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Is this a joke? Isn't he meant to be a reserve. Might be interesting to see after a few beers, that is all. Deplorable behaviour usually.

Is he? Speedway Star says Scott Nicholls is 8th in averages and British?

Exactly....! Its factual as far as I am concerned, and if a banner that big is made of it, its proof to me.

I should say, and have consistently said this for several years, Woffinden is a product of the Australian youth system and not the British. To say Woffinden is succeeding because of the British system, would be to suggest Gustafsson is as well. I accept he is British, and don't hold the fact he wore an Aussie shirt in the World Cup this summer against him, but to hold him up as British product is frankly unacceptable, and would be swallowing BSPA spin.

But if the U21 series is where they are meant to go, then the GP would not have had Emil in? Or can they do both? Dates clash? I do agree though, resources should be targeted at the real youth, U21, or even U18. However, in terms of resources, how much is REALLY available. I see Erik Gundersen bemoaning the lack of British talent in the Speedway Star, I hope some of the youngsters took him up on his offer to get experience abroad. But that is like the old one off finals, no? Or am I imagining that? If so, why do so many be-little the winners eg. 1973 Jerzy Szczakiel and 1983 Egon Muller! Everyone knew Zetterstrom would have a good meeting on one of his best tracks.

Well done to the 3 qualifiers....however, what I find ironic is that to qualify for a SERIES it relies on a ONE OFF meeting which the SERIES was meant to replace. How thin is the line for qualification? If Protasiewcz hadn't locked up whilst leading with Harris 2nd, Lindgren 3rd and Zetterstrom last, had he even managed to fall and get up without anyone else getting involved, Zetterstrom would not have qualified (or at least Lindgren would have got a rostrum). I would maybe go for a secondary series at established speedway circuits/would be hosts (ability to prove oneself) on the Fridays of a GP weekend (eg. Coventry, maybe a German track, Croatian, even Russian). If riders can prove themselves in there, qualification is given. Of course at some point you need a one off qualifying system, but if it is a 'once removed' stage before the gateway of the main GP, then it would lead to less trouble in picking riders....! On another point, with Emil at 19, Holder at 21, maybe even Darcy (currently 17), in the GP's in two years time, these 3 have a good chance of still being there in 2023!!! Scary thought for me. Even worse, these 3 highlight the problem with Team GB when we still refer to 24 and 26 year olds as young riders/needing experience/give youth a chance! Kicks that argument straight into touch. If you really want youth to have a chance, go and pick 17-18 year olds. I have been impressed with Simon Gustafsson this year, and he doesn't have an equivalent Brit of his age!

OK, Tai didn't have to wear an Aussie shirt; any other top would have done - surely? I turn up on here, and any thread - whatever title - someone wants a dig at Nicholls. Unbelieveable. If you are not included in the team GB this week, with all the press releases saying youth will be used, why not take another paying job with Sky? Why do you appear to begrudge that? Lets face it, if Lyon had got the balls to include him instead of Bridger or King, neither Woffinden or Nicholls would have needed something else to do today - Team GB would have been in the final.

Completely agree, Orion. You have called it spot on this week. Yeah, he would have had Darcy and Kozza in (obviously fitness pending!). I find it funny that a 30 and 31 year old can be possibly called 'old guard' in someone else's place. The scorechart says it all, GB had to carry two of the worst riders in the meeting, that can only be down to team selection. Just because a rider can ride a track he knows inside out on a Monday, doesn't mean he will be good elsewhere on a Thursday. I will give Lyon a second chance IF he admits he made a mistake. If he doesn't, he should go. It will be a test of his character if he claims he still got it right, then he isn't good enough for the job. Mark Loram is my nomination!

Grow up and get a life. How does not being there extend to throwing his toys. Never read such a load of tosh on here for a very long while. Are you privvy to the inner workings of the team? Did Lyon invite him? Where was Stead? Throwing his toys too? Was Olly Allen there? (Should have been in the team imo!) Ben Barker? But no, you want to Bash Scott. Its like saying, if he had been picked, he would have got GB through, so Lyons should be sacked. But you can't make such tedious connections. There are 469 threads bashing Nicholls, join one of them - instead you have yourself a headline. Well Done.

I know, he is damned if he does, and damned if he doesn't. When he rides, the usual suspects line up on here to kick him in, when he doesn't ride, they still manage to do so! Hence my previous comment, that I would avoid the play-off if I was him. If he rode, the usual suspects will demand a maximum, then criticise his team riding

Its you, PM me if you need a lesson in permutations and combinations, wikipedia it maybe, or just agree that I had a point, in my post that you have chosen very conveniently to overlook. Harris, Nicholls, Richardson, Bridger, King is a different 'set' of 5 to Harris, Tai, Kennett, Bridger and King, whereby Harris, Bridger and King are a subset of both. Now perm the riding orders and get back to me tomorrow.

