STEVEHOLS54

I think he is nailed on to return for Poole. No way Matt will have what is arguably the hottest talent coming out of DK (presently) ride elsewhere. Also still on an attractive GSA of 5.04. Plus had that all important first season (well from July onwards) which gave him an idea of what to expect going forward. When you think about it logically, he COULD be the next Nicki P - NKI - Madsen or K.Bjerre being only 20 (not 21 until next May). In a way pleased he is not doing SWE (although think he wanted to). I think concentrating on POL (now in a Nice 1 team so self promotion) - DK - UK and various Junior Tournaments as well as DK Champ etc will keep him busy. Also with UK being mainly Thur with some Mon (Wolves/BV away x 2) he will not be bogged down doing Pol/Sun - UK/Mon - Swe/Tue - DK/Wed - UK Thur plus individual tournaments such as World U21 etc, would be a hell of a sched for a 20 year old Dane coming through. OK Lambert thrived on it but he was used to all the travelling even as a youngster between UK/Germany and rest of Europe. Having said that Lambert did incredibly well last season. I am all for seeing the young next generation with true potential coming through (especially at Poole).. Even if he is not British ;-) Plenty of the same please, be it Australian's/British or whoever is good with me. The same old same old riders such as Harris/Nicholls will always get team places Prem & Champ as they ride out rest of their careers.

Maybe THJ having ridden for Chapman before and seemingly desperate to ride in UK for 2019 (as no SWE team thinks he's worth what he thinks he is worth and only worthy of a POL 2nd Div slot). Perhaps he will fit in to Chapman's cost plans for either Ips/Pet or even KL. Just a thought as would be on a low av and maybe within Chapman's idea of budget ??

Yep I saw the same thing mentioned but that was based on a comment from one party who mentioned he had been visiting over there. Also heard that besides Fast Freddie living there so had Max Fricke moved there but again like the Holder comment don't know if any truth in it. I know Chris has had a tough time with personal situation and no doubt messing around with the authorities as a result, but would be nice to know if he has commited to living abroad and or has excluded riding again in UK certainly for 2019 and if he has sold up to move abroad . Ultimately for a long time he was a legend at Poole and a WC, and much as that was 6 years ago now many wanted him back for 2018 and were glad he was announced on that low 7.16 GSA. Would just be nice to find out what the outcome is for Chris for the future. I would certainly love to see him back again and with Jack but maybe too much has happened for us to see him racing in UK again ?? Someone out there other than Chris must know what his situation is now.

i was thinking similar for Poole the other week but someone corrected me by saying that being a Foreign rider he wold have to be a min of 4 despite his first season Champ av converting to 3.07. Nice thought though as I aired the possibility of having Pickering and or Stewart as reserves :-)

Was thinking similar. Hardly a ringing endorsement of the new owner IMO. Indicates more to me needs/must or it would have been one big messed up league had he not purchased Pet/ipswich to drag them up in order to maintain a 3 league system. Without you two the Prem would have been screwed to put it mildly.

Middlo will be pleased then as guarantees the rent from him and Todd in one of his hone residencies for another season ?? On the subject of residency. I wonder where Jack will be living in 2019 should he sign for Poole bearing in mind Chris had reportedly sold Holder Towers STC. Also is anyone any the wiser on Chris's plans for 2019. Been very quiet on social media other than a couple of comments re past racing. Would be nice if he could maybe comment as to whether he will be on these shores on not in 2019.

Depends what the plan would be further up the team. Part changes are forced on Matt anyway with the 2.64 over the team limit. If it was Covatti (and no idea where this emanated from) then they would need maybe a Shanes as that is one way of shedding some points IF they are planning Jakobsen into the main team. But Covatti could be a replacement for Worrall but that only saves 0.90 so still have to find a 1.74 saving somehow. At least Wed evening should give us one seventh of the answer :-)

Yes it is a bit frustrating when other teams are starting to announce riders (although not all and certainly no Chapman teams). Doesn't Chapman do this regularly though, wanting to make sure the whole team is signed and then announces in Jan time ?? Suppose as far as KL is concerned Robert Lambert is the main priority with building around him. He already said he wanted back (but as per last season, subject to the deal on offer being workable). Arguably Rob does not really need UK now from a financial perspective now he is with the big boys in POL and IF he is living Germany with his GF then won't come cheap to come over here every week as well as ride in POL EXL/SWE and God knows how other many competitions he rides in overseas like SEC/ World U21 Champ (as it will be his last year trying to win it in 2019) plus maybe also SGP qualifiers. But Lambert is like a sponge - he proved in 2018 how he thrived on riding everywhere and only odd meeting end of season did too many rides take a bit of a toll when called upon for 6 rides if they were well behind.

You mean the elusive Chris Holder. The man who according to POL website late last season, alienated himself from the Torun Fans and was not a nice guy to be around according to some. You would think at least he could put things to bed by saying either he is or isnt planning to race in UK in 2019 after various comments about him having sold Holder Towers (STC) - we know he liquidated Chris Holder Racing UK back in June and rumours have been going around on the Forum about him moving to the Tax Haven of Andorra. He could easily post on twitter/FB or Instagram (as he uses all 3) if he will even be in UK in 2019. Not too much to ask I think. At least we would then be wiser on excl him from any team plans.

Yes but we were supposed to sweep the League easily last season with what was on paper and look where we stood in July. Remember Matt faces a juggling act anyway with the points limit.

