Ben91

Never thought there was any planning permission, hence the temp stand being just that, a temporary structure made from scaffold poles. Quotes are better coming from someone, not from 'Team BMR' too. I still can't get my head around the NBJ decision. Within our own asset base we have Anders on an average similar to Lanham and Heeps, neither of those offer anything more than Anders on track. The apparent Lambert situation has derailed plans, as soon as there were any doubts about him signing we should have looked elsewhere. A basis of Kennett, NBJ, Kasper, Mellgren and Morley would have left scope for a heat leader plus Branford or a strength in depth approach with Eddie and NBJ both capable of scoring big at the sharp end plus the luxury of a strong reserve all year. All we can hope is that the new promotion have learnt lessons from this winter's team building at both levels.

If the rider didn't want to ride for us then it's best not to keep him against his will, although I was looking forward to watching his development, along with Bowtell and Hunter. Woods surprised me last year by attaining an average over three, if he does the same in 2016 he'll have done well, the tail looks a lot longer now.

Big improvement usually comes from the bottom end of a team anyway. If you have three riders towards the bottom end putting 4-5 points on between them and the top end maintain their averages then you're set for a good season without a doubt.

Speedway is a dangerous sport, regardless of whether you're a rank amateur, NL rider or GP star there is always the chance of injury so I can't agree that 15/16 year olds with little experience of racing in the league increases the danger. These youngsters are being given NL spots over the riders who have been pottering around in the second half leagues for a few seasons because they are either better already or have greater potential. The standard of kids being churned out in Poland is what we should aspire to as a nation, that won't happen unfortunately if we wrap our prospects up in cotton wool.

IOW's undoing could be the reserves, any difference between their track and away circuits having an impact is simply not true, their top 5 are good enough/have been around long enough to have seen all the away circuits and/or be able to compete on them. I like the looks of Kings Lynn, top three have potential to improve, solid engine room and they will always have a good reserve. I don't rate Cuppitt much but if he's getting advice from Tai then he'll start to come good if he does have something about him. Brum look good again too, best reserve pairing easily. Gonna be a hard year to call it, especially with the play-offs back in the picture.

I wouldn't discount it, he's really not very good.

I don't think there is an issue with Ruml signing individually, a young rider with potential to improve long term, great. But now would not be the right time because it ruins any sense of balance in the team. Ruml, or any other five point assessed newcomer, pushes Kasper into the main team, therefore forfeiting our reserve trump card all season. The fact we have one true heat leader means we need that strong reserve more than ever. It also increases pressure on Morley to come good. Say we go to an away meeting, Eddie gets injured and the reserves aren't performing, we'll get annihilated. There's less chance of that happening if we have one of Kasper, Heeps or Lanham in the number six position. It simply does not make good sense for the sake of the team, if we are going to go for a long tail then we need to make two changes, Branford or Adam Ellis in at reserve and someone with more firepower instead of one of the five pointers. An assessed five pointer at reserve leaves us with a long tail and a flimsy looking top five. Alternatively we have to use as much of the 6.04 we have left to make a final signing, then we will have a strong reserve all season.

He'll be fine, regardless of where he started last season he still had his fair share of races against other top line riders and finished on an impressive average. He's going on to the track to race, just as he did last season, there's too much stigma attached to the number on a rider's back IMO. In the PL he will be fine, there are a fair few number seven riders who are not as good as him and he's got the ability to mix it with the other reserves too I'd say, if not better.

No, if you're a sportsperson you have to accept that you'll receive criticism, founded or unfounded. I'm not saying that is right but it is a fact.

It doesn't depend though, it has always happened and always will, the validity is another matter in my opinion. As a sportsperson, particularly if you are one who is influenced negatively by criticism, you shouldn't be on forums, Facebook groups etc where you know you may be criticised.

As a sportsperson you should be ready to receive criticism regardless of age or ability. No need to be over dramatic and say that words on a forum hold back careers though. I'll judge the kid when I see him on a bike personally.

Spot on, this is a sport, it is ultimately about winning and not about entertainment. Granted fans need to be entertained but first and foremost they want to see the best team they can representing them. I'd have no problem watching a team of seven gaters if they were winning home and away week in week out.

I could think Steve Boxall is better than Tai Woffinden, doesn't make it true...

Could be a decent prospect but simply the wrong signing to make. No reason he will be any better then Branford yet he's 1.5 points more expensive. If we're going to sacrifice having a strong reserve at all times then we need another heat leader.

Unless they are being televised then league football games are all pretty much played on a Saturday afternoon at 3pm so there is no comparison, fans know that if they wish to attend they need to keep weekends free. Two teams changing race night shouldn't slow things down, teams should hand the dates they wish to race home meetings on to the BSPA and one person should compile the fixture list then hand it back to the clubs. It shouldn't matter to us what is happening in Poland, this is British Speedway, if riders are going to miss lots of PL meetings to race in Poland then teams shouldn't be signing them really.

White and two sugars please seeing as the kettle's boiled. If reasoned response is trolling now we may as well close the forum.

Not the "if you haven't raced a speedway bike you can't comment" line again... Fans pay to watch, therefore the money they put into their speedway club helps to pay riders their wages, therefore they can comment all they like. If I buy some steak and I don't like it I'll complain, I've never been a steak though. Riders race for themselves, because they enjoy it and/or want to make a career out of it. Nobody puts their life on the line riding a motorbike just for the sake of entertaining others, that is a by-product.

Of course they will if they are taking their entire family, or even if just going along with a partner. That extra £3 per person a week adds up very quickly. Then on top of that there are programmes, food and drink etc.

Harris would be a good signing, it'll only be his second full year of league speedway, he did better in 2014 than last year but the potential is there. Cousins has had a year in the league, the majority of which was spent in the main team at Kent, there are worse options out there.

How so? 20% of £1 is 20 pence whichever way you cut it. Be it £10 or £13 the taxman is taking 20 pence from each £1. If it costs less for the punters then more are likely to attend.

We've lost a far better Dane this winter.

We'd be foolish to bring in a five pointer and push Kasper into the main team.

They do really well in the GPs.

It'll be Smith or JPB.

Bowen is a cracking signing, as it stands you have a better rider than Morley on a cheaper average. Mason has had his day and his availability is generally poor, using R/R for him isn't going to be pretty, especially if the reserves don't cut the mustard. Verge just hasn't got anything about him, should have tried to get Clifton at reserve for the start of the season really.