Sings4Speedway

Won't race poor teams every week though but as standard it looks the likely outcome. Feel back for predicting Berwick to be bottom though....definitely going to be way clear of Kent.

Change the manager too. Birmingham could/should be looking at a longer term approach and if they can tempt riders who will commit to a few seasons and become fans favourites they will be rewarded. Brum have incredibly loyal fans and the golden boys can walk on water. The twins, Bowtell and Hume (for next season) with some experienced heads to help them develop on would be a fair starting point. Then bring in Will Pottinger to be both tactically aware, look after the team and deliver honesty in feedback to the fans.....

Ouch...feel like i recall seeing 1000 mentioned in the past as a break even figure so the two are miles apart. Sadly im not convinced that even if the Brum team had been built as entertaining and competitive as Redcar (in fact the Bears have more Brum fan favourites) that the crowd figures would be much more, a 40% increase would still only give 700 on the gate and probably outgoings would be even higher. If Birmingham are to survive its going to be a long few seasons, building slowly and being honest with the problems that are faced (rather than the occasional call to arms, woe is me, use it or lose it messages). To be fair its not only Birmingham with problems just more apparent than most at the moment. My sad prediction is that 10 tracks will close over the next 5 years.

Perhaps its an IOW choice to try and differentiate from Speedway as much as they can as despite their best efforts to boost the sport in the UK (would love to know the number of first timers who visit IOW, have a great time and then spend money at a more local track) they continue to face difficulties from senior parties within the sport, all who would cry to the press in a second if a single person made their business operation difficult.

Arguments are that RR shouldn't be used and unattached riders should be given the chances? Its still a speedway league and out of form riders get dropped....unless there is competition for places the standard will only continue to drop.

Very limited options even with almost 2 points spare. Bebee would fit for Watson and Kingston would fit in place of Freeman (haven't counted if a double switch fits). Berwick have been fortunate Halder has started the year well but theres a couple of passengers in the side.

Be a different story after the interval

Sorry just looked Bullets vs Kent....easy home win. Maybe a bit of honesty would be refreshing and actually help? The fans can see its a poor team and loads of bluster press releases like the riders aren't dialled in yet won't wash forever and crowds will suffer. Something along the lines of we thought the team would be competitive but we have clearly misjudged the strength of others. We will actively look to boost the current team and make changes if the right riders become available.

Worth flying a 28 year old half the way round the world to fill a NL reserve spot then.....

Anyone who thinks its a good idea to sink tons of their hard earned cash into a speedway club clearly isn't right in the head so i would note very little of what they say. Brum don't look as terrible as expected with Morris putting effort in, Pearson benefitting from the extra rides and season in the UK but there are cracks. Proctor was always going to be a disaster, Bowtell has great equipment but not always money well spent and needs more predictable engines. Paco guesting saved a few blushes but more home defeats will be on the cards and the racing will need to improve to see in 2024.

There has to be some correlation between race nights and a successful amateur league. The NJL operates on Fri/Sat and Sundays so weekend race nights are far easier to accommodate for many. A lot of the lost MDL sides used to operate on weekend race nights also but with the switch to Midweek for the Prem Clubs and disillusionment from others the number of teams has dropped year on year.

Can only go off whats been put into press rather than hearsays etc but its certainly bold and clear that IOW find the SCB responsible for the prevention of Nora action at Plymouth.....i also see there has been a rebrand to remove the association to Speedway.

Same track, same problems. When packed hard Mildenhall can produce some brilliant racing but when patchy its a processional venue blighted by fallers and injuries. The small nature means that races don't get too strung out and rider contact can and will happen. Its clear that on the grippy/patchy days it needs to be attacked and those who can get clear track and who have benefitted from deeper tracks at higher levels cope better but Morley has been around enough there times, Josh Warren knows the track well and Alcock and Ablitt aren't first year rookies. Nothing against Richardson on a personal level but every pound of damage he causes or injury as a result of his actions lays at the hands of the Mildenhall promotion as they are simply tracking a rider who isn't ready. There were fallers and injuries at Belle Vue recently so its obvious its a sport that contains plenty of risk but id wager that we are unlikely to be having such a discussion about the NSS again whereas it feels a matter of time before West Rows issues return. On its day Mildenhall is a brilliant place to watch Speedway but i have to wonder how many of the die hards will keep returning when the threat of long drawn out meetings hangs over them.

Complin is on an awkward average so only really Atkins available on a like for like guest booking. Then its lesser averages and clear that Harrison is a rider capable of much better than his 3.00 average. Mildenhall would have expected a bit more from Warren and Trigger who usually get more at Iwade. Kent are probably getting what they would expect from the 1-5 but reserves beating only each other and Richardson at home must be a concern.

Certainly gives Berwick a sniff of the aggregate bonus point.

Assume that 1-7 riders still have to complete thier minimum 3 rides though (unless withdrawn) so effectively an AR no 8 can only take a ride off a main rider once

Absent 6 or 7 Any rider not in an NDL declaration and whose MA does not exceed NDL 3.00

Certainly an interesting amendment. See how it pans out this year.....could be mega abused in some cases later in the season.

Colts to have enough to hit 50 even early in the year. Paid double figures from Hodder, Smith and Pearson as a minimum

Great shout i shamefully forgot about Martins involvement with Long Eaton although not part of the promotion. Buxton's withdrawal from the MDL was costly for them as it was a great brreeding ground for potential riders especially when competing against clubs with deeper pockets. I think riders would appear from everywhere for the chance to ride at Belle Vue even with midweek fixtures but any experiences with Stoke and speaking to many others is that the promotion treated the second half riders poorly and would be the most likely track to not stage the even despite being a weekend venue.

The only promotions i can ever recall giving a hoot about the MDL sides were Barry & Martin (IOW), Kevin Jolly & Rob Henry (Mildenhall), Dale Allitt (Kings Lynn) and Laurence Rogers (various) the rest as you correctly stated have bee run by fans/enthusiasts who gave untold hours for the cause and received very little back. The list of NL/CL & PL graduates through the MDL was vast at one point now that number is rapidly declining and the only real routes are NJL and youth rounds. Fast forward 5 years and the NL will consist of riders who still own a bike rather than who makes the grade.

A better question would be why have those who were involved previously stopped?

1. Bailey 8.86 2. Congreve 4.50 3. Pearson 8.00 4. Spencer 5.26 5. Hook 8.00 6. Alcock 4.36 7. Harrison 3.00 Total 41.98

I was really bad at getting my point across yesterday and apologies to all 125 riders. Often the 125 & 250 classes are the most entertaining during meetings my point about the spectacle was that the NJL has 3 heats of the same 4 riders in each class and that can often (not always) produce the same result 3 times. I think for the MDL to survive they need more weekend tracks to participate, those that do run meetings need to make a much bigger effort to get them on (a lot of wasted travel occurs due to curfews met) and as covered to make it sustainable consider the switch to include 125 riders and generate the natural progression. In its hey day there was a strong amateur scene that enabled riders to compete against a similar level, then progress up and into the MDL etc safely. Sadly over the past few years the gulf in ability has been vast and bordering on dangerous in places which certainly doesn't help the cause.

Thats the 3rd time yesterday i missed a single word out of something and completely changed the outlook. Home teams paid no no fees whereas ghost teams paid hefty entry fees. Its certainly easy to argue that the 125cc concept whilst less interesting as a spectacle (in my opinion) does generate a natural progression pathway. The NJL also benefits from more weekend based race nights which is more suited for travelling and the MDL has lost the majority of tracks that ran on those nights or the teams that do/did run weekends have become disillusioned with it.