Ben91

Kasper can be something of an enigma, fantastic battler, terrible gater. If he adds the ability to gate to his game he'll up his average.

Wright was quality, could of gone a long way. I'm sure I heard he got a concussion too somewhere along the line. Think it's a lot more simple than the concussion still lingering on, he took a big knock to the head and it made him lose his bottle a bit. Can't blame him, I'd be the same. If he comes back the rider he was when at Workington first time round then he'll be an asset to the league.

The reason for the re-arrangement was that the Panthers would be missing riders too, surprised we agreed to that considering Bunyan is generally very good at Peterborough. R/R won't muster as many points as Bunny would have at the Showground.

Noise is to be encouraged at any track where there are no restrictions on it. Air Horns, whistles etc make atmosphere. When you don't have enough people in the stadium to make atmosphere with their voices an air horn can make all the difference. That, however is down to the fans not the clubs. As a Rye House fan, there are a few simple changes that would improve presentation no end. Music befitting of the event: Listening to smooth jazz or now 54 on a loop doesn't scream motor racing to me. When Craig announces the song that is playing just gets paused. Half of one meeting last season was punctuated by Chasing Cars by Snow Patrol, not only is it depressing it is a complete contrast from the thing people have paid to come and watch. A roving mike man: If Craig was complemented by an announcer to go interview riders/management in intervals/between heats then the breaks in action wouldn't be so bore some. A proper presentation: Send the riders around on their bikes to wave to the crowd, or bring the bikes out, then the riders, then let them do a few laps. Simple but it'd make a world of difference.

Scunthorpe are doing this right, there can be no doubt about it and any argument saying that they should build a stronger side so that other club's gates don't suffer when they are in town is incredibly flimsy. Scunthorpe have proven by developing lots of raw riders into PL standard or higher over the last few seasons that they are on the right track. I hope the Stags cause a few shocks this season and make people sit up and take notice. I've not seen any of the young riders in this side so far race except Mogridge, however I would not be surprised to see at least one or two in the Premier League in 2015/6 if Scunthorpe's track record is anything to go by.

Happens lots and hey, he's our rider so he should be at our P+P day really. Heading down tomorrow, looking forward to my first taste of speedway this year.

Edinburgh win for me. If both of their reserves ride to their potential of course. Berwick have Jensen, depends what Carr will bring to the table to back him up. Surprised nobody has mentioned Rye House yet, Luke Bowen is always a shoe in for a 5 point average and if Simon Lambert can up his game we know he is capable of a high 4 figure.

If the points limit was to be lowered it would be the same for all teams and encourage sides to use up and coming riders. I'm not one for pandering to stand alone clubs and the argument that they have to be competitive to get support, if the points limit is the same for everyone, as it would be then they could still build their sides to win within the lower points limit.

Got a feeling that the Kings will steal the spoils here. Lambert, Morley and Compton are a stronger top trio than Webster, Reade and Smart. The engine rooms look evenly matched but the Kings have the stronger riders in reserve.

Whilst that is true to a degree that cannot be an excuse for promotors (not aimed at Stoke here, the sport in general) to hold fans to ransom by offering a poor product then saying "well it's better than us pulling the plug." To make your business successful you have to maintain a customer/fan base, not expect them to be there.

Of course he is, this is 2014 where people are allowed opinions, not nazi Germany.

If I was deciding the order I'd personally go something like this: 1. Lambert 2. Mason 3. Chessell 4. Morley 5. Compton 6. Blake 7. Freemantle Mason at 2 gives experience in heat 1 and a good chance of a heat win come heat 8. Most other sides use a heat leader at 3, so putting Chessell there leaves a heat leader elsewhere in the Kings 1-5. Morley at 4 gives Chessell a strong partner and a top rider in heat 14. Compton can cope at 5 and would thrive in that position. Freemantle as the strongest reserve at number 7 is self explanatory.

I'm not overly impressed by our side but it is head and shoulders above yours. And my dad is bigger than your dad

Lawson - Solid scorer, not spectacular though. Wilkinson - Not going to improve, maybe be okay at reserve but not a second string. Hall - only got a ride because Smith couldn't come over, that speaks volumes. Will drop his average away from Sheffield. Skidmore - Good second string, found his level if his recent stagnation is anything to go by though. Summers - found his level. Graversen - how he keeps getting team spots baffles me, he's shown countless times he's inconsistent and can't cope in the 1-5 Crang - has potential but it'll be a steep learning curve for him in the PL.

