TheWellBehavedWorrall

If it was Thomson and Castagna, what would that leave remaining for the last spot? If those two are signed, I like the look of that Edinburgh side, but consistency is absolutely key and I think that’s where they struggled in 2025. Big season for Dan Thompson. If he can avoid injury (or more specifically, Luke Killeen), then I think we could be looking at a proper breakthrough season for him, like Brennan for Poole in 2024.

Very true; lots of ifs. I think the owners and Brown are due credit for their team building efforts as they’ve put together a squad with a ton of potential. It’s now whether or not that translates into results. Oxford do look very good, as do Poole. Let’s hope for another season of (mostly😂) great speedway.

I can see where you’re coming from. They’re gambles, but I’m under the impression both Pedersen and Hausl are highly regarded, so hopefully that correlates in to performances and points. I know they’re not like-for-like, but how do they compare to Nagel in signing terms? Are they the more impressive acquisition, or was he?

What question marks, out of curiosity? I’m not challenging it; I’m genuinely wondering where the concern is because as a Glasgow fan, I’m blinkered.

A very tidy looking team being put together by the Gladiators. Hope Barker is one of the final pieces of the puzzle. Probably the only guest who got pass marks for us last season and I find his interviews refreshingly honest.

Huge signing for Poole, bringing Cook back. It pains me to say it, but his performance at Ashfield in the play-off final was a captain’s performance. The resilience to bounce back from being bullied by Howarth in heat seven and passed by Harris in heat fifteen to win it for the Pirates in the race-off was remarkable. Excited for the season ahead. The Championship is shaping up to be competitive.

Right, let’s get away from the nonsense. Serious question. Which will have more passing in 2026; Wimborne Road or the queue at Poole Post Office? Disclaimer: This was not a serious question. All the best for 2026 Pirates. Looking forward to another competitive season.

Wholeheartedly agree. Let’s stop the abuse, insults and name-calling and get this topic back on track.

It’s bizarre. Imagine your neighbour knocking your door and saying ”two years ago, your tree blocked the sun coming into my garden” and when you answer him, your other neighbour tells you ”give it a rest”.😂 That’s exactly what @Fromafar has just done. Can someone please make it make sense?

How do you even respond to this level of stupidity?😂 Someone else randomly resurrects a two year-old discussion, but I’ve to give it a rest? Don’t quote me again unless you’re willing to make sense.

Follow-up post to reiterate that I don’t even know who you are, yet you’ve tried to recreate two years old history to portray me as a bad person in direct response to my attempts to stop abuse and insults on the forum. What a horrible thing to do. Why, @Monarchs2468?

Wow. Why let the truth get in the way of a good story, eh? I won’t call you a name like a child, but what I will say is you’re a complete liar. Let’s revisit history, purely because you’ve dragged it up. I had a difference of opinion (natural on a fans’ forum) with another poster and the above was Gaz’s input after involving himself. To which I replied… I then followed-up to clarify the purpose of the meeting, so as to prevent liars like you trying to recreate history. @Gazc and I exchanged private messages that night. We agreed to meet at the first bend smoking zone before the meeting (I believe it was Oxford in the play-off semi-final), but he didn’t turn up. I then sent a private message suggesting if you’re incapable of expressing your opinion without relating to abuse or insults, then you should be brave enough to do so to that person’s face; not just from behind a keyboard/mobile screen.

I’ve said it a few times; the energy on this forum is crazy.😂 Last night’s exchange was just one example. A few days ago, someone called a Poole fan a ”w*nker” and a ”parasite” for absolutely no reason. Simple questions or attempts at engagement become hostile for absolutely no reason whatsoever. You can disagree with someone without resorting to name-calling or insults. The strangest thing is that those you meet at tracks are salt of the earth people.

The year is 2059. Premiership CEO Phil Morris has arrived at the annual AGM to propose a points limit of 12.5 per-team. It’s the 26th season in succession Phil has implemented a points reduction. Leicester boss Stewart Dickson isn’t happy, but the manager of the league’s only other team - also Stewart Dickson - is delighted.

I’m a big believer in rehabilitation, so can’t align with this view; it breaches my values.

Complin played a huge role for us against Oxford and Poole in late 2023 when we secured the title, but what happened in early 2024 was a disgrace. I still remember being at Shielfield Park in the opening away fixture, wondering why heat two was going ahead with only three riders. Absolutely nothing on the club’s social media. If he serves his ban and pays his fine, everyone deserves a second chance.

I thought Kyle Thomsen would have been one of the first names on the Monarchs’ team sheet. Didn’t he end last season on fire? He was outstanding at Ashfield in the play-offs. Almost lapped Harris in one heat. That’s his reminded me of the referee - it might have been the Harris race - accidentally pressing the red light, mid-race.😂

George was a breath of a fresh air for us. He was our first proper number one since Robert Nagy; our first rider to break the nine-point average barrier in a season since 1994, I believe. He was a classy rider; he would have looked less comfortable in an arm chair than he did on a speedway bike. He was a fantastic gater. Where George struggled was when he found himself not at the front; passing didn’t come easy for him and subsequently, didn’t happen often. Heat fifteen at Armadale on the 12th of April 2002 will always be my favourite speedway race. We hadn’t won at Armadale since 1997 and after fourteen heats, we found ourselves 43-41 ahead. Armadale was packed. George gated and lead Peter Carr and Frede Schott for three-and-a-half laps until Carr came under him going in the third bend of the last lap, but somehow through defying physics, George - millimetres apart from Carr - returned the favour exiting the fourth bend to take the chequered flag. The sea of red on the first bend (now third) erupted. Edinburgh 44, Glasgow 46.

Love the energy on this forum. Everyone’s so pleasant.

Totally agree, but for sixteen years-old, wow. We don’t want to put too much pressure on him, but the sky is the limit. An abundance of potential. Physically, he’s so much more of a presence on the bike than many riders older than him. Spot on regarding Scott too. He was outstanding in the Wimborne Road fixture.

I really rate Cairns and I’m sure his reserve partner will be capable, knowing Poole’s team building abilities, but I’m surprised the Hagon/Hodder pairing are being written off above. I think our reserves will surprise a few.

2004, if I recall correctly. Started the season like a steam train, but ran out of steam by May. Lots of factors; Jones - an absolute revelation - picked up an injury and chucked it, Bentley’s form fell off a cliff, Blackman and Campbell were dreadful and subsequently replaced by Cockle and Carrillo which improved us at reserve, but McAllan came in for Jones, so we were on to plums. Still, we had a 15-team Premier League. Imagine.

I like the look of Plymouth for next season. King and Nicholls’ experience will be invaluable, both on the track and in the pits, plus I think Thomsen has another gear in him. There’s also every chance Joe Thompson will kick on like his brother. What’s the script with Ben Barker? Is there room for him, or any indication as to what he’s doing?

Does anyone have any idea when the 2026 fixtures will be released, or even a rough idea? I ask because I’m being asked to forecast work trips abroad in Q3, but I’d prefer not to miss any speedway, so I’m hoping to plan around the fixtures when they’re available.

I hope it’s Perry because I hope he secures a Championship spot next season. I don’t think many could argue against retaining Hodder at his expense, but if you could bottle Max Perry’s desire and effort, you’d make a fortune. He’s got the bravery to go wide, but I think physically, he appeared to struggle to control his momentum coming off the second and fourth bends; he subsequently often lost that momentum. He’ll be a great prospect for any club.