enotian

exactly. who ever got excited about a healthy balance sheet. the trick is being able to do both. it's the failing of the competitive sporting environment where contracts are negotiated annually and top men are a scare resource with a format where you can't win without one.

just don't think he ever wanted a Sunday track and was never happy at Newcastle. Made some shocking starts, at least one per meeting, and struggled to pass the top men even when he was quicker than them. If he can make starts in 13 and 15 he's capable of beating many of the other CL #1's.

Yes, if I recall Lee was a much heralded youngster who struggled for a couple of seasons but was given time and probably went from #7 to heat leader in a season in the 2nd tier. Going on to be a GP rider. An excellent example of the benefit of giving young riders time to develop. I always assume if I rider isn't doing a Peter Collins, Michael Lee or Kenny Carter in their first season then they won't make the International stage but it's just not the case. Of course Mauger himself. Was only ever top man around Newcastle but by all accounts was out of his depth as a youngster at Wimbledon. Not sure of the league configurations back then though.

crazy how the sport, over the years, has tied itself in knots over averages to two decimal places when they can only ever been an approximation of actual ability. Creating any amount of dysfunctional behaviour and decision making.

Jorgensen is a nine point man in this division if his horror year at Newcastle was a one off, which his top division form would suggest it was. Of course its daft to start under the points limit but it's how you end not how you start (apart from actually starting of course) that counts.

Assessed five??? That's just a technical improvement He was probably a ten the first time he got on a bike, such a natural talent.

I think there has to be a correlation. Wasn't it around that time, mid 80's, when there was controversy about allowing British riders to drop down into the National League? That's drop down not double down! So the likes of Gordon Kennett, Dave Jessup and Les Collins could all join NL teams despite having been world finalists (podiums) not much earlier. Imagine that. Going off thread, but it's why I've always said foreign riders should never drop below their assessed average for team building. And that assessed average shouldn't ever be as low as four as it is now.

if I recall staying at reserve all season despite averaging seven in that amazing Eagles team. Probably only getting three rides per meeting in the old thirteen heat format. The start of a great conveyor belt. Dugard, Standing, Barker, Norris. I think Dean went to Ipswich but can't recall if he ever made an impact in the top flight. I recall Darren Standing going straight through the first bend at Brough just as he was starting to progress with Stoke.

In a weakened league You'd expect perhaps Auty, Aarnio and especially Jorgensen to add say a combined 4 points to their starting averages. Then what is the expectation for Palin? 5 points? 6? 7? Then if the 7th rider is a Kennedy or a MacDonald they could add a couple. All of a sudden you're averaging 47 points and doing fine.

yes two pointers I guess. Then ending the season as eight pointers. That Poole era in the 2nd division was a convey belt for Australasians. plenty of examples of two point Aussies in the Diamonds ranks during the National League era. No need to develop local talent back then. Plenty went from assessed two to second string in their first season then heat leader in their third. Hunter and Bargh (and others) were just before my time and missed out on seeing Shane Bowes progress when the Diamonds closed.

I was aware that he'd lost his life but was never sure if it was speedway related. I remember seeing Boxall against the Gems and he looked like a huge talent. I think he ended up signing for the Diamonds as #1 which I think is where it all started to go wrong. Plenty of example around that time of talented kids who didn't get any guidance or have the resources to progress. Let's hope there's some assistance for the current crop.

ah yes I recall Dugard, Havelock and Silver emerging at the same time. He was on a steep upward curve. World Finalist by 1990!!! 2nd season?? Remember seeing him at Brough in his first season. Scary but quick. Was always going to be a massive talent. yes. What about that group of Aussies. Wiltshire, Adams and Boyce all around the same time after a lean spell. All massive talents For some reason I don't ever recall seeing Mear ride live. Was he mostly top flight at Essex? Didn't he attempt a comeback at one point? Could he have gone on to have been international class?

Wow, they must have really watered own the product in 1978!! Couldn't resist. That's some improvement. He'd had a few seasons as a three pointer hadn't he before the sudden improvement? Was he an Australian? Although I think my first ever meeting was around that time its just a little bit before I started to take interest.

With there having been a season hiatus I was thinking about which riders might make a massive improvement in average in 2021. Then got wondering about historically which rider has improved their starting average by the most by the end of the season. [excluding assessed starting averages] I recall Mark Thorpe almost doubling his average in c1991. He'd had two average seasons in admittedly average Diamonds teams, averaging about five and had even been dropped for one match iirc. By all accounts he was only handed a team place in 1991 because his average fit. Starting at reserve with Scott Lamb, I think, he was lightening out of the starts and never looked back, ending the season close to a ten average. Anyone else turned from reserve to #1 in the course of a season?

One can't deny that the status of speedway in this country has deteriorated but there are plenty of manics on here. But I guess if speedway is all you've got to be depressed about you're probably not doing too bad.

so how many of the cheap cannon fodder are being chucked in at the CL deep end who didn't have a team place in 2020? Smith (but only because Bailey isn't available), Alcock and Hume?

