Lewis

To be honest I reckon Rob does a good job on the microphone, very humerous From the laughs in the stand on turn4 I think the majority enjoy his witticisms too. The tapes have always been a problem to me, flapping around in the wind, why we dont have the joining pieces between the two tapes is a mystery to me.

Didn't see that result coming. Still a good meeting though & well done to Ipswich on getting the draw. Heeps is defintiely your man of the match but all chipped in with good points with Lanham winning it at the death. The scorpions couldnt gate to save their lives for the last 7 heats (with the exception of heat 14). Makinen looked awful but Risager wasnt much better only able to beat Bates from the Scorpions. The scorps are still not firing on all cylinders, 2 heat wins at home for Auty & Howe is not good enough but our problems are more or less coming from the reserve berth. I thought before the season started that we were going to struggle, you need one strong reserve to carry the other & take rides from riders in the main body who are having issues. To be fair Irving would have given us that & it was unexpected when he decided to call it a day. I think Bates with a 6.5 established rider would have been great & allowed Birks/Toft into the reserve position with Bates, anyway I guess Douglas has 12 meetings to shape up & start scoring or we are going to have a long old season. Bates is on the pace but it doesnt matter if you are 2m behind or 100m if you still end up 4th after the first bend and get a 0 virtually every race. Hopefully this is a wake up call for the scorps, Ipswich looked much better this year but are not as strong as Somerset, Worky, Newcastle or Edinburgh.

I understand where your coming from but riders unfortunately get injured on perfect tracks in perfect weather, so to keep saying "if" or "might" is trying to justify the meeting being called off. Now I wasnt there & can only go by the pictures posted but I do think at least some effort should have been made even if not succesful. Anyway I hope we get a good meeting at Scunny tonight.

Take a look at twitter (David Howe, Rob Godfrey etc) to find out who wanted to ride, looks like it was the refs call in the end. Looking at the picture from Dave loves speedway post it just looks like the track needed grading?, no standing water. I was going to travel and watch this but something came up at home so I'm glad I didnt waste a 5 hour round trip.

I think you are being very harsh there VOG, Scunny are not the saviours of any league and I certainly have never said that but youve nicely put us all into your view of the world. The simple fact is that Rob G had his riders poached a couple of years ago & then it has happened again, before some of them became assets due to their age & before some of them where able to be blooded into the PL team. A lot of time & effort has been put in to give these guys track time & a lot of time put in by the riders themelves. For a team then to just offer more point money to get the riders without Scunthorpe being compensated is quite ridiculous & I can fully understand why Rob has pulled out this year, to be honest as long as this situation stands I dont think you will see Scunny back in the NL ever again, I could be wrong on that but I could understand it. Scunthorpe have actively allowed there riders to go to other teams to experience other tracks, this has often been arranged by the Scunny management & sometimes by the riders first, this is often without a loan fee expecially when the riders have moved into PL for the first season e.g Richie Worrall springs to mind. I am convinced if Ashley Morris had stayed at Scunny when he was poached a couple of years back he would already be a strong 2nd string like Birks, instead he is a 3 pt reserve for Worky, okay I think he will push on now but is 1-2 years behind Birks. So the short term points money increase he gained in the NL is blown away by the money he has potentially lost being a 2nd string in the PL. There is a need for both Standalone teams & 2nd teams in the NL, if it was all "win at all costs" or "training only" it couldnt survive but the 2nd teams need some protection from poaching from some of the standalones or from EL teams with plenty of money to burn e.g. Coventry. Scunny fielded a NL team for the future riders in the PL team or to sell on/ loan, if they dont get either then there is no point. Good luck to the teams running next year, I wish you every success but I do think the NL is a weaker product without Scunthorpe.

I think every scorpian fan would prefer Richie Worral over Sanchez but also about 100% of the other teams in the PL would as well. There are various reports Richie has signed for Lakeside 2013, which is a Friday track, ruling him out from riding for us which is why many of us have stopped putting him in our 2013 team guess's.

I agree that team would be full of potential with a solid number 1, top 3 for sure.

