TigerIain

An update to the relevant rule has been issued by the SCB today: "Registration No. 134679 England VAT No. 238 5704 48 Registered Office: A.C.U. House Wood Street Rugby CV21 2YX E: info@scbgb.co.uk Amendment to Regulation 12.1.11 Date Issued: 15/10/2026 Regulation No: 12.1.11 Subject: Leaving the Track Addition to current wording of 12.1.11 A rider whose machine crosses the inner edge of the track marking with 2 wheels must be disqualified unless, in the opinion of the Referee, the action was taken in the interest of safety for other riders or the rider involved was forced off course by another rider"

Stene Pijper has had 3 years in the NDL, but hasn't developed as well as expected, no idea why though. Only average 3.6 in the NDL With the rumoured top 4, Ace's average would be too high for Glasgow to fit him in

Strongly rumoured to have already signed for a Championship team that isn't Oxford. Online rumours about him are like a game of scabby queen...no one seems to want him in their team! I still expect him to be back at Poole though

I'm sure they are both in the 20 odd riders that Glasgow have 100% definitely signed for next year per this forum! Seriously though, I expect both to be back at Glasgow next year. Flint has been improving year on year (ignoring the playoff at Scunthorpe, before someone else pipes up with that comment). Bomber is still box office entertainment round Ashfield. He was slightly below par at times last year, and is now under 8 with his Brit reduction, so Tigers can keep both even if the 8 point rule stays.

Rumour seems to be that Eastbourne would ride in the Premiership if a deal is reached. Given the new rules on u21 riders rule there is a good chance Vinnie Foord could ride for the Eagles and a Champ team in 2027 (and possibly an NDL team as well)

I believe that we have a cunning plan for our reserves. However, as Mike Tyson (I think) said 'everyone has a plan until they get punched in the mouth' so we'll see how that goes

I'd pass on Victor Palovaara quicker than Bomber and Kyle do on track round Ashfield. He can gate but goes backwards quickly after that, and quits like a Frenchman once he's been passed I would guess it's about half right. I expect Leon Flint to be back and the bottom end to be weaker to fit him in

Would make sense for the Brit u21 to be a Brit u24 as Brits tend to develop later than Poles and Danes. We'll find out over the next few months. Note that nothing has been said as yet if the u21 foreigner gets a different average to the current rules. It was 6 originally, as riders dropping down got their average doubled and couldn't go above 12. Riders going up got their average halved. At the time it was designed to encourage people to step up, but that has long since changed

and the same goes for the u21s, especially the British rider(s) as there is a significant difference between the top British u21s and the 7th (or 8th), and if some teams end up with 2 Brit u21s (due to costs) the talent gap just gets bigger as you are already on to riders that weren't good enough for a Championship place in 2026. And will throwing these youngsters into jobs that they aren't ready for do anything for their careers? Or will they be lost to the sport?

Viv Muddle is a young Australian rider who was over in the UK at the start of this season

Don't forget Edinburgh, it's been mentioned a couple of times on here that he is going there as well! Personally, I don't think he'll be at Glasgow. He can be brilliant round Ashfield but too inconsistent as he's had some shockers there as well (plus last Friday was not a good advert for his talents if he's wanting to race for a Scottish team)

I could be wrong, but I believe, per the paragraphs below, that premiership teams need to have 2 x u21s at reserve next year. 1 must be British, the other can be foreign or British. (I've not seen an official BSPL announcement which will confirm either way, the quotes below are from a Polish announcement translated to English). Given the lack of foreign u21s riding in the UK in recent seasons, I am not convinced that there will be a queue, so I expect some teams may end up with 2 Brit u21s. If my understanding of the proposed new rules is correct then the teams need the u21 foreigners more than those riders need the UK teams, and a top Polish u21 rider is generally much further ahead in their development than the Brits are. If I was a top u21 rider, say 2026 u19 World Champ Kevin Małkiewicz, I'd be asking for heat leader money from UK teams. "From 2027, the rules for youth players in the top leagues in Sweden, Denmark, and the UK will also change. A team must include at least one domestic U21 player , while the other can be either domestic or international." "The changes to Under-21 rider regulations could also have an impact on team building, with clubs required to include at least one domestic U21 rider while having greater flexibility over the nationality of a second youth rider."

I'll be interested to see how this works in practice. Currently not many under 21 continental Europeans ride in the UK. Looking at the top 8 from last years, British under 21's only 4 rode Premiership. There is already a significant difference from Rushen and Cairns to Loftus, Perry and Foord who after multiple Championship seasons are still averaging around 3.5 or less in the Championship. (I haven't checked who is now no longer under 21). Only the top 10 had Championship places, riders finishing 11-18 were NDL only riders, yet we could see them being signed to Premiership places to fit the under 21 criteria, even if they aren't good enough for the Championship. Forcing teams to use 2 under 21s could make the u21 riders more valuable than heat leaders.

