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Post by Merlin on Nov 28, 2008 14:54:31 GMT
Friday, 28 November
Premier League 2009 [/size]- Round Up [/color][/b]
After the flurry of activity this week there are now only five of next year’s Premier League teams still to announce a signing for the new season - Berwick, Newcastle, Newport, Redcar and Somerset. Of these five, there are lingering doubts over three about whether they will actually still be in business when the season starts next March - Newport, Redcar and Somerset
Newport: Although the Wasps declared their intention to run next year it was subject to a number of issues being resolved. There has still been no definite news and, until there is, it’s unlikely that any signings will be made. The outlook seems to be bright however and there is much optimism that all will be well. Of course having lost all their rider assets when the club folded last year after Tim Stone’s death the new promotion will need to start with a blank sheet of paper when putting a team together.
Redcar: Again the outlook looks optimistic. In order for the new consortium headed by Brian Havelock to take over completely all debts from the previous promotion will need to be cleared so that the license to run can be transferred. Progress seems to have been made to that end. Already two of last year’s team have moved on - James Grieves to Glasgow and Josh Auty to Sheffield.
Somerset: The position for the Rebels seems less clear but the main stumbling block seems to be the difficulty in resolving differences between the promoter, Mike Golding, and landlord, Bill Hancock. Hopefully some good news might be forthcoming soon to give the Rebels’ fans a happy Christmas but so far nothing has been made public and the options are unclear if agreement can‘t be reached. The very idea that the Rebels and Somerset track could be lost to speedway is unthinkable.
Workington: After news of all the departures recently the Comets’ fans were relieved to learn of a signing - 20 years old Charles Wright who will once again be asked to fill the number 2 spot in the side. Charles’ proudest moment was helping Workington win the Premier League Four Team Tournament last season. He said “ I had to come in for Daniel Nermark when he was injured and I think a few people had written us off because of that. But I did my bit and we got there in the end so that was a bit special.”
This leaves the Comets still needing to find three heat leaders, a second string and a reserve. The heat leaders are proving difficult to find. Team manager, Ian Thomas, said “At one point on Wednesday I spoke to riders in five different countries but without any success. We are spreading the net wide but it’s proving difficult because it is essential to get the right type of rider.”
One rider who would fit the bill would be Kevin Doolan who has left King’s Lynn. Wouldn’t it be a coincidence for Workington once again to find their top heat leader from a departing King’s Lynn rider just as they did with Daniel Nermark? On a 10.32 average Doolan’s options are limited if he wishes to remain in the Premier League. Only Sheffield of the PL teams who have made signings seem to be in a position to accommodate him.
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Post by Merlin on Nov 29, 2008 16:04:35 GMT
Saturday, 29 November
Premier League 2009 [/size]- Round Up [/color][/b]
Looking at the signings announced to date only two clubs have announced their full line up for the new season. Scunthorpe won the race to be first to declare with King’s Lynn following shortly afterwards. Rye House have six riders signed while Glasgow have announced four signings. Next up are Birmingham and Workington with three, Edinburgh and Sheffield with two and Newcastle and Stoke with one each. The other five have no announced signings yet. With 98 riders needed to complete the line-ups only 36 have so far been signed (36.73%) leaving 62 still to come (depending on the final composition of the league).
Workington: The Comets have made their third signing of the season with John Branney rejoining them for their 2009 campaign. John was voted Rider of the year by readers of the local newspaper and also won trophies for the ‘most improved Comets’ rider’ and for the rider who won the most bonus points.
John’s average of 3.68 almost guarantees that the Comets’ reserve pairing will be John Branney and Richard Lawson with a combined average of 6.68. With Charles Wright already signed on a 4.29 average, Workington have used only 10.97 of the 42.5 points available leaving 31.53 left for the remaining four riders.
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Post by Merlin on Dec 1, 2008 14:29:29 GMT
Monday, 1 December
Premier League 2009 [/size]- Round Up [/color][/b]
Birmingham: Will Adam Roynon end up with the Brummies again next season? He is keen to double up with Coventry by remaining in the Premier League next season. He said “ I’ve only just started talking to Coventry and I also feel Birmingham are still in the equation after I raced for them last season before my injury”. Adam suffered injuries in a crash at Rye House which ended his season this year.
King’s Lynn: It looks likely that the Stars’ new signing, Chris Schramm, will be doubling up with Elite League Ipswich next season.
Newcastle: The Diamonds have made their first signing for the new season. Craig Branney joins them after spending this season on the sidelines after breaking his leg in five places at the Telford Ice Rink last winter. Workington decided that he was too big a risk to include in their plans for the new season and Craig had the choice of joining Berwick or Newcastle.