Do have to say, this side looks like wooden spoon candidates along with Plymouth. There's no rider there with a wow factor that you'd look forward to watching on a weekly basis too IMO.

Albin was entertaining and looks like given time he would become a good rider. All out tryer, in the Emiliano Sanchez mould. I wouldn't mind seeing him given another chance as an overseas rider, brings a lot more to the table than the likes of Mitchell Davey who somehow keeps finding employment despite having proved on countless occasions he will never be more than a three point reserve.

Doesn't Andrew Silver still hold the all time track record at Stoke?

The Trophy is generally scheduled as a pre cursor to the league, however the sides that don't compete in the Trophy will start their league programme whilst that Trophy is in progress. If the Leicester side is made up of currently unattached riders then they won't be unattached riders once they've signed haha! Whatever happens I hope it is a success, the NL is a fantastic league and the sport in this country needs more tracks operating at this level.

Firstly it is great to see Leicester enter the NT. Hopefully it proves a great success and they join the league full time for 2015. It is however right for people to question their proposed use of riders already signed up to NL sides. There would be benefits yes, however two stumbling blocks are what happens when averages change? And also more importantly, what happens when there is a fixture clash? In a tiered league system there are rules in place but in two different competitions at the same level what happens with regards to facilities for absent riders etc and who gets priority (presumably the league club)? There are riders out there that Leicester can sign who are unattached, hopefully they will use those as it not only gives the fans their own team line up to identify with but it fixes up 7 more riders as well. If the Leicester NT side is completely different each time they take to the track because their riders are riding for their actual NL sides the fans will vote with their feet and NL will never flourish there.

It was a rule altered mid season to stop Steve Boxall and Jon Armstrong from continuing to do so well at reserve so they both then had to move into the main team. It was then ridiculously dropped for the best season and we've been back to where we were ever since. Brit reserves in all leagues should be enforced as a minimum IMO.

It was a rule altered mid season to stop Steve Boxall and Jon Armstrong from continuing to do so well at reserve so they both then had to move into the main team. It was then ridiculously dropped for the best season and we've been back to where we were ever since. Brit reserves in all leagues should be enforced as a minimum IMO.

No there is not. Look at the sides that are already declared, all have solid NL standard heatleaders in them. The National League always begins with some teams looking a lot stronger than others, it's the nature of a beast in which some teams are out to win at all costs and others are out to develop riders for the future. It can't be changed. What it does do is help riders step up to the plate, I'd rather go in to every NL season knowing that the top line riders from the year before have all not got a team place because they have moved on into the Premier League to continue their careers at a higher level. To be honest, looking at the likes of Ben Morley, Stefan Nielsen, James Sarjeant and Tom Perry etc and seeing that they are still in the NL only (Not counting their EL draft positions) is quite sad. These lads should be helped occupy PL reserve berths and eased out of the NL so that the next generation can come through and follow in their footsteps. If anything there should be less "Top riders" in the NL, the sides that build to win can still do just that but will have to do so using just young up and coming riders as opposed to taking bottom end PL men who have been around too long and letting them hold up the development of the likes of the four riders I have mentioned above. Confidence breeds success, give these lads the number one slots in the NL and they'll be winning races, their confidence will improve and they will be able to compete better at the next level. He's the sort of rider that should be long past the NL now but Charles Wright is a perfect example of this exact point. He was fantastic for Buxton and carried on his impressive form when he signed for Somerset. They clearly go hand in hand as he was pants during his last spell in the PL.

I am merely a Spurs sympathiser I assure you, my true loyalties lie with the mighty Stevenage FC!

It's still handy no doubt but Nelson has the potential to become a Premier League number one, if not go even further, in future whereas Tresarrieu doesn't. He's not a bad rider by any stretch of the imagination but he isn't a second heatleader. Nelson would have been capable of holding that position.

I would be too if I had tickets to go to the Emirates Mr Barclay, less atmosphere than a wake!