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Anyone defending 3 home 3 away with the play offs is part of the problem. It's a shambles and I shall not spend a penny on it.

Disagree I’m afraid Jason. Why couldn’t he reassure the supporters that there will be Speedway next year? The fact is, his latest interview a week or two ago, he couldn’t guarantee that when pushed. Why couldn’t he say that he wanted to sell the club (no problem, his choice), but if no buyer came forward in time, he’d continue to run it whilst a buyer could be found for the longer term? Just like the Bates’ have done at Sheffield?? Instead, he’s gone on local radio and caused unnecessary stress to a lot of loyal supporters, by not confirming there would be speedway next year, all whilst jetting off to sunny Australia for a nice sunny Holiday with family. Just before Christmas too, nice! Anyone who has been a regular at Foxhall over the years, will know Margaret and her Daughter, Heather Lay. Two huge servants to Ipswich Speedway over decades. Working tirelessly selling draw tickets and helping running the supporters club over many many years. I caught up with Heather towards the end of the season and we had a chat. She was quite openly telling us that Margaret wasn’t in the best health these days and was struggling to get about. But she STILL makes a huge effort to attend Foxhall every meeting. She said if it wasn’t for her beloved Witches, she’s not sure she’d “still be here”. I wonder how they’re feeling right now and looking forward to Christmas? They won’t be alone either. For a lot of people, it’s not just something to do on a Thursday evening, it’s become a massive part of their lives going back decades. They’ll all be feeling worried sick that their Speedway is about to be taken away, just as Christmas is approaching. Look at the reception they got at the Town hall a few weeks ago. It’s was pi$$ing down, it was a lunch time, and was announced at short notice. And the people of Ipswich turned out in great numbers to celebrate, along with the Mayor. There’s great people who work at the club, most voluntarily, loyal sponsors who have backed him to the hilt financially, and of course, a core of loyal supporters. All been left totally in the dark and wondering what on earth is going on. I can only imagine how annoyed fans of Wolves, Arena/Lakeside , Peterborough, Swindon, amongst many others must feel, who have seen their speedway taken away from them due to track unavailability, see another club potentially not running despite a viable club and available track just sitting there. Ok, it may well break in the next days/weeks that he’s successfully sold the club on, OR, he’s staying and will continue to run it, but that won’t change the fact that he’s handled this very poorly. In my opinion! Obviously.

We as loyal fans (1981 was my 1st visit) all have opinions on what's gone on or going on at Ipswich, i enter my 44th season, give or take a couple i took a break from, and i totally back @Aries in everything he has said. We can all say about what if we were in a position on losing money, that situation i can't argue with, you would consider selling it, that's obvious, but the Radio Silence for all of us fans for me is simply poor, irrelevant at what he has done for the club as a rider and a promoter through the years, just be honest with the loyal supporters who has backed him and his family for years. His silence is painful for so many. As a very loyal Ipswich fan, i now can see all the frustrations that Wolves,Peterborough,Swindon,Lakeside and many more, to many to name, supporters feel at all the uncertainty surrounding their clubs. Now it's our turn, and i hold my hand up it's painful. There maybe 2 bidders on the table, there maybe more, but until Louis lowers his asking price, it's simply not going to sell. Yes its controversial, and yes there are Witches fans rolling their eyes at my post, but I've spent many evenings travelling the country Home and Away supporting Ipswich for years, and in my own honest opinion, my loyalty towards Chris and the situation is wearing thin. Not saying loads agree with me, just giving an honest opinion. Clubs already naming riders (That's the 4 teams that remain), but as we sit here this evening, there is NO guarantee Ipswich come to tapes, irrelevant of the Fine @PhilTheAce is talking about, that simply won't happen, as we all know rules and regulations in this sport are not worth the paper they are written on. I would say we are closer to NOT running than people think, unless as i read on here earlier today Chris is calling people's bluff and he remains in charge, but for me if he does that, he will have a lot of rebuilding to do with the Supporters. I hope i'm 100% wrong, and we race, but im nowhere near as confident as some. Many Apologies for the long post. Tomorrow is another day???

Sadly you could say that about British Speedway for the past several years .... "always going to be fixed next season". Maybe this AGM in January 2026 really is "THE MOST IMPORTANT IN THE HISTORY OF THE SPORT" to quote the regular old chestnut trotted out in the Speedway satr to try and sell a few more copies. Dont think it is unfair to say the "one big league" has been suggested for a few seasons now - but what did the clever boys in charge do .... they started "doubling up" "doubling down" under some misguided belief that it would help riders progression. It has just developed into a money earning stunt for the mediocre riders and separated the 2 leagues further apart , making it nigh on impossible for teams to move up or down ... with so many doubling up riders. Sooperstars carried on regardless, and rabbits enjoyed the "rising star" charade. This also makes amalgamation nigh on impossible with the loss of sooperstars plus the loss of many doubling up riders who might just retire with only one teams income (albeit more meetings per season.) None of which solves the minor issue of getting MORE people through the turnstiles, something that has been continually overlooked !!