He said “I decided on Newcastle and hope it works out. I'm really looking forward to it after being out for a year. I rode two years for Newcastle in the Conference League when I was starting out and I like the track. I've had some decent scores there when used as a guest there in recent times.” His younger brother John has signed for Workington.
Newport: At a fans’ meeting yesterday the news was all good. It seems that six of the riders have been signed for the new season but no names will be released until 12th December. That might be wishful thinking given the power of the Internet these days!
Redcar: Prospects for the Bears look much brighter with the news that the new consortium, headed by Brian Havelock, have resolved the problems which arose over unpaid creditors. The takeover deal is now close to being finalised which should ensure that Premier League speedway will take place at the STMP again next season.
Workington: Expect to hear of another signing by the Comets this week. Speculation is rife but the favourite guess seems to be Kevin Doolan who has left King’s Lynn and is seeking pastures new.
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Post by Merlin on Dec 2, 2008 15:23:35 GMT
Tuesday, 2 December
Premier League 2009 [/size]- Round Up [/color][/b]
Newport: Well a number of clues were dropped about one of Newport’s new signings at the fans’ meeting at the weekend. Supposedly he lives in Newport and the new promotion are his sponsors. Furthermore he attended the meeting. Now how many of these boxes does Craig Watson tick?
Stoke: Stoke followed the signing of Jason Bunyan by re-signing Lee Complin for next season. Complin missed three months of last season after suffering injuries in a car crash. He returned to the Potters’ side late on in the season.
Several rival clubs are thought to have been interested in signing up Complin, but lengthy discussions concluded last night with success for Potters promoter Dave Tattum. He said: "Having Lee back on board for next season was always in our plans and we are delighted to have him signed up. A number of clubs were chasing his signature, but Lee always said Stoke were his first choice. We are just delighted it has all gone through."
Workington: The Comets have signed Kevin Doolan to replace Daniel Nermark in next season’s team. Doolan who is 28 comes in on a 10.32 average. Ian Thomas, the Workington team manager, said “In the end eight or nine tracks were interested in taking Kevin but I got first run on them and was able to get in quickly to complete the signing,” said Thomas.
Doolan admits he didn’t take much persuading to agree a deal with Thomas and was in Workington yesterday to meet owner Keith Denham and try on the new Comets body-colour for size. He said “To be honest once Ian spoke to me I made up my mind pretty quickly. It was flattering that so many tracks were interested but Workington is such a good track and a good club that I didn’t take much persuading.”
“I’ve enjoyed my time at King’s Lynn but it’s the old numbers game again and that’s something you have to get used to in speedway. The same thing has happened to me in Sweden after my team won promotion and I’ve had to make a change over there as well,” he said.
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Post by Merlin on Dec 3, 2008 15:52:33 GMT
Wednesday, 3 December
Premier League 2009 [/size]- Round Up [/color][/b]
Berwick: The Bandits will be announcing five of their signings for the new season on Sunday. Adrian Rymel will not be one of them since he has moved to Workington for the new season but this may leave the door open for a return of Josef Franc and perhaps Daniel Warwick who have ridden for the team in seasons past.
Glasgow: The Tigers have re-signed Shane Parker for his sixth consecutive season at Ashfield next year. According to press reports King’s Lynn made a bid for Parker but he opted to return to Glasgow again for what he says might possibly be his last season.
Newport: The new promotion at Newport are hoping to be accepted by the BSPA on Friday before announcing the Wasps’ team for the new season shortly afterwards.
Sheffield: Richard Hall has signed for Sheffield having spent last season on loan to Scunthorpe. He said “I’m looking forward to it already. Sheffield was my first choice and always the place I wanted to come to after leaving Scunthorpe.”
Workington: Workington have signed Adrian Rymel from Berwick as their second heat leader joining Kevin Doolan. Rymel comes in on a 9.73 average. With Doolan on 10.32 the top two have eaten up 20.05 points. It’s hard to see any other team having a stronger top two than that. Added to the 10.97 taken up by Charles Wright, John Branney and Richard Lawson this leaves the Comets with 11.53 for their remaining two riders.
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Post by Merlin on Dec 6, 2008 12:15:13 GMT
Saturday, 6 December
Premier League 2009 [/size]- Round Up [/color][/b]
Birmingham: The Brummies will be without Kyle Legault next season after he signed for Elite League Poole in a loan deal with his parent club, Sheffield.
Edinburgh: No new signings were announced at the well-attended Video night held last night in Edinburgh. However there will be no return to the team of Kalle Katajisto nor Daniele Tessari both of whom are Edinburgh assets with low averages from the 2007 season.