I think Ford has a real conundrum on his hands. Many want to retain much of the team BUT with Harris being elevated on GSA and having to lose 2.64 points from last seasons team is a difficult one. Does he go for a strength in depth look as mentioned by Blackheart or does he look more at an established number one which means he has to cut further down and also possibly have weak reserves. Depends on your view. One could argue, and has been proven, that strong reserves keep you in the meeting and is it more about trying to win at home and pinch odd points away to try and make play offs ?? We all know that a really good/strong team on paper doesn't always mean it will perform to that level (as evidenced by Poole first half of the season). Also the team that finishes top isn't guaranteed to win the league, again as proved last season ALTHOUGH both KL and Mildenhall were dogged by both injuries and bad luck at important phases of the season end. We will never know re Lakeside as personally think they were hampered by the loss of their big home advantage track at Arena Essex. I personally feel resigned to the that due to a lack of finance and main team sponsor, maybe Ford has already let us down gently in his Echo press release last week where he eluded to both matters, and may well seek out a more strength in depth team which has scope to improve as the season develops. He faces a problem anyway trying to juggle the points if he wants to try and get most of last seasons team kept together.

if their is the slightest chance that this might happen , I would be intrigued as to who the other reserve will be. Must admit that with Morris having decided on Wolves and with Poole having to lose 2.64 from last seasons team, then Matt faces one hell of a juggling act. Really can't see him going with Harris on that inflated 7.78 GSA and factor in having to lose 2.64 team points it would mean changes further down. Covatti for say Worrall saves you only 1.02 meaning another 1.62 to find. If you retain Harris it means you have to get rid of 1/2 riders from Kurtz/Graz/Woryna/Jakobsen/Klindt and reading various qoutes over the weeks I thought most want to retain all of them in possible. You would only get a 1.62 saving if you replaced the lowest av Jakobsen for say Shanes. Can't see that happening. No doubt Matt has it all worked out, if as a couple have rumoured he already knows his team and the first announcement is Wed evening. Hope it is decent team as its worrying how strong Swindon are already looking with Doyle/Bach and & Musz already signed.

Maybe Rosco wants to spread the news out to keep the fans interest on these dark/damp and dreary days.

Any clues on where that's coming from ??

Suppose we are just going to have to play the waiting game :-) Can imagine most Swindon Fans gutted as know I would be if I was one of them. Whoever gets him on that 6.60 bargain GSA are going to be happy bunnies that's for sure. At least Swindon have now announced his release together with Bellego

For all we know he already may have ;-)

Problem is who is out there and available without costing a fortune (that's even if they wanted to come over). Ford already eluded to the lack of finance and as at earlier this week no main team sponsor in place. Factor in the next to nothing TV money and the fact he openly said the big stars would be too expensive. Leaves him little room to move. The other problem is that with the team having to shed 2.64 from 2018 finishing, the higher the number one, it leaves even less to play with further down meaning they could suffer fitting the likes of Wory/Kurtz/Jak/Klindt/Graz etc. I would not be surprised if he goes more for a young, strength in depth team bringing back Jack Holder on the basis nothing is won early doors and if they can keep within the top 4 area then the likes of Holder/Kurtz/Wory/Jakobsen will hopefully show more of their real potential in the second half of the season where it really matters. That's just my thoughts.

Anyone know if Morris is definitely signing ?? Would have though with him living in Swindon when in UK he would have already put ink on the contract. Having said that I do appreciate he flew home to Aussie with his mates Brady Kurtz & Josh Graz, after the Poole A.Dhabi jolly up, so may not have got around to it yet. Having said that he did get announced by Masarna this morning in SWE so one would have thought he has been active on the Contract front.

Well Batchelor will no doubt seek an area of the UK where the climate is dry as from what I can remember over the years he was always dire on a wet track. Or at the site of a little rain ;-) Would probably rule out Dorset if last season a guide.

It is but that's the new GSA Harris has on the final sheet.

Many want to see Harris back, but the question I pose is that IF you keep him on his new 7.78 GSA and the current team is 2.64 over the 42.50 who do you let go ???.

Just think Sid that Ford may go for a young team option with potential. Especially if finance is tight with no main team sponsor sorted (as per last press release some days ago). I would like to see Lidsey but many think he will go to BV under Lemon's supervision. Stewart is same age with only the one season in UK and Pickering has 2 but improved 2018 against 2017 so seems to have potential and even Matt eluded to him last season when things were going pear shaped. Bottom line anyway and as I keep saying Matt has to re plan to a degree anyway with 2.64 having to be lost from last seasons squad. If we have to accept mainly due to finance and top riders reluctance an 8 point just isn't coming. If we also assume Holder Sr is a no go then to a degree work with what you may have. For me the likes of Holder Jr/Kurtz/Woryna/Jakobsen and even Pickering all offer growth potential. That little lot gives you 30.42 points. Then you can work around the likes of Harris 7.78 - Josh G 6.70 - Klindt 6.61 - Sundstrom at an new attractive 6.04 and maybe Morris 6.60 but that is a long shot. Even then you can't have 2 of the three as only12.08 available unless you factor in Worrall at 5.60 and indeed Shanes at 3.31. An out and out number one - No but do we really think that Jack Holder/Kurtz/Woryna will all bomb this season and surely Jakobsen can improve after his UK initiation season.

Just announced on main SWE Speedway site that Morris has signed for Masarna in SWE. Almost certainly means he won't ride in Champ. Be interesting to see if he does stay at Swind as many Wolves Fans initially thought he was coming there way. Then of course obvious Poole rumours after the Abu Dhabi trip,

Interesting to see Morris was not the second announcement this morning from Swindon. Maybe Rosco just playing mind games with us . IF he was available who would you omit from say Klindt/Josh if Matt even wanted him ??

Can see your point but its the old juggling act and not really much out there in that low GSA range who can see competing. At least James has had some experience of it and has now got more experience via Sheff & Birm last season. If we know some of the teams will have fairly weak reserve pairings it would also help give an idea what he may be up against in some of the races. Until then its all guess work.