League Position: 7th
Home Wins: 9
Away Wins: 1
Times it looked like we might make the play-offs: 0
Going into 2016 on the back of 2 excellent seasons where we made the play-offs with ease, to many it may have looked like we had returned to being genuine consistent players at the top of the Elite League. Clearly the management knew how to build a successful side. Or did they? With the 'new' format meaning fast track reserves play a massive part in any success, having good fast track reserves were the key, with having at least 1 class rider at reserve absolutely imperative. Due to our poor team building in 2013 leading us to the bottom of the Elite League, we were able to have first pick of reserve in 2014, giving us Jason Garrity (who we were then able to protect for 2015, too) - the key to success in both seasons. With Garrity's insistence he wanted to ride in the 1-5 at the start of the season, and our inability to convince him otherwise, we had minimised our chances at bagging a class reserve. Garrity could have started at reserve and after 4 meetings could have not only been in the 1-5, but possibly been at heat leader for us, however instead of properly addressing this issue for our team, our manager instead claimed that Garrity was being ambitious and took a swipe at South Coast reserves for not being. (The same unambitious south coast reserve who would then go on to beat the reigning world champion on more than one occasion during the play-offs. Hmm.) Instead of choosing available riders such as Paul Starke at reserve, we went for Josh Bates and James Sarjeant which saved us some points with draft riders now taking up part of your teams averages. How did we use those points in the top 5? Well, we didn't, instead building a team comfortably under the points limit and without much at reserve. Arguably, though, our top 2 was as good on paper as any in the league and that could bail us out if needs be, with Kasprzak and Harris having the potential to get us out of trouble like Andersen and Harris did many times in 2014. The team felt like the whole budget had been spent on the top 2, with concerns over King at heat leader from scores in the position the previous season and Woryna feeling very similar to the signing of Jamrog last season there were lots of reasons to feel apprehensive going into what, at the time, was due to be the last season at Brandon.
The team was never realistically going to challenge without Woryna becoming a 7 point man from meeting number 1, or a mid season change, neither of which were forthcoming. It was diabolical away from home, with our 1 win coming at Kings Lynn which was completely negated by the fact Lynn won at Brandon twice. It didn't stop the home season from being thoroughly entertaining though, with many close meetings, some fantastic meetings, and more often than not, home victories. I genuinely believe this seasons aw some of the best meetings at Coventry over the last decade, with a lot of the home fixtures being ones I'll remember for years to come. I'm part of a small breed these days who still travel to watch their club away from home, so in reality what you need to do is send your home fans home happy. Whilst a team that can win home and away is vital if you are to challenge for honours, keeping your home fans entertained is vital for the business, and that's something I believe we did achieve this year.
Onto the riders:
Krzysztof Kasprzak
It'll be difficult to be unbiased on this one given the utter excitement the day we re-signed him but I'll do my best. In the main he had a great season. He doesn't often let us down and was pivotal in a lot of meetings. He threw in the odd duff meeting, but there are very few riders who don't now since the likes of Adams and Crump have disappeared. I think a lot of people are quick to jump on heat leaders for their performances as they are who you look to for the big points, but in the new format it's easy to forget how much harder they have it now than they did in 2013.
There's little doubt that his commitment waned towards the end of the season, but I very much doubt it would have if we were challenging for honours as a club, but if the club has given up I can see why riders want to, too. We have to ride 2 clubs on Saturdays throughout the season, lakeside and Leicester, and we somehow managed to agree to riding both of these clubs when we always knew that, in reality, KK would be unavailable for these meetings but they were arranged anyway. He missed Wolves away due to being a Polish function for winning the world cup, which was ludicrous, but gave up riding in GP practice for his 1 GP of this season to ride for the Bees. Enigmatic. Infuriating. Often a joy to watch. A Standard KK season.
Meeting of the season: Tough one this as was excellent at both Lynn meetings away but for me it was Poole away. Wow was he on it that evening! He took Poole apart with absolute ease after he sat with Barker in heat 1. Gated stone cold last in heat 15, lead by the end of lap 1.
Disaster of the season: Swindon away. Rarely have I seen a more inept performance from a 3 point junior, let alone a former world number 2.
Ride of the season: Heat 13 at Home against Poole in the B fixture. To line up Holder and pass him up the inside the way he did was utter class at a vital point in a close meeting.
