TotallyHonestJohn

Can I make an offering to a team? Regards THJ

JCF at Peterborough must love you then, however my Mam always taught me to share and be nice Paying over the odds just inflates the rate, a reserve at one club on 70 quid a point whist a number 1 at other clubs are on the same rate, its not chips we are dealing with, when there is a potato shortage they put the price of the chips up however next year when there is a glut they don't bring the price back down they just pile more chips on, there isn't a glut of riders unfortunately Regards THJ

He's been announced for Scunny man Pick someone who hasn't been announced Craig Cook Yeah... Regards THJ Oops, Sorry should read all the posts before I respond So errrr what he said above!!!

Paulco there is a process which Glasgow don't seem to; or are incapable of following and we are dealing with Sportsmen on very different terms and conditions than "Bob the Builder" who can walk from site to site plying his trade to get the best offer. I wont go into the ins and outs however its not done in life even at the top levels of employment and you start to deal with the likes of headhunters there are always rules and guidelines that are applied and the other thing to bear in mind these guys are self employed as I am and you do not agree to a contract then renege on it, it costs your more business and you get a certain reputation. No witch hunt and I for one am always pleased when new money and new ideas come into the sport, however having been on the other end of how you "do your business" its wrong and not the way to go about things, maybe its the car salesman mentality that's coming to the fore who knows; however its infuriating when you have to tell another rider who has signed a contract that you can not commit and he is being dropped due to a guy you had an agreement with being poached by another club. Where you have to change the structure of your team building to such an extent where you end up losing two 6.5 point riders (one cut; one nobbled) to having to fit in a 7.5 pointer and a 3.5 pointer which you may say "its still adds to 11 points"; however taking the 3.5 pointer on; means the guy you had on 4 points now moves into the main body of the team to accommodate the change, weakening the team as you built to keep the 4 point guy at reserve. Its not just about the money... Correct but there is a process to follow, even if a rider rode for you last year the rider can always say at the end of the season I don't want to come back, that's is okay; and the club can say we are building different next year and thanks for this year but we wont be using you, and that's okay too; its when someone has agreed a contract and you have built your team; then along comes "Billy Deep Pockets" and the whole thing the other side has done or is trying to achieve falls apart, its not hard is it to play fair and follow the guidelines rules or agreed process. Yep "Glasgow will always do what is best for Glasgow it is there choice" and fair play "Self First; Self Last and if there is owt left Self Again" promoters doing what they want totally selfish to the detriment of everyone else, I am sure I have heard this elsewhere on here, but never mind when you are in a league of one what do you do then when. You need meaningful competition... You have me with this one Manse "what happened before the P O semi- final might happen again" what did happen? Sorry but you will have to enlighten me I am also happy for Glasgow to pay what they want its their business and its up to them, no problem; the issue is how they operate outwith the rules and guidelines, I also agree Klindt and Bach were not cheap however Workington were very late in declaring last year as were Newcastle and both clubs ended up paying over the odds due to not being in the initial set up for obtaining riders, furthermore due to being late to the party they had to pay a premium for riders who would not normally attract the remuneration they normally would have, which is another problem. There still aren't enough riders to go round and bringing up two teams will only strengthen the riders bargaining positions, but that's a wholly different kettle of fish. Believe me Workington are not paying over the odds this season, and to be brutally honest they cant afford to, however lets not get away from the fact there is an awful lot of jealousy coming the other way for what Workington achieved last year with what everyone perceived as a crap team... You want to take that chip off your shoulder and loose the paranoia Gaz its not healthy, next thing you know you'll be "going down the garden to eat worms" Manse do you know what a Myth is? no its not someone who is married to a "Myth-ter" if you will pardon my lisp!!! I can assure you all of the Workington riders wages are guaranteed and everyone gets what they are owed. But this headline is always good on a slow news day. Play fair and follow the rules and guidelines; as no one likes or responds well to bully boy tactics or the nobbling approach, its not the cash; its not what is being paid, the issue is how it is being done and I know people think it is an over reaction to say it is threatening other operations but that's the hard cold truth, this is my first year at this and believe me I am thinking long and hard as to whether I make it my last. I am ringing and texting guys with regards to their assets who I would like to fit into a team under the delusion that we already have a key rider in the bag only to find a backdoor approach is undermining everything I am trying to achieve which is totally wasting my time and money... So do I take the same approach and ring riders direct go behind the asset owners back or the team he rode for the previous year and make big offers not asking permission of anyone when they have signed agreements with other clubs? No because that just makes me part of the problem as well; not part of the solution. I know I can be a pedantic tool on here at times but that is part of the fun (ask Jenga) however I do have morals and scruples unlike many others Regards THJ