I'm not a fan of the tactical rides but do like that an away team has a chance to keep in the match or least try to get a point, the bug bear for me though is a home team using it when they should already have home track advantage (set ups etc).

I agree with the 5-1 bit, but would say that only if the rider is not injured e.g. pretending or looking around at rider postions etc. I know that riders can stay down to get the re-run but its quite obvious to the crowd when this happens so surely it must to the ref as well but all what happens is the team on a 5-1 get penalised.

I see in the Scunthorpe telegraph (paper edition) Rob has hinted that he wants to keep the majority of the team together with 1 or 2 new faces, sounds like a good plan to me

It might be easier for us though after the result but your fans were great throughout, I remember the guy who carries the flag actually thanking the Scunthorpe fans as he walked out of the stadium, I mean the guy must have been gutted but was so gracious in defeat.

MD you could actually also apply some kind of grading code as well to reduce time e.g. grading only every 4 heats unless the referee deems the track has a problem. Grading should take a maximum of 2 minutes or 4 minutes if water is to be put down (not much water required this season!!), this should end the endless tractor racing we have to endure. I think the Scunthorpe vs Worky playoff did not have a single grading from start to finish, the track was good throughout.

With the PL AGM just around the corner..... 1. What changes would you like to see? 2. What rules would you like to remain? For me I would like to see No tacticals for home teams, one tactical for away teams, retain the heat 4-12 format for tacticals Playoffs to be 4 teams, straight knockout Shield to be 4 teams, straight knockout Air fences at all tracks ( I know for some teams its impossible due to landlord restraints never the less I'd still like to see it.) Some kind of photography equipment which could decide close finishes - how many times do we complain about this. Would be great to hear your thoughts. EDIT: Forgot another few things; - Meetings start as scheuled. - Grading only allowed every 4 heats & before heat 15. - No tripling up/down. You ride EL/PL or PL/NL, not all 3. - 1 British rider with appropriate average starts at reserve. - No.8 compulsory when using RR.

Doesnt really matter to be honest, you need a number one to go out in heat 13 & 15 & get the race win, if he maintains 9-10 point average for the season then its job done. You need the lower order riders (especially reserves) to put a point or two on their averages.

2nd guess from me after seeing some of the internet gossip (riders signed by other teams) in the last couple of weeks; Auty 8.09 Birks 5.59 Jorgenson 6.42 Howe 7.89 Toft 5.21 T.Young 3.0 + 1 other rider upto 6.30 average (e.g.Stichauer 5.74, Skidmore 6.13, Bager 5.72, Poole 5.99, Aarnio 5.67, Eklof 6.24, Hefenbrock??) I believe Irving will want to ride at Worky (closer to home), Richie will be riding EL on a Friday track (Lakeside) & Nielsen has already been signed by Ipswich.

The play offs decided the league title, this was decided at the PL AGM by the promoters, it wasnt something decided in September 2012 to help Scunthorpe out. Newcastle finished top of the qualifying table on points but Scunthorpe & Somerset actually won one more match in the league than Newcastle anyway. As regards to the Edin/Worky play off match, that was a shame it wasnt run but the league had to finish some time, maybe the Edin/Ippo match on the Friday before this should have been changed but hey we've all struggled with the weather this season. For next season I would like to see 1st vs 4th & 2nd vs 3rd from the league table, with the next 4 in the challenge shield, a big incentive to get into the top 8 rather than just finish outside the top 2. WIll also mean 2 less play offf matches & more chances of completing the fixtures. Geez arson could you be less patronizing in your congratulations. I quite like your suggestions regards the first 3 teams but what happens if Newcastle win the qualifying league table & get beat in the play off final? are you going to bleat on again about the true champions being top of the qaulifying table. The likes of you, bri1966 & davidj do your teams an absolute diservice, the amount of crying & complaining must be embarrassing to the normal fans of your respective clubs.