Chris Harris
Difficult to think of his season as anything other than a disappointment. I was expecting Harris and KK to dominate this league but it just didn't happen. Bomber frequently looked down on power and confidence during a season that started appallingly after wrecking new bikes in the opening weeks of the season. He rode injured numerous times, which he has my full respect for but it probably didn't always do us, or him, any favours.
He failed in the GP qualifiers, failed in the British final, failed to make the world cup team, failed in the GPs and put his average down in the league. I can't really think of a positive for him this season other than how happy he seems to be in his personal life. He's a proud man, and to suggest he should be happy with the way his season has gone would be doing him a disservice. He's in a unique position as a Brit who can't double up and also struggles to get rides abroad and I'm sympathetic towards him for that. He hasn't had anywhere near the meetings he's needed to keep on top of his game.
I'm gutted his time at Brandon is over, for now at least, and that we gave him such a poor track to try and entertain us on one last time in our final league fixture. I will never get bored of watching Harris with the throttle open scraping the boards at Brandon, but maybe it's something he's bored of. There hasn't been a better servant of Coventry Speedway since I've been at Brandon every week and I wish him all the best in everything he does next.
Meeting of the season: Kings Lynn away (B) after only scoring 5 when we went down 46-44 in the A, Bomber was superb when we went back, with excellent rides in heats 11 and 15.
Disaster of the season: A few of these, Lakeside away is normally up there but the B fixture at Belle Vue the worst. He clearly doesn't get on with the place, he didn't score many and took a horrible trip to the air fence after a crash with Steve Worrall. It won't be number 1 on his list of tracks for next season.
Ride of the season: No question for me, heat 15 against Poole at home in the A fixture. we needed a second place and got it on the run to the line on the last corner. I celebrated that 2nd place like Newcastle winning the FA cup on the day Cheryl Cole finally returned my calls.
Danny King
A shining light in our season, after being concerned about King riding at heat leader, he rode at heat leader in every single EL meeting for us and upped his average. He won the British title, and won heats in both the British Grand Prix and the World Cup final. I will happily admit I was completely wrong about him signing as a heat leader. A brilliant season and massive congratulations.
My one complaint is him in heat 14s. Whilst he did have a great year, we could have had a much better one if he had turned up in the heat 14's in close meetings. It's so strange for someone who bailed us out in those heats in 2015, but he just didn't do it when it mattered very often this season. He lost crucial heat 14s at Kings Lynn away, Leicester away, Kings Lynn at home and Belle Vue at home, all of which we could have won if he'd popped out and done the business. A relatively minor complaint amongst all the good, but how different our season could have been if he'd managed those rides.
Meeting of the season: Wolves away. 17+1 against one of, if not the, strongest top 4's in the league, Sensational.
Disaster of the season: King's Lynn away. 3,1,0,0. We went down 46-44, but lost to Wilkinson in heat 14. Disappointing.
Ride of the season: Difficult to overlook his win at Cardiff, but since that wasn't for Coventry I think his bravery and muscles deserve credit for the way he shoved Scott out the way in heat 14 at home to Belle Vue to help us win that one.
Jason Garrity
After so much fuss was, rightly, made about Garrity signing in the 1-5, the right way to go about dealing with the issue was to score a hat full of points. It didn't really happen as Garrity started the season slowly (literally and metaphorically) as he appeared plagued by bike issues, often appearing on Josh's kit. After finally hitting form, he got himself injured, but came back in sensational form, almost as if the time away had done enough to clear his system and go again. He finished the season injured again, aggravating the previous injury and missing Sheffield's play-off campaign. As always, he was entertaining and gave us 100%. The right signing in the wrong place in the team.
Meeting of the season: Belle Vue away both times. Took to the place brilliantly and was a superstar both times.
Disaster of the season: Leicester at home. Just 2 points and looked horribly slow all night. Luckily our top 3 saved us from an embarrassing result.
Ride of the season: Genuinely difficult to call as there were 2 that really stand out. The stunning ride at Belle Vue to carve Nicholls and Cook apart from the back was one thing, but the brilliantly audacious last lap away at Wolves on a tactical to go into the last lap nearly relegated to last place, only to dive bomb Masters to perfection and have him off the final turn for a 7-1 was something else. Probably my highlight of the season as Masters whinged to the refs box. Bravo.
Kacper Woryna
A dreadful signing given the points we had left to play with, but from the 1st meeting away at Poole it was clear he had more about him than Jamrog. He was utterly infuriating all season. Not because he was completely terrible, but because we saw what he can do in such small glimpses.
