YeOldPitGate

Granted hence why I said most successful british rider, Crump, Pederson, T Rick, Hans Nielson all a cut above Woffy.

Saying Smith was a better rider is bonkers he was pretty dangerous on a bike and bang average, Havvy wasn't bad but won the world final on a terrible track and he was the only one that really fancied it that night, Collins, Loram, Screen, Morton all great racers but none have three world titles, Tatum wass a trapper but didn't have that extra 10% to get to the very top. Saying Smith is better than Woffy is like saying Jonhathon Grahn was better than Rickardson.

The pinnacle for any rider is to be world champion as I say he got three of those no other UK rider has done that , I am not a huge fan of his but judged on world titles he's the best we have ever had, granted Loram, Screen and Morton were far better riders to watch on a bike.

More natural riders on a bike some of them yes but none got three individual world titles.

Didn't he try and keep Coventry going ?

Pinny mentioning Exeter didn't Colin Hill leave a load of money in his will to try and get a new track set up ? am I imagining this or did someone burn through all the money with zero end result ?

Kings Lynn 1985-1987 we were horrible handful of home wins.

That Russian better not be Laguta though another one who's not interested half the time in the UK you would be better off with Rambo Lambo at least the bloke gives 100%, of course if you could get Emil back whole different ball game gives 100% and one of the most exciting riders about.

In the mid 80's and early 90's Lynn's track hosted brilliant racing even though mid 80's we had some truly horrible sides, but now it seems a lot of people think its dire.

What about yourself ? cigars all round for a home win ?

Agreed the lack of old hand double uppers in 5-10 years will probably be a big factor in the end game if nothing changes. A great example of what you preach Mike is Lawson I think he it textbook for what a rider in the UK who won't quite reach the top should model himself on as a business plan for themselves recent events aside. Even if it turns out he is at fault as you say due to lack of any alternatives he's bullet proof if Ipswich give him the boot he will be snapped up by another team that have zero better options by the end of the week. In the perfect world we would have two leagues of eight once home and away to get away from seeing the same teams 5-6 times per season. If Poland got more interested in using the UK as a feeder ground and sent the under 24's here we could probably get a top league where ideally every one of the eight top teams have a gp rider , 2-3 under 24 promising youngsters and the other 3-4 team members could be old hands/second strings who could double up in league 2 also with UK youngsters which would give the old hands and youngsters enough meetings in the UK to make a living. I don't know the costs of running a speedway team but don't really get how Bomber with all the meetings he does a year can say he would be better off shelf stacking at Tesco's. The key thing would be 90% ideally would need to be UK based for the whole season we would accept that once the youngsters got decent they would be off but hopefully replaced by a new crop of riders looking to go to Poland later. At least if they were UK based you stand the chance of riding on the best night for getting maximum fans and would avoid the nonsense of going sometimes a month between home meetings. Can you imagine going into dragon's den and saying we have this product that in its rawest form is super exciting but we intend to set it up on an unattractive night of the week for punters, go 2-4 weeks without a home meeting to lessen any chance of building a core fan base in the dryest months of the season, then we will look to hold the real money spinning events in wet months when its freezing, other than that where good to go.

Agreed Mike although the number of semi wealthy businessmen willing to step in and underwrite a speedway track for 50k-100k losses every year is getting very much smaller. I do think the sport is sadly beyond saving in the UK in its current form. That's not to say it doesn't have a future but I'm more and more beginning to think its going to take the current model finally dying before something new (and hopefully better) rises from the ashes. The last live meeting I went to was a world team cup round at Lynn years ago I only went as Billy Hamill had come back to help the USA out and the place was packed to the rafters so support for meetings that generate interest was there. I will say whatever comes next I don't think it will be a team sport maybe 5-8 well promoted individual meetings across the UK might be the future with getting some legends back for demonstration races. That said I think the sport will limp on for another 5-10 years in its current form but sadly the product/presentation will just get worse year on year. Pray god I'm wrong and somehow Mayfield or someone else turns it all around.

very sad as when i used to go 85-93 if it was still that time they would all be in the uk, the danes do look on the cusp of a squad of young riders that may challenge poland in the future.

Some very good young riders there shame 90% will never come to the uk.

As we all know they were left with the scraps and have ended up with three riders who may or may not fancy it on any given night. You can carry one rider like that in a team but not three. Plus side Thomsen has been outstanding, Iverson is being solid as ever given at end of career and ditto Zagar. They will have to stick with Lidsey and Klindt due to lack of other options and the fact both can hit double figures when in the mood. Batch as you say though has to go Jepperson should be good for 4-5 a match and will try and you can't ask for anymore than that.

Give Schroeck a go.

8 and 8 somehow a semi decent top league and second division can be made up of the usual old hand double uppers Harris, Lawson, Masters etc and up and coming UK lads and sprinkling of overseas youngsters once home and away with second division tracks having 90% of riders uk based so they can run on a night to suit fans not riders.

Against a truly terrible Sheffield side compared to 2025 but they can only beat what's put in front of them.

Or a tractor and trailer.

But it needs to be a decent rider it won't happen but if you could swap Batch for Becker they would win most home matches.

Got impression its for the season maybe try and get Tai over for back end of the season.

Whats the issue with Hurry ? maybe Rosco for 2027.

Fair play Edwards has his best meeting of the season and helps save the Glads didn't see that coming early doors.

Early doors but shaping up that this could be an absolute hiding which is never good for the sport.

ha ha very good lets hope they make a fist of it, the general mess the sports in, losing top two men and having to cobble a team together was never going to be a great starting point, I just hope the crowds don't drop off faster than a piano off a cliff and they end up jacking it in at the end of the season and cut losses.