Suprised at the updates comment "FTG", there seemed to be a lot of passing, maybe not as much as normal but there were definitely a few passes from both teams. Somerset put up a great fight. Congratulations Scorps, you did great

The Scunny track normally holds up well to rain but once its get really heavy then there is no chance, forecast was for 2-3 hrs of "light" rain only, just unlucky, once again the British weather strikes again. I do feel sorry for the rebels fans who left by bus at 09.30 this morning but its not like we have the luxury of cancelling early with so little days left of the season. Heard the meeting will be restaged on Monday but I'm still waiting to see the official word on this. I must say a wet track would have suited the rebels more than Scunthorpe as its a great leveller, looking forward to the restaging. Hope some of the rebels fans can still make it & cheer on their team.

Why ? Isle of Wight could have signed him if they wanted to but they have limited finances. Under this arrangement the Islanders still keep their rider for at least another year for very little initial outlay. Far better that Adam goes to a club where he will get the benefit of being with experienced riders, and learning a lot more about things like set-ups far more quickly. ...... Why you ask...The point is, he is actually riding for the Isle of Wight & shouldn't need to be signed, he would automically become an asset if the same rules where in place as for PL clubs! He has nothing at all to do with Lakeside...for every one you mention that lakeside have brought on there is a Jerran Hart who hasnt made it. For me they should have to ride for any side before being made an asset, no wonder this sport is a farce. Also I think you have incorrectly quoted Richie Worral as an asset, now for him Lakeside will have to pay properly as he is a Scunthorpe asset.

About time they stopped this crap with riders allowed to become an asset without riding for the club in question (EL), would be much better if he was an asset for the Islanders & was then sold to Lakeside when he was ready. Would mean a NL team with little money, benefited later from giving him track time.

If you run on alternate weeks, then have a rain-off to be re-arranged later in the season, you can quickly end up with 4 weeks of no matches & that to me will affect attendance, as people will get out of the habit or lose interest, every week for me is the way to go. I agree that the league split last year was daft as nobody could forward plan, if you fix the split at the start of the season geographically then you will get enough fixtures, minimise travel costs & people can plan there travels, work shifts etc well in advance. We have to remember that this must go down as one of the worst seasons for rain offs.

I think we signed him as an educated gamble but look how Campton has performed on his 5.0pt average (he was a much better & known prospect than Tom) he has been going great, getting better & better at Glasgow & still only managed a 4.5 average in his first season. I think O'Malley would be a better comparison & he has been dire. I would have expected Tom to get 3pt max average even before his accident. I admired the lads will to succeed & supported him until it became obvious that he had zero confidence after the accident. I dont want to see him again for the Scorpions but thats just my opinion & i'm sure Richard/Rob will make whatever is the best choice.

You seriously want to have Tom Armstrong back?? The guy cant make 4 laps never mind an average, I'm sorry but I've got to disagree with you on that one. I'd love to see Richie W back but cant see it, I think the bullk of the team will be pretty much from this season with a great quintet of Auty, Howe, Birks, Jorgy & Palm Toft which leave 9.3 for the final 2 riders; Final 2 rider combinations which could fit & at least have some realistic connection with Scunthorpe & assuming Nielsen has already decided on Ippo, in order of preference; R.Worral 5.78 / Young 3.0 H.Skidmore 6.13 / Young 3.0 Bunyan 5.14 / Irving 4.0 T.Aarnio 5.76 / Young 3.0 Wilko 4.66 / Irving 4.0 R.Worral, Bunyan & WIlko's average's are ridiculously low.

Been to Worky twice now & there is a distinct minority of miserable, moaning, whinging, confrontational fans. Ends up in a very hostile atmosphere & I probably wont be back there. I couldnt believe it before the away match some comets fans where even suggesting that we were pulling a fast one to be a stronger team by having 3 guests (Doolan, Masters & Hall) + R/R compared to Howe, Auty, Morris & Jorgenson; three out & out number ones & a heat leader! Talk about beau locks. Last night was awesome, Worky had no luck whatsoever but the lads rode their hearts out, was probably the best atmosphere I have seen at the EWR, more passing in the first 7 heats than in the 2 away matches combined. Who ever gets to the final now is in Worky & Edniburghs hands, if either of them can win away then they will be in the final, if not Scunny will go through. Hope we make it but best of luck to Worky & Edinburgh for good racing & injury free meetings.