I think my biggest issue with Woryna was away from home, we were going back to tracks for the 2nd time and he wasn't improving round them. I was hopeful he'd get the hang of it by the 2nd time he was riding the tracks but it so infrequently happened. Finding out from the Swindon terraces he was laughing and dancing in the pits whilst we were getting stuffed, and doing laps of honour away at Poole after beating just 1 Poole rider all night were personal low lights for me, but I can understand why the Brandon terraces took to him as he really did turn it on at home and put on a show where he could. It looks like he loves the Bees and this day in age, that's a massive positive.
He has my utter respect for riding for us at Belle Vue after the terrible incident with Rempala, it must have been very difficult and watching him during the silence was heartbreaking. Personally, I can't say I'm bothered one way or another if he returns to Brandon or not next season, but I think the majority would like him to return. He does pull a good wheelie after all!
Meeting of the season: Lakeside at home. He was fabulous that day, including a brilliant ride to lead into the last bend in heat 14 to cap off a great night, before binning it moments later. Everyone laughed, including Woryna and Bridger. The best and worst of Woryna all in 1 heat!
Disaster of the season: Lakeside away. I've seen loads of Poles do all sorts of things on their first visits to Lakeside but poodling round slow and steady miles behind isn't often one of those things. He did it in every race. Awful.
Ride of the season: Both came at Wolves, passing Peter Karlsson twice in 1 race round Monmore was great but heat 13 in the B fixture was another level. He'd been awful all night, then comes out in 13 to pass and repass Masters for the 5-1 was superb.
Jason Garrity
After so much fuss was, rightly, made about Garrity signing in the 1-5, the right way to go about dealing with the issue was to score a hat full of points. It didn't really happen as Garrity started the season slowly (literally and metaphorically) as he appeared plagued by bike issues, often appearing on Josh's kit. After finally hitting form, he got himself injured, but came back in sensational form, almost as if the time away had done enough to clear his system and go again. He finished the season injured again, aggravating the previous injury and missing Sheffield's play-off campaign. As always, he was entertaining and gave us 100%. The right signing in the wrong place in the team.
Meeting of the season: Belle Vue away both times. Took to the place brilliantly and was a superstar both times.
Disaster of the season: Leicester at home. Just 2 points and looked horribly slow all night. Luckily our top 3 saved us from an embarrassing result.
Ride of the season: Genuinely difficult to call as there were 2 that really stand out. The stunning ride at Belle Vue to carve Nicholls and Cook apart from the back was one thing, but the brilliantly audacious last lap away at Wolves on a tactical to go into the last lap nearly relegated to last place, only to dive bomb Masters to perfection and have him off the final turn for a 7-1 was something else. Probably my highlight of the season as Masters whinged to the refs box. Bravo.
Kacper Woryna
A dreadful signing given the points we had left to play with, but from the 1st meeting away at Poole it was clear he had more about him than Jamrog. He was utterly infuriating all season. Not because he was completely terrible, but because we saw what he can do in such small glimpses.
I think my biggest issue with Woryna was away from home, we were going back to tracks for the 2nd time and he wasn't improving round them. I was hopeful he'd get the hang of it by the 2nd time he was riding the tracks but it so infrequently happened. Finding out from the Swindon terraces he was laughing and dancing in the pits whilst we were getting stuffed, and doing laps of honour away at Poole after beating just 1 Poole rider all night were personal low lights for me, but I can understand why the Brandon terraces took to him as he really did turn it on at home and put on a show where he could. It looks like he loves the Bees and this day in age, that's a massive positive.
He has my utter respect for riding for us at Belle Vue after the terrible incident with Rempala, it must have been very difficult and watching him during the silence was heartbreaking. Personally, I can't say I'm bothered one way or another if he returns to Brandon or not next season, but I think the majority would like him to return. He does pull a good wheelie after all!
Meeting of the season: Lakeside at home. He was fabulous that day, including a brilliant ride to lead into the last bend in heat 14 to cap off a great night, before binning it moments later. Everyone laughed, including Woryna and Bridger. The best and worst of Woryna all in 1 heat!
Disaster of the season: Lakeside away. I've seen loads of Poles do all sorts of things on their first visits to Lakeside but poodling round slow and steady miles behind isn't often one of those things. He did it in every race. Awful.
Ride of the season: Both came at Wolves, passing Peter Karlsson twice in 1 race round Monmore was great but heat 13 in the B fixture was another level. He'd been awful all night, then comes out in 13 to pass and repass Masters for the 5-1 was superb.