I think we have no-one to save, any perm of 5 will finish in the bottom 2. However, if we use the best 5 British, we could get the better of an injury hit Denmark, BUT it would make no sense to me to revert to young riders only to drop them in a last gasp effort to qualify. You should have gone with your best in the first place, and if you go with youth, Lyon needs to stick to it or end up looking as indecisive as Steve McClaren. I agree with your last point. Instead we are a breeding ground for Aussies of late! How are they so good at 16?! On Tai, probably our best British youngster not through our system though, beating Gregoric, Stojs, and Sullivan plus benefitting from an exclusion and EF is not something to write home about. Nicholls or Richardson could have done better, imo. Ditto Kennett and his 3 Slovenian scalps..

You are being pedantic because I have a point. Yes these set of 5 must be changed, to a different set of 5, probably featuring 3 of these. Idiot. Let me go and get some of your typo errors and waste space on the forum.

If I was Scott Nicholls, I would not be putting my hand up to ride in the Play-Offs. Team GB will finish last, he will get the blame (because without him they managed third tonight will come the calls....), why put yourself up for a beating. I think its becoming obvious with the selection, that Rob Lyon didn't have much faith in making the final and alas, is being proved correct. Lets blood these guys, then in a couple of years time, drop em, and blood Auty, Haines and maybe Darcy Ward will switch

Completely agree, think that some people are deluding themselves that the team are youngsters. Sorry, cannot buy that. Not on the world stage. Look at all the Polish, 'the' Russian, Aussie teenagers coming through. Tai is a concern, he seems to be 'plateau-ing' this season on an international/individual basis. We will come last. I hate to say that, but unless these 5 are changed, it will be last place. I am not being anti-anyone. Just a realist. I guess we will see who is right on Thursday night.

Czech Republic will feel hard done by, if they were the 4th team at Peterborough, they would have pushed GB close.

True to form then! Kennett gets the better of Stojs, Santej and Gregoric for his 3. Kennett, Tai both underperformed.

I really hope its not true....I don't think Gundersen and Nielsen were the greatest of friends, but still combined to produce some major honours! Not that Richardson or others are in their class.....however, 'friendships' shouldn't come into a team selection, whatever next Andy Smith recalled because everyone agrees he is a nice guy!

But Orion isn't putting himself for the job. To those who are defending him, because you are misguided that its EL vs. PL, I think you do not need to have managed a league team to manage a national team. Very different rules, scenarios etc.. EL helps if EL tracks are used, but predominately, you need someone with international experience and know how international riders operate. Admittedly, he would get better insight from managing an EL team, but thats it. As I said before, Mark Loram would have been ideal. Lyon's team selection lets him down, I also think he came across badly on a Sky broadcast with Keith Huewen (think it was the start of the GP year) and he said something like, "What would you be telling them now"....really put him on the spot, and I wondered! Sam Ermolenko eventually answered.

Thats exactly how I see Danny King, nice enough effort but not enough in our top 3 or 4. In fact, a fit Olly Allen should be above King in the pecking order. Orion has already answered this one, but Colin and Nicholls were together at Coventry during one of the most successful ever periods in the club's history. I don't think any other Coventry Captain has lifted as much silverware. And Colin was also there! Rob Lyon is out of touch, and out of his depth. He has attempted football psychology, attempting to show no-one is safe, but it will eventually back-fire. We don't have the depth of riders to play silly games with. Again, I would have alot more credit for Lyon if he has moulded a PL team of under-achievers and turned them into PL all stars. Simple fact he hasn't. Managers have less influence over team selection than Promoters, imo. A Speedway Manager should be an ex-Speedway rider who has been there, done it, got the T shirt who can pass on expert knowledge on track and set ups.. That will get FAR more respect. And my nomination would have been Mark Loram! I, of course, hope Team GB do their best and I will be first to credit them if they achieve more....but I fear the worst, sadly.

Thank you Sandie!!

This is what I have been informed as well. Snyper....I know why you are 'going for my posts', after your outbursts several weeks ago that got censured (and rightly so). Marcel has said that Emil has a harsh background...and his source, "some foreign magazine". I have quickly googled, and cannot find anything to support either side. However, my sources are certainly more accurate than a magazine. Background means nothing to me, Speedway talent is more important. Equally, a wealthy background doesn't mean spoilt either. You can only buy so much in Speedway, its not F1! I just disagree with any notion that Emil is a Cinderella story. He is not, but don't let that detract from the fact he is a talented speedway rider....and will learn from Saturday.

I refer you to your comments in the EL forum which were deleted, two weeks ago....remember???! I also see you have been name calling on other threads. Why would anyone reply to you when you are going to be like that?

I do, but why publish it here for lazy people like yourself. If you asked nicely I might, you aggressive nature isn't needed. Have you ever wondered why you don't get a good response from ANYONE on here?

I think Emil is a talented speedway rider who will be a World Champion, his background, or nationality, is neither here nor there for me. But people wanting a tabloid story....you are having a laugh. He will undoubtedly do his talking on the track, but in the meantime, Emil v. Scott provided me with good entertainment, and once again was the only thing my non-Speedway fans text me about the following day! They all want to come next year if I can promise that. Oh, and for their record, my non-Speedway fans are Scottish. Not that their background, or nationality, should make you judge them