HGould

They might be struggling to do that soon, if Poole have gazumped someone they had lined up for their Team. Just a possibility of course. Bit of a case of deja vu perhaps?

Possibly wants the security of a Club who have more certain future with Poole Stadium site prime development land and no assurance re tenancy after 2024. Even if BCP try ro offer new site in return for changing covenants over current site it could be 18 to 24 months to get planning permissions and new stadium built.

Got to fear for the kid with Gary May's track record of trashing weak reserves and giving them no encouragement other than programme fodder. The way he treated Atkins and others before him. Can see another season of revolving reserves at The Coliseum.

Maybe his wedding and constantly chopping and changing Fixtures and not knowing from one day to the other if he'd have to chose between wedding / racing had a lot to do with it! He's also an out and out racer and possibly on very wet tracks at end of the season and the above just took the edge off him. Riders are human beings after all not Robots.

Barker himself would probably admit that the "common sense gene" passed him by. He's not the only sportsman in any Sport afflicted by such an issue. They are often mercurial talents whose true potential is never fulfilled by weaknesses. It doesn't make them bad people, it just clouds their lives.

I think he's comparing with last 2 seasons. Crump and Bjarne in 21 had big averages, Crump tarnished his reputation and from all accounts bled the Club dry whilst Bjaerne was a model professional but past his best. In 22 they had erm Kennett, say no more,MPT was unlucky, Hans was a shadow of his past self, Barker did well to a point. I'm sure Gary will think that in Howarth and Worrall they have 2 better riders than those named in 21 and 22 seasons respectively and specifically. As for their reserves, most teams will have a 2 pointer, those who have a 3 and 4 pointer won't have such a strong top 5 as Plymouth look likely to have. Swings and roundabouts. Their key men will be Gilkes and who joins him as a second string. If Barker is the other heat leader they could have an extremely strong top 5.

May be someone out of left field like Kvech or Lahti on a low average. Both would score well in PL.

Happy with that. He rides with aggression and never gives up. He's had some decent meetings at PB at CL and NDL level. Good gater and can make passes too. Steady improver type who can ride to his average.

Great news hopefully. I've always thought that if they could move a couple of Junctions up the M5 towards Bristol and tap in to that huge conurbation it could be the making of them. Fingers crossed.

I'd take a punt on Ablitt. He's only going to get better, will have learnt a lot last season and worth giving a chance too if the other options are riders like Smith and Roynon. Ablitt would be at least comparable to both at NDL level.

Was hoping we might have enticed Dan Gilkes but sadly not. Lots of competition for riders around 5 point mark. I'd have Kyle Newman back like a shot but suspect he's going to return to Poole on that average. Lots of rumours about Bowtell and if he doesn't go to Poole (if Newman does) think he'd be a nice fit. Like his aggressive style and has shown he can ride PB well enough. Paco would be very welcome back too.

Shane's best meetings at PB were only when a deep dirt line built round the fence and he could exploit it. Few could do better than him. If Redcar can give him similar option and to ride when he'll get later heats eg not 2 and 4 if reserve, and if second string ride him at 4 at home, then they'll offer him best chance of success. The track may suit his style with that scenario.

Not being disrespectful but if you took Ryan Douglas out of that field it would be a poor NDL Track individual at best and barely Amateur level at Scunny or Redcar. I'd take Rob Hollingworth to have made the B Final.