So as predicted, Berwick pick 28 year old Jack Smith rather than the young man who showed him the way round Shielfield Max Perry

And this silly vendetta against all things NORA needs to STOP!

The top flight is finished, nothing is going to save it...

To all the critics of Christopher Louis. If you were presented with proposals that you believe would make your business unprofitable in 2026 ... and you were dependent on that business for your living , would you decide to (a) carry on with your business, and make a loss (b) sell the business and take a change of career

Would rather have had a 2pt junior who might actually improve or Dayle Wood retained.

IMO Smith has had enough chances should have went with Perry

Why are you making this up? As i understand it, Sheffield had several offers of interest. That is what led the Bates' into deciding that they didn't want to sell up at all, and are instead thinking of bringing others in with them. Ipswich had at least 2 firm offers for the club. All Louis needed to do was to take the better offer. No run off to Aussie. Saying neither club had any offers is straightforward lying. One man's dignified silence is another man's cowardly hiding away. If I were an Ipswich fan, I'd be very angry that my club could be lost.

Cheers, I am certainly confused, some responses were as if I said Joe Thompson would be a 9.5 rider, rather than Dan! Completely understand people disagreeing, but laughing - not so much. As for the SWC, he'll definitely be in the squad, can't be far away from the team?

They will manage to

I think it’s pretty evident that to a fair few Ipswich supporters, Chris Louis walks on water and can’t do a thing wrong. They’re going to back him no matter what. Which of course is their prerogative. As a neutral, he’s rightly being criticised by others because he’s treated his own supporters appallingly here.

It’s hard to be positive signing rider who has been riding for over 10 years( mainly at reserve in Championship)and has an average under 3.Wish him well though.

Like chalk and cheese though... One has jeopardy, consequence, relevance, resonance, credibilty, and delivers a reasonable level of publicity and financial reward... And the other, which delivers none of the above, is British Speedway... Fans stay away from the POQ's because, well, without being too harsh, the whole shebang isn't too far short of being meaningless... Other than to provide riders, and some promoters and managers, with another job, and other promoters an expensive hobby to spend a budgeted amount of money on...

It's all about just getting through this year. All clubs taking a year away from racing was not an option because it's never just one year away is it. Things would have been easier if championship would have accepted the prem teams but they didn't want us. For the first time they actually reached the cross roads and they now need to make that decision for 2027. Go left or go right.

Every time our sport takes a step back, that becomes the new normal from which to work backwards from. Rarely if ever does it step back, regroup and move forward. It just moves further back.

If they weren't we wouldn't have the current problems

How can he reassure the supporters? For whatever reason something radical changed between the end of October & mid November that meant that he didn’t that he could or wanted to run Ipswich anymore. The statement put out when he announced it was going up for sale was clear enough. He isn’t running Ipswich in 2026 if a buyer can be found then it will carry on. He can’t guarantee he’ll find a buyer & as Louis isn’t going to run it in 26 no chance of being able to provide guarantees. Unlike the other promoters Louis doesn’t have other businesses that he can offset loses against. Louis seems to have put his family & financial security above running Ipswich speedway in a climate that could see him sustain losses that he can’t afford. Because of that he has my support because no one else on here would take a major gamble like that with no other income stream.

The casual fans are happy and that’s all that matters to the promotion. Smith was a fan favourite with them and that is why he’s probably been retained. Would much rather have Perry or someone else who may improve over time. If they finish this with Paul Starke then I really don’t know what they are trying to achieve.

Smith must be very cheap or something. There are so many other options. I really hope he proves me wrong. He had very close to the full season to make an account of himself and ended up dropping over a point. I’d have much rather have taken a chance on a youngster. Smith has had his opportunities.

Oh yay.

Dan Thompson will be absolutely fine next season. I think he will maintain his average at worst.

Aries, you have hit the nail on the head. Speedway has been a big part of my life for over 50 years and when/if Ipswich don't come to the tapes next year that will be it for me I'm afraid. Next nearest track Oxford or Lynn, both well over two hours away. Not the Christmas present I was hoping for tbh ...

Don't often agree with you @Aries but this is spot on. This isn't Ipswich specific, just my opinion in general. For me, a sports club/organisation exists for the fans first and foremost. There may be an owner/figurehead but everything always has to circle back to those who support the club. Without them there would be nothing. They turn up week in, week out. If they didn't then the club could fold. Seems a bit off that the person who they've been supporting and entrusted with the custodianship of their team can then just decide to pull the rug on them.

