simple solution. Set a small battery laser (as used by Surveyors/Estate Agents etc) parallel to and a bike length plus about 12 inches behind the line. Before the green light goes on, all riders must be forward of and not therefore break the laser beam. When the green light is on riders can neither touch the tapes or break the laser beam (which would result in an exclusion). This leaves a potential 12 inch 'gamble zone' for the riders to move at their own risk. Same for all riders. Any comments on this idea would be welcomed. I emailed this idea to the BSPA some time ago and remain hopeful of a response before the next millennium.

With regard to race night I do not think that Saturday is the be and all that the previous management believed. The rumoured Monday and Thursday nights would not impact attendances greatly if supporters had a play off contender team to support. How come no other top tier team ( apart from RH) wants to race on a Saturday? If the entertainment and team success is there, spectators will not be put off by race nights, (think Sky football kick off switches?).

Of the four Championship teams in the play offs, only one team does not have rider/s that double up for the Lions. Does anyone know how rider priority works when a rider rides for both teams in the Premiership/Championship play off? Although this is a little embarrassing for the sport, it has to be addressed and I wouldn't be surprised if the powers that did not have something in place for such a scenario. The normal priorities for Premiership/Championship fixture clashes cannot surely be applied in such circumstances?

So the Championship play off dates have now been announced. If the promotion/relegation play off to follow does actually happen ( still not convinced) we are looking at early October for their meetings with the Lions. Have the Lions riders been told to make themselves available? Are potential guest riders being approached with regard to their availability to replace Lions riders that might be riding against them? (Don't laugh, this is speedway remember). Personally I do no think it matters what league we ride in next year (so long as we do actually compete) since the majority of riders racing will be the same names due to all the doubling up. Such is the lure of the Premiership that I do not think any Championship team is busting a gut to join the 'big' boys (I said stop laughing). Further re-structuring of the leagues would seem a priority and if it is necessary to bring in weaker riders to reduce the number of double uppers, so be it. Teams with similar ability having riders who do not ride for other teams has to be the way forward. Fans will relate to a regular 1 to 7.

As a neutral I wasn't bothered about last night's result and enjoyed some very competitive racing. When Ellis broke the tapes he was put back 15 metres and I noticed that he lined up with the gate 3 position. I always thought that a rider put on 15 metres had to take up the outside gate position (with the other 3 riders re-shuffled/moved across to gates 1 to 3) to give the start marshal the best chance of not being run over. Is my understanding incorrect? has the rule changed? Please let me know!