Sings4Speedway

If the promotion are as canny as I suspect & if Piper can rediscover some of his old form the club would do well to use him sparingly throughout the season and then play the trump card once they make the play offs. That said both the IOW reserves are a bit fragile so im sure he will get plenty of meetings and if he is on good kit then good on him and those around him.

The bottom 3 isn't as weak solely because of Clifton. If he had started at reserve and a stronger rider than Verge signed then Kent would constantly have at least one solid reserve at any time like Birmingham & Kings Lynn will. As it stands no team has signed two strong reserves so we might get away with it but its definitely a missed opportunity any if any other teams does they will be in a very strong position.

If the rumours are true and Danno is coming back that could give Kent one of the worst reserve pairings in the league. If its Bowen & either Baseby or Mason to round out the top 5 then that would be a very good top end providing they can all team ride / get along. I know the reserve places across several teams this year look soft but I can still see Kent shipping loads of points in those positions.

The reason everyone rated the Eastbourne team last year was because it was full of riders who could hold their average or jokers who could add loads to their average which they all did even with Dugard & Owen not achieving as much as expected. This year the clear jokers are not there but steady improvement throughout is very possible. Hopwood apart who should maintain his average there is potential for Hughes, Andrews & Woods to add a point each and Knight should be nearer 1.5-2. The difference is you wont have a Wood or Spiller type rider at reserve cleaning up. Many teams are in that boat also so it will be about who does/n't improve from the lower berths?

Oh b#gger f@rts b#gger. Really? Well that makes who to put at number 12 easier. Despite the newbies he will still be one of the worst reserves in the league.

Going to be tough to predict the 1-12 once the teams are completed. Some very strong 1&5 combos, some very solid in the engine room and a few ace cards at reserve. However there are weaknesses / question marks in all at present. As things stand id say Brum, Cradley & IOW to fill 3 of the top 4 spaces however the last signings announced could swing it another way.

Happy New Year to the Eastbourne fans with one of the most improved riders of last season returning to take up the captaincy. Yet again Eastie are looking a strong side.

Hmm didn't see that coming for many reasons. Kenny was a real talent in his youth grasstrack days and doesn't seem to be a shortage of money there. Seen him since at the odd amateur speedway meeting and has looked average. Think this is definitely a signing that is young enough rather than good enough. If you are looking for expectation levels I would think more Callum Walker than Zach Waj. Could be the blooper that hurts Brum retaining the title as the other 6 are very good.

I think it would be very foolish if they dropped one for another in terms of team spirit however it would give them a perfect ready made guest if any cover was required.

Agreed just not sure who they will be? Im not up enough on the NJL to know who could be available? Can the Piper find any unknown gems?

It could have been the Branford in, out, in saga was what cost Kelsey a place? Even so Morley & Branford should be awesome in heat 13 & 15

Sharp signing that. Most teams would be very pleased to have second strings like Smart & Baseby. Yes the averages will shuffle round but the top 5 will all remain solid. If the reserves can do something it should be a good year for the island. That said just being back is a good year and im looking forward to making a trip or two over the Solent.

Should be fine. Hughes to Eastbourne, Bowen to Kent. Both clubs have very different approaches to promotion but I wouldn't worry as I feel you are in much safer hands. Oh and on a side note with Sam Woods left out of the Rye House side it paves the possible return to Kent....whoopee!

If Luke is the other one then the Rye reserves wont be too bad. Needs more aggression though but can gate. Feel very sorry for Kelsey (dumped twice) but Benji had his chances over the years. Either way practice at Rye if you want the laps but don't go thinking about a place unless its the number 8 spot.

Buxton are shaping up to be a very dangerous looking side. A lot hinges on Rutherford & Jones delivering a bit and who the reserves will be is any ones guess but if they can get a few points from each they should be tough to beat at home and pick up a few points on the road.

Just like the reserves cam from the training schools last year? The reserves are picked already its just an attempt to drum up extra attendances. As for the team a deadly top 3 (Hughes clearly off to Eastbourne) big ask for Hunter & Hume to step up so far. My hunch says that one of the reserves will go well but still a lot to ask of him. As a question would Branford & Morley be better at 1 & 3 rather than 1 & 5 so they have less rides together / reduce the possibility of taking points off each other?

Bowen or Brandford would be great signings. Widman & Mason lovely but gone nowhere over the past couple of years, Woods or Chapman definitely no thanks. Agreed no real effort expended by the management so far. Resign last years top riders, sign a lad who dropped in front of Len and had one good meeting on a terrible track and a gamble on a recommended returnee. Not exactly pulling up any trees!

Ooh Bowen 747 for Kent then. As for the Dugard saga that is very unfortunate indeed. Speedway is a cruel sport. I hope he gets fixed up quickly and sure will drop in somewhere even if its mid season.

My bad. Wrong Greenwood.

Dan Greenwood it is then.

If that is the case then I guess its Morley, a 3 pointer eeep and A.N. Other. irritatingly if that was the case and with 5.97 to play with and Mark Baseby, Georgie Wood, Luke Chessell and Jack Kingston all could have perfectly but no it will be a 4 pointer like Dugard and leave us way short of the limit. The other major fear is who will be the 3 pointer.

I wouldn't be doing cartwheels to have Baseby back especially as the chance to sign the other better one was missed! However with useful averaged potential signings being snapped up elsewhere Kingston, Chessell, Mark Baseby etc it starts to make Aaron look like a necessity if Kent are to get near the points limit.

I strongly suspect that Morley will be at Rye house which might be for the better overall? Without him we could fit Baseby, Owen & Dugard if we included Ben it would be Morley, Dugard & Andrews/Chapman as the best we could hope for. Whilst not my dream team the below doesn't look too shabby? 1. Shanes 2. Dugard 3. Owen 4. Baseby 5. Ayres 6. Thomas 7. Clifton

Am I the only one that is uneasy at the moment? With other teams completed / completed but not announced its all gone very quiet from Kent again. Are riders fixed up and just waiting to be announced or are we in the debacle of last year where it will be sign anyone at the last minute as Len has no idea?

Agreed so here is probably another atrocious prediction Glasgow Workington Edinburgh Sheffield Ipswich Rye House Plymouth Newcastle Peterborough Somerset Berwick Redcar