Ipswich 2017

[spin king junior 394]

Disrespectful from the Ipswich promotion to not even bother to let the IOW promotion know that they were talking to or signing Greaves! It doesn't take anything to just pick up the phone. The Warriors have been left without their heat leader now out of the blue.

Another reason the sport is an absolute joke. How can a rider just leave a club with no repercussion? I get that it's in the riders interest to ride at the highest level they can with the most amount of meetings possible, but it still makes the sport look very amatuerish and doesn't help a club like IOW who are trying to build up an interest.

 

Stuff like this doesn't help and only turns people away.

[Islander15 1,065]

It now transpires that Ipswich's initial press release is inaccurate and Greaves hasn't stood down from the IOW but will ride when he can until the Warriors find a replacement (so away meetings). Showing that Greaves is respectful imo.

 

Could also turn it the other way, and say why didn't greaves say to Ipswich about IOW priorities?

Greaves is entitled to want to further himself and ride in higher up leagues, like skj has said. I have no issue with Greaves himself I just think Ipswich's promotion could've been more courteous.

[Panthers89 1,922]

Chris Louis has now posted a public apology

[Arch Stanton 2,262]

A message from Chris Louis:

I would like to offer a public apology to the hard working promotional team of Barry Bishop and Martin Widman at Isle of Wight Speedway Club.

Following Nathan Greaves' decision to join Ipswich, he made a call to inform the Warriors of that decision. In my haste to get the paperwork done in time as to not miss the averages cut off, it is with much regret that I did not back that call up personally.

From my days at Mildenhall I understand all too well the pressure that this puts all National League clubs under and it was an error on my part not to do so.

For the feeling of disrespect and the position that the club now finds itself in, I apologise wholeheartedly to the riders, fans, management and volunteers at the club.

Chris Louis

 

https://www.facebook.com/IpswichWitches/posts/1548957901812658

Well Greaves has beaten Jake Allen, Gravesen twice and finished ahead of his partner Mark Riss so far. There's a fair few two pointers in this league this year who are finding it tough going so I think Greaves will do fine.

 

The top 5 are where our heavy points are going to be scored, Greaves and Mountain just need to chip in with a few here and there and we'll be fine IMO.

Edited May 8, 2017 by Arch Stanton

[TheScotsman 2,484]

Yep that's what I was saying - Greaves is a bl**dy good signing and will make total mincemeat of his starting average.

[Islander15 1,065]

Chris Louis has now posted a public apology

At least he has acknowledged this and apologised.

[Panthers89 1,922]

At least he has acknowledged this and apologised.

Doesn't give you a heat leader mind!

[dontforgetthefueltapsbruv 10,706]

Not looking to stir the pot and playing devils advocate a bit (whilst acknowledging that IOW are hampered by the move) but.....

 

...is the title not actually the National Development League with the underlying reasoning of producing riders of a standard that can take opportunities at the next level?

[Halifaxtiger 5,318]

Rob Godfrey, 16/05/16:

 

'You simply cannot sign a rider when he already rides for a club on your race night'.

 

It seems that a riders development might be stopped if this were a matter of Premiership/Championship clubs, but not Championship/NL ones.

[Baldyman 6,243]

Just out of interest. What do people think of the track changes so far? Has it made any difference to the racing?

[TheScotsman 2,484]

Just out of interest. What do people think of the track changes so far? Has it made any difference to the racing?

To be honest I haven't noticed much improvement in the racing.

 

And watching the racing at the Showground on Sunday I was struck by how much more entertaining it was there with a feast of overtaking on inside and outside lines.

 

Maybe it was the track or maybe it was the quality of the opposition but the racing was certainly a lot better.

 

Sorry.

[Arch Stanton 2,262]

Got to be honest, it doesn't look any different to me and the racing is pretty much the same. It certainly doesn't look "rounder" to me whatsoever which was the aim.

 

You can vaguely see the inside line coming in slightly earlier down the home straight when you stand directly in line with it, but you have to wonder whether it was worth all the hassle of uprooting the kerb and putting all the effort in.

 

I'm not knocking CL or anyone for trying don't get me wrong and fair play to them for not settling for what they had and at least trying.

 

But if you're going to go to that effort of uprooting the kerbs and digging, then I'd have like to have seen much more taken off to make it worthwhile.

 

If that shortens the track further so be it. West Row is a lot smaller than Foxhall, but consistently produces better racing IMO.

[dontforgetthefueltapsbruv 10,706]

Rob Godfrey, 16/05/16:

 

'You simply cannot sign a rider when he already rides for a club on your race night'.

 

It seems that a riders development might be stopped if this were a matter of Premiership/Championship clubs, but not Championship/NL ones.

Fair point although the 2nd tier isnt specifically labelled as a development league.

 

My comment was very much about a wider debate than just this situatìon. Much more about the rationale of the system.

[Sidney the robin 4,735]

I see Nathan for a whole season at Swindon and at the start he really struggled but he stuck at it and for about two months rode really well.I think he has improved since then and his job is to beat some of the other two pointers if he does that he has done his job good luck to the lad anyway.

[Islander15 1,065]

Rob Godfrey, 16/05/16:

 

'You simply cannot sign a rider when he already rides for a club on your race night'.

 

It seems that a riders development might be stopped if this were a matter of Premiership/Championship clubs, but not Championship/NL ones.

Another speedway inconsistency. Who'd have thought it eh?! And it often seems to be the NL side that gets forced into something. Yes it is the bottom tier and the upper leagues should get precedence, but there's still a line and there's still an integrity of the sport that needs to be maintained in the third tier to keep customers happy and coming through the doors.