SCB

So he has gone for a young team by including Joe Screen? Just who has he actually missed out thats better than anyone listed? If we go solely on EL averages he's missed out Jordan Frampton Dave Norris and Phil Morris and used James Wright in stead. Morris has an inflated average, Norris has been out of the sport for so long that's understandable On the other hand, where Jordan Frampton? You know, the guy in his first season of EL racing who has scored a maximum away from home? If he was really going for youth he'd have no Screen, Richardson, Stead or Allen but Frampton, Tully, Mear and Auty. The 5 I'd pick, one of Harris/Nicholls/Richardson. Then Kennett, Bridger, Woffinden and Danny King (in part based on the meeting being at Peterborough) No doubt, as with previous managers who have gone with youth (and then dropped Stead for Louis), we'll end up with Harris, Richardson, Nicholls, Screen and Stead/Allen.

QUOTE (Robbie B @ Apr 20 2009, 12:06 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Hi Rico, you're right about the colon I didn't see it, I must get some glasses. But I do hate the use 'Team GB' also, might be just me, I much perfer just plain Great Britain I don't think you're the only one and I believe it's being looked into. About time too. Whats wrong with plain, simple and bloody obvious "Great Britain". That said, if we want to get pedantic, it's no Sweden, Poland or Russia either, we should refer to them as they are spelt/prounounced in their native languages.

Nicki PEDERSEN DENMARK £60,000 - Captain Hans ANDERSEN DENMARK £45,000 Fredrik LINDGREN SWEDEN £30,000 Kenneth BJERRE DENMARK £30,000 Emil SAYFUTDINOV RUSSIA £25,000

UUU, you want Bomber through so much you want him to take 2 of the qualifying positions???

£7 at Newport in '97.

Buy a cheap ticket for the top tier and then go and sit where ever you like, nobody stops you. Actually, they stops Nevs but I helped out there I think it was "quick Nevs, this way, run".

GPs attract crowds of 10's of thousands, CL (now NL) racing on the other hand attracts how many? I'd suggest you're very much in the minority here Parsloes.

Biggest problem, we always had CL rider claiming to be professionals, try getting any sports grant as a professional. Do people really think our top cyclists are really amateurs? No way, but they say they are ad as a result get a load of grant money, more than the average professional speedway rider will earn from his promoter. Plus it doesn't have to be an olympic sport, being an olympic sport ticks a few boxes but not being one doesn't mean no funding. Being a motorsport is also a massive hurdle, better off not going for sport funding but community funding and trying to do thing to draw in the local community.

If Nicki, Jason or Hans are so good why should they not have the title wrapped up early? I hate all this artificial trying to make it close, it's a World Championship FFs, it's meant to find the best rider not the one who got lucky with the system.

But Ty went to many PL tracks over here last year that he'd never seen before and ripped them up and Cory did ok his first time at most tracks. They're both good enough to be able to score point any where. Frank just a bloody good rider

So now I just have to convince Colin Pratt he is worth a 3.7 average

Superb Seems Frank has still got that same breathtaking smile, oh to see him one last time. Sadly, the last time I saw him race I (and many other Newport fans) did not know it would be the last time, I'm sure we'd all love to see him do one last meeting over here one day.

Some decent photos there but there's none of the main man, Frank Smart. Great to see he was 5th highest scorer in the heats so can still show the youngster s a thing or two.

But isn't the PL better because it doesn't have all the top names gating and riding off and leaving the other 3 behind? So the EL will be better this season, surely?

You need me and my stealth tactics then Ask Nevs, I managed to smuggle him and his son past the jobsworths last year

Isn't it top 3 in a state final? A few years ago any Aussie wanting to come over found an easy state final to ride in, I'm sure Scott Smith had to race in the Tasmanian final to get his work permit, it was him against a load of old guys

The poor £ means I cant see myself getting to any foreign GP's this year

Basically, yes. I sold my car today to a guy form Holland, he is ecstatic as he has got himself a bargain and I'm pleased because I got a good deal. All because the Pound to Euro rate is so weak. It's great if you have something to sell

I'm Parsloes would feel at home watching that. It's more akin to what we call Short Track over here.

Great to see the name Nigel Sadler in there. Such a shame he had to retire on medical grounds. Is he making a come back or is it strictly a one off?

How sad to hear about Shawn and Kellys current plight As a few already know, I'm lucky enough to be named after Shawn so have a more than passing interest in him and his career. The photo on this thread just show how amazing he was, I love watching any video footage I can find of him too, he truly could do magical things with a bike. I only wish when I was younger I can fully apreciated what I was watching when I got to see him and it's only in recent year I have been lucky enough to see what a talent he was thanks to old videos and youtube.

Surely every man and his dog who attended a speedway meeting this year knows Scott has issues with Bomber.

Puk missed 1 GP, Harris missed 1. Harris was wiped out in Cardiff (by Puk, ironically) and more or less ended his GP and was still injured in Bydgoszcz2. Neither was that much better than the other TBH, both were bit part players who were barely noticed all year and nobody can truly pick one over the other. Both are at the same level and pretty much have been for about 5 years now if you compare there averages in the UK (no idea about abroad). The only thing that splits the two is that in 2 GP seasons each, one of them has actually won a GP. It's a moot point anyway IMO, I'd have neither in the GP's, my argue is sole that of, if Bomber is not good enough, there's no way Puk is either. I say that as someone who likes both. Regarding Jarek, he failed to qualify form the Polish rounds, then got a bye into the later rounds and failed again. He had two attempts and blew them both after failing to qualify in the top 8 the year before. Plus frankly he is as boring as the proverbial paint drying so offers nothing to the GP's as I can't see him challenging for the top 5, ever and the top 3 is totally beyond. Realistically, it's the same for Harris but at least he can be entertaining. Bjarne is a capable rider who I'd argue is deserving of a GP place but he said himself he did not want a place, so he's out.

1 point is now "well behind"? I don't know what Lewis Hamilton was worrying about in the F1, Massa finished "well behind" him in the standings in the end! LOL, Bjerrem Ulamek and Walasek have qualifier, only Bjerre will do anything of note. Expect Ulamek and Walasek to throw in the odd ride (similar to Dryml this year) but then the next 4 guys were Iversen, Jedrzejak, Sullivan and Monberg. Thats Iversen who only managed 1 point more than Harris, Jedrzejak who is a reasonable rider but a potential GP winner? No chance (Harris is, he's done it once, why not again?), Sullivan maybe and Monberg was tripe in his last stint in the GP's, he's never been top 8 material and never will be. I was wondering if I had to pick a top 15 who I'd pick and I'd not have Ulamek, Walasek or Harris. Nicholls just sneaks in too. Jonas Davidsson is a maybe, Sullivan another, Holder is only a maybe. Theres an awful lot of rider who are good in 2 of the 3 main leagues who have a good argument TBH, sald,y Harris, Ulamek and Walasek are not in that list. I've not included rider who have said in the recent past they're not interested in the GP series (other than Holder)