YeOldPitGate

I wish them all the best but do feel its all been rushed and it would have been better to have a couple of open meetings to see if the crowds are there this year, I just hope that whoever is coming in doesn't loose a bundle and then jacks it in come October and where then in a worse situation than now.

Agreed would have been one of the few who could have made things difficult for Bartoz

I wasn't going in the early 80's but did see him when he returned to link up with Shawn at Sheffield in the Maurice Ducker years. From videos I have watched I would agree you probably had the best version of him when he was very young and the bad living didn't have so much of an effect due to his youth, when he came back he was still brilliant but probably 10-15% down on what he could have been due to a poor lifestyle. I was fortunate to see lots of brilliant riders but for me my top five natural talents in no particular order have to be Cowboy Cook, Kelly Moran, Mark Loram, Henka Gustaffson and Darcy Ward.

maybe a stroke can be pulled similar to ablitt

From memory didn't Oxford give him a five figure signing on fee.

One from the memory bank MD, Shawn was one hell of a rider also but think Kelly shaved it over his brother for natural talent.

The young lad who signed for Lynn last season is a perfect example Ashton Boughton , he had pics of five bikes before the season started and he was a reserve rider , I don't know how much a bike costs to put together but I'm guessing even if riding in the UK with five bikes and a van thats probably 25-50k and this is a lad who's at the lower region of the ladder.

He was but Kelly Moran was one hell of a rider to watch also, world number four three times and that was with living a terrible lifestyle if he had of been dedicated Kelly would have had at least one world title. As I say I would dearly love to see a new bunch of American youngsters come through in the mould of the Cowboy and Kelly.

But remember we are talking speedway.

The problem is having a van and five bikes is feasible if your riding in Poland but in the UK these days in my eyes reality is the top 50% can warrant a van and two bikes next 50% should be one bike and ideally a track spare the costs have got out of control for what the UK can afford now days not helped by riders in the UK spending thousands per annum on tuning. At some point a total reset will have to happen but it seems to have been kicked again for at least another year unless Harry comes through with some new multi million pound backers to sort the sport out.

He would be the steal of the season if they can pull it off, if they could get Fred back over in place of Emil also I reckon crowds would hold pretty well.

Not 100% sure on that think a lot will depend on can Chris Holder roll back the years he was a tremendous rider back in the day but I think two really bad smashes and what happened to Darcy understandably took the wind out of his sales mentally and physically.

That could be a good team Throssell should be geting double figures every week whilst at reserve, Tobi if he can get his head straight should do a job and same with Tungate if he can be bothered could be a trump card the other four solid and reliable.

Could be an absolute steal on that average was developing into a possible future gp rider last time he rode in the UK but a really bad crash set him back and then from memory he didn't return to the UK, if Northampton do run assuming they can't get a number one he is exactly the kind of rider they will need on a false average to make sure they win most of their home meetings. Maybe Nigel has a brother who will be underwriting the anticipated losses for the coming season.

Remember poor old Terry Chainey trying to make Milton Keynes work in the 80's