YeOldPitGate

I've also got a feeling Ippo will be there or there abouts as well as again built with strength in depth and three riders who could put a point plus on averages as you say this year isn't like the last 2-3 years where I strength in depth side needed to have the match wrapped up prior to heat 13 if facing two world class big guns. Jack Holder still world class and Chris can more than hold his own in this league but being older and having had two terrible crashes he's probably 60-70% of his previous peak self so not quite the shoe in of winning heats 13&15 that his brother, Bewley,Kurtz or Fricke would be even in current league.

Don't get me wrong Cue it doesn't bother me personally I swear lots myself but for whats portrayed as a family sport with kids under say 15 and for sponsors its not a great look, can you imagine the scenes if Ronaldo was interviewed on Sky Sports after a match and launched into a tirade. As I say his mental strength to come back from looking death in the face and pretty much learning to walk again is massively impressive and he's probably Englands greatest rider ever. This has been done through sheer hard graft as I don't have him down as having the natural talent of riders such as Loram or Screen but at his peak he had a fantastic racing brain for reading where other riders would head on the track. Just feel he could be so much more when the time comes if he decided to give something back to the sport when his riding days are over but given his temperment and the old guard its a marriage that would probably last a week.

Is the old swearer their tonight ? hope his recovery is going well got to respect his incredible mental strength but he's a terrible advert for British speedway with the constant f bombs.

Just following on from the Ipswich late declaration I do wonder what will happen if Northampton start to look like Brum 2025 Lemon mentioned other promoters will help out but I can't help but think what would that help look like given nobody else half decent wants to ride in the UK this year.

Yep I was thinking the same given he's young and a decent rider he really should be a top ten man when you look at the UK league standard, with his eyes shut and averaging eight plus a meeting.

Baring injuries Northampton should be shoe in for the spoon.

with the right handling both should be future core England team riders

Is Dillon still riding last I remember he had a hand injury and never seemed to come back from it, shame if I'm right as he was developing into a really tidy rider who could have had a decent career in UK and maybe Poland if he continued progressing at the rate he showed in his last two years in the UK. I think he also ended up on a 5.5 ish average which made it hard for him to fit in anywhere as he was still a reserve but heading towards second string status.

They would be better off taking a chance on couple of untried overseas riders like Worky have over the last couple of years might unearth a gem, just think Rob operates on an uber tight budget but this team is going to need surgery fast if he doesn't want the home crowds falling off a cliff.

I dear say we will be pushing up the daisies before anything happens ian

Hi Flagrag are you in a position to reveal if anything positive at all has happened from the Speedway Futures side of things yet obviously no issues if you prefer to stay stum if it puts you in a difficult position.

Frogger

It is bizarre and the huge amounts of grift in the open doesn't even try to hide it but again no one seems fussed or their to scared if they try and stop him some of the crazy militia that support him will turn up at their home with guns.

Very valid question I work in investment markets and have a feeling if this isn't sorted in next 3-4 weeks (latest) and the oil will need to be flowing again ourselves and Europe are going to have major issues possibly on a par with covid lockdowns. Diesel is going to be a problem outside of the Gulf two main sources are the US and Russia , Russia has three big diesel processing plants and Ukraine bombed two of them last week so you can see the issues coming down the chute. One old fool and his delusions of power really has f--ked the entire world up pre war Iran controlled roughly 4% of world oil they now control 20%.

Granted but that was probably against the weakest top league team line up's in history Phil.

Always remember Sam Ermolenko after he won his world title saying i've got the mindset now where when I really need to win a race against the worlds best I can do it and that mentality is what makes the top 1-2% in any sport. After that quip I remember watching Sam v Han's Neilson in a world cup round at Coventry and Han's was probably at that period where he was nigh on invincible in the sport. It came down to which ever one of them finished ahead of the other that Country took the prize Sam gated and Hans looked quicker behind him but sheer skill and racing brain kept the great Dane behind for all four laps, IT was an absolute master class in track craft.

Spot on your lot could surprise a few this year Tobi if his head is right could put 1.5 - 2 points on average, Bangs has talent to be one of the best newcomers if he can adjust to the track, Lawson steady eddie 7 point man, Tom capable of putting a point on average in a weaker league, Nicholls will do a job at home also if King and Edwards can maintain averages you will make play offs.

Spot on last four races of the speedway world cup where Poland nicked it off us at the death was brilliant racing shows what the sport could be if it could get organised over here.

Agreed I can't think of to many sports where you start in division three and end up in division one at the same time your in division 2 granted the odd special talent can make the leap but 90% of the time it does more harm than good and loads of potential top league future third heatleaders and second strings are lost to the sport.

Spot on I remember when I went down to Foxhole one bank hol following Lynn was either late 80's or early 90's and over 5k were there for the afternoon meeting the weather was brilliant for once also. Might have been around the time Ippo had Donkey and Castanga

Its equally often the case that the uber naturally talented riders are surpassed by slightly less talented but more dedicated riders. Three examples I can think of off the bat over the years Penhall was world champ v Kelly Moran who wasn't, T Rick multiple world champ v Henka who wasn't and Hancock four times v Hamill only once. In my view Moran, Henka and Hamill were three more naturally talented riders than the other three mentioned but just lacked that extra 10% grit that the other three had to really scale the heights and become multiple world champions. And just for the record I'm not implying Penhall, Rickardson and Hancock were slouches they were obviously far from it.

Agreed stacks of decent young british riders lost to the sport through being thrown into the deep end to early for every Screen, Loram and Lambert there's another 20-30 who although never hitting the heights could be the next Kings, Lawson's, Hurrys and have decent top league careers which would cut down on the need for flying in overseas riders.

Niels Iverson was another was pretty much an engine room rider for years went to Lynn when they were struggling and most thought he isn't number one material but kicked on and had a great carear.

Agreed if Zagar is happy/motivated they should win most of home meetings, if he's not fussed they will be up against it.

Personally think your team look a lot better Brennan should kick on, Tobi could be a 9 point man if his head is right and Bangs is one of the best talents out there, Lawson should be usual solid self granted the other three could be hit and miss.