Sheffield Tigers 2025

[szkocjasid]

3 hours ago, The Cheese said:

It's another sign of the state the sport is in when someone can just go straight back into both leagues immediately after their 2-year ban is up.

I don't have a problem with giving someone a second chance but they should have to earn it. I can't recall any comment from Morris such as an apology to his teams and sponsors for letting them down. We never even had official confirmation of what exactly he was banned for seeing as he took the cowardly route of refusing a test rather than admit to his mistake.

I guess for your first point Berwick had a number one who wasn't turning up so can understand their choice of signing, while Sheffield didn't have time to see if Morris found form due to the cut-off date.

Totally agree with everything in the second part of your post.

[YeOldPitGate]

1 hour ago, CTD26 said:

Backs up the crack I heard aswell about the state of Sheffield owing serious amounts of money

If true something must have seriously gone wrong as the people in charge have been there for many years with no issues as far as I am aware, and surely crowds can't have completely fell off a cliff compared to 3-4 years ago ?

[TTT]

Imagine how much Sheffield would've owed in wages if Woffinden was still in the team as well.

Now everything makes sense in regards to 2026.

Are Nick Morris and Jye Etheridge an improvement on Lewis Kerr and Justin Sedgmen, I'd say no with a lot of confidence.

Were Lewis Kerr and Justin Sedgmen just riding poorly on purpose because they were owed money is the question.

[PhilTheAce]

12 minutes ago, YeOldPitGate said:

If true something must have seriously gone wrong as the people in charge have been there for many years with no issues as far as I am aware, and surely crowds can't have completely fell off a cliff compared to 3-4 years ago ?

the bates apparently lost a massive contract for there business, and since then have struggled, sad to see, but im sure you will be in safe hands next year under a new owner/s

[Triple.H.]

5 hours ago, The Cheese said:

It's another sign of the state the sport is in when someone can just go straight back into both leagues immediately after their 2-year ban is up.

I don't have a problem with giving someone a second chance but they should have to earn it. I can't recall any comment from Morris such as an apology to his teams and sponsors for letting them down. We never even had official confirmation of what exactly he was banned for seeing as he took the cowardly route of refusing a test rather than admit to his mistake.

He was banned for refusing a test. 

Same as any sportsperson who refuses a test or misses a random test without a very good reason.

 

[foreverblue]

1 hour ago, TTT said:

Imagine how much Sheffield would've owed in wages if Woffinden was still in the team as well.

Now everything makes sense in regards to 2026.

Are Nick Morris and Jye Etheridge an improvement on Lewis Kerr and Justin Sedgmen, I'd say no with a lot of confidence.

Were Lewis Kerr and Justin Sedgmen just riding poorly on purpose because they were owed money is the question.

No Kerr has ridden poorly for Poole too.

[YeOldPitGate]

1 hour ago, PhilTheAce said:

the bates apparently lost a massive contract for there business, and since then have struggled, sad to see, but im sure you will be in safe hands next year under a new owner/s

Fingers crossed if true that the new owners are good people Phil.

[InTheDeepStuff]

Personally think this is two good changes and were needed.  Sedgmen has struggled all season at home his last two performances there were shocking.  As for Kerr we’ve seen again that when not at the number 6 reserve more times than not he doesn’t score his average (that 16 at King’s Lynn has given him a bit of an artificially high average).  
For the two new signings Etheridge was on the Sheffield radar for a 2024 team spot following his Play Off final performance at Owlerton but points wouldn’t fit him in, he’ll definitely score more than Sedgmen at home, away just depends what tracks Sheffield have left to visit.  Morris has to be race rusty, hopefully he’s managed to get some new kit under him, if he can pick up 6-8 points from 4 rides home and away don’t think much more can be asked for 

[InTheDeepStuff]

Double post

Edited 21 hours ago by InTheDeepStuff

[poole keith]

1 hour ago, foreverblue said:

No Kerr has ridden poorly for Poole too.

