Najjer

Who issues the rights to be able to promote anywhere, the BSPA? I can't imagine that is worth the paper it's written on.

I'm sure I've read somewhere that Laura bought the club from Keith Denham for a 6 figure sum of money. How was the club ever worth that sort of money? Genuine question as to what assets in the business would ever equate to anything that was even near to that valuation.

In Gary May's interview he says that Berge told him "You won't change my mind" which implies to me, he simply didn't fancy it, nothing to do with bikes or mechanics.

Allen wasn't offered a deal full stop. Theres an interesting video interview posted with Garry May on the Facebook page this morning discussing the team changes.

That's worrying in itself. What a shocking signing if that's the case. Berge was going to be a bit of a trump card and would of been mustard at the OTA within a couple of months I'm sure. The fact they're hoping the new rider will achieve his starting average is really concerning - whose improving their averages by enough other than Covatti?

I'm going to stick my neck on the line and go with the surprising choice of Jenga. I'm hoping I'm right and they improve enough to actually post something half decent for a change. Prove me right Jenga! As for riders, I think Jake Allen could be one of the leagues top riders by the end of the year!

Belle Vue only ride on a Monday or Thursday. Somerset's home matches are a Wednesday and then all away matches except Birmingham are Friday, Saturday or Sunday. I assume that's the difficulty if the mechanic is the real issue. Seems a little far fetched though.

Have the Pairs the night before and a League match on the Sunday. I'd imagine there would be a big crowd especially if the right opponnent was picked. I only travel from Bridgwater and even that was a nightmare on a Friday even when going the back lanes. It must be x10 worse if you are coming from even further away.

Imagine how good it would of been if we could of had a Sunday afternoon match after the British GP. Don't know how possible that would of been with the council, but would of been a bumper weekend at Somerset.

Fixtures are now out - no mention of the Pairs as of yet and the first time I can recall no fixture scheduled for good Friday.

That's why I'm intrigued, whether the previous Ipswich and Peterborough bosses thought they would cut their losses and bomb out for pennys or whether they actually had a decent offer on the table. All abit of a mystery.

Out of interest, does anyone know what Chapman has paid to buy Ipswich and Peterborough? The actual assets belonging to a speedway club can't be a great deal if they don't own the stadium they race at and other things like food stalls etc.

Yet maintaining at the very least the same entrance fees.... what an own goal. And it was also stated it was done to reduce doubling up which hasn't happened at all, and neither did it need to with the change of race nights.

I think that's exactly what it is. I would say trying to monopolise the league. Between Kings Lynn, Ipswich and Peterborough and then also the riders on Poole's books they control the vast majority of the division.

If Buster is the owner of all 3, then effectively it is. The three individual pots all go back to one big one in simple terms.

It's all coming from the same big pot of money effectively though so it's not a case of can't afford it - that would be a case of needing a no.1 at Ipswich so I've transferred him across to Ipswich wouldn't it?

So let me get this right - Buster can't afford Harris at Peterborough but is now being rumoured he is off to either Lynn or Ipswich... clubs also owned and paid for by Buster? The logic in that.....

Clearly not tight enough was it? As you said in your last post, even if only marginally BWD was offered a better deal at Workington. That makes the promotion fall in line with so many of the past clubs that have gone to the wall that haven't stuck to a budget within their means.

Whilst I'm really not a fan in the slightest about dropping down a league, the Somerset promotion have done what they believe to be the best course of action to make the sport sustainable. What should be sending even more alarm bells to all teams in the whole country, is that if Somerset "couldn't" make it pay - a team who owns their own track, car park, bar and catering facilities with no rent to pay - then what chance do the rest of them have?

Workington outbidding Somerset with money they clearly didn't have is both foolish and idiotic. Work within your means!

Absolutely spot on again. Rightly or wrongly, Somerset obviously set a limit they were prepared to pay certain riders and on at least 2 occasions that is known of in the public domain were outbid by Redcar and Workington - both of which were wanting a 36.00 points limit as oppose to a higher 40.00+.

Not enough I would imagine, hence why the club has withdrawn. Speedway has this nasty habit of trying to limit the amount of people and fans it loses, instead of trying to attract new fans. Keep bumping the prices up forcing numbers to decrease further and further until eventually the business is completely unsustainable is not a good business plan. Spin King Junior has hit the nail on the head about the scare tactics.

That the green isn't always greener on the other side?

Sooner they do away with the trophy competition and race each team twice home and away, the better.

At least one more less fixture in the fixture list again too - Less meetings than ever now!