It came as no surprise when Edinburgh used the points available from the new averages to make one change to the Monarchs' line-up. However there have been calls fro many supporers to make more sweeping changes.
This has centered around the third heat leader spot that neither Kevin Little nor Ross Brady has been able to fill effectively. There have been a few comments (with the benifit of hindsight) to the effect that had Monarchs signed Mick Powell rather than Kevin, they would be on their way to the Premier League championship. It is true that this would have been possible to fit in Carr, Eriksson, Powell, Brady, and Scott had Monarchs gone for another three-point reserve to partner Christian Henry. Of course anyone can pick a championship winning side in retrospect!
John Campbell has firmly rejected calls to fit in a new heat leader alongside Carr and Eriksson. For one thing their are few riders available except for those on unrealistically high averages such as Jan Andersen on 11.04!. So the only real option would be a new 9.00 overseas rider.
John Campbell commented before the addition of Beveridge:
"Quite simply if we were to bring in a top rider on a nine-point average, from wherever we could find one, we would have to decimate the team to fit him in. We would then be looking at dropping Kevin Little, Blair Scott or Ross Brady, and both our current reserves. We would be lumbered with two three-point reserves and Christian Henry would also be out."
"While I can appreciate what the supporters must be feeling, let's say we signed Australian Rusty Harrison, who is available and has a nine-point average. We would be forced to run a couple of three point reserves and we'd be miles worse off."
Glasgow do have the points available to replace Richard Juul, who has never come to terms with the Ashfield track, with a nine point rider and has so far resisted changes. Andreas Bergstrom from the Swedish Touring side caght the eye but appears to be too expensive an option.
Much of the criticism of the Monarchs' team has been directed towards Kevin Little who has seen his average fall by just short of two points of his initial figure. Kevin has generally been competitive at Armadale but rarely soo away. Even when he seemed to be putting some points togther as at Glasgow recently he seems to suffer engine problems.
John Campbell argued that Kevin had done everything possible to make his equipment competitive:
"Kevin has had a nightmare start to the season. He has psend over seven thousand pounds on his machinery to get where he is after blowing two engines while guesting for Berwick. Kevin will spend more money which he hasn't got to equip himeself with two bikes again. And that was before his bike was wrecked against Sheffield."
"To have spent that amount of money to get nowhere is deeply depressing for everyone, including poor Kevin. And poor is the operative word. Kevin knows he is under-achieving and under-performing. He has ploughed every penny he's got to make himself better. Yet every time he gets somewhere, he gets knocked back to square one."
A collection for Kevin was organized at Armadale last week. This is probably the first time this has been done for a rider who has not been injured. He repayed those who contributed with an oustanding eleven point return from four rides at Arena Essex. Maybe he has finally tirned the corner?
Another rider who has been under fire is Ross Brady who has found points much harder to come by this year than last, even before his recent injury. John Campbell defended his recent signing:
"Those of us who have seen Ross in every meeting this year believe he is on the way to winning races. I don't think for a second that Ross believes he just has to turn up to win. Ross struggled in the heavy conditions against Sheffield at Armadale. What a lot of people didn't realize was that Ross nearly didn't ride. He was suffereing from a heavy cold and didn't think he would be fit to ride when he woke up. But he's getting better on track and off."
Christian Henry is a rider of whom a lot was expected, amybe too much. While he is certainly doing his job, many think that given better equipment he has the ability to blow away the opposition.
"That is probaly true. Christian wrote his bike off shortly after arriving and is racing on bits and pieces borrowed from Ross. It would be wonderful if a £ 20,000 sponsorship turned. Certainly Christian isn't the first Australian to arrive in this country with no machinery and he won't be the last to leave with no machinery."
"Christian is our top reserve and the pressure is on him to always score five or six points. When the averages change on June 1st, Blair will drop down to partner him and that should ease the pressure."
The current team remains the best that Edinburgh are likely to field this year. The crunch for the revised line-up will come next month with trips to Glasgow, Berwick, Newcastle, Workington. In July and August they face daunting Southern tours to tracks such as Newport, Reading, Exeter, Isle of Wight and Swindon.
In recent yeas, Monarchs have generally done well at places such as Stoke and Arena Essex but have usually had a hiding at Newport, Exeter and the Isle of Wight. These southern trips probably hold the key to Monarchs' championship hopes.
They will certainly need Kevin Little, Ross Brady and Christian Henry to be at their best if they are to come away with some points.