OMG get the Tenna Men out I think I am going to wet myself Where is it going to be announced Web Site? Facebook? Twitter? Unofficial Forum? Fans Forum? The tension is palpable Regards THJ

You are missing the point Dave and who mentioned anything about Rasmus? Certainly not me!!! Also I know of certain riders who are owned by individuals under the banner of a club and loan fees go to the individuals. The BSPA would sell assets of bankrupt and wound up clubs to raise funds however it would now appear that they might be looking to retain assets to generate funds through loan fees which is a good idea to my mind. However clubs have always had to ask permission of the asset owner to speak to that asset. Whether that is a club an individual promoter or an association. What has been done in the past few years is sides jumping in and offering ridiculous an unsustainable contacts to riders without any consideration for the collective and the upheaval they are causing. Then they bitch about losing money, well Der, you are creating the problem for yourselves in you business approach. Follow the rules ffs and you won't find yourself in this predicament Regards THJ

When you have signed a contract that's it otherwise action is usually taken. You see it in football regularly. If the BSPA own the asset you go to them first THEY OWN THE ASSET it's not no one owns the rider the BSPA own him therefore you go to the owner of the asset first before you speak to the rider. They may know what the situation is with the rider and that he is available or they may not... So then you go to the club who are using that asset to see what the situation is before you speak to the rider The club can only say we are using him then you should back off or no fill your boots you can have him we are team building in a different direction. You don't go to the rider and say "here mate we will double what you are getting now if you sign for us" it poisons the water and undermines everything else the club using that rider is trying to do. It also inflates the wage structure He may have been on 50 quid a point at the first club but by circumventing the process you have immediately made a 50 quid a point rider think he's worth double that Where as if you had followed the process you would have said to the rider "mate we will give you 5 quid a point more than you were getting last year" he's happy you have saved 45 quid a point and when you drop him half way through or at the end of the season he isn't on this ego trip where he thinks he's worth 100 quid a point as a reserve. But no some folk don't want to do that they want to ring every rider they can without following a process and say they will double their wages. Then pick the best 7 from the 27 they have had a go at and the other clubs can kiss their proverbial butts cos they want to do what they want to do... Some attitude that eh!!! Go for it I say and when there are 7 or 8 professional clubs left in the country and the rest are amateurs good on ya it's the "in maxim" these days "screw you I'm alright Jack" Regards THJ

