One more sleep …

Just one more sleep …

That’s all there is until the tapes rise on one of the most anticipated seasons in Bandits’ history – certainly since we returned from the Ancroft badlands.

Speedway Star’s traditional bumper pre-season edition equally traditionally tipped us for a mid-table finish.

Most Bandits’ supporters – not to mention owners and management – are anticipating considerably more.

Now the trouble with expectation is that it has a nasty habit of biting you in the bum. This is not the first time that we have lauded the signing of an out-and-out number one and the results (cough, cough: Barker, Gjedde, Lawson) have not always matched those expectations.

But I think we can all agree that Bomber is different gravy on so many levels and this year’s supporting cast is similarly oozing reliability and potential.

Whisper it there is even talk that we might actually, ahem, perform OK away from Shielfield Park this season and any upward curve of our 50-year history of modest on-the-road points hauling – so often our Achilles Heel – would make the process of reaching the Play-offs a stroll rather than a brawl. Top six books a spot.

There’s a new Summer Trophy, Fours, Pairs and CLRC to aim for too.

Do they still make Duraglit?

Now sporting previews should always come with an advisory note. “May contain distressing scenes of over-confidence/violent generalisation/blinkered assessments/rampant raving/rose-tinted assertions/loosening grip on reality/bad grammar” but even the biggest message board Eeyores are struggling not to see this as potentially “a special season.”

We don’t need telling that something things don’t go according to plan – you only need to look back 11 months to the visit of Birmingham and Jye’s coming together with a couple of Brummies and the back straight fence.

Home match lost, Aussie battered, unhappy campers. Tone set for season.

Last year the Brummies had Bomber and a couple of rather effective guests. This year they don’t but they do have British Champion Adam Ellis and Claus Vissing – a man with an impressive record at Shielfield over the years in both Bandits’ and opposition colours.

But it must be said that the 2022 FTS Bandits, powered by Keenwood Karpets, backed by a shedload of other brilliant sponsors, guided by two of the sport’s most forward-thinking owners, kept on track by a small army of volunteers and supported by a noisy bunch of nutters (plus a smattering of mature, sane, well-adjusted others) looks a less fragile septet than some of a recent vintage where all seven had to fire every time or the consequences were defeat.

Mr Barrie is, quite rightly, always quick to point out that there’s the same maximum of five points available in heats two and 14 as there are in 13 and 15.

Difference is that this year we look more likely to bring 5-1s home in all four of the races … and many more besides.

And for the best of reasons team boss Flint G is likely to have an embarrassment of riches to choose from when it comes to naming his heat 15 duo.

Messrs Harris and Wells start the year as the on-paper names in the frame but, especially on home shale, you could realistically expect all seven to throw their hat into the ring on a regular basis.

A nice problem to have.

So what will 2022 bring?

Potentially a Bomber masterclass in using the Shielfield banking, further huge strides towards the top from Kyle Bickley and Leon Flint, Ricky Wells and Theo Pijper banging in the points home and away, an injury-free season (even relatively will do) for Jye which allows him to re-apply the upward trajectory curve to his career, Ty Proctor quietly making people choke on their opinions and Number 56 coming out of the 5-1 Draw bag at the interval. I’ll settle on any five of the first seven.

The rest, as they say, could be history.

And before someone asks on every damn speedway-related message board, insta, twitter, Facebook feed … yes it is on TV (we launch the British Speedway Network) but why the hell wouldn’t you want to be there in person?