greyhoundp

But dont forget Shads one of these boys will be the No8, so its not as if they are all going to be in the Seven to start with, and as we all know the League is much weaker this season, there is the odd outstanding reserve such as Perks and Wotsisname, but after the 1st lot of averages they should be riding against riders of a similar calibre.

Anyone here in the Uk on a visit visa, cannot usually apply for a working visa whilst they are in the Uk, they usually have to leave and then apply for the work visa. However this is Speedway and only they know what rules apply to them, but if they are again flouting immigration rules goodness knows what the UKV&i will think the next time.

Looking at the Topics of Kent & Eastbourne they are very bullish that they will be in the top 3, one even goes so far as to say Eastbourne, Kent and Rye House will finish in the Top 5. They mostly seem to write off the prospects of Teams such as Birmingham, Coventry,Mildenhall, and Kings Lynn. So with that in mind whats your ideas of who will be in the Top 3 at the end of the season; I have to go with my Team Cradley Heathens, alongside that i will go with Birmingham, and to complete the Top 3 i would think Mildenhall wont be far away. I await your thoughts on this as i think there will be some conflicting opinions.

Would that be Donkey race, i remember at Dudley Wood, the riders had a donkey derby race at the end of season .

Michael, I think your enthusiasm is great, but dont think for one moment Wilson Dean only has to turn up to win, there are some decent riders in the NL and they will enjoy beating some overseas hot pot, and remember he will be seeing many tracks for the first time, Kent, Rye House, Mildenhall, Buxton are not the easiest of Tracks to ride for the first time, and most of those Teams have decent No1s, along with Ellis, Clegg, Greaves, there are a multitude of reasons against Wilson Dean getting a 9 point average in his first season, he may well do that at Arlington with its distinct shape, but away i will be very surprised.

Did i not read somewhere on another thread, there were objections to riders even having after meeting rides ? to be honest i dont see what the problem is with riders having rides after a meeting has finished, even if they dont have a (empoyment) visa, they wont be earning money so surely that wont invalidate the visit visa.

So in which state championship did Jack Holder come in the Top Four ? and if he did NOT come in the Top four how can he get a visa ? or does Matt Ford have a special relationship with the UKV&i, if he gets a visa there will be some pretty pissed off riders and promoters out there. As for being on an assesed 7 point average to get assesed you need to be a Top 4 state Championship.

I think someone needs to have a quick word with Steve Evans to see if he can quickly arrange a California State Championships

I think Tom averaged low 7s in his first season, Tom cant gate, and thats 90% of speedway riding, and as you know SCB the higher up the ladder you go, the more important is the gating.

I think Zak Wotsisname is a pretty decent prospect, but you said pair, so you might be right we dont have long to wait now, problem is they wont be reserve for long.

Luke would have been a good signing for any NL Team especially on his average, i saw him a few times late last season, and he seemed as though he has altered his style of riding, yes he is still a good gater,but he seemed far more relaxed and natural on the bends, if he had a fault it was when he was behind (rarely) another rider, and couldnt choose his own line, i would expect Luke to have an average in excess of 7+ this season, and he is a good guy, deserves a bit of good luck.

I think the highest average rider has to ride at No1, and the 2 lowest average riders at 6 & 7, but outside of that, the team manager can put riders where he wants, thats my take on what the riding order has to be.

MC, there are NOT many that finish on a 9.00 average in the NL, yes its a watered down league, i wouldnt argue that he may be the Eastbourne No1 at the end of the season, lets be honest your current No1 has a 4.77 away average, so there aint much to better there.

Not only do The Brummies get good coverage in the Evening Mail & Sunday Mercury, but also they along with Cradley and Wolves get great coverage on Radio WM, i doubt Graham Drury would be looking for rider sponsorship, he is most likely to busy trying to get sponsorship of the Club itself. Jonny, you could always contact the Newspaper yourself. and see if they would run an article on Adam, who knows what sponsorship you would get from it http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/ I have always found them to be very helpful when i have had dealings with them in years gone by. I am sure they would be only to happy to run a story on The new Brummie No1 and young British (albeit he is based in France) hopeful, if you dont ask you wont get.. http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/ good luck i know any sponsorship he gets will be welcome.

