One over the eight

[TigerIain]

Scunthorpe just ruined the "we've got 9 riders over 8 and 9 teams so let's give them all 1 each".

Great signing for Scunthorpe fans though especially after ensuring a tough season last year

Edited October 30 by TigerIain

[Sings4Speedway]

On 10/30/2025 at 6:58 PM, TigerIain said:

Scunthorpe just ruined the "we've got 9 riders over 8 and 9 teams so let's give them all 1 each".

Great signing for Scunthorpe fans though especially after ensuring a tough season last year

But is it a bad thing having a "spare" rider waiting in the wings? How often is a teams season over before its started because their number 1 bins it early or even before the season even starts. 

[dontforgetthefueltapsbruv]

On 11/18/2025 at 12:08 PM, Sings4Speedway said:

But is it a bad thing having a "spare" rider waiting in the wings? How often is a teams season over before its started because their number 1 bins it early or even before the season even starts. 

It is if the one left without a team is potentially GBs most promising prospect 

Pickering should not be allowed to drop back down to the Championship if it means a Brit misses out on a place

[soupy]

One over the eight is nine lol

[TigerIain]

9 hours ago, dontforgetthefueltapsbruv said:

It is if the one left without a team is potentially GBs most promising prospect 

Pickering should not be allowed to drop back down to the Championship if it means a Brit misses out on a place

I assume you're referring to Dan Thompson? Someone with inside knowledge of Edinburgh has already said in a couple of threads that he has signed for Edinburgh Monarchs for next year. Big step up as good average comes from riding at 3 for the last couple of seasons, however he was brilliant round Armadale for the Tigers last year so he should be fine. 

[dontforgetthefueltapsbruv]

14 minutes ago, TigerIain said:

I assume you're referring to Dan Thompson? Someone with inside knowledge of Edinburgh has already said in a couple of threads that he has signed for Edinburgh Monarchs for next year. Big step up as good average comes from riding at 3 for the last couple of seasons, however he was brilliant round Armadale for the Tigers last year so he should be fine. 

Spot on but the principle stands

I see Dan has signed for Lodz in Extraliga 2 which adds some pressure to his travel arrangements 

[szkocjasid]

On 11/18/2025 at 12:08 PM, Sings4Speedway said:

But is it a bad thing having a "spare" rider waiting in the wings? How often is a teams season over before its started because their number 1 bins it early or even before the season even starts. 

Personally I think it would be horrendous if an 8+ rider missed the start of the season because there were 10 wanting to race in the Champ. While averages can always dictate a rider missing a team spot, to introduce a rule that guarantees a riders misses out is an awful idea.

The thought that an 8.01 would become unemployed, but a 7.99 rider would be the most sought after in the league, is just what I'd expect of Speedway, sadly!

[crescent girl]

1 hour ago, szkocjasid said:

Personally I think it would be horrendous if an 8+ rider missed the start of the season because there were 10 wanting to race in the Champ. While averages can always dictate a rider missing a team spot, to introduce a rule that guarantees a riders misses out is an awful idea.

The thought that an 8.01 would become unemployed, but a 7.99 rider would be the most sought after in the league, is just what I'd expect of Speedway, sadly!

If it indeed transpires the "one over the eight" regulation is adopted at AGM, then the unemployed "over eight" rider(s) will be the ones who have demanded too much from a prospective promotion.     Having a surplus will prevent unreasonable demands, if a rider thinks he's the only game in town, he can cripple a promotion by asking to be paid the earth.......

[Hamster00]

8 hours ago, crescent girl said:

If it indeed transpires the "one over the eight" regulation is adopted at AGM, then the unemployed "over eight" rider(s) will be the ones who have demanded too much from a prospective promotion.     Having a surplus will prevent unreasonable demands, if a rider thinks he's the only game in town, he can cripple a promotion by asking to be paid the earth.......

Seems way off base to me, someone could simply miss out because they don’t fit by 0.01 and someone else does or because they don’t suit the track as well as rider B or a team decides to build with seven riders below 8.

Assuming someone would miss out purely because they are holding a team to ransom is typical of what I’d expect on this forum.

British speedway is its own worst enemy and continues to be so.

[TigerIain]

1 hour ago, Hamster00 said:

Seems way off base to me, someone could simply miss out because they don’t fit by 0.01 and someone else does or because they don’t suit the track as well as rider B or a team decides to build with seven riders below 8.

Assuming someone would miss out purely because they are holding a team to ransom is typical of what I’d expect on this forum.

British speedway is its own worst enemy and continues to be so.

I think something needed to be done. At the start of last year Glasgow, Poole and Redcar looked to have significantly more top end strength and so it proved with those 3 clearly a level above the rest. There is no ideal solution, but better this than the way the Premiership went with the strong teams killing off the weak and possibly not having a league left. 

Speedway does not have the in built blind loyalty that football has. It needs all teams to be competitive (even if only at home) to keep the crowds that it has.

Presumably the rule was written so that the top 9 averaged riders were split between the 9 teams and no one missed out, but the signing of Pickering put a spanner in that. Although, it could be that no one wanted Klindt after the number of times he seemingly chose not to ride last season.