I haven't ben since their NDL days so can't comment on the specific of what they do now and there have been mixed reviews but mostly very positive. I think the bigger picture though is that they have FREEDOM to do it the way they want to do it and want to PROMOTE it! Promoters take a lot of stick but they are effectively in a Closed Shop that would do an old Eastern Bloc dictatorship proud. That's not entirely the fault of the current directors, its the drip drip of previous uninspiring Management Committees who set down Rule and Rule and had no coherent strategy. Of course IOW have also got FREEDOM from £10k or more BOND (£3K I understand in NDL) £15K or more Asset List (that in most cases has no market value or relevance and in actual fact is a closely guarded secret full of ex riders) £20-30k additional Bonds which new Entrants / movers up to CL from NDL have had to pay in past few years. £xxxx.xx for sole supplier Tyres that defy the Trade Descriptions Act which can only be purchased from storage in erm Scunthorpe! £xxx for Insurance whoch has to be purchased from you guessed it a Sole Agent who pays a fee to BSPL Ltd for exclusivity (Martin Lewis eat your heart out) £xxxx/xx SCB Fees to pay for them to oversee the BSPL with completely blurred lines and sharing Directors / Management Committee in part. (like a Politbureau and a Sub Politbureau) Strich Rules and a Rule Book that is a complete joke, insistence of which day you race and what you have to do in terms of reporting - even PR to a degree that has to be monitored and approved. Club Websites that don't belong to the Club, domains held by BSPL Ltd. Fines levied if you don't toe the Party Line. IOW runs via NORA... Time surely for some Clubs to work out the excessive COSTS of BSPL and the possible INCOME of breaking free to NORA.

Logistically the Ipswich move for Rew and mentoring by Doyle makes sense. If he's going to be based in Poland it suggests that the Poles would want him to spend majority of his time there. Polish speedway clubs are on a different level of professionalism and preparation to UK clubs, that's irrefutable. With more Polish fixtures on Fridays and Saturdays, they may want him in Poland at that time. Be interesting to see how it pans out.

Positives He's a genuine CL Heat Leader He'll turn up every week when fit and give 100% He's not too long in the tooth as to be likely to lose form suddenly The key will be who will be the other heat leader along with Sedgeman.

A multi million pound business offering transport solutions to thousands who may otherwise not enjoy opportunity to travel v a jumped up hairdresser. A family that pumps tens of thousands in to Team GB and young British talent v a Club that seems to want to help Australians, Danes anyone but young Brits. Yeah some comparison... No comparison.

Most seem to think Nick Morris. Danny King would be very popular. Bomber would be popular but put the cat amongst the pigeons elsewhere. Of those I'd prefer DK

Really feel for Lee Chipchase and Phil Kirk who have tried to make a go of NDL at Mildenhall. Rider availability is definitely not an issue for them, great tradition there for developing talent. They've been incredibly unlucky with the weather the past couple of seasons especially last season. The basic issue though is that Spedeworth run Stock Cars on a Saturday night and wreck the track (as Stock Cars do). Speedway then has minimal time to clear up the debris and try to prepare a track. If it's rained on the Saturday or previous few days they are left with an absolute muddy mess to clear up. Its a fast track for its size and if under-prepared there are invariably crashes and delays. It really is a vicious circle for them. If they could ride midweek or a FRiday it's possible they could use track b4 Stocks wreck it and have a chance to prepare it properly but Thursdays are out (PL locally) Fridays are out (would take any CL contracted rider away most weeks) and I guess Tuesday / Wednesday (another night when CL contracted riders may be missing with 3 x CL teams riding on a Wednesday so effectively 6 full Teams). It's hard to see a way out unless they can find some Sundays when Stocks haven't raced the night before and more in June / July when at least weather may play ball.

We're you supplementing his guarantee, sorry points money?

Nearly right. Plymouth out Mildenhall to confirm or not Bit surprised about Armadale, hopefully they and Mildenhall find solutions

Not a surprise but hopefully they can find a plan to stay in.

Not a surprise to see Plymouth giving NDL a miss this season.

It was a privilege to watch Leon at Birmingham in 2018, 15 years old, first season from reserve to heat leader. The same season I saw a bit of Brennan, heat leader all year in double winning team. I don't think Trigger will be as good as they were then in 3 years time. I see him more as a Danno Verge or Richard Andrews, a good NDL rider but not CL class.

would be weakest No 7 in CL if true, I know Gary May has a reputation for sacrificing riders but he's no where near ready and nowhere near the likes of Ablitt / McGurk who struggled on track for most matches in CL last year but who are much more mature too physically and off track. I can see logic for Ace Pijper who looks a genuine rising star but at least a season, probably 2 seasons too soon for Trigger. Got to be better 2 point options