HGould

Well either somebody has dropped a bollock or the set up and structure of the NDL Trophy is going to be very different to NDL, which would completely ruin the objective and aims of the new concept. Morley's last CL season saw him finish on a 4.40 GSA with Plymouth. He's ridden many seasons in CL and in PL Surely the rule has to be if you're illegible for NDL you're illegible for The Trophy

I certianly hope that your local knowledge is right .

The question with Paul Starke is not his ability in my opinion. The problem has been his equipment, or lack of suitable bikes and engines. On the basis that the Poole Promtion can usually find someone to cough up a few decent engines and bikes and someone to maintain them, then if Starke was to be sponsired / given, the kind of kit others have been given, he has the ability to actually add at least a point and a half, may be more to that average certianly from the reserve berth.

But that is THE WHOLE POINT! Monmore and Dunstall can live together in perfect harmony ad infinitum. Monmore via ENTAIN; Dunstall via ARC/Arena Supplying Global Streaming who don't give a flying feck where Stadia are, who owns them, how close they are together because MILLIONS will b generated by Global Streaming watched by people who will NEVER go to the stadiums nor even to the UK. That is 21st Century Betting. The Day they will both close is when A1 / E-Sports take over all Human / Equine / Canine events which is already happening in Betting Shops and Gaming Malls....there is or used to be as far back as 15 years ago E-SPEEDWAY in Bookies that you could bet on!

It didn't help when some well known Promoters and personalities spaffed up large sums of money collected by Cradley Supporters on vanity projects and NOT for the purpose intended of finding a new Stadium.

As explained earlier in this thread. Dog Racing does NOT need to be sustainable in terms of bums on seats / feet on the ground. Both Monmore and Dunstall Park will contiune STAGE BAGS afternoon meetings with a handul present, and more viable Evening Racing tageted at Dining. Dunstall has excellent facilities and an On Site Hotel. Monmore is a classic better quality God venue for Dining purposes. 98% of thier income will come from STREAMNG to all corners of the globe. That rakes in large sums and does not require anyone paying to get in. Hence any false hope that Monmore may become available is sadly just that false hope!

Sadly Brian the polar opposite is the commercial reality Arena (formerly ARC) own Perry Barr and also Wolverhampron Dunstall Park RaceCourse Entain (formerly Ladbrokes) own or at least have all of the rights to Monmore Green Both Perry Barr and Monmore green are part of BAGS - who have GLOBAL rights to Dog Racing that is beamed 24x7 across the World and particularly the very cash rich Asian and Far East Markets. Here's the rub of the green... MONMORE GREEN / MONMORE is the globally known Stadium name for dogs. I've never seen it branded Wolverhampton. Wolverhampton (occasionally Wolves) is the global branding for the Horse Racing - in the distant past it was known as Dunstall Park, the area of Wolverhampton it is situared in (Dunstall Hill). So in commercial terms for Greyhounds / Horses e.g the massive BETTING markets - the Wolverhampton tag is irrelevant and for all the global betting markets are concerned Wolverhampton (the place) could have 4 or 5 Tracks as long as the global TV and Web betting markets paid the necessary fees and commissions. In the past Birmingham could sipport Hall Green and Perry Barr just on crowds and UK betting markets. Wolverhampton could support Wilenhall and Monmore Green just on crowds and throw in Cradley Heath and Norton Canes too. Sadly Dogs corners the GLOBAL market....of course Betting was banned in Speedway for many years, not now, but may be Speedway missed a trick with betting at a time when many Dog Stadia were set up for Tote and Stadium Betting that could have revolutionised the Sport. Sadly i can find no solace (for Speedway) in Monmore losing dogs and Dunstall gains them.

Unfortunately with the average age dynamic at Wimborne Road the average use time of adult nappies and lilets does not exceed the time limit to safely complete 30 heats of Speedway and the further limit of no more than 5 heats with passing* excitement (*excuse the pun)

I think ArnieG may be right (lower down). I suspect Iwade Track, that runs NORA and a lot of Amateur Events may not want to be running too many Kent Fixtures, especially after the issues they had with BSPL in 2022. May be too they want to see how a collaboration of 2 previously rival Clubs (Kent and Eastbourne) works in reality. Better to make an assessment on 5 fixtures than 10 if it's not profitable or just breaks even, although on NDL pay rates and the supporter pool of both Clubs, they should have no trouble attracting at least 500 on a regualr basis you'd think. Good luck to them and hopefully this time they won't be impacted by petty BSPL attitude like Si Kellow was.

With respect I think you're all missing the point (SEE MY POST ON THE DEVLOPMENT LEAGUE PLANS below) The existing Teams in the NDL were happy with the exact format they had and didn't want any more meetings (can't imagine oxford could have handled any as an example) THIS IS WHY THERE IS A LEAGUE and a TROPHY Those in the LEAGUE did not stand in the way though of NEW entrants provided they had a separate competition...hence the TROPHY It benefits RIDERS as they can ride for a LEAGUE team and a TROPHY TEAM so get more rides. There is no option for any Team to ride in both! ---- original post Posted Monday at 09:34 AM The suggestion I have heard from an aspiring rider (now 15 years old riders parent) has a slightly different take on the rumours above. That is that the existing Clubs are happy with the size and structure and a few of them don't want nor can see viability in extra Fixtures above the current size. To facilitate the other existing clubs that want to join or rejoin (presunmably to fill some gaps in CL especially fixtures) and any new Clubs will have their own League run on the same agreed format with 6 man teams. That though will be a "win" for Riders as they can ride in the existing League and the new League, so potentially doubling opportunities to race. There will be no cross-over add on competitions though between the existing a new League. It will be interesting to see if this idea, or a more anticipated geographical structure sees the light of day.