Glasgow: The Tigers announced their entire 2009 team last night of Shane Parker, James Grieves, Peter Juul, Josh Grajczonek, Ross Brady, Anders Andersen and Mitchell Davey. Only Grieves did not form part of the line up in 2008. This means that Trent Leverington, Robert Ksiezak and Lee Dicken will be missing from the pool of riders they used this year.
Newport: The Wasps’ first two signings have been announced. Former skipper, Craig Watson, returns to the Hayley Stadium on a 6.89 average after riding at Birmingham last season. He is joined by Mark Lemon who rode for Reading last year. Mark comes in on a 7.42 average. Further announcements are expected this weekend.
Redcar: All seems well now for the return of Redcar to the Premier League next season under the consortium headed by Brian Havelock. It would be a surprise if Gary Havelock did not return to lead the side.
Workington: Apparently the last two pieces in the Workington jigsaw have been completed but no names have yet been announced. Maybe today?
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Post by Merlin on Dec 7, 2008 16:46:41 GMT
Sunday, December 7
Premier League 2009 [/size]- Round Up [/color][/b]
Berwick: The Bandits should be announcing their first five signings for next season at a fans’ forum event this evening.
Newport: Newport have apparently added Chris Kerr, who rode for Redcar last year, to their list of signings joining Craig Watson and Mark Lemon.
Redcar: Hard on the heels of the news that the Bears would definitely be back next season comes the announcement at the supporters’ Christmas Party last night of their first five signings. Once again Gary Havelock leads the side and he is joined by Benji Compton, Ben Wilson, Robbie Kessler and Carl Stonehewer. Negotiations continue with Ty Proctor to return next year which would leave the Bears with 3.83 points to complete the team. Gone from this year’s team are James Grieves, Chris Kerr, Josh Auty and Daniel Giffard.
Workington: It’s not been announced officially yet but it seems that Adam Roynon has joined the Comets as their sixth signing and third heat leader.
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Post by Merlin on Dec 8, 2008 15:56:51 GMT
Monday, 8 December
Premier League 2009 [/size]- Round Up [/color][/b]
Berwick: The first five signings for the Bandits were announced last night. They are Michal Makovsky, Josef Franc, Tero Aarnio, Guglielmo Franchetti and Danny Warwick. There is no Adrian Rymel from last season’s team but Josef Franc returns after a spell with Newcastle and Danny Warwick resumes his long distance commute after riding for Reading this year. The points total for those five is 29.10 which leaves the Bandits with 13.40 for their last two signings.
Redcar: It seems that Gary Havelock has not yet signed on for the new season at Redcar. His father, Brian Havelock, who heads the new consortium at the South Tees Motor Park told son Gary, the Bears’ No 1 and skipper who was controversially sacked and then reinstated by Taylor in a cost-cutting exercise last season, not to expect the same deal next year. “I’ve spoken to Gary and told him we can’t pay him what he was on last year,” said Havvy senior. “I think he accepts that.”
It would surely be a major surprise though if Gary did not sign on to lead the Bears again next year.
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Post by Merlin on Dec 11, 2008 15:52:48 GMT
Thursday, 11 December
Premier League 2009 [/size]- Round Up [/color][/b]
Only two weeks till Christmas Day yet so many teams have still to complete their sides while others seem to be well on their way but are keeping things secret. There has been little to report over the last couple of days other than that there will be no Ulrich Ostergaard in the Premier League next season since he’s signed for Belle Vue but there are a host of rumours about other riders none of which are substantiated sufficiently to include here. Other Premier League riders who will not be returning are Kauko Nieminen and Stuart Robson both of whom have signed for Lakeside.
Newport: It looks like Chris Holder who last season rode for the Isle of Wight will become the latest Poole asset to join the Wasps for the new season.
Sheffield: The Tigers have signed Chris Mills who last year rode for Reading where he admits that things didn’t go to plan. He said “I suffered some early season bike problems which effected my confidence, but where my season really went downhill was when they had a change in the people who prepare the track. Every week it would be a little bit different and towards the end of the year the track became very difficult to ride. All we really wanted was a consistent surface every week. That way you can develop a better home advantage and also build up your confidence for the away tracks.
“I then had a couple of big crashes towards the end of the season and what little confidence I did have really evaporated after that. My form and head went and I then found myself riding poorly everywhere.” Chris will also be doubling up with Elite League side, Lakeside next season.
Stoke: Lee Complin who recently signed for the Potters will also be doubling up with Peterborough next year in one of the Elite League side’s reserve berths.
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Post by headmistress on Dec 11, 2008 17:34:41 GMT
Newport look very strong next year if they have really signed Chris Holder. Must be James surely. As they have already signed Wato and Lemmo?
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