He’s hardly retirement age is he? Look, he gave an interview on local radio post play off success, stating that the hard work was already underway in building “another title winning side”. He was in a jovial mood after winning the league. There wasn’t a sniff of this happening and we’re talking only a few weeks ago. Let’s have it right here, he’s gotten the hump over something recent, probably the meetings running up to the original date of the AGM where things haven’t gone the way he wanted. Have they gone the way the other clubs/promoters wanted? Of course not! I’d bet NONE of them particularly want to run a five team league!! But they’re all prepared to battle through what is, to keep a Premiership going. All except the owner of arguably the most well supported, stable club in the Country.

A big fine could be better than losing a fortune in a very watered down and repetitive premiership !!

Passion is controllable, that is just brattish behaviour.

It's called passion, and speedway would be all the poorer if we didn't have characters who possess a bit.

i thought we needed characters like this, cant fault him for speaking his mind..

They all have other businesses outside of speedway so can afford to bank roll them. Also a loss making speedway club is quite good for tax reasons. If the Speedway is your only income & you risk bankruptcy because of a failed business model you’d look at things differently.

The nine championship teams finished this season with a total average of 377.61. It’s been well documented that the five premiership teams aren’t bringing any riders with them as the top liners would skip the UK and the rest are already riding in the championship. To fill those 35 vacant spots would require using new (to the championship) NDL riders who average around 2.50, so thats a total of 87.50 to add to the pot. 465.11 divided by the 14 one big league teams gives a team total of 33.22. To create some kind of bargaining power when negotiating rider terms the limit would be set lower than that and most probably be around 30. Would championship clubs have wanted to water down their teams just to accommodate the ex premiership teams and how would they have felt letting riders whom they had agreed a verbal contract that there was no longer a place for them? The option of five or six man teams doesn’t sugar the pill either. Once you understand that one big league is unworkable with just 3/4 months to sort it out then the only alternative is what we have. Digging your feet in and saying I’m not supporting that doesn’t help whatsoever but then this has been going on for decades. Me, I’m just happy to enjoy that sixty seconds of excitement and I’m not bothered about the score nor what the competition is just that race, wether it’s U16, NDL, Aces or GP’s at the NSS.

Seems as though there will be another signing announcement or announcements on Christmas Eve according to the clubs social media

This is the problem clubs are essentially worthless you are being asked to buy into a dying business model so the only likely buyers will be long term fans, it used to be that when a club was in trouble their would be several interested parties but with speedways ageing demographic a lot of the wealthy fans are now pushing up the daisies leaving an ever shrinking pool to possibly be the latest saviour of the club/s.

Great to Jack Smith with a team spot , this year will be a great year for him .

I bet them same stay aways would attend every GP with the same 15 riders

Binding declarations aren't made until the AGM....usually

Could have fitted Perry with Rambo as the last two

That'll increase the season ticket sales 10 fold 😂

Well he may well pick up a team place during the season but at the moment it looks like nobody is will to take that punt.

If he can get back to the level he was at before breaking his wrist and also keep up last years performances at Edinburgh (38+1/42 points scored) he has a chance but he will have to do it at number 1 so will be tough. I think if he can break into the 9 point range and hold it he would have had a great season

Rumours are 3 home 3 away meetings in the league, then the play offs. So imo very repetitive when only 4 teams will visit your home track. I know of several people at various premiership tracks, that won't be going to see all home meetings due to them visiting a minimum of 3 times

Jem Doncaster at No2,...... The Lanhams at six and seven.... Only three more riders needed.... Maybe Chris himself at four?

As an out and out Ipswich legend it'd be unthinkable stain for him to be the one to close the club down. Goodness knows what's actually going on and as has proven with the rest of the Premiership he must be losing a lot of goodwill with his radio silence and lack of explanation to the fans. Whether there's genuinely a sale going on or this is all a game of brinksmanship, who knows, but if Ipswich are to run next year, they're leaving themselves in a pickle if/when trying to assemble a competitive team, as Jason Doyle has already shown, with any uncertainty riders will ultimately look after their own interests and sign on elsewhere. You can have Drew Kemp at No 1, he's a local lad... consider it a Christmas present from Leicester 😁

Yes! I'm afraid, whether you like it or not, that is the responsibility you have when you take on a sporting club, especially a historic, well supported and successful one like Ipswich.

A bit like triggers brush on only fools and horses, had the same brush for many years, but had many replacement handles and brushes 😃

Ok you stuck with the same team all season except for the 2 changes🤔

Max did ok last year at glasgow and he had some bad crashes to

Or not.