A Matter of Opinion....Roger Thomas....01/03/2002

Roger has been following Coventry for 13 years and is also a keen fan of Conference League racing.

In speedway rules only seem to exist so they can be broken. Far too many 'special dispensations' are made and it makes a nonsense of the rulebook. If foreign riders can't attain the standards laid down then it's only right that they're refused a permit. Perhaps now the promoters will avoid bringing over riders before they're ready.

Sean Wilson and Carl Stonehewer will not be far away but I rather fancy that Simon Stead may just pip them. He's already a top class rider and the extra experience of riding with Peterborough will help him develop further. Frede Schott of Edinburgh could be an outsider, he's a rider of real quality and should be rejuvenated after a number of years away. Lack of experience of the away tracks may hold him back a little.

I've only been to Sheffield a handful of times but I've yet to see a poor meeting there. I've obviously got a strong emotional attachment to Coventry but I know the quality of racing could be better at times. Hopefully we'll get a more consistent surface this year.

A real case of six and half a dozen. I suspect it came down to the financial demands of the riders. Perhaps the backing of Kenny Roberts allowed Billy to undercut Greg. Either way it's abysmal that either one had to miss out, even Jim Lynch has now admitted that the restrictions on Grand Prix riders are unnecessary. Hopefully Greg will be back in Britain sooner rather than later.

It would be great if they did. Everybody knows that the Elite lacks variety and desperately needs some additional teams. Workington and Sheffield in particular would be brilliant additions. Sadly both clubs would be worse off if they did move up. Until there are sound financial benefits in moving up the Elite League will never expand.