One rumour. From a Club Sponsor. They were erring on what to do for 2025 so was told a definite signing.

That's the name i was told at the weekend. I'd not read this thread in full before posting earlier so it seems to back up your information. Source was a Club Sponsor.

It's NOT Masden nor a GP rider. A decent second string engine room operator

Hearing we may be signing a Dane who hasn't ridden in UK in recent years but comes with a decent pedigree in Poland and Sweden.

The suggestion I have heard from an aspiring rider (now 15 years old riders parent) has a slightly different take on the rumours above. That is that the existing Clubs are happy with the size and structure and a few of them don't want nor can see viability in extra Fixtures above the current size. To facilitate the other existing clubs that want to join or rejoin (presunmably to fill some gaps in CL especially fixtures) and any new Clubs will have their own League run on the same agreed format with 6 man teams. That though will be a "win" for Riders as they can ride in the existing League and the new League, so potentially doubling opportunities to race. There will be no cross-over add on competitions though between the existing a new League. It will be interesting to see if this idea, or a more anticipated geographical structure sees the light of day.

Wonder if they may shell out like they did with Crump and Bjaerne? Zagar is going to be in UK most Mondays for Brummies , can they still ride Plymouth Home matches on a Tuesday?, he's ridden for Trelawny so will know Phillips?. Not sure what his CL average would be but he could make 5 starts round Plymouth and be almost undeatable round there. Win your home matches that's key?

A proper No 1 with a good reputation. An excellent No 7 who will only improve. Promising start!

Riss; Wright , MPT wasn't that the excellent heat leader trio that won them the KOC in 2019? Riss , Wright , King would be even stronger especially if DK wasn't usual Heat 15 pick. Edwards is a steady improver perfectly capable of adding 1.5 points to that average as is Mulford... If either of those options are 1-5 Redcar could be title contenders for me.

Everyone fixated on Cairns forgets I think how crucial the final destination of Anders Rowe is in terms of the best 7 man team. He's shown real potential but just needs a full season without injury and could really kick on with a secure home base. I think he's as important to Poole as Brennan was last season. As for Kerr, he just doesn't seem the sort of high maintenance; injury prone rider; that seems a natural fit there?

Looking around the other declared or strongly rumoured line up's if Bowtell and Joe Thompson (who was presumably much sought after on that average) are 4th and 5th in line up in terms of average, with Barker at no higher than 3rd, then Plymouth would not be the weakest 3-4-5 by any means. As always for them it's all about getting a couple of bona fide heat leaders. A fit Covatti would be an excellent No 2.

You want West?... Neath Speedway (look it up) now thats west! St Austell (look it up) or Trelawny - west of west! If you really wanted to "go west west west" Ballymena - now that would be as far west as Speedway has been in the UK! On the topic of West - Michael West - (he's coming to a Championship Club sort of in the West !)

Well he does have a split personality...he could have a happy club, a middling club and an angry club...he could even ride for one and Guest for the other two at Plymouth

Brennan did well for us last season, he carried the Team on many occasions until Lindgren arrived. The way I look at it is this. Brennan is the only realistic prospect of a British rider breaking in to SGP full time in next 3-4 years realistically on the horizon. Whether he is good enough is open to question but he has to optimise his chances of doing so. Will he do that carrying a team at Birmingham knowing its 95% sure to close as the Stadium closes in a years time or being a third heat leader behind 2 experienced GP stars at Ipswich, where he could legitimatley stay for a number of years and step up the pecking order in time and learn from those around him, rather than carry them. He will have a solid UK base, is building his profile in Poland and also gaining valuable experience in Sweden. I'd actually argue that had he NOT gone to Ipswich, he'd have been better off riding CL at Poole than PL at Perry Barr in terms of his development in 2025. Thanks for all your efforts Tom, onwards and upwards young man!.

The worst example was in 2018 when Lakeside regularly had matches cancelled by the Management Committee as they were bottom of the pecking order and if they had raced scheduled Fixtures a certain Promoter could not get a Guest who had broken his leg very early in the season.

An interesting if inherently sad feature on ITN 6.30pm National News on Thursday night and repeated as part of the nationally screened Tonight programme on at 8.30pm across ITV Regions the same night. It included filming in The Pits Area and Seated Stand and some panoramic views of the excellent work done there. A very sad topic though about "drink spiking" and a feature about a local lad who it appears was involved in the Speedway whose parents are involved in a National Campaign to emphasise how dangerous and lethal it can be.... Sangita Lal the presenter mentioned the Speedway and there were some racing clips a few times.