Correct but he isn't the only rider owned by the BSPA... however riders can't officiaĺly go where they want until a laid down procedure has been exhausted... the official procedure is (very) roughly and very loosely applied as follows... the club who would like to sign a rider should ask the BSPA/or parent club/promoter if they can make an approach to their asset. If this is sanctioned they then go to the club he was previously at and ask them if they are using the rider and if no... then they go for it... if yes his previous years club get the first opportunity to do a deal, now the rider and previious club might have already agreed they are moving on or the rider may say I want xxx to come back and there is a failure to agree and everyone moves on... Previous club and rider know the situation however this still doesn't give the rider free reign to negotiate as the parent club need to be asked if an appraoch can be made as they may wish to take him back and if the rider cant agree terms again... then its open season... however what is not supposed to happen is a rider agrees a deal/contract with one club only for another club to come in with a higher offer gazumping the club who thought they had a deal... I suppose in football terms it would be classed as an illegal approach, however it makes things very difficult for the club who had the original agreement to totally change tack when you are building to a set points limit. Its not just one rider that you potentiality lose you may have to ship out others (who have contacts already signed), the whole team may need revisiting to rebalance it when fitting in a different rider not included in the original team plans or running with a weaker team than expected. The process isn't ideal but the consequences can be huge if some order isn't followed... however the process shouldn't be circumvented and especially when the rider agrees a deal (and may have signed a contract) only for another club to come in and offer the rider (who had been happy with his deal/contract) ridiculous amounts to walk away and move to the new club as the highest bidder. It is actions like this that is skewing the whole payment structure creating absolute havoc with team building plans and sets unrealistic financial expectations amongst riders... I'm doing this on my phone and getting a headache straining my eyes looking at such a small screen so I will cut it there however what I will add is it is maybe time to bring in a grading structure to limit clubs scattergun team building approach or do away with the asset based structure we currently have and allow the BSPA to have all the assets and control them for the benefit of the whole sport applying sensible restrictions. More to follow... as no don't the usual abuse will need to be defended or the pedantic questions answered in microscopic fashion. However have at it and I may leave replies until tomorrow as my head is banging... need to go to Specsavers... Regards THJ

Honestly bruv Paulco needn't worry after spending all weekend and some 100 plus texts sorting a contract out for a rider who finally agreed a deal on the Saturday night only to renege on the Sunday with a text obviously written out for him by a third party sums up a great deal of what this sport is about. Glasgow's woes are crocodile tears, I had genuine sympathy for the fans when the promotion put out the press release they did however it was utter "hydraulics" and if this jeopardises my application for my promoters ticket so be it however I am less than impressed with the way things are operating. I will hold my counsel for the present however there will be more to follow and the truth is stranger than fact or fiction, in fact you couldn't make it up and it actually threatens the existence of a club as a business, honestly... Regards THJ

Mr Weasel just for info... Doing track work at Derwent Park yesterday and Tony Jackson (Workington team manager and club promoter) confirmed that it was all UK nationals who qualify for the 2.5% reduction. He attended the AGM so I assume he knows what he's talking about. Regards THJ

This used to be the case however the statement on the BSPA web site looks pretty vague to me (or is it) with • The BSPA League Structures for 2019 will be; (NB to support the progression of riders who have progressed through the National Development League, all riders will receive a 2.5% reduction in their average) Therefore it does appear to be saying anyone (ever) who has raced in these development leagues is applicable for a 2.5% reduction, however I would love to have it confirmed one way or the other "somewhere" what is meant by it. Also as it is primarily British riders who come through these routes I think it is a step in the right direction. The key words to me being all riders will receive a 2.5% reduction which isn't a great deal off an average but based over seven (British) riders building to 42.5 points it can make a significant difference by adding just over one full build point!!! Regards THJ From The Weasel "I'm not aware of this timescale but would make sense wouldn't it? seeing as it's supposed to help their transition into the higher league and aid their development, I've all ready mocked a Poole supporter on another thread for suggesting Harris would be entitled" Like it however he could be right! though!!