There was still a choice though wasn't there. Mountain could have been retained ahead of Roynon or Wright. If, as you suggest, a decision was made assuming Mountain would be the 3* #7 then someone messed up. When that became clear the choice between Mountain, Roynon and Wright could still have been made at that point. Although this doesn't stack up for me given they've then gone for a 1* NDL 2nd string at #7. Admittedly the other 3*'s are nowhere near Mountain standard but if that was the plan and budget then I'd have expected another option at #7. Kinsley for example.

Agreed. Not just the points points limit or rising star programme to blame. Mountain would still have fitted within the points limit even with Barker in the team. Perhaps the loan fee was prohibitive? Shame as he could have progressed. The Diamonds team would be competitive with him as the Rising Star. Actually surprised he didn't get the rising star spot at Kings Lynn? Surely he'll get a place at Birmingham, Redcar or Scunthorpe??

I don't know if the points limit would have affected other entrants because that's counter to the facts. We'd have to ask those promoters. I'd theorise that all teams would have wanted to be competitive and had a view on the riders they wanted to utilise. On that basis the points limit might have been a deciding factor. I don't think that the National Development League is the core product is it? From a BSPL perspective. It's effectively the R&D department. Obviously at odds with your own opinion and as I say it sounds like you made the right decision. Shame the facility is lost to the sport.

Such a shame that Isle of Wight will be lost to speedway for the reasons you've highlighted. Reading between the lines, it appears that the BSPL didn't like a cheaper product being as/more(?) successful than their PL and CL. An obvious cause for concern. However, the IOW promoters fail to address the counter factual. Had they have had an input into the league configuration and points limit remained higher, just how many teams would have come to the tapes? Two? Then how many riders would have been without team places? And how many would have been developed? Can't blame the IOW promoters for not wanting to invest in something they didn't have any say in or believe in. The obvious answer would have been to step up to CL level like Kent and Plymouth but I guess that was beyond their means. Maybe the BSPL will be able to use the IOW as a summer training camp for British Youth Championship riders. Get the kids on track everyday of the six weeks holiday. Maybe even put on some events for the public? Hopefully the facility won't be lost to the sport.

Don't tell them your name Pike.....

massive difference between submitting claims and receiving grant. the organisation I work for has had £50m+ out of HMT, due to covid impacts, and as you'd expect there is much scrutiny. Knowing something of the soon to be Darlo bound Treasury boys they'll know lots about cricket and the square root of zero about Speedway. As much as I can imagine will be recovered will be any signing on fees for riders who were then unable to ride and even that is debatable if the sign on fee is for investment in kit. I guess those who own stadiums might be able to recover those running costs. I wonder if Somerset have dropped a bollock here. Please Sir give me money so I can continue to operate.... IMO opinion a combined claim might have held more weight if you could justify that if 4 or 5 clubs might fold the other 15 will suffer going forward. Maybe the awards have been delegated from HMT to DCMS which might make it a little easier.

all you have to do is assess riders minimum average for team building purposes based on their experience. For example after a rider has done 100 matches their minimum average for the start of the next season is 8.00. (numbers just for illustrative purposes) 6.00 after 50 matches and so on. It means you can create a larger pool of riders and provides an incentive for riders to reach their target average or risk not getting a team place. although I do agree that riders (currently) averaging say over 4 or 5 in CL should be ineligible as they gain nothing (apart from points money) and stretch the range of ability too far so as not to offer any benefit to the younger riders. which is the valid point you make.

It's a key point/risk. If someone charged you £3 more for your pint because they've given you a straw so it takes longer to drink you might go to another pub. I have my reservations about these double header arrangements. All for having a platform developing young riders but not sure the teams running double headers and charging extra have got the product right. Why 15 minutes of action takes 2 hours is a mystery to me so if 30 minutes takes 4 hours how can you sell that? Maybe the future for reserve teams is 5 rider teams over 10 heats. 5 before the main match and 5 after. Those interested can turn up earlier stay later those who aren't won't but no additional price either way. I'm guessing that would leave the stand alone clubs with nowhere to go but you can't imagine Mildenhall running in 2022 with 7 home fixtures anyway.

And remember that some of these kids have had 18 months more practice since they obtained their last average. Across all of the leagues you could see some big improvements from young riders. I have to say that none of the 3.00 riders in the Northern teams are not worthy/capable of an opportunity at this level based on what I've seen in the Northern Junior League matches. Some really talented kids. I would agree that perhaps some of the higher averaged riders have out grown this league and should have been excluded (i.e. anyone with a CL average over 4.00) but for those complaining about the lower points limit if it had been higher where are all the higher averaged riders coming from? Genuine question, how many have missed out on a team place due to the lower limit?