Josh Bates
Another who has had their season defined by their inconsistency. Brilliant one meeting, looking like he's never sat on a bike before in the next. Largely enjoyable to watch and seems to thrive on a slicker track towards the end of a meeting but needs to stop the really bad meetings before he kicks on. I still think he's got a big future, for a lad who feels like he's been around ages, he's still very young, won the British Under 21s again, qualified for the world under 21 final and did a brilliant job in the Kings Lynn round, where on another day he could have made the podium.
A special mention for 'JBTV', who provided much entertainment during the Leicester 'track walk' on the Easter meeting which was never going to be on.
Meeting of the season: Swindon at home on SKY. 13+1. Sensational.
Disaster of the season: Difficult to single one out, he had some poor nights but that's to be expected given his relative inexperience at this level.
Ride of the season: Beating Doyle in heat 15 of that Swindon meeting. The worlds best have struggled with that this year. Not Josh though.
James Sargeant
Sarj needed to step up and be our number 1 reserve this year after 2 years already in the Elite League. Whilst a lot of the classic Sarj starts disappeared this year, so did his form. He didn't kick on the way we'd have hoped and struggled when he was expected to lead us at reserve. He's turned his season around for Ipswich, but we never saw it for the Bees. I don't think he's done himself enough to earn a place for the Bees next season.
Meeting of the season/disaster of the season/ride of the season: This is going to sound harsh, but it's genuinely difficult to think of these for Sarj. It's been such a 'meh' year for him. Hopefully someone can correct me and remind me or something I'm forgetting. He no doubt had some decent meetings, otherwise we would surely have dropped him, but I'd genuinely have to go and start looking through scores as nothing memorable comes to mind. Genuine apologies.
Ben Barker and Adam Roynon
Neither of them are what they were following some horrific injuries. both did a decent job when called upon. Barker was a better option than RR for Garrity, which is all he needed to be and a special shout out to Royno who was fantastic against Kings Lynn and Lakeside at home.
The management
It's hard to judge this given the current rumours flowing around Coventry Speedway, but surely our main objective this season was to ensure the continuation of speedway. That looks like it's been achieved and for that I have nothing but praise.
Ignoring that and basing it on their promotion this season, the team building was wrong, we are the only Elite League club to not offer an OAP rate, we annoyed students, we went back on offers promised to fans, gave Chris Harris the most low key send off for a man who offered the club years of service and treated the children at the last league match appallingly after promising there would be a kids race at the meeting. We made no team changes during the season to try and change our fortunes around and it felt like mediocrity was accepted pretty early on. Our management are often patronising to fans on social media, quick enough to pipe up and shoot people down for saying anything critical of the club, but go missing and ignore fans looking for genuine reasonable information.
I'm often critical and get upset at goings on at Brandon. That's because I love the club and want us to win and do a good job. It's often said that speedway needs less fans like me, but in reality it needs more of people who care like I do. The quicker the management realise that, the better. Fans aren't the enemy. Embrace us. We don't bite.
I don't feel so in touch with the club as I did under previous ownership, and I'm sure other fans feel the same. That's how people end up walking away from their sports clubs.
Home meeting of the season
It's genuinely tough to narrow this down as we have had such classics, but Poole in the A fixture was sensational. It had everything, a close meeting, an amazing comeback, controversy and some quality racing. Other notable mentions go to both the Poole (B), Wolves (B) and Belle Vue (A), which all produced similar levels of entertainment. None of those had me dancing down the terraces in quite the way that heat 15 against Poole did, though.
Away meeting of the season
Belle Vue away. A new stadium, amazing weather, a packed crowd and the best racing I've seen in any meeting anywhere this season. It's meetings like that that make you fall in love with speedway (and KK) time and time again.
Performance of the season
It's only fair I give out a performance of the season for the man who went above and beyond their call of duty to ensure the Bees secured a victory. That accolade goes to none other than Hans Andersen, who put in his greatest Brandon performance for the Bees in the Poole B fixture. His 0,1,0 was a sight to behold. I'm used to a Hans Andersen apology after a dreadful meeting, but when he tweeted his apology after this one he couldn't have been wider off the mark. He deserves all the credit he got that day, and had no reason whatsoever to apologise. Well done.
Overall, there's no way this season can be considered anything other than disappointing. The racing and drama in meetings at Brandon, though, has largely been out of the top drawer. If we can provide a play-off side and keep the entertainment at Brandon, next year will be a brilliant year.
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