Well I didn't get what I wanted with 6 man teams so here is an attempt at a 7 man one to 38 points So No Newcastle AVE 2.50% (GB Reduction) 1 Jason Garrity 7.59 7.40 5 Tero Arrnio 6.83 6.83 2 Ashley Morris 5.58 5.44 3 Matthew Wethers 5.78 5.64 4 Paul Starke 5.66 5.52 or Nico Covatti 6.56 6 Daniel Gappmaier 4.84 4.84 or Nathan Greaves 4.09 7 Danny Phillips 2.00 2.00 TOTAL 38.50 35.89 7 man team built to 38 points however I am relying on all GB riders getting a 2.5% reduction and if they don't swap Nathan Greaves for 4.09 in spot of Gappmaier which brings it down to 37.53 and if that is the case you could add in Nico in place of Starke (so does anyone know who will qualify for the 2.5% reduction) Or so (with no reductions) No Newcastle AVE 1 Jason Garrity 7.59 5 Tero Arrnio 6.83 2 Ashley Morris 5.58 3 Matthew Wethers 5.78 4 Paul Starke 5.66 6 Nathan Greaves 4.09 7 Danny Phillips 2.00 37.53 Or (with no reductions) No Newcastle AVE 1 Jason Garrity 7.59 5 Nico Covatti 6.56 2 Ashley Morris 5.58 3 Matthew Wethers 5.78 4 Paul Starke 5.66 6 Nathan Greaves 4.09 7 Danny Phillips 2.00 37.26 So it all just depends on that 2.5% reduction and who gets it? as it can make a significant difference. Regards THJ

I think the impression is with him being a Somerset asset that they will be using him, however Rob isn't daft and if Jake was/is wanted I wouldn't be surprised if Rob had done a deal at the end of the season and even before the AGM. Scunny had the nucleus of a very good team last season that unfortunately succumbed to a bit of an injury jinx (which sadly can happen in a season) and they had to limp through the year so Rob will (IMHO) want to retain as much of that side as possible as it did have a great deal of potential. It will be interesting to see what way Leicester and Somerset jump team building wise and who they pull in and if they use any of their own assets, I am also unsure if they can insist that an asset rides for their parent club, (I'm sure someone on here will be able to answer that question though) So just for a laugh; how about the following which retains much of last years side Scunthorpe AVE 2.50% 1 Josh Auty 8.36 8.16 5 Steve Worrall 8.17 7.97 3 Jake Allen 7.37 7.37 4 Stefan Nielsen 5.66 5.52 2 Gino Manzares 4.00 4.00 7 Alfie Bowtell 2.38 2.32 6 Anders Rowe 2.00 2.00 TOTAL 37.94 37.34 The 2.5% column is in because I am not sure if the reduction is for all riders who have come through the NL, it used to be a 3 year reduction on leaving the NL; however the way I have read the BSPA press release I am not sure if those 3 years are still applicable? Either way it doesn't matter as the team above fits without any reductions being applied the only difference it would make is if another Brit was brought in for any position it gives another 0.68, although again I am sure someone can advise if the 2.5% is a reduction applied to all British riders Regards THJ

Well obviously you have you plum and you have dignified it with a reply!!! Doh!!! Regards THJ

Hey Grumpy Crumpy99, your not allowed to have a moan you put me on the naughty step remember; back on the 27th of October, That didn't last long did it, You were far to important to read anything I was posting, you stated I will apply the ignore button because I am an an anally retentive dinosaur was what you come back with. Does this mean I am back on the team you old wind-bag. However to your credit it is nice seeing you getting with the programme, having a go at quoting from "Mork and Mindy" then there was the snide slight that I let pass where you quoted "Blackadder", (yes I seen it) and although you are a bit old to be classed as a "Padawan" there is hope that your sphincter might be slackening off. Impressive to say the least Padawan. However you must work on your context old boy as my Avatar picture is from "The Shining" your Nurse Mildred Ratched jibe who is a fictional character and the main antagonist of Jack Nicholson in "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" is not the same movie. Although it is relatable to Jack Nicholson I suppose, so grudging kudos to you for that as you are trawling the internet looking for the barbed return and at least doing some research and I appreciate that, honestly; and I suppose it keeps you off the "Dark Web" and keeps the old grey matter working and the synapses firing. I honestly think you are getting a twinge over this and enjoy it really; as it fits in with your "Victor Meldrew Syndrome",(yes its a real syndrome) so keep up the good work and I will now assume I am off the naughty step and the ignore button has been unchecked for the moment unless otherwise informed of course you pompous old apple tart.. Regards and Lots of Love and Kisses (cos you luuurve me) THJ

