Charlie Signs Tigers Tamed Earth Back on its Axis!

Well that was quite a couple of days. Must admit my productivity was down on Friday as I sat waiting for news on our new signing. All sorts were going through my mind Chris Schramm good rider not a number one, Robin Aspergen plenty of promise but likewise, Steve Boxall nooooooooo! don't go back there again, then finally a flashing red light on the Blackberry and its Charlie Gejedde yes!!! Class rider who if he applies himself could yet turn us into a force to be reckoned with. Fair play to Uncle Len for pulling that one off. So Saturday was approached with renewed confidence Sheffield have gone for what Neil Machin calls "strength in depth" well that was his story anyway. Looking at the Tigers line up I was up for a 10 point win provided Joe Haines didn't return to something like his best. In the end in the words of an ex football pundit we won it with a cigar on. Hopefully one day I'll get my wish and Josh Auty will become a permanent Rocket there's no doubting our adopted Yorkshire son is class and bound to cause us a problem when Scunthorpe come down later in the season. Sad to see Leigh Lanham go top rider and thoroughly nice bloke to boot as he said though never say never and I can still see him wearing blue and yellow sometime in the future. Must admit when we were 28-8 in front after 6 heats I was thumbing through the record books to find our biggest win over Sheffield was 69-23 in the second leg of the play off final in 2007. In the end I didn't need that bit of trivia but it was still a convincing way to start the league campaign and one that saw the glint returning to Uncle Len's eye in the pits afterwards. It appears Jordan may well be back for the Panther Challenge on Saturday although to be honest I'd rather he gave it another week and didn't risk things in what after all will be a pleasant night, an old boys reunion, but in the end a meaningless meeting. Jason Bunyan back from New Zealand Charlie making his competitive debut and Jordan back in the line-up for the visit to Leicester on Easter Saturday now that would be worth looking forward to. All we want now is someone to sort out Tyson's visa application...anyone got a rubber stamp? Up The Rockets!

Black Cats Broken Mirrors and Ladders

Its that time at the beginning of the season when fans form an opinion on the 7 brave lads their promoter has put together. Whatever your thoughts on the proposed Rockets septet for 2012 and as most people know mine were pretty positive you can't help feeling sorry for Uncle Len who's had more medical drama than a Casualty box set over the last week. To lose you're number one rider is unlucky to lose your number two is catastrophic and then to lose your best reserve??? Well if the Fast Show made a comeback move over Paul Whitehouse there's only one man in line for the role of Unlucky Alf! Quite whether a bunch of Black Cats were crushed a score of ladders were walked under or every mirror Chez Silver smashed there is no explanation for so much bad luck.
So we are left to soldier on with a team held together by elastoplast until scaphoids and ankle ligaments heal and a new number one arrives on a dashing white charger. So fair play to the lads that remain for the win against an equally jinxed Ipswich. Leigh looks class Luke's latest injuries didn't hold him back and Little Ben lifted the mood by beating Kevin Doolan. I'm sure young Jason will have better days and it certainly won't get him down. As Steve Webb said to me afterwards he's the biggest character we've had here since Kelvin Mullarky.
The weekend brings a trip to Plymouth now minus the errant Steve Boxall, no real surprise there and plus the occasionally brilliant Corey Gathercole. A tough one there I think. Then its back home with our adopted Yorkshire son Josh Auty coming up against his old mates. The lads made so many guest appearances over the years surely he deserves at least a caravan in the car park.
Fingers crossed there are no more trips to casualty perhaps Uncle Len will be out there rounding up black cats chopping up ladders and making sure he doesn't look in another mirror until November just to be on the safe side!
Up The Rockets!

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Press Practice and Webby's New Hat!

It was good to be back on Friday for Speedway Star and Herts Mercury day as predicted we were the only media that bothered to turn up. I despair of local radio having spent 20 years as a freelance it would only of taken a phone call to get me to provide some audio but as usual they couldn't be bothered. A couple of years ago I quizzed BBC Essex as to their complete lack of Rye House Coverage to be told "strictly its just outside our area" yes by about 400m and if Auntie is so territorial why do BBC London cover Watford FC?? Anyway that moaning aside it was a good afternoon with all the Rockets on show as well as a few of the Raiders. Everyone seemed in relaxed mood unlike a year ago and I got a real feeling of optimism around the place. Off the track the highlight for me was our sartorially elegant Pit Marshall Steve Webb sporting a very natty panama style hat. Known for his Union Jack trousers its good to see Webby shows no sign of toning things down for the new campaign. It is though to be hoped he's learned his lesson from last year attempting to feed the ducks he ended up joining them in the river! I've just finished the annual pin the tail on the Premier League exercise trying to put together my prediction for the final league table that means we'll be in for another round of pundits what do they know come October. For what its worth I had the Rockets finishing sixth edging into the final play off place. Thursday will give us a guide as to how things might pan out as I think The Witches are as strong as anyone particularly if their highly rated Aussies catch fire as predicted. I think we'll give them a good run for their money though particularly with the two Jason's at reserve. As the skipper said on Friday they scare the hell out of me so I don't know what they'll do to the opposition! Bring it on!

Here We Go Again!

Three days until Press and Practice Day. Well actually I should rephrase that three days until Speedway Star and Herts Mercury day as that's normally the only people who turn up! Anyway I thought it an appropriate stage for Where's Vesprini to leap back into life. I'm not one to carry things on over the winter and post plenty of idle speculation and as Uncle Len usually has his name ready to roll before the bubbly at the AGM has gone flat there's not much point. I've just been looking at the BSF predictions and it doesn't seem the boys in yellow and blue come out too well. According to them 9th is the best we can hope for but whilst I agree we could be stronger I'm actually quite optimistic about the next 9 months. Even the latest early season Nelson saga (thankfully only a visa this time) hasn't proved too much of a dampener. Mr Lanham is a more than adequate replacement and news that messrs Garrity and Bunyan could soon be full time Rockets is an unexpected bonus. Hopefully I'll be able to relay some stories from the inside and share a few laughs over the coming season. I was gobsmacked last season when a couple of people actually mentioned they'd read the blog posts which means I should really treat my ramblings more seriously in 2012. So onwards and upwards a sneak preview of my Speedway Star predictions or the annual unveiling of the blindfold and pin as I prefer to call it will have the Rockets in the play offs with a 6th placed finish. Obviously if you want the full table you'll have to wait for The Stars bumper addition. Well a guys got to make a living after all. Come on You Rockets ! Pete