Lets take a look Eastbourne have released BDJ who has a 6.21 average, and would have probably improved minimally to slightly over 7, they have gained in his place a rider who is on a 5, that will improve to slightly over 6 ( i base this on his NZ races against RTD). Then they have a there final signing Richard Andrews who has been around for a few years now, and picks up the odd win now and again against fellow reserves, and nothing i have ever seen from him gives me any idea that he will do any different in the main body of the Team. I have said earlier this Team at best qualify for the Gold Cup, i cannot see them picking up an away win, whilst they have David Mason in the Team, and Danny Warwick has always scored better at home, though not so bad away as DM, so apart from Marc Owen they will struggle at away Tracks, because they just dont have the Heat Leader strength, as Islander says this is NOT a League winning Team.

I havent seen his name mentioned,, but Ty Proctor must be doubtful, plus Taylor Poole both of Sheffield, Cam Heeps and Manzares of Ipswich, Christian Henry Newcastle, Ryan Douglas at Scunny, and Kevin Doolan at Berwick, whilst some may be on other visas none of these are elegible under Tier 2 rules = 7+ PL average, The Top 4 in State Championships only apply i believe for 1st season riders.

I would have though there are two things helping to do with the decline of the Sport, i have read many times on here that points limits are the bane of all evil, I will say straight away i am no great fan of them. However take them away and what are we left with ?, some suggest a free for all, okay lets take Poole everyones favourite topic; they are argueably British Speedways top Team, and announce a Team of Ward, Holder, Hancock Tai, Doyle, Garrity and Auty how long could Poole feasibly keep that Team together, i would suggest 1 season only then they would be bankrupt. Or for the NL which is this Topic; Ellis, Clegg, Greaves, Morley, Halsey, Perks and Wotsisname its a similar situation to Poole though maybe the Heathens wouldnt be bankrupt due to the lower payments, the crowd would certainly drop off due to one sided meetings. So though most people dont like points limits its probably the best system we have to balance Teams out ( within sensible budgets) and keep meetings competitive without bankrupting most Teams. What we have is a Sport that struggles to balance its books, and cannot any longer afford to have World Class riders in every Team. The second item thats killing Speedway in the UK is ever increasing rider equipment costs, when we have a loaf of bread (crowds) continually getting smaller, and the riders asking for more and more from that loaf, we are slowly going to starve, and thats where Speedway is right now. Take away Sky money and there wouldnt be an Elite League.

There is a slight difference now, in that if rider control allocated a rider that rider had to go where allocated, these days we still have cheque book Speedway, a rider will go where he is offered the best deal as an example. 1. Rider is offered 2 deals, one by a North Western Elite Team for £1000 per meeting, the 2nd deal is offered by a Southern Elite Team of £1250 per meeting, which deal would you choose ?. I would have thought Cheque book Speedway has always been around, even now in the NL as the Team i have followed are allegedly paying far and away above the norm in points money. Points limits does NOT stop Cheque book Speedway, it only allows a fairer spread of riders.

I havent seen what was posted on Fb, but Ellis Perks so far as i am aware does not need any visa, as he was born and bred in the Uk, and its only been a few years ago that his family emigrated to Australia, thats my understanding of The Perks family and visas, however i am sure someone who knows better than me will confirm the situation.

Promoters should still be able to apply for a visa for a promising None European, but they should be given a 7 point average for Team building purposes, even if there actual average is only (as an example) 6.02 so let the Promoter put his neck on the block to sign another Brady Kurtz. What it really means is the promoters will put there necks on the block but ONLY for THE very TOP prospects, and thats as it should be, and follows the Visa guidelines, which are NOT meant for journeymen average riders.

Personally i would have dropped the No1, this would have left Eastbourne with 5,67 for a final rider; Luke Chessell has a 5.62 average and would have fitted in nicely. 1. Danny Warwick 2. Luke Chessell 3. Marc Owen 4. Wilson- Dean 5. Brendan Jonhson 6. Georgie Wood 7. Kelsey Dugard There would be more improvement in that Team than the Team they have announced.

Indeed who knows Vog, The Potters are not one of the weaker looking Teams on paper, and it will only take an injury or two, to a Heat Leader of one of the fancied Teams and Stoke could well be up there. I think thats going to play a big part this season which teams can keep an injury free squad together should find themselves pushing for honours.

Yes, and now they have been found out, its everyone elses fault except there,s.

Thats correct but surely he must know supporters however few Raiders have, would like to know who is in the Team. I often wonder where the word Promoter came from with regards Speedway, as very few of them seem to do what the word means, and Rye House Rockets/Raiders are one if not the worst over the years.