STEVEHOLS54

Just noticed the normally well informed THJ has left Ellis out of the team in the forum subject for Champ Teams for 2021 but left Ben Cook in. I assume he concurs like I that he won't be here under the max 3 league POL rule for POL 2nd Div riders. If we were to assume (just for this debate) that Ellis was not riding Champ, plus Cook left out, then if Anders Rowe as a young 18 year old Brit was reassessed as a young 3 star Brit then the points would indeed allow Schlein & Rowe in under the limit. Both just switch over from Somerset for the season. Geographically one would assume no problem for either as Rowe was due to do Swindon & Somerset and Schlein would have done Somerset for his last season in UK together with Wolves in Prem ?? More food for thought. Unless of course has has signed POL which I assume blows that one up possibly. Maybe not though if not doing SWE/DK.

My understanding is in the POL 2nd Div you are allowed a total of 3 leagues incl POL. I thought I read he had signed up in POL/SWE/DK. That would already have made even Swindon a doubt ?? before they withdrew from 2021. Had they been racing then for sure the POL rules would not have allowed 2 UK leagues even IF he say dropped DK to squeeze Swindon in as his third league. Raises various questions such as: Will he race POL/SWE/DK as his max 3 leagues. Doesn't matter what he may have signed to, POL Authorities dictate the max leagues he can race in if he wants to keep POL. Will he try and sign for another British Prem side in 2022 as surely will be in demand ?? which would mean can't race for Poole anyway unless he drops DK & SWE. Would he drop both SWE or DK to race for Poole if he does sign for another Prem team. Will be interesting to see how this develops in coming week/s. Also IF Matt/Danny had negotiated with the Stadium owners to race at the track in 2021 I am surprised not a peep out of either of them in the press. We all know the Fords are masters of spinning positive news to them to keep Poole in the spotlight. bearing in mind Matt had plenty of words in the Echo end last season about getting into negotiations with plenty of time before 2021 started after all the negative comments about possible stadium closure after the permanent removal of Greyhounds. One would have thought he and Danny would be fast out the blocks to announce the future at the track (at least short term) had been secured for 2021. Just a long shot thought BUT, you dont think that Plymouth could have a roll to play in 2021 with a switch from Poole Stadium for the team etc if there were doubts. Only mention it in view of the Plymouth situation to join Champ being under review ??. Of course one for the conspiracy theorists

I may have missed some movements but... IF Ellis was not racing UK Champ and with Somerset not riding (as well as Swindon). What possibilities of squeezing in Anders Rowe (if not already signed up elsewhere). Remember he was due to ride I believe Swind & Somerset and also what about Rory Schlien ??. Anders is arguably one of the top 4/5 British youngsters coming through. Maybe top 2/3 ?? Rider to go Ben Cook but with his brother Zach losing Somerset maybe not keen to come on his own to Uk anyway ?? Thoughts ??

So with the new rules announced which Poole rider loses his place ??. Will it be Ben Cook as Kelleher has high media profile and invested a lot of money in equip Josh Mac seems fairly settled when in UK. Also is Adam Ellis situation resolved on whether he will even be riding UK with the new Polish Rules. Isn't he committed to POL/SWE/DK ?? Wonder who the young Brit will be bearing in mind most of the decent ones were already signed up by most of the others as Poole chose the Aussie route. Finally and nobody has answered this question when I put it on the forum recently. Danny Ford has announced he intends to put a team out in 2021 BUT and it is a big BUT, has he actually reached an agreement with the Stadium owners on whether they actually will agree to let Poole ace on at the Stadium, bearing in mind the main revenue driver (Greyhounds) have stopped and most of the facilities either won't or maybe won't be available in future Main restaurant/food outlets/Stadium Staff etc. Still have my reservations on whether its the owners intentions to somehow try and get around any covenants to try and get the site redeveloped. When Matt Ford went public later part of last year after Greyhound closure he was bullish about going into negotiations with maybe consortia to maybe discuss taking over the Stadium or having positive discussion outcomes on having speedway continue there. Have seen nothing in the media to my knowledge informing how that went. Or if it was concluded.

Hi Skidder Thanks, have just read the Echo article. However he has intimated that, as has his dad for months if I recall. This at least clarifies the position in respect of fielding a team. It doesn't clarify though if he has successfully negotiated that the stadium can be used ongoing in 2021 to continue racing. Last i can remember that had to still be done as there was uncertainty on what facilities may or may not be available as also the case on staffing levels if any ?? The last article I saw said there were still many months before they had to conclude/complete that discussion. Just a bit concerned that as the stadium owners no longer have the more lucrative Greyhound racing there any more, if there may be a more ulteria motive to turn it into commercial or housing development in the long term which would be far more lucrative for them IF they could get around the covenant regarding having to offer a sports facility ?? Hopefully not, but having witnessed as a born & bred East Londoner so many Speedway venues/stadia closed over the last 50 years including my more local and last surviving Lakeside and add more recently the now bulldozing at Rye House then I am wary of all of these Stadium/Land owners.

