Sings4Speedway

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

When I first saw a mention of Ellis at Eastbourne I was relieved as I was certain he wouldn't fit. Now I know its possible im potentially scared. A Top 4 of Ellis, Hopwood, Wood & Knight would be devastating and even with 3 x 3 pointers in the side would be strong contenders. Im going to cling to the hope Ellis wants to do more continental rides this year and the EL will be enough for him in the UK.

As ive only managed to predict about three signings correct this year im going to be very smug about this one.

Nothing personal against any of the riders as its their job to put themselves in the shop window and the promoters who decide who gets selected. The riders with little experience I would count as Phillips & Powell (TBC) (Eastbourne) and Saul (IOW). I must confess that looking through the riders that featured in the MDL last year it was a little tougher to pick out some who could take on the next step than I expected. There are plenty of dedicated riders who know what it takes in terms of costs & travel but may need one more year. Ignoring Hume, Hunter, Woods & Sheppard who all rode NL & MDL last year there are still a few who I thought some teams may have taken a chance on. Perhaps these riders will pop up as number 8's (is that rule in force again this year?) maybe I was being a little hasty with my initial comments given the large uptake of riders from the MDL last season & should be proud of the 4 who have been selected. Fingers crossed a couple will pop up in the final few available spaces & that the MDL & NJL continues to produce and prepare riders to take the step to the next level.

How many years has Wooley ridden now? Feels like forever and yet this was the only season he has shown slight improvement. If he had ridden anywhere but Buxton he would have been dropped many times. Not a surprise signing but hardly an exciting one either.