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Prison is there to punish and rehabilitate. He's done his time, now we've got to hope the rehabilitation works. He has experience in two things - Speedway and crime. If we don't want him to return to crime, we need to push him down the path of an honest future. Sadly it seems the "Holier Than Thou" brigade want to push him down a path of crime, so they can say "I was right".

I’m neither for or against Louis but such criticism is unfounded when you do not know the figures involved with the financial operation of the club. Take speedway out of the equation and ask yourself whether you would like people telling you what to do with your money and be criticised for not being prepared to risk making a loss just to make other people happy?

We don’t know that’s the case. People on here claim to know all sorts when the reality is they don’t know their @rse from their elbow.

Those should be the ONLY two options, sell it or run it. I can’t believe the bloke has the brass neck to come out and say “I can’t say for definite that there will be a team for next year yet” Why can’t he? Because things simply “don’t align” for him anymore? Well they still align for thousands of Ipswich supporters who want to continue watching their beloved team next year you selfish t0sser!!!!!!!! And the fact there’s STILL people on here backing him and defending him I find absolutely staggering. You simply can’t be allowed to fold one of the very few profit making clubs in the entire country, one of if not THE best supported, and well backed clubs in the country, and a club with an available track and venue to continue racing at.

Let's hope he gets the chance to race somewhere & earn a living. Hopefully he can turn his life around & make a contribution to society as opposed to falling back into crime & drug abuse & continuing to be a burden on the tax payer.

It makes sense to me, assuming the idea is to stop 2.00 juniors being used, to strengthen up the top 5, when they could be wildly out of their depth (not saying Rushen will be). You could make an argument that the minimum should be 4.00!

It isn’t unfounded though is it? He’s threatening to close a viable Speedway club because he’s gotten the hump over something he “can’t talk about”! Of course none of us know the figures involved, but if Ipswich are losing money then so is every single club up and down the Country! And if that’s the case, close it all down now. Somehow, I don’t think that’s the case. The fact is, clubs in the top flight who are not as well backed both via sponsorship or via gate receipts, are all coming to tapes in March. The man who is lucky enough to be backed by Thousands of loyal supporters, more than any other club in the top flight, is threatening to end Speedway for those very supporters. Nobody is suggesting he stays where he is forever, but if he can’t find a buyer before January the 6th, why can’t he do just one more year to keep Speedway going in Ipswich that has been running since the 50’s? That will give him plenty of time to find someone to take over for 2027 (if there is one). Just shutting up shop and closing Ipswich Speedway, should NOT under any circumstances be defended or accepted.

Ffs this is getting like The Prisoner. Who is Number 5? Who is Number 6? Ipswich is Number 5! No! Ipswich is Number 6! Who is Patrick McGoohan? Who is the all-seeing Controller? Round the Boards? The Top Drawer? (or they actually the same person)? And what is the giant white bubble that comes out of the sea? Why - of course - it's Northampton, complete with Brady Kurtz at Number 1!!

I hope fans take this the right way & understand what I'm saying, but, I'M REALLY REALLY FECKED OFF by this team. In any season this could have been a successful, title challenging side. It's possibly title favourites for this season. Why now?? The league only has 4 teams in it, almost every British Speedway fan up and down the country is embarrassed by the state of the Premiership. I'm so so desperate for King's Lynn to win the "Top Flight" title but is this the season to be remembered for, for winning our first ever??? Please BSPL, find a way to make 2026 worth while & meaningful for everyone associated with King's Lynn's Stars 🙏🏻🙏🏻

Delighted with the signings so far. Hopefully Cooper will have a long and successful career with the Stars. He’s fast enough already, it’s just the consistency at the starts he lacks. But can’t wait to watch him develop over the course of the season.

For all of buster and dales faults and there is plenty can't moan at the side they're putting together this season

Cooper Rushen joins the Stars at reserve for the 2026 season.Big step up but one I enjoyed watching last year as a Young Star.

That makes sense at face value but with a little unpacking Louis motives become a little clearer. At the end of October he knew the tv deal was over and that his team would be weakened by the departure of Emil. So that’s the tv deal and weaker product covered. The air fence is another known item Louis still had to contend with whilst openly planning for 2026. Now we come to the fixture issue. If it’s five teams you’re basically dropping a Birmingham type team for extra visits from Belle Vue & Sheffield. Only Louis can say which is best financially, through we probably all have our own thoughts. BTW, it’s less fixtures with the same repetition or the more repetition with the same fixtures. The house seemed at equal risk in October as it did 2/3 weeks later but imo that’s not the issue, it’s purely down to not getting his own way. I kind of don’t blame him as the trait of almost all speedway promoters is one of “I’m alright Jack, screw you.” Owning that mindset is another thing and we continually get this smoke screen from clubs PR and social media trolls that everything they do is for the good of the sport. Hopefully he doesn’t kill off the club as they have been a welcome addition to the top league recently and their true fans don’t deserve to have the rug pulled after their cup win only a few weeks ago.

It’s obvious that something went dramatically wrong between October & mid November. What that was I guess we will never know. However if that was enough that it makes Louis running Ipswich unprofitable then I don’t think we can blame him for wanting to get out.

Anyway we have 9 days to wait to find out what shambles is being presented to us to part with our money, I’d like to say I can’t wait but that isn’t the truth

Agree. But he was quoted on Christmas Eve saying he hoped a sale would go through between Christmas and new Year, so let’s keep everything crossed that we hear something positive next week.