Been quite a while since I have been on except occasional look in. If I recall, last I saw was that the Fords were supposed to be negotiating with the Stadium owners to see IF they would allow them to race on the now virtually disused Stadium in 2022 after the owners near enough permanently removed Greyhound racing. Saw comments about possibility racing may be allowed but without use of restaurant facilities etc but can't recall seeing anything definitive. Does anyone know anything definitive on the position or is it that there is still a doubt that racing will ever be allowed back with what was back then talk of possible redevelopment of the site even though there was supposed to be a facility for sporting activity allowed. Excuse if I am wrong as the only comments seen recently are from contributors who indicate as if we are going to be racing. Maybe I have missed news ??

Find it a bit of a shame that former Poole riders such as Magic/the returning Crump/Doyle plus a non Poole rider such as top performer Nicki P could not have offered their services for such a good servant of the sport. I wonder if some of the bad press on the condition of the track over the last 2 seasons has scared off some of these guys from wanting to ride in this one off meeting. Especially at the start of the season with so much at stake if one did get injured. Doyle not riding surprises me bearing in mind he has 2 spells with Poole. Perhaps like Crump does not want to risk anything 24 hours before they are both due to open their league accounts with their Prem clubs. Should still be a decent meeting though with plenty of past & present Poole riders making themselves available plus getting some all important track practice.

Be good to see if/how main team sponsor discussion may be progressing. Nice to see all the team race suits now seemingly sorted with both individuals and companies getting involved. Hopefully similar opportunities will be available in future seasons as gives a chance for all to be involved should they choose.

Whoops forgot to highlight what i wanted to ignore from said poster. Decided to block it all. Thanks to said poster for reminding me as never used the facility before

For those not in the know. I found a way to ignore certain posters. What a relief to have such a facility on the Forum which pleased to say I have activated my first ignore poster

I think Rob Ledwith will agree with you on that . Never say never. My point with Nielsen is he is still young and if you take out all the time he spent out with major injuries he is arguably speedway wise even younger. he has shown flashes and if you can keep him fit he can indeed improve.

Let's hope so as it will be proof that we did good in signing a still young Brit. Happy to see the 3 Aussies rotate in and out of reserve. Keleher MAY be the surprise package so Nielsen could still drift in there even if he ups his av a bit. Suppose it will partly come down to IF our reserves (or at least one of them) racks up plenty of points and ends up maybe with a high av come end of May. Will hopefully make healthy competition. Happy to see riders of the calibre of Josh Mac/Keleher & Nielsen drift in and out of reserve with Cook. Either combo will still be decent at reserve against most teams reserves (as currently advertised).

Well at 25 last Oct he is not old. Not for someone like me over 60 Factor in all the time lost thru injuries he is still a young guy imo.

Back on topic - I wonder when Matt/Danny will decide and announce on the final reserve pairing for 2020. I am sure there are different opinions on it, but |i wonder when they will announce which of the 3 x 4 pointers goes into the main team,

Whoops made a typo. Apologies it should have been a P not a *. Happy to engage in sensible debate with any forum user but not with somebody who deliberately incites a negative response with their constant digs & jibes at anything Poole. Feel free to carry on with it as you usually do and I am happy as a Poole Supporter to engage with supporters/fans who genuinely have a decent point or opinion positive or negative to make. Happy to continue to bore you and maybe with luck you will stop looking in

Also for the Track*rat. So it would be okay to lay ourselves bare to those teams who have stacked their top 5 like Leic/Redcar just because we have decided (partly due to circumstances), to go down the strength in depth route and we are still 0.97 under the official team limit. Don't forget we have 3 riders on 4 and 1 just over. There are plenty of young Brits signed up in this league and it may well be that those who have not made it so far, find there way into teams as they may start to empty some of these riders as the season progresses and with the first GSA's end May. Let's see how loyal some of these teams stay to the young Brits if results not going as they want.

From the man only one letter short of having a more apt username suited to his comments and attitude towards anything Poole. Poole had 8.97 points . I think you will find had they been able to secure originally planned Hansen on 5 or Bjerre on 5.87 then for sure they would have signed any Brit from Morley/Hume/Kinsley/Bowtell etc. With those dropping out they decided to go down the Aussie route which to a degree is a risk but surely not as risky as signing a 5 point unknown Dane who would struggle to get 2/3 (like history tells us in recent seasons) and a N/L quality Brit. Personally I think Keleher is better than any of those named above or a young unknown Eastern European/Scand and we get a 4 pointer in Cook who could be anything but has beaten decent riders in Aussie and at 22 still has potential. If he got a GSA of 4 this season then job done for a first season.