Blue you never miss a  chance give the bloke a  break, not that he gives a fig what you think

[Gavan]

I can say that I know of one ex Sheffield rider who is happy not to be there …said the riders don’t offer each other support and it’s the strangest pits and team environment he has ever seen in his career 

Nothing wrong with Sheffield making signings it’s allowed I just don’t think they are good ones particularly 

 

[Bunce]

Were Lewis Kerr and Justin Sedgmen just riding poorly on purpose because they were owed money is the question.

I'm afraid his performance guesting for Kings Lynn v Leicester seems to indicate a dramatic downturn in his performances, as I'm sure he would have been paid by Buster. A shame, as Lewis was always a great rider at Kings Lynn, so its painful when a rider loses form and then gets replaced in a team. Difficult to believe that only a couple of months ago he scored 16+1 at Saddlebow Road with 5 straight wins on the trot.

[Roger Jacobs]

6 hours ago, DaveWayne said:

It may have slipped your mind, but just in case it passed you by, a quick reminder that one of our contracted heat leaders nearly died a few days before our first match of the season, forcing us into some quick team changes. These haven't worked out and it is fairly obvious that our existing 1-7 were not likely to beat any of the other playoff teams over 2 legs. Therefore, as per the regulations, a couple of changes have been made.

I've just done a quick edit to the end of your final sentence, to make it more realistic.

[flagrag]

4 hours ago, PhilTheAce said:

the bates apparently lost a massive contract for there business, and since then have struggled, sad to see, but im sure you will be in safe hands next year under a new owner/s

Yes Bates family firm had the contract fitting water meters and associated pipe work for Yorkshire Water and Severn Trent in North Derbyshire however they lost this unexpectedly and have not been able to pick up other contracts so had to lay off a lot of staff .

Timing was not great as had just moved HQ and  made significant investments into two new pub ventures as well as a general slow down in Speedway attendances so where as previously they could pay riders through their other companies cannot do that now and from what I have been told the Bates family have been putting large amounts of their own money in to keep the team on track 

[IainB]

Sounds like the Tigers have been living well beyond their means... I wonder how many other clubs are.

[foreverblue]

2 hours ago, poole keith said:

Blue you never miss a  chance give the bloke a  break, not that he gives a fig what you think

It is true though isn't it, I doubt any rider gives a fig what I think. I was making the point that we pay our riders on time so his form for Poole at times, not all the time, is not the reason for it.

[hasta la vista]

43 minutes ago, IainB said:

Sounds like the Tigers have been living well beyond their means... I wonder how many other clubs are.

All, not 1 is breaking even and that's a known fact.

[GeneralMelchett]

2 hours ago, IainB said:

Sounds like the Tigers have been living well beyond their means... I wonder how many other clubs are.

Well publish and be damned is a famous phrase, don't allude to unpaid wages state or shut up - thats not aimed at you but the usual suspects who state 'i spoke to a bloke down the pub who knows something types' - however I can state that if anyone cares too tootle along to companies house it provides an illuminating reading into the profitability or not of the companies that operate speedway teams!! 

I discussed changes with my Tigers mate last friday and we both agreed something was very likely to happen this week, If I was either Kerr and Sedgeman I'd be reluactant to ride for Sheffield again as this is the 2nd time they have been jettisoned. 

Etheridge is probably a decent switch - Morris is a risk - he's been out for 2 years! Kinda a final roll of the dice for the Tigers! 

Edited 18 hours ago by GeneralMelchett

[szkocjasid]

Interesting to look at the top 4s home & away averages:

Pickering 9.95 / 6.00

J Holder 9.40 / 8.28

C Holder 8.09 / 6.58

Rowe 6.21 / 4.00

The dropped riders are obviously not home specialists!

Kerr 5.33 / 5.33

Sedgmen 2.88 / 4.43

Even if Morris & Etheridge prove to be stronger, Sheffield will need to rest to up their away form if they want to win the league!

 

[IainB]

9 hours ago, GeneralMelchett said:

Well publish and be damned is a famous phrase, don't allude to unpaid wages state or shut up however I can state that if anyone cares too tootle along to companies house it provides an illuminating reading into the profitability or not of the companies that operate speedway teams!! 

I've looked at a few clubs accounts in the past and many (if not all) of them seem to weave very tangled webs 🕸️