It absolutely is. I listened to his radio interview weeks ago where he was happily stating that he was already attempting to put together another “title winning side”. There was absolutely nothing in that interview that hinted he was offski, nothing. You say you kind of don’t blame him, but is his stubbornness at things not going the way he wanted, worth depriving thousands of loyal supporters of their Speedway club? Clubs have gone to the wall in recent years which has been heartbreaking. Far far too many in recent years. But in each case from memory, those closures were forced due to one reason or another. To have another close, and one that seemingly still has an awful lot going for it despite the poor state of the sport in general in this Country, is unforgivable. I’m struggling to comprehend some on here defending Louis for threatening to pull the damn plug on a fine Speedway Club!

Rushen is 3.00 making it 36.85

If Ipswich isn't sold Louis should run it, if not he's simply the guy who shut Ipswich Speedway.

The alternative in not allowing him to do what he plainly has a skill for is to assign him to the scrapheap, which only increases the chances he'll relapse & end up back on drugs & no doubt crime to support that habit. Better to give him the opportunity to redeem himself, become a useful & contributing member of society & if that means he gets the opportunity to race speedway again, that is the right thing to do, IMHO.

Brought up on the small technical tracks in America so was always going to take a liking to Foxhall. Would be a great signing.

Fook off mate 😂 happy New year, I'm nearly near enough for you to buy me a pint, just up the M5 in portishead 😃

Nice space at belle vue for him 😀

Let’s be honest, ‘Speedway Star’ is probably the most credible thing associated with the sport in the UK. A superb publication doing its best to make the sport appear to be more professional than it actually is!

Rushen sure, but Pollestad was Foxhall bound Phil. They’d even assigned him a mechanic.

Wrong.

Agree with this also. The lad Pollestad was due in also I believe. It’s all blown up very late in the day.

If we make it into the new year and C.Louis and Ipswich speedway fail to have a buyer or provide any kind of update then it’s really time to say they have failed the fans. This kind of fiasco will overshadow last year’s triumph if they are not careful.

I genuinely think the cost of Northampton is issue there, the money being banded around is £150,000 with no gaurentee of a crowd, that’s a big cost and a gamble for someone with money and no tolley isn’t interested

Starts on a 2 in the championship, which is ridiculous to be honest that they’re allowed to drop to a lower average in a weaker league. Should be the other way around if anything, or 2 for both leagues

Ah my bad, though he'd have started on 2.00 👍 I'm probably a few season behind on the rules tbh as I haven't really bothered with speedway for a few years 😆

Please not Castagna!

You seem to know a lot about what he did. I'm starting to wonder if you were there!

They are trying for a 6th team along with others independently of the bspl , if anyone is successful is another matter but people are trying

Welcome Coops. An incredibly exciting side being built, I love the idea of a reserve pairing graduating from the Young Stars. Especially if one of them is a Norfolk boy. McDairmid would be my choice at 2 personally.

Never , but if you have a different view when most clubs are struggling I'm all ears.

Something always seems to go wrong when our Norfolk brethren start to catch up in a limited way with the sporting achievements of their Suffolk counterparts. I seem to recall that the Budgies couldn’t play in Europe when they finally did qualify. I suppose there might come a day when they win a European competition, the Division 1/Premiership or even the FA Cup. 😀

If there is another 'unknown' team certain of coming to the tapes next season why is it being kept so secret? Surely you would want as many people aware as soon as possible to generate interest and sell season tickets (its called promoting!).The BSPL are happy to post anything on their website which they think might come across as positive (although some things are so trivial it makes you wonder who is that bothered), so why is everybody still waiting?

Let's all get one thing clear. At best it will be 5 teams unless someone is prepared to underwrite another loss making venture.

Be happy if we sign Scott or Harrison to partner him

Would YOU be prepared to underwrite any losses that Ipswich speedway incurs next season. ? We already know that £60k needs to be found to replace the tv money. A new air fence also needs purchasing too. less fixtures with a much weaker product and more repetition is going to lessen income too. oh yes I’d definitely risk my house for it.

Let's try another way. See if mods actually look at this thread: Bum titty bum

Perhaps Jan Staechman might be interested ? He runs a DVD business and perhaps you have stuff he doesn't?

Surely it must be almost certain that Ipswich will be running in 2026. I can't believe Leicester, Kings Lynn, Belle Vue, & Sheffield would want to run in a 4 team league - Would they?

He had the chance before and blew it. Including when he stole other riders possessions from changing rooms. Leopards don’t normally change their spots and he will prove this once again. Anyone who takes him on has got to be desperate.

Great start to the 2026 team building, hopefully we see a few more familiar faces back at Owlerton in the coming day and weeks, with maybe the odd new Tiger as well. Obviously we’ll need a new Rising Star for 2026, is Steelers Luke Harrison going to get the nod?

Yet another dig at Rob Godfrey from Fozzie

Think Berwick will finish the team with an assessed 4 pointer

Nothing is more precious and valuable than time and family - particularly when where you have been working couldn't give 2 sh!ts if you were there or not At 54 I've recently exited a job after 36 years and if I have any say in it have no plans to work again and if I do it will be on terms that suit me

Chris Louis is 56…. He is married and has 2 daughters one of whom is married with children and lives in Denmark Chris and his wife Julie work tirelessly all season and the off season not only running the club but promoting it and actually doing an awful lot on race nights … they both spend a lot of days at the stadium it was their passion and livelihood …. Add on Chris’s tv commitments to this as well Yes Chris is not impressed with the way the sport is heading But do you not think at his age with a family that the time has come for him to perhaps take a rest and enjoy his personal life a bit more ? The loss of John obviously hit Chris hard and now his dad isn’t around probably sees it as the right time to make sure he is there more for his family I don’t think for one second his decision was solely based on speedway Seeing the team win the league finally …. In a year when he lost John … possibly would be the right time to just step back Sure he is annoyed at the sport and the authorities but I feel that was the final straw over something he has thought about for a while