STEVEHOLS54

Can we take from Oxford Managers comments that perhaps next seasons points limit may already in the main have been agreed in Champ based on his latest comments on British Speedway Site today i.e: “We have already been working on a side that we can believe can challenge on all fronts next season. It’s no less than the supporters of our great club deserve.” If thats the case one could assume the Matt & Danny are well ahead in planning the Pirates line up for 2027. I know promoter annual meeting is only in Nov normally but a lot is near enough agreed well in advance with many riders already pre agrred or signed up. Would love to know if Bailey intends to do UK in 2027. Assuming that the Fords would be willing to help finance such a bold move maybe jointly with a Prem Team. Assuming of course that as a foreign junior (mainly riding POL U24) he falls outside the POL 2 team rule planned for 2027.

Couple of things. Will it be continuing at 40 points or will they reduce to 38 as mentioned by a few. Would make a big difference to team selection. Also if Worky were not to race next season how about Tate Zischke. After all his injuries he definitely has scope to improve being 21 and having lost that first seaswon in 2023 to injury in Aussie then most of 2024 with the near career ending injury at B.Vue. Eased back in 2025 and now sitting on an attractive GSA for 2027. I thought (and others) he would be the next Darcy Ward prior to his injury in Aussie. Still bags of potential there.

On the subject of Bailey and assuming he does not have to conform with the proposed new POL rules beiing a POL U24 Lge rider with only odd rides as overseas junior in the Senior team. I see Kildermand iat Belle Vue is retiring end of this season. Think Bailey would be a decent replacement as Kilderman GSA from 1/9 is 5.54 which conveniently fits Bailey. Then doule up with Poole fits nicely as MON/Thur Prem - Tue POL U24/Wed Poole. Grudiatz would only want him for first team on some weekends probably like this season. Yes I know I am building it up in my head all the reasons he will sign for Poole, but nice thought to carry into the close season. He would also fit ito a 40 or 38 point team a lad with his ability.

I predicted weeks back that if he chose UK in 2027 then could see him doubling up with both BV and Poole (also with the joint connection with the 2 clubs and Aussies the last 5 plus years, which would make it more viable for him as he will likely start in the Tuesday POL U24 Lge again for Grudiatz with an introduction as the foreign junior in their senior side but maybe with more chances next season. Would mean having to give up in Region Varde in DK on Wednesdays where has been the preferred junior this season over Villards Pedersen, but double up in UK would give him more meetings. He would of course still ride some other meetings abroad like the SGP 2 but thats not many meetings (say 3 plus a qualifier).

Have a question on Slater Lightcap. See he is still showing as a 4 on the latest GSA. His second 4 points assesment on GSA's since he arrived. As the final GSA for team building is the latest one now regular Lge fixtures for Poole are complete, does this mean that not having riddewn enough qualifying meetings he will go into 2027 on a 4 points GSA ??. I thought it may be 5 BUT he has only ridden in 2026 and only for POL U24 team, not in any other league from what I can find. I know some riders came over on a 5 because they had for exmple also ridden in DK or SWE Leagues besides POL EXL U24. Could it be that he POL U24 Lge on iys own does not constitute as an overseas Lge for UK point allocation ?? Would be on a great av for Poole if he could come in on a 4 for 2027 bearing in mind Poole have to lose 4.72 from the 2026 team if the keep the 40 point limit. Even losing Zach for 2027 means some rebuilding.

Hopefully not. I assume they will both continue in their respective POL EXL U24 sides for 2027 and will both be only 17 when season starts. Didn't think the rule was extended to the U24 Lge. Also both have add the odd ride as overseas junior riders for their respective POL EXL main sides but think it would be crazy if they extended the 2 league limit to yound riders who may have got 1 or 2 rides every 4/5 meetings.

Throws up names like Zischke maybe who I think will kick on from next season and with doubts on if Workington will carry on - Morris who has also guested and still below what he can achieve being good at Poole and as previously mentioned Jenkins and/or Kennett - both Southern based I believe and both ridden well guesting for Poole. Please just don't bring back Bowes. Enough evidence to show he did not progress in POL or Swe and for me even a fit Bowes doesnt have the scope of Lightcap being 5 years older and many seasons more in Europe going backwards in development.

God knows how i forgot to factor in Bailey considering i was going on about signing him all through last close season. Believe he would be on a 5 riding POL U24 and D.enmark. Has done odd ride in POL Exl for Grudiatz but hopefully they would not punish him as a 6 pointer for that. I think only way Bailey rides UK in 2027 is if he getsw a double up with a Prem team to make it worthwhile, then he can continue POL U24 on a Tue and combine Prem & Champ, but that would mean he would have to give up Denmark where he seems to have become first choice over Villads Pedersen. The other issue is if Grudiatz want to load him our to a POL EXL2 side where it may preclude him from doing 2 leagues in UK and then does he choosde DK over UK. Plenty to ponder on during the close season. Still none the wiser on what basis the final GSA is based on though. Actual fixtures (14) or plus the play offs

Early doors I know, but based on previous years the Fords start building their side for the following season I believe around July. Does anyone know what the cut off for GSA's is for season end. Is it based on riders GSA on completion of the regular season 14 fixtures or do the play offs go into the calculation. I always thought it was based on completion of the actual fixtures (i.e 14). Would have thought they would try to secure Lawson/Cairns/Rushen/Lightcap as a base and try to get Kennett & Jenkins on their 5 point av as arguably both can improve (especially around Poole). I make it 34.98 with 2.5% Brit reduction leaving 5.02. Going to be a difficult jugglinmg act having to lose approx 4.57 points from the current team point total for 2027 and maybe higher with 2 H & 2 A matches to go in regular fixtures.