Doyle in his first season in top league with Poole had a GSA of 4.76 2007. Only had 2 Poole meetings in 2006. He was 22 near enough and ridden for 2 seasons at IOW in lower league. When he left Poole I don't think anyone would have said that was a future World Champ. Blessed with gating ability but always got overtaken. Maybe he is an exception as not many become WC with his background, and developing into such an aggressive (and top rider). None of those traits were apparent/visible in his earlier career. However a shining example not just to young Aussies but also young Brits that there is always a chance to get to the top even when you are bout to turn 30. If the likes of Josh Mac/Keleher and Cook get to half of what Jason has done, and in Champ then for me job done. Even if only 2 of them make it still job done.

Josh Mac should maybe more compared to the development of Jordie Stewart. His first season in UK 2018 Stewart achieved 4.09 GSA - rolling av. 2019 achieved 5.74 and looks promising. Didn't this guy sign for 2020 for Swindon on a no doubt converted average making him 3.59 or even if it is 4, an attractive reserve signing in Prem. Josh Mac came in well after season start after Work didn't start. Was a reserve but finished at number 2 for Sheffield. Probably learned a lot and who knows a Prem team like Swindon could take advantage of the rules again come 2021 if he is an improving rider (or maybe Sheffield as they own him).

Maybe you misread my post and Clive's reply (as he wants full name disclosure). I think Clive is implying that we could have a young Brit already in our own team i.e Stefan Nielsen at reserve come end of May and first GSA sheets.

Look at this way. Poole have 3 riders on 4 (Keleher/Macdonald/Cook) and 1 rider just over 4 in Nielsen. 3 of those qualify for a reserve berth with a good chance Nielsen may qualify come the first GSA's of 2020. Now just for this exercise look at a Keleher/Mac pairing at reserve against plenty/most of the other Champ reserves. Factor in each reserve can have up to a max of 7 rides incl taking some of the other reserves rides. I would hope from Poole perspective that this is an area Poole could score plenty of points at least in the early part of these season as many of the young (and not so young) reserves in other teams are finding their way. Heat leaders are important but strong reserves who can pick up extra rides can also win you matches. Especially against many of the reserves named by others.

Could be Skidder playing mind games of course. Am intrigued where the injury concern and fixture clash come into it though. I am sure it will be 2 Aussies as a Dane gets a 5 leaving not enough for even one Aussie. I will stick with my 2 from 3 and let's see what falls out Wed evening. Just hope one is not a "Well that all that was left who wanted to come over" signing.

Of course it may need some thinking outside of the box. Fitness & Fixture clashes could be a young rider who based in DK during the season who received a bad injury in POL in May and dind't ride rest of the year. I know one young Aussie who fits the bill on both of those scores. Young Keynan Rew - Believe only 17 and 2 x Aussie U21 125 cc Champ and 1 x Aussie 250 cc Champ _ Based in DK in 2019 - Signed again for Slangerup 2020 and for Leszno Nursery Club Stainer who also have Young Aussies Lidsey & Gilmore. They have 3 Aussies in total. Broke his femur in May 2019 hence why not seen since but has signed for both clubs for 2020. I reckon 2 from the flwg 3. Keleher/List/Rew.

Saw plenty of it over at my more local track Lakeside so looking forward to seeing it at Poole. More of a variety of riders with plenty of these up and coming young riders from both our shores as well as overseas riders such as the Aussies etc. Yes some of the riders have Champ experience but not a great deal and some have little to none. The point i was making was that riders of the calibre of Josh Macdonald plus hopefully our last 2 riders and even say Nielsen could run up decent scores against these guys finding their way. Could be important if we are found a little short further up the score card. If for example we had say Josh Mac & if we signed for example Zane Keleher (purely example), then I would be confident that against say Gilkes and Ledwith and even when racing against them later in the meeting after the reserve race, then I would back the 2 Aussies based on current ability to come out ahead. That 4 times min per season in league matches. Sam with a lot of the other reserve pairings. If our reserves do pile on points then you have the likes of Nielsen possibly waiting in the wings to swap into reserve or the last of one of our 2 signings. We know from our (fortunate) League win in 2018 the damage strong reserves can do for you against weaker reserves. Definitely come in handy if your 3 H/L are not all performing together which we saw plenty evidence of a Poole the last few seasons.

Good point. If you look at a lot of the N/L youngster reserves, many who are slowly learning and finding their way I think this could be fairly critical. If you look at the SGB 2020 team announcement site and then view all the reserves it really stands out how important our 2 reserves may be in comparison. Let's say we have either Josh Macdonald or another 2 promising young riders who have been recommended from say Aussie (Just saying as an example). These guys could score fairly well if you look at say Bickley/Flint or Thomas/Morris - Kemp/Edwards - Gilkes/Ledwith - The Thompson twins - Lawlor/Jenkins - Palin/Lambert - Rowe Stoneman etc. Josh Mac for example signed on a 4 but finished riding at number 2 for Sheffield. If we sign another 1/2 of that or maybe better calibre young Aussies then if they a\dapt quickly to our tracks they could well score decent points against these young riders (and with Ledwith not so young) , many who may be very good one day but for a lot it is a steep learning curve with a lot of them partly in to get to the 2020 team points limit. Will be interesting to see who our last 2 are but the above will be a factor for sure.