YeOldPitGate

Injuries are becoming more and more of a problem when trying to present even a bit of credibility for the sport when I went late 80's early 90's everything was based around the old british league and national league. Now days with riders competing in up to four different international leagues plus doubling down and more individual/team international competitions plus all the grand prix's the opportunities for injuries are way higher so we are less than a month into the season and some teams are decimated already turned up with guest,. r/r and irr. There really is no answer to this in the UK but it doesn't help from a point of view when selling the sport when teams turn up with half the stated riders missing or trying to build a bond with the local fans.

Interesting Mike if you have time post a few of the names who are no longer riding .

Spot on where do you go for options, in the perfect world they need someone like Anders Thompson or Lindgren but most likely it would be a toss up between Kerr/Sedgeman.

I think Redcar could be dark horses this year the two youngsters going great guns if they get a fully fit Wright back and could find someone abroad on a false average to replace Jenkins they would take some stopping good to see 4-5 possible teams in the reckoning this year.

Bonkers way to run a competition isn't it.

With how Thomsen has stepped it up this year Edinburgh are just a Rushden or Scott away at reserve from having a really good side even allowing for Sedgeman being the Aussie version of Klindt.

If Rob was in charge of the countries finances rather than Reeves he would have the three trillion deficit paid off in a year just don't expect a penny outside an uber tight budget to be spent.

Sadly Iain there seems to have been a lack of interest in solving any of the problems for the last 20 years. UK speedway just doesn't do plan b or c its more lets just wait a couple of months before the start of the season and carry on as is with a few more band aids and try and kick that can a bit further.

Great to hear roughly 3k turned up re the team as you mentioned surgery that brings to one of UK speedways big issues who out there is there who would make a material difference who would come outside of the usual suspects like Kerr etc who wouldn't be much better than what they have. In the ideal world they need an Anders Thompson type rider but as we know 99% of that type of rider just won't come.

He is going to go far but its a real shame Beau Bailey wouldn't come over as in personal opinion he's on another level for a youngster even against Cooper.

Do you think Doyle will be back great rider with true grit but can't have to many seasons left in him especially with all the bad knocks he's had over the years.

Next time get Woffy along as Picko and Howarth square up I can hear it now Woffy shouting to the crowd "give me an F, give me a U" you know the rest lol.

The three youngsters are coming good for Redcar they could suprise a few when they get rid of Klindt and get Wright back, re Cluff what happened to young Max James seemed a talent all be it another one who was probably thrown in to fast is he another youngster who has been lost to the sport or could he persuaded back with some additional mentoring on track craft and set up's ?

To be fair Chris is older than the hills now and he's still batting at a pretty decent level in the second division.

Problem is after the issues all winter with trying to cobble together a top league Belle Vue have had poor early crowd numbers and that's with having two of the most exciting riders on the planet and one of the best tracks in the country. Hopefully we will have some big news from Harry soon with maybe Linda cutting the tape at the KO cup final.

Still wouldn't be surprised if half the home meetings are run somewhere else until everything is signed off.

Can't remember what the criteria is these days didn't it use to be finishing in top four of American final ?

A random thought given it seems Beau Bailey is going to skip the UK in the short term I wonder if Poole might make a move for Brady Langdon next year if he's willing to come to the UK. The US talent pool has been near bare for to many years sadly but this lad looks like he might have the making of something good he's raced against Will Cairns a few times stateside also so there's a possible in there. He looks a talent but risks would be guess he would have to come in on a 4 point average and long way from home at 16 all be it Middlo and co would probably provide the best support team any youngster could hope for coming to UK for the first time.

Its strange isn't a few years back he looked an up and coming gem at SON could be similar story to Gusts looked promising when racing abroad but comes to UK and bang average at best.

I think as riders also get older they seem to struggle on larger tracks Hans Anderson was a top table rider but his last two seasons after a lot of knocks also he really lost his edge but could still chip in with some good scores around the smaller circuits.

Spot on for me given the state of things if your never going to make it to the top table in the sport Lawson is an example of someone who has played the game like a finely tuned fiddle (this isn't a dig at him) he's got his own business which means he can fit work around matches, he can control the amount of non speedway work over spring/summer and turn it up over the winter months. He signs for two of the best teams in both leagues and probably makes I'm totally guessing here 80-150k per annum from riding before expenses. The only thing he needs to be careful with is avoiding bad injury so it doesn't impact on his self employed plastering income hence another reason he's probably not bothered about the british final from a risk/reward point of view. Be interested to hear from any ex riders on the estimate of his earnings if i'm miles off or not if anything my gut says i'm probably under estimating his earnings as would imagine the Ford's sort him out some decent sponsorship at Poole. As I say no dig at Richard but it just shows how a rider not in the top 25 globally who sticks mainly to the UK can probably make a very good living if they have their head screwed on.

Haven't got time to read through all the threads today so apologies if you have already answered this Mike but what was the crowd like in the end as remember you saying yesterday advance ticket sales weren't looking great ? If it was a dire crowd can't see it being good news for the sport generally when you consider best track in the country headed by two of the globes most exciting riders and still punters not turning up. I think this winters problems have unfortunately put a few more nails in the speedway box top sadly.

Ah I'm with you and to be fair it sounds the more likely route Lynn visiting Fricke is abroad and Rambo Lambo drafted in for the meeting carry on, teams not declared to as late as possible that used to really get me and one of the reasons I stopped going.

Is Bangs expensive have a feeling it was mentioned in the past he had learned from Picko when it came to charging just thinking Ippo coming in late but with a bit of money behind him might have been the only team to meet his demands.

Thing is Bagpuss what does help out look like ? from a rider prospective I can't see anyone willing to ride here who's better than what they already have so can only think it will be helping out more to cover the likely trading losses.