IainB

Think how much he could have increased it by if he'd scored in those 12 heats! And Speedway is not all about averages, it's about ability, attitude and machinery as much as anything else, he certainly has the ability, machinery questionable, attitude... terrible at times.

If it's the "Woffy" fence, you can keep it!

Can expect the host to give him a free ride? Like he did with the Worky promoter.

34 meetings for Leicester, 12 retirements

Doesn't really matter... it's for the Berwick topic, this is about Leicester and his performances for Leicester where he quit 12 times last season where the rest of the team combined numbered 11!

He failed to finish the equivalent of 3 complete matches due to his inability to count to 4!

Leicester didn't have any news to report, yet issued a statement yesterday.

Suddenly Sam returns 😂

In all my years of attending Speedway prior to the abandonment of the old 2nd half's with rider of the night races etc. I can't recall one ever being abandoned due to lack of time, curfew etc. (No doubt somebody will provide an example) and that was with an interval. So why In 2026 is it suddenly beyond the wit of man to stage 20 heats of Speedway in a 2 and a half hour window?

Yeah, both, but to keep costs to a minimum it'd make more financial sense to run on the same night... especially as 3 teams have pulled out of the NDL.

I'd do away with it personally and make every team run a junior team as a 2nd half on the same night as the seniors.

Looks like the BSPL have given up on Speedway! Just when the sport is in its greatest need ever for home grown talent the chimps in charge decide to cut one of the competitions altogether and Belle Vue, Plymouth & Scuntfield elect not to run with one of those being run by the Chairman of the BSPL... You just couldn't make this 5h1t up!

"2026 Season With the 2026 Season fast approaching, we would like to keep our customers informed of the current situation. With the well-publicised delay to the British Speedway AGM, our arrangements for the new season have been pushed back later than usual. We are currently in talks to confirm a new contract and building new packages alongside the BSPL to bring even more speedway to your living room for 2026. BSN remains fully committed to British Speedway and excited for the season ahead. As soon as we have further clarity, we’ll announce our plans and 2026 pricing via our socials, website, and email." Looks like things are far from settled for the 2026 season. I wonder if BSPL are looking to make up some shortfall in lost TV money from BSN?

Speaking of John Davis... I've just watched this: https://youtu.be/ZqhVLHFDAEM?si=4P0QmD1XqPu8la15

Unhinged!

I realise that, you generally have to go a long way back in history to find a successful team that has competed without a genuine number 1, except for Peterborough which I've already gone over... especially with the current race format

Not for me when the other number 1's are Holder, Bewley, Fricke and probably Kurtz to sign for somebody. Douglas is nowhere near that level at the moment.

I prefer to look at his actual points scored rather than the concoction that the BSPL use... Averages M R Pts BP Tot Av inc BP Av no BP 1st 2nd 3rd 4th Fell Ret Exc Tape 2min All 34 166 329 21 350 8.43 7.93 71 43 30 17 0 2 2 1 0 Home 17 84 187 11 198 9.43 8.90 44 21 13 5 0 1 0 0 0 Away 17 82 142 10 152 7.41 6.93 27 22 17 12 0 1 2 1 0

... and didn't appear in a single heat 13

He did not have a world class season last season, he had a good season. He's not in the GP's Didn't make the SGP Challenge Not in the SoN team Not in the Ekstraliga Couldn't achieve an 8 point average in the PL Couldn't achieve a 7 point average away from home in the PL

Makes you wonder why it was never used by the old promotion... this could be a deal breaker 😂

The flashing light doesn't work on the tractor... I wonder if the new owners are aware of this?

I think if you do want to be successful as a team without an out and out number 1, you need to be tracking a number 6 that is better than whoever Leicester are going to have in that position. Maybe somebody like a Klindt, who has the capability of banging in some big scores from that position and climbing out of the reserve berth. From memory the number 6 position of Dad's Army was pretty much a revolving door all season, with most riders spending a spell there. Without that rider, to make replacements during a meeting, you're going to need to be at least 4 points up prior to heats 13 and/or 15 to be in with a chance of league points. Dougy should be okay in those heats at home but the rest will be a lottery.

I can see us taking a hiding on the road, home form should be pretty solid though

Dad's Army was the Covid season as well when the top riders stayed away, Bewley, Kurtz and Jack Holder participated with Bewley & Holder finishing 1 & 2 in the averages but they weren't the riders then that they are now. I'm inclined to agree that you generally don't win anything without a number one, I hope I'm proved wrong... but can't see it personally.