OK I known I'm drunk...but is that a Pirates fan genuinely complaining that someone else's track is gate and go?!?!?!?

Track is very wet and heavy. It is still raining...maybe...watching it online it seems to be showers of varying strength. Racing has been very strung out as a result

Don't think either would sign him on his outing so far! In his defence the track is soaking wet, and it seems to be raining as well, but Zischke seems to be really struggling tonight

Is there enough top riders to have more then 6 teams? Even the British World Champion doesn't ride in the UK, and hasn't done (except late season injury cover) for years. It would be good to see more teams, but the sport needs to find a way to tempt top talent back to the UK to staff them.

Be careful what you wish for. It could be a property developer that buys the lease, or the stadium, which could spell the end for speedway there, and probably the Pirates. I don't enjoy watching the racing from Wimborne Rd but speedway as a sport can't really afford to lose any teams or stadiums.

Last year it was after (allowing Workington to sign Craig Cook on 7.99). Currently 10 riders would be above 8 for next year, including Kyle Howarth. 8.00 was chosen last year as that was the top 9 riders being spread across 9 teams. So it could work that way again this year (I've not heard anything either way). Would only mean Poole losing someone (as Klindt is currently unattached). Berwick and Plymouth had no one finish over 8 (after a 2.5% reduction in Scott Nicholls average) Kye Thomson, Leon Flint, Sam Masters, Zack Cook, Richard Lawson, Charles Wright, Nikolai Klindt, Josh Pickering and Jonas Jeppesen. Plus the now retired Kyle Howarth Any brit between 8.00 and 8.20 would go below 8 after a 2.5% reduction (Scott Nicholls and Bomber)

Baffles me that people keep suggesting every year that Bomber will sign for Poole. The man loves blasting round the fence in the deep dirt, I genuinely think a bit of his soul dies when he turns up to super slick tracks with next to no dirt on them. I reckon Bomber would quit rather than ride on a home track as slick as Wimborne Road every week. Equally spending nearly 8 points signing a rider like Bomber doesn't fit Poole's business model these days. They want better gaters in their team.

The Poole fans online seem to think that Cairns won't be back due to averages. That lineup looks to leave them a little bit weak at the top end, unless one or both of Rushen or Cairns takes a big leap forward next year to become a top heat leader home and away. Not saying it can't happen, just that it's not guaranteed especially if there is pressure on them to make that leap.

Is it not to do with whether or not they have a Championship place at the time? Either way Jody Scott is surely too good for the NDL now. He seems to be improving every year and I hope that continues (regardless of where he is riding)

The same Eddie Kennett that's spent his entire career trying to avoid riding at Glasgow? Maybe he could ride Shergar with Lord Lucan as his mechanic. Scunthorpe made the playoffs this year of the back of their low average riders scoring week at home, and Pickering staying healthy all year. Even with a shocker away from home on the first leg of the playoffs, if the 2 'photo' finishes had went Glasgow's way at Ashfield (Tigers lost them both by 0.02 seconds) it would have went to a super heat. So we weren't a far away from a final, even if we were unconvincing for a lot of the season. I genuinely think that there is more change of us going 4 strong and 3 weaker riders next year rather than 1 outstanding and 6 middle scoring riders. As great as getting a world class talent like Andersen would be, I can't see that happening. If he wanted to come to Britain, I think he'd look at Nagel's scoring and go Premiership.

I doubt KJP would fit with that top 4. Even if we could magic up 2 x 2.00 pointers that would improve that average (tbh there isn't anyone in the NDL/NDT that looks like they are ready to do that) that top 5 is too high. If Hodder and Perry were the reserves then I think you are still looking at 4 or less for that 5th in the averages rider. So you would be looking at Hagon/ Hausl (doubt either will be back) or a 4 point Aussie, or Foord/Grmek. I've seen a few comments that Foord's bikes aren't up to standard. If you could get a sponsor for new bikes then he could up his average? (If the bikes are the issue)

No. I haven't heard anything official though, but that's my opinion. It was brought in for 2026 as there were 9 riders over 8.00 and 9 teams. (Scunthorpe ruined it slightly by signing a rider that didn't ride in the 2025 Championship but no one said they couldn't). In 2025 there was a definite split in the haves and have nots and needed something to change to keep the league competitive. I don't expect the rule to stay, but if it does, I expect the 8.00 to be changed to whatever figure is between the 9th and 10th best rider averages after the British reduction is applied (assuming also that there is still 9 teams).