Cookie is a "Shoe In" Kemp will not get a 2.5% reduction as 2 points is as low as you can get average wise, However the interesting point for me is the line on the BSPA Web site with regards to what come out of the AGM and the heading with the key point being underlined "The BSPA League Structures for 2019 will be; (NB to support the progression of riders who have progressed through the National Development League, all riders will receive a 2.5% reduction in their average)" In the past this 2.5% reduction was only applied to a rider for three years upon leaving the National League and the way I am interpreting this new regulation (Possibly wrongly) is that all British Riders are getting a 2.5% reduction so Cookies average will drop to 10.20 which will make a small difference to who can be brought in. So the question is can anyone confirm that this is the case? Who actually gets the reduction? it seems a bit open to me... Regards THJ

Well Well Welll Look whose back in the top flight!!! the big league!!!! with all the "Big Boys" New fare to be dispensed in the Showground Cafe, out go the meat pies and in come large helpings of "Humble Pie" All the doomsayers and doom-mongers where are they now? Oh and don't forget all the Chapman haters; how ironic is it that the man most hated by Panthers fans ends up owning the club? Absolutely Brilliant!!! JCF and his Granddad Grumpy Trumpy Crumpy99 will be a miss on the Championship Forum with all their sparkling wit and repartee, good luck in the new venture back in the top flight and enjoy your speedway Oh and "all hail Buster" the saviour of Peterborough... PMSL Regards THJ

Tell you who else not to rule out Nico Covatti... especially now that Ippo have gone up... He's is one of George's go to guests and goes well at Brough although I don't know what his European commitments are like for him to come to a Sunday club... Regards THJ

Jeeezs Jenga you are on fire tonight Cookie will be back at Glasgow the fans love him up there. St Craig of Glasgow. Just means they will have 28 points or so for the other 6 riders. A 6 pointer two 5's and 3 around 4 points. Who says it won't work as your team broke all the traditional team build rules this year and won the treble. You pays your money and you take your chances. After this year who knows how to build a good team. Regards THJ

I'm just pleased I got the chance to manage the Workington team when we won down there.... To still retain my 100% record as a manager and an away match to boot was most satisfying to say the least... In fact it was bootiful! Thinking about that last line Bootiful Bernard may have been from Norfolk so if that's an insult to Suffolk folk apologies... Good luck in the top league and keep on enjoying your Speedway Regards THJ

Newcastle could have the exact same team with Robbo out and Phillips in the total only comes to 36.25 before any reductions are applied. Again with Ludvig and Robbo out and Garritty in with Phillips the total comes to 37.37 so there are options to retain the bulk of last year's side. (If they are wanted or want to come back of course) Regards THJ

Hahahaha Oh you're a bad man Jenga.... lol Regards THJ

Hahahaha As Jenga would say More to follow.... Regards THJ

Laura and Jacko are working on a press release which will come out very soon... it is all looking very positive indeed. More to follow... as the saying goes. Regards THJ

Well that's why Workington picked a rubbish team by all accounts, with the aim to "just win" their home meetings and get to the end of the season, hopefully somewhere around the mid point, you know just don't get the "wooden spoon", Mid Table!!! Everyone wrote them off at the start of the season, a 16 year old kid with no big league experience; one heat leader; and not a very good one at that; and five second strings that quite frankly no one wanted. I blame them stupid riders for winning everything its their fault, what a bloody cheek turning the form book on its head and delivering a fantastic treble, no mean feat that and you can get lucky by winning one competition but all three that was some achievement. However on a more serious note how ironic is it that when you are successful in Speedway it costs you more money, how crazy is that, success should reap the rewards surely, shouldn't it? nope!!! success gets you a bigger wage bill, more stadium costs and more indirect costs. Yet every promotion chases the dream how bonkers is that. I cant honestly weigh it up. Be near the bottom and lose fans as your team is getting beat or win everything and near bankrupt yourself. So I think I have sorted the problem finish 5th every year and hope all your meetings are 49 - 41 home and away. Sorted If it were only that simple eh! Who would be a promoter? Regards THJ