If Poole do sign Kennett then they nget him on a 5.00 GSA. Some questions: When is the cut of for GSA's for 2026 season. Is it on completion of Poole's remaining 5 league fixtures or are the play offs calculated into the final GSA's. Poole have to off load some 5.5 points for 2027 IF the plan to stay in Champ. We know Zack will go but a Kennett (if available in 2027) would be well worth trying to get for 2027, but depending on my first point how do they go about keeping his as close to 5 as possible ??. If only needed for 5 remaining meetings it would be maybe easier than if for possibly 9 meetings. Comments welcome.

I can't help thinking that the Ford's who are masters of drip feeding press releases are gaslighting us on the new signing situation. Get this feeling that they know they are nailed on for at least top 4 and are happy to use the shrewed option of guests up to 5.05 until the play offs. The possible use of Jenkins tonight then again if 7 days apart plus able to use the likes of Kennett when available and not fixture clashing plus Ablitt/Hagon/Foord should easily help them into the play offs with 4 of their 7 matches being at home. This as the POL/Danish & POL U24 fixtures scale down come September with many teams out of play offs and more riders becoming available. It could also be the Fords don't want to invest in an overseas young talent financially with the costs no doubt involved. That espcially with Matt now back jointly running the club if that has added overhead to running costs.

Think Bailey has now earned first choice over a young Dane in his Danish Team, so Wed may be an issue on fixture clashes plus he can get 5/6 rides per meeting in their 6 man teams. He now has POL U24 every other Tue I think. DK Wed - Also now qualified for the SGP 2 finals which I believe are another 3 meetings. would love to see him over here but more likely in 2027 as both Prem & Champ will want him and would not surprise me if its B.Vue & Poole who share his services. Especially considering the Poole/B.Vue rider connection the last 5 plus years.

I fear he will try & battle on even though probably not fit to. He also must need income with little to nothing coming in via his racing. I think he knows he may be on his last chance to make it work in Europe. He has in the main been shunned in POL/SWE/DK and I wonder anyway how many UK teams would have gone for him after the end of last seasons behaviour. I think a lot will feel that at best this guy is a 4 or max 5 pointer even if fit which would tie in with how he was performing in POL. He didn't impress in their U24 League and progresed even less when appearing in their lower league/s. Personally I think its only Cairns & Rushen over performing which is keeping him in the team but that option will go as they both move into the main team and they lose the option to replace his rides when required. The Ford's may just persevere with him rather than pay for a better overseas option in the hope they can get away with it, but I am not convinced and just hope he doesn't cost the club trophy wise.

My fear is that Poole have benefited greatly from having the option of Rushen & Cairns having the ability to get 5/6/7 rides as reserves. If and when Cairns were to go in the main team we then have newman and Bowes as reserves. Newman maybe can get points but I have no faith in Bowes even competing 4/5 races let alone get the points to even match his reserve standing. For me he is another of those riders who thinks he is better than he is, and while I have sympathy for his injuries, his form abroad over 5 years was enough to convince me he was not an improver. He is riding more like a 3.5 point rider based on 2026 scores, hence why I feel they should look to sign a promising 5 pointer (if they can get one in) rather than just keep on persevering until he drops below 5. Someone like 21 year old James Pearson who is getting scores better than Bowes has achived when he was over there.

I don't think Poole will win any trophies this season whiler Bowes is in the team. It's been a tale of injuries/falls and equipment plus poor rides that have led to this. His career in 5 years in POL/SWE has gone nowhere. He has not progressed and last season it went downhill. There is no real demand for the guy in those Countries and this season he only got into a POL squad late and even then not a first choice rider. I feel he is at a place in his career that if he fails at Poole them maybe he won't even get a plaCe in UK speedway either. Meaning back to Aussie as plenty before him have. I questioned his appointment even before he was officially announced. At 25 you think he is still young but remember he has been doing the Euro circuit since 2021` and has not progressed. The question is do they empty him while he is still on a 5 point av as it allows the Fords more scope to sign a more exciting recruit from around Europe. I just hope they don't just let it drag on until he drops below that. Even at reserve i would have no trust in the guy doing well. I also hope the Fords don't just keep perservering irrespectrve just to save money. Would love to proved wrong but 5 years of his statistice don't lie.